The Hidden Village ~ a book review

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to find something no one knew was there? Who would you tell? Would they believe you? The Hidden Village by Bonnie Rose Hudson explores just such an idea.

Manju is a young boy living in West Bengal, India. While enjoying his favorite activity – climbing mangrove trees – he spots smoke coming from a clearing far off in the forest. Knowing he doesn’t have time to return to his village and get help, he hurries to the spot expecting to have to put out a fire. Instead, he finds a hidden village.

Making friends with two girls from the village, he finds out that they are hungry, cold, and poorly sheltered, with no way to make changes. He returns home and tells his father, who doesn’t believe him. But Manju knows they need help so he determines to trust that God will help him help them. He takes food to them, bit by bit. He works to earn a blanket for them. Eventually, he tells their travelling preacher that there is a group of people that need help but no one will believe him. The preacher believes him and helps Manju determine to keep doing the best he can and to share the most important gift that he has – the knowledge of Jesus.

Manju does just that. Teaching them to read and sharing the stories of Jesus, Manju does his best. But, realizing that while the village is hidden from those around him, it is not hidden from God. God is working and what he does is amazing!

The Hidden Village is an easy to read, short chapter book. There are about 60 pages in the book with beautiful watercolor drawings to illustrate each chapter. Following the conclusion of the story, there are a couple of pages with information to help the reader understand more about the world of Manju and India.

Bonnie Rose Hudson is an author that we have fallen in love with. Her writing is engaging, informative and deeply personal. In reading what she writes, you are drawn in – not to the story but to the deeper, underlying message of sharing the hope of Jesus with the world. In this story, we learn much about India but the most important thing we learn is that not many know Jesus in that land and we need to share Jesus with them. Bonnie Rose includes a section at the back of the book sharing the things the readers can do to make sure that every village hears about God’s love. These are simple, easy to implement ideas but it prepares even the youngest listeners to share God’s love.

Bonnie Rose Hudson’s heart’s desire is for every child to feel the love of God and know how special they are to Him. She works as the Director of SchoolhouseTeachers.com, the curriculum site of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®. She would love for you to explore the wonderful curriculum available there and to stop by her author’s blog WriteBonnieRose.com for resources to help teach your children about missions and the persecuted Church, free history and writing printables, discover how you can write for the homeschool market, and check out her newest release from JourneyForth, The Hidden Village, an early reader set in India.

GIVEAWAY – Bonnie Rose is offering five winners each a signed copy of her book The Hidden Village. Enter by clicking the link below. But this ends soon – 12/8/2017 – so go enter now.

Entry-Form

Be sure to check out the resource videos I found to go with this book in order to learn more about Manju’s world. We also based a unit study off of Bonnie’s book and it was a huge hit. We learned so much. Check out our India unit study, too.

Blessings,
At Home.