Abigail Series by Bethany McIlrath

When her family moves across town, 9-year-old Abigail starts at a new school and has to make new friends. Thankfully, they still attend the same church. We see Abigail learn about Jesus and grow in her faith throughout this overtly Christian series.

Reading Level: Ages 6-10
Read Aloud Age: 6+

This sweet chapter series follows Abigail, her relatable situations, and how the gospel matters in each one. The author does a thorough job of addressing issues from a Biblical perspective, usually through the adults in Abigail’s life. There are many passages of Abigail talking through biblical topics and wrestling with how to live those out as a follower of Christ. She struggles with things like wanting to always be liked, feeling left out, and legalism. The goal of this series is clear: to tell a story in which children can see themselves and to point them to God’s Word for the answer.

The storylines themselves are sweet and mild- I think of this series as like an overtly Christian Sophie Mouse, but for slightly older girls. I understand it’s more for the story’s sake, but sometimes it seems odd that a child who is raised in a Christian home and professes Christ wouldn’t know some of the things that Abigail has to learn- like the ending to recognizable Bible stories or who the apostle Paul is- but I do think this is for the reader’s benefit of seeing her growth instead of realism. These books are very openly didactic, which some people appreciate while others might feel they are too obvious in their approach. Overall, these are wholesome and gentle reads.

Language:
“Big mouths.”
Abigail thinks of herself as stupid.
Girls call a boy a “monster.”

Questionable Behaviors:
One child is made fun of for their name.
Abigail yells, “We are not friends. No one even likes you!” to a mean boy at school.
One eye roll mentioned.

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