The Heart Changer

If you know our family, you know how important reading is to us. We read many books each week for both personal and educational reasons, so it is a blessing when we receive a new one to review. My daughter, especially, is a voracious reader. She's 11 years old now, and though she still enjoys reading cute picture books to her little brothers, she devours a good chapter book by herself.

It can be tricky to find books that have quality writing and literature for her age level. Often, the stories include themes and topics that are either too mature or too crude. I was excited to hand her a paperback copy of The Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio, Author as it meets my requirements for the middle grade level.

Jarm Del Boccio is a world traveler with a background in elementary and high school education and school librarian. Her passion is to make Scripture and history come alive by developing the backstory of key characters. Her debut novel, The Heart Changer, was inspired by II Kings 5 and focuses on the "little maid" that waited on Naaman's wife. Though the Bible doesn't tell us anything else about this girl, we know that she trusted in the healing powers of Jehovah and was instrumental in helping others trust in the true God. Jarm has taken this girl and has given her not only a name, but a story, as well. 

The story begins in the midst of battle as the village of Shunem was ransacked by Syrian warriors. Twelve-year-old Miriam, tried to hide, but was captured by one of the soldiers and taken far away from her family. Mile after mile she walked. Captive. Her muscles screamed in pain and with each step her heart hardened a little more.

Exhausted, sore, and bitter, she arrived in her new home days later. Everything was different--the sites, the smells, the food, the people. She wondered how the Almighty could allow this to happen. But as she watched the other captives chained and put on the auction block as she herself was claimed by the commander of all of the Syrian armies, she felt a flicker of hope in her situation. 

Miriam felt many conflicting emotions as she struggled to settle into this strange place. Torn between needing love and hating those who put her in this situation confused her all the more. Yet through it all, her captors were kind and she knew that the Almighty had a perfect plan. God chipped away at her bitter heart and though she missed her family and worried about their safety, she desired to do her best. When she learned that her master was plagued with leprosy, she played a vital roll in his healing. More than his physical restoration though, Miriam herself experienced a spiritual healing as her own heart began to heal and she fully trusted in the One who made all things.

My girl grabbed the book the day we received it in the mail and headed to her room. A little over an hour later, she handed it back to me. Her only complaint? That she didn't get to use the bookmark that was sent with it. There's no need for a bookmark when you read the entire book in one sitting!

After she described it briefly, here is what she said about it:

"I really liked it! It was a good book. I like that it was based on the Bible."

I also read the book in just over an hour. At less than 120 pages and written for 7-12 year olds, it is a quick, but powerful read. Jarm has done a lovely job filling in the gaps of what could have been that little maid's life. I find it helpful to put myself in a character's place when reading the Bible--imagining how they felt, what experiences would have influenced their decisions, what components would have shaped their perspective. Understanding the details, especially of a culture so very different from our own, truly helps the Bible become more alive and real. The Heart Changer does exactly that.

There is also a PDF teacher's guide (half way down the page, click on the white box with text). The guide is a simple 12-page accompaniment to the book. There are questions to get the reader thinking, including

If you were taken from your home, what would you miss the most?

Do you think it was wrong of Miriam to light the candles to Adara's god?

What character did you relate to the most? Why?

Would Miriam have influenced Naaman for good if she would have shown hate instead of forgiveness?

There are also prompts to research the setting further. What happened to people with leprosy, why Israel was taken into captivity, the distance between Israel and Syria, what the landscape was like are all things that would have played a roll in the story. Learning more details will help the reader understand the situations better. There are additional activities, helpful studies and devotionals, and even a few authentic Syrian recipes. The guide also includes some fun aspects like a brief interview with the author and some "favorites" of the main character.

The Heart Changer is a beautiful story to teach about forgiveness and faith. Even when our path leads us a way that seems painful, we can trust that God is guiding each step.

Jarm Del Boccio, Author has a talent for making a small character with a big roll come to life. I'm excited to see whose story she chooses to write next.

You can connect with Jarm Del Boccio on the following social media sites:
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Head to the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews of this book.