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Volume VI No.2<br />
<strong>Christian</strong><br />
SPRING 2001<br />
<strong>Library</strong><br />
J O U R N A L<br />
This issue Features:<br />
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CLJ on the Oregon Coast, and more...<br />
Click Through to Continued<br />
Adventures<br />
Fish, Fog, and Faith:<br />
The Life and Writings of a<br />
Modern Saint<br />
Equipping the Saints<br />
Celebrate the Triumph of Easter<br />
with Books<br />
Children’s Crown Gallery Award<br />
Turning on Their “Wanter”<br />
A Fishing Contest of Another<br />
Kind<br />
Locating Quality Fiction<br />
Great Books for Grieving Parent<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> Bestsellers<br />
Resources for the School<br />
Librarian
A Letter from the Editor<br />
Dear Readers,<br />
Rain thunders down here on the coast interspersed by periods of<br />
lovely sunshine and mild temperatures. Paperwhites (narcissus) clumps<br />
bloomed in my garden winter. What a picture it was, to bask in the joy of<br />
the Christmas lights on my roofline, and see the paperwhites waving with<br />
the breeze just below! And now many of the remaining 500 bulbs and the<br />
wild rhododendrons are finished and the colorful summer wildflowers are<br />
in bloom.<br />
I pray the choices you make for your library bring life-giving rain to<br />
the lives of your readers, sunshine to brighten their days, and joy to lighten<br />
their hearts.<br />
In this issue you will find many titles which will broaden the scope of<br />
your collection. I especially recommend Imperial Legions, wonderful<br />
historical fiction by our own editor Andrew Seddon. Andrew, born in<br />
England, returns there as he is able, this last time to continue his studies and<br />
to research English history for the writing of this book. Thinking of<br />
moving back, he kept track of the weather, and finding rain on each of his<br />
days there, he determined, at least for now, to remain in sunny Montana.<br />
We salute his choice, as we would miss him.<br />
Another title, Come What May, by our own reviewer Betty Hockett,<br />
inspired me greatly in reading of the lives and choices of a young American<br />
farm family determined to show young Hondurans a way to improve their<br />
lives and to bring them to Christ. Betty and her husband Gene returned to<br />
Honduras this winter to visit the work, now in its third generation.<br />
In Christ’s love,<br />
Nancy L. Hesch<br />
Editor and Publisher
The <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
invites prospective reviewers and<br />
writers to write for information. The<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> is<br />
published quarterly January through<br />
December by <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong><br />
Services. Subscriptions $20 per year<br />
online. Back issues included.<br />
Indexed in <strong>Christian</strong> Periodical<br />
Index. Address correspondence to<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong> Services, P.O. Box<br />
215, Westlake, OR 97493-0215.<br />
Copyright 2001 by <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong><br />
Services.<br />
Volume VI No.2<br />
SPRING 2001<br />
ISSN 1097-1262<br />
<strong>Christian</strong><br />
<strong>Library</strong><br />
J O U R N A L<br />
Phone (541) 997-4430<br />
Fax (541) 997-4434<br />
heschclj@harborside.com<br />
www.christianlibraryj.org<br />
T A B L E O F<br />
C O N T E N T S<br />
The purpose of the <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong><br />
<strong>Journal</strong> is to provide readers with<br />
reviews of both <strong>Christian</strong> and secular<br />
library materials from a <strong>Christian</strong><br />
point of view. About 300 titles from<br />
both <strong>Christian</strong> and secular publishers<br />
are reviewed each issue. Materials<br />
reviewed may reflect a broad range<br />
of <strong>Christian</strong> doctrinal positions and<br />
do not necessarily reflect the views<br />
of the staff of the <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong><br />
<strong>Journal</strong>.<br />
Nancy Hesch<br />
Andrew Seddon<br />
Raymond Legg<br />
Mary McKinney<br />
Sylvia Stopforth<br />
Kitty Lindstrom<br />
Publisher & Editor<br />
Editor: Articles<br />
Editor: Adult Nonfiction<br />
Editor: Adult Fiction,<br />
Young Adult Nonfiction<br />
Editor: YA Fiction<br />
Design and Graphics<br />
Cover illustrations from Imperial Legions,<br />
by Andrew Seddon, © 2000, and Come<br />
What May, by Betty Hockett, © 1998.<br />
Reprinted by permission of Broadman &<br />
Holman and Barclay Press.<br />
Letter from the Editor<br />
Inside Front Cover<br />
C O L U M N S a n d A R T I C L E S<br />
Fish, Fog, and Faith Andrew Seddon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2<br />
A Few Clicks Away to Fun Lisa Wroble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4<br />
Children’s Crown Gallery Award Sandra Morrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5<br />
School Librarian’s Corner Leslie Greaves Radloff . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
Celebrate the Triumph of Easter with Books Lydia Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7<br />
Locating Quality Fiction Sylvia Stopforth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32<br />
Equipping the Saints Mary McKinney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58<br />
Turning on Their “Wanter” Raymond Legg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70<br />
R E V I E W S<br />
Picture Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10<br />
Children’s Fiction : Gr. 2 - 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16<br />
Children’s Nonfiction : Gr. 2 - 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22<br />
Middle School Fiction : Gr. 6 - 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31<br />
Middle School Nonfiction : Gr. 6 - 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41<br />
High School Fiction : Gr. 9 - 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47<br />
High School Nonfiction : Gr. 9 - 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54<br />
Adult Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58<br />
Adult Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70<br />
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80<br />
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84<br />
Printed in the U.S.A.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
AWord from the Editor: Andrew M. Seddon<br />
Fish, Fog,<br />
and Faith<br />
The Life<br />
and Writings<br />
of A Modern<br />
Saint<br />
“What Christ demands is a<br />
reasonable faith, as he demands the<br />
service of our reason... We cannot<br />
drift to Heaven like dead fish down<br />
a stream.”<br />
Wilfred Grenfell, M.D.<br />
I was seventeen and living in New<br />
Brunswick when a friend invited<br />
me to go fishing in Newfoundland.<br />
I was no fisherman, but I’d never<br />
been to Newfoundland, so I<br />
agreed. At St. Anthony, on the<br />
Newfoundland’s northern tip, we<br />
hiked, enjoyed the scenery, and<br />
caught only a few trout. But more<br />
importantly, I encountered the<br />
living legacy of a man whose<br />
writings still influence me.<br />
Wilfred Grenfell was twenty-seven<br />
when, in 1892, he arrived on the<br />
bleak, forbidding Labrador coast.<br />
The scattered fishing hamlets were<br />
physically and spiritually miles<br />
apart from the English resort town<br />
of Parkgate where Grenfell was<br />
born. As the son of an Anglican<br />
clergyman, Grenfell could have<br />
enjoyed a life of relative ease. But<br />
he became a physician and chose<br />
to labor in a backwater of the<br />
British Empire, a place of poverty,<br />
malnutrition, and disease.<br />
Even though he was raised in a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> family, it wasn’t until he<br />
attended a meeting held in London<br />
by D.L. Moody, that he realized<br />
that <strong>Christian</strong>ity was more than a<br />
social convention. Added to his<br />
innate sense of adventure, this<br />
realization resulted in his<br />
commitment to make “a real effort<br />
to do as I thought Christ would do<br />
in my place as a doctor.”<br />
Grenfell’s new-found faith<br />
propelled him to forsake English<br />
society for the company of<br />
illiterate ‘liveyeres.’<br />
For forty years he cruised the<br />
rugged, uncharted Labrador<br />
coastline in a series of small<br />
hospital steamers, taking health<br />
care and the Gospel places they<br />
had never been. He braved<br />
submerged rocks, fogs, icebergs,<br />
and treacherous shores. In the<br />
winter, he made rounds by<br />
dogsled, daring blizzards, trackless<br />
wastes, and dangerous ice floes.<br />
He operated in makeshift<br />
conditions on injuries and illnesses<br />
for which no medical training<br />
available in that era could have<br />
prepared him. And many<br />
occasions he did the only thing he<br />
could—offered comfort to the<br />
dying.<br />
In time, others caught Grenfell’s<br />
vision. Additional doctors and<br />
nurses volunteered to join in the<br />
work, and small hospitals were<br />
constructed. Somehow, he found<br />
the time to write—some thirty-five<br />
books and many articles. Grenfell<br />
literally worked himself to death;<br />
the entire coast mourned his<br />
passing in 1940.<br />
Over the past twenty years I have<br />
managed to collect the majority of<br />
Grenfell’s books, most of which<br />
are long out of print. But with the<br />
changes in medicine and society<br />
over the past one hundred years,<br />
how can somebody like Wilfred<br />
Grenfell speak to us today?<br />
Grenfell emphasized the need for a<br />
life where faith is made real by<br />
works. Medical school taught him<br />
“how infinitely more needed<br />
[were] unselfish deeds than<br />
orthodox words”—a sentiment<br />
first stated by the apostle James<br />
who said, “Show me your faith<br />
without deeds, and I will show you<br />
my faith by what I do.” (Jas.<br />
2:18).<br />
What mattered to Grenfell was not<br />
the finer points of theology, but<br />
human suffering—both physical<br />
and spiritual—and what he could<br />
do to ameliorate it. “Our life is a<br />
field for experimenting in faith,”<br />
he wrote. “It is not a museum<br />
where we are on show or a bargain<br />
counter where we get all we can<br />
for the money.”<br />
The <strong>Christian</strong> life should be one of<br />
sacrificial love, for “only unselfish<br />
love can win in the end.” Grenfell<br />
lived a life of sacrifice freely—<br />
almost unconsciously—embraced,<br />
that he accepted as something<br />
natural for the <strong>Christian</strong>. Sacrifice<br />
was a privilege. “The conviction<br />
that [the fishermen] needed what I<br />
had to give and that it would not<br />
be given if I refused the challenge,<br />
was as plain as daylight,” he<br />
wrote. “I have always believed<br />
that the Good Samaritan went<br />
across the road just because he<br />
wanted to. I do not believe he felt<br />
any sacrifice or fear in the matter.”<br />
Grenfell believed that the<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> message and life<br />
incorporated not only preaching,<br />
but outward expression and<br />
practical involvement in the lives<br />
of the needy. “Not even the most<br />
humble ‘working man’ can live to<br />
himself. Only a clam can do that.”<br />
Christ involved himself in life, and<br />
so should we. “Our Lord did not<br />
spend much time speculating or<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 2 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
talking or writing books. He<br />
worked at the carpenter’s bench.<br />
He fought temptation in the<br />
wilderness and put prayer into<br />
action. He healed the sick. He<br />
cast out devils. He wept with His<br />
friends. He treated women on an<br />
equality. Girt with a towel, He<br />
washed the feet of fishermen. He<br />
personally went and mixed and ate<br />
with outcasts. He began His<br />
preaching at home. He<br />
transformed weak, ignorant,<br />
selfish, and cowardly men into<br />
heroes. He Himself brought<br />
Heaven to earth wherever He<br />
was.”<br />
Grenfell envisioned life as an<br />
adventure, to be lived wholly for<br />
God. “Jesus Christ challenges us<br />
to be his knights, to go forth into<br />
the world to make it better. We<br />
are not here to be ‘safe.’ We must<br />
have faith and take risks.<br />
Life is not meant to be easy and<br />
humdrum. Life is a challenge.”<br />
He adopted Paul’s metaphor of a<br />
race; a race which every <strong>Christian</strong><br />
could win. “Think then of a race<br />
in which it is never too late to be a<br />
winner, of a battle in which we<br />
have always left a chance of being<br />
victor. Think of a prize which<br />
grows greater, and only grows<br />
greater as we possess it.”<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s need to listen for the<br />
call of God, and be ready to<br />
answer the call. “It is my habit<br />
constantly to ask God to teach me<br />
each day how to rightly use my<br />
faith,” Grenfell wrote. Grenfell<br />
dreaded the thought that he could<br />
have missed his opportunity for<br />
service: “There is the terrible fact<br />
that if I had not heard the call of<br />
Christ in the tent that day, I might<br />
possibly have been a physician in<br />
Harley Street, being driven about<br />
in my Rolls Royce! I would not<br />
have lost the opportunity of going<br />
to Labrador for anything.”<br />
Today, Grenfell’s approach to<br />
life—with its vocabulary of<br />
‘prize,’ ‘battle,’ ‘fight,’ and<br />
‘adventure’ might be labeled<br />
‘macho.’ He had no patience with<br />
passivity in the face of illness,<br />
injustice, and sin. “We must love<br />
what [Christ] loved and fought for<br />
what He fought.”<br />
Not everyone is called to service<br />
in a setting such as Labrador. The<br />
affluent suburbs need committed<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s just as much as the<br />
inner cities. The principles that<br />
Grenfell lived by are worthy for<br />
any <strong>Christian</strong>, not only physicians.<br />
We cannot, as Grenfell pungently<br />
expressed, “drift to heaven like<br />
dead fish down a stream.” Christ<br />
calls us to much more than this.<br />
Quotations are from The Prize of Life<br />
(1914), The Fisherman’s Saint (1930), A<br />
Man’s Faith (1908), A Labrador Logbook<br />
(1938), Forty Years for Labrador (1932)<br />
As mentioned, most of Grenfell’s books are<br />
long out of print. But several titles<br />
frequently turn up in both second-hand<br />
book stores and in church libraries, and can<br />
often be obtained by book search services.<br />
These include:<br />
Grenfell’s autobiography Forty Years for<br />
Labrador (and its earlier version, A<br />
Labrador Doctor).<br />
A book of devotions, A Labrador Logbook.<br />
An account of travels, Labrador Looks at<br />
the Orient.<br />
Three of Grenfell’s books of Labrador tales<br />
(worth reading for their descriptions of life<br />
among the common people in Labrador),<br />
Down North on the Labrador, Labrador<br />
Days, and Off the Rocks are in print from<br />
Ayer. Northern Neighbors and Tales of the<br />
Labrador are not difficult to find.<br />
William Pope compiled an anthology of<br />
Grenfell’s writing, The Best of Wilfred<br />
Grenfell (Lancelot Press, 1990).<br />
Many biographies of Grenfell were written<br />
in the first half of this century (I count at<br />
least fifteen). Two biographies are currently<br />
available, James Kerr’s Wilfred Grenfell,<br />
His Life and Work (Greenwood) for many<br />
years the definitive biography, and more<br />
recently Ronald Rompkey’s Grenfell of<br />
Labrador (University of Toronto Press,<br />
1991). Try also Tom Moore’s Wilfred<br />
Grenfell (Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1980),<br />
and J.T. Richards Snapshots of Grenfell,<br />
(Creative Press, 1989).<br />
Editor’s note: Andrew Seddon is himself a medical<br />
doctor, as well as a published writer and a CLJ editor.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 3 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
A Few Clicks Away<br />
to Fun!<br />
CLICK THROUGH TO CONTINUED ADVENTURES<br />
by Lisa A. Wroble<br />
When I was a child I<br />
didn’t want my<br />
favorite books to<br />
come to an end, so I wrote continuing<br />
chapters. I was delighted when I was old<br />
enough to delve into Nancy Drew<br />
mysteries because I could pick up the<br />
next book and the adventures continued.<br />
I soon discovered other series books and<br />
read anything with sequels because I<br />
could continue visiting with my favorite<br />
characters. If your elementary-aged<br />
patrons are eager for the next installment<br />
in the storyline of their favorite<br />
characters, these websites offer betweenbook<br />
fun.<br />
Fans of the American Girls Collection<br />
will enjoy www.americangirl.com for<br />
additional information on each of their<br />
favorite characters. Click on the Fun for<br />
Girls star on the homepage to head to<br />
activities, games, trivia, and stories<br />
starring Felicity, Kirsten, Addy,<br />
Samantha, Molly, Josephina, and Kit. Of<br />
course, the site also contains wise advice<br />
from that contemporary American girl,<br />
Amelia!<br />
If your readers like mysteries, they’ll love<br />
super-sleuth Meg Mackintosh’s site at<br />
www.megmackintosh.com. They can<br />
learn more about Meg Mackintosh, read<br />
Meg’s Mysteries or click on Match Wits<br />
with Meg as well as learn the latest about<br />
this spunky character created by Lucinda<br />
Landon.<br />
site is maintained by PBS for fans of<br />
Arthur and the other characters created by<br />
Marc Brown. The site features games<br />
and children’s artwork.<br />
Children who like the adventures Ms.<br />
Frizzle and her class go on will love the<br />
Magic School Bus page at<br />
scholastic.com/MagicSchoolBus. Find<br />
out what’s new with Ms. Frizzle’s class<br />
and look at children’s artwork. Also visit<br />
the Activity Lab for nine different games<br />
and activities related to the Magic School<br />
Bus adventures.<br />
Readers of any age will enjoy Seussville<br />
at www.randomhouse.com/seussville,<br />
especially with the holiday hype and<br />
controversy surrounding the latest version<br />
of the Grinch. Fans of Dr. Seuss will<br />
enjoy playing games, asking the Cat in<br />
the Hat questions, learning about the<br />
many Dr. Seuss books and characters in<br />
this cyberspace playground. And, of<br />
course, the Grinch is a main feature.<br />
But, if you’re looking for a good book to<br />
share with a child, or to connect with<br />
your own inner child, you must visit the<br />
Reading Rainbow site at<br />
gpn.unl.edu/rainbow. This searchable site<br />
has a section for kids, parents, teachers,<br />
and librarians. The kids’ section is<br />
updated daily with a game and activity.<br />
Parents and librarians can explore<br />
segments of past episodes or visit the<br />
weekly schedule.<br />
Younger readers will love The Arthur<br />
Page at www.pbs.org/wgbh/arthur. This<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 4 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
Children's Crown Award Reading Programs<br />
Children's Crown Gallery Award<br />
2001-2002 Nominee List<br />
Kindergarten - Grade Two<br />
A. Lincoln and Me, by Louise Borden, 0-590-<br />
45714-4, Scholastic '99, $15.99.<br />
Baby Whale's Journey, by Jonathan London, 0-<br />
8118-2496-9, Chronicle '99, $14.95.<br />
Daughter's Day Blues, by Laura Pegram, 0-8037-<br />
1557-9, Dial '00, $15.99.<br />
Exodus, by Brian Wildsmith, 0-8028-5175-4,<br />
Eerdmans '98, $16.00.<br />
Ian's Walk, by Laurie Lears, 0-8075-3480-3, A.<br />
Whitman '98, $15.00.<br />
Morning, Noon, and Night, by Jean George, 0-<br />
06-023628-0, HarperCollins '99, $15.99.<br />
On the Same Day in March, by Marilyn Singer,<br />
0-06-028187-1, HarperCollins '00, $15.95.<br />
Prairie Willow, by Maxine Trottier, 0-7737-3067-<br />
2, Stoddart Kids '98, $15.95.<br />
Sebastian, by Jeanette Winter, 0-15-200629-X,<br />
Harcourt '99, $16.00.<br />
Something Beautiful, by Dennis Wyeth, 0-385-<br />
32239-9, Doubleday '98, $16.95.<br />
Children's Crown Award<br />
2001-2002 Nominee List<br />
Grades Three - Six<br />
Bird Boy, by Elizabeth Hill, 0-374-30723-7, FSG<br />
'99, $14.99.<br />
Black Nell, by Shirley Woods, 0-88899-318-8,<br />
Groundwood '98, $14.95.<br />
Century Farm, by Cris Peterson, 1-56397-710-9,<br />
Boyds Mills '98, $16.95.<br />
David's Search, by Joan L. Nixon, 0-385-32296-<br />
8, Delacorte '98, $9.95.<br />
Grandfather's Christmas Tree, by Keith Strand, 0-<br />
15-201821-2, Harcourt '99, $16.00.<br />
Lewis and Papa, by Barbara Joosse, 0-8118-<br />
1959-0, Chronicle '98, $15.95.<br />
Marguerite Makes a Book, by Bruce Robertson,<br />
0-89236-372-X, Getty Museum '99, $18.95.<br />
The Mary Celeste, by Jane Yolen et al, 0-689-<br />
81079-2, Simon & Schuster '99, $16.00.<br />
Mister and Me, by Kimberly Holt, 0-339-23215-<br />
X, Putnam '98, $13.99.<br />
The Mouse of Amherst, by Elizabeth Spires, 0-<br />
374-35083-3, FSG '99, $15.00.<br />
The Peddler's Dream, by Janice Shefelman, 1-<br />
57168-294-5, Eakin '99, $14.95.<br />
Ramona's World, by Beverly Cleary, 0-688-<br />
16816-7, Morrow '99, $15.00.<br />
The Riches of Oseola McCarty, by Evelyn<br />
Coleman, 0-8075-6961-5, A. Whitman '99,<br />
$15.00.<br />
Rushmore, by Lynn Curlee, 0-590-22573-1,<br />
Scholastic '99, $17.99.<br />
Shelter Dogs, by Peg Kehret, 0-8075-7334-5, A.<br />
Whitman '99, $15.00.<br />
Sky Memories, by Pat Brisson, 0-385-32606-8,<br />
Delacorte '99, $15.00.<br />
Spirit Horse, by Ed Ackerman, 0-590-39650-1,<br />
Scholastic '98, $15.00.<br />
Tornadoes, by Seymour Simon, 0-688-14646-5,<br />
Morrow '99, $16.00.<br />
William Shakespeare and the Globe, by Aliki,<br />
006-027820-X, HarperCollins '99, $15.95.<br />
You're a Brave Man, Julius Zimmerman, by<br />
Claudia Mills, 0-374-38708-7, FSG '99, $16.00.<br />
Lamplighter Award<br />
2001-2002 Nominee List<br />
Grades Six - Eight<br />
Bright Freedom's Song, by Gloria Houston, 0-15-<br />
201812-3, Harcourt '98, $16.00.<br />
Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah, 0-385-<br />
32707-2, Delacorte '99, $16.00.<br />
Devil's Den, by Susan Pfeffer, 0-8027-8650-2,<br />
Walker '98, $15.95.<br />
Frightful's Mountain, by Jean George, 0-525-<br />
46166-3, Dutton '99, $15.99.<br />
The Longest Ride, by Denise Patrick, 0-8050-<br />
4715-8, Holt '99, $15.95.<br />
Moon Over Tennessee, by Craig Crist-Evans, 0-<br />
395-91208-3, Houghton '99, $15.00.<br />
Paperboy, by Isabelle Holland, 0-8234-1422-1,<br />
Holiday House '99, $15.95.<br />
The Song of the Molimo, by Jane Cutler, 0-374-<br />
37141-5, FSG '98, $ 16.00.<br />
Standing in the Light, by Mary Osborne, 0-590-<br />
13462-0, Scholastic '98, $9.95.<br />
The Storyteller's Beads, by Jane Kurtz, 0-15-<br />
201074-2, Harcourt '98, $15.00.<br />
Want to participate in the reading and voting?<br />
Nominate titles for the next year? Go to<br />
Children's Crown Book Award at<br />
www.childrenscrownaward.org and register.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 5 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
School Librarian’s s Corner<br />
Welcome back to the School <strong>Library</strong> Corner of<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong>.<br />
by Leslie Greaves Radloff<br />
This column is a<br />
first for me.<br />
Although I have talked about children’s<br />
books and library issues for years, I have<br />
never before written about them on a<br />
regular basis. When Nancy asked me to<br />
take over the column, I thought, “Wow! Big<br />
shoes to fill.” This column was one of the<br />
first parts I read in CLJ after its arrival. So,<br />
with Nancy’s input I began thinking about<br />
topics and materials that I had recently read<br />
and used which might prove helpful to<br />
other school librarians or media specialists.<br />
Two resource books crossed my desk as<br />
I was thinking about the column. One was<br />
Selecting Books for the Elementary School<br />
<strong>Library</strong> Media Center: A Complete Guide<br />
by Phyllis Van Orden, and the other was<br />
Coretta Scott King Award Books: Using<br />
Great Literature with Children and Young<br />
Adults by Claire Gatrell Stephens. Since I<br />
am always looking for resource books to<br />
help me with selection and for materials<br />
that my teachers can use with novels, I’d<br />
like to share them with you.<br />
The first is a very useful, practical<br />
guide for both beginning and experienced<br />
librarians. The thirteen areas covered<br />
include a discussion of the selection process<br />
for collections which will support<br />
curriculum and information literacy for all<br />
students and library users. The general<br />
guidelines may be applied to a variety of<br />
circumstances. All book buyers know that<br />
the price of books has risen in the past few<br />
years and that budgets or gift moneys do<br />
not cover the needs of school libraries. The<br />
author has included tables and criteria to<br />
help understand pre-selection and selection<br />
as well as calling attention to the need for a<br />
selection policy, a subject which I discussed<br />
in an article for <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
several years ago. Each library needs one,<br />
in print, clearly written, and available for<br />
people to see. If you don’t have one,<br />
borrow a few from other libraries and tailor<br />
one to fit your own, keeping in mind the<br />
purpose of your school, its special mission,<br />
and philosophy of education.<br />
Van Orden’s book is logically arranged<br />
and moves from general selection<br />
information to the specifics of selection of<br />
materials to reflect diversity; picture books,<br />
the different genres of fiction, non-fiction,<br />
folk-tales, rhymes and poetry; and reference<br />
aids (an area where many of us have trouble<br />
choosing for our unique circumstances) and<br />
professional books. Since many of us use<br />
our money for items other than professional<br />
books, this title could be recommended to<br />
teachers building their own professional<br />
libraries, although if the budget would<br />
allow, I’d say buy it for the media center.<br />
All this information comes with a hefty<br />
price—$49.95. If the cost is prohibitive,<br />
check the public library or<br />
college/university libraries, especially if<br />
there is a library school attached.<br />
The second volume, Coretta Scott King<br />
Award Books, fills a need and a niche.<br />
With so many teachers wanting to teach<br />
with Newbery and Caldecott award books,<br />
many find like the author, that the media<br />
center cannot supply enough titles. The<br />
lists of winners for the Coretta Scott King<br />
Award should help that crunch. Most of us<br />
have the titles on our shelves already.<br />
Some of the titles listed include: In<br />
Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall: African<br />
Americans Celebrating Fathers by John<br />
Steptoe; Taylor’s Let the Circle be<br />
Unbroken and other titles; Walter Dean<br />
Myers The Young Landlords, and many<br />
other titles.<br />
While I was not a teacher who used<br />
worksheet after worksheet when I was in<br />
the classroom, the ideas here could be<br />
adapted to use with students and include<br />
higher level thinking skills. Stephens has<br />
also included a bibliography and suggested<br />
Internet sites, which may or may not be<br />
useful, depending on grade level,<br />
maintenance of the site itself, and suitability<br />
for use with a particular grade.<br />
These books came to me from a special<br />
collection lending library in Minnesota<br />
where teachers, school librarians, and those<br />
interested in the area can check out<br />
materials without having to buy them. See<br />
what your own states have to offer. Even if<br />
there is a small fee attached for borrowing<br />
privileges I have found it to be well worth<br />
it for the amount of materials that I can<br />
borrow. If they seem like titles that I will<br />
use again and again, I often purchase them;<br />
if not, I am not out any money.<br />
Titles discussed:<br />
Stephens, Claire Gatrell. Coretta Scot King<br />
Award Books: Using Great Literature with<br />
Children and Young Adults. Libraries<br />
Unlimited, 2000. 1-56308-685-9.<br />
Van Orden, Phyllis. Selecting Books for the<br />
Elementary School <strong>Library</strong> Media Center.<br />
Neal-Shuman, 2000. $49.95. 1-55570-<br />
368-2.<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
Celebrate the Triumph of Easter<br />
...with Books<br />
by Lydia E. Harris<br />
˘Hope! Triumph!<br />
Victory! Celebration!<br />
These joyous words describe Easter.<br />
Although Christ’s resurrection is the<br />
pivotal event of history, Easter is often<br />
overshadowed by Christmas. Refocus on<br />
the true significance of Easter by adding<br />
some of these titles for children and<br />
adults to your library collection.<br />
Hallelujah! Christ arose!<br />
Children’s Books<br />
1. BENJAMIN’S BOX by Melody Carlson<br />
(Zonderkidz, 1997, ISBN 1-57673-139-1.<br />
HB, 31 pages, $10.99)<br />
Benjamin, a young boy who lives during the<br />
days of Christ, wants to know who Jesus is.<br />
As he follows Jesus during his last week on<br />
earth, Benjamin gathers special reminders of<br />
events for his treasure box. For example, a<br />
bit of donkey fur reminds him of Jesus’ entry<br />
on a colt. After Jesus’ death and resurrection,<br />
Benjamin tells friends the Easter story using<br />
his special treasures. But he realizes Jesus is<br />
the real treasure. Use it in homes, churches,<br />
and neighborhoods to share the true meaning<br />
of Easter with children ages five to ten. Tips<br />
for leading children to Christ are included.<br />
FamilyLife’s collection of Resurrection Eggs<br />
are available to accompany the story.<br />
2. THE DAY JESUS DIED by Bryan Davis<br />
(Concordia, 1998, ISBN 0-570-07543-2. PB,<br />
16 pages, $1.99)<br />
Although the story of Jesus’ death is often<br />
difficult for young children to understand, this<br />
Arch Book emphasizes it was part of God’s<br />
plan. Written in poetry, it retells the events of<br />
Jesus’ last day on earth and includes the<br />
resurrection. Parents are encouraged to<br />
explain to their children that Jesus’ death<br />
shows his great love for us.<br />
3. EASTER ABCs by Isabel Anders (Concordia,<br />
2000, ISBN 0-570-07020-1. HB, 32 pages,<br />
$7.99)<br />
This cheerful book, with cut-out cover and<br />
bright illustrations, shares the wonderful<br />
events of Easter alphabetically. Children<br />
ages four to seven will enjoy rhyming verses<br />
that tell the Good News and reinforce the<br />
alphabet.<br />
4. EASTER BUNNY, ARE YOU FOR REAL?<br />
by Harold Myra (Tommy Nelson, 1979, 1998,<br />
ISBN 0-8499-1493-0. HB, 24 pages, $7.99)<br />
In this story, a father explains the difference<br />
between the commercial and biblical<br />
meanings of Easter to his family. His<br />
children learn the history behind the holiday<br />
and that it’s all right to celebrate spring<br />
festivities if they don’t overshadow the real<br />
meaning of Easter-Jesus’ resurrection.<br />
Written for children ages three to seven, this<br />
book helps parents and children discover the<br />
Easter that is central to our <strong>Christian</strong> faith.<br />
5. AN EASTER HUNT: A Hide-and-Seek Story<br />
by Sarah Reid Chisholm (Augsburg, 1994,<br />
ISBN 0-8066-2740-9. PB, 32 pages, $6.99)<br />
A mother tells her children why Easter is<br />
special by hiding items that teach about<br />
Jesus’ last week on earth. For example, a<br />
shoe reminds them how Jesus washed his<br />
disciples’ feet and taught them to serve one<br />
another. Children three to eight will enjoy this<br />
family Easter hunt with objects hidden amidst<br />
detailed illustrations.<br />
6. THE EASTER PROMISE by Brian Cochran<br />
with text adapted by Lila Empson (Tommy<br />
Nelson, 1998, ISBN 0-8499-5827-X. HB, 32<br />
pages, $7.99)<br />
Adapted from THE EASTER PROMISE<br />
VIDEO, the story tells of three children who<br />
witness Jesus’ triumphal entry, betrayal,<br />
death, and resurrection. Although they<br />
expected a mighty earthly king, seeing the<br />
empty tomb and Jesus’ ascension into heaven<br />
convince them he is the King above all kings.<br />
7. JESUS by Rick Osborne and K. Christie<br />
Bowler (Zondervan, 1998, ISBN 0-310-<br />
22087-4. HB, 32 pages, $9.99)<br />
Bible stories, facts, activities, and puzzles<br />
provide creative tools to learn about Jesus’<br />
life, love, and example. Part of the “I Want<br />
to Know” series for children eight to twelve,<br />
the first section tells of Jesus’ incarnation and<br />
life on earth including his teachings and<br />
miracles. The remainder covers the Last<br />
Supper, crucifixion, and resurrection.<br />
Preteens will enjoy the youth-friendly writing<br />
style plus full-color photos, graphics, and<br />
cartoons. Included are a few practical<br />
questions and answers plus how to become a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> and follow Jesus.<br />
8. THE LEGEND OF THE EASTER EGG by<br />
Lori Walburg (Zonderkidz, 1999, ISBN 0-<br />
310-22447-0. HB, 32 pages, $14.99)<br />
A young boy named Thomas must temporarily<br />
live with another family when his sister<br />
contracts scarlet fever. While there he learns<br />
the legend behind the Easter egg and how it<br />
relates to Christ’s resurrection. Just as chicks<br />
break out of eggs, so Jesus broke free from<br />
the tomb of death. Helpful background<br />
information about traditions and symbols of<br />
Lent and Easter are included. Suitable for<br />
children four to eight, this beautiful book<br />
should stimulate further adult-child<br />
discussion about Easter.<br />
9. MARY AND THE EMPTY TOMB by Alice<br />
Joyce Davidson (Zondervan, 1998, ISBN 0-<br />
310-97455-0. HB,12 pages, $3.99)<br />
Colorful illustrations and rhyming verse make<br />
this die-cut board book appealing for children<br />
four and under. It tells the resurrection story<br />
from Mary’s viewpoint, who found the tomb<br />
empty. It concludes with the reassuring<br />
words, “And Jesus loves YOU also and will<br />
always be with YOU!”<br />
10. THE PARABLE OF THE LILY by Liz Curtis<br />
Higgs (Tommy Nelson, 1997, ISBN 0-7852-<br />
7231-3. HB, 32 pages, $7.99)<br />
A farmer secretly mails his daughter Maggie<br />
a surprise present. Young Maggie is<br />
disappointed with her gift of a bulb and dirt.<br />
She waters the bulb for a while, then throws it<br />
out the window. Easter morning she finds a<br />
beautiful, fragrant lily blooming in her yard.<br />
“The gift is alive!” she exclaims. When<br />
Maggie learns the bulb was from her father,<br />
she realizes her ungrateful attitude hurt him.<br />
Her father’s response teaches her that Easter<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
is about forgiveness. Scripture relevant to<br />
the story is included throughout.<br />
11. I’VE JUST SEEN JESUS by Sandi Patty and<br />
Larnelle Harris (J. Countryman, 2000, ISBN<br />
0-8499-5560-2. HB, 64 pages, $12.99)<br />
This 6-1/4-inch-square gift book tells over<br />
twenty uplifting stories of individuals from<br />
around the world whose lives were changed<br />
because they encountered Jesus in a fresh<br />
way. Healings, miracles, answers to prayer,<br />
and transformed lives of young and old are<br />
shared. A beautiful book to enjoy at Easter<br />
and all year, it includes a CD of Sandi Patty<br />
and Larnelle Harris singing, “I’ve Just Seen<br />
Jesus.”<br />
12. PETER’S FIRST EASTER by Walter<br />
Wangerin Jr. (Zonderkidz, 2000, ISBN 0-<br />
310-22217-6. HB, 48 pages, $14.99)<br />
Written from disciple Peter’s perspective, this<br />
fictionalized story is biblically based and<br />
tells of Jesus’ death and resurrection,<br />
including Peter’s denial of him. Wangerin, a<br />
master storyteller, shows what Peter saw,<br />
heard, and felt as he witnessed events from<br />
the Last Supper to fishing with Jesus after his<br />
resurrection. Children ages four to eight will<br />
learn of God’s forgiveness through Jesus’<br />
forgiveness of Peter.<br />
13. THE STORY OF THE EMPTY TOMB by<br />
Bryan Davis (Concordia, 1998, ISBN 0-570-<br />
07544-0. PB, 16 pages, $1.99)<br />
This Arch Book with rhyming verse tells the<br />
story of Jesus’ resurrection for children ages<br />
five to nine. It includes the biblical account<br />
of Jesus’ appearance to Mary, the disciples,<br />
and later to Thomas. Family activities to<br />
celebrate Easter are included.<br />
14. A SURPRISE IN DISGUISE by Jeffrey E.<br />
Burkhart (Concordia, 1999, ISBN 0-570-<br />
07564-5. PB. 18 pages, $1.99)<br />
Written in poetry, this Arch Book reveals the<br />
story of Jesus’ resurrection through his<br />
conversation with the two men on the road to<br />
Emmaus. An ending note encourages<br />
parents to explain the promise of salvation to<br />
their children.<br />
15. THE TALE OF THREE TREES: A<br />
Traditional Folktale by Angela Elwell Hunt<br />
(Lion, 1989, ISBN 0-7459-1743-7. HB, 26<br />
pages, $14.99)<br />
Three trees on a mountain top dream of what<br />
they’ll become when they grow up. Instead<br />
of becoming a treasure chest, a strong ship,<br />
and the tallest tree, they become a manger, a<br />
humble fishing boat, and a cross—all used by<br />
Jesus. Readers of all ages will appreciate<br />
this beloved story at Easter and year round.<br />
16. THE VERY FIRST EASTER by Paul L.<br />
Maier (Concordia, 1999, ISBN 0-570-07053-<br />
8. HB, 32 pages, $14.99)<br />
Ten-year-old Christopher is not interested in<br />
fairy tales and wants to hear the biblical<br />
Easter story. He learns about the ministry,<br />
trial, death, and resurrection of Jesus as he<br />
and his parents read from Scripture.<br />
Christopher asks searching questions, and<br />
his parents provide clear answers. Children<br />
ages five to ten will enjoy this outstanding<br />
sequel to the award-winning, THE VERY<br />
FIRST CHRISTMAS.<br />
Family and Adult Books<br />
1. AND THE ANGELS WERE SILENT by<br />
Max Lucado (Multnomah, 1992, ISBN 0-<br />
88070-727-5. PB, 264 pages, $12.99)<br />
Lucado gives readers a fresh look at the final<br />
week of Jesus’ life by sharing numerous<br />
stories and personal experiences to illustrate<br />
scriptural truths. Combining gentleness and<br />
boldness, he challenges readers that they,<br />
like Pilate, must cast a verdict on Jesus. An<br />
