Trailblazers Series by Assorted Authors

This middle grade biography series, written in third-person narrative, is designed to read like a story (including dialogue) and is geared toward ages 8–12. At the time of this review, the series includes 68 titles (too many to list here). Note: this series is published by Christian Focus, not to be confused with another series of the same name from a different publisher.

If you are looking for a solid series to introduce your 8–12-year-old to notable Christians throughout history, Trailblazers is a wonderful resource. My oldest enjoyed the way these titles were written, so as to feel immersed in the person’s story, as opposed to a traditional biography format. I have not read (even close) to all the books in the series, so do know that this isn’t an exhaustive review, but rather a series recommendation based off of what I have read, with the caveat that each book is unique and will contain differing levels of violence, turmoil, hardships and more, depending on each person’s life. Also, this large series has many authors, so the voice and flow will vary depending, but to give you an idea, here is an excerpt from Ulrich Zwingli: Shepherd Warrior.

“The solider, a minister by calling, removed his helmet to look into his children’s faces one last time. For nearly the first time since meeting each of his children on the days of their birth, the preach was lost for words.”

Overall, with the vast number of titles available and interesting writing, this could be a valuable series for your family. (It’s great for churches to collect as well!)

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