Book Review: A Year with the Potters

Age Appropriate For: All Ages

Best for Ages: 8-12

Description: In April they met new friends, in August they got a kitten, October they learned about Martin Luther, November brought a pet Black Widow, and January gave them a Biblical lesson in perseverance. What else is in store for the Potter family? For Amanda, Jackie, Emmy, Grace, and their parents, there's no such thing as an ordinary month! Not only that, they are always pulling their friends into their adventures too. Why is there a kitten creeping through shards of glass? What is he after? And why is there a jar hiding in the kitchen cupboard - with a spider living in it?

Okay, so I read this as a 22-year-old when probably it is best read from ages 8 to 12. However, as I read these stories about the Potter family, I couldn’t help but think to the future. When I think about books I want to be on the shelf for my kids, these kinds of stories are at the top of what I want.

Each chapter is like a short story with the same characters. Each story teaches an academic as well as a moral lesson that is refreshing to read. The style goes against many modern trends, which I found very appealing. It had an old-fashioned feel, yet obviously modern in many relevant ways.

The interaction between the parents and the children were wonderful. The parents are loving yet provide correction. The children make mistakes, get irritated with their parents, but underlying respect prevails in the book.

I can’t wait to read this aloud to a group of children, whether that is relatives, kids at church, or my own someday.

I highly recommend this book as a family read aloud, or wholesome reading for children ages 8 to 12