A Simple Song

by Melody Carlson

Katrina Yoder loves to sing, but her Amish parents view singing as vainglory and a sin. Katrina’s best friend, Bekka, is convinced Katrina should try out for American Star, a televised singing competition that Bekka has been secretly watching. Katrina resists the temptation until her father’s health worsens. He desperately needs a surgery the family cannot afford. Katrina decides she must go against her parents’ wishes to win the money needed to help her father. But how will she handle herself as an Amish teenager out in the world?
Teen girls will be swept into the excitement as Katrina ventures out of her quiet Amish world to become a reality television star. Will she be successful? And will she be accepted back into her community when it’s over?

Genres: Amish, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Christian, Teen, Contemporary

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“From Amish country to Hollywood, Katrina Yoder is in for the ride of her life!
Katrina Yoder loves to sing, but her strict Amish parents view her singing as vain. Still, Katrina's best friend, Bekka, is convinced Katrina is good enough to try out for American Star, a televised singing competition that Bekka has been secretly watching. Katrina has a good voice, but really--try out for a TV show? Her parents would probably disown her!
But when her family faces a crisis, it seems to Katrina that the competition might be the way to get the money needed to cover the emergency expenses.
How will Katrina handle herself as an Amish teenager out in the world? Is she truly good enough to win? Will her parents ever forgive her? And will she be accepted back into her community when it's all over?”


Series: No, a stand-alone.


Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; Prayers; Talks about God & praying; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Many mentions of Amish beliefs, the Ordnung, church services, sermons, bishops/ministers, hymns, worship; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking God, & Blessings over food; Mentions of Christians; A couple mentions of being blessed; A mention of a child being a miracle;
*Note: A couple mentions of the devil (or cameras) stealing souls; A mention of idle hands being of the devil.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: A cut-off “[someone] needs to get their heads out of their—“; a ‘stupid’; Katrina lies to her parents about how she is feeling (once); Mentions of injuries & pain; Mentions of alcohol, getting drunk, & partying; Mentions of drugs, addicts, addictions, & someone who overdosed; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of cheating; A few mentions of wars & killing; A few mentions of smoking & drinking; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of tattoos; A mention of someone using foul words;
*Note: Mentions of songs, singers, & celebrities; Mentions of brand name items.


Sexual Content- A boarder-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; A sudden desire to hold & kiss a boy; A tiny bit of embraces & touches; a ‘sexy’ and two ‘hot’s; Mentions of love & falling in love; Mentions of courting & being interested in a boy;
*Note: Mentions of immodest/revealing clothing, modesty, underwear, & underwear showing; A few mentions of shaving legs & underarms; A couple mentions of a clothing designer commenting that Katrina isn’t too curvy but not too skinny either; A mention of a(n English) girl saying her shoes make her look sexy; A mention of a dress being sultry.

-Katrina Yoder
P.O.V. of Katrina
280 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
When I first read this book years ago (when it came out), I really enjoyed it. I’m not sure if that was because I was new to the Amish genre and was excited to see a YA Amish book or because I enjoyed watching a batch of those singing competition shows. This time, while I still enjoyed the book and found it to be overall clean, it did feel a little young at times but I liked seeing Katrina’s faith and I do like the ending as well. :)


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: A SIMPLE SONG
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
June 2013
ISBN: 978-0800722258
Genre: Young adult/Amish

From Amish country to Hollywood, Katrina Yoder is in for the ride of her life!

Katrina Yoder loves to sing, but her strict Amish parents view her singing as vain. Still, Katrina's best friend, Bekka, is convinced Katrina is good enough to try out for American Star, a televised singing competition that Bekka has been secretly watching. Katrina has a good voice, but really--try out for a TV show? Her parents would probably disown her!

But when her family faces a crisis, it seems to Katrina that the competition might be the way to get the money needed to cover the emergency expenses.

How will Katrina handle herself as an Amish teenager out in the world? Is she truly good enough to win? Will her parents ever forgive her? And will she be accepted back into her community when it's all over?

