Product Description

This is a children's story of the daily and adventurous episodes in the lives of Renee and Albret, young twin sisters in a seventeenth-century, French Protestant family. The story follows the twins and the rest of the Martineau family as they work, worship, commune, and suffer persecution together. The story aims to portray the ideas and historical details common to Huguenot life in La Rochelle, France, 1685, a tragic year whose final quarter brought the full wrath of Louis XIV. For children five and up.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #901696 in Books
• Published on: 1995-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
Douglas Jones is the senior editor of Credenda/Agenda magazine and a fellow of philosophy at New St. Andrew's College, Moscow, Idaho. He is also author of the children's books-"Scottish Seas" and "Dutch Color."

Customer Reviews

Worthwhile reading
I just finished reading this book aloud to my children. They liked it well enough to keep asking for more although it was not as action-packed as Scottish Seas, the childrens' favorite book written by Douglas Jones.

The heroes are twin french girls in La Rochelle, France, 1685. I'm guessing they are around 6-8 years old (the book doesn't tell). Two of their great joys are caring for their lamb "Boucle" and tending a small plot of land where they grow flowers and vegetables. Their parents actively teach them about the Lord. There are many sweet glimpses into every day life, from trampling grapes at their cousin's farm in the country to running errands in town with their older brother. There's also a childbirth, visits from dragoons, psalm singing, secretive night journeys, and more.

The backdrop of this book is the persecution of the French Huegenots by Louis XIV and the Roman church. While this could have been quite a fearful subject, Jones has chosen to underscore God's faithfulness rather than the tyranny of men.

I would recommend this as a very readable story that introduces children to the overarching theme of persecution and particularly, what the Huguenots endured. The girls with their family ultimately find safe haven in Southampton, England.

I did find some portions a little pedantic, as another reviewer mentioned, but my children didn't seem to mind. As a parent, this kind of picture of godly family life is a great encouragement.

It would be interesting to follow up with research about the siege on the Huguenots which occurred fifty some years earlier at La Rochelle (rather callously described in Dumas' The Three Musketeers).

I give this book 5 stars but I can't seem to get the stars to click past 4 on this.

A pleasant story of faith
Huguenot Garden is the story of a French, protestant family and thier faith in the Soverign God of the universe. Dedicated to Jones' two daughters, Huguenot Garden features twins of the same names. Along with their family, the girls are on a journey of faith involving joy, promises, and...persecution?

HUEGENOT GARDEN
THIS IS ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS! I KNOW ITS A GOOD BOOK WHEN I ENJOY READING IT AS MUCH AS MY CHILDREN DO LISTENING TO IT. THE STORY OF THE TWINS IS ENDEARING AS WELL AS EXCITING. AS A PARENT I AM SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE A GOOD CHILDREN'S LITERATURE BOOK THAT REENFORCES THE VALUES THAT MY HUSBAND AND I TRY TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN WITHOUT BEING PREACHY. I ALSO APPRECIATE GOOD BOOKS THAT AREN'T JUST FUN TO READ BUT DO DOUBLE DUTY AS HISTORICAL FICTION LIKE THIS ONE. IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK YOU WILL ALSO LOVE DUTCH COLOR AND SCOTTISH SEAS (ESPECIALY IF YOU HAVE BOYS) BY THE SAME AUTHOR.