Tarissa's Reviews > Kathleen's Shaken Dreams

Kathleen McKenzie is a bright girl, and is driven by a competitive personality. While she may be prone to rash decisions, she has a good-natured heart and wishes to shine for her Savior.

Christian truths are woven into the plot expertly well. The main moral of the story is about trusting in God. Kathleen strengthens her faith and her relationship with God. I also think it is beautiful how each chapter begins with an applicable scripture from the Bible.

Some elements of the story are not on the same level as the Elsie Dinsmore novels that Kathleen's character is pulled from. One book is not better than the other, per se, just different. The writing style is modernized, but I'm sure that kids find it more fun to read this than its "stuffy", vintage counterpart (as much as I love the dear originals).

There is some excellent historical content to be found in Kathleen's story. It's 1929, and Black Tuesday is just around the corner... Reading this book is a great way to introduce such events (and the aftermath) to young readers, as well as cultural topics. The McKenzie family is Scottish, but lives in America. There is another family who is German, so there are all kinds of traditions and foods to learn about.

Overall, I am very happy with the book, and look forward to the sequels.