A SIMPLE SONG is a really cute story about a young Amish girl at the beginning of her rumspringe. She has a beautiful singing voice but is afraid to use it because it is considered vainglory. But then her grossmammi dies and Katrina learns the shocking news that her mammi had once been Englisch and sang as lead female singer with a folk song group, with several hit songs.

What made Mammi turn Amish? Why did she give up music? To find out the answers, Katrina gives into her friends’ pleas and tries out for American Star… but mostly she wants to win for the money to pay for her Daed’s surgery. But will her parents take the money, since its tainted? Will Katrina return home afterwards? Will she even be welcomed? To find out, you must read A SIMPLE SONG. A good book for young adults about Amish. $12.99. 288 pages. 5 stars.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story begins as the Yoder family is burying their Grandmother. We then discover the secret of her hidden life. She gives part of that life as an inheritance to her Granddaughter Katrina.
Katrina just happens to take after her Mammi in many ways. She has the voice of an Angel, just as her Mammi had, only she didn't know. When her friend Bekka introduces her to a solution to earn money so that her Dad can had much needed surgery.
Bekka has been secretly...again a wayward Amish girl, watching American Star. Will this be the answer to Katrina's prayers? Can she use her talent to help her Dad? If she goes out into the English World, will she stay? If she wants to return, will the community accept her back?
What a dilemma Katrina has, can you imagine a young sheltered Amish Girl, arriving in the big city. Never having been in even an elevator before! We get to see it all through her eyes.
Enjoy this rather different Amish story, set in Ohio and Hollywood, I did!

I received this book through the Revell Blogger Tour, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Rhonda Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I love the connection to music as I also find great joy and stress-relief from singing! Amish do not encourage singing English songs or singing with instruments or even with "great joy and feeling". I can not imagine singing any other way and so I can see how it was so difficult for Katrina. This book was a fun, light read and gave me a good deal to smile about!
I received a free copy of this book from Revell Publishing in a giveaway. Thank you so much!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, light read and did a nice job of combining both the Amish and the English worlds while also helping to define the differences between them. Katrina loves to sing, but was admonished once as a child for singing too loudly, so has been conflicted ever since about her joy of singing. When she discovers that her grandmother once sang in a folk trio in the sixties, before coming back to join the church, she continues to wonder why her singing seems to trouble her parents.

Being left an old transistor radio from her grandmother, she covertly learns some songs from a Golden Oldies station. During group singing, the other teens convince her to sing them a song. One song leads to another, and then to a handful as they are all enraptured by her voice. Bekka, her best friend, claims she sings better than the performers on American Star, a show she watches on her family's work computer when she is supposed to be working!

Her dad had been hurt in a tractor accident and his pain has gotten so bad that there are days he cannot get out of bed. Fearing that his older brother (due to his nagging wife) might cut them off from the farm that sustains them, and knowing that her father could benefit from a surgery they cannot afford, Katrina decides to apply to American Star. She knows that her family might cut her off, but is convinced by her friends (and brother and sister) that if she has a chance to win some money that could pay for her father's surgery, then she should do it.

I liked the way the author allowed Katrina to remain true to her Amish roots while competing on this English show. Whenever she felt she had compromised her beliefs, she would come back stronger than ever to stay true to her beliefs. She was able to make and help her new friends, and still be quite competitive just by being herself. The producer also made it possible for her to meet one of the trio that sang with her grandmother all those years ago - so even though her grandmother had passed away, she was able to learn a lot more about her. I think this also helped her to make some of the decisions that she did.

If you have a daughter who is convinced that she is the next "Voice" or "American Idol" then I think she would enjoy this book. While I am sure that it doesn't come close to the 'behind-the-scenes' of the real show, it might give them something else to think about as to why they want to compete, and what they are willing to compromise to get their dreams.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Simple Song: A Novel
By Melody Carlson

When her father's painful injury, which keeps him from working, threatens to take away her family's livelihood Katrina is forced to make a decision that takes from her family, her friends, and her community. Can the voice that she has been given truly be a gift from God or is it from the devil so that she will seek vainglory and the English world?

What 17 year old girl wouldn't be tempted by the thought of wealth and fame? There are some who wouldn't and Katrina Yoder is one of them. Katrina puts herself out of her comfort zone, but only to help her father and her family through a physically and emotionally difficult and trying time.

