Salem Ridge Press Review

As part of my job as a reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received one physical book and two e-books from Salem Ridge Press.    Before receiving the books, I was not familiar with Salem Ridge Press.  After learning a bit more about Salem Ridge Press, I learned that the founder, Daniel Mills, is a homeschool graduate himself!  The mission of Salem Ridge Press is:

• "bringing back the very best children's books of the 1800's and early 1900's for a new generation of readers.  We strive to republish books that are wholesome, exciting, and well-written."

As of the time of this review, Salem Ridge Press has republished 28 books which are available for purchase in several formats - e-book, softcover, or hardcover (not all books are available in all three formats).  Twelve of the titles are in the Emma Leslie Church History set.  Titles are also available in the topics of American History, World History, Adventure, and Allegory.  There are also titles specifically appropriate for younger readers.  Salem Ridge Press takes the job of providing quality, wholesome books very seriously.  More information about how their titles are chosen can be found at the Our Books page at the Salem Ridge website.

For the purposes of this review, I read From Bondage to Freedom by Emma Leslie.  The Church History series by Emma Leslie is one of the major offerings from Salem Ridge Press.  Salem Ridge Press asserts that these titles are particularly valuable for learning about the early Church and the great works of God because they are:

• Told in an interesting and memorable way
• Inspirational
• Appealing to both girls and boys.

After reading From Bondage to Freedom by Emma Leslie, there are many positive comments that I can easily make about the book.

• The physical book itself is of a high quality.  The pages are of a good thickness, the font is pleasing to the eye and easy to read, and the binding is tight.  The cover art is attractive and the artwork included throughout the book added to the interest level and historical understanding of the story.
• The Historical Notes were very helpful to me in understanding many aspects of the story.  Sadly, I am not particularly well-versed in early Church history so I found the Historical Notes invaluable to aid my understanding.  I think the Historical Notes would be very helpful for a young person learning about early Church history.
• Difficult or unfamiliar words were defined at the bottom of each page.  I found this immensely helpful to my understanding of the book as I'm sure any young person would.
• I think this book would be an excellent addition to a young person's study of Early Church History.  The dramatization of the rise of the Islamic religion and the doctrine of purgatory would add emotion and depth to a historical study of these same events.
• The book was clearly written for an evangelical Christian audience.  The most admirable character in the book has a close relationship with Jesus which influences her life greatly for good.  Her salvation is based solely on the saving grace offered by Him.

While there are many more positives to the book than my few criticisms, I did have a few areas in which I struggled at times with the book. 

• Much of the dialogue is true to the time period and is written with words like "wouldst, thou, thinkest."  Such dialogue might prove to be a stumbling block for some readers in their understanding of the text.
• While the Historical Notes were invaluable, I would have also appreciated a list of characters with descriptions.  There were quite a few characters in this book, many with unfamiliar names.  I think a list of characters and descriptions would aid understanding.
• At times, some of the relationships between characters seemed a bit shallow.  While I completely respect the need to maintain the highest standards of purity, I found myself surprised when two characters were married.  I simply did not recognize that they had profound feelings for one another, deep enough to lead to marriage. 

To get a better idea if this title would be a valuable addition to your family's library, you can read the first chapter of From Bondage to Freedom at the Salem Ridge website.  From Bondage to Freedom by Emma Leslie is available for purchase in softcover for $14.95, and in hardcover for $24.95.  Depending on your family's values, Salem Ridge Press may be just the publisher you are looking for to provide quality, wholesome, God-honoring literature for your family.

I was given one physical book and two e-books in exchange for writing this review.  No other compenation, monetary or otherwise was given to me in exchange for writing this review.