Coaltown Jesus

Jesus comes to Coaltown to comfort a grieving teen. Slim but funny and poignant. Raises some big ideas worthy of pondering. A savior that sports Chuck Taylor high tops is alright with me.

Written in verse, this is a quick read and is a good choice for reluctant readers. Walker and his mother are grieving over the loss of Walker's brother Noah. A highly unconventional Jesus appears in response to a plea from Walker. This has a light touch so as not to turn off readers but it is thought provoking.

I didn't know this book was about grief when I picked it up, so it was a bit of a downer to read. But on the other hand it was really refreshing because I tend to read mostly fantasy. I liked the quirkyness of the characters and the way that the boy was able to process his grief. It was also super easy to read because it is writen in short verse.

Walker, a teenager grieving his brother's death, gets a visit from Jesus after praying for help. He and his mother, who live above the nursing home she runs, have been struggling to deal with Noah's death. This modern day Jesus spends some time with Walker and helps him come to terms with his loss.

This is a very quick read, written in verse, and in a lighthearted, humorous manner despite the heavier content. Good pick for reluctant readers.

Lexile: 390
AR BL: 3.1 UG
Recommended for: teens/tweens

A profane devotional to the power of prayer and faith to help a grieving soul begin to heal.

This book was recommended to me because it was a book in verse. It is a small book and therefore a quick read. What would you do if your brother died and you kept praying for God to take your mother's grief away and suddenly Jesus is in your bedroom. A nice book about healing after death.