extensive study guide and notes are included<br />
in this inspiring read.<br />
2. BEFORE AND AFTER EASTER: Activities<br />
and Ideas for Lent to Pentecost by Debbie<br />
Trafton O’Neal (Augsburg, 1992, ISBN 0-<br />
8066-2604-6. PB, 64 pages, $10.99)<br />
Just as Advent is a time to prepare for Jesus’<br />
birth, Lent is a season to prepare for his<br />
resurrection. O’Neal includes creative ideas<br />
and activities to celebrate forty days of Lent<br />
plus weekly activities for seven weeks<br />
between Easter and Pentecost. She shares<br />
enough ideas for several seasons along with<br />
the history and traditions of Lent, Easter, and<br />
Pentecost. Although intended for families,<br />
children’s workers will also find it useful.<br />
3. BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO LENT: A<br />
Collection of Creative Worship Resources by<br />
Robert E. Stowe, Donna E. Schaper, Anne<br />
McKinstry, and Janet E. Powers (Judson<br />
Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8170-1319-9. PB, 85<br />
pages, $12.00)<br />
Nine worship services from Ash Wednesday<br />
to Easter are included in this resource. Each<br />
service includes prayers and Scripture plus<br />
sermons for children and adults. Also<br />
featured are antiphonal prayers and hymns,<br />
Lenten reflections, and new songs for Lent.<br />
The innovative ideas are designed to make<br />
Lenten services fulfilling, whether used as<br />
presented or adapted.<br />
4. THE CARPENTER’S CLOTH: Christ’s<br />
Journey to the Cross and Beyond by<br />
Sigmund Brouwer (Word, 1997, ISBN 0-<br />
8499-5366-9. HB, 128 pages, $12.99)<br />
Although a novelist, Brouwer presents<br />
historically accurate facts in these Easter<br />
vignettes and essays. Based on Scripture,<br />
they trace the last days of Jesus’ life through<br />
the eyes of Peter, John, Mary, Martha, and<br />
others. Full-color illustrations, Scripture<br />
passages, and song lyrics by his wife, Cindy<br />
Morgan, enhance the text. In the last<br />
vignette, he explains that a folded carpenter’s<br />
cloth means the work is finished. Similarly,<br />
the folded face cloth in the tomb signified<br />
Jesus had finished his work.<br />
5. CHRIST IN EASTER: A Family Celebration<br />
of Holy Week by Charles Colson, Billy<br />
Graham, Max Lucado, and Joni Eareckson<br />
Tada (NavPress, 1990, ISBN 0-89109-309-5.<br />
PB, 69 pages, $9.00)<br />
Eight devotionals help families prepare for<br />
Easter with worship and fun. Designed for<br />
the week before Easter, they cover Palm<br />
Sunday through Easter. Well-known authors<br />
guide readers through the Last Supper, Good<br />
Friday, and other events of Holy Week.<br />
Hymns, poems, prayers, Scripture, and<br />
varied activities are included. A valuable<br />
resource that adds joy and meaning to<br />
Easter.<br />
6. FAMILY CELEBRATIONS AT EASTER by<br />
Ann Hibbard (Baker, 1994, ISBN 0-8010-<br />
4390-5. PB, 197 pages, $10.99)<br />
This family guide for celebrating Easter<br />
includes brief devotions for six-and-one-half<br />
weeks preceding Easter plus ideas to inspire<br />
children to appreciate Jesus’ death and<br />
resurrection. Projects, activities, hymns, and<br />
the Passover celebration for <strong>Christian</strong>s are<br />
included. An excellent volume that focuses<br />
on the true message of Easter.<br />
7. FAMILY COUNTDOWN TO EASTER: A<br />
Day-by-Day Celebration by Debbie Trafton<br />
O’Neal (Augsburg, 1998, ISBN 0-8066-<br />
3827-3. PB, 48 pages, $10.99)<br />
Families can count down the days from the<br />
day before Lent to Easter Sunday with<br />
suggested daily (except Sundays) activities,<br />
recipes, and crafts. Stickers are included for<br />
the one-page calendar. A useful tool to<br />
celebrate the season and create family<br />
memories.<br />
8. THE FINAL WEEK OF JESUS by Max<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 8 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
Lucado (Multnomah, 1994, ISBN 0-88070-<br />
630-9. HB, 128 pages, $19.99)<br />
This attractive volume includes highlights<br />
from Lucado’s best-seller, AND THE<br />
ANGELS WERE SILENT, along with fullcolor<br />
artwork. Readers discover what<br />
matters to God by learning how Jesus spent<br />
his last week on earth. Jesus’ passion, power,<br />
and promise are evident in this moving book.<br />
9. FROM SACRIFICE TO CELEBRATION: A<br />
Lenten Journey by Evan Drake Howard<br />
(Judson Press, 1993, ISBN 0-8170-1197-8.<br />
PB, 96 pages, $12.00)<br />
Howard beckons readers on a journey of<br />
spiritual growth during the Lenten season.<br />
Each of seven chapters is based on a Gospel<br />
text about biblical characters such as<br />
Nicodemus, the prodigal son, and the<br />
Samaritan woman. Suitable for personal or<br />
group study, chapters end with a prayer and<br />
questions for reflection.<br />
10. GLORIOUS MORNING!: An Invitation to<br />
Resurrection Praise by Jack Hayford<br />
(Multnomah, 1996, ISBN 0-88070-862-X.<br />
HB, 136 pages, $11.99)<br />
Pastor Hayford offers a fresh perspective of<br />
resurrection power through these brief<br />
reflections. Meditations, songs, and poems<br />
help readers prepare their hearts to celebrate<br />
the empty tomb. A joy-filled book, it teaches<br />
that the triumph which changed history<br />
brings personal victory to individuals today.<br />
11. YESTERDAY, TODAY, FOREVER by<br />
Bruce Marchiano (Harvest House, 1999,<br />
ISBN 0-7369-0048-9. HB, 112 pages,<br />
$24.99).<br />
Readers step back in time and experience<br />
events during Jesus’ days through the eyes of<br />
Marchiano, who played Jesus in the movie,<br />
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO<br />
MATTHEW. This captivating book depicts<br />
Jesus’ life and teachings not only through<br />
words but also through spectacular<br />
photography. It emphasizes God’s love-the<br />
same yesterday, today, forever, and<br />
encourages readers to accept the gift of<br />
salvation.<br />
12. MARTIN LUTHER’S EASTER BOOK<br />
edited by Roland H. Bainton (Augsburg,<br />
1962, ISBN 0-8066-3578-9. PB, 106 pages,<br />
$10.99)<br />
Excerpts from Martin Luther’s Easter<br />
sermons on the Gospels are collected in this<br />
unique volume. Sermon passages cover the<br />
journey to Jerusalem, Holy Week, the Lord’s<br />
Supper, Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion, and<br />
resurrection. The messages reveal Luther’s<br />
thoughts on God’s love, salvation by grace,<br />
forgiveness of sin, and more.<br />
13. THE MATTHEW PASSION: A Lenten<br />
Journey to the Cross and Resurrection by<br />
John Fenton (Augsburg, 1996, ISBN 0-8066-<br />
2986-X. PB, 158 pages, $13.99)<br />
Fenton, a Bible scholar from Oxford,<br />
England, offers daily readings from Ash<br />
Wednesday through Easter on Jesus’ life,<br />
passion, and resurrection. He illuminates<br />
passages from Matthew’s Gospel with<br />
thought-provoking reflections and includes<br />
prayer suggestions. Appendices about<br />
Matthew and notes for group discussion are<br />
included. Although intended for Lent, it’s<br />
useful any time of year for personal or group<br />
study.<br />
14. ON THE CROSS ROAD: A Daily<br />
Devotional for Lent by Joan Trusty Moore<br />
(Judson Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8170-1316-4.<br />
PB, 177 pages, $12.00)<br />
This volume is comprised of over forty<br />
devotionals for the Lenten season. Each<br />
contains Gospel passages, thoughts on the<br />
Scripture, and a short prayer. Meditations<br />
focus on those whose lives were changed by<br />
encountering Jesus during his last weeks on<br />
earth. Included are familiar people like<br />
Zacchaeus and Lazarus plus lesser-known<br />
individuals like Malchus and Annas. As<br />
Easter approaches, the devotionals center on<br />
those witnessing the crucifixion—the thieves,<br />
Jesus’ mother, Joseph of Arimathea, and<br />
others. It contains reflections to ponder year<br />
after year.<br />
15. SIX HOURS ONE FRIDAY: Anchoring to<br />
the Power of the Cross by Max Lucado<br />
(Multnomah, 1989, ISBN 0-88070-827-1.<br />
PB, 237 pages, $12.99)<br />
Lucado weaves stories and scriptural<br />
insights around three solid anchor points<br />
believers can count on: Our lives are not<br />
futile, our failures are not fatal, and our<br />
deaths are not final. Because of “six hours<br />
one Friday,” these anchors are sturdy<br />
enough to withstand any storms of life.<br />
Consequently, futility is replaced with<br />
purpose; failure holds forgiveness; and death<br />
is exchanged for deliverance. An uplifting<br />
read with an extensive study guide.<br />
16. SUDDENLY ONE MORNING: The<br />
Shopkeeper’s Story by Charles R. Swindoll<br />
(Word, 1998, ISBN 0-8499-1356-X. HB, 96<br />
pages, $14.99)<br />
Readers experience the last week of Jesus’<br />
life through the narrative of a Jewish<br />
shopkeeper in Jerusalem. As the shopkeeper<br />
is drawn into the happenings, he realizes<br />
Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.<br />
The man he knew as a carpenter becomes his<br />
Savior, and his life is transformed. Although<br />
a fictional account, this short, compelling<br />
read includes biblically accurate details.<br />
17. THE WEEPING CHAMBER by Sigmund<br />
Brouwer (Word, 1998, ISBN 0-8499-3703-5.<br />
PB, 310 pages, $12.99)<br />
The week before Jesus’ crucifixion, Simeon<br />
arrives in Bethany to visit a relative who is<br />
his business partner. Struggling with guilt<br />
and broken relationships back home, Simeon<br />
is ready to end his life. But things change<br />
when he meets Jesus and is asked to carry<br />
his cross to Golgotha. A real page-turner,<br />
this historical fiction novel weaves the last<br />
days of Jesus’ life together with the life of<br />
troubled Simeon and offers the miracle of life<br />
and hope.<br />
18. WHO MOVED THE STONE? by Frank<br />
Morison (Zondervan, 1958, 1987, ISBN 0-<br />
310-29561-0. PB, 193 pages, $10.99)<br />
Morison, an English journalist, sets out to<br />
write a book that disproves the resurrection.<br />
But after detailed examination of the<br />
historical account, he ends up defending<br />
Christ’s resurrection. First written in 1930,<br />
the book is a classic apologetic on the<br />
resurrection.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, freelance writer in<br />
Seattle, WA, writes book reviews,<br />
devotionals, and articles for numerous<br />
publications. Her syndicated column on<br />
tea appears in twenty states and three<br />
provinces. She enjoys celebrating Easter<br />
with her husband, two married children,<br />
and one adorable grandson.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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PICTURE BOOKS<br />
A. Lincoln and me, by Louise Borden;<br />
illustrated by Ted Lewin. LCCN<br />
95001921. New York: Scholastic Press,<br />
Scholastic, Inc., 1999. ISBN 0590457144,<br />
HBB, $15.95.<br />
E. Lincoln, Abraham--Fiction. unp. Small children.<br />
Sometimes it’s hard to be a kid, especially when<br />
you stand a foot taller than your class and your<br />
hands and feet are as big as a baboon’s, but what<br />
our hero in A. Lincoln and Me finds out is that<br />
sometimes being different isn’t as bad as it<br />
seems. In this sweet tale of growing up by<br />
Louise Borden, one little boy discovers that the<br />
things that make him stand out are the same<br />
things that made President Abraham Lincoln<br />
stand out. They even share the same February<br />
12th birthday.<br />
Ted Lewin’s illustrations combine sketches of<br />
Abraham Lincoln with realistic water color<br />
images of the boy and those important to his life,<br />
weaving a tapestry of black and white to<br />
represent the past, and bright colors to represent<br />
the present. The book is clean and crisp and<br />
doesn’t even hint at any real hurt in the boy’s<br />
heart for being laughed at and ridiculed; however<br />
it does give the teacher the important role of<br />
mediator and shows how one person’s<br />
encouragement can make up for another’s<br />
cruelty.<br />
Virginia Schnabel, Freelance Writer, Shelton, Washington<br />
Bear on the train, written by Julie Lawson;<br />
illustrated by Brian Deines. Toronto, Ont.:<br />
Kids Can Press, 1999. ISBN 1550745603,<br />
HBB, $14.95.<br />
E. Bears--Fiction. 30 p. Small children.<br />
Bear smells food and gets on the grain train,<br />
where he eats his fill and settles down to<br />
hibernate. Only young Jeffrey has seen Bear.<br />
The train continues to crisscross Canada, passing<br />
through Jeffrey’s town each trip and only Jeffrey<br />
sees Bear as the train passes through. Crossing<br />
Canada the train passes through the many<br />
terrains of Canada and experiences the passages<br />
of the seasons. Finally spring arrives and Bear’s<br />
hibernation ends as he leaves the train and goes<br />
back to his home in the woods.<br />
Julie Lawson uses repetition and refrain to<br />
emphasize the on-going trip. The words are<br />
lyrical. Brian Deines’ oil on canvas illustrations<br />
beautifully convey the vastness of Canada and<br />
the changing of the seasons. Both the author and<br />
illustrator are Canadian. Children will<br />
appreciate Bear and his search for food. Julie<br />
Lawson and Brian Deines have combined their<br />
talents to create a lovely pictorial story.<br />
Barbara Wall, School <strong>Library</strong> System Director, Oswego County<br />
BOCES, Mexico, New York<br />
Big Truck and Little Truck, by Jan Carr;<br />
illustrated by Ivan Bates. LCCN<br />
99047323. New York: Scholastic Press,<br />
2000. ISBN 0439071771, HBB, $15.95.<br />
E. Trucks--Fiction. unp. Small children.<br />
A working mother, Carr lives in New York City<br />
with husband and preschool son, and was<br />
inspired to write this book, as her son adores<br />
trucks. She offers a story in which children will<br />
feel reassurance and warmth. The story centers<br />
on Big Truck who teaches Little Truck<br />
everything. But one day Big Truck’s engine<br />
won’t start, and while it’s at the repair garage,<br />
Little Truck needs to manage.<br />
The story about separation, independence, and<br />
love includes delightful illustrations by Bates<br />
who makes the trucks into animated characters.<br />
One can see Little Truck’s growing confidence,<br />
and also challenges.<br />
Carr has previously written Frozen Noses<br />
(Holiday House, 1999) and You’re Invited to<br />
Mary-Kate and Ashley’s Ballet Party<br />
(Scholastic, 1998), among others. Bates has<br />
illustrated other children’s books like The Dark<br />
at the Top of the Stairs (Candlewick, 1998) and<br />
Just You & Me (Candlewick, 1998), both by Sam<br />
McBratney. He lives in England with wife<br />
Rachel.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
Boomer’s big surprise, by Constance W.<br />
McGeorge; illustrated by Mary Whyte.<br />
LCCN 98008434. San Francisco:<br />
Chronicle Books, 1999. ISBN 0811819779,<br />
HBB, $14.95.<br />
E. Dogs--Fiction; Dogs--Infancy--Fiction; Animals--<br />
Infancy--Fiction; Babies--Fiction. 24 p. Small<br />
children.<br />
Family dog Boomer has a very big surprise<br />
waiting for him. His owners have a new baby to<br />
add to the family. The baby is a new puppy<br />
named Baby Boomer. Baby is so cute and<br />
lovable that the family wants to play with him<br />
and not Boomer. Boomer is very sad that his<br />
family no longer wants to play fetch or pet him.<br />
Baby Boomer saves the story by wanting to play<br />
with and be loved by Boomer. So Boomer and<br />
Baby Boomer become wonderful friends and<br />
learn that they can both be loved by the family.<br />
Mary Whyte has fantastic illustrations that really<br />
help the reader feel Boomer’s sadness. Also<br />
from the illustrations, the reader will want to<br />
pick up and cuddle Baby Boomer. Boomer<br />
appears in other stories, but the reader does not<br />
need to have read those previous books in order<br />
to love Boomer’s Big Surprise.<br />
Connie Weaver, Church Librarian, Newville, Pennsylvania<br />
Brave Martha, written and illustrated by<br />
Margot Apple. LCCN 97042616. Boston:<br />
Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN<br />
0395594227, HBB, $15.00.<br />
E. Cats--Fiction; Fear of the dark--Fiction; Bedtime--<br />
Fiction. 30 p. Small children.<br />
"Scritcha, scritcha, scritch." Martha hears the<br />
unusual noise as she peeks timidly from her bed.<br />
Usually, Sophie, her cat, would check all the<br />
dark corners and creepy places before Martha<br />
went to sleep. But tonight, Sophie isn’t around,<br />
and her father hasn’t checked under her bed, a<br />
favorite hiding place for something scary.<br />
As the story progresses, Brave Martha searches<br />
out all the potential places as her imagination<br />
builds great, scary monsters. But nothing turns<br />
out as it seems. At last Sophie her cat reappears,<br />
having been the noisemaker all along.<br />
This is Margot Apple’s second book as<br />
author/illustrator. The pictures are big and<br />
expressive, the text short and to the point. The<br />
story line of Brave Martha is quite simple and<br />
would allow for good discussion with children<br />
about those imaginary fears many have. A<br />
comforting point to make is the final picture<br />
where Martha has settled down for the night, and<br />
her father is checking on her to be sure she is all<br />
right. This gives assurance that parents care and<br />
do their best to keep their children safe and<br />
secure.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
Bright 'n beautiful. (Jay Jay the jet plane.)<br />
Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas Nelson.<br />
Vid, 0849975484, $12.97.<br />
E. Primary (Elementary).<br />
Bright ‘n Beautiful is comprised of three tenminute<br />
adventures from the "Jay Jay the Jet<br />
Plane" series from Focus on the Family.<br />
In "Snuffy’s Rainbow" little Snuffy the Airplane<br />
sees his first rainbow and is determined to fly to<br />
the rainbow to meet it personally. But what he<br />
seeks always fades before him. Oscar the<br />
Airplane tells him that the rainbow has a secret.<br />
Resting in his hangar because of rain, Snuffy<br />
falls asleep and dreams that he has caught up to<br />
the rainbow and she tells him that her secret is<br />
that some things—like his skywriting—look<br />
better from far away. Snuffy awakens realizing<br />
that the truth of what she has told him and<br />
skywrites a rainbow for everybody.<br />
In the second installment, "Snuffy Discovers the<br />
Ocean," upon seeing a fish in an aquarium<br />
Snuffy wonders asks Tracy and Jay Jay about the<br />
ocean which they are about to go fly over. As he<br />
is thinking over what they say, he falls asleep and<br />
soon hears the fish calling his name. The fish<br />
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tells him to catch up with the others so that he<br />
can see the ocean. He does and is astounded at<br />
its beauty. While the others continue on, he<br />
stays to explore with the understanding that they<br />
will pick him up later. He actually dives into the<br />
ocean and is amazed with God’s creation. He<br />
wants to stay in the ocean but when he begins to<br />
show the fish his skywriting, he pollutes the<br />
ocean and loses his way in the smoky waters.<br />
He is about to panic when—he wakes up! It was<br />
all a dream. Now Tracy and Jay Jay really do<br />
take him to see the ocean, but he stays above the<br />
water.<br />
The last story is "The Upside Down Waterfall."<br />
Snuffy tells his friends that he has seen an<br />
upside down waterfall in the park. They go with<br />
him but find nothing at all and don’t believe him<br />
even though they cannot argue him out of his<br />
idea. Brenda Blue suggests to Jay Jay that<br />
perhaps he would be a better friend if he<br />
believed in Snuffy and tried to find out how he<br />
might be right instead of spending time trying to<br />
prove him wrong. Jay Jay goes back to the park<br />
and he sees the upside down waterfall and goes<br />
to bring everyone else. When Brenda Blue sees<br />
what it is, she realizes that they are really<br />
viewing a geyser and explains it to the three<br />
friends.<br />
This is an very sweet video for younger<br />
children. The computer animations are colorful<br />
and appealing. Each story has a simple song<br />
that suits the theme of the story and is easy to<br />
sing. A gentle way to present scriptural ideas<br />
about God’s love and creation to small children<br />
who will probably want to watch them over and<br />
over.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Specialist, Baymonte <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Scotts Valley, California<br />
Bumblebee at Apple Tree Lane, by Laura<br />
Gates Galvin; illustrated by Kristin Kest.<br />
(Smithsonian’s backyard.) LCCN<br />
99043774. Norwalk, Ct.: Soundprints,<br />
2000. ISBN 1568998201, HBB, $15.95.<br />
E. Bumblebees--Fiction. 32 p. Small children.<br />
Bumblebee has much to do and not very much<br />
time to do it in. She must find a home, stock up<br />
the pantry, prepare the nursery, lay her eggs, and<br />
train her children. All of this within a few short<br />
months. Fortunately, Bumblebee is successful<br />
in finding an abandoned nest, which she cleans<br />
out, and begins preparation for the things she<br />
must do next. For anyone who has ever<br />
wondered about the activities of a queen<br />
bumblebee, this is the book for you. Bumblebee<br />
at Apple Tree Lane by Laura Gates Galvin is a<br />
treat. Part of the Smithsonian Backyard<br />
Soundprints series, this book delivers<br />
information on not only the life cycle of the<br />
queen bumblebee, but also provides general<br />
information on the bumblebee, a glossary of<br />
terms, and other points of interest. Kristin<br />
Kest’s illustrations bring Ms. Galvin’s story to<br />
life, and educate while they entertain. Ms. Kest<br />
has included excellent detail in her illustrations,<br />
and provides the reader with a close-up view of<br />
the bumblebee and her environment. This book<br />
would make an excellent addition to any library,<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> school, or public.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
Butterfly house, by Eve Bunting;<br />
illustrated by Greg Shed. LCCN<br />
98016349. New York: Scholastic, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0590848844, HBB, $15.95.<br />
E. Butterflies--Fiction; Metamorphosis--Fiction;<br />
Grandfathers--Fiction; Stories in rhyme. unp. Small<br />
children.<br />
A little girl saves a caterpillar from a hungry<br />
blue jay and with her grandpa’s help makes a<br />
special butterfly house. Her grandpa knows the<br />
flowers that a butterfly likes the best.<br />
Enthusiastically, the little girl paints all the<br />
colorful flowers inside her box. She adds a stick<br />
and carefully puts the caterpillar inside. She<br />
watches expectantly as the caterpillar turns into<br />
a chrysalis and then a butterfly. All too soon,<br />
however, it is time to set the butterfly free. It is<br />
a sad moment but she knows that it is the right<br />
thing to do. The butterfly is now gone and the<br />
little girl is grown; but every year the Painted<br />
Ladies come and fill her flower garden.<br />
Sometimes she wonders if it is their way of<br />
thanking her for saving the life of that first<br />
caterpillar.<br />
Butterfly House demonstrates a shared<br />
experience between a granddaughter and her<br />
grandpa. Eve Bunting has captured an<br />
experience that all of us have at one time<br />
enjoyed or are looking expectantly for the day<br />
when it will happen to us. The bond that builds<br />
between the two adds extra dimension to the<br />
story. The illustrations are bold and bright.<br />
Greg Shed has created brilliant, muted colors<br />
that cover the entire page, while the text is<br />
presented in an almost poetic form. This book is<br />
comparable to their combined efforts on the<br />
book Dandelion. The book ends with an<br />
informative page, which explains how to raise a<br />
butterfly.<br />
The story is easy to relate to and the illustrations<br />
consume you. The story slows down and lacks<br />
a captivating ending, however. Children would<br />
enjoy this story. The thought that their kindness<br />
to an animal may be someday reciprocated is<br />
intriguing.<br />
Marcia Snyder, Librarian, Missoula, Montana<br />
The can-do Thanksgiving, by Marion Hess<br />
Pomeranc; pictures by Nancy Cote.<br />
LCCN 98011264. Morton Grove, Ill.:<br />
Albert Whitman, 1998. ISBN 0807510548,<br />
HBB, $14.95.<br />
E. Thanksgiving Day--Fiction. 30 p. Small children.<br />
Dee and her mother shop for food to donate to<br />
the food campaign in Dee’s classroom. Dee is<br />
careful to pick things that she likes so that<br />
children like herself will have food they enjoy<br />
for Thanksgiving. Dee picks a can of peas and<br />
asks her mother and her teacher where the peas<br />
will go. Since no one can be sure exactly where<br />
the peas will end up, Dee takes matters into her<br />
own hands by putting a little note on the can<br />
with the name of the school and her class. One<br />
week later Dee’s teacher gets a phone call from<br />
the food kitchen inviting the class to come and<br />
help serve food on Thanksgiving. Dee’s note<br />
was found!<br />
Dee and her mother join the rest of the class at<br />
the food kitchen. When a disaster happens with<br />
the vegetables, Dee and another child who also<br />
wears glasses make a veggie medley just like<br />
Dee and her dad make at home. The first thing<br />
in is Dee’s peas. Everyone sits down to a lovely<br />
dinner and gives thanks for the warm friendship<br />
and food.<br />
The Can-do Thanksgiving is a simple story with<br />
an underlying wealth of meaning. Giving of our<br />
time and our resources result in a special feeling<br />
that is shared by all. Children will appreciate the<br />
simple story and the way Dee learns where "her"<br />
peas went. Nancy Cole has painted simple, yet<br />
interesting pictures that children will appreciate.<br />
Barbara Wall, School <strong>Library</strong> System Director, Oswego County<br />
BOCES, Mexico, New York<br />
Coyote at Pinon Place, written by<br />
Deborah Dennard; illustrated by John<br />
Paul Genzo. (Smithsonian’s backyard.)<br />
LCCN 99019242. Norwalk, Ct.:<br />
Soundprints, 1999. ISBN 1568997671,<br />
HBB, $15.95.<br />
E. Coyote--Fiction; Animals--Fiction. 32 p. Small<br />
children.<br />
This wildlife storybook, authenticated by the<br />
Smithsonian Institution, fosters an appreciation<br />
and understanding of natural habitats, the<br />
wildlife therein, and respect for the<br />
environment.<br />
The young coyote on a daytime trek interacts<br />
with birds, a rattlesnake, and a woodrat before<br />
returning to the forest. The illustrations enable<br />
children to create a story of their own, and the<br />
words let parents and grandparents add spice to<br />
the story. <strong>Christian</strong> schools can add this title,<br />
assured both of a biblical worldview and an<br />
interesting, informative storyline. A one-page<br />
fact sheet at the end of the book highlights facts<br />
about the coyote. This title is part of the<br />
Soundprints Series, which has been awarded the<br />
Parents’ Choice Honors.<br />
Dennard lives in Texas and is the author and<br />
photographer of several award-winning books<br />
for children. John Paul Genzo lives in New<br />
Jersey and has designed several postage stamps<br />
featuring wildlife and has illustrated several<br />
children’s books.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The day the circus came to town, by<br />
Melody Carlson; illustrations by Ned<br />
Butterfield. LCCN 99086595. Wheaton,<br />
Ill.: Crossway Books, Good News<br />
Publishers, 2000. ISBN 158134158X,<br />
HBB, $14.99.<br />
E. Circus--Fiction; Peer pressure--Fiction. 32 p.<br />
Small children (Elementary).<br />
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In The Day the Circus Came to Town, by<br />
Melody Carlson, Billy’s family has tickets to see<br />
the circus. This is a special event because he<br />
and his sister Emma have never been to the<br />
circus. Later in the day he and his friends are<br />
playing when they meet Zino the Clown from<br />
the circus. Zino offers the boys tickets, but Seth,<br />
Samuel, and Jack give Zino a hard time. They<br />
decide circuses are for babies, so Billy agrees<br />
with the other boys and refuses the ticket. That<br />
evening Billy refuses to go with his family to the<br />
circus. While his family is gone he decides to<br />
play with his friends but none of them is at<br />
home. Then Billy decides it would not hurt to<br />
go and check out the circus. He peers into the<br />
tent and sees his friends inside with their<br />
families. Billy decides he really wants to be<br />
with his family, but the man at the door will not<br />
let him in without a ticket. Billy is ready to go<br />
home when Zino the Clown appears with a<br />
ticket. Zino offers Billy another chance to see<br />
the circus and Billy is happy to accept the<br />
invitation.<br />
The message to "follow your heart and not your<br />
friends" is clear in this story. While some<br />
children will find this story "old-fashioned," it<br />
will be good for discussions about how<br />
decisions have consequences. The illustrations<br />
truly compliment the style of the author’s story.<br />
Susan K. Brown, Teacher, Noblesville, Indiana<br />
Elliot bakes a cake, written and illustrated<br />
by Andrea Beck. (An Elliot Moose story.)<br />
Toronto, Ont.: Kids Can Press, 1999.<br />
ISBN 1550744437, HBB, $12.95.<br />
E. Animals--Fiction. 32 p. Small children.<br />
It’s Lionel’s birthday and Elliot wants to make<br />
him a cake. Elliot recruits Socks, Amy, and<br />
Paisley to help. They run to tell Beaverton their<br />
plan. After digging around in his cupboard<br />
Beaverton finds a good cake recipe. Finding<br />
everything they need, the friends work together<br />
to make the cake. Problems begin when they<br />
don’t understand what it means to separate eggs.<br />
Do you put them in separate bowls? And does<br />
cream the butter mean you pour cream on the<br />
butter? However, their biggest problem is<br />
deciding when the cake is done. The recipe says<br />
when they touch the cake it will spring up. But<br />
no matter how close they watch it, the cake<br />
doesn’t spring up. First it wobbles, then it<br />
doesn’t do anything, and while they waiting for<br />
it to spring up it burns. Disappointed, but<br />
resourceful, they cut off the burned part,<br />
decorate the cake, and surprise Lionel with "the<br />
best cake they had ever tasted."<br />
A story of co-operation and resourcefulness,<br />
Elliot Bakes A Cake will delight young readers.<br />
Often faced with complex situations or<br />
instructions they don’t understand, young<br />
children will empathize with the animals as they<br />
stumble through the directions. And they will be<br />
thrilled with the inventive solution to the<br />
problem. Andrea Beck encourages the reader to<br />
persevere in spite of problems. Beck’s<br />
delightful, brightly colored animals crowd the<br />
pages with happy expressive faces.<br />
The recipe for the cake is on the last page of the<br />
book. It is worded just like the recipe the<br />
animals used. Children, or even adults who are<br />
not in the habit of baking, could find the recipe<br />
a bit confusing.<br />
Barbara A. Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
Enemy pie, by Derek Munson; illustrated<br />
by Tara Calahan King. LCCN 99050821.<br />
San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2000.<br />
ISBN 081182778X, HBB, $14.95.<br />
E. Friendship--Fiction; Fathers and sons--Fiction;<br />
Pies--Fiction. unp. Small children.<br />
In Derek Munson’s Enemy Pie, the author<br />
shows how one boy learned to accept<br />
differences in people and make a new friend.<br />
This charming story chronicles the stages of<br />
friendship. The problem begins when Jeremy<br />
Ross moves into the neighborhood and does<br />
things that really upset the main character in the<br />
story. The main character seeks advice from his<br />
dad, who understands stuff like enemies. Dad<br />
even knows a way to get rid of enemies. His<br />
secret weapon is enemy pie. It is guaranteed to<br />
get rid of enemies. The main character brings<br />
his dad all sorts of things to put in the pie like<br />
worms, rocks, already chewed gum, but dad<br />
gives it all back. Then Dad says the hardest part<br />
of making enemy pie work is up to you. You<br />
have to spend a whole day with your enemy.<br />
The main character is not sure about this idea<br />
but he follows his dad’s advice. In just a short<br />
time the boys were having a great time together.<br />
Now it is time to have some enemy pie. The<br />
boys sit down with Dad to eat their pie and ice<br />
cream. Then panic sets in. The main character<br />
does not want Jeremy Ross to eat the pie. He<br />
tries to stop Jeremy, but Jeremy asks, "If it is bad<br />
then why has your dad already eaten half of it?"<br />
The enemy pie is delicious and the boys became<br />
friends. This story will lend itself to discussions<br />
about friends and enemies. Most children will<br />
be able to relate to at least one of the characters<br />
in the story. Tara Calahan King uses color<br />
pencil and pastel illustrations to add to this great<br />
story.<br />
Susan K. Brown, Teacher, Noblesville, Indiana<br />
The everything book, by Denise Fleming.<br />
LCCN 99053626. New York: Henry Holt,<br />
2000. ISBN 0805062920, HBB, $18.95.<br />
E. Children’s literature; Literature--Collections. 64 p.<br />
Small children.<br />
From the sunshine yellow end papers to the<br />
bright colorful paper pulp paintings of children<br />
and common everyday objects, Denise<br />
Fleming’s The Everything Book is a joy.<br />
Fleming calls this book her ‘diaper bag book,’<br />
while the book jacket says ‘something for<br />
everyone.’ They are both right! Whether in a<br />
diaper bag or on a library shelf, this cornucopia<br />
of rhymes, poems, labeled pictures, and<br />
wonderful pictures of a small child’s daily life<br />
would entertain a small child for a long time.<br />
The title page has seventeen ladybugs trailing<br />
across it, which sets up a treasure hunt for the<br />
rest of the book: How many ladybugs are on<br />
each page? Page 62 includes a list of the<br />
number of bugs found on each page (although<br />
the ladybugs on the book jacket are not<br />
mentioned) and the ladybug parade continues<br />
right onto the last page, where the final ladybug<br />
flies across a starry sky filled with a huge<br />
crescent moon and the words, ‘Bye-Bye.’<br />
On the way to ‘Bye-Bye,’ little lapsitters can<br />
learn the names of common kitchen items,<br />
fruits, colors, animals, and even body parts<br />
(including an overalled rear labeled ‘bottom’),<br />
as well as listen to poems about subjects as<br />
diverse as chickens, fireflies, and traffic lights.<br />
Fleming likes to put personal touches in her<br />
books from time to time; in this one, the faces on<br />
pages 50-51 include Fleming’s great-niece-inlaw,<br />
Lexie, and a little girl that represents what<br />
Fleming thinks her Henry Holt editor, Laura<br />
Godwin, looked like as a child. The final<br />
personal touch is a poignant one. Children, no<br />
matter how old they grow, are always children in<br />
their mothers’ hearts, and although Fleming’s<br />
daughter Indigo is now grown up, The<br />
Everything Book is dedicated to her.<br />
Betty Winslow, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy, Bowling Green,<br />
Ohio<br />
Fantastic faith. (Jay Jay the jet plane.)<br />
Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas<br />
Nelson, . ISBN 849975468, VID, $12.97.<br />
E. Children--Conduct of life; Children--Religious life;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life. 1 videocassette, col., 30 min. Small<br />
children.<br />
How can children face their fears and talk about<br />
them? How do they deal with fear of the dark,<br />
or the jitters of the first day of school?<br />
Computer animation is used to create a story for<br />
each of these three areas. Fantastic Faith<br />
centers around Jay Jay, the Jet Plane, an inviting<br />
animated character with a human face. Jay Jay<br />
is ashamed to share his bad dream with friends<br />
but via song and talk about his fears, comes to<br />
face them. On his first day of school he learns<br />
he’s not the only plane who has ever struggled<br />
with first-day jitters. On a camping trip, Snuffy<br />
overcomes his fear of the dark with help from<br />
Jay Jay.<br />
Each of the short stories brings God into the<br />
picture, e.g., God helps us through our friends in<br />
the first story, and we are never really lost to<br />
God in the third story where stars are the focal<br />
point for dealing with the dark. Children will<br />
like the quick moving pace of the stories, the<br />
delightful animation, and the original songs.<br />
Parents can utilize the stories with confidence,<br />
even retelling portions, as kids will likely<br />
remember the stories. Recommended for all<br />
children’s libraries.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
Farmer Brown’s field trip, written by<br />
Melody Carlson; illustrations by Steve<br />
Bjorkman. LCCN 99053086. Wheaton,<br />
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Ill.: Crossway Books, Good News<br />
Publishers, 2000. ISBN 1581341423,<br />
HBB, $9.99.<br />
E. Parables; Stories in rhyme. unp. Small children.<br />
Spring is in the air, and chores need to be done.<br />
One of those chores is plowing the fields.<br />
Farmer Brown gets his equipment ready and<br />
accidentally drops his glasses. Molly, his<br />
faithful mule, steps on his glasses and now<br />
Farmer Brown has a problem. Without these<br />
glasses, he is unable to see where he is plowing.<br />
He blindly plows the fields, without realizing<br />
the haphazard pattern he is creating. Finally, he<br />
buys another pair of glasses, surveys his work,<br />
and discovers the fruit of his labors.<br />
Melody Carlson has creatively woven a<br />
children’s story from the parable of the sower.<br />
Her rhyme is easy to read, easy to understand,<br />
and moves along at a quick tempo. Ms. Carlson<br />
has taken a parable that could be difficult to<br />
teach children and made it easy to understand.<br />
Steve Bjorkman’s illustrations in Farmer<br />
Brown’s Field Trip are colorful and fun and<br />
nicely convey the message of Ms. Carlson’s<br />
rhyme. This book is an excellent choice for<br />
