| Trailblazer Books | |
| Author: | Dave and Neta Jackson |
| Language: | English |
| Genre: | Action, historical fiction, children's literature |
| Publisher: | Bethany House |
| Pub Date: | 1991–2003 |
| Number Of Books: | 40 |
| Italic Title: | force |
Trailblazer Books are a series of middle-grade historical fiction children's novels about Christian figures authored by Dave and Neta Jackson. Published between 1991 and 2003, the 40 books in the series each feature a young person—sometimes an actual historical figure and sometimes a fictional character—who interacts with a notable Protestant religious leader, missionary, or social reformer. By 2000, the series had sold more than 1.7 million copies.[1]
According to the authors, Trailblazer Books were intended to be fun, build Christian character, teach world and church history and geography, inspire service and modern missions, "show God using both men and women," and "break down racial prejudice."[2] In addition to English, books in the series have been translated into German, Norwegian, Korean, Spanish and Swedish.[3] The books were written at a junior high level in an action-adventure style with a particular focus on engaging boys in reading.[4]
According to Festival Quarterly, "[e]ach book finds the youthful main character encountering a hero of the faith—men and women such as David Livingstone, Amy Carmichael, Harriet Tubman, and Menno Simons. During their research on the historical characters, the Jacksons looked for evidence of a real person—young boy or girl—who could become the main character of their book. For example, the main character of the David Livingstone book—Escape from the Slave Traders—is one of the actual slaves rescued by Livingstone. Whenever they could not find an actual person, they created a fictional young person, typical of someone who might have lived in the time period. For example, the main character of the John Wesley book—The Chimney Sweep’s Ransom—is a young member of a coal-mining family in northern England."
| Title | Historical figure | Year published | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kidnapped by River Rats | 1991 | |||
| The Queen's Smuggler | 1991 | |||
| Spy for the Night Riders | 1992 | |||
| The Hidden Jewel | 1992 | |||
| Escape from the Slave Traders | 1992 | |||
| The Chimney Sweep's Ransom | 1992 | |||
| The Bandit of Ashley Downs | 1992 | |||
| Imprisoned in the Golden City | 1993 | |||
| Shanghaied to China | 1993 | |||
| Listen for the Whippoorwill | 1993 | |||
| Attack in the Rye Grass | 1994 | |||
| Trial by Poison | 1994 | |||
| Flight of the Fugitives | 1992 | |||
| The Betrayer's Fortune | 1994 | |||
| Abandoned on the Wild Frontier | 1995 | |||
| Danger on the Flying Trapeze | 1992 | |||
| The Runaway's Revenge | 1995 | |||
| The Thieves of Tyburn Square | 1995 | |||
| Quest for the Lost Prince | 1996 | |||
| The Warrior's Challenge | 1996 | |||
| The Drummer Boy's Battle | 1997 | |||
| Traitor in the Tower | 1997 | |||
| Defeat of the Ghost Riders | 1997 | |||
| The Fate of the Yellow Woodbee | 1997 | |||
| The Gold Miners' Rescue | 1998 | |||
| The Mayflower Secret | 1998 | |||
| Assassins in the Cathedral | 1999 | |||
| Mask of the Wolf Boy | 1999 | |||
| Race for the Record | 1999 | |||
| Ambushed in Jaguar Swamp | 1999 | |||
| The Forty-Acre Swindle | 2000 | |||
| Hostage on the Nighthawk | 2000 | |||
| Journey to the End of the Earth | 2000 | |||
| Drawn By a China Moon | 2000 | |||
| Sinking the Dayspring | 2001 | |||
| Roundup of the Street Rovers | 2001 | |||
| Risking the Forbidden Game | 2002 | |||
| Blinded by the Shining Path | 2002 | |||
| Exiled to the Red River | 2003 | |||
| Caught in the Rebel Camp | 2003 |
The Christian Booksellers Association awarded the series its Best Children's Book of the Year award in 1995. The series was also recognized with the C.S. Lewis Award for best series from Christian School Children and the Best Children's Book from Christian Booksellers New Zealand. Several books in the series have won individual awards. Listen to the Whippoorwill and Attack in the Rye Grass won the Silver Angel Award from Excellence in Media in 1994 and 1995, respectively. The Trailblazer books on Festo Kivengere and Rómulo Sauñe were recommended as reading on persecution of Christians by Christian History magazine.[5]
In 2007, the newly formed Hunt Entertainment Group, which intended to produce family-friendly entertainment optioned up to three books in the series for film production.[6]