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Trailblazer Books (Chronological) #22

The Bandit of Ashley Downs: George Muller

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A homeless boy in London is caught in an armed robbery and then sent to an orphange where he confronts the mighty faith of George Muller. Ages 8-12.

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1993

6 people are currently reading
140 people want to read

About the author

Dave Jackson

233 books70 followers
Dave and Neta Jackson are a full-time husband/wife writing team who have authored and co-authored many books on marriage and family, the church, relationships, and other subjects. Their books for children include the TRAILBLAZER series and Hero Tales, volumes I,II, III, and IV. The Jacksons make their home in Evanston, Illinois.

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5 stars
71 (26%)
4 stars
121 (44%)
3 stars
63 (23%)
2 stars
13 (4%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Natasha.
473 reviews12 followers
July 4, 2025
This is not my favorite Trailblazer book we've read this year (out of four, haha), I think because the main character boy's experience at the orphanage felt a bit odd to me, that you never heard of any adults other than George Müller and it never was clear if the boy (or the other children, for that matter) enjoyed being there. It just didn't feel real or personal, especially for the amount of time that was supposed to have passed. Sorry if I'm being picky. I remember reading a biography of George Müller when I was a teenager and I found it so inspiring, but this story was not working for me.
Profile Image for Grace Lynch.
538 reviews6 followers
May 20, 2020
Great details, and a wonderful read for young readers seeking to learn more about history.
Profile Image for Amie.
61 reviews
August 23, 2025
This was excellent. I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of life of a British orphan in the 19th century. George Muller's presence is also true to life.
Profile Image for Zielle.
25 reviews
September 26, 2017
Era: Late 1800’s

Setting: London, England & Bristol, England

Content: 1/5

Curly receives a beating from Spuds. No details. Curly’s memories of his violent Dad, no details. No kissing or romance. No language.

Age-range: 8-12 (but I would recommend it for readers who are older as well)

Overall rating: 5/5

Source: I actually have no idea. 😛 But you can get it of AMAZON KINDLE.

<<<>>>

Wow. Just wow. This book had adventure, thrill, christian values, and everything awesome mixed in. No moment was dull when I read this book. I loved how the book started of with adventure, with the MC, 12 year old Curly Roddy in danger. This series has always been a family favorite. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves christian historical adventure.

CHARACTERS 4/5

I believe characters play a big part in books, and these characters nailed it. I think Dave & Neta Jackson developed their characters very well. Curly is a boy who’s spent six years of his life living on the streets and some of it staying with a thug and thief, Spud Baxter. Curly is very adventurous and headstrong, at the same time caring. I loved his character so much. There was also Spud. He’s not a big time thief, until Curly drags him into a big theft. He has mood swings, but he’s a pretty decent guy. He was well developed.

SETTING 5/5

The dialogue and the description told us everything about Curly’s life, the way he lived, and where he lived. I had no trouble remembering it was in the 1800’s.

PLOT 5/5

I’m giving everything 5/5 here! The plot was full of twists and adventure. Never, ever a dull or unexciting moment. The plot flowed very well; I loved the idea of it all.
WRITING 5/5

Seriously amazing! It described a lot; the action and adventure was so good. I LOVE THIS BOOK! The Bandit of Ashley Downs is a book I certainly will read over again. I actually have read many of the Trailblazer books more than once. I think this whole review pretty much covers all the other books in the series!

So go ahead and read this book! I promise, you won’t be wasting your time.

About the Author

Dave and Neta Jackson, husband and wife writing team, are the authors or coauthors of more than 120 books that have sold over 2.5 million copies. They are best known for the 40-volume Trailblazer Books series for young readers and the Hero Tales series for families. Adults love their Yada Yada Prayer Group series, House of Hope series, Harry Bentley series, and Windy City Neighbors series along with numerous nonfiction books. They make their home in the Chicago area. Find out more about them at http://www.daveneta.com.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
928 reviews11 followers
August 28, 2017
Adding a somewhat fictional slant to our knowledge of George Muller. My daughter and son both enjoyed this book.
1,353 reviews
October 11, 2021
See the first book in the series (Spy for the Night Rider) for a full review.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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