children at any library.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
★<br />
Forever friends, by Joni Eareckson Tada<br />
and Melody Carlson; illustrated by<br />
Douglas Klauba. LCCN 00010098.<br />
Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2000.<br />
ISBN 1581342160, HBB, $14.00.<br />
E. Dolls--Fiction; Toys--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction.<br />
28 p. Small children.<br />
Mr. Giovanni’s toys come alive when he leaves<br />
for the day. His newest creation is Jenny, a doll<br />
named after his own daughter. Jenny has clear<br />
eyes, taffy-colored hair, and a red gingham<br />
dress. As soon as Mr. Giovanni leaves, Jenny<br />
begins her search for a friend. There are shelves<br />
and shelves of toys and Jenny almost doesn’t<br />
know where to start. She approaches other dolls<br />
next to her, but learns they are not eager to be<br />
friends. Their idea of fun is sitting and talking.<br />
Jenny has other ideas. She approaches toy<br />
soldiers, a stuffed dog, and other toys before<br />
finally visiting with a stuffed rabbit named<br />
Rabbie. Rabbie is old and worn—not what<br />
Jenny is looking for in a friend. But Rabbie is<br />
also well-loved, and has wisdom for Jenny,<br />
wisdom that helps Jenny to be a better friend.<br />
Forever Friends, by Joni Eareckson Tada with<br />
Melody Carson, is a shining story of what true<br />
friendship is all about. Sometimes we pick our<br />
friends for the wrong reasons. Rabbie reminds<br />
us that our hearts make the best choices. The<br />
colorful illustrations of Douglas Klauba are<br />
detailed and charming, giving life to the words.<br />
Forever Friends is a wonderful reminder that<br />
physical differences should not be our ruler of<br />
people’s value.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
Franklin’s class trip, written by Paulette<br />
Bourgeois; illustrated by Brenda Clark.<br />
Toronto, Ont.: Kids Can Press, 1999.<br />
ISBN 1550744704, HBB, $10.95.<br />
E. Schools--Fiction. unp. Small children.<br />
Filled with excitement about his first field trip to<br />
the museum, Franklin, a young turtle, can barely<br />
eat breakfast. At the museum, classmate Beaver<br />
tells Franklin the reason the museum is so big is<br />
because of the dinosaurs inside. Unaware these<br />
are not live dinosaurs, Franklin and his friend<br />
Snail worry that they will be the dinosaur’s<br />
lunch. Exploring the bat cave, rain forest,<br />
medieval room, and archaeology dig distract<br />
Franklin and Snail and they forget their fear<br />
until lunchtime. Apprehensively, Franklin and<br />
Snail approach the dinosaur area with their<br />
classmates. Upon discovering that the dinosaurs<br />
are only skeletons, Franklin and Snail can<br />
finally relax and enjoy their field trip.<br />
While being frightened about dinosaurs may<br />
seem silly to some readers, every child can<br />
relate to being scared about something. In<br />
Franklin’s Class Trip, the characters confront<br />
their fears and then move beyond them. Authors<br />
Paulette Bourgeois and Sharon Jennings tell a<br />
reassuring story that will ring true to many<br />
children and also make them giggle. Brenda<br />
Clark’s detailed illustrations match perfectly<br />
with this innocent tale, truly completing the<br />
book. Excitement, fear, and relief are all clearly<br />
seen through the colorful drawings. Children<br />
familiar with Franklin through his television<br />
show, or just now introduced to this preschool<br />
turtle, will enjoy hearing this story.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
Franklin’s neighborhood, written by<br />
Sharon Jennings; illustrated by Brenda<br />
Clark. Toronto, Ont.: Kids Can Press,<br />
1999. ISBN 1550747290, HBB, $10.95.<br />
E. Neighbors--Fiction. unp. Small children.<br />
Franklin, a young turtle eager to learn, is ready<br />
for the first project of the new school year. Mr.<br />
Owl gives the class their assignment. Students<br />
are to draw a picture of what they like best about<br />
their neighborhood. Racing home, Franklin<br />
skips his snack and sits down with crayon and<br />
paper. Trying to narrow down his very favorite<br />
thing is harder than he thought. To get some<br />
ideas, Franklin goes for a walk. Traveling his<br />
neighborhood, Franklin meets with friends<br />
Beaver, Fox, Moose, and Bear who share their<br />
favorite things. Each of their ideas sound good,<br />
but how can he pick just one? Finally, Franklin<br />
realizes his neighbors are what he likes best<br />
about his neighborhood. His unique drawing<br />
includes them all.<br />
Written by Sharon Jennings, Franklin’s<br />
Neighborhood has a simple, but engaging plot.<br />
Valuable lessons could be gleaned from several<br />
themes found in the book. Franklin perseveres<br />
even when he is having difficulty thinking of<br />
what to draw. Although he talks to his friends<br />
and his parents, Franklin still thinks of an idea<br />
that is all his own. Brenda Clark’s detailed color<br />
illustrations capture the sweetness of the story.<br />
Although the animals have been slightly<br />
embellished with hats, glasses, or backpacks,<br />
they still have a fairly realistic look. Whether<br />
Franklin is a familiar face or not, children will<br />
enjoy hearing this story again and again.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
Gabriel, God, and the fuzzy blanket, text<br />
by Annette Griessman; illustrations by<br />
David L. Erickson. LCCN 99053212.<br />
Harrisburg, Pa.: Morehouse Publishing,<br />
2000. ISBN 0819218057, HBB, $16.95.<br />
E. Blankets--Fiction; Fear--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--<br />
Fiction. unp. Small children.<br />
Dealing with fear is the focus in Annette<br />
Griessman’s Gabriel, God, and the Fuzzy<br />
Blanket. When Jacob forgets his security<br />
blanket as he and his parents are visiting<br />
relatives, his fears are magnified. His great aunt<br />
and uncle, the dark, unfamiliar room, and<br />
especially the big dog Gabriel all scare him.<br />
After his parents pray with him about the fears,<br />
Jacob reminds himself that God is near to help<br />
him. Things become less scary and even<br />
Gabriel turns out to be friendly.<br />
Griessman’s book is nicely done and addresses a<br />
subject with which many parents may be<br />
familiar. The ending is predictable, but the<br />
lesson is clear and helpful. The book would<br />
make a good read-aloud and discussion-starter<br />
for children facing this problem.<br />
David Erickson’s color paintings are across the<br />
page spreads that well accompany the text.<br />
Betsy Ruffin, Teacher/Librarian, Cleburne, Texas<br />
Good ol’ Noah had an ark, E-I-E-I-O,<br />
written by Martha Bolton; illustrated by<br />
Lyn Boyer Nelles. Grand Rapids:<br />
Zonderkidz, Zondervan, 2000. ISBN<br />
0310231981, HBB, $12.99.<br />
E. Noah (Biblical leader). unp. Small children.<br />
Small children will enjoy this amusing version<br />
of Noah and the ark written by Martha Bolton.<br />
Set to the song, "Old MacDonald," it can be read<br />
or sung. The first verse of Good Ol’ Noah Had<br />
an Ark begins, "Good ol’ Noah obeyed God. E-<br />
I-E-I-O. The neighbors thought ol’ Noah odd.<br />
E-I-E-I-O. With a snicker, snicker here, and a<br />
snicker, snicker there. Here a snicker, there a<br />
laugh! Yes, they should’ve built a raft! Good<br />
ol’ Noah obeyed God. E-I-E-I-O." Humorous<br />
verses continue with repetition, rhythm, and<br />
rhyme, telling about building the ark and the<br />
animals aboard. "With a neigh neigh here and a<br />
quack quack there." Then the flood comes "with<br />
a splish, splash here, and a splish, splash there."<br />
But Noah is saved because he obeyed.Although<br />
based on a Bible story, Bolton includes<br />
imaginative and fictional details. For example,<br />
when she describes Noah building the ark, she<br />
writes: "With an Ouch! Ouch! here and an<br />
Ouch! Ouch! there. Here an Ouch! there an<br />
Ouch! No wonder he was such a grouch!"<br />
Bolton, who has been writing humor for years,<br />
served as a staff writer for Bob Hope and wrote<br />
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for Phyllis Diller. Currently she pens a column<br />
for Brio magazine.<br />
The artwork is an appealing part of the story.<br />
Mark Lowry, singer, storyteller, and author, is<br />
pictured dressed as Noah. Photographs of<br />
Lowry are integrated with colorful cartoon<br />
illustrations of animals and the ark drawn by<br />
Lyn Boyer Nelles.<br />
Parents will appreciate the emphasis on Noah’s<br />
obedience and God’s protection from the flood<br />
as a result. Children will enjoy the animal<br />
sounds and repetitious phrases. They’ll<br />
probably learn the lines and sing along. For<br />
chuckles and smiles, consider this book as a fun<br />
way to experience the familiar story.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer, Former Teacher, Seattle,<br />
Washington<br />
Molly Bannaky, written by Alice McGill;<br />
pictures by Chris K. Soentpiet. LCCN<br />
96003000. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,<br />
1999. ISBN 039572287X, HBB, $16.00.<br />
E. Banneker, Benjamin, 1731-1806--Family--Fiction;<br />
Farm life--Fiction. 29 p. Small children.<br />
Molly Walsh while milking a cow in 1683 spills<br />
the milk. Since the cow that Molly was milking<br />
is owned by her Lordship, she is sent to court for<br />
stealing. The punishment for this crime is death.<br />
But Molly can read the Bible; therefore her<br />
sentence is to be sent to America as an<br />
indentured servant. Molly works very hard and<br />
eventually is set free. She purchases land, but<br />
needs help to raise her crops. She purchases a<br />
slave named Bannaky. Molly and Bannaky<br />
learn to love each other and are married. Molly<br />
has four daughters and the eldest daughter,<br />
Mary, has a son whom they name Benjamin<br />
Banneker. Benjamin later becomes a very<br />
educated and important man in history.<br />
The story seems almost romantic in its retelling<br />
because none of the hardships are really<br />
mentioned. However, the account is accurate in<br />
that Molly Walsh did marry a slave and was the<br />
grandmother to the famous Benjamin Banneker.<br />
A simple story that depicts early American life<br />
with a different historical slant.<br />
Author Alice McGill and illustrator Chris<br />
Soentpiet certainly did their homework to<br />
produce Molly Banaky.<br />
Connie Weaver, Church Librarian, Newville, Pennsylvania<br />
Mrs. Mack, by Patricia Polacco. LCCN<br />
97052946. New York: Philomel Books,<br />
Putnam & Grosset, 1998. ISBN<br />
0399231676, HBB, $16.99.<br />
E. Horses--Fiction; Michigan--Fiction. 40 p. Small<br />
children.<br />
In the summer of her tenth year while she is<br />
visiting her father in Michigan young Patricia<br />
Polacco is about to have her dream of learning<br />
to ride horses come true. Her excitement fades<br />
when Da drives her to rundown looking stables<br />
where she meets Donnie and Nancy, two<br />
teenage workers and sees a "mean-looking man"<br />
staring at her. Her fears dissipate when she<br />
meets the colorful and friendly owner of the<br />
stables, Mrs. Mack, who calls everyone<br />
"shugah."<br />
Patricia’s not sure if she is going to be happy<br />
here until she sees Penny, the most beautiful<br />
horse she has ever seen. Patricia soon not only<br />
learns to ride but to appreciate Donny and<br />
Nancy and to reach out to the "mean-looking<br />
man," Hap, a trapeze artist who has been bitter<br />
since his brother’s death. Finally Patricia is<br />
allowed to ride the lovely Penny. The<br />
approaching end of summer brings not only<br />
Patricia’s reluctance to return to California, but<br />
also a deadly viral infection to Penny. The<br />
doctor says she will not survive and that she has<br />
no chance unless they can stand her up.<br />
Patricia’s kindness to Hap is now returned as he<br />
intervenes to save Penny.<br />
Once again Patricia Polacco has taken an<br />
autobiographical experience and written an<br />
illustrated and engaging story. Girls will<br />
especially identify with her desire to ride horses<br />
and her love for Penny. In addition to the<br />
appealing storyline, the lessons the young<br />
Patricia learns are wonderful jumping off places<br />
for discussions with children—the long-lasting<br />
value of her friendship with Mrs. Mack, her<br />
friendship with Donnie and Nancy once they get<br />
past first appearances and begin know each<br />
other, and her willingness to reach out to "the<br />
unlovely and unloved" which results in a life<br />
change for her and for Hap.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Teacher, Scotts Valley, California<br />
My rows and piles of coins, by Tololwa M.<br />
Mollel; illustrated by E. B. Lewis. LCCN<br />
98021586. New York: Clarion Books,<br />
Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN<br />
0395751861, HBB, $15.00.<br />
E. Money--Fiction; Bicycles and bicycling--Fiction;<br />
Tanzania--Fiction. 32 p. Small children.<br />
My Rows and Piles of Coins is a charming story<br />
of unselfishness and love. Little Saruni goes to<br />
market with his mother, Yeyo, and is paid a<br />
small amount of coins for helping. As he<br />
wanders through the colorful market place, he<br />
sees many things he could buy, but no. He must<br />
save his coins in rows and piles until he has<br />
enough to purchase a beautiful bike that can<br />
carry the heavy load of produce to the market for<br />
his mother. Saruni’s determined efforts to help,<br />
take an unusual twist, and his willingness to give<br />
to others is rewarded in a most interesting way.<br />
The beautiful water colors by E.B. Lewis carry<br />
the reader to the center of the lively market in<br />
Tanzania. The storyline is written simply,<br />
mixing some native words within the context of<br />
the story. At the back is short section by the<br />
author, Tololwa M. Mollel, that gives a<br />
definition of the foreign words used. This is a<br />
wonderful story of love that will encourage the<br />
reader’s heart and provides a beautiful story for<br />
parent and/or teacher to discuss.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
Never trust a squirrel! by Patrick Cooper;<br />
illustrated by Catherine Walters. LCCN<br />
98023251. New York: Dutton Children’s<br />
Books, Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN<br />
0525460098, HBB, $15.99.<br />
E. Trust (Psychology)--Fiction; Guinea pigs--Fiction;<br />
Squirrels--Fiction. 24 p. Small children.<br />
Bored with playing games in his hutch, William,<br />
a young guinea pig, dreams of climbing trees<br />
and exploring the woods. However, he’s not old<br />
enough to leave the hutch without his mother.<br />
When Stella, a playful squirrel, tempts William<br />
to play in the woods with her, William disobeys<br />
his mother and runs out of his hutch. At first,<br />
playing chase and hide-and-seek are fun for<br />
William. When blackbird squawks a warning<br />
that fox is coming, Stella leaves William alone.<br />
Frightened, William tries to hide from fox, but is<br />
quickly discovered. Fortunately, William’s wise<br />
mother comes to his rescue and together they<br />
outwit fox.<br />
Never Trust a Squirrel! gently deals with themes<br />
of peer pressure and temptation in an<br />
entertaining way that young children will<br />
understand. Parents and teachers will also find<br />
this book helpful in illustrating the importance<br />
of obedience. The consequences of<br />
disobedience may not just be punishment, but<br />
could be life threatening. Author Patrick Cooper<br />
has created a character that readers who are also<br />
too young to leave their hutch will easily<br />
identify with. Each character’s personality is<br />
accurately reflected in the colorful illustrations<br />
by Catherine Walters. As William’s mother<br />
watches Stella and William run away, Stella is<br />
seen turning toward her and sticking out her<br />
tongue. The detailed scenery and realistic<br />
looking animals are a wonderful complement to<br />
a fine story.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
The night of Las Posadas, written and<br />
illustrated by Tomie dePaola. LCCN<br />
98036405. New York: Putnam’s, Penguin<br />
Putnam, 1999. ISBN 0399234004, HBB,<br />
$15.99.<br />
E. Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint--Fiction; Joseph,<br />
Saint--Fiction; Posadas (Social custom)--Fiction;<br />
Santa Fe (N.M.)--Fiction. unp. Small children.<br />
The Night of Las Posadas is a charming story<br />
based on a custom that began in Spain and came<br />
to Mexico and southwestern America. Posada is<br />
the Spanish word for "inn," and Las Posadas<br />
celebrates Mary and Joseph seeking lodging on<br />
Christmas Eve.<br />
Tomie dePaola writes and illustrates this fiction<br />
story set in old Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sister<br />
Angie arranges the reenactment of Las Posadas<br />
for a nearby mountain village. Lupe and<br />
Roberto are chosen to portray Maria and José—<br />
Mary and Joseph—in the traditional procession.<br />
After weeks of preparation, all is ready. But at<br />
the last minute, Sister Angie becomes ill, and<br />
Lupe and Roberto get stuck in a snowstorm. A<br />
mysterious couple arrive to play Maria and José.<br />
The procession starts, and they knock on door<br />
after door. Often a costumed devil appears, and<br />
they are denied entrance. Finally they are<br />
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welcomed at a courtyard where a bonfire blazes<br />
and the empty manger awaits them. But the<br />
couple who portrayed Maria and José disappear.<br />
Just then Lupe and Roberto arrive to sit by the<br />
empty manger. They wonder who took their<br />
place in the procession.<br />
Meanwhile, Sister Angie awakens and walks to<br />
church. She sees fresh footprints in the snow<br />
leading to the door. Inside, she kneels and prays<br />
by the wooden carvings of Maria and José. She<br />
notices their cloaks are covered with fresh snow.<br />
Unknown to her, a miracle had saved Las<br />
Posadas.<br />
The artwork is done in acrylic on handmade<br />
watercolor paper. The paintings are simple but<br />
capture the spirit of the story. A short glossary<br />
of Spanish words is included. Children will<br />
enjoy this unique tale with surprise ending.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer, Former Teacher, Seattle,<br />
Washington<br />
One more time, Mama, by Sue Alexander;<br />
illustrated by David Soman. LCCN<br />
98047937. Tarrytown, N.Y.: Cavendish<br />
Children’s Books, Marshall Cavendish,<br />
1999. ISBN 0761450513, HBB, $15.95.<br />
E. Nature--Fiction; Mother and child--Fiction. 32 p.<br />
Small children.<br />
Mama begins waiting during winter when the<br />
winds swirl the snow and the bears begin their<br />
long sleep. She continues to wait as the ice on<br />
the pond thaws and the daffodils begin to bloom.<br />
Goslings and ducklings hatch, wild roses grow,<br />
and summer thunder booms, but Mama still<br />
must wait. It is only when the fall winds blow<br />
and the apples ripen on the trees that Mama’s<br />
wait comes to an end, for it is then that her<br />
daughter is finally born.<br />
One More Time, Mama, by Sue Alexander is a<br />
mother’s loving account of the wait for her<br />
daughter’s birth. Prompted by her daughter’s<br />
request that she tell the story "one more time,"<br />
the mother beautifully describes the seasons that<br />
pass by during her pregnancy. Although<br />
beautiful, at times the abundant imagery used to<br />
describe the plant and animal life of each season<br />
seems too advanced and detailed for the young<br />
audience to whom this type of book generally<br />
appeals. However, David Soman’s watercolor<br />
illustrations are lovely and do a wonderful job of<br />
depicting both nature and the love that exists<br />
between the mother and daughter. Like Jamie<br />
Lee Curtis’ Tell Me Again About the Night I Was<br />
Born, this is a book for parents and children to<br />
share together to remember the uniqueness of<br />
their child’s birth and, as a result, the uniqueness<br />
of the child herself.<br />
Kerri Cunningham, Librarian, Camano Island, Washington<br />
Pillow of dreams, by Peter Jan<br />
Honigsberg; illustrated by Tony Morse.<br />
LCCN 99093454. Oakland, Calif.: RDR<br />
Books, 1999. ISBN 1571430768, HBB,<br />
$17.95.<br />
E. Dreams--Fiction; Pillows--Fiction. unp. Small<br />
children.<br />
Margaret Bunny’s pillow allows her to have<br />
wonderful, exciting dreams. Newberry Mole is<br />
jealous and steals the pillow from Margaret<br />
Bunny so that he can have dreams that will<br />
make him money. Newberry discovers that his<br />
dreams from the stolen pillow do not give him<br />
wealth and pleasure because he feels so guilty<br />
about the way he acquired the pillow. After<br />
returning the pillow to Margaret Bunny,<br />
Newberry Mole is invited to stay for cake and<br />
ice cream and is even sent home with an extra<br />
piece! That night Newberry Mole decides to try<br />
his own worn out pillow and discovers<br />
wonderful dreams full of rainbows and other<br />
good things. Newberry learns that it is better to<br />
have your own dreams that to steal someone<br />
else’s dreams.<br />
Peter Jan Honigsberg has written a story that<br />
works well for very young children. The issue<br />
of theft is clear and the moral intentional.<br />
Rewards derive from your own work and<br />
belongings, not from things stolen. Tony Morse<br />
has drawn pictures that are filled with soft colors<br />
and just enough detail to be interesting and to<br />
avoid being overwhelming for young children.<br />
Barbara Wall, School <strong>Library</strong> System Director, Oswego County<br />
BOCES, Mexico, New York<br />
Red berry wool, by Robyn Eversole;<br />
paintings by Tim Coffey. LCCN<br />
99010696. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert<br />
Whitman, 1999. ISBN 0807506540, HBB,<br />
$15.95.<br />
E. Sheep--Fiction; Wool--Fiction; Shepherds--Fiction.<br />
30 p. Small children.<br />
When Lalo, the smartest lamb in the flock, tries<br />
to make his wool look like Boy’s red berry wool<br />
sweater he encounters all kinds of problems.<br />
Lalo’s mother tells him wool must be washed,<br />
spun, dyed, and knitted to become a sweater like<br />
the Boy’s.<br />
First Lalo tries to wash his wool, but falls in the<br />
drinking pond and gets his nose full of water.<br />
The Boy rescues him and dries him off. When<br />
Lalo tries to spin his wool he gets dizzy and falls<br />
into a thorn bush. Again the Boy rescues him.<br />
Gently he pulls the thorns out of Lalo’s wool.<br />
Not at all discouraged, Lalo goes off to find a<br />
red berry bush to dye his wool. But, when he<br />
rolls in the berry bush to dye his wool, a snake<br />
bites him and he can’t get up. Boy hears him<br />
calling for help and carries him home. Lalo<br />
discovers knitting is the best part of making a<br />
sweater, because it means to bring together. He<br />
sits at the pond with the Boy and together the<br />
friends watch the sunset turn everything berry<br />
red.<br />
Robyn Eversole’s story of an adventurous little<br />
lamb and the gentle little boy who cares for him<br />
is a delightful story of friendship. Because the<br />
book is designed with only a few well-chosen<br />
sentences on each page, there are many bright<br />
happy pictures to keep young readers interested.<br />
Tim Coffey’s expressive paintings, of the little<br />
lamb and the Boy in the red wool sweater, add<br />
wonderful detail and color. Painted swirls in the<br />
grass show where Lalo was spinning.<br />
Patchwork colored fields and hills dotted with<br />
sheep and villages bring visual interest to the<br />
story.<br />
Barbara Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
When Addie was scared, by Linda and<br />
Wendy Bailey. Toronto, Ont.: Kids Can<br />
Press, 1999. ISBN 1550744313, HBB,<br />
$14.95.<br />
E. Fear--Fiction; Grandmothers--Fiction. 24 p. Small<br />
children.<br />
Fear is an awful, controlling thing, and Addie<br />
was controlled by it. There were many real<br />
dangers for Addie, but she often trembled at<br />
things that couldn’t really harm her, like the<br />
lonely cry of the wolf at night, or a distant<br />
thunder storm. She would walk an extra mile to<br />
get to her beloved grandmother’s farm, just so<br />
she could skirt around the big bull in a<br />
neighbor’s field. Life was very hard for Addie<br />
and her fears.<br />
One important day when she was feeding her<br />
grandmother’s chickens, an attacking chicken<br />
hawk gave her an extreme fright. But just as she<br />
was about to run and hide, something wonderful<br />
happened inside of her. Addie found a special<br />
courage tucked way down deep that allowed her<br />
to pick up a branch and scare the hawk away.<br />
This was a turning point for Addie. She still had<br />
some fears, fears of real dangers, but she also<br />
knew that she carried around inside of her a<br />
courage that would be there whenever she really<br />
needed it.<br />
This true-life tale, When Addie was Scared, is<br />
written as quick, exciting prose. The tale<br />
unfolds the importance of love and<br />
encouragement as Linda Bailey relates this tale<br />
about her mother when she was growing up in<br />
the 1930’s on a northern prairie farm. The<br />
homespun tale portrays a common struggle with<br />
fear that many children may face. It will<br />
encourage children to discover that you have<br />
what it takes to face these fears right inside of<br />
you. The realistic illustrations by Wendy Bailey<br />
are appealing and intriguing with their detail and<br />
warmth. The situations presented allow for<br />
good discussion about different types of fears<br />
and how to deal with them.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 1 5 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
CHILDREN’S FICTION<br />
Ahmek, by Patrick Watson. Toronto:<br />
Stoddart Kids, Stoddart Publishing, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0773731458, HBB, $14.95.<br />
F. Thomson, Tom, 1877-1917--Fiction; Beavers--<br />
Fiction. 167 p. Elementary (Middle school).<br />
Ahmek is a young badger who lives with his<br />
father and grandmother on a quiet pond. One<br />
day a human appears at the pond. Ahmek is a<br />
very curious young badger and soon discovers<br />
that this human, an artist named Tom Thomson,<br />
is not to be feared. Soon Tom is chased away by<br />
hunters who break up Ahmek’s home,<br />
separating him from the rest of the family.<br />
Heading south, Ahmek hopes to locate his father<br />
and grandmother. Instead he meets new groups<br />
of badgers, has many adventures, and eventually<br />
forms his own family unit with Kwezenhs.<br />
After their kits One and Two are born, Ahmek<br />
and Kwezenhs travel North in hope of finding<br />
some evidence of the rest of Ahmeks’s family.<br />
When the new young family reaches the pond, it<br />
is to discover that not only are Ahmek’s father<br />
and grandmother there, but also his mother, long<br />
thought to have been killed by humans.<br />
Author Patrick Watson tells a tale of beavers<br />
living in their natural environment with enough<br />
detail to put the reader into the story. Place<br />
names and the beaver’s names are from the<br />
Ojibway language. An excellent glossary is<br />
provided. Tracy Thomson, great grand niece of<br />
the real-life artist, Tom Thomson, illustrates<br />
each chapter with line drawings. Children and<br />
adults alike will appreciate the detail in both the<br />
environment of the story and in the artwork.<br />
There are several excellent books of animal<br />
survival away from the native environment.<br />
Ahmek fits well into this genre.<br />
Barbara Wall, School <strong>Library</strong> System Director, Oswego County<br />
BOCES, Mexico, New York<br />
All you ever need, by Max Lucado;<br />
illustrations by Douglas Klauba. LCCN<br />
99045155. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books,<br />
Good News Publishers, 2000. ISBN<br />
1581341342, HBB, $15.99.<br />
F. Generosity--Fiction; Conduct of life--Fiction;<br />
Parables. unp. Elementary.<br />
Once again, Max Lucado expresses a biblical<br />
truth in a simple, yet beautiful way. All You Ever<br />
Need is a story about Tobias, the Watermaster,<br />
who distributes fresh water to the desert people.<br />
He and his Son, Julian, never limit the amount of<br />
water, or set standards of who may receive.<br />
When the Watermaster and his Son leave their<br />
servant Elzevir in charge, Elzevir changes the<br />
method of distribution. Eventually, no one in<br />
the desert is “good enough” to receive the water.<br />
Julian returns and explains that the water is<br />
freely given to all, thus demonstrating the grace<br />
Jesus so freely offers everyone.<br />
All You Ever Need is an excellent story to teach<br />
younger children about the grace Jesus gives to<br />
us all, no matter where we are or what we do.<br />
The illustrations are colorful and detailed. The<br />
story is short enough to hold the interest of<br />
younger children and uncomplicated enough to<br />
deliver the intended message.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
Armadillo tattletale, by Helen Ketteman;<br />
illustrated by Keith Graves. LCCN<br />
99014722. New York: Scholastic Press,<br />
2000. ISBN 0590997238, HBB, $15.95.<br />
F. Armadillos--Fiction; Animals--Fiction; Gossip--<br />
Fiction. unp. Elementary (Small children).<br />
Following in the tradition of the Just So stories,<br />
Armadillo Tattletale by Helen Ketteman tells<br />
how the armadillo got his small ears. Its main<br />
theme, however, is the problems caused by<br />
gossip.<br />
Armadillo’s big ears allow him to overhear the<br />
other animals’ conversations. He then<br />
misreports them, causing trouble between the<br />
animals and leading them to dislike him.<br />
Finally, alligator clips Armadillo’s ears by biting<br />
them until they are tiny, and he can no longer<br />
overhear conversations he’s not supposed to.<br />
This is much like the traditional how and why<br />
tales which use an incident of the animal’s<br />
behavior to explain certain physical<br />
characteristics. Armadillo Tattletale is a fun<br />
story. It presents a good lesson in a humorous<br />
and non-didactic way. Keith Graves’s<br />
wonderfully exaggerated drawings are well<br />
done in acrylic paint, ink, and colored pencil.<br />
They should delight readers almost as much as<br />
the delightful tale itself.<br />
Betsy Ruffin, Teacher/Librarian, Cleburne, Texas<br />
Baseball for breakfast : the story of a boy<br />
who hated to wait, by Bill Myers;<br />
illustrated by Frank Riccio. LCCN<br />
99012182. Nashville: Tommy Nelson,<br />
1999. ISBN 0849958717, HBB, $14.99.<br />
F. Time--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; Patience--<br />
Fiction. 32 p. Elementary.<br />
Jimmy complains to his mother as he is getting<br />
ready for bed that he wants all the good times to<br />
happen now and skip all the in-between times.<br />
He mother explains to him that the in-between<br />
times are important, too, and that Jimmy can’t<br />
spend all his time just playing baseball or eating<br />
desserts. The next morning on his way to<br />
school, Jimmy finds a pocket watch that allows<br />
him to skip time. By turning the knob on the<br />
watch, Jimmy can fast-forward his day at any<br />
time he chooses. Because he skips baths and<br />
haircuts and other necessary things, Jimmy<br />
starts to smell bad, his clothes are ragged, his<br />
hair is a mess, and he is growing weaker because<br />
he only eats desserts.<br />
One night a group of people gather outside his<br />
bedroom window complaining. Jimmy causes<br />
them to skip rainy days, which leads to a<br />
drought, he skips school and is failing, and he<br />
won’t let others go to bat so the team is losing all<br />
its games. His mother explains why the inbetween<br />
time is important, and Jimmy makes<br />
the decision to throw the watch out his bedroom<br />
window. The loud crash awakens Jimmy, who<br />
realizes he was just dreaming about skipping<br />
time. He looks outside his bedroom window at<br />
the rain falling and realizes he is glad to have a<br />
rainy day, even if he does miss baseball practice,<br />
because now he’ll have puddles to play in.<br />
Bill Myers hits a homerun in Baseball for<br />
Breakfast, The Story of a Boy Who Hated to<br />
Wait. Young children will learn how important<br />
the in-between times are and the consequences<br />
for living only in the good times. The colorful<br />
illustrations by Frank Riccio bring life and<br />
realism to the text. The two create a guaranteed<br />
favorite for young readers.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
Big bad beans, by Beverly Lewis. (The<br />
cul-de-sac kids; 22.) LCCN 99006753.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0754221272, PAP, $3.99.<br />
F. Bicycles and bicycling--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--<br />
Fiction. 76 p. Elementary.<br />
Jason Birchall has two problems: his mother<br />
has the family on a new ‘healthy diet,’ and he<br />
dreams of saving enough money to buy his<br />
friend Eric’s royal blue/gold, flashy, mountain<br />
bike. With only ten dollars to go Jason can<br />
almost feel the bike beneath him as he races<br />
down the street. For some time he has been<br />
caching his money in his top dresser drawer<br />
quite near his stash of bubble gum, which is<br />
hidden from his vegetable wielding mother.<br />
The Cul-de-sac Kids pitch in and help Jason<br />
earn the rest of his money by taking part in a<br />
recycling project. Money in hand, Jason heads<br />
for Eric’s to buy the bike, only to find out that<br />
Eric has sold it to someone else for more money.<br />
That is bad enough but Jason’s troubles multiply<br />
when he first offers to help his friend, Abby, by<br />
hiding her Mother’s Day gift money in his<br />
drawer separated from his by his baseball cards.<br />
All this time Jason has been secreting his<br />
vegetable snacks in pockets, under his mattress,<br />
feeding them to his dog, anywhere he can to<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 1 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
CHILDREN’S FICTION<br />
avoid eating them, so when he finds a few<br />
leftover garbanzo beans, his absolute worst<br />
vegetable, in his pocket, he decides to toss them<br />
in the quickly filling drawer. What happens<br />
when the money in the drawer turns up missing,<br />
and Jason helps a friend win a Sunday School<br />
contest, comprise the climax to this entertaining<br />
story.<br />
Beverly Lewis has once again entertained her<br />
readers without being overly preachy. It is<br />
hoped that her editor will correct the spelling of<br />
Galatians on page 44 in future editions. Other<br />
than that it is a good read.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
The captain’s hat, by Anita Williams;<br />
illustrated by Timothy Banks. LCCN<br />
99052817. Greenville, S.C.: Journey<br />
Books, Bob Jones Univ. Press, 2000. ISBN<br />
1579243304, PAP, $6.95.<br />
F. Ships--Fiction; Rivers--Fiction; Jungles--Fiction;<br />
Brazil--Fiction. 104 p. Elementary.<br />
Set in Brazil, The Captain’s Hat is filled with<br />
imagination-sparking details about life along<br />
“the big river.” As a former missionary to<br />
Brazil, author Anita Williams is well able to lend<br />
authenticity to this story of two boys and their<br />
adventures. Pedro and Spud befriend an older<br />
couple, the man a retired sailor, living aboard a<br />
ship scuttled on a beach. They meet a captain,<br />
pick fruit and nuts in the jungle, explore the<br />
countryside, and more. All the while, Pedro<br />
dreams of one day being a captain with a<br />
sparkling hat. A special deed earns him a hat of<br />
his own.<br />
Told in semi-poetic form, the book has rich<br />
language and cadence to it. Though it is a<br />
chapter book, it would still make a good readaloud<br />
for younger ages. The characters are<br />
likeable and the adventures are fun to read<br />
about. Subtle lessons on problem-solving and<br />
friendship are also woven into the tales.<br />
Betsy Ruffin, Teacher/Librarian, Cleburne, Texas<br />
The case of the missing minds, by Bill<br />
Myers. (Bloodhounds, Inc.; 6.) LCCN<br />
99006474. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
1999. ISBN 155661490X, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Hypnotism--Fiction; Brothers and sisters--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; Mystery and detective stories.<br />
127 p. Elementary (Middle school).<br />
Brother and sister Sean and Melissa, owners of<br />
the Bloodhounds, Inc. Detective Agency, are<br />
asked by the owner of the local Comedy Club to<br />
investigate the mysterious disappearance of<br />
money from his cash register. The duo takes in<br />
a show at the club and watch in amazement as<br />
the hypnotists work their wonders on the local<br />
townspeople. The next day, Sean and Melissa<br />
notice those who were hypnotized the previous<br />
day are still subject to its influences. Along with<br />
the bizarre behavior of the local folks, the<br />
brother and sister notice a crime spree of<br />
robberies as well. They think the two events are<br />
connected and begin to investigate the<br />
hypnotists, who have set up shop in the town<br />
and offer to take clients back to previous lives<br />
they have lived. Through a series of events, the<br />
two discover the hypnotists are behind the<br />
robberies by having their hypnotized clients<br />
perform the illegal deeds. The plot is<br />
uncovered, the hypnotists arrested, and the<br />
townspeople return to normal.<br />
Bill Myers in The Case of the Missing Minds<br />
takes the subject of hypnosis and reveals the<br />
danger in it. Through a conversation with their<br />
dad, Sean and Melissa realize that even though<br />
the Bible doesn’t blatantly say hypnotism is bad,<br />
it is pretty explicit about letting our thoughts be<br />
under God’s control. Myers combines slapstick<br />
humor, moral teaching, and lively writing in his<br />
book, which make it a winner for the 8-13 yearold<br />
reader.<br />
This is the sixth book in his Bloodhounds, Inc.<br />
series. All of the books entice the reader with<br />
believable characters, funny happenings, and a<br />
biblical principle. Myers is a favorite of this age<br />
range and this book continues his tradition.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
Cassie, you’re a winner, by Reneé Kent.<br />
(Adventures in Misty Falls; 1.) LCCN<br />
