Nurturing Spiritual Growth, One Book at a Time
5th Grade Challenge
In a schoolyard clash born of pranks, Ted must outplay his rival Veronica in a boys-vs-girls gauntlet—no matter the fallout.
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The Life and Times of Theodore Addison: 5th Grade Challenge
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The Life and Times of Theodore Addison: My New Home - Preorder
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Reviews
- "I liked the story because of how it relates to tweens and teens and talks about the situations that they face in this day and age."
- "The book has impacted my relationship with God and other people because it shows the problem most children face and shows how God cares about our issues. The book has also shown me that people can change and we should forgive them."
- "I liked the story because it was interesting and had moral lessons in the end. It also dealt with issues that most children deal with and our relationship with God."
Reflection Questions
End-of-chapter prompts push readers to dive deeper, examine their reactions, and envision their own next moves.
Christian Formation
Like modern-day parables, these books immerse kids in God’s story, strengthen their faith foundations, and offer the guidance the author longed for as a child.
Multicultural Engagement
Having lived around the world, the author brings vibrant, diverse characters to life, inviting kids to appreciate and learn from cultures beyond their own.
Literacy Development
Once a kid who’d rather binge TV and games than pick up a book, the author now embeds tricky words in bold with handy pronunciations and definitions right in the margins so readers never lose their flow.
Meet the Makers
Jamaal Fridge
The author of The Life and Times of Theodore Addison, Jamaal is an evangelist, licensed to minister in a nondenominational church in Chicago.
After graduating from Calvin University, he went to teach English in China for six years, working with children and adults. Jamaal cares deeply about Christian education, Biblical literacy, and poverty alleviation. To that end, he currently works at the University of Chicago, supporting early childhood education. He spoke about this work in church recently.
Ardin Patterson
The narrator of the book series, Ardin Patterson is a Canadian voice actress with Noble Caplan Abrams. Her most recent project was voicing Cami Cashmere on Sparkles Magic Market. Her other credits include princesses, cats, and sassy teenagers. You can see her work directly at her website.
If you want to book her, please reach out to her agent, James Crammond, at
james.crammond@ncatalent.com
Alejandro Diaz
The new artist for the book series, based out of Texas, Alejandro has been drawing for as long as he can remember. He is a graphic designer who loves to play video games, and is especially skilled in the art style of Avatar: The Last Airbender. To contact Alejandro for an art commission, please see his Instagram page.
Theodore Addison
A 10-year-old genius who loves to invent new things. After dealing with bullying in his hometown, he visited his best friend in Miracle City, where he teamed up with his new classmates to stop a terrorist attack. The aftermath of the bullying episode left him feeling like a bad kid, which he still struggles to shake off.
Veronica Teal
The child of Canadian missionaries, Veronica vehemently protested their decision to move to the US. She developed a tough exterior to prevent being bullied, but turned into one, herself. She is known for her athletic prowess and sharp wit.
Derrick Read
Theodore's right-hand man, Derrick is the only person Ted relies on for help with his inventions. Derrick is a perfectionist, honed by his father's desire not to let him fall prey to the streets. He is a model student with many overlooked talents.
Diamond Forté
The child of a juice entrepreneur, Diamond's family picked up and moved after their business took off. And while she sees herself more as an artist, her parents now focus their energy on making her into a mathematician to one day take over the business. Diamond has zero interest in this plan.
Yaakov Asefa
An Ethiopian Messianic Jew, Yaakov never would have imagined moving away from Israel, much less doing so just a year or two after arriving. He opposed moving abroad and struggles to accept that the US is now his home. Forming friendships has been difficult, especially since he is very different from his new classmates.
Ambrosa Rodriguez
The only Miracle City native of the group, Ambrosa, better known as Bookworm, is a wellspring of knowledge for those who are close to her. Though she is shy, she overcomes her difficulties with grit she never knew she had.