Raising Maidens of Virtue
Author: Stacy McDonald
Publisher: Books on the Path
For more information or to order: www.homeschoolingfromtheheart.com
(We are pleased to offer this outstanding book in our catalog)

What is true feminine beauty?  How can a young woman in today's world glorify God through her pure, chaste, and lovely behavior, without appearing "holier than thou"?  Speaking from the depths of a mother's heart, Stacy McDonald addresses these and other questions in her book, Raising Maidens of Virtue: A Study in Feminine Loveliness for Mothers and Daughters (Books on the Path, 2004).

There are so many messages bombarding young women today-almost all of them presenting a view of womanhood that runs counter to the biblical view of young maidens who are daughters of the King. It is a challenge for women, both young and old, to embrace biblical, feminine womanhood, especially when many of us don't really know what it is supposed to look like. Centuries of looking outside the boundaries of God's plan and yearning for what the world has to offer have caused us to have a warped view of feminine beauty, just like the "Fence Dwellers" in chapter 1 of Raising Maidens of Virtue.

Designed for mothers and their teenage daughters to study together, Raising Maidens of Virtue is not a dry, textbook-style study, but rather one that is best enjoyed snuggled together with a cup of tea. Mrs. McDonald has done a superb job of using creative stories, illustrations, and gentle conversations to guide her readers as they consider such topics as guarding the tongue, modesty, purity, honoring parents, idleness, contentment, cleanliness, family relationships, and true biblical femininity and beauty. Scripture references and discussion questions at the end of each chapter are designed to ensure understanding and encourage application. Also included in the book are ideas for making this study even more memorable through the use of journals and scrapbooks. Raising Maidens of Virtue is as pleasant to look at as the message is refreshing to read. Charming watercolor illustrations by Johannah Bluedorn complement the text beautifully.

Reading Raising Maidens of Virtue warmed my heart and challenged my own views of femininity. I did not always agree with Mrs. McDonald, but I did find myself wishing I had had this information during my own maiden years. I was particularly touched as I read about the McDonald girls presenting small heart charms, representing their hearts, to their father for safekeeping. The book also includes the poems each daughter lovingly penned for her father to read as he received her "heart."  Through this and other poignant illustrations, Mrs. McDonald casts before us a vision for biblical beauty and godly character. Mothers and daughters will find their relationship stronger as they embrace this vision together.

One might expect a book which holds to such an "old-fashioned" or "conservative" view of biblical womanhood to be filled with a legalistic list of "shalts" and "shalt nots." Instead, Mrs. McDonald wisely and lovingly points her readers to God's Word, shares her own thoughts, and leaves her readers to apply the material as God speaks to each woman's heart. Tackling issues such as taming the tongue and contentment reminds us that true feminine loveliness begins on the inside.

In writing Raising Maidens of Virtue, Mrs. McDonald has provided families with a wonderful tool to encourage their daughters to cultivate, celebrate, and cherish God's design for true feminine beauty.


Making the Grade: A+
Cost: $17.99
Value for Your Homeschool Dollar: 10
Review provided by Cindy Prechtel, Editor
Originally published in Homeschooling Today magazine March/April 2005.