99050658. Birmingham, Ala.: New Hope<br />
Publishers, 2000. ISBN 1563097354, PAP,<br />
$4.99.<br />
F. <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; Competition (Psychology)--<br />
Fiction; Fairs--Fiction. 100 p. Elementary (Middle<br />
school).<br />
Cassie, You’re a Winner is the story of a pre-teen<br />
girl who wants to be “the best” at something.<br />
When she looks around her, it seems that<br />
everyone has a particular gift or talent, and she<br />
has none. Cassie compares herself to her two<br />
best friends, J. J. and Iggy—both are skilled at<br />
something, better looking, etc. So, Cassie<br />
decides to enter two contests in the county<br />
fair—cookie baking and horseback riding.<br />
Cassie is sure she should be able to get a “blue<br />
ribbon” for at least one of these events. Then,<br />
she is convinced, she will feel special and be a<br />
winner. The day of the fair arrives, and nothing<br />
turns out quite like she has planned.<br />
Renee Kent writes about common feelings of<br />
inadequacy and insecurity in pre-teen girls and<br />
boys. Readers can relate to the characters and<br />
their struggles. The story teaches valuable<br />
lessons on friendship and what it really means to<br />
be a winner.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
★<br />
The Christmas doll, by Elvira Woodruff.<br />
LCCN 96045314. New York: Scholastic,<br />
2000. ISBN 0590318721, HBB, $15.95.<br />
F. Dolls--Fiction; Orphans--Fiction; Christmas--<br />
Fiction; London (England)--Fiction. 151 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
The Christmas Doll is a beautiful story that will<br />
touch the hearts of any reader, although intended<br />
for children. It is the story of two sisters, Lucy<br />
and Glory, orphans that live in a workhouse in<br />
London. Lucy, the elder sister, protects and<br />
cares for her sister and often comforts her with<br />
stories about their life before the death of their<br />
parents. One of these stories is of a doll called<br />
“Morning Glory” that Lucy tells Glory she had<br />
as an infant. She also tells of how their mother<br />
sewed a blue morning glory flower on each of<br />
Glory’s dresses. When a deadly fever epidemic<br />
comes to the workhouse, Lucy decides it would<br />
be safer to live on the streets of London than risk<br />
exposing Glory to the fever. So Lucy and Glory<br />
make a daring escape and find themselves<br />
starving and cold on the streets. It is while<br />
searching the “mud flats” for treasure to sell,<br />
that Glory finds a doll that she is certain is<br />
“Morning Glory.” Lucy, sick at heart, realizes<br />
that selling the doll is their only hope. Neither<br />
girl could ever imagine the events that follow,<br />
all because of a doll named “Morning Glory.”<br />
Elvira Woodruff paints a wonderful picture of<br />
life in nineteenth century London for two<br />
orphan girls. The story is imaginative and<br />
sweet. The story teaches of loyalty, friendship,<br />
and love. It is destined to be a classic in the lines<br />
of The Little Princess.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
Close call, by Todd Strasser. LCCN<br />
98036947. New York: G. P. Putnam’s<br />
Sons, Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN<br />
039923134X, HBB, $15.99.<br />
F. Friendship--Fiction; Baseball--Fiction. 118 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Jenny argues over calls during their after-school<br />
baseball games, and Jenny never argued before.<br />
Some of her friends don’t want to see what’s<br />
wrong with her; they just want to keep playing<br />
baseball. But Ian and Krishnan try talking to<br />
Jenny and Ian even invites her and her two<br />
brothers over to his house for supper. Jenny tells<br />
Ian’s mom, Mrs. Piccolo, that her step-dad is in<br />
drug treatment and Jenny has to babysit her twoyear-old<br />
brother. Her older step-brother, Billy,<br />
hangs out with his high school friends in the<br />
parking lot after school and throws rocks at<br />
Jenny and her friends who are playing baseball<br />
in the high school field. Jenny doesn’t like<br />
having to babysit all the time. She wants to play<br />
baseball with her friends.<br />
Mrs. Piccolo explains that things might be<br />
tough now, but times change and things will get<br />
better. Jenny seems to feel better after her talk<br />
with Ian’s mom. Billy talks to Ian, who is<br />
surprised at how nice Billy is, telling him how<br />
much he likes baseball. They all have a good<br />
time at supper that night.<br />
Despite seeing a different side of Billy, Ian is<br />
still afraid of him and his friends. He doesn’t<br />
understand why the older boys throw rocks at<br />
the baseball players. Then Ian’s mom gives him<br />
the idea to challenge the older boys to a baseball<br />
game. The high school guys go for it and so do<br />
the younger kids. After the game, the older kids<br />
leave the younger kids alone.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 1 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
CHILDREN’S FICTION<br />
Todd Strasser does a good job of bringing out<br />
the diversity of people and the problems<br />
families can have in his book Close Call. Using<br />
an ethnic variety of well developed characters<br />
and a realistic plot, Strasser teaches tolerance,<br />
understanding, and compassion to young<br />
readers.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
Cody unplugged, by Betsy Duffey;<br />
illustrated by Ellen Thompson. LCCN<br />
98053756. New York: Viking, Penguin<br />
Putnam, 1999. ISBN 0670885924, HBB,<br />
$14.99.<br />
F. Camping--Fiction. 87 p. Elementary.<br />
When nine-year-old Cody Michael’s folks send<br />
him off to Camp Bear, he wonders how he can<br />
enjoy his summer vacation. Camp Bear, he<br />
understands, has no TVs, no computers, no<br />
video games. In fact, Camp Bear has no<br />
electricity! Cody takes along a book on<br />
wilderness survival. Throughout the weeks at<br />
camp, Cody learns how to deal with bears, the<br />
camp bully, a “haunted hamster,” and girls.<br />
While the other boys pack M&Ms, Skittles, and<br />
Reeses Pieces for their hiking trip, Cody packs<br />
his wilderness survival guide. It’s a good thing<br />
he does, because the camp bully needs rescuing.<br />
Cody Unplugged by Betsy Duffey is illustrated<br />
by Ellen Thompson. Her black and white<br />
drawings depict thoroughly modern kids in<br />
realistic settings. The drawings, and the<br />
humorous, brightly colored dust jacket will<br />
appeal to adults as well as children.<br />
The book is divided into twelve short, easy<br />
reading, chapters. Each chapter is followed by<br />
lists for every possibility called, “Cody’s Camp<br />
Survival Guide.” Children will enjoy a chuckle<br />
as they read Cody’s lists.<br />
Dell Smith Klein, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Yarnell, Arizona<br />
Eva’s summer vacation : a story of the<br />
Czech Republic, by Jan Machalek. LCCN<br />
99019243. Norwalk, Ct.: Soundprints,<br />
1999. ISBN 1568998023, HBB, $15.95.<br />
F. Czech Republic--Fiction; Cousins--Fiction. 30 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Eva’s Summer Vacation, written and illustrated<br />
by Jan Machalek, introduces us to young Eva<br />
and her father as they begin their trip to attend a<br />
family wedding. As they take a taxi to the<br />
airport, Eva quietly says good bye to many of<br />
the beautiful and historical areas and buildings<br />
in downtown Prague. When they arrive at Aunt<br />
Lida’s home in the small city of Hluk, the scene<br />
is much different. Aunt Lida lives on a farm in<br />
the Carpathian Mountains. She has farm<br />
animals in her backyard. The hilly countryside<br />
gives Eva the opportunity to play and run with<br />
cousins, pick wild strawberries, and swim every<br />
day. She has brought a traditional folk costume<br />
for the wedding and is delighted with the music<br />
and dancing of the ceremony. After the<br />
wedding, she tells her father goodbye as she<br />
looks forward to spending the summer with her<br />
cousin exploring the countryside.<br />
Jan Machalek has succeeded in writing a<br />
balance of fiction and information about his<br />
native Czech Republic. Instead of lists, maps,<br />
and dates that usually go along with this type of<br />
subject, he has used a fiction story in<br />
picturebook form to paint a simple picture of<br />
some basic differences in this country. He<br />
shows a simple contrast between the capital city<br />
and the country. These contrasts, while obvious<br />
to adults, are explained very appropriately in his<br />
story. The description of the wedding is very<br />
simple, addressing the important issues a child<br />
would want to know, such as clothing and food.<br />
To add to the description of the different topics<br />
are Mr. Machalek’s lovely double spread<br />
illustrations. Even though a written description<br />
of the city of Prague is not provided, the<br />
illustrations demonstrate the busyness and<br />
beauty of the architecture and landscape.<br />
A small informational section at the end of the<br />
story includes a map, a very brief paragraph on<br />
Czech history, population, topography, and<br />
traditions. The Czech words used in the story<br />
are defined in this section as well.<br />
Patricia Youmans, Homeschool Parent, Siloam Springs, Arkansas<br />
Fangs for the memories, by Bill Myers;<br />
with David Winbish. (Bloodhounds, Inc.;<br />
5.) LCCN 99006408. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 1999. ISBN 1556614896,<br />
PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Vampires--Fiction; Brothers and sisters--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; Mystery and detective stories.<br />
125 p. Elementary.<br />
The fifth book in the Bloodhound, Inc. series by<br />
Bill Myers, Fangs for the Memories finds Sean<br />
and Melissa Hunter on the trail of a vampire.<br />
When the Hunter’s neighbor Mrs. Tubbs finds<br />
herself face-to-face with a vampire, her screams<br />
alert the neighborhood and set the Hunter kids<br />
on a search for the villain. Facing their fears and<br />
remembering what the Bible says about God<br />
being greater in us than anything else, Sean and<br />
Melissa track down the real vampire while<br />
leaving their usual path of destruction in their<br />
wake. The two uncover the real identity of the<br />
vampire and spoil his burglary ring. In the<br />
process they come to realize that with God there<br />
is nothing to fear.<br />
Once again Myers scores a hit with readers<br />
weaving humor, antics, and action into an easyto-read<br />
tale. As he has done with his other<br />
books, the author uses a verse to maintain his<br />
theme throughout the book, effectively showing<br />
how kids can put their faith into action. For<br />
laugh-out-loud enjoyment, Fangs for the<br />
Memories is a hit.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
The great galaxy goof, by Robert Elmer.<br />
(AstroKids; 1.) LCCN 00009928.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany Backyard, Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764223569, PAP,<br />
$5.99.<br />
F. Space stations--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction;<br />
Science fiction. 105 p. Elementary.<br />
Set in the 22nd century, author Robert Elmer<br />
spins a science fiction tale about living on a<br />
space station in The Great Galaxy Goof. With<br />
life colonies on other planets and the moon, and<br />
space travel the norm, the AstroKids find<br />
adventure in outer space. Newly arrived to the<br />
space station, Buzz discovers a castaway on the<br />
space shuttle. Miko, an orphan from the moon<br />
station, pleads with Buzz to keep her secret.<br />
Buzz, via his wrist interface, also meets Mir,<br />
another AstroKid whose father is commander of<br />
the space station. However, as Buzz finds out,<br />
Mir isn’t too excited about Buzz “spying” on<br />
him through Buzz’s wrist interface. The two<br />
eventually meet face-to-face and find<br />
themselves on the brink of disaster when Mir<br />
accidentally launches the space shuttle the two<br />
are on. Poised to crash into the moon within<br />
seconds, Buzz saves the day by donning a zip<br />
suit and propelling the shuttle back to the<br />
station.<br />
Robert Elmer creates a humorous environment<br />
for children to expand their minds and dream of<br />
life in outer space. He produces believable<br />
space gizmos to add credibility and humor to his<br />
writing. The author writes the book from the<br />
point of view of Buzz, adding explanations<br />
throughout the text of questions young readers<br />
may have. For example, if he mentions a gizmo,<br />
he will insert in question/answer style a query as<br />
to what the gizmo is or does and then responds<br />
to the query.<br />
Black and white illustrations by Paul Turnbaugh<br />
bring the characters to life and help the young<br />
reader visualize each person. Elmer uses an<br />
ethnically diverse cast who bond together as<br />
friends. Although not an overtly <strong>Christian</strong><br />
message, he does sprinkle the text with<br />
references to God.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
Holiday hero, by Sandra Byrd. (Secret<br />
sisters; 7.) LCCN 00266539. Colorado<br />
Springs: Waterbrook Press, 1999. ISBN<br />
1578561140, PAP, $5.95.<br />
F. Friendship--Fiction; Vacations--Fiction; Accidents--<br />
Fiction. 107 p. Elementary.<br />
Holiday Hero is book seven in the series of<br />
Secret Sisters by Sandra Byre. The two friends,<br />
Erin and Tess, have a wonderful time together<br />
with their moms on their “girls’ holiday” to San<br />
Diego. However, Tess keeps having little<br />
twinges of guilt about her brother’s accident that<br />
kept him from accompanying them. She knew<br />
that she wasn’t responsible, yet she could have<br />
responded faster to Tyler’s desire to go home<br />
immediately. Amidst the exciting world of sun<br />
and fun, Tess finds several challenges to stay<br />
honest and obedient. In fact, her insistence on<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 1 8 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
CHILDREN’S FICTION<br />
doing things her way get both her and Erin in big<br />
trouble!<br />
The storyline is realistic and fun to read for<br />
young girls. They will enjoy the adventures and<br />
dilemmas the two girls face. Humor and<br />
teasing, challenges to obey and keep God’s<br />
Word sacred, make for an entertaining and<br />
worthwhile read. Book seven can stand alone,<br />
but the reader will certainly want to pick up the<br />
rest of the series to keep track of these likeable,<br />
fun characters.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
I want my mummy, by Bill Myers; with<br />
David Winbish. (Bloodhounds, Inc.; 8.)<br />
LCCN 00010527. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 1556614926, PAP,<br />
$5.99.<br />
F. Mummies--Fiction; Brothers and sisters--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; Mystery and detective stories.<br />
126 p. Elementary.<br />
Bill Myers continues his series Bloodhounds,<br />
Inc. with I Want My Mummy. Sean and his sister<br />
Melissa are hired to find a missing mummy<br />
from a museum exhibit. While looking for clues<br />
for the elusive Egyptian artifact, the two are<br />
confronted with bigotry. The townspeople,<br />
fueled by outrageous and incorrect media<br />
accounts, believe foreigners brought about the<br />
weird happenings taking place in their town by<br />
unleashing a mummy amongst them; so they set<br />
out to run the foreigners out of town. Eventually<br />
Sean and Melissa find the “mummy,” nothing<br />
more than a robot in rags, that was rampaging<br />
through town. They also discover that the two<br />
men who delivered the ancient relic allowed the<br />
real mummy to be destroyed through<br />
carelessness. They dressed up the robot to cover<br />
their mistake.<br />
Myers tackles the relevant issue of bigotry and<br />
handles it with delicacy and forthrightness.<br />
Instead of being led by the crowd and talked into<br />
accusing others who are different from you, he<br />
teaches the reader to accept people for who they<br />
are—creations of God. Using humor and action,<br />
Myers effectively captures and keeps the<br />
reader’s attention while driving home a practical<br />
biblical truth.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
Louise goes wild, by Stephen Krensky;<br />
pictures by Susanna Natti. LCCN<br />
98024824. New York: Dial Books for<br />
Young Readers, Penguin Putnam, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0803723075, HBB, $13.99.<br />
F. Identity--Fiction; Self-perception--Fiction. 80 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Louise feels like she is too predictable.<br />
Everyone seems to know what she will say, or<br />
do, or even eat. It’s too much for Louise, so she<br />
decides to make some changes. Unfortunately,<br />
everything she tries seems to backfire. Her<br />
change of hairstyles and clothes only bring<br />
snickers and lots of whispers from her<br />
classmates. When she steps forward to feed the<br />
penguins at the aquarium, she not only slips and<br />
falls into the penguin’s pool, she has to go home<br />
smelling like a fish. Something is not working<br />
right, and her mom and two best friends finally<br />
come up with the answer. Change comes from<br />
within, and doesn’t have to be drastic. The old<br />
Louise still has good to offer others, but it is also<br />
good to work on growing up and maturing.<br />
Louise Goes Wild gives a clear lesson on<br />
appreciating who you are, yet finding ways to<br />
make changes where changes are needed. There<br />
are some humor and corny jokes that second and<br />
third graders should enjoy. Stephen Krensky<br />
gives a pretty realistic picture of how kids that<br />
age react to others, i.e. teasing and sometimes<br />
even some rather rude remarks. The<br />
illustrations by Susanna Natti are simple black<br />
and white sketches that portray some of the<br />
action in the story.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
★<br />
Mei Fuh : memories from China, by Edith<br />
Schaeffer; illustrations by Lesley Liu.<br />
LCCN 97010126. Boston: Houghton<br />
Mifflin, 1998. ISBN 039572290X, HBB,<br />
$16.00.<br />
F. China--Fiction; Family life--China--Fiction. 90 p.<br />
Elementary (Young children).<br />
Born to American missionary teachers, adopted<br />
gleefully by the <strong>Christian</strong> Chinese, Mei Fuh<br />
delightedly twirls her way through her first five<br />
years. What if the cook eats her pet goldfish,<br />
and her baby goat grows horns, joy imbues it all.<br />
In Mei Fuh: Memories from China, Edith<br />
Schaeffer uses her wonderful old woman’s<br />
memory to bring to bursting life her<br />
extraordinarily happy Chinese childhood. Liu’s<br />
illustrations vividly add to the fun. Parades with<br />
fireworks; the loving Chinese friends who,<br />
unbeknown to her parents, feed Mei Fuh<br />
luscious food; even scalded legs accompanied<br />
by tender care and wondrous presents; all is<br />
remembered in a little girl’s cheery, captivating<br />
words. But then they must go back to a very<br />
strange United States. An unsure Mei Fuh,<br />
suddenly known as Edith, finds that here also<br />
happiness abounds. Once again she twirls her<br />
jubilant way through life.<br />
The famous Edith Schaeffer, cofounder of<br />
L’Abri, with her husband, the late Dr. Francis<br />
Schaeffer, presents the foundation for her very<br />
deep joy in life. Having found that her children,<br />
grandchildren, and great-grandchildren love<br />
Mei Fuh, Schaeffer gives her to the world. With<br />
black and white sketches, prize winning artist<br />
Lesley Liu, a Taiwanese native, gently,<br />
humorously portrays the delight of being Mei<br />
Fuh. Written at primary school level, Mei Fuh:<br />
Memories of China, will also be read by all who<br />
remain childlike in heart. Preschoolers will<br />
listen with delight, so will the rest of the family.<br />
Listening or reading, the whole family will revel<br />
in this celebration.<br />
Is it wonderful to be a <strong>Christian</strong>? Just ask Mei<br />
Fuh/Edith Schaeffer. From her heart, the answer<br />
compellingly twirls—YES!<br />
Donna Eggett, Freelance Writer, Radford, Virginia<br />
The mystery of the attic lion, by Elspeth<br />
Campbell; illustrated by Joe Nordstrom.<br />
(Three cousins detective club; 27.) LCCN<br />
99050973. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 0764221353, PAP, $3.99.<br />
F. Statues--Fiction; Cousins--Fiction; Mystery and<br />
detective stories. 62 p.<br />
The mystery of the backdoor bundle, by<br />
Elspeth Campbell; illustrated by Joe<br />
Nordstrom. (Three cousins detective club;<br />
28.) LCCN 99050982. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0764221361,<br />
PAP, $3.99.<br />
F. Dolls--Fiction; Cousins--Fiction; Mystery and<br />
detective stories. 62 p. Elementary (Small children).<br />
At the center of The Mystery of the Attic Lion is<br />
a lion statue that has been tucked away in an<br />
attic corner. Titus, one of the three cousins,<br />
finds this statue and calls him Alexander.<br />
Someone breaks into Titus’ grandaunt’s home,<br />
and Alexander disappears. Titus, along with his<br />
cousins Timothy, and Sarah-Jane, have a new<br />
mystery to solve! They discover that the lion<br />
statue is part of another statue, and that they<br />
have both been missing for many years. The<br />
three cousins put their heads together and<br />
examine the few available clues. It isn’t long<br />
before the TCDC (Three Cousins Detective<br />
Club) searches for and finds the lion statue and<br />
its long-missing partner.<br />
Sarah-Jane and her two cousins, Titus and<br />
Timothy, answer a loud knock at her back door.<br />
The Mystery of the Backdoor Bundle begins.<br />
When the door is opened, no-one is there;<br />
however, they discover a small basket on the<br />
backstep. Inside, is an old doll with a note<br />
attached. The cryptic words, “Please help me.”<br />
lead the three cousins on a new mystery that<br />
results in diamonds being found inside the doll’s<br />
stuffing. The mystery is solved and the<br />
diamonds and the doll are returned to the<br />
rightful owners.<br />
Elspeth Campbell writes engaging stories that<br />
move along quickly. The problems are<br />
identified, the three cousins get involved, and<br />
the mysteries are solved. Joe Nordstrom’s<br />
illustrations are simple pencil drawings that add<br />
charm to the books. The suggested age level is<br />
seven to ten, but the stories move along so fast,<br />
I think some six year olds would enjoy them. I<br />
recommend these as tradebooks for any library<br />
and classroom as read alouds.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
The mystery of the golden reindeer, by<br />
Elspeth Campbell; illustrated by Joe<br />
Nordstrom. (Three cousins detective club;<br />
30.) LCCN 00010530. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0764221388,<br />
PAP, $3.99.<br />
F. Christmas--Fiction; Cousins--Fiction; Mystery and<br />
detective stories. 64 p. Elementary (Small children).<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 1 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
CHILDREN’S FICTION<br />
Timothy and Sarah-Jane are spending Christmas<br />
with their cousin Titus, who lives in the big city.<br />
Against Titus’ wishes, they decide to go<br />
Christmas shopping at Hill’s Department Store.<br />
While they are there they run into their cousin<br />
Patience. She tells them that a boy who looks<br />
just like Titus is in the mall as well. Titus feels<br />
odd knowing he has an identical twin, and even<br />
stranger when a mysterious message for the<br />
other boy is delivered to him by mistake. The<br />
cousins realize they must find the rightful<br />
recipient of what seems to be a very important<br />
message. They are also very curious, and hope<br />
to find out what the message means.<br />
Elspeth Campbell Murphy does a delightful job<br />
of writing a mystery for young children that is<br />
refreshingly free of ghosts, murders, or villains<br />
that you normally find in mystery novels. The<br />
Mystery of the Golden Reindeer is just long<br />
enough to keep early readers in suspense, and<br />
short enough to keep them from becoming<br />
frustrated. Older readers may find the book a<br />
little short, and the mystery a little simple, but<br />
they should still enjoy it. The illustrations done<br />
by Joe Nordstrom capture the mood of the story<br />
perfectly, and clarify for young minds the<br />
images the author is trying to create.<br />
Robyn Wyatt, Freelance Writer, Port Orchard, Washington<br />
Petal power, by Sandra Byrd. (Secret<br />
Sisters; 8.) LCCN 00266445. Colorado<br />
Springs: Waterbrook Press, 1999. ISBN<br />
1578561159, PAP, $5.95.<br />
F. Friendship--Fiction; Weddings--Fiction. 104 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Their teacher, Miss Martinez, is planning a<br />
beautiful wedding. Everyone from their sixth<br />
grade class is invited. When Tess Thomas and<br />
her Secret Sister, Erin Janssen, find their teacher<br />
crying, they comfort her. They learn that the<br />
niece of Miss Martinez’ fiancé who has been<br />
waiting for a transplant for a long time, will get<br />
a new kidney just days before the wedding.<br />
Therefore, the niece won’t be able to be Miss<br />
Martinez’ junior bridesmaid. And, because the<br />
family is chipping in to help pay for the surgery,<br />
there will be no flowers for the wedding and no<br />
honeymoon.<br />
The Secret Sisters set out to change that. Tess<br />
thinks of a way they might raise money for the<br />
flowers, but problems crop up when Tess, in her<br />
eagerness to help, stretches the truth. The girls<br />
discover there is nothing noble about a lie.<br />
They work in a flower shop to earn money for<br />
their teacher’s wedding flowers. Tess has to<br />
deal with her lies, her jealousy, and the<br />
consequences. The girls learn the language of<br />
flowers. Baby’s breath means ‘ours is an<br />
everlasting love,’ and a pink rose means ‘to my<br />
friend.’ A happy ending will please young<br />
readers.<br />
Petal Power by Sandra Byrd can be enjoyed<br />
without having read the others in the series.<br />
Byrd’s well-defined sixth grade characters are<br />
believable. Young readers will easily identify<br />
with the girls’ dilemma. Tess’s parents react as<br />
loving and caring. The flower shop owner,<br />
however, seems too mean with no redeeming<br />
qualities.<br />
Dell Smith Klein, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Yarnell, Arizona<br />
Rachel, a Hutterite girl, by Rachel<br />
Maendel; illustrated by Hannah Marsden.<br />
LCCN 99299022. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald<br />
Press, 1999. ISBN 0836191196, PAP,<br />
$12.99.<br />
E. Hutterite Brethren--Fiction; Farm life--Fiction. 48<br />
p. Elementary.<br />
Rachel lives on a community farm that includes<br />
all her relatives. The community farm life<br />
revolves around everyone doing chores so that<br />
the entire family will have food to eat, clothes to<br />
wear, and warm buildings to live in. Rachel and<br />
her cousins have many exciting things to do<br />
such as: find goose eggs and get a “broody” hen<br />
to hatch them, make ice-cream, escape from a<br />
very angry bull, pluck feathers from geese to<br />
make pillows, and go swimming.<br />
The story is reminiscent of Little House on the<br />
Prairie books due to the illustrations by Hutterite<br />
artist Hannah Marsden. Both the illustrator and<br />
the author (Rachel Maendel) live as Hutterites in<br />
Canada. The Hutterites’ concept of life is quite<br />
interesting to read and through Rachel’s eyes,<br />
the reader can glimpse what this may be like.<br />
There is an episode where geese are pronounced<br />
dead due to a weasel sucking the blood from<br />
them. Some Hutterite terms can be defined from<br />
the story; unfortunately there are a few terms<br />
that are somewhat unclear as to their meaning.<br />
Connie Weaver, Church Librarian, Newville, Pennsylvania<br />
The secret room, by Cynthia Mercati.<br />
Logan, Ia.: Perfection Learning, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0789151081, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Jewish Holocaust (1933-1945)--Fiction;<br />
Friendship--Fiction. 72 p. Elementary.<br />
As the daughter of a minister in 1940, Annie is<br />
expected to be quiet, smart, and well behaved.<br />
None of those things describe this rambunctious<br />
seventh grader. Fortunately, Annie’s best friend<br />
Leah understands her. When Germany conquers<br />
Holland, Annie’s life is completely changed.<br />
Leah must go into hiding, and two years pass<br />
with life getting progressively harder. Food is<br />
becoming scarce, electricity can only be used a<br />
few hours a day, and there are a lot of new rules.<br />
People who disobey the rules are sometimes<br />
beaten or taken away. One night while<br />
searching the church for her father, Annie finds<br />
a secret room with a Jewish family, the Sterns,<br />
living inside. Discovering her father is part of<br />
the Resistance is exciting. Even better, Annie’s<br />
father trusts her to care for the Sterns. Each day<br />
Annie visits the Sterns, marveling how they<br />
must live so quietly, never going outside, and yet<br />
they seem happy. Describing the trees and birds<br />
to young Ruth Stern, Annie learns how to draw<br />
and use her imagination, and gradually slows<br />
down. When Annie’s father is arrested, she<br />
resolves to continue hiding the Sterns and take<br />
care of her own family.<br />
The Secret Room by Cynthia Mercati is an<br />
historically accurate chapter book that could<br />
provide a starting point for a larger discussion of<br />
the Holocaust. The focus of the story is Annie’s<br />
struggle with self-control and her eventual<br />
maturing. While the war with Germany and the<br />
plight of the Jews are important sub-plots,<br />
children reading this book will not gain a strong<br />
sense of the reality of war and the horror of the<br />
Holocaust. These themes have been painted<br />
with a very broad brush. Although Annie’s life<br />
surely would have been in danger for aiding<br />
Jews, these facts are downplayed. Black and<br />
white drawings by Deb Bovy add interest to the<br />
beginning of each of the seven chapters.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
Tell me why : eternal answers to life’s<br />
timeless questions, by Michael Card;<br />
illustrations by Ron DiCianni. LCCN<br />
99021448. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books,<br />
1999. ISBN 1581340311, HBB, $16.99.<br />
F. Angels--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 48 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
As one of the many angels who write music for<br />
the King, Theodas loves his job. Unexpectedly,<br />
he is called before the King one day and sent to<br />
earth to listen for a new song. Upon arriving,<br />
Theodas meets William, a young boy. William<br />
has just witnessed another boy kill a singing bird<br />
and is crying. After comforting William,<br />
Theodas meets his parents and stays with them.<br />
William is drawn to the angel’s quiet spirit,<br />
joining with him to pray each morning. William<br />
is allowed to see some of what Theodas sees, the<br />
multitude of angels surrounding them and at one<br />
point, Jesus. Through his interaction with<br />
William, Theodas is able to hear a new song and<br />
William’s eyes are opened to the world of<br />
miracles and angels.<br />
Although the cover states, “Eternal Answers to<br />
Life’s Timeless Questions,” no concrete answers<br />
are given. Author Michael Card states at the<br />
beginning that there are often no easy answers<br />
for questions like why we pray or why we die.<br />
Instead, each of the seven chapters illustrates the<br />
faith and trust required even when we don’t<br />
know why. Each chapter contains the ongoing<br />
story of Theodas and William and is<br />
accompanied by lyrics from songs the author<br />
has written. A rich illustration by Ron DiCianni<br />
accompanies each chapter. DiCianni includes<br />
artist’s notes in the back, giving more<br />
information about the origin of each drawing.<br />
Tell Me Why will inspire discussion and raise<br />
questions about the role of angels in our lives.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
★<br />
Thanksgiving wish, by Michael J. Rosen;<br />
paintings by John Thompson. LCCN<br />
97042208. New York: The Blue Sky Press,<br />
Scholastic, 1999. ISBN 0590255630, HBB,<br />
$16.95.<br />
F. Grandmothers--Fiction; Thanksgiving Day--<br />
Fiction; Neighbors--Fiction. unp. Elementary.<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 2 0 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
CHILDREN’S FICTION<br />
Michael J. Rosen has written a captivating story<br />
of how grandmothers make holidays<br />
unforgettable in Thanksgiving Wish.<br />
Thanksgiving was “Bubbe’s” special holiday.<br />
Amanda looked forward to each part of the<br />
sumptuous feast. Bubbe worked for weeks,<br />
making one dish each day. There was her<br />
famous maple applesauce, the tom turkey,<br />
stuffing, chicken soup with matzo balls so light<br />
they float, two kinds of potatoes, gelatin molds,<br />
honey cakes, and enough pumpkin pies for each<br />
family to take one home. Yet the best part of the<br />
day came right before bed, when her<br />
grandmother let her choose a wishbone for the<br />
Thanksgiving wish. Whoever held the biggest<br />
piece would have their wish granted as long as<br />
they never told anyone what it was. When<br />
Bubbe passes away, the pain seems the sharpest<br />
at Thanksgiving. The family struggles to hold<br />
up the family tradition, yet nothing is the same.<br />
Bubbe is not there to share the Thanksgiving<br />
wish.<br />
John Thompson has dynamically illustrated this<br />
story with brilliant paintings. The details and<br />
expressions help to make the story jump right<br />
off the page and into your heart. It is almost as<br />
if you can smell dinner cooking. The story<br />
builds until you can feel the struggles and<br />
disappointments of each member of the family.<br />
Especially when the youngest, Amanda, realizes<br />
no one has saved the wishbones all year. They<br />
won’t have their Thanksgiving Wish. There is<br />
even a bit of a surprise ending when the secret of<br />
Bubbe’s wish is revealed.<br />
Stories this captivating about the Thanksgiving<br />
holiday are few. It is a beautiful expression of<br />
family love and traditions, all of those things for<br />
which we are most thankful. The fact that this is<br />
a Jewish family adds a sense of multiculturalism<br />
to the story. This book is a must for any library.<br />
Marcia Snyder, Librarian, Missoula, Montana<br />
You’ve got a friend, written by Joni<br />
Eareckson Tada; illustrations by Jeff<br />
Meyer. LCCN 99020931. Wheaton, Ill.:<br />
Crossway Books, 1999. ISBN 1581340605,<br />
HBB, $14.99.<br />
F. Friendship--Fiction; Angels--Fiction; Wheelchairs--<br />
Fiction; Physically handicapped--Fiction; Bicycles and<br />
bicycling--Fiction. 32 p. Elementary.<br />
Benjamin Brewer sits in his wheelchair<br />
watching the neighborhood kids play, and<br />
remembers the days when his legs worked like<br />
theirs. Rather than make an effort to join in the<br />
fun, Ben remains lonely. Tony, Ben’s neighbor,<br />
is also lonely. He rides his bike alone,<br />
remembering the days when he and Ben were<br />
best friends. Ever since Ben got hit by the car,<br />
Tony doesn’t feel like a very good friend<br />
because he isn’t sure how to act around Ben in<br />
his wheelchair, so Tony remains lonely. Two<br />
angels are sent to help both boys realize<br />
friendship takes many forms, and to help both<br />
boys feel they have worth to each other still.<br />
When Tony decides to enter the neighborhood<br />
bike race, a hole in his tire dashes his plans. But<br />
Ben has gotten good at fixing holes in tires—<br />
since keeping his wheelchair in good repair is<br />
now an important skill. Ben offers to fix Tony’s<br />
tire, and completes the job just in time for Tony<br />
to enter the race.<br />
Lively pastel illustrations by Jeff Meyer portray<br />
Joni Eareckson Tada’s touching story You’ve<br />
Got a Friend. Young readers will learn that God<br />
gives us each special gifts in addition to the gift<br />
of friendship. Friendship is an unusual gift<br />
because it works two ways—we each have a<br />
need to feel wanted and to have friends, but<br />
most importantly, God wants us to share our<br />
ability to be a friend of others. By bringing<br />
sunshine to someone else’s day, our own paths<br />
are showered with sunshine, and this is the<br />
message that Tada’s story tells and Meyer’s<br />
illustrations show. Not only do Ben and Tony<br />
learn a lesson in You’ve Got a Friend, but the<br />
angels sent to help guide the boys together learn<br />
something too—all things, even small things<br />
like a porch railing nail, are part of God’s<br />
blueprint for our lives. This is a great book to<br />
begin discussion on faith, friendship, handicaps,<br />
and reaching out to those in need.<br />
Lisa Wroble, Freelance Writer/<strong>Library</strong> Aide, Plymouth, Michigan<br />
The Zero-G headache, by Robert Elmer.<br />
(AstroKids; 2.) LCCN 00009972.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany Backyard, Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764223577, PAP,<br />
$5.99.<br />
F. Space stations--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction;<br />
Science fiction. 103 p. Elementary.<br />
The second in the AstroKids series by author<br />
Robert Elmer, The Zero-G Headache is written<br />
from the point of view of DeeBee. She is a tech<br />
wizard and is working on creating her own<br />
drone. However, complications occur and her<br />
drone experiences a major meltdown. DeeBee<br />
worries about how she will complete the drone,<br />
as it is a project for school, and she knows her<br />
teacher will never give her an extension to fix<br />
the problem. Not that she would have time for<br />
it anyway. DeeBee finds out her cousin Phil is<br />
coming for a visit. She considers him a music<br />
geek since he is gifted in music. The whole<br />
space station is in an uproar when a famous teen<br />
band decides to land on the station for repairs to<br />
their ship. Mir announces that Zero-G will<br />
perform, but that is not true. DeeBee comes to<br />
the rescue when she helps the band and they<br />
