5 books like Jerry the Squirrel

I mean, not sure how much I need to say about the delight this book has brought to children since 1952. After being asked to read it to a group of first graders recently, I dissolved into tears having to read the scene where Charlotte dies, alone. The students that day thought I was silly. Yeah, as a kid, that didn’t bother me much. As an adult, well.

There’s something in this tale of love, friendship, and courage for all ages. Excellent for read-aloud if you are willing to commit to using different voices and really hamming it up.

This is exactly the type of book I recommend for mature Christian teens and young adults because it shows a lovable and completely realistic main character navigating the ups and downs, heartaches, and joys of life.

The main character, Emery, faces loss and hurt, stage fright and uncertainty, and along the way, learns to let God map her life.

This is book two in the series, but in the first book Emery dealt with some huge issues, helping a loved one cope with depression and all the heartache that goes with it.

This is an amazing sequel that has me rooting for the trilogy’s upcoming finale. You’ll laugh and cry as Emery’s story builds. Hooray for happy endings!

I would recommend reading this series in order, but I fell in love with these characters and the dual point-of-view!

The story takes place in Russia, which has outlawed the Christian church, so the characters must decide whether to obey God or man. Evgeny's beloved career ends, making him question his worth.

Then, when his new job lands him in a mess of mysterious government work, he learns the hard way what it means to love your neighbor. Neither Sasha nor Evgeny feels worthy of Jesus' sacrifice, and both of these main characters must learn to trust God's promise of forgiveness.

I'm a scaredy cat, and even I was able to handle the intense scenes, but I would say readers should be mature for this book. 

This author has vivid world-building and delivers a powerful story where good and evil battle.

Each of the four main characters has internal conflict, and I fully enjoyed the multiple points of view. There are a few gruesome descriptions involving slavery and the evil lord’s torture methods, but overall, the book is very clean.

There is no swearing, which I love. The characters follow God’s design for love and marriage, and the memorable story is a clear allegory to the Bible.

Mature teens and adults who want Christian fiction with themes of forgiveness, faithfulness, and God’s ability to change hearts should check out Shattered Reflection. 

This is a timeless story of friendship and mystery, family legacies, and hidden talents. It’s one of our favorite read-aloud books (although my husband has to read the epilogue because I cry every time), or go for the audiobook to hear all of Alice’s little ditties performed by a beautiful voice.

My 12-year-old checks this out from the library again and again. Get ready to crave pie, find a catnapped pet, strike up an unlikely friendship, and let your individual talents shine.