Posts Tagged ‘Christian’

Heroes For Young Readers

Friday, March 12th, 2010

I recently came across a great series of books for those looking to introduce their children to biographies of missionaries called “Heroes for Young Readers”.  It is produced by YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Publishing and written by author Renee Taft Meloche.

Each book is a vividly illustrated, rhyming picture book that provides a brief description of the life and ministry of well known Christian figures and the accomplishments that God made in and through their work.

lottiemoonIn Lottie Moon: A Generous Offering, a teacher becomes a missionary to some of the poorest cities in China. Once-wealthy, Lottie Moon (1840-1912) experienced what it felt like to have nothing to eat. In dire circumstances, Lottie’s first priority was helping others learn about God’s love. She courageously fought fires, invented clever disguises, and fended off angry mobs to protect others.

“An old Chinese man soon believed
What Lottie taught was true.
She gave him a New Testament.
His sons, though-once they knew-
All hit and spat on him and tried to take his book away.
They locked him in a small, dark room
And yet he sang and prayed.”

ericliddellIn another book, Eric Liddell: Running for a Higher Prize, we are introduced to the Scottish Olympian who stunned the world when he refused to run his Olympic race on a Sunday, a day he believed was for honoring God.  He went on to win Olympic gold and then left his fame behind to be in a missionary in China.

“So during Bible study, Eric
Took the time to share
That all the fame and honor he’d
Received could not compare
To serving others with his life
And honoring his Lord,
For God and His great love and truth
Are what we should run toward.”

The publisher has also now created a variety of character-building and educational activity guides to accompany the books. The activity book is filled with coloring pages, songs (with music charts), crafts, maps, flags, character lessons, crosswords, and more.
The activity book is a tested learning tool that kids are sure to enjoy. You can pick and choose from the activities, tailoring the book to your needs, or you can complete all the activities by following the thirteen-week syllabus included in the book.

Other missionaries in this series include Adoniram Judson, Amy carmichael, Betty Greene, Brother Andrew, Cameron Townsend, Corrie ten Boom, C.S. Lewis, David Livingstone, George Muller, Gladys Aylward, Hudson Taylor, Ida Scudder, Jim Elliot, Jonathan Goforth, Loren Cunningham, Lottie Moon, Mary Slessor, Nate Saint,  and William Carey.

Appropriate for children ages 5-10 and brief enough to be read in one sitting.  I highly recommend this to be used as a resource in your Sunday school classroom, family devotion time or schools.

GENRE: Biography

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Posted in Biography, Christian Fiction |

Thank You for Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

thankthanksgivingI am always on the prowl for quality holiday books for my family, library, and church. Author Dandi Daley Mackall’s 2008 Christian, picture book titled, Thank You for Thanksgiving follows the progression of one family’s Thanksgiving day as it moves from food preparation and decorating to the arrival of the long-awaited guests. The story finishes with the family sitting around the table, joined in a prayer of thanksgiving.

The main character is last in line and worries whether there will be anything left for him to be thankful for. When his turn arrives, he expresses his thanks for the Lord and thanks Him for Thanksgiving.

“Gramps goes first,
which means I’m last:
‘Thanks for loved one from our past’
Guess I better think real fast…
What am I thankful for?”

I appreciate the books focus on the idea of being thankful and how it shows a boy working hard to say something meaningful.  The meter and rhyme was a bit simplistic and rushed.  It could have used a couple of creative turn of phrases.

Although geared towards younger children, the bright illustrations by John Walker make this a beautiful book to display with your holiday décor.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17”

GENRE: Picture Book

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Posted in Christian Fiction, Holiday, Picture Book |

The List

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

The List by Robert Whitlow bills itself as a supernatural thriller and foreshadows the possibility of a legal drama like Grisham-but it was none of these things.
Renny Jacobson is a young attorney recently out of law school and planning to match the wealth and prestige of the partners in his law firm. With news of his father’s death he discovers his family’s involvement in an ancient, secret inheritance called “The List”, Renny’s life at this point promises to change forever. But the inheritance and membership in the clandestine society will change him and everyone close to him. The book answers the question is the List a curse or a blessing and what do you get if you gain everything.
I will admit that I was intrigued in the beginning of the story with the mystery and secrecy surrounding the list but somewhere in the middle of the story it lost its way trying to develop the romance between Renny and Jo. It missed some great opportunities to dig deeper into the historical aspect of the novel and the generations that crafted it as well as the legal wrangling that would have been a part of creating the original covenant, getting Renny out of jail and eventually helping the authorities sieze control. While Whitlow attempts to craft a story that is distinctly Christian, he gets mired in the dialogue of the Christian message that doesn’t flow naturally. The book eventually increases its pace and does end in a supernatural confrontation that is reminiscent of a Frank Peretti novel but I confess I wanted this book to be better than it was. It would pick up and then slow down all throughout the story.

Whitlow shows he’s at least a bit above the crowd and that he’s got the talent to go much further in the future with this book.
The List has made it to the big screen, search here for more on the major motion picture.

GENRE: Mystery

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Posted in Christian Fiction, Mystery |