agree to do a concert. However, before they can<br />
fulfill their commitment, a power surge destroys<br />
their equipment. Phil saves the day when he<br />
accompanies the group, former classmates of his<br />
from the music colony, on an antiquated violin<br />
while they sing their latest hits.<br />
Occasional illustrations by Paul Turnbaugh add<br />
visual effect to the story. A unique feature of the<br />
series is the historical background author Robert<br />
Elmer gives the reader at the end of the books<br />
about space travel. He also includes useful<br />
websites for those interested in finding out more<br />
about the solar system, planets, and space<br />
missions. Finally, he concludes the book with a<br />
coded message the reader has to search for<br />
throughout the book. The added information at<br />
the back of the book will whet the appetite of<br />
most readers for finding out more about space<br />
travel.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 2 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
CHILDREN’S NONFICTION<br />
000’s—Generalities<br />
Free stuff for crafty kids on the Internet,<br />
by Judy Heim and Gloria Hansen. LCCN<br />
99006530. Lafayette, Calif.: C&T<br />
Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1571200800, PAP,<br />
$16.95.<br />
025.06’7455. Handicraft--Computer--Network<br />
resources--Directories; Children’s web sites--<br />
Directories; Free materials--Computer--Network<br />
resources--Directories. 176 p. Elementary.<br />
Judy Heim and Gloria Hansen have co-authored<br />
a whole series of books that show you where to<br />
go to find free stuff on the Internet. This one,<br />
Free Stuff for Crafty Kids on the Internet, may<br />
be the best buy of the year for anyone who has<br />
to deal with craft-loving children and a slim<br />
budget. Its pages are filled with places to go on<br />
the Internet for all kinds of crafts: printable<br />
coloring pages and paper doll patterns, painting,<br />
rubber stamping and scrapbooking tips, craft<br />
instruction sheets, inspiration, and just plain fun.<br />
It includes URLs (net addresses) for the on-line<br />
version of such family magazines as Parents and<br />
FamilyFun, as well as for big craft stores such as<br />
Michael’s, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and Ben Franklin. It<br />
even includes web sites that give instructions for<br />
balloon-twisting, juggling, puppet and kite<br />
making, and magic tricks!<br />
Best of all, Chapter 1, Kids, Crafts, and Family<br />
Fun, includes information on tapping into web<br />
pages, dealing with common error messages,<br />
finding your way around the web without<br />
getting lost, using bookmarks, saving web pages<br />
and images to your hard drive, and Internet<br />
safety for children (including a list of child-safe<br />
search engines). This chapter alone may be<br />
worth the cost of the book!<br />
I have only two reservations about this book<br />
(and indeed, the whole series). Some of the<br />
URLs include typos, making them useless for<br />
web navigation. Also, as is the case for web<br />
surfing in general, even the correctly typed<br />
addresses aren’t always current. However, after<br />
reading the first chapter, you should be able to<br />
get around both of those problems and find what<br />
you are looking for (or a satisfactory substitute.)<br />
All in all, there is plenty in here to keep even the<br />
craftiest child busy for months!<br />
Betty Winslow, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy, Bowling Green,<br />
Ohio<br />
Scholastic treasury of quotations for<br />
children, [compiled and written by]<br />
Adrienne Betz. LCCN 97034153. New<br />
York: Scholastic, 1998. ISBN 0590271466,<br />
HBB, $16.95.<br />
082. Quotations. 254 p. Elementary (Middle school).<br />
Michel De Montaigne once wrote “I quote<br />
others to better express myself.” Who was<br />
Montaigne? When did he live? In the<br />
Scholastic Treasury of Quotations for Children,<br />
author Adrienne Betz compiles and references<br />
more than a thousand quotations. Not only does<br />
the author divide the quotes by subject matter<br />
but she supplies biographical information on her<br />
sources.<br />
The introduction is an important part of this<br />
book. Betz discusses the history of the famous<br />
book of quotations, Bartlett’s Familiar<br />
Quotations, and the reason for her diverse<br />
selection. In addition, the author provides uses<br />
for quotations such as introducing an idea,<br />
adding authority to your opinions, or finding<br />
titles for literary work.<br />
There are no illustrations in the book, but the<br />
larger print and white spaces make the book<br />
attractive to young readers. The book is divided<br />
alphabetically into categories such as anger,<br />
history, humor, and work, with a table of<br />
contents at the front and a biographical index at<br />
the end of the book. Throughout the book, indepth<br />
paragraphs explain subjects such as Ways<br />
to Say: Don’t Just Talk About It, Take Action! or<br />
Artists Explain Their Own Work.<br />
The sources for this book are extensive. From<br />
the Bible to Buddha, Shakespeare to Seuss,<br />
Mother Goose to Mother Teresa, these<br />
selections give the reader insights into the<br />
thought processes of people through the<br />
centuries.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
200’s—Religion<br />
Boys life adventure Bible storybook, by<br />
David Horton; illustrated by Dennis<br />
Edwards. LCCN 00265111. Grand<br />
Rapids: New Kids Media, Baker Book<br />
House, 1999. ISBN 0801044251, HBB,<br />
$16.99.<br />
220. Bible stories. 356 p. Elementary.<br />
Within the pages of Boys Life Adventure Bible<br />
Storybook, Adam looks like Tarzan. Illustrator<br />
Dennis Edwards uses his comic book style to<br />
draw the young readers into the text. The book<br />
is directed toward ages six to nine, but boys as<br />
old as twelve may enjoy this highly visual<br />
storybook, especially beginning readers.<br />
Author David Horton divides the readings into<br />
four areas. There are fifty stories sections. Each<br />
story ends with a ‘Making a Man of God’<br />
element. The story is clarified and questions are<br />
asked such as, “Has anyone ever done<br />
something mean to you? Did you want to hurt<br />
that person back? What do you think might<br />
have happened if you had said, ‘I forgive you’<br />
instead?”<br />
The third section, Coaching Tips, gives the adult<br />
advice on how to apply the lesson to daily life.<br />
“The Verse to Remember” is a simple biblical<br />
verse with application to the lesson.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
Hey, that’s not what the Bible says!<br />
written and illustrated by Bill Ross.<br />
LCCN 98051088. Nashville: Tommy<br />
Nelson, 1999. ISBN 0849959225, HBB,<br />
$9.99.<br />
220.9. Bible stories. 80 p. Elementary.<br />
Bill Ross’ Hey, That’s Not What the Bible Says!<br />
is a collection of Bible stories from the Old and<br />
New Testament that humorously challenges<br />
your child’s knowledge. Ten stories, from<br />
Adam and Eve to Noah and the ark, to David<br />
and Goliath and Jonah and the whale, to Jesus’<br />
birth, death and resurrection are included. First<br />
Mr. Ross tells an incorrect story, and then<br />
follows with the correct story from the<br />
International Children’s Bible, New Century<br />
Version. Did Adam and Eve go willingly? Just<br />
how many people were included on the ark?<br />
Was Goliath more interested in being David’s<br />
friend? Did Jonah successfully run away from<br />
God and His mission? Just where was Jesus<br />
born, in a stable or a techno-hospital? Was a<br />
stone really rolled across Jesus’ tomb, or was it<br />
a head stone? In one illustration Jesus is<br />
wearing a bracelet. I wonder what WWID could<br />
stand for. Mr. Ross, who also illustrated this<br />
book, has included comical sketches of the<br />
characters that most children will be amused by.<br />
The book is colorful and lively, and creatively<br />
presents Bible stories.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
Words of gold : a treasury of the Bible’s<br />
poetry and wisdom, selected and<br />
introduced by Lois Rock; illustrations by<br />
Sarah Young. LCCN 99037903. Grand<br />
Rapids: Eerdmans Books for Young<br />
Readers, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN<br />
0802851991, HBB, $18.00.<br />
220.9’505. Bible stories. 48 p. Elementary.<br />
The title, Words of Gold, A Treasury of Bible’s<br />
Poetry and Wisdom, would lead one to believe<br />
that this was a book about the Psalms and<br />
Proverbs, or even the Old Testament. Instead, it<br />
is a selection of the author, Lois Rock’s, favorite<br />
Bible passages, covering the entire gamut of the<br />
scriptures. This is really a version of an<br />
interpreted Bible storybook, in biblical order.<br />
After each title is given is a brief synopses of the<br />
general story or theme, followed by subtitles,<br />
further summaries, and then scripture. Some of<br />
the summaries are in the form of a question that<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 2 2 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
CHILDREN’S NONFICTION<br />
the passage answers. The passages are<br />
presented from the Good News Bible, King<br />
James Version, or the New Revised Standard<br />
Version, with no pattern as to which text is used.<br />
An index completes the work, with references to<br />
biblical themes.<br />
The illustrations and artwork are highly<br />
significant factors in this book. The style is<br />
stylized and eclectic. Highly intricate borders<br />
line the outside of every page: throughout the<br />
Old Testament section the pattern is a detailed,<br />
leafy, patterned border; the Gospel section has<br />
page borders that are in a vine and grape motif;<br />
from Acts onward the pattern suggest flames.<br />
The pictures of people are somewhat simplified<br />
and pre-Renaissance in appearance. Other<br />
pictures appear quilt-like. The same rich,<br />
vibrant colors are used consistently from<br />
beginning to end, with lots of gold.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
Hidden treasures : amazing stories from<br />
the Old Testament, by Mary Manz Simon;<br />
illustrated by Jeff Preston. LCCN<br />
00037910. Nashville: Broadman &<br />
Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805423281, HBB,<br />
$9.99.<br />
221.9’505. Bible stories--O.T. 40 p. Elementary.<br />
Hidden treasures : amazing stories from<br />
the New Testament, by Mary Manz<br />
Simon; illustrated by Jeff Preston. LCCN<br />
00037911. Nashville: Broadman &<br />
Holman, 2000. ISBN 80542329X, HBB,<br />
$9.99.<br />
225.9’505. Bible stories--N.T. 40 p. Elementary.<br />
Mary Manz Simon has adapted little known<br />
stories from the Old and New Testaments,<br />
creating Hidden Treasures: Amazing Stories<br />
from the Old Testament and Hidden Treasures:<br />
Amazing Stories from the New Testament. For<br />
an example, the story of Rahab and how she<br />
helps Joshua’s men escape from the soldiers of<br />
Jericho. Most children are taught the story of<br />
Moses as a baby and how he was adopted by the<br />
Pharoah’s daughter, but how many have heard<br />
how Moses defended young women at a well?<br />
During Pharoah’s reign of terror against Hebrew<br />
baby boys were two midwives who defied the<br />
command to kill. These women were<br />
responsible for safely guiding the birth of<br />
newborn boys, despite the threats of the<br />
Egyptian soldiers. These nurses were blessed of<br />
God and soon had babies of their own. Elijah,<br />
exhausted from running from Queen Jezebel,<br />
awoke to the smell of fresh bread. Maybe not so<br />
unusual; however, Elijah had been in the<br />
wilderness and there was no oven close by. God<br />
had provided for Elijah because of his<br />
faithfulness and obedience.<br />
These stories are excellent for children to read<br />
by themselves, or for reading aloud as a family,<br />
and questions are included at the conclusion of<br />
each story. What’s important is that Ms. Simon<br />
doesn’t simply tell stories of little-known<br />
people, but through the questions she<br />
encourages children to find the part of the story<br />
that relates to their lives. Her desire is to create<br />
“a heart connection” through the retelling of<br />
these stories about ordinary people that God<br />
used in extraordinary ways. Jeff Preston, the<br />
illustrator, has managed to capture the drama<br />
and emotion of these stories in vibrant colors.<br />
The illustrations add depth to the characters, and<br />
enjoyment of the stories. The series would<br />
make a wonderful addition to family libraries<br />
and would appeal to even small children. The<br />
questions allow children to consider what they<br />
learned and serves to reinforce bible truths.<br />
Parents would find these series to be a great way<br />
to spend quality time with their children.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
Exodus, by Brian Wildsmith. LCCN<br />
98018066. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans<br />
Books for Young Readers, Wm. B.<br />
Eerdmans, 1998. ISBN 0802851754, HBB,<br />
$20.00.<br />
222’.120505. Moses (Biblical leader); Exodus, The;<br />
Bible stories--O.T. unp. Elementary.<br />
The words “wonderful” and “awesome” have<br />
never been more aptly applied than when<br />
describing the story of God’s work in the<br />
salvation of His people from Egypt. Beginning<br />
with the birth of Moses and ending with the rise<br />
of Joshua to the leadership of God’s people,<br />
Wildsmith’s book offers an artistically rich,<br />
colorful, and respectful depiction of the events.<br />
The detail of the watercolor-tinted line drawings<br />
is as intriguing as the accuracy with which the<br />
time and locale are drawn. In addition, the<br />
perspective is always maintained in a way that<br />
emphasizes the greatness of the mighty acts of<br />
God rather than the actions of men. Particularly<br />
telling is Wildsmith’s depiction of the Ark of the<br />
Covenant and the Ten Commandments on both<br />
the front and back endpapers of his book. So<br />
often the Exodus story is reduced to a paean to<br />
the human desire for freedom, but Wildsmith’s<br />
book does not fall into that trap nor ignore the<br />
compelling, covenantal reason for the<br />
deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt or the<br />
Law of Freedom they were soon to embrace. In<br />
summary, Brian Wildsmith’s Exodus brings the<br />
biblical account down to the verbal and visual<br />
level of a child without sacrificing the integrity<br />
or majesty of the event.<br />
Pamela A. Todd, Librarian/English Teacher, Chalcedon <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Cumming, Georgia<br />
A faith to grow on : important things you<br />
should know now that you believe, by<br />
John MacArthur. LCCN 00032913.<br />
Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas<br />
Nelson, 2000. ISBN 0849975123, HBB,<br />
$15.99.<br />
230. <strong>Christian</strong> children--Religious life--Miscellanea;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life. 192 p. Elementary.<br />
This visually appealing book offers both “food<br />
and exercise” for spiritual growth. Author John<br />
MacArthur creates a devotional to help kids<br />
understand their faith and grow as <strong>Christian</strong>s.<br />
The book is broken down into twelve chapters,<br />
each focusing on a separate <strong>Christian</strong> doctrine<br />
(God, sin, worship, prayer, forgiveness).<br />
Chapters include from four to twelve questions<br />
such as: What does God want from us? Must we<br />
obey God all the time? and Why doesn’t God<br />
answer my prayers right away? A single spread<br />
is devoted to each question. MacArthur offers<br />
concise answers and activities to reinforce the<br />
concept and encourage children to grow closer<br />
to God.<br />
Each chapter is color-coded, creating bright<br />
spreads that follow the same layout. Answers to<br />
common questions children—and new<br />
believers—have about God, faith, and the<br />
church, dominate the left side of the spread.<br />
These explanations are written in kid-friendly<br />
language. A word scramble and a prayer starter<br />
below the narrative completes the left side of the<br />
spread. An activity and a sidebar helping<br />
children relate the concept to everyday life<br />
dominates the right side of the spread. Relevant<br />
Bible passages (God’s Word) cover the right<br />
margin of each spread. A honeycomb<br />
background is sprinkled with tiny photos of<br />
children, along with two to three larger photos<br />
on each spread.<br />
Not only is the layout visually appealing, it<br />
attracts young readers to this fine devotional<br />
because it makes it easier to use. Color-coding<br />
makes locating a specific category easier than<br />
using the table of contents. Children may also<br />
flip through and stop at spreads with headings<br />
matching their own questions: What if I tell<br />
someone about Jesus and nothing happens?<br />
(from the chapter on Evangelism); What is<br />
heaven like? (from the chapter on Heaven);<br />
Does God see everything we do? (from the<br />
chapter on Worship); and Who wrote the Bible?<br />
(from the chapter on the Bible). The<br />
information and activities on each spread work<br />
together to help the reader not only better<br />
understand his faith, but apply what he’s<br />
learning so he will truly build up his spiritual<br />
muscle. For instance, in “How should we<br />
pray?” the spread provides a step-by-step for<br />
praying: Praise God, ask for his will, offer trust<br />
in him, and ask for what we need, for<br />
forgiveness, and for his help. The activity<br />
suggests finding a private place to “talk” quietly<br />
with God while the sidebar discusses easing fear<br />
by praying silently. “God Word” includes five<br />
scripture passages.<br />
A Faith to Grow on: Important Things You<br />
Should Know Now That You Believe is a book<br />
parents will enjoy sharing with their children.<br />
Its visual appeal and non-doctrinal approach<br />
makes it suitable to general libraries as well.<br />
The kid-friendly narrative makes it a nonthreatening<br />
addition for all libraries as well.<br />
MacArthur suggests, in the introduction, to read<br />
a section every day to “grow strong in the<br />
Lord!”<br />
Lisa Wroble, Freelance Writer/<strong>Library</strong> Aide, Plymouth, Michigan<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 2 3 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
CHILDREN’S NONFICTION<br />
Creation, written by Helen Haidle;<br />
illustrated by David Haidle and Elizabeth<br />
Haidle. LCCN 00033385. Grand Rapids:<br />
Zonderkidz, Zondervan, 2000. ISBN<br />
0310700183, HBB, $12.99.<br />
231.7’65. Creation--Biblical teaching; Bible stories--<br />
O.T. unp. Elementary (Small children).<br />
This beautifully illustrated book is a retelling of<br />
the story of Creation based on excerpts from<br />
Genesis and the Psalms. A two-page spread is<br />
devoted to each day. Helen Haidle paraphrases<br />
the text from Genesis in simple language. In<br />
addition, an appropriate selection from the<br />
Psalms is given in verse form. The last third of<br />
the book focuses on some animals which have<br />
unique features, hyperdeveloped senses, or<br />
peculiar shapes, e.g., the octopus (8 arms), the<br />
eagle (keen eyesight), and the zebra (striped<br />
skin).<br />
This is a delighful and uplifting book. The<br />
illustrations are realistic without intensive<br />
details, and there is an abundance of color. The<br />
use of parallel texts makes this an excellent<br />
teaching tool: the Psalm selections praise the<br />
things that are created on the specific day. For<br />
example, on the fourth day, God creates the<br />
lights in the sky to separate day from night. The<br />
Psalm selection is 19:1-4 “The heavens tell<br />
about the glory of God. / The skies show that /<br />
his hands created them. / No sound is heard<br />
from them / At the same time, their voice goes<br />
out / into the whole earth.” The juxtaposition of<br />
these texts and the accompanying illustration<br />
reflects the majesty and wonder of the Creation<br />
story.<br />
The last six pages contain text and illustrations<br />
of some of God’s “amazing” creatures. Each<br />
animal’s unique feature is described and a<br />
simple rationale is given for the feature. For<br />
example, the squid can quickly change its color<br />
to confuse its enemies. While the content of this<br />
section is more appropriate for school-age<br />
children, preschoolers will enjoy looking at the<br />
pictures and learning the names of these<br />
fantastic animals.<br />
The Haidles have produced a wonderful yet<br />
simple book about the beginning of the world.<br />
Nadia J. Martin, MLIS, Librarian, First Presbyterian Church,<br />
Plymouth, Michigan<br />
The Christmas story : from the Gospels of<br />
Matthew and Luke, illustrated by Cathy<br />
Ann Johnson. LCCN 99023700.<br />
Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas<br />
Nelson, 1999. ISBN 084997528X, HBB,<br />
$5.99.<br />
232.92. Jesus Christ--Nativity; Bible stories--N.T.<br />
unp. Elementary.<br />
The Christmas Story: From the Gospels of<br />
Matthew and Luke is a simple, straightforward<br />
retelling of the Nativity story. Pulling Scripture<br />
from the first and second chapters of both<br />
Matthew and Luke, the story includes Gabriel’s<br />
announcement, Joseph’s disbelief, the trip to<br />
Bethlehem, and Jesus’ birth, along with the story<br />
of the shepherds, wise men, and King Herod.<br />
Scripture is quoted from the International<br />
Children’s Bible, New Century Version, and<br />
Scripture references are printed beneath the text<br />
on each page. The last page of the book shows<br />
a picture of the night sky and the Star of the East<br />
with the words of John 3:16 printed below.<br />
Illustrator Cathy Ann Johnson tells the Nativity<br />
story effectively through her illustrations. She<br />
uses bold, bright colors and her depictions of the<br />
characters and their surroundings are simple and<br />
clear enough to appeal to even very young<br />
children. Especially well done are the<br />
expressions of emotion on the character’s faces,<br />
such as Mary and Joseph’s fear at learning Mary<br />
is pregnant and the wise men’s awe and worship<br />
of baby Jesus. Small details in the portrayals of<br />
clothing and architecture help to lend an<br />
authentic flavor to the illustrations. A useful tool<br />
for sharing the Christmas story with young<br />
children.<br />
Kerri Cunningham, Librarian, Camano Island, Washington<br />
The Easter story, by Brian Wildsmith.<br />
LCCN 98056534. Grand Rapids:<br />
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Wm.<br />
B. Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN 0802851894,<br />
HBB, $18.00.<br />
232.96. Jesus Christ--Resurrection; Jesus Christ--<br />
Passion; Easter; Bible stories--N.T. unp. Elementary.<br />
The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith simply and<br />
clearly retells the Passion story as seen through<br />
the eyes of the small donkey that Jesus rode into<br />
Jerusalem. Beginning with the Triumphant<br />
Ride, Wildsmith continues to recount the<br />
Clearing of the Temple, the Last Supper, Peter’s<br />
betrayal of Christ, and Jesus’ Crucifixion and<br />
Resurrection. The story ends with the<br />
Ascension and the donkey being taken to the<br />
home of one of Jesus’ friends where the reader is<br />
told he will stay for the rest of his life.<br />
Author and illustrator Brian Wildsmith has<br />
created a companion to his earlier book, A<br />
Christmas Story. By telling the story through<br />
the eyes of the donkey Jesus rode, Wildsmith<br />
makes the story accessible and interesting to<br />
even young readers. However, it is the<br />
illustrations that truly set this book apart. The<br />
pages are large and Wildsmith’s images fill<br />
every inch of them. Depictions include the<br />
remarkable buildings of Jerusalem, the<br />
countryside of Israel, and Jesus and his<br />
disciples, among many others. As in A<br />
Christmas Story, the use of gold-toned paints<br />
creates shining illustrations, and many are<br />
reminiscent of stained-glass windows. In an<br />
Author’s Note, Wildsmith states that he wanted<br />
to capture the symbolism of Jesus’ last days on<br />
earth, as well as his death and resurrection, in<br />
“color, shape and form.” He succeeds by<br />
creating beautiful yet accurate illustrations of<br />
Jerusalem in Jesus’ time. Although the story has<br />
been written for children, the gorgeous, almost<br />
theatrical, illustrations make it a pleasure for<br />
anyone to read and view.<br />
Kerri Cunningham, Librarian, Camano Island, Washington<br />
The very first Easter, by Paul L. Maier;<br />
illustrated by Francisco Ordaz. LCCN<br />
00701286. St. Louis, Mo.: Concordia,<br />
1999. ISBN 0570070538, HBB, $14.00.<br />
232.96. Jesus Christ--Resurrection; Jesus Christ--<br />
Passion; Easter; Bible stories--N.T. 32 p. Elementary.<br />
This book follows the same format as Paul<br />
Maier’s companion book, The Very First<br />
Christmas. Meier embeds the story of the first<br />
Easter inside the story of a ten-year-old boy<br />
named Christopher, who lives with his mother<br />
and father, a forest ranger, in a remote area of<br />
America’s western mountains. As Christopher<br />
and his parents are sitting around the table dying<br />
Easter eggs, Christopher wonders aloud what<br />
the true story of Easter is. His Dad picks up the<br />
Bible and the two of them begin to read aloud<br />
from the book of Luke.<br />
The narrative follows their discussion as they<br />
read, with Christopher asking questions that any<br />
child might typically ask—“How do we know<br />
Jesus was really God?” “Why did they hang<br />
people on crosses, Dad?” “But if Jesus had a<br />
solid body and wasn’t a ghost, how did he get<br />
through the walls?” Maier’s format works well<br />
in this setting. Quotations from Luke tell the<br />
story, but the discussion between Christopher<br />
and his Dad explain the Easter story in a way<br />
that seems natural and easy to understand.<br />
While the text of this book is quite good, what<br />
makes this book an excellent addition to the<br />
Easter collection is the outstanding artwork of<br />
Francisco Ordaz. Beautiful, full page pictures<br />
take up the right hand side of each spread.<br />
These realistic and detailed illustrations do a<br />
superb job of furthering the viewer’s<br />
understanding of the Easter story. Especially<br />
well done is a portrayal of Jesus praying in the<br />
garden of Gethsemane and an illustration<br />
showing the women standing in amazement<br />
before the empty tomb. The Very First Easter is<br />
a wonderful book to share with a child, or<br />
anyone, who wonders what more there is to<br />
Easter than bunnies and painted eggs.<br />
Lillian Heytvelt, Librarian, Pomeroy, Washington<br />
Little girls devotional storybook for<br />
mothers and daughters, by Carolyn<br />
Larsen; illustrated by Caron Turk. Grand<br />
Rapids: Baker Books, 2000. ISBN<br />
0801044464, HBB, $16.99.<br />
242. Prayer books and devotions. 187 p. Elementary.<br />
The Little Girls Devotional Storybook for<br />
Mothers and Daughters contains eighteen short<br />
stories that will capture the attention of young<br />
girls while teaching them important lessons.<br />
Each story is followed by questions for mothers<br />
and daughters to answer together, a brief<br />
devotional, and a scripture related to the story.<br />
The stories deal with such hard topics as anger,<br />
selfishness, and disobedience. Positive topics<br />
such as thankfulness and God’s loving care are<br />
also included. As an added feature, the<br />
illustrator, Caron Turk, has included a little<br />
angel with pink wings in each picture. Little<br />
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girls will enjoy searching for her throughout the<br />
book.<br />
Carolyn Larson has written a charming<br />
devotional that young girls and their mothers<br />
will love reading together. The bright and<br />
colorful pictures add to the stories and keep<br />
children interested. Young girls will identify<br />
with the emotions of the characters in the<br />
stories. They will see that although their actions<br />
are sometimes bad, they are not bad. Mothers<br />
will be reminded of how a child thinks, which<br />
will help them identify with their own little girls.<br />
The questions at the end of each story are<br />
thought provoking, but simple enough for young<br />
children to understand and answer. Many<br />
stories even provide ideas for activities that<br />
mothers and daughters can do together. The<br />
Little Girls Devotional Book is something every<br />
mother and daughter should have on their<br />
bookshelf.<br />
Robyn Wyatt, Freelance Writer, Port Orchard, Washington<br />
A child’s garden of prayers : a collection of<br />
classic prayers and timeless blessings,<br />
compiled by Tama Fortner; featuring the<br />
artwork of Thomas Kinkade. LCCN<br />
00041819. Nashville: Tommy Nelson,<br />
Thomas Nelson, 2000. ISBN 0849976030,<br />
HBB, $17.99.<br />
242’.8. Children--Prayer-books and devotions--<br />
English. 60 p. Elementary.<br />
A Child’s Garden of Prayers entwines Thomas<br />
Kinkade’s paintings with a collection of prayers<br />
and blessings. Fans of Kinkade’s light-infused<br />
artwork will treasure this padded gift book<br />
which introduces children to praying. Prayers of<br />
gratitude and petition are included, plus prayers<br />
for morning, noon, and night. Topics cover<br />
parents, holidays, friends, animals, home, the<br />
world, and more.<br />
Some prayers are familiar like St. Francis of<br />
Assisi’s: “Lord, make me an instrument of your<br />
peace/ Where there is hatred, let me sow love/<br />
Where there is injury, pardon/ Where there is<br />
despair, hope/ Where there is darkness, light/<br />
Where there is sadness, joy.” Other classic<br />
prayers were penned by Martin Luther, John and<br />
Charles Wesley, and Robert Louis Stevenson.<br />
Numerous prayers are sweet poetic verses. For<br />
example: “Heavenly Father, hear my prayer.<br />
Night and day I’m in Your care. Look upon me<br />
from above. Bless the home I dearly love. Bless<br />
the friends with whom I play. Make us kinder<br />
day by day (Unknown).” Also included are<br />
traditional prayers: “God is great, and God is<br />
good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His<br />
hand we all are fed; Thank you, Lord, for our<br />
daily bread.” The book concludes with The<br />
Lord’s Prayer and blank pages to record little<br />
one’s prayers.<br />
Parents will appreciate the variety of prayers<br />
found for different individuals and daily events<br />
of life. Families will enjoy the inspiring<br />
paintings of houses, people, gardens, and<br />
streams. An index of Kinkade’s thirty-one<br />
paintings is included. Although the prayers are<br />
dear and meaningful, probably Kinkade’s<br />
popular paintings will sell the book.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer, Former Teacher, Seattle,<br />
Washington<br />
Big truths for little kids : teaching your<br />
children to live for God, by Susan Hunt<br />
and Richie Hunt. LCCN 99030536.<br />
Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1999.<br />
ISBN 1581341067, HBB, $12.99.<br />
248.8’45. Catechisms, English; Children--Religious<br />
life. 160 p. Elementary.<br />
Big Truths for Little Kids : Teaching Your<br />
Children to Live for God, by Susan Hunt and<br />
Richie Hunt, is a series of thirty-four stories<br />
designed “to teach children that they are created<br />
for God’s glory.” Each section contains<br />
catechisms, stories, let’s talk, and let’s pray<br />
suggestions. The catechisms range from “Who<br />
made you?” “God;” to “What is God?” “God is<br />
Spirit and has no body as we do;” to “What<br />
covenant did God make with Adam?” “The<br />
covenant of life.” It is suggested that the<br />
child(ren) being read to memorize the<br />
catechisms prior to reading each story section.<br />
The stories are short, usually two and one-half<br />
pages, and the let’s talk questions deal<br />
specifically with the story and how the story<br />
relates to the Bible and it’s relevance to life<br />
today. The Let’s Pray section includes a Bible<br />
verse from the NIV, and a simple prayer<br />
suggestion, designed to teach children to pray<br />
biblically.<br />
Susan Hunt and her son Richie have compiled<br />
different stories that are simple and short.<br />
Young children will enjoy the stories while they<br />
are learning catechism. These stories are also<br />
appropriate for devotions. Doctrine is not<br />
discussed so this book would be useful across<br />
different belief systems. The catechisms are<br />
pointed and clearly based on biblical truths.<br />
This would be useful book for teaching children<br />
to life for God. The illustrations are simple<br />
pencil drawings reflecting children and adults<br />
who are smiling, interacting, and friendly.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
300’s—Social Sciences<br />
The lion and the mouse : an Aesop fable,<br />
retold and illustrated by Bernadette<br />
Watts. LCCN 99056634. New York:<br />
North-South Books, 2000. ISBN<br />
0735812209, HBB, $15.95.<br />
398.2. Fables; Folklore. unp. Elementary.<br />
It’s sunny and hot in the jungle, and most of the<br />
citizens are resting. All but one little lion cub<br />
who still wants to play. Finally, though, he nods<br />
off to sleep. His nap was short lived when a<br />
mouse scampers across his paw. The mouse<br />
pleads for his life, and lion cub spares his life.<br />
Grateful, the mouse promises to reward the<br />
cub’s kindness. Not sure how a small mouse<br />
could ever help him, the lion cub grows and<br />
grows, becoming the king of the jungle. On<br />
another sunny, hot day in the jungle, the lion<br />
manages to get caught in a net. Every way he<br />
turns, every struggle he makes, the mighty king<br />
of the jungle becomes even more entangled.<br />
The mouse hears the lion’s cries for help and<br />
offers his promise of help from years ago. Lion<br />
considers the mouse’s size and doubts his ability<br />
to help anyone, especially himself. Mouse sets<br />
to work, and eventually the lion is free. The<br />
lesson the lion learns is to “never again laugh at<br />
someone weaker or smaller than myself.”<br />
Bernadette Watts’ retelling of this Aesop fable is<br />
simple, and her illustrations are colorful, and<br />
sweet. A wonderful picture book for small<br />
children.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
Luba and the wren, by Patricia Polacco.<br />
LCCN 98016353. New York: Philomel,<br />
Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN<br />
0399231684, HBB, $16.99.<br />
398.2’0947’02. Fairy tales; Folklore--Russia. unp.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Luba and the Wren, Patricia Polacco’s retelling<br />
of the classic folk tale, “The Fisherman and His<br />
Wife,” is told with Russian flavor and the<br />
charming addition of a faithful and loving<br />
daughter, Luba. Polacco starts out with a Bible<br />
verse on the title page: “For where your treasure<br />
is, there will your heart be also. Matt. 6:21.”<br />
She then goes on to demonstrate through her<br />
story one possible outcome of having your heart<br />
in things, not people.<br />
Luba helps a wren trapped in a fowler’s net and,<br />
in gratitude, the wren tells her, “Ask for<br />
anything you wish.” Satisfied with her family’s<br />
simple lifestyle, Luba doesn’t want anything,<br />
but when she tells her parents, they trot out a<br />
long list of wants, from a rich estate to the power<br />
of ruling over the world. In fear and trembling,<br />
Luba obediently makes each wish until the wren<br />
finally returns everything to the way it was and<br />
her parents learn to be content.<br />
Polacco’s artwork, done in colored pencils and<br />
marking pens, gives the story much of its<br />
Russian flavor as well as demonstrating<br />
Polacco’s familiarity with the Russian lifestyle<br />
through her Russian and Ukrainian heritage, her<br />
extensive travels in the former Soviet Union,<br />
and her studies in Russian art and iconography.<br />
Although Polacco’s more recent works have<br />
tended to be a bit serious and message-driven,<br />
Luba and the Wren is vintage Polacco, a story<br />
told for the joy of telling it, and even libraries<br />
with a large selection of folk tales might want to<br />
add this one to their collection.<br />
Betty Winslow, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy, Bowling Green,<br />
Ohio<br />
Sanji’s seed, by B.J. Reinhard; illustrated<br />
by Shelly Hehenberger. LCCN 00011570.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany Backyard, Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764222104, HBB,<br />
$12.99.<br />
398.2’0951’02. Folklore--China. unp. Elementary.<br />
Inspired by an East Indian folktale, Sanji’s Seed<br />
by B.J. Reinhard tells of a peasant boy who<br />
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longs to become king. He learns that elderly<br />
King Akbar is looking for a successor. The next<br />
ruler must prove himself worthy by caring for a<br />
seed for one month and returning with the plant.<br />
Sanji nurtures his seed, but it doesn’t sprout.<br />
His mother reassures him that he did his best,<br />
and she will always be proud of him.<br />
When Sanji returns to the king’s palace with his<br />
pot of dirt, other young men are there with large,<br />
beautiful plants. Sanji hangs his head in shame.<br />
But King Akbar laughs at the other young men,<br />
saying he boiled the seeds in oil so they couldn’t<br />
grow. The king’s test proves Sanji has the<br />
integrity needed to become the next ruler. Sanji<br />
and his mother move into the palace, and he<br />
becomes a kind and honest king.<br />
Detailed illustrations by Shelly Hehenberger<br />
complement the story and are painted in rich,<br />
deep tones. Facial expressions show<br />
anticipation, disappointment, and pleasure.<br />
Parents and teachers will appreciate the<br />
emphasis on honesty and the lesson from Luke<br />
16:10, Whoever can be trusted with small<br />
things can also be trusted with large things.<br />
Adult-child discussion questions are also<br />
included. This endearing story makes a<br />
worthwhile addition to homes and libraries.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer, Former Teacher, Seattle,<br />
