Faith ‘n Fiction Saturdays: First Book
[formerly the "Saturday Carnival of Christian Fiction"]
Today’s question asks:
We all come to faith in Jesus at different times in our lives and we all come to Christian fiction at different times, too! What’s the first book in the Christian fiction genre you can remember reading? What was your impression of it? Did it make you want to read more or less?
I know I became a Christian when I was about 6 years old, and I read many children’s books that were “Christian”, as I used to borrow from the church library a lot. But, I couldn’t tell you what the first book I borrowed was. One of my favorites, though, was a Nativity story — the smell of the book was fantastic! 
I have no idea what the first Christian book I read later was, either… but it might’ve been “The Calling of Emily Evans” by Janette Oke. I remember loving that book, and rereading it about 4 or 5 times. 
I definitely went on to read more. Some of the ones I remember reading early on were “Cat Killer” and “Mouse Trapped” (a mystery series) by Sandy Dengler; and “Ebony Moon” by Reg Grant.
Now I read & review Christian fiction all the time… and I believe it’s gotten a LOT better in the last few years. It’s geared more to the average reader, instead of solely the “Christian” reader — meaning the books aren’t so “preachy”, and anyone could read them without feeling proselytized. I, for one (even BEING a Christian), really appreciate that. 
For a list of my recommended books, see my “May I Recommend?” page.
I think you have a great point. Even in our lives we can be a witness. The Christian book can be a witness with just the way the charaters interact and react to the situations in the story. The way one may be redeemed by the Lord or even the way someone may pray can touch a reader’s heart.
It’s great that Christian fiction can cross over now and doesn’t get overly preachy. This is a good way to reach others for Christ I think.
That’s great you grew up reading it! Wish I had. I also dont like the “preachy” ones.
You know, I’ve read some Janette Oke books, but I’ve never seen or read The Calling of Emily Evans – I’m really interested in finding it now!
Wendi
I remember The Calling of Emily Evans it was a good book. it was different from some of the other stand alones she wrote.
I’ve been a Christian since I was a kid, but I had never heard of the Christian fiction genre until I read the Left Behind books in the late 1990s (such a cliche, I know). Those books gave me a renewed fervor for Bible reading but I didn’t seek out any other Christian fiction until recently. I just read a Lori Wick book last week and I have another on my bedside table now.