This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Inga Buccella for Readers' Favorite
The Innkeeper’s Son by Christine L. Henderson opens with Marcus, the main character, pretending to be an important centurion who rules over toy soldiers. But Marcus’s mother abruptly asks him to bring blankets to their stable, where his father is seeing to new lodgers. At first, Marcus is annoyed that his chores have interrupted his playtime. But when he meets a couple named Mary and Joseph, and their radiant baby, he suddenly feels a surge of happiness. He learns that the infant's name is Jesus. Through the night, he witnesses shepherds, kings, and even angels flocking to the infant, with a bright star guiding them. Song breaks out in the heavens as the angels herald the child, proclaiming that he is the Savior of the World. The story comes full circle when Marcus grows up witnessing Jesus’s miracles. He also becomes a centurion, something he had dreamt about as a boy. One day, he is ordered to oversee the crowds at Jesus’s crucifixion. He recognizes Jesus as the baby who was born in the stable many years ago and kneels to pay him honor.
The Innkeeper’s Son by Christine L. Henderson is a well-written, fresh new take on an age-old Bible story. In only a few pages, the author has created a well-developed, relatable character in Marcus. We follow him from a boy to a man, as he relates to Jesus. Marcus the soldier is so well defined that he seems to be a real person who has been left out of the Bible. Due to its realism, I enjoyed reading this poignant book and believe children will too. I also appreciated the fun activity pages at the end of the story. This book is a thoughtful gift, as I am sure that children and grandchildren will be delighted to learn what life was like for a child during Christ’s time on earth. Complex religious concepts can be challenging for children to comprehend. But they shine through this story, beautifully illustrated by Ayan Mansoori.