Washington<br />
500’s—Natural Sciences & Mathematics<br />
Earth’s fiery fury, by Sandra Downs.<br />
(Exploring planet earth.) LCCN<br />
00024956. Brookfield, Ct.: Twenty-First<br />
Century Books, Millbrook Press, 2000.<br />
ISBN 076131413X, HBB, $23.40.<br />
551.21. Volcanoes; Geothermal resources. 64 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Volcanoes, geysers, mudpots and fire fountains<br />
form the center around which Earth’s Fiery<br />
Fury revolves. Many photos accompany the<br />
text and offer a visual journey that makes it easy<br />
to stay interested. Boxed sidebars add variety<br />
and highlight important features about the<br />
various topics A glossary, recommended<br />
resources (both print and www sites), and an<br />
index enable one to concentrate on individual<br />
aspects. It also attests to the careful research<br />
done in this work.<br />
Different sized pictures, varying headlines, and<br />
attractive layout enable the student to probe and<br />
enjoy the journey in this slim volume. Many<br />
facts are included and give teachers further<br />
subject for study.<br />
Downs is an avid mineral collector and has been<br />
interested in scenic geologic features since<br />
childhood. She lives in northern New Jersey.<br />
One sees her genuine interest and devotion<br />
underlying many of the points made as she has<br />
visited most of the sites discussed, and gotten so<br />
close to volcanoes and mudpots that one can<br />
almost feel the effect.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
Butternut Hollow Pond, by Brian J.<br />
Heinz; illustrated by Bob Marstall.<br />
LCCN 99044813. Brookfield, Ct.:<br />
Millbrook Press, 2000. ISBN 0761302689,<br />
HBB, $22.90.<br />
591.763. Pond animals; Predation (Biology); Pond<br />
ecology; Ecology. unp. Elementary.<br />
The text and illustrations of Butternut Hollow<br />
Pond showcase a typical temperate pond in the<br />
eastern United States. Through five timeframes,<br />
from dawn to darkness, readers can experience<br />
the interdependence of food chains, food webs,<br />
and the ecological riches each organism brings.<br />
There is no fantasy storyline—nature is shown<br />
with its survival instincts.<br />
Heinz, an elementary school teacher for twentythree<br />
years, is the author of previous picture<br />
books, The Wolves (Dial Books, 1996), Nanuk:<br />
Lord of the Ice (Dial Books, 1998), and The<br />
Monsters’ Test (Cooper Beech Books, 1996).<br />
He and wife Judy live in New York.<br />
Bob Marstall is a landscape painter and awardwinning<br />
illustrator of nature oriented children’s<br />
books, such as An Extraordinary Life by<br />
Laurence Pringle (Orchard Books, 2000). He<br />
lives in Massachusetts.<br />
Teachers and parents can use the detailed story<br />
in words and watercolor to illustrate the<br />
ecological world in motion. Water striders,<br />
beetles, dragonflies, tree swallows, mallard<br />
ducklings, turtle, pumpkinseed, heron,<br />
woodchuck, cottontail, marsh hawk, deer,<br />
pickerel frog, and brass give life and interest to<br />
the story. <strong>Christian</strong> librarians can add this title<br />
with confidence.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
Magnificent monarchs, by Linda Glaser;<br />
illustrated by Gay Holland. LCCN<br />
99086640. Brookfield, Ct.: Millbrook<br />
Press, 2000. ISBN 0761317007, HBB,<br />
$21.40.<br />
595.78’9. Monarch butterfly; Butterflies. 32 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Magnificent Monarchs offers a colorful journey<br />
in the life of a monarch butterfly. It begins with<br />
a tiny caterpillar pushing from a leaf, and ends<br />
with the migration of monarchs. The<br />
illustrations are inviting, both in the light color<br />
hues created, and in the gentle feeling they offer.<br />
Four pages of Monarch facts at the end of the<br />
book help answer questions that might be raised,<br />
e.g. How many eggs does a monarch lay? Are<br />
caterpillars worms? Do all monarchs migrate?<br />
How do migrating monarchs find their way?<br />
Web sites of organizations supporting the<br />
monarch are given and enable parents and<br />
teachers to get much more information.<br />
Glaser has written other outstanding science<br />
books such as Wonderful Worms (Millbrook,<br />
1994), and Spectacular Spiders (Millbrook,<br />
1998), and continues that quality here. Overall,<br />
her writing makes science easily understandable<br />
and inviting.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
All about turtles, written and illustrated<br />
by Jim Arnosky. LCCN 99029657. New<br />
York: Scholastic Press, 2000. ISBN<br />
0590481495, HBB, $15.95.<br />
597.92. Turtles. 26 p. Elementary.<br />
All About Turtles answers: How many kinds of<br />
turtles are there? Why do turtles have shells?<br />
What do turtles eat? How old can they live to<br />
be?<br />
This is an important and informative title for all<br />
children. The story is told in such an easy<br />
moving vein, that each page offers a new aspect.<br />
Drawings are bold, adventurous, and colorful,<br />
e.g., two pages illustrate how big a turtle can be,<br />
and another two show the top and bottom view<br />
of a typical turtle shell. He describes salt water,<br />
freshwater, and land-dwelling turtles, showing<br />
the differences in anatomy, habitat, and diet.<br />
Arnosky is the award-winning author and<br />
illustrator of some fifty books for children. As<br />
an avid naturist, his first-hand observations add<br />
interest and depth to his depictions and<br />
descriptions.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
600’s—Technology (Applied Sciences)<br />
How you are changing : for discussion or<br />
individual use, by Jane Graver. (Learning<br />
about sex series; 3.) LCCN 98225633. St.<br />
Louis, Mo.: Concordia, 1998. ISBN<br />
0570035643, PAP, $9.99.<br />
613.907. Sex instruction for children; Sex instruction-<br />
-Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity. 63 p. Elementary.<br />
How You Are Changing explains to eight to<br />
eleven year olds the physical, emotional, and<br />
spiritual changes that are normal as they grow<br />
and mature. This is one in a series of seven<br />
books dedicated to giving honest answers to<br />
sensitive questions. Jane Graver has used ageappropriate<br />
language to discuss God’s plan in<br />
creating new life, the changes that take place<br />
during adolescence, and how this affects your<br />
sexuality. She helps to discover the purpose<br />
behind each change-taking place while always<br />
directing the reader back to God’s plan. She has<br />
also included a question and answer section that<br />
address common questions asked and promotes<br />
respect for your own body and for others.<br />
This is a very versatile series. It is designed for<br />
the parent to read first and then to share with<br />
their child. The book can be given to the child<br />
to read on their own, as they are interested; or<br />
read along with their parent. The illustrations<br />
demonstrate the needed information without<br />
being graphic or explicit. Sensitive material is<br />
handled in a way that emphasizes God’s<br />
wonderful plan for creating new life. This series<br />
would build confidence in parents who aren’t<br />
sure how to approach the subject. It brings back<br />
the respect and beauty God intended but our<br />
society has perverted.<br />
Marcia Snyder, Librarian, Missoula, Montana<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 2 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
CHILDREN’S NONFICTION<br />
Emergency! by Joy Masoff. LCCN<br />
97026995. New York: Scholastic, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0590978985, HBB, $16.95.<br />
616.02’5. Emergency medicine. 48 p. Elementary.<br />
In an 8 1/2 x 11 size format, Emergency invites<br />
children to appreciate the role of emergency<br />
medical workers. Open Emergency and see an<br />
active scene—from vehicles, ambulances and<br />
helicopters, protective clothing and scrub pants,<br />
suture kits and portable X-ray machines, to the<br />
doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians and<br />
others who devote their shifts to making people<br />
well.<br />
Color action pictures, attractively placed<br />
headings and subheadings, and real life<br />
application make Masoff’s work a drama of<br />
interest. While written for children as an aid to<br />
lessening fear of the unknown, Emergency could<br />
be read by youth and adults and capture a lot of<br />
information and understanding. Clearly this is<br />
an outstanding title with lots of input in fortyeight<br />
pages. An index enables one to find<br />
specific points.<br />
Masoff, a Scout leader for the past seven years,<br />
came into contact with their sponsor, The Fire<br />
Department, and learned that rescue work and<br />
emergency medical care were a high percentage<br />
of their calls. That prompted her to share the<br />
story of these caring people. The first-hand<br />
observations add to the care with which details<br />
are shared and make the graphics compelling<br />
without being sensationalized.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The Kids Can Press jumbo book of<br />
gardening, written by Karyn Morris;<br />
illustrated by Jane Kurisu. Toronto, Ont.:<br />
Kids Can Press, 2000. ISBN 1550746901,<br />
PAP, $14.95.<br />
635. Gardening. 240 p. Elementary (Middle school).<br />
Juvenile gardening books often make the<br />
mistake of condescending to young readers.<br />
Author Karyn Morris treats her readers with<br />
respect. Within the pages of her book, The Kids<br />
Can Press Jumbo Book of Gardening, Morris<br />
explains basic plant requirements for optimum<br />
growth. She addresses how to plot out a garden,<br />
prepare the soil, and perform garden<br />
maintenance.<br />
From Victory, Teepee, and Herb gardens to<br />
Miniature, Native, and Hanging gardens, Morris<br />
presents a large assortment of gardening styles<br />
and shapes to fit the interests of any child. She<br />
covers wildlife and native gardens, school and<br />
community gardens. There is even a section on<br />
attracting various wildlife and eliminating pests<br />
in the garden. Illustrations by Jane Kurisu<br />
abound on each page, complimenting the simple<br />
yet informative text with black and white<br />
drawings accented with green.<br />
Minor concerns may include the use of an old<br />
Iroquois tale called the Three Sisters, which<br />
speaks of the Sky woman who created the world<br />
as the basis for a garden design using fish heads.<br />
Other mystical references include a page for<br />
creating a fairy garden and the wives’ tale that<br />
basil keeps witches away. Overall, this book is<br />
an excellent resource for anyone interested in<br />
nurturing a love for nature and earth sciences<br />
through gardening.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
Where once there was a wood, by Denise<br />
Fleming. LCCN 95018906. New York:<br />
Henry Holt, 1996. ISBN 0805037616,<br />
HBB, $6.95.<br />
639.9’20. Wildlife attracting; Wildlife conservation.<br />
unp. Elementary.<br />
Denise Fleming’s book, Where Once There Was<br />
a Wood, contains not only a wonderful parade of<br />
woodland, meadow, and creek wildlife done in<br />
paper pulp paintings, but also a subtle message:<br />
Wild creatures need space, shelter, water, and<br />
food to survive. The habitats represented in the<br />
book were once near Fleming’s home in Ohio<br />
and were part of the inspiration for her first<br />
book, In the Tall, Tall Grass; these habitats were<br />
destroyed during the making of a neighboring<br />
housing development. Before they disappeared,<br />
she collected and dried bits of the plants that<br />
were there. These bits were then incorporated<br />
into the pulp of the painting that wraps around<br />
the book’s front and back covers and in the<br />
white borders of each painting inside—except<br />
for one, the double spread painting at the story’s<br />
end that shows what stands there now “…houses<br />
side by side twenty houses deep.”<br />
Fleming dedicates her book to “.Indigo, Sam,<br />
Emily, Molly, and Rachel—The Future”—the<br />
children of two of her friends and her own<br />
daughter, since her desire, in writing the story,<br />
was to motivate children (and the grownups who<br />
care about them) to notice and perhaps save the<br />
habitats around them before it becomes too late,<br />
as it was in Fleming’s own neighborhood.<br />
To help readers inspired by her story, Fleming<br />
included in the back of the book several pages of<br />
information on building wildlife refuges in<br />
backyards or other areas and a page of addresses<br />
that readers can use to send off for more<br />
information on wildlife attraction and<br />
preservation. The combination of lovely nature<br />
paintings done in Fleming’s unique style (her<br />
most detailed efforts to date), the slow poetic<br />
story and gentle ending warning, and the<br />
information provided to help interested readers<br />
go further with the subject make Where Once<br />
There Was a Wood a valuable addition to any<br />
library used by children.<br />
Betty Winslow, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy, Bowling Green,<br />
Ohio<br />
The wonderful way babies are made, by<br />
Larry Christenson; illustrated by Cheri<br />
Bladholm. LCCN 00008940.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany Backyard, Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764223410, HBB,<br />
$10.99.<br />
649’.65. Sex--Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity; Sex<br />
instruction for children. 48 p. Elementary (Small<br />
children).<br />
Using creation as a starting point and ending<br />
with Jesus’ virgin birth, The Wonderful Way<br />
Babies Are Made, covers human reproduction<br />
from a completely biblical perspective.<br />
Focusing on God’s plan for reproduction, basic<br />
biological information covers only a few pages.<br />
On each page, information is presented two<br />
different ways. There is a simplified rhyming<br />
verse with larger print for younger children. For<br />
older children smaller print inside a box<br />
provides more detailed information. For<br />
younger children, intercourse is only referred to<br />
as making love and not all details are divulged<br />
or body parts named. For older readers more<br />
information is imparted. Body parts are named<br />
and the terms intercourse and making love are<br />
used interchangeably. By basing the entire book<br />
on God’s plan, the author is able to naturally<br />
instill that reproduction is reserved for mothers<br />
and fathers who are married. A brief mention is<br />
made that making love is very pleasant and<br />
people want to do it outside of marriage, but that<br />
isn’t part of God’s plan.<br />
Author Larry Christenson, recommends parents<br />
read this with their children, no matter what<br />
their age. Beautiful watercolor illustrations by<br />
Cheri Bladholm complement the gentle text<br />
nicely. On the page where making love is<br />
discussed, there is a drawing of a woman on top<br />
of a man in bed. Mostly covered with blankets,<br />
bare shoulders are shown. Other pictures are of<br />
human and animal families with their young or<br />
are biblical illustrations. This would be a great<br />
resource for parents wanting to give their<br />
children the whole picture, not just the clinical<br />
facts.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
700’s—The Arts and Recreation<br />
★<br />
Crafts for all seasons, by Kathy Ross;<br />
illustrated by Vicky Enright. LCCN<br />
99052760. Brookfield, Ct.: The Millbrook<br />
Press, 2000. ISBN 076131346X, HBB,<br />
$19.95.<br />
745.5. Handicraft; Seasons. 176 p. Elementary.<br />
Kathy Ross has assembled a collection of crafts<br />
that will inspire a child’s imagination in her<br />
book Crafts For All Seasons. She begins with<br />
fall and has twenty crafts for each season. Each<br />
craft has a pictorial list of supplies needed. She<br />
also provides numbered and illustrated<br />
instructions. The crafts apply not only to the<br />
holidays that occur during a particular season,<br />
such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, St.<br />
Patrick’s Day, and Father’s Day, but she also<br />
includes events or characteristics of that<br />
particular season, such as the first day of school,<br />
snowmen, spring flowers, and weddings.<br />
Halloween is not included.<br />
This craft book has a wonderful balance of<br />
crafts that need a little parental help, and those<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 2 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
CHILDREN’S NONFICTION<br />
that a child could complete on his own. Another<br />
plus is that the majority of supplies needed<br />
really can be found in most homes. The<br />
illustrations do an excellent job of<br />
complementing the written instructions and<br />
showing the final result. The background<br />
illustrations on each page are fun scenes that<br />
show children enjoying the season.<br />
The book itself is easy to use with each craft’s<br />
instructions on a double page lay-out. No pages<br />
to turn back and forth. Very young children will<br />
need help, but those older should be able to<br />
complete several of the crafts by themselves.<br />
Even those with problems reading would be able<br />
to follow the picture instruction for several of<br />
the crafts.<br />
Patricia Youmans, Homeschool Parent, Siloam Springs, Arkansas<br />
Silent night, holy night : a Christmas<br />
carol, by Joseph Mohr; illustrated by<br />
Mája DusÎková. LCCN 99021121. New<br />
York: North-South Books, 1999. ISBN<br />
0732811520, HBB, $15.95.<br />
782.28’1723. Carols, German--Texts; Christmas<br />
music--Texts; Carols; Christmas music. unp.<br />
Elementary.<br />
“Silent Night” is one of our most loved<br />
Christmas carols. It was written by Joseph<br />
Mohr in Austria almost two centuries ago as he<br />
was preparing for midnight mass. Mája<br />
DusÎková has captured the beauty and simplicity<br />
of this carol. The illustrations bring a soft<br />
warmth to the familiar text and leave the reader<br />
with a sense of calm. The complete text of the<br />
song is illustrated from the silence of the night,<br />
to the brightness of our Saviour.<br />
The book, Silent night, Holy Night : A Christmas<br />
Carol, begins with the story behind the famous<br />
carol. Mája DusÎková has written a synopsis of<br />
the events that led to the writing of the text and<br />
music, the efforts of two men. Although the<br />
text is very familiar, the addition of pictures<br />
brings a new dimension to an old carol. It would<br />
be especially nice for younger children who may<br />
already be familiar with the words to the song.<br />
A delightful addition to a Christmas collection.<br />
Marcia Snyder, Librarian, Missoula, Montana<br />
100 best games, by Eulalia Perez;<br />
illustrated by Maria Rius. LCCN<br />
99069412. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron’s,<br />
2000. ISBN 0764113437, PAP, $12.95.<br />
790.1’922. Games; Amusements. 127 p. Elementary.<br />
100 Best Games by Eulalia Perez is an easy to<br />
use reference book. Nicely presented, games<br />
are divided by indoor or outdoor activities and<br />
logically arranged by sub-category. There are<br />
introduction games, games to separate and<br />
choose, expression games, games for two,<br />
running games, games played with a ball, travel<br />
games and games for infants and toddlers.<br />
Rules and play are very clearly presented.<br />
Colorful illustrations by Maria Rius help to<br />
interpret directions. Many standard games like<br />
Hopscotch, Follow the Leader and Freeze Tag<br />
are included. The Parson’s Cat or Planted may<br />
not be as familiar. There are also many<br />
variations of popular games, providing players<br />
with a new challenge. Each game is clearly<br />
labeled with appropriate age group and the<br />
number of players required.<br />
This book would be a great resource for school<br />
teachers, Sunday school teachers and parents<br />
who need a quick game idea that requires no setup<br />
or props. While games presented in this book<br />
are clearly intended for children, adults could<br />
also play adaptations of them. The introduction<br />
games would be fun for any age. Directions are<br />
provided at the back of the book for a few<br />
simple crafts. These can be used with some of<br />
the games, but are meant to be optional.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
Yippee ti-yay happy birthday, by Phil<br />
Lollar; illustrated by John Jordan. (Little<br />
dogs on the prairie.) LCCN 00032459.<br />
Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas<br />
Nelson, 2000. ISBN 0849976480, PAP,<br />
$9.99.<br />
793.2’1. Children’s parties; Birthdays; Games;<br />
Parties; Cookery; Prairie dogs. 32 p. Elementary<br />
(Small children).<br />
In Yippee Ti-Yay Happy Birthday, the Little<br />
Dogs on the Prairie are invited to a birthday<br />
party, but they don’t know who it’s for. The fun<br />
celebration includes stories, songs, recipes,<br />
riddles, jokes, and games planned with a<br />
Western and prairie-dog theme. Familiar<br />
children’s games like “Simon Says” and “Duck,<br />
Duck Goose” become “Sheriff Says” and “Dog,<br />
Dog, Snake.” Yummy recipes include Dirt<br />
Pudding (chocolate pudding with gummy candy<br />
worms), Little Dog Cupcakes, Prairie Punch,<br />
and Tumbleweed Popcorn Balls. Silly songs are<br />
among the party ideas, but musical scores are<br />
not included. There’s also a birthday prayer<br />
thanking God for His blessings and asking Him<br />
for help to give and not just get. The author, Phil<br />
Lollar, ends the story with a surprise—the party<br />
is for you, the reader!<br />
Illustrated by John Jordan, this light-hearted<br />
book contains the same whimsical cartoon<br />
characters found in Little Dogs on the Prairie<br />
videos. The colorful drawings are detailed and<br />
add to the fun of the story. However,<br />
illustrations on the recipe page do not show clear<br />
pictures of finished treats.<br />
Since children love birthdays, they will enjoy<br />
this interactive book geared for youngsters four<br />
to eight. It may be the perfect birthday gift for a<br />
child you know.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer, Former Teacher, Seattle,<br />
Washington<br />
Look-alikes, by Joan Steiner;<br />
photography by Thomas Lindley. LCCN<br />
97032795. Boston: Little, Brown, 1998.<br />
ISBN 0316812552, HBB, $13.95.<br />
793.73. Picture puzzles. unp. Elementary.<br />
Look-alikes, jr., by Joan Steiner;<br />
photography by Thomas Lindley. LCCN<br />
99011683. Boston: Little, Brown, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0316813079, HBB, $13.95.<br />
793.73. Picture puzzles. unp. Elementary.<br />
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.<br />
Joan Steiner must believe that, since her books<br />
Look-Alikes and Look-Alikes Jr. use few words,<br />
but many pictures, worth their weight in gold for<br />
their ability to make you look at the objects that<br />
surround you in a whole new way. Each book is<br />
its own little world, with houses, outdoor scenes,<br />
and businesses made up of common ordinary<br />
items that could be found in the bottom of the<br />
average purse or junk drawer.<br />
Look-Alikes, written for “..puzzlers of all ages”<br />
is a challenging look at such common locations<br />
as a train and train station, a movie theater<br />
lobby, a city harbor, a circus, and a playground,<br />
all put together from over 1,000 hidden<br />
everyday objects such as pencils, oil paint tubes,<br />
peanuts, scissors, batteries, food items, coins<br />
and dollar bills. From a ferry made of scrub<br />
brushes and vacuum cleaners made of a razor<br />
and a nail clipper to a couch made of a pair of<br />
leather gloves and a ferris wheel made from<br />
safety scissors, the pages of this book can keep<br />
readers enthralled and busy for hours.<br />
In Look-Alikes Jr. (meant for younger children<br />
and shorter attention spans and including over<br />
700 hidden objects), you can find hundreds of<br />
delightful surprises such as a plug-in nightlight<br />
looking like a blender, a yellow cassette player<br />
making an amazing appearance as the body of a<br />
school bus, a tape dispenser and a claw hair<br />
barrette plowing a field of dark brown corduroy,<br />
a clear plastic change purse masquerading as a<br />
classroom aquarium, and a handful of unshelled<br />
peanuts looking just like a child’s teddy bear.<br />
At the end of each book, Steiner posts lists of the<br />
items that make up each picture, with the hard to<br />
find items marked with asterisks. She also poses<br />
a question in each: What’s found in every scene?<br />
More fun than searching for Waldo and more<br />
imagination-stretching than any fiction book<br />
I’ve ever read, these books are must-haves!<br />
Betty Winslow, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy, Bowling Green,<br />
Ohio<br />
800’s—Literature & Rhetoric<br />
Good night, sleep tight : a poem for every<br />
night of the year! : 366 poems to bring you<br />
the sweetest of dreams, compiled by Ivan<br />
and Mal Jones. New York: Scholastic,<br />
2000. ISBN 043918813X, HBB, $22.95.<br />
811. Children’s poetry. 256 p. Elementary (Small<br />
children).<br />
There are three hundred and sixty five days in a<br />
year, sixty-six if you count leap year. This is<br />
exactly what the editors of Good Night, Sleep<br />
Tight did when compiling their book of poetry.<br />
From classics authors from Shakespeare,<br />
Kipling, and Robert Louis Stevenson to more<br />
contemporary authors like Ogden Nash, Tony<br />
Mitton, and Michael Rosen, this book<br />
delightfully entertains young and old alike.<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 2 8 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
CHILDREN’S NONFICTION<br />
Editors Ivan and Mel Jones selected twelve<br />
artists to each illustrate a different month of the<br />
year. Throughout the book, the styles of art fit<br />
together smoothly, lending diversity while still<br />
giving the book continuity with their bright<br />
colors and simple designs.<br />
The poems tug at the imagination of children,<br />
thus playful images of unicorns, fairies, and<br />
monsters contrast with kittens, snowmen, and<br />
bedtimes. Two days describe Jewish<br />
celebrations. December has reference to Father<br />
Christmas and Santa Claws (a poem about cats.)<br />
Several poems may be controversial. April 8th<br />
has a lighthearted poem called “The Laughing<br />
Buddha.” A poem “Before the Beginning”<br />
wonders about evolution, and Krishna’s<br />
Birthday has the poem, “Krishna’s Friends.”<br />
October 31st talks about the witch’s black cat<br />
who had kittens. But there is nothing sinister in<br />
the writings; most are whimsical or traditional<br />
pieces of poetry.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
Barnyard prayers, by Laura Godwin;<br />
illustrated by Brian Selznick. New York:<br />
Hyperion Books for Children, 2000. HBB,<br />
$14.99.<br />
811’.54. Domestic animals--Poetry; Children’s poetry,<br />
American; American poetry; Prayers. 32 p.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Laura Godwin has seen the publishing world<br />
from both sides of the fence, both as an editor at<br />
Henry Holt and as an author whose works on<br />
bookstore and library shelves can be found not<br />
only under her name, but also under the name<br />
“Nola Buck” (the combining of her mother’s<br />
and father’s names), and her work shows a sure<br />
grasp of what will work for kids. Barnyard<br />
Prayers, her first book of poems, is a collection<br />
of short and simple poem prayers said by<br />
various barnyard animals. In Godwin’s case,<br />
though, simple does not mean childish. Her<br />
poems have a lot going on in them and some<br />
remind me of French poet Carmen B. De<br />
Gasztold’s work in her book, Prayers from the<br />
Ark, translated into English by Rumer Godden<br />
in 1962 and now sadly out of print. My favorite<br />
of Godwin’s, “The Sheep’s Prayer,” is only two<br />
lines long:<br />
I am just a woolly sheep.<br />
Please help me count myself to sleep.<br />
Brian Selznick’s illustrations add another<br />
dimension to the book. He chose to make the<br />
farm animals part of an urban child’s toy farm<br />
set and, in the first few pages, the little boy is<br />
playing with the toys in his room, beneath a<br />
window that looks out over a city landscape. As<br />
the book progresses, the toys become life size<br />
animals—or does the boy shrink to become toy<br />
size? It’s up to the reader to decide, as one<br />
illustration after another shows the boy and his<br />
animals romping on green grass fields, in hay<br />
lofts, and around and in a big red barn. Then,<br />
with the last poem, “The Farmer’s Benediction,”<br />
the boy is in his bed under a layer of abandoned<br />
farm toys, drifting off to sleep as his father peeks<br />
in to check on him.<br />
Betty Winslow, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy, Bowling Green,<br />
Ohio<br />
★<br />
My dear Noel : the story of a letter from<br />
Beatrix Potter, by Jane Johnson. LCCN<br />
96011074. New York: Dial Books for<br />
Young Readers, Penguin Putnam, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0803720513, HBB, $15.99.<br />
823’.912. Potter, Beatrix, 1866-1943--<br />
Correspondence; Moore, Noel--Correspondence;<br />
Authors, English--20th century--Correspondence;<br />
Artists--Great Britain--Correspondence; Letters. unp.<br />
Elementary.<br />
Young Noel, the oldest of the four Moore<br />
children jumps excitedly out of bed. This is the<br />
day that his mother’s friend, Miss Potter is<br />
coming for one of her visits. She arrives with<br />
gifts for all, even Mother’s unborn baby, and<br />
Noel gives her his gift of a freshly picked<br />
flower. As she generally does, she entertains the<br />
children with stories, jokes, and pictures. She<br />
has also brought her pet bunny and mice to play<br />
with the children. After lunch, she tells Noel<br />
that she is going away to Scotland for a long<br />
time but promises to write.<br />
The morning after she is gone, the doctor is<br />
called to tend to Noel, who is often ill.<br />
Confinement to his bed makes Noel increasingly<br />
bored and depressed. But one day a letter with<br />
drawings arrives from his friend in which she<br />
tells a fanciful tale about a rabbit named Peter.<br />
Noel realizes that he is the model for Peter and<br />
that his sisters and mother are the models for<br />
Peter’s family. Noel’s spirits are lifted and he<br />
begins to recover. He is well enough to be out<br />
of bed by the time Miss Potter arrives in person<br />
to visit him.<br />
This is the true story of Noel, the little boy for<br />
whom Beatrix Potter wrote her marvelous<br />
stories. The author, Jane Johnson has not only<br />
done a fine job of relating this appealing<br />
footnote to the Peter Rabbit books but her<br />
exquisite illustrations are skillfully done in the<br />
style of Beatrix Potter. The endpapers are<br />
copies of the actual illustrated letter that<br />
contained the original Peter Rabbit story, which<br />
Beatrix Potter later expanded upon and<br />
published. Truly a lovely book.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Teacher, Scotts Valley, California<br />
900’s—Geography, History, &<br />
Biography<br />
Scholastic atlas of the United States, by<br />
David Rubel. LCCN 99026960. New<br />
York: Scholastic Reference, Scholastic,<br />
2000. ISBN 0590725629, HBB, $19.95.<br />
912.73. United States--Maps for children; Children’s<br />
atlases. 144 p. Elementary.<br />
The Scholastic Atlas of the United States by<br />
David Rubel provides a color map of each state.<br />
Major interstates, rivers, and cities are<br />
highlighted. Included on the page are facts<br />
about the state such as population, motto, size,<br />
highest and lowest points, state bird, animal, and<br />
flower. Each state has several paragraphs about<br />
the terrain, ethnic diversity, and major<br />
industries. Color photographs are accompanied<br />
by text, adding insight into each state. For<br />
example on Washington’s page, there are<br />
photographs of commuter ferries on Puget<br />
Sound, Mount St. Helens, and the Grand Coulee<br />
Dam.<br />
Instead of being arranged alphabetically, the<br />
states are presented by region: New England,<br />
Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest, Great Plains,<br />
Mountain, Southwest, and Pacific. Each region<br />
is color coded, both on the content page and the<br />
edge of the page within the atlas. A legend is<br />
included on each page, making this easy for<br />
children to use. Appendices are provided in the<br />
back of the atlas illustrating U.S. possessions,<br />
population density, major river systems,<br />
geographic regions, and territorial expansions.<br />
A glossary of important terms follows the<br />
appendix. Statistics in the book are based on<br />
information available from 1998 and 1999.<br />
While not exhaustive, this atlas would be an<br />
excellent resource for researching basic state<br />
information.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
The amazing life of Benjamin Franklin, by<br />
James Cross Giblin; illustrated by<br />
Michael Dooling. LCCN 98044738. New<br />
York: Scholastic, 2000. ISBN 0590485342,<br />
HBB, $17.95.<br />
921 (973.3’092). Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790;<br />
Statesmen--United States--Biography; Scientists--<br />
United States--Biography; Printers--United States--<br />
Biography; Inventors--United States--Biography. 48<br />
p. Elementary.<br />
Born into a family of seventeen children in<br />
1706, Benjamin Franklin only attended school<br />
for two years before his father needed him to<br />
work in his candle and soap making shop.<br />
Benjamin did not like the work, and after two<br />
years his father allowed him work in his<br />
brother’s print shop. Even with little formal<br />
education, Benjamin enjoyed reading and was<br />
eager to learn new things. After his brother was<br />
told he could no longer publish a newspaper, he<br />
allowed Benjamin to be the editor. At eighteen,<br />
Benjamin decided to leave Boston. Although he<br />
arrived in Philadelphia with nothing, through<br />
hard work Benjamin prospered. This would be<br />
true many times in his life. The American<br />
colonies were still under British rule at the time<br />
and Benjamin was proud of this fact. He<br />
worked hard to improve living conditions in<br />
Philadelphia. A strong interest in science led to<br />
many inventions still in use today. Becoming<br />
unhappy with British rule, Benjamin began to<br />
work for the independence of the American<br />
colonies. He continued this work the rest of his<br />
life.<br />
The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin by<br />
James Cross Giblin covers eighty-four<br />
interesting years of an American founding<br />
father. There is enough information to<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 2 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
CHILDREN’S NONFICTION<br />
understand the historical aspects, without<br />
overwhelming the reader with details. The oil<br />
and canvas illustrations by Michael Dooling are<br />
excellent. Included is a brief list of Benjamin<br />
Franklin’s inventions and sayings from Poor<br />
Richard’s Almanack. Historic sites of interest to<br />
those studying the life Benjamin are included, as<br />
well as a bibliography and index. His life is an<br />
example of hard work, a desire to learn, and<br />
integrity.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
★<br />
The last safe house : a story of the<br />
underground railroad, written by<br />
Barbara Greenwood; illustrated by<br />
Heather Collins. Toronto, Ont.: Kids Can<br />
Press, 1998. ISBN 1550745077, HBB,<br />
$16.95.<br />
973.7’115. Underground railroad; Fugitive slaves--<br />
United States; Fugitive slaves--Canada; Underground<br />
railroad--Fiction; Fugitive slaves--United States--<br />
Fiction; Fugitive slaves--Canada--Fiction. 119 p.<br />
Elementary (Middle school).<br />
An incredible amount of information is given<br />
about the Underground Railroad in The Last<br />
Safe House by Barbara Greenwood. The story<br />
line is of a black girl who is delivered to a white<br />
family with a girl about her own age, Johanna<br />
Reid, in St. Catharines, Canada West (now<br />
Ontario). During her escape from slavery, Eliza,<br />
her mother, and her brother separate to avoid<br />
being captured. The relationship between the<br />
two girls helps to document the unjust treatment<br />
of slaves in the south and the realities of the life<br />
that they led. Between each chapter of the story<br />
are inserted articles with teaching about<br />
numerous aspects of slavery. Some concepts<br />
talked about are Harriet Tubman, a cotton<br />
plantation and how it worked, the abolitionists,<br />
and the swamp ghost. Information is given<br />
about so many related subjects that this book is<br />
incredibly valuable for integrating with other<br />
subjects. For example, a recipe for gingerbread<br />
cookies is given, instructions on how to make a<br />
corn husk doll, how to find the North Star and<br />
instruments that were used, storytelling<br />
examples and how-to’s, and the role of music<br />
and songs. Maps and diagrams are added<br />
throughout to further illustrate the concepts.<br />
The book ends with a simple glossary, a<br />
bibliography, and an index.<br />
The drawings of Heather Collins very<br />
effectively complete the message of this book.<br />
Her depictions of the girls and their family life<br />
capture wonderfully the feelings of the story line<br />
and the historic times. Some pictures are full<br />
pages and many others are small oval<br />
illustrations. They are done in black and white,<br />
with varying amounts of detail. The diagrams<br />
and maps bring even more understanding to the<br />
text.<br />
Judy Belcher, Teacher, Sylvan Way <strong>Christian</strong> School, Bremerton,<br />
Washington<br />
Blizzard, by Jim Murphy. LCCN<br />
99024894. New York: Scholastic, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0590673092, HBB, $18.95.<br />
974.7’1041. Blizzards--New York (State)--New York;<br />
New York (N.Y.)--History--1865-1898. 136 p.<br />
Elementary (Middle school).<br />
In March of 1888 a killer blizzard struck the<br />
Northeast. Author Jim Murphy chronicles the<br />
events leading up to the blizzard and describes<br />