I have to say I really dislike Aunt Fannie and her attitude towards her injured brother-in-law. But I'd also like to know why she feels like that towards that family, as she phrases it.

I like Aunt Alma, but when Katrina wanted to stay true to her Amish beliefs in how she dressed I think Alma could have been more supportive and understanding. But I assume that Alma was just as overwhelmed by the situation as Katrina was. Sometimes ignorance and outside pressures can force us into uncomfortable situations and compromises, but that inner voice that makes us uncomfortable is speaking to us for a reason.

I like the fact that Katrina was a Godly influence on her new friend Breezy by her helpful nature and her stand. We don't know how we will affect those around us by our behavior so we should always be true to our beliefs and faith in God. Katrina was an influence of goodness to those she befriended at the American Star competition and to those watching on television.

But while she is away from her community Katrina learns about the woman who was her Mammi (grandmother) and how she spent her non-Amish years. Sometimes the discovery of another's pain or joy brings into focus what is truly important in our own lives and A Simple Song is just such a story.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

[Lindsey Silvestrini · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this I didn’t even realize it was classified as Teen Fiction and actually really enjoyed A Simple Song despite my long retired teen status!

I’ve always enjoyed Melody’s style of writing and this book is no exception. When Katrina Yoder nurtures her love of singing, she knows it is considered “vainglory” in their Amish culture. But she can’t seem to get it out of her head or heart. As others hear her and realize what a real gift she has, they encourage her to pursue it.

Even though she’s on rumspringa (a time of exploration for Amish teens) she can not be convinced to pursue her dream of singing until her father needs an operation that he can’t pay for. The opportunity presents itself to audition for American Starr where she could win enough money to help her dad. She battles whether she should honor her Amish upbringing or take advantage of the chance to help her dad.

I felt like I was watching American Idol reading all of the scenes from American Starr because of all the parallel’s and the obvious connections. As a fan of the show, it was fun to read these chapters from an insider point of view.

As all teens struggle with, English and Amish alike, there are constantly decisions where the right answer is not obvious. Only through prayer and seeking wisdom can the right decision be made. What is the “right” decision for Katrina? Is it more important to follow the rules a hundred percent or help her family in a way only she can?

I really enjoyed the though processes Katrina had and the in depth character she was at such a young age. I wish all young people truly took their faith to heart and let it guide them instead of being guided by the world.

A Simple Song is a great book for teens to read and will leave them with a powerful positive influence. But even if you are well past your teen years like me, you will enjoy this read and take something away from it.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3F2EJX3...
Review on my blog (to be posted 2/17): http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...

A Simple Song was better than I had expected. Amish Fiction is not a genre I read often, because the blurbs/stories usually don't interest me, but I'm glad I finally read this one.

The story was interesting and fun. I really liked the singing competition aspect to A Simple Song. It reminded me of American Idol, which I think was the point, so it was neat to get a glimpse into what it might be like to be a contestant.

While I had thought A Simple Song was going to be very predictable, I was glad when some things didn't turn out as I had originally expected. I didn't, however, like the ending. I don't think this book is a part of a series, so I felt the ending shouldn't have left certain questions unanswered.

Overall, I enjoyed A Simple Song. Not everything in the story seemed believable to me, but it was still a fun read in spite of that. If you typically enjoy YA and/or Amish novels, you might like A Simple Song. It was a quick, easy read.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

An Amish young lady on Americal Idol? Well, in this book its called American Star and Melody Carlson writes a sweet heartwarming story that will touch your heart in many ways. Katrina loves singing, and she has been secretly watching American Star and wanting a chance to be on the program, but is she good enough? Katrina’s friend is positive she is, and encourages her to try out. But what will Katrina’s parents say? And what will this Amish community think? When Katrina’s dad falls ill and in need of surgery, Katrina has a new reason to join American Star, to provide money for her dad’s much needed surgery.

