I recently had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of Escape from Rome by Kathryn Butler, the second book in The Lamplight Series of choose-your-own-adventure middle grace fiction novels from Crossway.

As my children begin reading independently and work toward the middle grade stage, I’m finding myself trying to scope out the lay of the land again and sift through the many options out there to find quality books for my children to read. I appreciate resources like Redeemed Reader that help me sift through the newer material that wasn’t around when I was that age, and places like Thrift Books, eBay, and our local used bookstore that help me locate books I loved as a child that I can no longer find at the library. I’m excited to see publishers like Crossway and The Good Book Company beginning to add more middle grade fiction to their excellent selections of picture books for young readers.

I read a few choose-your-own-adventure novels as a child and found them fun. (Even as a child I marveled at how an author could keep track of so many different story options!) I love that Kathryn Butler and Crossway are presenting some Christian options of the genre for modern readers!

Escape from Rome transports readers back in time to ancient Rome under the reign of Nero. There they will navigate different options as they face the Great Fire, gladiators, imprisonment, and other perils. Along the way, they’ll learn some elements of early church history from an eyewitness, boots-on-the-ground perspective. With 13 different possible endings, your child can read the book repeatedly and take a different journey each time!

As your reader tries out different adventures, they’ll catch some subtle lessons in wise decision making, godly character, and Biblical worldview. I think that’s one of the things I love most about these books. As readers adventure through Rome, they’ll also see firsthand how the decisions they make have consequences–not just in their own lives, but in the lives of others. Some only have a short-term impact, but some have far more reaching implications. They’ll also be presented with different scenarios that bring issues of character development into the forefront. While some options are pretty black and white, such as telling a lie to get out of a tight spot or being honest, others are more nuanced. When faced with a situation where more than one option could be considered a “good choice” or where there isn’t an obvious “right answer”–what should you do?

I look forward to giving these books to my children to read and I hope Butler and Crossway produce more options in the future! Five stars!

Escape from Rome releases on July 21. You can purchase it from Crossway, Amazon, or other retailers.

I received a complementary advanced copy of Escape from Rome from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.