Whether or not you are part of a tight-knit extended family, Beyond the White Fence offers a taste of such kinship. Can you imagine what happens when you gather a close group of cousins at Gramgon’s (their grandma’s) house? It follows that they will have experiences together in the valley beyond the white fence in her backyard…
Katie, Rachael, Madeline, Naomi, and James each (sometimes together, and other times on their own) experience extraordinary adventures in the valley. Every time they see a pair of fawns in the meadow beyond Gramgon’s white fence, an escapade follows. The cousins know that they are not supposed to go down there without a grownup, but they also can’t resist getting a closer look at those fawns! Every time that they follow the young deer, they find themselves transported to other places and eras. With each new experience, the children meet amazing people facing difficult circumstances while trusting God to carry them through their trials.
Beyond the White Fence is a tale of familial love in the context of extraordinary events. It offers believable glimpses into the lives of a handful of saints. Their stories are seamlessly infused with the children’s exploits throughout the book.
Edith M. Humphrey has woven a beautiful story that children (especially those aged 8-12) will enjoy because of its myriad of adventures. They will come away from the book having found new friends (a handful of saints) that they may not have met before. Emanuel Alypius Burke’s illustrations, sprinkled throughout the book, embroider the text with their charm and depth.
This reader was delighted to learn that the author is a grandmother to many, the first few of whom are named (and their saints are featured) in this book, and can’t help hoping she will write additional books, introducing all of her grandchildren‘s saints!
Spoiler alerts: don’t worry, parents, after every adventure in the book, the children safely return to Gramgon’s house before they have even been missed, regardless of how much time has passed during the adventure. Oh, and don’t be surprised if, after reading this book, your children will want a peacock feather of their own, just in case…
Reviewed by Kristina Wenger, educator, podcaster, co-author of Tending the Garden of Our Hearts
You can buy your own copy of Beyond the White Fence here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/beyond-the-white-fence/
Other Orthodox Christian books that we have reviewed which could be of interest to this age group:
The Cross and the Stag https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2019/08/28/gleanings-from-a-book-the-cross-and-the-stag-by-gabriel-wilson/
Spyridon’s Shoes https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2019/05/08/gleanings-from-a-book-spyridons-shoes-by-christine-rogers/
The Broken Wheel https://www.facebook.com/orthodoxchristianparenting/posts/10158579524755743
In the Orthodox Church, we are each admonished to learn about the saints. We quote the Holy Fathers and are encouraged to study the lives of all the saints who have gone on before us. But do we ever take a moment to consider why are we encouraged to do this? What value is there in learning about the life of someone who lived so long (years or even millennia) before us? This blog post will take a look at a few of the reasons why we should learn about the saints; through the words of Holy Fathers and saints. https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/on-learning-about-the-saints/
Orthodox Christian Sunday Church School Teachers 
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