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Review by Bridgette Taylor

Secret of the Scribe by Jennifer Johnson Garrity is a historical fiction novel that packs quite an adventure. The story follows Tabni, a young Sumerian girl who grows up in comfort as a slave to the queen until she is forced to flee under the cover of night. Her only way to support herself is her ability to write. We follow her as she takes us to the most beautiful and the most dreadful parts of the city Ur. We agonize and rejoice with her as she makes difficult decisions that test the vengeance of the gods.

Garrity weaves a tale that portrays daily life in ancient Sumer while exploring Christian answers to polytheistic and monotheistic Christianity. She offers italicized words with counterparts in the glossary making it easy for the student to find the meaning of words no longer in our modern vocabulary.

Although Secret of the Scribe follows a young girl, this novel will be a delight to either a girl or a boy as it is not short on action. Garrity’s prose takes you effortlessly from chapter to chapter. This unforgettable story will lead you and your child to a greater understanding of the truth of our modern day Christian beliefs.

Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism by Marcia Harris Brim is the accompanying study guide to Secret of the Scribe by Jennifer Johnson Garrity. This easy to follow guide makes each lesson come alive for the student and the teacher alike. Both the teacher and the student read Secret of the Scribe together and the teacher reads the lessons aloud from Brim’s study guide. The 25 lessons in the guide are easy to follow and the student should be able to work independently. Discussion questions are included throughout so as to facilitate your discussions of the material.

Brim’s guide combines a textbook, a study guide and a theology lesson to bring about a deeper understanding of Christian beliefs when used in conjunction with Secret of the Scribe. No other materials are required and there is little to no teacher preparation for each lesson. This is a nine month study as each lesson is designed to cover the span of several days. If you enjoy note-booking then you are in luck, as all note-booking pages are included for copying.

Your student will learn through the study of the mistaken beliefs of the pagans just how relevant the Truth still is today. Brim takes a very heavy topic and makes it easy for your middle-school or high-school age student to understand. This is a must have for any home schooling family.