Being an American Idol fan, I really enjoyed A Simple Song, and Katrina’s journey through this talent contest. Since the Amish do not like their children singing English songs, it was interesting to see how the author pulled this off. Katrina was a sweet teenager who spent her rrumspringa doing what she could to help her dad and her family financially. With characters that were believable and encouraging, and a plot that was interesting, enjoyable, sweet, and heartwarming, you will enjoy this new book from one of my favorite authors, Melody Carlson! I think this would be a wonderful book for your teen or tween daughter to read! Why not pick up a copy today! You will not be disappointed!

I received this book from the publisher Revell
to read and review. I was not required
to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am
disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part
55.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever watched American Idol, I think you would enjoy this book, whether or not you're a "young adult". It is another view on a craze that swept our nation, except for those that don't watch television, listen to the radio, or even sing songs besides hymns. I really enjoyed learning about how the Amish viewed such things as revealing outfits, things that we take for granted as just being there. I also gained a lot of insight into some Amish traditions and laws through this book, including the one of too much pride, or "vainglory".

Another aspect to the Amish family dynamics was very interesting. Katrina is accompanied by her spinster Aunt Alma, who has her own dilemma to deal with. She faces being shunned to make sure that Katrina is safe but to also be able to experience the English world. Maybe I missed it, but I'm not sure what happened to situation in the end when she returns home before Katrina. I'd like to read more about Aunt Alma, but perhaps that's a subject for an adult Amish novel.

Melody Carlson does an excellent job of showing the contrast between the modern world and the Amish world that voluntarily stays stuck centuries behind the English one. I think anybody, teen or adult, who is interested in the Amish world would benefit from reading A Simple Song or any of Carlson's YA Amish books. I'll eagerly be awaiting the next book from Melody Carlson - a real master of the Christian fiction genre.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

[Sharon Chance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just adored this book!

Melody Carlson is a brilliant inspirational author, with over 200 books to her credit - but I feel she really knocks it out of the park with this sweet story of a young girl following her dreams and trying to help her family.

Carlson shows she had really done her research into the singing contest reality shows with "A Simple Song." Her character of Katrina, an Amish songbird who enters one of the country's top singing contests in order to help her family and finds herself out-of-place in the big city, is so well-created. Readers will empathize with her on her journey from her small town home to the bright lights of Hollywood and experience right along with her all the scary and exciting things that come with the whole "contest" atmosphere. I loved all the background descriptions that Carlson includes in this story, giving it the believable feel that makes this story such a joy to read.

"A Simple Song" is listed as being a "young adult" novel, and it is perfect for that age grouping, but as an "adult," I also enjoyed this lovely tale. I highly recommend this delightful story to readers, young and "more mature" alike!

[Abby Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for Reading Wildly - we're talking about gentle fiction and I wanted to read a book by Melody Carlson who writes a lot of teen Christian fiction. This is not a book meant for me, necessarily, but it would be a good choice for tweens and teens looking for gentle fiction or fiction with strong Christian themes. There's a strong message about being true to who you are and following what you believe, even when others are telling you that it's not cool or that you won't succeed that way. Also, although it is Christian fiction, it definitely has appeal to kids who are not necessarily looking for CHRISTIAN fiction. Because Katrina is Amish, her Christian messages are not evangelical but just part of her being true to herself.

It's a rather simple story and everything wraps up super neatly. It's like a Hallmark Channel movie in book form, which is fine for folks who are looking for that.

[My Book Addiction and More MBA · Rating 4 out of 5]

A SIMPLE SONG by Melody Carlson is an inspirational Teen Fiction. Join Katrina Yoker and her friend Bekka, on a journey of faith,secrets and discovery. From Amish country to Hollywood is a long journey from home,the things that are familiar for two teenage Amish girls. "A Simple Song" is a heartwarming tale of a young girl's desire to sing,her path,and the community she loves. American Idol meet the fictional singing competition American Star. A great read for older teens and young adults,but certainly a good read for anyone who enjoys Amish reads. Received for an honest review from the publisher.

“Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

RATING: 4

HEAT RATING: SWEET

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy by My Book Addiction and More

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melody Carlson is the queen of Christian girl YA and this book, her newest, did not disappoint. I was very impressed that Katrina, the main character (as much as her personality kind of grated on me at times) did stick to her beliefs and stand up for what she thought was right. I found some of the other characters pretty entertaining as well. Plus, one of my favorite songs is mentioned and sung by Katrina- never a bad thing.