vividly the raging natural monster in his book<br />
Blizzard! He isolates certain people within his<br />
book and tells their story, from the successful<br />
politician to the office worker, farmer, and<br />
factory worker. Murphy uses art from museums<br />
and his own collection that depict the<br />
viciousness of the snowstorm.<br />
Although interesting, this book may become a<br />
bit dull for some young readers. The story<br />
becomes somewhat repetitive and dry, forcing<br />
the reader to put it down and come back to it at<br />
another time. The events are interesting and<br />
adding personal accounts and tragedies liven the<br />
text, it may still need to be read in segments to<br />
younger readers. Some of the wording and<br />
word choices may be difficult for younger<br />
readers to understand without guidance.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 3 0 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
MIDDLE SCHOOL FICTION<br />
The amazing secret, by Joni Eareckson<br />
Tada and Steve Jensen. (Darcy and<br />
friends; 1.) LCCN 00008985. Wheaton,<br />
Ill.: Crossway Books, 2000. ISBN<br />
1581341970, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Physically handicapped--Fiction; Forgiveness--<br />
Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 127 p. Middle school<br />
(High school).<br />
The unforgettable summer, by Joni<br />
Eareckson Tada and Steve Jensen. (Darcy<br />
and friends; 2.) Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway<br />
Books, 2000. ISBN 1581341962, PAP,<br />
$5.99<br />
F. Physically handicapped--Fiction; Prayer--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 125 p. Middle school (High<br />
school).<br />
Sixth grader, Darcy, has been in a wheelchair for<br />
four years, ever since a car hit her while she was<br />
riding her bicycle. Her story begins in the<br />
hospital where she is being treated for a pressure<br />
sore. Darcy is frustrated and very unhappy until<br />
a boy walks into her hospital room to cheer her<br />
up. Eric is a unique individual in that he is a<br />
burn victim. Joni Eareckson Tada (famed author<br />
who is also paralyzed) describes Eric’s physical<br />
deformities so accurately that some readers may<br />
be emotionally affected. However, Eric’s<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> attitude is what propels him to<br />
befriend all children in the hospital.<br />
Eric encourages Darcy to forgive the driver who<br />
hit her just like he forgave his father for setting<br />
the fire that caused his burns. Unfortunately,<br />
Eric dies before the end of The Amazing Secret,<br />
so Darcy must rely on her friends to help her<br />
locate the driver of the red Corvette who hit her.<br />
The second book, The Unforgettable Summer,<br />
describes the exciting adventures Darcy and her<br />
friends have during the summer. The church<br />
family goes on an annual camp-out and Darcy is<br />
anticipating the outing with some trepidation.<br />
This is the last vacation before she is to enter<br />
Junior High and the summer is an emotional<br />
roller coaster. Darcy does not want things to<br />
change and she is terrified that the junior high<br />
school will not be handicap accessible, or that<br />
she will not be able to overcome the other<br />
students’ hurtful comments concerning her<br />
physical disability. Prayers are answered in the<br />
form of butterflies and a bear.<br />
Joni Eareckson Tada creates a series that is<br />
enlightening to those who are not disabled as<br />
well as to those who are. Readers do not need to<br />
read the series in numerical order, however,<br />
students will want to know the beginning of<br />
Darcy’s story. The author provides a very<br />
realistic portrayal that should be a positive<br />
influence to all who read these books. Glossaries<br />
in both books define terms that students may not<br />
recognize.<br />
Connie Weaver, Church Librarian, Newville, Pennsylvania<br />
Anastasia : the last Grand Duchess, by<br />
Carolyn Meyer. (The royal diaries.)<br />
LCCN 00020399. New York: Scholastic,<br />
2000. ISBN 0439129087, HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Anastasia Nicholaievna, Grand Duchess, daughter<br />
of Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1901-1918--<br />
Fiction; Russia--History--Nicholas II, 1894-1917--<br />
Fiction; Diaries--Fiction. 220 p. Middle school.<br />
Author Carolyn Meyer gives the reader an<br />
insightful look at Anastasia, daughter of<br />
Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. Using a<br />
diary format, Meyer brings life to the grand<br />
duchess, offering personal glimpses into the life<br />
of the royal family. The story spans only three<br />
years in Anastasia’s life and is penned primarily<br />
by her, as she journals her thoughts and her<br />
everyday doings. The reader sees a young girl<br />
experiencing the same joys and disappointments<br />
as other children. Anastasia shares her feelings<br />
about those around her, including the eerie<br />
spiritualist Rasputin, and the uncanny power<br />
and influence he has over Anastasia’s mother.<br />
The reader takes part in the arrest, exile, and<br />
house imprisonment of the czar and his family.<br />
Near the end of the book, Anastasia decides to<br />
destroy her journal, the keeper of her thoughts;<br />
Meyer picks up the story with a narrative of<br />
what occurred that fateful day in July of 1918.<br />
This book brings to life one of the most<br />
discussed and theorized-about girls of history,<br />
Anastasia. At the end of the book, Meyer notes<br />
the various rumors surrounding the supposed<br />
disappearance of the grand duchess and her<br />
reported resurfacing; she does not disclaim the<br />
rumors, but mentions that the remains of the<br />
royals were recovered. DNA testing has proven<br />
that the remains are those of Nicholas and his<br />
family; however, Meyer explains that not all of<br />
the family remains are accounted for—those of<br />
the youngest child, a boy, and one of his sisters<br />
is missing.<br />
Actual photographs of the royal family help add<br />
substance and dimension to these historical<br />
people. This is an accurate account of the grand<br />
duchess and will spark the interest, curiosity,<br />
and imagination of most readers.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
Batty Hattie, by Virginia Nielsen. LCCN<br />
98047667. Tarrytown, N.Y.: Marshall<br />
Cavendish, 1999. ISBN 0761450475,<br />
HBB, $14.95.<br />
F. Bats--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Mothers and<br />
daughters--Fiction; Uncles--Fiction. 144 p. Middle<br />
school (Elementary).<br />
Henrietta is so upset! Her mother is taking her<br />
to live with her Uncle Mike while her mom<br />
tours the country playing the clarinet. Henrietta<br />
feels abandoned and unwanted. She has to live<br />
in a small mining town away from her friends,<br />
and to top it all off, her uncle is a scientist who<br />
studies bats! Working through the teasing from<br />
new classmates—and her loneliness—is a<br />
challenge that leaves her hurt and angry. The<br />
boys at school even give her the name “Batty<br />
Hattie.” When Henrietta is at last allowed to<br />
accompany her uncle to the bat caves she<br />
commits the number one offence, touching a bat<br />
with her bare hands. Not only that, but she<br />
actually takes the baby bat home with her and<br />
hides it in her bedroom.<br />
Suddenly Henrietta has a purpose in her life:<br />
keeping the baby bat, Smokey, alive. She has to<br />
feed it every two hours all through the night,<br />
becoming so tired she keeps falling asleep in<br />
school. Without ever telling her uncle, she even<br />
decides to take the bat to school as part of her<br />
nature project. Unfortunately, the bat escapes<br />
and creates chaos. Now what will her uncle do<br />
about her disobedience? Will her mother be<br />
disappointed in her and quit her life-long dream<br />
of touring with a musical band?<br />
All these questions and more are answered as<br />
the author, Virginia Neilsen, shares a tale about<br />
the joy and love a pet can bring, and the true<br />
love of a parent, even in circumstances that<br />
don’t always seem agreeable. She also provides<br />
fascinating information about bats that should<br />
hold the interest of the reader. There are several<br />
typographical errors in the book and the main<br />
character uses a swear word once in anger.<br />
There are also allusions to evolutionary ideas<br />
concerning the origin of bats.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
Chat freak, written by Kristi Holt; created<br />
by Terry K. Brown. (Todaysgirls.com; 6.)<br />
LCCN 00056053. Nashville: Tommy<br />
Nelson, Thomas Nelson, 2000. ISBN<br />
0849975832, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Online chat groups--Fiction; Computers--Fiction;<br />
Interpersonal relations--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction.<br />
140 p. Middle school.<br />
According to her family and friends, Morgan<br />
Cross spends too much time online. Her<br />
schoolwork, social life, and home life suffer, as<br />
she becomes addicted to email. Morgan tells<br />
herself that spring break is coming soon, so she<br />
will have time to play catch up then. Besides,<br />
Morgan’s online friends really need and<br />
appreciate her help, unlike everyone else around<br />
her. Anna, whose mother is paranoid about her<br />
eating habits, depends on their email<br />
communications. And “last_wish,” who is<br />
dying of cancer, is worried about leaving his<br />
poor mom with an enormous hospital bill.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 3 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
A Note from the Editor: SYLVIA STOPFORTH<br />
Locating<br />
Quality<br />
Fiction<br />
For a few years now, headlines have<br />
trumpeted the news that <strong>Christian</strong> fiction<br />
is “finally coming into its own.”<br />
Numerous articles have described the<br />
great surge in the publication of this<br />
brand of fiction. Even public librarians<br />
are sitting up and taking notice as<br />
patrons demand fiction titles at all levels<br />
that clearly demonstrate a <strong>Christian</strong><br />
worldview.<br />
All these high-quality materials flooding<br />
the market should make collection<br />
development a snap, right? All across<br />
North America, YA librarians are<br />
rejoicing as they file their well-thumbed<br />
review journals in the nearest recycling<br />
bins.<br />
But hold on. Did someone say<br />
“quality?”<br />
Unfortunately, right on the heels of<br />
pieces expounding the boom in<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> fiction, are articles calling into<br />
question the literary merit of some of<br />
these materials. Yes, <strong>Christian</strong> fiction<br />
offers solid values, moral standards, and<br />
a redemptive, faith-centered<br />
perspective—a welcome change from<br />
the dark and despondent “problem“<br />
novel often aimed at our youth—but<br />
“the consensus is that despite the moral<br />
message of most YA <strong>Christian</strong> Fiction,<br />
the books are often poorly written and<br />
overly preachy..” 1 It appears that not<br />
everyone can be a C.S. Lewis or a<br />
Catherine Marshall.<br />
The challenge is, as always, to separate<br />
the wheat from the chaff, to discover<br />
and acquire the best and the brightest,<br />
and then to make these titles accessible<br />
to our users. But where do we start?<br />
In the recycling bin, I fear. For while<br />
it’s sometimes hard to find time in our<br />
busy schedules to peruse all those<br />
review journals, these publications are<br />
still among the best selection tools<br />
available to us. Here are a few that<br />
deserve a closer look:<br />
• Church Libraries, a quarterly<br />
publication of the Evangelical<br />
Church <strong>Library</strong> Association,<br />
provides short, signed reviews,<br />
articles and a bestsellers list.<br />
• Make Way for Books, an independent<br />
bimonthly, provides annotated<br />
reviews in the area of childrens’<br />
literature.<br />
• The <strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> now publishes a<br />
column on <strong>Christian</strong> fiction on a<br />
regular basis. It deals primarily with<br />
adult fiction, but many of these<br />
would also interest our YA readers.<br />
• And let’s not forget the <strong>Christian</strong><br />
<strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong>! Nancy Hesch,<br />
with her troupe of dedicated<br />
volunteer reviewers, does her best to<br />
make your job easier! See their<br />
website at www.christianlibraryj.org.<br />
For a comprehensive, annotated list of<br />
these and other relevant selection tools,<br />
as well as subscription and contact<br />
information, see the following website:<br />
www.redeemermclean.org/libres.html<br />
This website also provides links to<br />
associations such as the Association of<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> Librarians and the Evangelical<br />
Church <strong>Library</strong> Association.<br />
Involvement in these organizations<br />
offers many benefits, including<br />
collection development information for<br />
librarians serving in a variety of settings.<br />
The formal—and informal—sharing of<br />
ideas that takes place at conferences,<br />
regional meetings, or on list-servs, is<br />
often an excellent resource, particularly<br />
for those who work in isolated<br />
circumstances.<br />
The following two titles might also<br />
prove useful:<br />
Developing <strong>Christian</strong> Fiction<br />
Collections for Children and Adults:<br />
Selection Criteria and a Core<br />
Collection, by Barbara J. Walker, offers<br />
an overview and history of <strong>Christian</strong><br />
fiction, practical advice on the<br />
development of a core collection, and<br />
annotated bibliographies of<br />
recommended titles. (Neal-Schuman<br />
Publishers, 1998)<br />
For an introduction to some of the best<br />
that contemporary <strong>Christian</strong> fiction has<br />
to offer, check out The Storyteller’s<br />
Collection, edited by Melody Carlson.<br />
This sampling of short stories by gifted<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> fiction writers is geared for<br />
adult readers, but will also be enjoyed<br />
by YA’s interested in something new.<br />
(Multnomah, 2000)<br />
Finally—don’t underestimate the readers<br />
themselves. Start a book club, or ask<br />
young library users to recommend books<br />
for library reading lists, or to write brief<br />
reviews to be posted in the library.<br />
Some of the wonderful people we serve<br />
are also our best resource.<br />
1<br />
Beall, Carol, “Beyond Christy: New<br />
Demands for YA <strong>Christian</strong> Fiction,” School<br />
<strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> (September 1995) v. 41, n. 9,<br />
p 130.<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 3 2 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
Off-line life begins to crumble when<br />
Dad and Mom need Morgan to help<br />
run the family restaurant during<br />
spring break, instead of<br />
accompanying them to New York City. Morgan<br />
causes her mother and sister to miss important<br />
phone calls, upsets co-workers, and finds herself<br />
the cause of a friend’s injury. Online, Anna<br />
becomes seriously ill after following Morgan’s<br />
advice. And last_wish turns out to be a phony, a<br />
cancerless classmate, who has conned her into<br />
raising money for him.<br />
When Morgan’s parents return from NYC, she<br />
begins to see the difference between real friends<br />
and family, and those online, who may or may<br />
not be what they seem.<br />
Chat Freak, by Kristi Holl and Terry K. Brown,<br />
is part of the TodaysGirls.com series. A<br />
“Character Reference” section includes a short<br />
biography for each character. The book also<br />
includes lists of web abbreviations and<br />
definitions. The style is similar to Scholastic’s<br />
Ann M. Martin Baby-sitters Club series.<br />
Message and language are both accessible, and<br />
help to promote a light, familiar story of a young<br />
teen finding her place.<br />
Kim Harris, Librarian, Newman Riga <strong>Library</strong>, Churchville, New<br />
York<br />
Drawn by a China moon : Lottie Moon, by<br />
Dave & Neta Jackson; story illustrations<br />
by Anne Gavitt. (Trailblazer books.)<br />
LCCN 00010471. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764222678, PAP,<br />
$5.99.<br />
F. Moon, Lottie, 1840-1912--Fiction; Pen pals--<br />
Fiction; Best friends--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction;<br />
Missionaries--Fiction; China--History--1862-1912--<br />
Fiction. 158 p. Middle school.<br />
Separated by an ocean, best friends Ida and<br />
Mollie attempt to stay in touch through letters—<br />
letters that often take months for each of them to<br />
receive. Never in their wildest dreams, as they<br />
saved money to purchase look-alike dresses in<br />
their native Virginia, did either of them imagine<br />
that Ida and her family would make the decision<br />
to go off to China, “that pagan nation,” and<br />
become missionaries. As the years go by, Ida’s<br />
letters are not only filled with exciting tales like<br />
sea worms for supper and wearing men’s<br />
trousers, but also of war, disease, and rebellion.<br />
Molly knows her friend’s health is fragile and<br />
she becomes more and more concerned for her.<br />
But how can she help her, and what will be the<br />
cost to Molly?<br />
This well-written story for eight-to-twelve-yearolds<br />
follows the events of missionary Lottie<br />
Moon’s life through the fictional eyes of two<br />
young friends at the turn of the century.<br />
Although their lives are conceived in the minds<br />
of the authors, Dave and Neta Jackson, the<br />
sacrifices and work of missionaries are very real<br />
indeed and this book demonstrates that in a clear<br />
manner to its readers. Drawn by a China Moon<br />
is part of the Trailblazers Series, adventure<br />
stories that introduce young readers to <strong>Christian</strong><br />
heroes of the past.<br />
Ceil Carey, Young Adult Librarian, Plano, Illinois<br />
The girl who chased away sorrow : the<br />
diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo girl, by Ann<br />
Turner. (Dear America.) LCCN<br />
98048826. New York: Scholastic, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0590972162, HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Navajo girls--Social conditions--Fiction. 200 p.<br />
Middle school.<br />
Sarah Nita and Kaibah are members of the<br />
Navajo tribe. They are on the mesa herding<br />
their family’s sheep when their family is taken<br />
by the men in blue. The girls walk for eight days<br />
north to Tseyi to find their relatives. The Navajo<br />
tribe has a clan system. Navajo are born to their<br />
mother’s clan for their father’s clan. Sarah Nita<br />
and Kaibah are fortunate to find members of<br />
their father’s clan who take them in.<br />
Life continues in Tseyi, however the soldiers<br />
eventually come and take the family to the fort.<br />
While at the fort, the family, along with other<br />
Navajo families, struggles to learn how to eat<br />
the strange food given them by the soldiers. The<br />
Navajo soon start on their long walk to Fort<br />
Sumner. Many die along the trail—some<br />
because they are weak and ill, others because the<br />
soldiers shoot them when they don’t keep up.<br />
Most of the soldiers are hateful toward the<br />
Navajo. While at Fort Sumner, Sarah Nita and<br />
Kaibah are reunited with their family.<br />
In The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow, Ann<br />
Turner has written a story of a girl who lived<br />
during one of the saddest times in Navajo<br />
history. The time of the Long Walk was a time<br />
when the white man terribly mistreated the<br />
Navajo. Not much fiction has been written<br />
about the Navajo, so this book fills a definite<br />
gap. However, there are a few minor problems<br />
with the book that do not affect the plot but may<br />
offend Navajo readers. First, in a picture<br />
caption, Chinle is said to be in New Mexico; it<br />
is actually in Arizona. Second, Sarah Nita is<br />
married to a member of her father’s clan.<br />
Traditionally, Navajo do not marry members of<br />
either their mother’s or father’s clans.<br />
Jane Mouttet, Librarian, Hilltop <strong>Christian</strong> School, Window Rock,<br />
Arizona (capital of the Navajo Nation)<br />
The great railroad race : the diary of<br />
Libby West, by Kristiana Gregory. (Dear<br />
America.) LCCN 98021816. New York:<br />
Scholastic, 1999. ISBN 059010991X,<br />
HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Frontier and pioneer life--West (U.S.)--Fiction; West (U.S.)--<br />
Fiction; Diaries--Fiction. 203 p. Middle school.<br />
Libby West receives a diary from her parents for<br />
her 14th birthday and begins recording events of<br />
life in Denver, Colorado, in 1868. She has her<br />
father’s skill for “gathering news,” but her<br />
mother hopes the diary will encourage her to<br />
curb her tongue, as a young lady should.<br />
When Libby’s father buys a hand press and<br />
decides to follow the progress of the race to lay<br />
track across the continental United States, her<br />
diary gets exciting. Libby’s mother insists the<br />
family stay together so Libby, her younger<br />
brother Joe, and her mother join Mr. West and<br />
his business partner, Pete, in Utah Territory. The<br />
family befriends others, and the group travels<br />
from camps to tent towns along the route of the<br />
transcontinental railroad. Libby is exposed to<br />
new words and unsavory characters, and sees<br />
Indians and Chinese immigrants for the first<br />
time. She also witnesses the danger and<br />
excitement of the unsettled west.<br />
The language is realistic for the time period, and<br />
as the voice of a candid and inquisitive girl of<br />
fourteen. The reader learns much about life in<br />
1868 as author Kristiana Gregory eases facts<br />
into the entries spanning just over one year. For<br />
instance, Libby and her mother sew rocks into<br />
the hems of their dresses so the prairie winds<br />
won’t expose their bloomers; Libby and her<br />
friend, Ellie, practice manners at afternoon teas<br />
in which sand fouls both the butter and the<br />
sugar.<br />
Historic notes follow the story and add to the<br />
facts slipped into Libby’s “diary.” I especially<br />
like the “About the Author” section in this and<br />
other current Dear America books because it<br />
helps drive home the point that these books are<br />
fictionalized accounts of life in different time<br />
periods. Readers who enjoyed the American<br />
Girls collection and Little House on the Prairie<br />
series will appreciate The Great Railroad Race’s<br />
portrayal of this exciting time in history.<br />
Lisa Wroble, Freelance Writer/<strong>Library</strong> Aide, Plymouth, Michigan<br />
Hogsty Reef, by John Dowd. (A<br />
Caribbean Island adventure.) LCCN<br />
98036411. Atlanta, Ga.: Peachtree<br />
Publishers, 1999. ISBN 1561451878, PAP,<br />
$5.95.<br />
F. Islands--Fiction; Coral reef ecology--Fiction;<br />
Refugees--Fiction; Drug traffic--Fiction. 188 p.<br />
Middle school (High school).<br />
A teenaged Harrison Ford, Hogsty Reef’s main<br />
character, Jim, lives the life every young man<br />
would dream of. Coming from British<br />
Columbia to the Caribbean Islands of Turks and<br />
Caicos is enough of an adventure, but this young<br />
man deals with shipwreck, Haitian refugees,<br />
drug runners, as he learns the ropes from a<br />
young female adventurer, Julia. All the best<br />
comes to those who conquer in the name of<br />
good and right.<br />
John Dowd is an Arthur Ellis Award winning<br />
novelist for his book, Abalone Summer. It’s not<br />
clear in Hogsty Reef if the Caribbean book is a<br />
sequel, but if the Turks and Caicos literary world<br />
offers an award for juvenile adventure novels<br />
this one could win; it is exciting and well<br />
written. There is one occurence of profanity<br />
when the young adventurer gets trapped. The<br />
book also refers to voodoo through the voice of<br />
a young Haitian boat person named Marcel, but<br />
this in no way dominates or detracts from the<br />
story. Teens and almost-teens will zoom through<br />
every exciting page. All the loose ends are tied<br />
up well by Dowd, who awakened the young<br />
boy in the heart of this fifty-two-year-old<br />
reader/reviewer from the northwest!<br />
Rev. Jim McKinney, Teacher, Port Orchard, Washington<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 3 3 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
The hollow tree, by Janet Lunn. LCCN<br />
99076483. New York: Viking, Penguin<br />
Putnam, 2000. ISBN 0670889490, HBB,<br />
$15.99.<br />
F. United States--History--Revolution, 1776-1783--<br />
Fiction. 208 p. Middle school.<br />
Phoebe Olcott, the fifteen-year-old protagonist<br />
of The Hollow Tree by Janet Lunn, is one of that<br />
unenvied company that find themselves neither<br />
fish nor fowl. Resident of a small New<br />
Hampshire village in 1777, she has no political<br />
opinions and is extremely uncomfortable with<br />
the passions that rage around her. All she wants<br />
is that the would war stop so her family could<br />
return home. But it isn’t long before her father<br />
dies in the patriot cause; and then her beloved<br />
cousin, Gideon, is hanged as a Tory spy.<br />
Blinded by grief and reeling from accusations<br />
levelled at her by both sides of the conflict,<br />
Phoebe runs to the hollow tree which she and<br />
her cousins had used to exchange letters, only to<br />
find Gideon’s last request that someone take his<br />
dearly-bought information to the British at Fort<br />
Ticonderoga. The Hollow Tree is the story of<br />
Phoebe’s journey through the wilderness to<br />
fulfil her cousin’s request, in the course of which<br />
she overcomes her own fears and self-doubts to<br />
emerge a strong, determined young woman.<br />
Janet Lunn’s book is an unusual one, depicting a<br />
heroine who has no convictions other than<br />
hatred of war in a time period that is fraught<br />
with the conflict of great ideas. No doubt, there<br />
were people who shared Phoebe’s feelings and<br />
who have a story to be told, but the author does<br />
not delineate her character’s convictions or<br />
personality in such a way as to give adequate<br />
impetus for Phoebe’s drastic action of setting<br />
out alone into the wilderness. Although the<br />
account of Phoebe’s journey is exciting, it is too<br />
full of improbabilities and coincidences, and the<br />
climax is too contrived to be taken as a possible<br />
event. Few of the characters are convincingly<br />
drawn, including Phoebe’s cousin, Anne, who<br />
swings from benign self-absorption to irrational<br />
hatred and back again, and many are caricatures<br />
who serve merely to make their own beliefs look<br />
petty and self-serving or, by contrast, to ennoble<br />
Phoebe’s position, which is never clearly<br />
defined.<br />
Pamela A. Todd, Librarian/English Teacher, Chalcedon <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Cumming, Georgia<br />
The journal of August Pelletier : the Lewis<br />
and Clark Expedition, by Kathryn Lasky.<br />
(My name is America.) LCCN 00020201.<br />
New York: Scholastic, 2000. ISBN<br />
0590684892, HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806)--Fiction;<br />
West (U.S.)--Discovery and exploration--Fiction;<br />
Explorers--Fiction; Diaries--Fiction. 171 p. Middle<br />
school (Elementary).<br />
Fourteen-year-old Gus Pelletier runs away from<br />
his abusive stepfather to join the Corps of<br />
Discovery, the Lewis and Clark Expedition.<br />
Knowing he is too young to be accepted as a<br />
member of the expedition, he “shadows” it on<br />
land until he is sure he won’t be sent back. His<br />
ability to read and write, and his artistic talent,<br />
prompt Captain Lewis to make Gus his<br />
assistant. In this position, Gus helps Lewis with<br />
his scientific explorations, and transcribes his<br />
journals.<br />
The <strong>Journal</strong> of Augustus Pelletier presents an<br />
accurate picture of the daily life of the members<br />
of the Corps of Discovery. It portrays both the<br />
hardships and triumphs experienced by the<br />
members of the expedition. The rank-in-file<br />
members of the expedition, along with<br />
Sacajawea, York, Clark’s slave, and even Lewis’<br />
Newfoundland dog, come alive through its<br />
pages.<br />
Although Kathryn Lasky’s book only covers the<br />
trip to the Pacific Ocean, it offers an excellent<br />
introduction for young readers to the Lewis and<br />
Clark Expedition. Librarians and teachers<br />
might even need to remind their readers that<br />
both the book and the character of Augustus<br />
Pelletier are historical fiction, not actual history.<br />
The story is followed by a brief history of the<br />
Corps of Discovery’s journey. It also includes<br />
illustrations depicting important events during<br />
the journey and items used by members of the<br />
expedition.<br />
Virginia Brown, <strong>Library</strong> Assistant, Freelance Writer, Former<br />
Teacher, Sheridan, Wyoming<br />
The journal of Joshua Loper : a black<br />
cowboy, by Walter Dean Myers. (My<br />
name is America.) LCCN 98018661. New<br />
York: Scholastic, 1999. ISBN 0590026917,<br />
HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Cattle drives--Fiction; Cowboys--Fiction; West<br />
(U.S.)--Fiction; Afro-Americans--Fiction; Diaries--<br />
Fiction. 158 p. Middle school (Elementary).<br />
It is 1871, the era of the cowboy in Texas.<br />
Walter Myers’ The <strong>Journal</strong> of Joshua Loper<br />
gives us a ringside saddle on the Chisholm Trail,<br />
as Joshua, the teenage son of former slaves, goes<br />
on his first dirty, toilsome, dangerous, and<br />
exciting cattle drive. With the help of his<br />
parents’ teaching and his belief in the Lord,<br />
Joshua learns to cope with the trail boss’ bigotry,<br />
bone-wracking work, stampedes, rustlers, foul<br />
weather, and having to shoot his beloved,<br />
suffering horse. When the herd arrives in<br />
Abilene, Kansas, Joshua receives his pay and<br />
faces the blandishments of this wild town. He<br />
also receives the respect of his trail boss and the<br />
companionship of a new horse.<br />
Part of the My Name is America series, The<br />
<strong>Journal</strong> of Joshua Loper is firmly based on<br />
historical events. Using basic language, and<br />
often reproducing the speech patterns of his<br />
characters, Myers manages to make us forget<br />
this is fiction. He embellishes the story with<br />
many interesting facts about the Chisholm Trail<br />
and the cowboy era, describing aspects such as<br />
the handling of cattle and horses, cowboy lingo<br />
and food, bigotry, trail drive hierarchy, and<br />
more. Myers tells it like it is, and includes some<br />
rough talk and coarse jests, gory depictions of<br />
death, and the temptations faced by cowboys on<br />
the trail and in Abilene. Along the way, he<br />
illustrates how cheaply some held life.<br />
The story ends with an epilogue about Joshua’s<br />
adult life and death, and notes about some of the<br />
other characters. An appendix providing actual<br />
photographs of black cowboys, cattle drives,<br />
and notable people adds interest and flavor. A<br />
map of the Chisholm Trail area concludes this<br />
book. Author Walter Dean Myers has received<br />
several awards, including the Coretta Scott King<br />
Award and ALA Notable Children’s Book<br />
Award.<br />
Donna Eggett, Freelance Writer, Radford, Virginia<br />
The journal of Otto Peltonen : a Finnish<br />
immigrant, by William Durbin. (My<br />
name is America.) LCCN 00021919. New<br />
York: Scholastic, 2000. ISBN<br />
043909254X, HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Emigration and immigartion--Fiction; Finnish-<br />
Americans--Fiction; Iron mines and mining--Fiction;<br />
Strikes and lockouts--Fiction; Minnesota--Fiction;<br />
Diaries--Fcition. 171 p. Middle school (Elementary).<br />
The <strong>Journal</strong> of Otto Peltonen chronicles the<br />
emigration of a Finnish boy to northern<br />
Minnesota in the early 1900’s. His father came<br />
to America earlier, and worked in the mines to<br />
earn money for the passage of his family, and to<br />
buy his own farm. Otto, his two younger sisters,<br />
and his mother join him in the town of Hibbing.<br />
<strong>Journal</strong> entries are filled with descriptions of the<br />
area and the mine, and again and again the many<br />
gruesome accidents that take place in the mines.<br />
There is also a sense of disillusionment with the<br />
difficulty and ugliness of life. Otto relates his<br />
progress in school and reading, and the interrelationships<br />
within the family.<br />
Social issues of the day are dealt with from a<br />
common person’s viewpoint. Otto’s father<br />
wants the union to help provide safety, security,<br />
and equality for the workers; his mother is<br />
appalled that women have the right to vote in<br />
Finland before they do in America. When Otto is<br />
about sixteen, he works in the mine for a time,<br />
until the family finally saves enough money to<br />
buy a farm.<br />
The author, William Durbin, is obviously very<br />
familiar with the life that he has detailed, as the<br />
reader sees and feels what it was like. Otto<br />
speaks Finnish and is learning English at the<br />
beginning of the story. The text is written in<br />
well-developed English, with a few Finnish<br />
words interspersed. The reader is somewhat<br />
struck by the incongruity between the text and<br />
the boy’s reported limited knowledge of<br />
English.<br />
The cover shows a photo of a typical boy of the<br />
time, with a faded blue and white photograph of<br />
a mine. Following the body of the journal<br />
readers will find an epilogue, a historical note as<br />
to the reasons for emigration, a section of period<br />
photos, a map, brief information about the<br />
author, and a fold-out map showing a vertical<br />
cross-section of an iron mine.<br />
Judy Belcher, Teacher, Sylvan Way <strong>Christian</strong> School, Bremerton,<br />
Washington<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 3 4 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
Journey to the end of the earth : William<br />
Seymour, by Dave & Neta Jackson; story<br />
illustrations by Anne Gavitt. (Trailblazer<br />
books.) LCCN 00010470. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 076422266X,<br />
PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Earthquakes--California--San Francisco--Fiction;<br />
Seymour, William Joseph, 1870-1922--Fiction; San<br />
Francisco (Calif.)--Fiction; <strong>Journal</strong>ism--Fiction; Afro-<br />
Americans--Fiction; Uncles--Fiction. 159 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
Jerry Newman is a black boy being raised by his<br />
widowed Mom in East Texas in the early 1900’s.<br />
He is not a bad kid, he just seems to get into<br />
situations that cause problems. He accidentally<br />
sets a church on fire, so his Mom sends him out<br />
to Los Angeles to stay with his uncle, a freelance<br />
news photographer. He feels like he is<br />
going far, far away; hence the title of the book,<br />
Journey to the End of the Earth. Jerry and his<br />
uncle travel to San Francisco immediately after<br />
the big earthquake of 1906 to take pictures.<br />
Jerry also visits the pentecostal revival on Azusa<br />
Street and listens to the prophecies and<br />
preaching of William Seymour.<br />
Dave and Neta Jackson depict Jerry as a typical<br />
black adolescent of his time. The story is<br />
written in a straightforward and simple manner,<br />
as seen through Jerry’s eyes. He struggles with<br />
his feelings, and his impressions regarding what<br />
he sees. The difficult role of blacks in society in<br />
those times, both in East Texas and in<br />
California, is presented clearly, but not<br />
moralistically. The genuine historical message<br />
of the early pentecostal movement, including<br />
the equality of all people before God, is<br />
presented plainly. Following the story is a<br />
section providing additional information about<br />
William Seymore, and a brief bibliography for<br />
further reading.<br />
Judy Belcher, Teacher, Sylvan Way <strong>Christian</strong> School, Bremerton,<br />
Washington<br />
Koala Beach outbreak, by Robert Elmer.<br />
(Adventures down under; 7.) LCCN<br />
99006414. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
1999. ISBN 0764221051, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Immigrants--Fiction; Chinese--Australia--Fiction;<br />
Prejudices--Fiction; Australia--Fiction. 176 p. Middle<br />
school (Elementary).<br />
Koala Beach Outbreak, the seventh in Robert<br />
Elmer’s Adventures Down Under series,<br />
explores the problems faced by nineteenthcentury<br />
Chinese immigrants to Australia.<br />
Thirteen-year-old Patrick, accompanied by his<br />
dog Firestorm, siblings Becky and Michael, and<br />
friend Jefferson, witnesses the sinking of a ship<br />
filled with Chinese immigrants headed for the<br />
goldfield. Patrick rescues Jasper, a most<br />
unusual boy, and the Irish-born McWaid family<br />
is plunged into another of their dangerous,<br />
enjoyable Australian adventures.<br />
Jasper, who was impacted by the first <strong>Christian</strong><br />
missionaries into China, presents several<br />
riddles. Contending with what might be yellow<br />
fever, the evil Mr. Li, and the unreasoned<br />
prejudices of the Australian community, Patrick<br />
solves those riddles while helping Jasper to<br />
search for “his” father. The denouement<br />
involves a recalcitrant donkey, all the Chinese<br />
immigrants, the full cast of no-gooders, the<br />
McWaid family, and an exploding steam boat<br />
engine.<br />
Robert Elmer ensures historical accuracy via e-<br />
mail contact with Australian museums, history<br />
experts, and newspaper editors. His Australian<br />
readers favorably comment on the Adventures<br />
Down Under series. Incidents in Koala Beach<br />
Outbreak grew from actual events written in<br />
nineteenth century Australian journals.<br />
The basic language and grammar enable weak<br />
readers to enjoy this book, while the intriguing<br />
plot will involve all levels of middle school<br />
readers. The series gradually builds up realistic<br />
characters. Hence characterization is somewhat<br />
lacking in Koala Beach Outbreak. However, the<br />
