Another blast from the past. I had grown up with book published by BJUP, so whenever I come upon book like Medallion or These Are My People, it brings back memories. Of course, the memories are three decades old, so they’re sketchy at best, but it’s been nice to read through some of these home-school classics again with my own kids.

Recently we’ve been trying to read some missionary biographies, and A Questions of Yams is a great fit. Set in Papua New Guinea, the story follows the brave decisions of a tribal family newly converted to Christianity to flee the spiritism of the tribe and to trust the God of Heaven with their crop of yams.

The story comes from the perspective of young Kuri whose father has come to faith in Christ through the efforts of a missionary. Now in a battle with the Head Men of the village, the family must trust their Savior to protect them from the evils of their former witchcraft and even from the droughts of nature. The theme that “God is Mighty” pervades this story and is a strong testimony (based on true events) of the trials that new converts face in the midst of centuries of tradition and open antagonism.

The story is written for a very young audience (the large typeface makes that obvious), and we read the book through in one sitting. I think this could make for a very good “curriculum” for a Sunday School hour or be extended into a VBS setting. There’s enough going on in this story to keep kids’ attention, there’s plenty of spiritual lessons to discuss, and as a bonus the kids could maybe even enjoy some theme-based sweet-potato fries as a snack!

I enjoyed the illustrations by Roger Bruckner throughout the book, though he barely gets a mention. I feel they livened up the story and gave us a sense of place as we read. I especially like the snake on page 27. Just something about it.

This was an exciting, quick read for us and I’m glad I’ve returned to it after all these years. It reminds me a great deal of The Pineapple Story and to an extent Lords of the Earth, as both are missionary stories set in the PNG. The Pineapple Story especially carries many parallels to this and is worth looking up for any teacher or parent hoping to share some exciting conversion stories of trust in God with young people.

©2022 E.T.

Read More from JourneyForth Press:

• With Wings as Eagles by William Pinkston (1983)
• These Are My People by Mildred T. Howard (1984)
• Medallion by Dawn L. Watkins (1985)
• Derwood, Inc. by Jerri Massi (1986)
• A Dangerous Game by Jerri Massi (1986)
• Treasure in the Yukon by Jerri Massi (1986)
• With Daring Faith by Rebecca Henry Davis (1987)
• Courage by Darkness by Jerri Massi (1987)
• Some Summer! by Jean Vandervenne (1987)
• Llamas on the Loose by Jerri Massi (1988)
• The Runaway Princess by Milly Howard (1988)
• Abandoned by Jerri Massi (1989)
• A Question of Yams by Gloria Repp (1992)
• Brill of Exitorn by Peggy Downing (1994)
• Peanut Butter Friends in a Chop Suey World by Deb Brammer (1994)
• The Lost Prince by Peggy Downing (1995)
• Tales from Dust River Gulch by Tim Davis (1996)
• Camp Sierra Secret by Esther G. Wilkinson (1996)
• Chickadee Winter by Dawn L. Watkins (1999)
• Songbird by Nancy Lohr (2000)
• Nix by Penny McKnight (2006)
• Shield by Dawn Watkins (2008)