This is a light, straightforward book perfect for summer reading- the kind of book Carlson excels at.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of Amish fiction, but sadly A Simple Song seemed too modern to me. It was a cute story that moved rather quickly, leaving some questions unanswered. There were some aspects to the story that seemed unrealistic for this genre, but most people might not notice them. Had this not been an Amish novel, I would have enjoyed it more.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book Melody Carlson wrote. Katrina who was the main character had such a great personality while struggling with worldly problems. She did as much as she possible could to get enough money for her fathers back surgery. This was such a great book because if felt like you were there living Katrina's life with her.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick read by my favorite author. I always look forward to getting lost in Melody Carlson's books.

[Virginia Winfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable story. I liked seeing how an Amish girl might react in a singing contest and in the big city.

[Heather]

Couldn't hold my interest

[ʟ ᴇ ᴀ ʜ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book.
It's about an Amish teenager with a love for singing. She has a beautiful voice but her family forbids her to sing too beautifully because that would be vainglory.
The book was somewhat entertaining, but it had its downfalls as well.

I enjoyed the beginning of the book. It was simply about an Amish girl trying to find her place in life. I particularly loved the Amish views and happenings in the book (e.g. Group singing, chores, etc.). The book also didn't have much romance, it was kept simple and didn't go into detail about it. But I'm sorry to say, the book went downhill when Katrina (main character) auditioned for the American Star.

The first thing that disturbed me, though, was the cover. The girl on the cover looks to be about fourteen. Katrina is seventeen. But I hadn't known the age of Katrina until she auditioned for the American Star, where a character mentioned that you have to be at least seventeen to enter as a contestant.

The terms 'Mamm' (mother), 'Mammi' (grandmother), 'Daed' (father), and 'Daadi' (grandfather) were very unclear in this book. I became very confused when I read these different words because I didn't understand that they meant different people (e.g. I thought 'Mamm' and 'Mammi' both meant mother). Yes, I jumped into this book clueless about the Amish, but I would have preferred a clearer explanation on the meanings of the above terms.

(Pg. 180) A certain sentence caught my eye. It's to be expected in books, but I definitely noticed it: "Because they're hot and make me look sexy."
Keep in mind, the character who said was talking about shoes, nothing inappropriate, but that one sentence stood out to me.

I also feel that the book ended too abruptly. Katrina was eliminated from the American Star, she went home, Cooper asked Katrina to marry him, she said yes, they kissed, and then the book was over. All of that happened in six pages.

Overall, this book was okay. I'm giving it a 3-star rating because of the things I mentioned above. It still had its good points, but not enough for me to give it 4-5 stars, unfortunately.

[Danielle Turko · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Katrina's Mammi passes away, she mourns not only for the loss but also because there was so much about her she never knew. Her aunt gives her a box of some of Mammi's things that open even more questions, like the record she discovers. It's a surprise to her, since her family is so strict baout singing, that the voice on the record is her Mammi, recorded during her running around years. Katrina is thrilled, because her love of singing is explained but she has no idea why its always been forbidden. Then when she discovers her family farm is in trouble if her dad doesn't get a back surgery, she decides to follow in Mammi's footsteps and get money for her singing talent by entering a singing competition her friend introduces her to, called American Star. All she needs to do is get to the final 8 to make enough money for her dads surgery, but will her family let her return when she's done?
The competition was obviously based on American Idol. They even had judges with same personalities of the original judges only with different names. I don't know all the specifics of behind the scenes, and I have never actually watched the show so she may have changed the elimination process as well. I also didn't really care for the ending. I won't give any specifics to save spoilers, but I do think there were other ways she could have ended it that would have been better. I did still enjoy the rest of the story

[sarah h · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book about a girl who comes from a traditional Amish background. Her father (daed) has extreme back problems and badly needs an expensive surgery. Katrina has a beautiful singing voice and recently discovered that her passed on grandmother was a part of an amazing singing group. Katrina has to venture into the English world to participate in a televised singing contest. She doesn't know if she will get accepted again into her community but her father has to have the surgery.

