The Maiden and the Wall

The Maiden and The Wall is a story with beautiful illustrations and a strong message that will engage young readers - particularly children who feel that their parents and their rules are too strict - and help start discussions between parents and their children. 

Elise is a young woman who loves her parents, but after seeing things beyond her home that look exciting and fun, she is upset that her parents' have so many rules! To keep her safe, her parents have built a wall around their home and Elise thinks they're too overprotective. Why can't she do the things the other teens are doing?

With the help of a magical telescope, Elise can see beyond her parents' wall and witness the results of certain life choices. She begins to understand why her parents have set rules in place and how the wall they've built isn't to hold her back, but to guide her and give her time to make good decisions so she can successfully navigate in the world beyond her home.

The beautiful illustrations have a whimsical, fairy tale vibe, with details that kids and parents will love. Disclaimer: I'm the very proud mother of the illustrator! I am continually in awe of my 22-year-old daughter's artistic skills, and I love how Rylie's art helps to tell Janet's story.

This is an entertaining story with a Christian perspective that provides a great starting point for parents to begin discussions with their children about limits, avoiding dangers where they can, and how kids can benefit from their parents' wisdom so that they are better prepared when they finally enter the world on their own. 

My Rating: 5 stars

Author: Janet Surette

Illustrator: Rylie Prentice

Genre: Picture book, Christian

Type and Source: hardcover picture book, personal copy

Publisher: Tellwell Talent

First Published: Sept 2, 2025

Read: November 1, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: Growing up is hard, but nobody has to learn the hard way. Though we can't prevent all wounds in life, there are many that we can. What if there was a way to stay safe from the usual dangers of adolescence? What if there was a way to see the future of today's choices? Perhaps there is.

Compelling and instructive for youth and parents alike, The Maiden & The Wall provides the images and language to start these important conversations.

The tale follows a young maiden named Elise and her struggle to stay within the wall of protection her parents have built for her. As she grows and many events beyond the wall seem wildly appealing, it becomes difficult to be content within the wall. Representative of parental wisdom, a whimsical telescope is used by her father to show her the likely outcome of common choices young people make. There are those who were not afforded a wall of protection at all, those for whom the wall was too low to protect, and those who chose to leave the protection they had been given.

Readers are invited into the struggle between Elise’s heart and mind, and in the end, will be delighted by the portrayal of likely future outcomes when young people trust the wall built for their protection, until the time is right for them to move beyond it.