Reading Rescue, November 2008:
Spotlight! Beverly Lewis
 By Anne Allen and Mary Anne Fulmer
Reading Rescue, no boring books, shines the spotlight on
Beverly Lewis. Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Beverly Marie Jones
(Lewis) began writing at the tender age of nine years old. Her mother
saved all her writings, but Ms. Lewis didn't publish her work until her
children were in middle school. She started with magazine articles in
Highlights for Children, Dolphin Log and Guidepost for
Kids. In 1983 she began writing the Cul-de-Sac Kids series of
books. Her first adult fiction was a trilogy called The Heritage of
Lancaster County. The first book in the series, The Shunning,
is a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the
modern world by secrets from her past. This book is said to be loosely
based on Ms. Lewis's maternal grandmother, Ada. Ada had left her Old
Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. All three
books in the trilogy address issues of family, belonging, and community.
They each provide a powerful look into faith, truth and the promise of
peace. The second book in the trilogy is titled The Confession
and the third, The Reckoning. They are all available in the
library. (FIC LEWIS)
Another series, Abram's Daughters, is about four
Amish sisters. The Covenant, the first book in the series, takes
place in 1946 at Gobblers Knobb, Pennsylvania. Sadie and her sister Leah
are enjoying "rumschpringe", a time when Amish teens are permitted to
relax the rules and basically run around. This happens prior to baptism
into the church. Leah's first love is Jonas, but her father is
determined that she marry Gideon whose father owns the adjoining farm.
Sadie, on the other hand, is willful as well as beautiful. She is
defiant and crosses all boundaries when she becomes involved with Derek,
an Englischer. Sadie is bound to be hurt. She becomes pregnant, and
Derek leaves. She must keep the pregnancy secret. What will happen when
her parents find out? There are four other books in the series: The
Betrayal, The Sacrifice, The Prodigal, and The
Revelation. The entire series is available in the library. (FIC
LEWIS)
Annie's People, is another trilogy featuring
Annie Zook, the Amish preacher's daughter. Annie is caught between two
worlds. The Preacher's Daughter is the first book of the series.
Annie is a budding artist, but the Amish community forbids its members
to draw or paint pictures. Will she choose her family or painting?
Adding to her dilemma is Ben. He is an Englisher, and she is drawn to
him. What will happen? The other books in the trilogy are: The
Englisher and The Brethren. This series is available in the
library. (FIC LEWIS)
The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series is based on
an actual historical event. The event was a debate over salvation and
tractors. It causes a group of Amish families to pull away from the Old
Order. Two young people are caught in the divide. The Parting is
the first book in the series. Nellie Fisher knows that if her family
breaks away from the church, she stands to loose her beloved Caleb. He
is a staunch member of the Old Order. Nellie knows if she follows Caleb,
she faces the loss of her family. Caleb and Nellie continue to meet
secretly. Will the families keep them apart? Will Caleb and Nellie find
a way to stay together? The Forbidden and The Longing are
the other books in the series. All are available in the library. (FIC
LEWIS)
There are two books in The Postcard and The
Crossroads series. In The Postcard Rachel Yoder, a New Order
Amish woman, has lost her husband and son in a tragic accident two years
ago. Rachel and her young daughter return to live with her aging
parents. Rachel is resigned to be a widow for the rest of her life. Her
family runs a bed- and- breakfast in a Lancaster town. Philip Bradley
from New York is on assignment to write an article about the Amish
community. He is, of course, staying at the B & B. A postcard written in
illegible Pennsylvania Dutch is left on his dresser. It leads him to a
mysterious woman called "The Storyteller." He is fascinated by a story
she is telling him, and he asks Rachel to help him understand. What will
happen between Rachel and Philip? Will he understand? Both books are in
the library collection. (FIC LEWIS)
The Sunroom is the story of Becky Owens, a young
girl facing the possibility of losing her mother. Becky's mother is
gravely ill with cancer and is in the hospital. She and her sister must
sit in the hospital waiting room while her father visits her mother.
Children could not visit in the hospital at that time. Becky remembers
the smell of the hospital. She also remembers waving to her mother who
can sometimes make it to the sunroom. Becky finds that love goes beyond
the limit of death. This is an inspiring and tender tale that is sure to
become a favorite. (FIC LEWIS)
October Song is a book about a sort of family
reunion. It is a collection in three parts. It tells the story of Katie
and Daniel's wedded bliss, Philip's settlement in the B & B, and the
story of Lydia's courtship with Levi. The stories are tales of loss, of
learning, and wedding fears. All in all, it is a delightful book and is
sure to keep you interested. It is best to read this book after The
Heritage of Lancaster Series, The Postcard and Crossroads,
and The Redemption of Sarah Cain. All are in the library. (FIC
LEWIS)
Ms. Lewis also writes young adult books and the newest
collection is called The Holly Heart Collection. They feature
Holly Meredith who lives with her family, friends, and "Goofey" the cat.
Her mother gave her the name Holly Heart because she was born on
Valentine's Day. The collection of three books tells of Holly's journey
as she learns about life, her family, school, and relationships. She
receives quite a bit of help from her closet friend and her love of God.
Holly's Heart Collection One contains five short stories dealing
with teen crushes in the Best Friend, Worst Enemy. Sweet
Summer Dreams deals with disappointment. Sealed with a Kiss
is about whether something is a white lie and how it can hurt others.
The Trouble with Weddings is about planning a wedding. The wedding
is Holly's moms. The story, California Crazy, is about learning
to give others the benefit of the doubt.
Holly's Heart Collection Two contains five short
stories. Each story deals with an issue ranging from jealousy to making
the right choice. Holly's Heart Collection Three contain four
stories. Holly does quite a bit in these stories. In Mystery Letters,
she writes a Dear Holly column and in It's a Girl, Holly learns
about family responsibility. These collections are great for young
adults. They are short and to the point. They can be found in the Young
Adult Area. (YA LEWIS)
Beverly Lewis also writes children's books. They range
from twenty-four Cul-de-Sac Kids to Summerhill Secrets
books. Ms Lewis does write picture books for the very young people. The
library has some of her books including: Just Like Mamma and
What is God Like?
As you can see, Beverly Lewis is an inspiring author.
Her books are compelling and fresh. They touch a special place in many
of her readers. The books are also about historical facts and help us
return to traditional values. The library has many of her books in the
collection. She is a great choice for your reading pleasure.
On December 13th, the Pittsburgh Puppet Works and a very
special visitor will visit the library. Please check the papers, our web
site or phone the library for information and details.
Please remember the Friends of the Library meet the
third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm in the library multi-purpose
room. They are always interested in new members, and you will be made
very welcome.
As always if you have questions or comments please
e-mail mfulmer@pennlib.org
or call (724) 744-4414.
See you in the library!!
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