“I also learned that,” Christy added, “no matter what happens to me, the Lord always goes before me and He’s always with me.” She felt a little bolder than usual, and a little surer that her summer promise to Jesus was real and lasting.
A Whisper and a Wish by Robin Jones Gunn
About the book…
The Christy Miller Series has been a beloved series among Christian girls since the first one released in 1988. The series spans from Christy’s high school years to marriage and motherhood. This first volume in the collector’s edition contains the first three books: A Summer Promise, A Whisper and a Wish, and Yours Forever. These first three books of The Christy Miller Series chronicle Christy’s first high school years, her salvation, and developing relationship with fellow Christian, Todd.
About the author…
Robin Jones Gunn is a wife and mother who lives in Hawaii. She didn’t plan on writing such a well loved and popular series, but the idea for writing The Christy Miller Series was born when girls in the youth group she led asked her to write better books for them to read. She would wake up at 3:00 a.m. to write before a busy day of motherhood. Now, she is the author of over 100 books that have delighted readers for years and sparked a desire to know God for themselves in many young girls. Three of her novellas were made into movies for Hallmark Channel. Her two children are grown now and parents themselves of her precious grandchildren. You can read more about Robin here.
Some personal thoughts…
The Christian girl who hasn’t read a Christy Miller book in all her growing up years could easily be compared with the homeschooler who never read The Chronicles of Narnia. It’s enough to stop someone in their tracks and yell out the question, “What?!”
I was that girl.
I had heard of Christy and her forever friends, but I had yet to meet them myself. I decided to start at the beginning and work my way through as I reviewed them on the blog. It’s been a delight so far.
The characters and situations can be a bit cheesy and dramatic, but the underlying story is simple and sweet. Throughout the first three books (all included in the Vol. 1 Collection) Christy is coming to know Jesus Christ, and experiencing all the ways that He changes her as her love for Him and understanding of who He is and what He has done grows. She learns the valuable lesson of choosing friends wisely, telling the whole truth, respecting and trusting the parental authority over her, and that there’s more to being a teenage girl than overdone eyeliner and edgy outfits. All in all, the story is entertaining and full of valuable lessons for girls in upper middle school and high school.
Also, Todd… Quite the young man. You’ll just have to read the books and get to know him for yourself.
Things worth mentioning…
The books discuss drugs, suicide, eating disorders, and even pregnancy in high school. Christy is surrounded by friends who are not believers, and seeks to show them compassion and Christ’s love and forgiveness. Nothing inappropriate is detailed, but there is content that would spark some questions and would be excellent gateways to important conversations.
Here at The Corner Shelf, you’ll find The Christy Miller Collection Vol. 1 on The Middle Shelf.
The Corner Shelf 