Bartholomew's Passage: A Family Story for Advent [Paperback]

Arnold Ytreeide (Author)

Book Description

Day by day through the Advent season, you and your family can prepare for Christmas by reading Bartholomew's spellbinding story. Follow him from when Roman soldiers destroy his village and disperse his family, through his enslavement to a tyrannical master and his escape with his new friend, Nathan, to his reunion with his family, and a wonderful climax in Bethlehem. Along the way Bartholomew makes a new pal, Jotham, whom many readers have grown to love in Jotham's Journey. This family Christmas story and devotional includes a portion of the story-always a cliffhanger-for every day of Advent and for Christmas day, reflections for family devotions, and ideas for family Advent customs.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

In hard to put down chapters, this engaging story takes readers through Advent to Christmas as they follow young Bartholomew on his adventures. You will accompany this delightful boy from the time Roman soldiers destroy his village and disperse his family, through his enslavement to a tyrannical master, his escape with Nathan, his stay at the community of Qumran, to his reunion with his family and the wonderful climax in Bethlehem. Along the way he makes a new friend, Jotham, whom many readers grew to love in Jotham’s Journey. Following each chapter is a spiritual reflection that gives readers an opportunity to respond personally to a spiritual truth embedded in the story. Ideal for family devotions. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

But then Bartholomew noticed that the thunder wasn't coming from the lake; it was coming from the hills behind the village... Suddenly several of the fishermen grabbed their oars and knives and hooks and anything else they could find and started running toward town. The others seemed to realize what was happening and did the same, leaving Bartholomew all alone on the beach.

What will happen to Bartholomew when Roman soldiers ransack his village? Watch young Bartholomew as he travels across Israel in search of his family. Follow him through slavery and join him on his adventurous escape. Then help him celebrate a glorious reunion in Bethlehem-just in time for our Savior's birth.

Offering readings for each day of the Advent season, Bartholomew's Passage is a family story and devotional that gives you the opportunity to create a seasonal tradition of storytelling in your home as it helps you and your family prepare for the miracle of Christmas. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 167 pages
• Publisher: Vine Books; illustrated edition edition (July 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830733833
• ISBN-13: 978-0830733835
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,211,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Family Adventures!, December 25, 2003

By 

Trishie "notenoughtime" (The Sandhills of Nebraska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bartholomew's Passage : A Family Story for Advent (Paperback)

This is the first year that we have read BARTHOLOMEW'S PASSAGE as a family for Advent devotions. We read JOTHAM`S JOURNEY, by the same author, two years in a row, and really enjoyed the way the two stories intertwine! You can enjoy BARTHOLOMEW'S PASSAGE without ever reading JOTHAM`S JOURNEY. Both stories stand on their own as an exciting adventure set in the time just before the birth of Jesus. As both stories allude to the other, you will enjoy alternating a different book each year. Along the way, you'll learn about the way that the Bible was copied and stored, the tyranny of the Romans over the Jewish people, and culture and daily activities of people in Bible times. The story of Bartholomew is very exciting! There are some parts that are brutal or violent, so I would rate this as a "PG" story and not read to very young children that might be scared of "murderous slave-traders" and the like, at bedtime. After an exciting story chapter is read (always with a "cliffhanger" ending!), there is a short "lesson" or devotional following. I think the devotions are even better this time, than in JOTHAM'S JOURNEY. The author, Arnold Ytreeide shows a spiritual maturity, and an insight into the spiritual development of kids that is outstanding. Instead of "God will always keep you safe", we learn that sometimes bad things do happen, but, God will be there with you through the hard times. The devotional goes down easy because the story is so good! The story, itself, is about a boy that is taken away from his family, and sold as a slave to a cruel master. He is saved by a monk from Qumran and the two must escape from Roman soldiers. Bartholomew's adventures take him from the Dead Sea to Bethlehem, where he helps a man and a very pregnant woman find a place to spend the night. Many good morals and family values are shown along the way. The kids keep begging for one more chapter--which I usually oblige. We don't read this "every" night during advent like the book says to. We read when there are no Christmas or school activities scheduled for that night, then read ahead a little (because we may get behind again), but usually end up with the final segments on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. The story culminates with the birth of the Christ child and a happy ending all around. Through these Christmas devotional books, our family experiences a very rewarding month of read-alouds each December. What a wonderful way to keep Jesus at the forefront of the season! Thank you, Arnold Ytreeide!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous book, December 25, 2010

By 

jilly - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bartholomew's Passage: A Family Story for Advent (Paperback)

Our family just finished reading this for advent this year. Last year we read Jotham's Journey. Bartolomew's Pasaage was a great follow-up and our kids were so excited to see how the stories overlapped in the their adventures. It is very action-packed and great for both boys and girls. I would highly recommend it for family devotions at Christmas time.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mindful gift for Christian families to give their children, January 20, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bartholomew's Passage: A Family Story for Advent (Paperback)

"Bartholomew's Passage" is a family Advent story meant to be read together along with a lighting of the Advent candle wreath in the 4 weeks before Christmas. Designed to appeal to children age 7 and over, "Bartholomew's Passage" reveals the old Advent story afresh from a boy's viewpoint. Read and considered thoughtfully together, "Bartholomew's Passage" can help children and parents build a better relationship with God through faith and prayer. "Bartholomew's Passage" is realistically designed, with a real boy hero who encounters real obstacles and dangers in his advocacy for the holy family. "Bartholomew's Passage" is a mindful gift for Christian families to give their children.