Tuesday Tales: A Shadow in the Dark by Ronica Stromberg (Book Giveaway Contest)

It’s time for another book giveaway contest! Please leave a comment below for the author or about the book or simply, “Pick me!” And tune in tomorrow, author Ronica Stromberg is here to talk about her book and her writing career. You can leave a comment there, too, for another chance to win a copy of A Shadow in the Dark from Royal Fireworks Press.

*Tween novel, contemporary inspirational fiction
*12-year-old girl as main character
*Rating: A Shadow in the Dark will keep you turning the page to find out what is going on in the new country neighborhood where Kirsten has moved.

Short, short summary: Kirsten moves to the country with her mom and brother when her parents separate, and she is looking for a friend. A young neighbor boy tells her there’s a girl about Kirsten’s age, living in a nearby farmhouse. But when Kirsten goes to meet her, an old woman opens the door and says she lives there alone. Soon, Kirsten befriends the granddaughter of a neighbor, whose name is Gail, and draws her into the mystery, too. One day, Gail and Kirsten even see small dresses for a girl hanging on the old woman’s clothesline, and they think they see a shadowy figure at the front window of the house. While Gail and Kirsten are trying to figure out this mystery and are quickly becoming friends, Gail is also sharing information with Kirsten about her Christian faith, including inviting her to help at Bible School.

To order this book for $7.99, visit Royal Fireworks Press: http://rfwp.com/series96.htm#900

So, what do I do with this book:

1. Mystery books are GREAT for this age group because kids can try to solve the mystery right along with the main characters. Ask students or your children what they would do if they thought an old woman in their neighborhood was hiding a girl. How would they solve the problem? Also, ask them to predict what they think is going on and what clues the author is providing to them. These make great journal writing prompts to assign while kids are reading A Shadow in the Dark.

2. If you home school or teach at a Christian school, then this is the perfect book to discuss the Christian themes present in the story. Why does Kirsten struggle with faith? Why doesn’t she want to go back to Bible School? How does Gail talk to her? How does Gail show her what being a Christian is all about? Your students or your children have probably been in situations like Gail and/or Kirsten. How did they handle these situations? What can they learn from the characters in this book? Again, these are great journal writing prompts, and then the answers can be discussed.

3. Down syndrome is also introduced in this book. Do students know what this is? Most probably will or have at least met someone with Down syndrome. This book give students and children a great opportunity to find out more about this chromosomal disorder and to understand people with it. The National Down Syndrome Society website is a great place to start.

Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win this book!