Part of the Do Great Things For God series.
While in her twenties, Gladys Aylward (1902-1970) felt called to serve God in China and enrolled at missionary school. After failing her exam and being told that she couldn’t go, she was eventually given the opportunity by an elderly missionary in China who needed a young woman to help her.
The only problem was that she needed to pay for her journey there. China is a very long way away! So Gladys worked day and night until, eventually, she had enough for a train ticket to China.
But her train stopped in Siberia and wouldn’t go any further. Gladys had to cross a dark forest, surrounded by packs of hungry wolves.
She met scary people who thought she was a spy. She sneaked onto a ship, and then took another boat, another train, a bus and lastly a donkey!
When she eventually arrived, the villagers were deeply suspicious and threw mud at her! But, with time, Gladys earned the trust of those around her and helped the elderly missionary, Jeannie, to run a guesthouse for tired travellers, where they would read them stories from the Bible every night.
Children will enjoy this beautifully illustrated children's biography, which can be read to young children aged 4-5 and read by children aged 6 plus.
| Age range: | 4 - 7 |
|---|---|
| Contributors | Laura Wickham, Jess Rose |
| ISBN | 9781784987824 |
| Format | eBook |
| First published | September 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 24 |
| Publisher | The Good Book Company |
Children will sympathize with Gladys as her plans are repeatedly denied, changed, and frustrated by circumstances beyond her control. And they will rejoice as Gladys experiences the best plan of all: God's. In the pages of this book, young readers will be encouraged to attempt big things and then to trust God with the results.
Will failing an exam keep Gladys Alyward from going to China? No! Laura Caputo-Wickham shows our kids how God makes a way for those he calls.
Gladys’s story impacted me deeply. She was so willing, so hardworking, determined to overcome every barrier in her way to obey God’s call to mission. The tremendous good she did for so many, at such great cost to herself, powerfully demonstrates what it looks like to follow in Christ’s footsteps.
Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman With a Big Dream tells the true story of Gladys Aylward, a woman who desired to serve God as a missionary to China. Although it often seemed that it would be impossible for Gladys to serve God in that way, He worked to remove incredible barriers and used her greatly for His purposes. The book serves as a mini biography of sorts, introducing young readers to Gladys and her story in a condensed manner. I’m so thankful the story of Gladys’ life is preserved in a manner for young readers to understand because her endurance is rare and encouraging. Although the book’s primary audience is young children, I found myself inspired by reading about how God used a seemingly ordinary woman like Gladys to further His kingdom’s purposes. I hope that by reading this book and the rest of the series with my children they will be encouraged to live lives marked by ordinary faithfulness and a deep trust in God.
My girls and I really enjoyed Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman With a Big Dream and look forward to reading more in the Do Great Things for God series. I received Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman With a Big Dream compliments of The Good Book Company in exchange for my honest review.
Gladys Aylward is a great addition to the Do Great Things for God series. It is a picture book biography that teaches children about, in this case, a missionary to China. The book includes a timeline and an actual photograph of Gladys at the end of the book which is an awesome addition to the book.
The text takes the reader through a very surface-level look at the life of Gladys Aylward and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. It is at a level that is understandable for children without dumbing it down. I like that neither the author nor the illustrator shied away from including details about struggles Gladys faced with unwelcoming people or the war. The emphasis of trusting God carries through from beginning to end and is a great encouragement to the reader.
We love this series for our homeschool library to teach our children about history and faith through lovely picture books.