It was interesting to see Katrina learn and wonder about modern things we use so regularly, such as iPads and hotels. I'm not sure if her exact religion was Christian but I liked the impact of God in this book.

[Pax · Rating 3 out of 5]

ngl the idea of Amish + American idol was so interesting I had to read it asap

I wish we had gotten to the competition earlier & the ending felt soo rushed but I did read this in essentially one sitting so there’s that

[Hayleigh S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hated how during her time on American Star she had almost no contact with Cooper. It made there story have almost no place in there. Overall, a cute good read though :)

[Iris Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and cheesy. I love how the protagonist is able to just say no.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did I do wish the ending was a bit longer, maybe see Katrina reunited with her family but overall a pleasant cosy read

[Carissa Burks · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I was worried I would be a bit biased towards this book because Melody Carlson is hands down my favorite Christian author. The only person that comes close to her is Gilber & Lynn Morris. Her books are always engaging and well written. A Simple Song does not disappoint.

It starts off chronicling Katrina's life in the Amish community and establish how she is at odds with her singing voice. She doesn't want to be vainglory, but she still loves singing. As the story unfolds it is shown that her family is in desperate need of money and her friend Bekka has just the idea. She wants Katrina to try out for an English tv singing show. The book depicts Katrina's struggle to do so, excitement to sing, confusion with the English world, and most importantly her journey of self discovery.

Though the book does have an excellent plot and is not in your face with the Christianity aspect. (Yes, they do talk about prayer and God and all of that, but that is part of the Amish lifestyle and Carlson doesn't scream at you that God is the only answer in life.) I wished there had been more description in the singing contest aspect. I occasionally felt that I was just shuffled from one stage of the competition to the next and there were times where I just wanted more. (Though, if there had been more the book would be even longer.) That again is just a personal preference and you may find you think there is quite enough detail.

Perhaps the thing I wished for most was a bit more to the ending. Yes, I did enjoy the ending and found it very cute. I still wanted to see her go home and interact with her family. I wanted to know if they accepted her after the singing competition. I was rooting for Katrina the entire time and I really wanted to know what her mother and brother had to say when she got home. It is still the question that tugs in the corners of my mind today. Did they accept her? Did she have to go to a different community?

Overall it was a good, easy, and quick read. I read it all in one day as I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I enjoyed being slightly exposed to another culture, the Amish. I'm not Amish so I can't say if all the facts are correct, but knowing how much time and effort and how accurate her other books are I would venture to say it's probably pretty on point. The vocabulary and writing style is very reader friendly, even for those kids who aren't too sure about how great of a reader they are.

I commend Carlson for writing yet another great book!

(*Note: I was not asked to review this book. I was lucky enough to win it in a contest held by Melody Carlson and felt the review was well deserved for someone who works so hard.)

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story Description:

Baker Publishing Group|June 1, 2013|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-8007-2225-8

Katrina Yoder loves to sing, but her Amish parents view singing as vainglory and a sin. Katrina’s best friend, Bekka is convinced Katrina should try out for American Star, a televised singing competition that Bekka has been secretly watching. Katrina resists the temptation until her father’s health worsens. He desperately needs a surgery the family cannot afford. Katrina decides she must go against her parents’ wishes to win the money needed to help her father. But how will she handle herself as an Amish teenager out in the world?

Teen girls will be swept into the excitement as Katrina ventures out of her quiet Amish world to become a reality television star. Will she be successful? And will she be accepted back into her community when it’s over?

My Review:

Kristina Yoder has the voice of an angel and she loves to sing but her strict Amish community forbids singing as vainglory so she must keep a cap on her voice which is difficult for her. They do have Saturday night singings where teens on their rumspringa can tests the waters of the English world without trouble from their parents or community, so Katrina was able to sing to her hearts content.

Her best friend Bekka had been secretly watching a television show called American Star on her computer where people between the ages of 18 and 30 competed to win big sums of money for their singing voices. She knew Katrina could win hands down.

