Lauren Ducommun

I was thrilled to see the biographies of Martin Luther and Katie Luther on Crossway’s upcoming releases page. Crossway is releasing them as part of a new biographical series for upper elementary school students ages 8 – 13.

What’s Inside?

While The Story of Martin Luther by Jared Kennedy looks like a hefty little biography, it contains short chapters, illustrations, and even maps and boxes with fun facts and helpful information inside. For those who want to read this in a class or group setting, there are study questions in the back and a timeline of Luther’s life. 

How is the writing?

The first chapter begins with a great hook, capturing the reader’s interest and leaving him with the question: Will becoming a monk calm the storm in Luther’s soul? I was a little worried at first that the language would be too easy, as many modern chapter books are, but this biographical chapter book was engaging and informative.

Jared Kennedy, the author of The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible, does an excellent job of weaving in facts and stories about Luther’s life without feeling like a textbook or the opposite: too flowery. He also clearly and simply shares the different theological beliefs that Luther wrestled with so that young readers can understand the various viewpoints.

Briefly addressing Anti-Semitism

I am also grateful how Kennedy devoted a text box to mention Martin’s On the Jews and Their Lies and how those words hurt the lives of Jewish people in his lifetime but also since then. It’s a sobering reminder that while Christians can do a lot of good, we can still also do a lot of harm if we let sin reign over us or ignore Jesus’ teachings.

Summary

The Story of Martin Luther: The Monk Who Changed the World is a wonderful introduction to the life of Martin Luther, neither turning it into historical fiction nor dumbing it down. Kennedy isn’t afraid to talk to young readers about all the different topics: purgatory, justification, Diet of Worms, summaries of Luther’s books, Latin words, Four Views of the Lord’s Supper, and so on. I appreciate how he believes that children are capable of understanding and being introduced to these topics.

I am eager to see what other books Crossway plans to release in this new series, edited by Champ Thornton. I also look forward to reading the other new release: The Story of Katie Luther: The Nun Who Escaped to True Freedom by Gretchen Ronnevik.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

The Story of Martin Luther: The Monk Who Changed the World
by Jared Kennedy
Crossway, 2024
152 pages