Schoolhouse Review Crew: Beloved Books

It is amazing to me when God shows us He cares about all of our needs no matter how big or small.  When we were chosen to review the Sugar Creek Gang volume one audio series from Beloved Books, I can honestly say it was an answer to prayer and God meeting the need of an eight year old boy that may seem small to some, but was huge to him.




The Sugar Creek Gang is a series of 36 books that were written in 1939 by Paul Hutchens.  Paul Hutchens first career was an evangelist.  He traveled around the country leading people to Christ.  In 1925 he was ordained as a Baptist minister but was sidelined from the ministry when he contracted tuberculosis.  While recovering Paul decided to try his hand at writing and that's how the Sugar Creek Gang stories came about.  They are adventure stories written for both boys and girls to enjoy.  They are so much more than adventure stories.  They are wholesome, family friendly Christian stories with the Gospel message central to the stories.  Though the stories are full of fun, mystery, and adventure, they really present the Gospel to children in an easy to understand (and then model) way.

Several years ago, Paul Ramseyer dramatized the series for radio.  These recordings are dramatically read straight from the books.  The entire 36 book collection is now on 72 CD's (2 Cd's for each book)  and includes over 100 hours of story time.

Vol 1

The Swamp Robber
The Killer Bear
The Winter Rescue
The Lost Campers
Chicago Adventure
The Secret Hideout

Vol 2

The Mystery Cave
The Palm Tree Manhunt
One Stormy Day
The Mystery Thief
Teacher Trouble
Screams in the Night

Vol 3

The Indian Cemetary
The Treasure Hunt
Thousand Dollar Fish
The Haunted House
Lost in the Blizzard
On the Mexican Border

Vol 4

The Green Tent Mystery
The Bull Fighter
The Trapline Thief
The Blue Cow
The Watermelon Mystery
The Tree House Mystery

Vol 5

The Timber Wolf
Western Adventure
The Killer Cat
Locked in the Attic
The Colorado Kidnapping
The Runaway Rescue

Vol 6

Cemetery Vandals
Battle of the Bees
Case of the Missing Calf
The Ghost Dog
White Boat Rescue
Brown Box Mystery

You can listen to the entire first story, The Swamp Robber free by clicking here.

You can purchase each volume for $54.95 or the entire set for $279.70 (a savings of $50)  with free media mail shipping.  Click here to order.

Special Discount for my readers!!
 Use coupon code  Happy-Homeschool-20 to receive 20% off your entire purchase!!


I heard about the Sugar Creek Gang books a few months ago when I was searching for book recommendations for my boys.  My oldest son loved them and read all the ones he could get his hands on.  He would sit and talk them all the time and how he couldn't wait to read the next ones in the series.  My 8 year old is dyslexic and reading is a huge struggle for him.  He listened to his older brother talk and talk about the Sugar Creek Gang and he felt so left out because he couldn't read them.  He didn't want me to read them to him either.  He asked me one day if they made Sugar Creek Gang in an audiobook (he listens to a lot of audiobooks), and I told him I would look into it and see if I could find any.  Shortly after that, Beloved Books appeared on our upcoming vendor list.  I had never heard of the company before so I clicked on the website to see what their product was.  I couldn't believe it when I saw that they carried the complete set of Sugar Creek Gang audiobooks!!  I hoped and prayed that we would be chosen to receive a set for review and soon found out that we were getting the entire first volume!!

I didn't tell Alex what was coming.  When I saw the package in the mail I saved it for him to open.  I wished I had taken a picture of the look on his face when he saw what was in the package.  His smile lit up the whole house and it was all I could do not to burst out crying!  Even though he could not read them on his own, the audiobooks have allowed him to enjoy these wonderful, uplifting stories.

Alex colors or draws while listening to the Sugar Creek Gang

Alex isn't the only one who has enjoyed these wonderful audiobooks.  We spend a lot of time driving and have been listening to them on the road.  Although the targeted age range is from about 6-12 years old, the whole family from the youngest to the oldest delights in listening to the adventures of Bill, Poetry, Circus, Dragonfly, Big Jim, and Little Jim.  Even though the main characters are all boys and the adventures are a bit "boyish" they can be enjoyed by girls too.  We love the narrators voices and the dramatic sound effects in the story.  In fact, the children told me that the aubiobooks sound way better than anything I have read out loud.  But the best part about the Sugar Creek Gang is that it does present the message of the gospel in a way that is easy for children to learn and understand.  These are the stories and characters that you want to have your boys look up to and learn from.

To see what other crew mates had to say click here.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy pf Vol 1 of the Sugar Creek Gang for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review.  I received no other compensation.