I'd like to thank Christian Focus Publications for giving me a copy of Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines by Nancy Drummond in return for my honest review, and also for providing a copy for this giveaway!

Andrew van der Bijl wanted to be a spy as a child. In fact, in his youth he "waged war" against the Nazis troops occupying Holland by lobbing fireworks at them. Eventually, Andrew joined the military and went to Indonesia to fight, and was terribly injured. Returning home, Andrew answered God's call on his life and was saved.

The beginning chapters of Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines by Nancy Drummond (Christian Focus 4 Kids, 2014) are exciting and intensely interesting. The real excitement, though, mounts as Andrew follows his calling in Christ. The Lord led him into the newly Communist countries of Eastern Europe and later into Communist China. Andrew shared the gospel and encouraged believers behind the Iron Curtain for decades as he smuggled Bibles (which were illegal contraband) to believers.

I read this story to my boys (aged nearly-10 and 11) this past week as a part of our studies on Communist Russia and Communist China. They were fascinated by every aspect of the story. After all, what isn't there for a boy to love? There's war, a miraculous healing, danger and intrigue, smuggling, and the mighty hand of God. My 10-year-old had this to say: "I liked the part when he (Brother Andrew) put the Bibles right next to him (one the seat at customs) and went through (the border crossing). The guy didn't give him a hard time. God can do anything. ... (Andrew's) faith was just amazing. He placed Bibles right next to him, just to show it was clearly God. And it worked." My 11-year old said: "The border crossings were very intense. It showed how great God is. (Andrew's) sense of adventure was very interesting."

Indeed, Brother Andrew's repeated success would have been impossible if not for God's sovereign hand on his missions. Time and again, the Lord made seeing eyes blind as they failed to witness the Bibles Andrew smuggled to his brothers and sisters in Christ. The story of this amazing man is both inspiring and faith-building. Nancy Drummond does a wonderful job telling Brother Andrew's story. The book includes a timeline and devotional questions for each chapter. This narrative biography aimed at 8-14 year olds is a must-read for families!

Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines would coordinate well with studies involving:

-World War II

-Communism in Eastern Europe

-Communism in China

-The 20th Century

-Modern Missions

Was a quick but fun and encouraging read!:)