Bekka approaches Kristina about the popular television show but Katrina isn’t sure she wants to push her family that far, but then realizes how sick her Dad is and that the money would pay for the surgery he most desperately needs. She prayed about it, thought about it, and talked to her Aunt Alma about it and finally decided that she would do it. Bekka helped her sign up on the computer and before she knew it she was on her way to Cleveland for the first portion of the show.

However, once there she didn’t realize that she’d be expected to dress differently, have her hair styled differently, wear make-up and such and had to do some deep soul searching to decide whether she could give up what she truly believed in for a television show.

A Simple Song was a beautifully written story that showed the courage, strength and maturity of one young girl who had a gift to share with the world and found a way to share it without compromising everything else she believed in. Just beautiful!!

I would like to say a big thank-you to Graf-Martin for sending me this copy!

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about Katrina Yoder, a young Amish girl living out in the country with the rest of her community. Katrina has the voice of an angel but with the Amish singing is viewed as a sin. Katrina's father has had very bad health problems and they just seem to get worse and worse and Katrina's family doesn't have enough money for him to have the surgery he needs. Katrina's best friend Bekka has been watching a TV show (called American Star, a singing competition only for the best), on her family computer used for ONLY business reasons but she uses it anyway to watch American Star. She finds out about her recently dead Grandmother's past and is encouraged to enter. Her and her great-aunt go there and Katrina goes through to Hollywood and is the best singer there but then her father goes into hospital and then she receives a huge payment from the TV show which she gets her great-aunt to take to her father so he can have his surgery. She has to stay in the competition because of some terms on the contract. She eventually gets let go because of the help from her friends who explain to the audience that she is homesick and the only way to help her is to send her back home so the audience doesn't vote for her so that she can go home. Her father's surgery goes very well and he is all better. But she still has the challenge of being accepted back into her community.

Wide Reading Questions:
1. I decided to read this book because Melody Carlson is one of my favourite authors and I like the Amish books.
2. My favourite character was Katrina Yoder because she wanted to help her father when he wasn't very well at all. And she knew that the only way was to do the singing competition even though she didn't know whether her community would accept her after she did it.
3. My favourite quote is: "Mammi got lost for a while in the English world, she explained, but she found her way back home, and I think that she understood God's grace in a very personal way." This is my favourite because it is true. You will always be able to find your way home even though you don't think you can, he will lead you back to the place where your heart is.
4. I learnt that you should step out of your comfort zone and do what you never dreamed you could do, and also that you should do everything in your power that you can possibly do to help the ones you love, then trust in Him.

[Sara I · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really a huge fan of Melody Carlson's books. Her last couple have been better but I'm usually a bit disappointed. However the last ya Amish book she wrote had been really good, so I was eager to see what this one would be like.

Katrina Yoder is an Amish girl who has always been told she has a beautiful voice, although her father doesn't want her to use it much. Because it would be vainglory. So she isn't to keen on the idea of going on a singing show to, well sing! But she knows she needs to, her father got hurt several years ago and he's just getting worse and worse. He needs an expensive surgery but Katrina's family doesn't have enough money for it!

So she goes on the show in hopes of winning enough money for her dad to have his surgery. She doesn't know hardly anything about the English life and certainly isn't prepared for what happens on the show, or even in the city! It's all so different! But she's determined to try her best.

Pros:It was a really sweet book. It had the whole behind the scenes look at a singing show and for fans of stuff like the voice, x factor, and american idol you'll get flashbacks of watching the shows. Or at least I did. Katrina was sweet, a little goody-goody at times, but sweet. The story is clean (apart from one brief scene where a character is drunk) and interesting. Not super exciting, but interesting enough.

Cons:I'm not a huge fan of some of the amish's rules. Although this is partly addressed Katrina believes that singing is bad...even when worshiping God it can be bad when her voice is shining out. And stuff like that just makes me sad :( Also I never got a real age on Katrina...I couldn't really tell how old she was. So that and the last page bugged me. Because she gets proposed to. And I'm like really?? And it was a little too rushed that last page, too.

Overall, this was an interesting book with some good scenes and it was a good story...but it wasn't too great. The first Amish book Carlson wrote was better. If you have enjoyed the author's other books or aren't to picky you might like it better. I just didn't prefer it. A good book for tween girls.