Islands and Enemies - TOS Review

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

I'm always on the lookout for a great book series to really capture the attention of Titus, my almost 10-year-old son. I think I've finally found the perfect books! The Imagination Station series from Tyndale is an adventure series for kids ages 8-12. John Whittaker has invented a time-traveling machine that cousins Beth and Patrick use to travel back in time to different historical events and places. Beth and Patrick get to meet famous people and help solve problems. They remind me of another series of books where kids go back in time to famous events, but The Imagination Station books have a Christian element to them. 

We received Islands and Enemies, the 28th book in this series, to read and review. This book takes Beth and Patrick back to the Victoria, Ferdinand Magellan's ship, with him and his crew. Patrick and Beth are in the middle of an argument, and John Whittaker sends them back in time with this warning - they can't come back until they are friends again!

When the Imagination Station drops them off in 1521, they are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, at the mercy of dolphins to take them to the Victoria. Some of Magellan's crew dig them out of the ocean and take them to the ship. When Beth calls one of the sailors by his name, they are instantly accused of "Witchcraft!" and threatened to be drowned in the ocean. Follow along with Beth and Patrick as they try to prove they aren't using spells and magic and are in fact just children. Can they save their friendship?

What did I think?

I really enjoyed this book. I like the fact that it's not overly "Christian" - and by that, I mean it's not forced into the storyline. The children's faith comes out naturally as the story unfolds. I also liked that I didn't have to worry that something inappropriate would happen in the book - there would be no swear words, no inappropriate scenes, no rude or vulgar talk, nothing against God or our religion. The fact that Patrick and Beth are cousins is also nice as it relieves any boy/girl tension. I don't like how boy/girl relationships are pushed in books even for very young kids.

It's a very interesting read with lots of action and adventure. I think boys and girls would love this book series, especially as the main characters are a boy and a girl. Plus, reading historical fiction is a great way to keep kids learning all year, without them even realizing that they're learning! I learned quite a bit about Magellan from this book, and I'm a 37-year-old mom of almost seven who has homeschooled for 14+ years! I am very interested in purchasing more books in this series for Titus. 

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