Good Books on Reformation

GOOD BOOKS
Our family just visited Washington DC a few winters ago. After the trip, I told Steve that I could get a lot of reading done, if we could just fly more. Besides seeing many, many sights and walking many, many miles, I read 2 very good books. We have sold both of these books for a long while. Now, I can say that they are fun to read and teach you about Tudor England at the same time,.
Mary, Bloody Mary (listed in Sonlight) is about the growing up of Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VIII. I was fascinated with the way families interact during this time period. I can't imagine seeing my child once every year or two, but that's what Henry did. Besides the description at the end of the book about the beheading of Anney Boleyn, it is a book both my girls will be reading in a month or so. The sequel, Beware Princess Elizabeth, continues the story as it tells about the youth of Queen Elizabeth. Both of these are written from a worldly perspective.
Coronation of Glory is recommended by Elisabeth Elliot, so I was excited to read it. Deborah Meroff takes you back to the time of Lady Jane Grey, queen for nine days. She covers Jane's life from the time of Henry's death to her own death. I had heard of Lady Jane Grey for so long, but did not know anything about her. I enjoyed the first half of the book, like most girls would. But what fascinated me the most was the conclusion of this young lady's life. She believed the "new faith" of the time, the reformed faith. Once Mary became queen, Roman Catholocism was reinstated as England's national religion. At the young age of 17, Jane knew her faith well and had Scripture to support her faith. She is a picture of courage, bravery and faith as she stands by her convictions. I read the ending to this book on the last leg of our flight home, with tears rolling down my face. I am encouraged to teach my own children the Scripture because I want them to be "ready to make a defense" to anyone who asks. As I face the new year, one of my goals is to instill Scripture and Biblical principles in my children.
If you decide to read these, or have your kids read them, spend some time discussing the different worldviews of these two authors. When my daughter (at the time 14yo) read these books, she remarked how different Mary, Bloody Mary portrayed Queen Mary than Coronation of Glory.

Kerry

Other History Books
Teaching History