action and interesting storyline will intrigue the<br />
reader new to this series. Although <strong>Christian</strong><br />
behavior and morals successfully form the<br />
bedrock and infiltrate the plot, this book does<br />
not moralize. Australian maps and a short<br />
introduction to the author precede the story. As<br />
an afterward Robert Elmer includes a brief<br />
chapter on the Chinese in Australia during the<br />
nineteenth century and an invitation to fans to<br />
contact him via his e-mail address.<br />
Donna Eggett, Freelance Writer, Radford, Virginia<br />
★<br />
The legend of Luke : a tale from Redwall,<br />
by Brian Jacques; illustrated by Fangorn.<br />
LCCN 99033891. New York: Philomel,<br />
Penguin Putnam, 2000. ISBN<br />
039923490X, HBB, $22.95.<br />
F. Mice--Fiction; Animals--Fiction; Fantasy. 374 p.<br />
Middle school (High school).<br />
Brian Jacques’ The Legend of Luke, illustrated<br />
by Fangorn, plunges the reader into exciting<br />
adventure. In part one, Martin the Mouse<br />
Warrior, Gonff the Mousethief, Dinny<br />
Foremole, and Trimp the roving lady hedgehog<br />
set off to discover the history of Martin’s father,<br />
Luke. The friends gained, enemies overcome<br />
and adventures enjoyed breathlessly lead the<br />
reader to the second section: the history of<br />
Luke’s vengeance upon Vilu Daskar, the pirate<br />
who murdered his wife and friends. Once again<br />
the reader hangs on for dear life as Luke and his<br />
friends sweep the seas clean. And then, just in<br />
case the reader thinks he can relax, in the third<br />
section Martin, his original companions, and all<br />
the friends they’ve gathered on the way share in<br />
more thrilling exploits as they roll triumphantly<br />
home.<br />
The 12th story in the Redwall series, The<br />
Legend of Luke presents a very human, all<br />
animal cast that remains true to each animal<br />
type. Because this series originated for blind<br />
students, it projects strong word pictures for the<br />
mind, much like Disney’s two Fantasias and<br />
Tolkien’s Hobbit series.<br />
Brian Jacques’ primary message is that courage<br />
and decency win respect. Two of the main<br />
themes are: deep love and responsibility for<br />
family and friends, and food and fellowship,<br />
with many mouth-watering menus. Sometimes<br />
naughty, the children generally demonstrate<br />
acceptable behavior such as respect to elders.<br />
While enjoying equality, the women are<br />
thoroughly protected. The bad characters are<br />
undeniably bad. With loving humor, the good<br />
characters display Judeo/<strong>Christian</strong> morals, and<br />
actions such as grace for meals are<br />
demonstrated.<br />
Fangorn’s black and white illustrations add to<br />
the classic quality of the story. Jacques includes<br />
many poems and several riddles, and several<br />
English dialects are characterized in fairly clear<br />
form. A pertinent map of Martin’s Journey<br />
prefaces the story. Capable middle school<br />
readers enjoy this story, as do high school and<br />
adult readers. It is an excellent story to read<br />
aloud to younger children.<br />
Donna Eggett, Freelance Writer, Radford, Virginia<br />
Living on Nothing Atoll, by Theresa Kelly.<br />
(Aloha Cove; 1.) LCCN 99021167. St.<br />
Louis, Mo.: Concordia, 1999. ISBN<br />
0570054834, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Stepfamilies--Fiction; Remarriage--Fiction;<br />
Islands--Fiction; Kwajalein Island (Marshall Islands)--<br />
Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 255 p.<br />
Seaside High, by Theresa Kelly. (Aloha<br />
Cove; 2.) LCCN 99021169. St. Louis,<br />
Mo.: Concordia, 1999. ISBN 0570054842,<br />
PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Stepfamilies--Fiction; High schools--Fiction;<br />
Islands--Fiction; Kwajalein Island (Marshall Islands)--<br />
Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 271 p.<br />
Tomorrow I’ll miss you, by Theresa Kelly.<br />
(Aloha Cove; 3.) LCCN 99021168. St.<br />
Louis, Mo.: Concordia, 1999. ISBN<br />
0570054840, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Stepfamilies--Fiction; Mothers and daughters--<br />
Fiction; Islands--Fiction; Kwajalein Island (Marshall<br />
Islands)--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 271 p.<br />
Stand by me, by Theresa Kelly. (Aloha<br />
Cove; 4.) LCCN 99031986. St. Louis,<br />
Mo.: Concordia, 1999. ISBN 0570054869,<br />
PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Stepfamilies--Fiction; High schools--Fiction;<br />
Islands--Fiction; Kwajalein Island (Marshall Islands)--<br />
Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 271 p.<br />
Forget me not, by Theresa Kelly. (Aloha<br />
Cove; 5.) LCCN 99053127. St. Louis,<br />
Mo.: Concordia, 2000. ISBN 0570070333,<br />
PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Stepfamilies--Fiction; Mothers and daughters--<br />
Fiction; Islands--Fiction; Kwajalein Island (Marshall<br />
Islands)--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 271 p.<br />
A place in the heart, by Theresa Kelly.<br />
(Aloha Cove; 6.) St. Louis, Mo.:<br />
Concordia, 2000. PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Stepfamilies--Fiction; Mothers and daughters--<br />
Fiction; Islands--Fiction; Kwajalein Island (Marshall<br />
Islands)--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 271 p.<br />
Dream a little dream, by Theresa Kelly.<br />
(Aloha Cove; 7.) LCCN 00010071. St.<br />
Louis, Mo.: Concordia, 2000. ISBN<br />
0570070724, PAP, $5.99.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 3 5 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
F. Stepfamilies--Fiction; Anorexia nervosa--Fiction;<br />
Friendship--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; Kwajalein<br />
Island (Marshall Islands)--Fiction. 254 p.<br />
Middle school (High school).<br />
When sixteen-year-old Cass has to make the<br />
move from Tennessee to the small tropical<br />
island of Kwajelein, she does not embrace her<br />
new life very well. For one thing she has<br />
difficulty going from a family of two to a family<br />
of four practically overnight. Although she likes<br />
her new stepfather for the most part, Cass has a<br />
tough time with her new stepsister Tabitha, who<br />
is as opposite as can be of Cass, except in age.<br />
As the year progresses Cass and Tabitha realize<br />
they have more in common than they originally<br />
thought—great parents being the prime shared<br />
factor. Together the girls grow closer as they<br />
share the joys and frustrations of friendships,<br />
dating, and realizing God is greater than the<br />
situations they find themselves up against<br />
throughout all the joys and adjustments of a<br />
blended family.<br />
The Aloha Cove series by Theresa Kelly will<br />
appeal to readers who are drawn into<br />
relationships, especially those concerning<br />
blended marriages. The setting is paradise, quite<br />
literally. Yet paradise is far from perfect.<br />
Struggling with who a person is, what his or her<br />
beliefs are, and feelings surrounding family and<br />
friends are key plot motivators. The books<br />
cover quite a variety of subjects including<br />
interracial dating, alcoholic parents, the<br />
pressures of dating, and sibling relationships.<br />
These are all dealt with appropriately, and with<br />
sensitivity. One of the main appeals of the book<br />
is how the principal characters, Cass and<br />
Tabitha, are able to realize through the guidance<br />
of their wise, yet pretty cool parents that God<br />
has it under control. The author effectively<br />
handles some very sensitive issues, particularly<br />
premarital sex and abortion from a boy’s<br />
perspective.<br />
There is plenty of dialogue in the books—<br />
perhaps too much, in fact, which stifles the<br />
potential for character development through<br />
narrative passages. There is also a concern<br />
regarding the other characters’ parents. It seems<br />
surprising that parents wouldn’t be more<br />
involved if their child was thought to be<br />
anorexic, or in an abusive dating relationship.<br />
As it is, the only parents who are developed<br />
beyond simple background characters are Cass’<br />
and Tabitha’s. Nevertheless, this series offers<br />
some solid <strong>Christian</strong> advice for adolescent girls<br />
who are seeking advice and answers for tough<br />
situations they are facing.<br />
Pam Webb, <strong>Library</strong> Technician, Sandpoint, Idaho<br />
Mandie and the buried stranger, by Lois<br />
Gladys Leppard. (A Mandie book; 31.)<br />
LCCN 99006446. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 1999. ISBN 1556613849, PAP,<br />
$4.99.<br />
F. Mystery and detective stories; North Carolina--<br />
Fiction. 173 p. Middle school.<br />
Mandie and the seaside rendezvous, by<br />
Lois Gladys Leppard. (A Mandie book;<br />
32.) LCCN 99050798. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 1556616732,<br />
PAP, $4.99.<br />
F. Mystery and detective stories. 170 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
Mandie and the dark alley, by Lois Gladys<br />
Leppard. (A Mandie book; 33.)<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
1556616740, PAP, $4.99.<br />
F. Mystery and detective stories. 159 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
Amanda Shaw, Mandie, and her friend, Celia,<br />
always immerse themselves in a mystery no<br />
matter where they go. Snowball, Mandie’s cat,<br />
goes with them, and sometimes he helps solve<br />
the mystery. Books 31 and 32 take place while<br />
the girls, young teens, have time away from<br />
classes at the Misses Heathwood’s School for<br />
Girls, a proper place whose administrator does<br />
not appreciate wayward behavior. Adventures<br />
in Book 33 happen during school term.<br />
In these books, Mandie has an insatiable desire<br />
to find out about a huge pile of mica, why three<br />
wagons disappeared, and where Mr. Jacob<br />
Smith has gone. Then, when she and Celia go<br />
with Mandie’s grandmother to visit Senator<br />
Morton at his Florida home, they encounter<br />
more puzzles. Who is continually rearranging<br />
their clothes in the closet, and why does Juan act<br />
as though he can’t hear or speak; do ghosts<br />
really come out in the park? Back at school<br />
again, Mandie can’t resist returning to the dark<br />
alley, though she’s warned not to go there. From<br />
a whining puppy, to a lost locket, to a stolen<br />
silver tea set, she and Celia find plenty of<br />
activity in the fearsome alley.<br />
Lois Gladys Leppard draws upon her mother’s<br />
childhood in North Carolina for many Mandie<br />
incidents. The stories, which at times move<br />
slowly, usually make up for the lack of literary<br />
writing and sound editing. With regard to the<br />
title references, the Dark Alley plays an<br />
important part in Book 33, but the significance<br />
of the Buried Stranger and the Seaside<br />
Rendezvous do not become evident until close<br />
to the ends of Books 31 and 32.<br />
Leppard fills these stories with dialogue—<br />
sometimes stilted and more advanced than<br />
would be common to most young teens. She has<br />
created likeable characters with Mandie, Celia,<br />
and their friends, as well as Snowball.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
My heart is on the ground : the diary of<br />
Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux girl, by Ann<br />
Rinaldi. (Dear America.) LCCN<br />
98026767. New York: Scholastic, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0590149226, HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Dakota Indians--Fiction; Indians of North America;<br />
Boarding schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Diaries--<br />
Fiction. 205 p. Middle school (Elementary).<br />
It was hard enough for Little Rose to leave<br />
behind her family, pony, beautifully decorated<br />
deerskin dress and moccasins, and her best<br />
friend Pretty Eagle, but to board an iron horse<br />
and travel across country from the Rosebud<br />
Indian Reservation to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,<br />
was truly terrifying. Her terror only increased<br />
when she arrived at Carlisle Indian School, was<br />
lined up against the wall with the other girls,<br />
unceremoniously stripped of her clothing,<br />
bathed, dressed in white girls’ dress and underclothing,<br />
and worst of all, shorn of her long<br />
black braids. For a Sioux, that last act was an<br />
act of mourning, perhaps a more significant<br />
ordeal than the white man realized, for truly<br />
Little Rose entered not only a white man’s<br />
world, but a time of mourning the loss of her<br />
Indian culture. Her heart was truly on the<br />
ground. The final stripping was that of her<br />
Indian name. From this time forward she would<br />
be known as Nannie..a simple white girl’s name.<br />
It was 1879, and Nannie Little Rose was in the<br />
first class of Sioux Indian children to be forcibly<br />
sent to the Carlisle Indian School. Within a few<br />
weeks of her arrival her English teacher, Miss<br />
Camp Bell, would give her a di-a-ree and<br />
encourage her to tell her story. Author Ann<br />
Rinaldi has masterfully woven her research of<br />
the people, practices, and conditions of the<br />
Carlisle Indian School into a moving and<br />
exciting tale which also paints a thoughtprovoking<br />
portrait of the tension a young Indian<br />
student had to face in trying to live in the white<br />
man’s world without losing her identity as a<br />
Sioux. As with other books in this series, My<br />
Heart Is on the Ground ends with a section<br />
presenting the historical setting of the story,<br />
accompanied by photographs taken from the<br />
archives of the Carlisle Indian School.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
My secret war : the World War II diary of<br />
Madeline Beck, by Mary Pope Osborne.<br />
(Dear America.) LCCN 00021918. New<br />
York: Scholastic, 2000. ISBN 0590687158,<br />
HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. World War, 1939-1945--United States--Fiction;<br />
New York (State)--Fiction; Diaries--Fiction. 186 p.<br />
Middle school.<br />
Sabotage, secrets, and surprises await Madeline<br />
Beck on Long Island, New York as World War II<br />
begins to unfold around the globe. This young<br />
girl is pulled into the American war effort<br />
following the announcement that Japan has<br />
bombed Pearl Harbor. After learning that her<br />
own father was one of the American soldiers<br />
injured in the attack, Madeline sneaks to the<br />
beach after curfew each night to be alone. One<br />
night she comes face-to-face with an unknown<br />
enemy, a frightening encounter that puts her<br />
family in danger. Sworn to secrecy, Madeline<br />
greets each new day in fear that someone will<br />
come to take her away. Now Madeline must<br />
find a way to face and conquer her fears.<br />
My Secret War, The World War II Diary of<br />
Madeline Beck, by Mary Pope Osborne,<br />
captures some of the significant incidents that<br />
happened on American soil during WWII. The<br />
story begins slowly, then builds and<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 3 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
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concentrates on the intriguing details of wartime<br />
life in America. Sentences are short and<br />
choppy, in true diary fashion, but Osborne’s text<br />
manages to capture the mood and emotion of a<br />
time when American citizens were more united<br />
than ever before.<br />
This diary is part of the Dear America series,<br />
and true to the series mission, My Secret War<br />
teaches history while at the same time<br />
entertaining it’s young readers. Real events are<br />
fictionalized to include the main character,<br />
however, the genuineness of the historical<br />
context is maintained and reveals much about a<br />
time when family, faith in God, and loyalty to<br />
country were cherished American values.<br />
The book includes a fictional epilogue that is a<br />
bit unrealistic, but which will satisfiy the<br />
romantic inclinations of pre-teen age girls. Other<br />
interesting inclusions are a historical note with<br />
details about America’s entrance into WWII,<br />
historical photographs, newspaper clippings,<br />
and a recipe for war cake, all of which further<br />
the educational value of My Secret War.<br />
Virginia Schnabel, Freelance Writer, Shelton, Washington<br />
Nzingha : warrior queen of Matamba, by<br />
Patricia McKissack. (The royal diaries.)<br />
LCCN 00024216. New York: Scholastic,<br />
2000. ISBN 0439112109, HBB, $10.95.<br />
F. Nzingha, Queen of Matamba, d. 1663--Fiction;<br />
Angola--History--1482-1648--Fiction; Princesses--<br />
Fiction; Blacks--Angola--Fiction; Mbundu (African<br />
people)--Fiction; Slave trade--Fiction. 136 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
Nzingha, Warrior Queen of Matamba, by<br />
Patricia McKissack, is set in Angola in 1595 and<br />
purports to be the diary of Princess Nzingha,<br />
First Daughter of Kiluanji, Ngola of the<br />
Mbundu. Through her entries, the reader gets a<br />
clear and interesting picture of life in Angola at<br />
a time when the Mbundu are fighting to keep the<br />
Portuguese from overrunning their country and<br />
their people. Nzingha and her siblings are right<br />
in the middle of the action, and by the end of the<br />
book, Nzingha has come of age, been<br />
recognized by her father as the future leader of<br />
her country—contrary to tradition—and has had<br />
a suitor ask for her hand in marriage.<br />
Along the way, McKissack weaves in many<br />
details of life in Angola, including traditional<br />
ceremonies, foods, clothing, and social<br />
practices. She also includes some aspects of the<br />
country’s religion that may raise a few questions<br />
in the minds of readers, especially Nzingha’s<br />
relationship with Father Giovanni, a captured<br />
Portuguese Catholic priest who teaches her and<br />
her siblings and provides guidance regarding her<br />
possible conversion in later life. He also serves<br />
as advisor to Kiluanji in his dealings with the<br />
Portuguese.<br />
In the epilogue, McKissack adds information<br />
about the rest of Nzingha’s life, a family tree,<br />
and some fascinating photos, drawings and<br />
maps. There is also a glossary and a<br />
pronunciation guide, which could be helpful for<br />
read-aloud times. This is a story that will appeal<br />
to young girls of any race, and will be a valuable<br />
addition to any library’s middle school<br />
collection.<br />
Betty Winslow, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy, Bowling Green,<br />
Ohio<br />
One eye laughing, the other weeping : the<br />
diary of Julie Weiss, by Barry Denenberg.<br />
(Dear America.) LCCN 00021920. New<br />
York: Scholastic, 2000. ISBN 0439095182,<br />
HBB, $12.95.<br />
F. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Austria--Fiction;<br />
Jews--Austria--Fiction; Austria--History--1938-1945--<br />
Fiction; Emigration and immigration--Fiction; Diaries-<br />
-Fiction. 250 p. Middle school.<br />
As may be deduced from its title, One Eye<br />
Laughing, the Other Weeping is a story of strong<br />
contrasts. The first half of the novel is set in<br />
Austria, 1938, just as Hitler’s army is taking<br />
over the Austrian people. Twelve-year-old Julie<br />
Weiss is the daughter of a well-to-do Jewish<br />
doctor. She struggles with the insanity which<br />
seems to have gripped every thread of her life as<br />
she sees friends turn against her family, and<br />
persecutions of the Jewish community tear her<br />
own family to shreds. She likens her world to<br />
the tale of Alice in Wonderland with its topsy<br />
turvy twists and turns where nothing is as it<br />
seems. Finally, after the suicide of her mother,<br />
Julie’s father manages to arrange to have her<br />
leave the country and travel to New York where<br />
she will live with her Aunt and Uncle.<br />
The second half of the book is Julie’s diary of<br />
her life in New York, seemingly a fairyland in<br />
contrast to the war she has left behind in Austria.<br />
She struggles with the guilt of not being with her<br />
father, and with the strangeness of living as an<br />
alien in a new land. But in time she becomes<br />
caught up in the actress life of her aunt and<br />
eventually becomes an actress herself, finding<br />
there the outlet for the emotions she has pent up<br />
due to her war-time experiences.<br />
Barry Denenberg has portrayed this period in<br />
history so vividly, and developed his characters<br />
so well, that it is hard to believe they are<br />
fictional. It is not an easy story to read, due to<br />
the atrocities that are represented, but it is<br />
certainly a gripping glimpse into the<br />
repercussions of anti-Semitism, teaching lessons<br />
which the reader can’t afford to ignore. A<br />
closing chapter provides context, depicting life<br />
in war-torn Vienna in word and picture. Also<br />
included are photos of New York during the<br />
same time period.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
Our strange new land : Elizabeth’s diary,<br />
by Patricia Hermes. (My America.)<br />
LCCN 99056356. New York: Scholastic,<br />
2000. ISBN 0439112087, HBB, $8.95.<br />
F. Jamestown (Va.)--History--Fiction; Virginia--<br />
History--Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775--Fiction;<br />
Diaries--Fiction. 109 p. Middle school.<br />
It is August 11, 1609, and young Lizzie Barker<br />
arrives in Jamestown with her parents after a<br />
long and arduous storm-plagued sail from<br />
England. She is especially sorry that her twin<br />
brother, Caleb, had to be left in England because<br />
of ill health, and decides to write a diary of her<br />
experiences for him on a drawing pad stolen<br />
from him before leaving England. Her struggle<br />
of conscience over the theft, while large in her<br />
Puritan mind, becomes nothing compared to the<br />
struggles her family must face as they try to<br />
forge a new home in this wilderness. Together<br />
they face the death of friends, failure of crops,<br />
and the threat of attack by savages living in the<br />
wilderness.<br />
In time, Lizzie is befriended by young<br />
Pocahontas on her frequent visits to the village,<br />
and is invited by Captain John Smith to<br />
accompany him as an assistant ambassador<br />
when he visits Powhatan’s village.<br />
Our Strange New Land ends on October 9,<br />
1609 as Lizzie frantically writes her final entry<br />
in order to send her journal back to England with<br />
Captain Smith; he is to give it to her brother,<br />
who she hopes will be strong enough to join the<br />
family the following spring.<br />
Author Patricia Hermes includes a short<br />
historical account of the settlement at<br />
Jamestown to further acquaint her young readers<br />
with this historical period.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
Portrait of lies, written by Dandi Daley<br />
Mackall; created by Terry K. Brown.<br />
(Todaysgirls.com; 2.) LCCN 00020021.<br />
Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas<br />
Nelson, 2000. ISBN 0849975611, PAP,<br />
$5.99.<br />
F. Artists--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life-<br />
-Fiction. 140 p. Middle school (High school).<br />
Jamie Chandler is one of six girls who’ve started<br />
a private on-line chat group associated with a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> website, TodaysGirls.com. Jamie is<br />
the artist of the group. When she finds a<br />
summer art camp through an on-line search, her<br />
best friend, Bren, encourages her to go. In order<br />
to get enough money together for tuition, she<br />
needs to submit a portrait to apply for the<br />
scholarship offered. But she doesn’t feel any of<br />
her previous work is good enough, and the<br />
deadline is only a few weeks away. A friend<br />
from cyberspace (“van_gogh”) encourages her<br />
to believe in her God-given artistic gift.<br />
But long hours working at the Gnosh Pit (the<br />
local hangout), and perfectionism cause her<br />
creativity to fade. Despite these odds she does<br />
her best and makes the deadline just in time.<br />
When Jamie learns she’s won the scholarship,<br />
she’s thrilled—until she realizes it’s not for the<br />
piece she submitted; a friend has submitted a<br />
portrait drawn by Jamie’s father. Will Jamie tell<br />
the truth, despite the consequences? Whatever<br />
decision she makes will be based on faith, and<br />
on learning who “van_gogh” really is.<br />
Dandi Daley Mackall captures a teen’s hopes<br />
and dreams through realistic dialogue and<br />
action. The story moves quickly with plenty of<br />
turmoil conveyed through Jamie’s inner<br />
thoughts and her struggle to believe in herself,<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 3 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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her talent, and God. The text is a mix of<br />
traditional fiction and bolded cyberspeak; the<br />
latter is used to represent on-line chats. A “Net<br />
Acronyms” list at the beginning of the book<br />
defines terms the girls use during their chats.<br />
Each book in the series is about a different girl<br />
and, though each book stands alone, it’s helpful<br />
to know the characters as they’re shown in<br />
Portrait of Lies. Readers will find the final<br />
spread, providing background details (age,<br />
screen name, interests) and photos of each girl,<br />
a plus. The book concludes with an afterword<br />
about Internet safety and wise use of chat rooms,<br />
complete with scripture references. A great<br />
addition to series book sections and a welcome<br />
alternative to popular “cyber-related” series<br />
such as Cyber.Kdz, Danger.com, and Internet<br />
detectives.<br />
Lisa Wroble, Freelance Writer/<strong>Library</strong> Aide, Plymouth, Michigan<br />
★<br />
Promise breaker, by Robert Elmer.<br />
(Promise of Zion; 1.) LCCN 99051014.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764222961, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Refugees, Jewish--Fiction; Palestine--History--<br />
1917-1948--Fiction. 171 p.<br />
Peace rebel, by Robert Elmer. (Promise of<br />
Zion; 2.) LCCN 99051015. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 76422297X,<br />
PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Palestine--History--1917-1948--FictionJews--<br />
Palestine--Fiction. 158 p.<br />
Middle school (Elementary).<br />
Following the lives of two very different<br />
thirteen-year-olds, Promise Breaker sets the<br />
stage for the series by giving the reader a<br />
glimpse of them in 1940, at age five. Dov<br />
Zalinski, a Polish Jew, is being left at an<br />
orphanage by his mother. Emily Parkinson, the<br />
pampered only child of a British officer, moves<br />
to Israel that same year. Seven years after the<br />
close of World War II, Dov begins looking for<br />
his family. Uri, a member of the Jewish<br />
Mossad, helps Dov board a boat bound for<br />
Israel. Dov and Emily cross paths when the boat<br />
is boarded by British officials. Emily has<br />
accompanied her father to help translate. When<br />
a riot begins, Emily and Dov fall overboard.<br />
Emily saves Dov’s life by helping him ashore.<br />
Peace Rebel picks up the story immediately<br />
with Emily and Dov reaching the shore.<br />
Grabbed by the Jewish underground and<br />
transported to a Kibbutz, Emily and Dov find<br />
themselves in a place they don’t want to be.<br />
Emily wants to get home to her parents, who<br />
think she is dead. Dov wants to leave the<br />
Kibbutz to try and locate his family in<br />
Jerusalem. When members of the violent<br />
Jewish group, Irgun, discover who Emily is,<br />
they kidnap her. Dov unwittingly discovers the<br />
plot and rescues her before travelling to<br />
Jerusalem.<br />
Author Robert Elmer has written a fast-paced<br />
series that even adults would enjoy reading.<br />
Many difficult vocabulary words are introduced.<br />
The author, however, does a great job of<br />
explaining them or sounding them out through<br />
the character of Dov, who doesn’t speak English<br />
or Hebrew well. At the end of each book, Elmer<br />
explains which parts of the story are true and<br />
which parts are fiction. He also includes a brief<br />
list of books and websites for further research.<br />
This is an exciting series that will get even<br />
reluctant readers reading.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
Rare and endangered, by John Dowd. (A<br />
Caribbean Island adventure.) LCCN<br />
99086976. Atlanta, Ga.: Peachtree<br />
Publishers, 2000. ISBN 1561452173, PAP,<br />
$5.95.<br />
F. Turks and Caicos Islands--Fiction; Poaching--<br />
Fiction; Hurricanes--Fiction; Drug traffic--Fiction.<br />
170 p. Middle school.<br />
Author John Dowd takes the reader on a<br />
Caribbean adventure with poachers in Rare and<br />
Endangered. He spins the tale of an<br />
environmental and animal preservation research<br />
group on Caicos Island that unearths an illegal<br />
poaching operation.<br />
Fifteen-year-old Jim returns to the research<br />
center, Bottle Creek Station, for the summer,<br />
and soon finds himself and his friend, Julia,<br />
kidnapped by poachers and taken to the<br />
Dominican Republic. With the help of a fellow<br />
researcher, Miles, who’s also been kidnapped,<br />
they gather evidence to expose the operation<br />
while trying to survive during a hurricane.<br />
Eventually they escape their captors and flee to<br />
safety with enough evidence against the<br />
poachers to break-up the operation and send the<br />
culprits to jail.<br />
Although he provides an interesting plot, Dowd<br />
fails to fill the reader in adequately as to the<br />
previous exploits of Jim and Julia from an<br />
earlier book. This leaves the reader wondering<br />
exactly what went on since he references that<br />
book heavily in the initial pages of Rare and<br />
Endangered. His views on the environment and<br />
animal protection are made quite clear as the<br />
book progresses. Dowd also uses profanity in<br />
about a quarter of the dialogue.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
★<br />
The savage damsel and the dwarf, by<br />
Gerald Morris. LCCN 99016457. Boston:<br />
Houghton Mifflin, 2000. ISBN<br />
0395971268, HBB, $15.00.<br />
F. Gareth (Legendary character)--Fiction; Knights and<br />
knighthood--Fiction; Magic--Fiction; England--<br />
Fiction; Humorous stories. 213 p. Middle school.<br />
The Lady Lynet , the damsel of The Savage<br />
Damsel and the Dwarf, has two problems. The<br />
most pressing difficulty is a knight who has<br />
sworn to besiege their castle, kill all would-be<br />
rescuers, and take possession of Lady and lands.<br />
Lynet’s second problem is that her vainly<br />
beautiful older sister, Lyonesse, is the Lady in<br />
question; and she is rather intrigued with the<br />
whole scenario. Before they find themselves<br />
completely at their attacker’s mercy, Lynet takes<br />
their future into her hands and sneaks out of the<br />
castle, destined for the Court of King Arthur.<br />
But, instead of a knight in shining armor, Lynet<br />
is granted a kitchen knave nicknamed “Pretty<br />
Hands” and a mysterious dwarf called Robert,<br />
whose only weapon is his wry humor. This very<br />
unlikely trio soon finds that none of them are<br />
who they seem, surprising even themselves. As<br />
Lynet leads them home, her disenchantment<br />
with her “heroes” ebbs, flows, and finally takes<br />
its proper course as she learns to see past<br />
appearances and tradition and into the realm of<br />
the heart.<br />
The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf is Gerald<br />
Morris’s third foray into retelling tales from Sir<br />
Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. In the<br />
process, he expands upon Malory’s sketchy<br />
characterizations, providing background and<br />
motivation for the oft strange behavior of the<br />
principals involved in the original story. But the<br />
reader must not expect a tale that echoes<br />
Malory’s High Romance. Rather it is told with<br />
a satirical eye bent upon the conventions of the<br />
Romance and with a distinctly modern,<br />
skeptical attitude. Although this may be jarring<br />
to some aficionados of the genre, it will capture<br />
the attention of readers who have long had no<br />
use for “fairytales,” and provides a humorous<br />
commentary on the exaggerated civilities of<br />
High Romance.<br />
Morris’s characters are sharply drawn and<br />
unfailingly amusing. Turning the tale of a<br />
damsel in distress on its head (The Savage<br />
Damsel..)is not new, but the transformation of<br />
Lynet from a sarcastic (ie. savage), observer of<br />
life into a young woman who chooses obscurity<br />
and service over glory is a welcome innovation.<br />
Unfortunately, a significant factor in this change<br />
is her discovery near the end of the book that she<br />
is an “enchantress.” It is this “otherness” which<br />
inclines her to quiet service rather than showy<br />
fame. Incredible in a story of High Romance,<br />
references to Christ or the things of faith are<br />
glaringly absent.<br />
Pamela A. Todd, Librarian/English Teacher, Chalcedon <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Cumming, Georgia<br />
The $66 summer, by John Armistead;<br />
illustrated by Fran Gregory. LCCN<br />
99045464. Minneapolis: Milkweed<br />
Editions, 2000. ISBN 1571316256, PAP,<br />
$6.95.<br />
F. Prejudices--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction; Afro-<br />
Americans--Fiction; Race relations--Fiction;<br />
Grandmothers--Fiction. 213 p. Middle school.<br />
John Armistead portrays racism in the 1950’s<br />
South in this novel of relationships. In The $66<br />
Summer, George comes to Obadiah, Alabama,<br />
to work for his grandmother, hoping to earn<br />
enough to buy a used Harley-Davidson<br />
motorcycle. He and friends Esther and Bennett,<br />
children of Elizabeth, Grandmother Tilly’s black<br />
employee, fish, seek to earn extra money to<br />
meet their dreams, and discover evidence that<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 3 8 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
Staple Garrison, Esther and Bennett’s father, did<br />
not run away, as was thought, but was murdered.<br />
Armistead has created an engrossing story filled<br />
with well-rounded characters. The relationships<br />
are honest; the events well plotted and<br />
portrayed, the ending thought-provoking. The<br />
book won a Milkweed Prize for Children’s<br />
Literature. Alcohol and tobacco use are<br />
portrayed and “hexing” is discussed, but these<br />
are not major elements. Fran Gregory nicely<br />
does the few illustrations in black and white.<br />
Betsy Ruffin, Teacher/Librarian, Cleburne, Texas<br />
Spider Storch’s Desperate Deal, by Gina<br />
Willner-Pardo; illustrated by Nick<br />
Sharratt. LCCN 99020140. Morton<br />
Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1999. ISBN<br />
0807575887, HBB, $11.95.<br />
F. Weddings--Fiction. p. Middle school (Elementary).<br />
Spiders on the brain, spiders on the underwear:<br />
Spider Storch loves spiders. Girls are another<br />
story. Spider is trapped in the middle-school<br />
web of hatred for the opposite sex. His nemesis,<br />
Mary Grace, is a gangly gal with a long ponytail.<br />
To her disgust, Spider calls her “Smelly Face”<br />
and “Sasquatch.” When she is chosen to be a<br />
flower girl in a wedding, she is thrilled. Spider<br />
is volunteered to be ring bearer for the same<br />
wedding.<br />
Mary Grace decides to blackmail Spider. She’ll<br />
blab to the entire school that he’s going to have<br />
to wear a tuxedo, unless Spider agrees to stop<br />
calling her names—and perform a few other<br />
favors as well. Spider Storch’s desperate deal is<br />
sealed. But soon Mary Grace’s demands go too<br />
far. Spider finally comes to his senses and stops<br />
worrying about what other people will say or<br />
think about him. Mary Grace loses her power<br />
over Spider, and the wedding goes ahead with<br />
Reverend Carleton saying “a lot of disgusting<br />
stuff about loving each other.” Taking a tiny<br />
step toward maturity, Spider calls a truce with<br />
Mary Grace and even brings himself to<br />
compliment her hair. And then he lets her know<br />
he still thinks she’s a “dumb old Sturgeon<br />
Breath.”<br />
Although full of the attitudes parents love to<br />
hate, Gina Willner-Pardo’s Spider Storch’s<br />
Desperate Deal will appeal to the inherent<br />
desire of middle-school boys to “gross out”<br />
girls. The small, exaggerated line drawings by<br />
Nick Sharratt will keep the easily distracted<br />
reader fully engaged.<br />
John T. Perrodin, Attorney, Editor, Homeschool Father, Colorado<br />
Springs, Colorado<br />
Stuart’s run to faith, by Sharon<br />
Hambrick. LCCN 99011896. Greenville,<br />
S.C.: Journey Books, Bob Jones<br />
University Press, 1999. ISBN 1579242448,<br />
PAP, $6.49.<br />
F. <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; Schools--Fiction. 123 p.<br />
Middle school.<br />
If you’re working at a <strong>Christian</strong> school or are<br />
looking for that perfect book to get into the mind<br />
and soul of an unsaved teen or almost-teen boy,<br />
then this is the book. If you want a book that<br />
doesn’t skirt the issues, but goes directly to the<br />
salvation message, this is it. Sharon Hambrick<br />
does a good job of writing through the eyes of a<br />
twelve-year-old in a tight spot, although some of<br />
her expressions don’t really fit his age level.<br />
Stuart’s Run to Faith is a no-holds-barred<br />
gauntlet event for the main character. He has to<br />
deal with having to attend a <strong>Christian</strong> academy<br />
because his widowed mother has had to move<br />
into a single wide trailer with Grandma, and that<br />
is Grandma’s bargaining tool for her unsaved<br />
grandson. Friends, teachers, coaches, and<br />
neighbors are all intent on converting Stuart.<br />
Mom is neutral as she deals with trying to get<br />
enough money to get a place of their own.<br />
Lively situations, real-life conversations, and<br />
Stuart’s gift of speed as a runner make this an<br />
honest, believable read. Surely God works this<br />
way on a daily basis as He puts people to work<br />
carrying His message of the Gospel. This book<br />
should be in every <strong>Christian</strong> school library and<br />
should be sent as a gift to every public school<br />
library. This novel is a true outreach to the<br />
unsaved and a tune-up for the believer.<br />
Rev. Jim McKinney, Teacher, Port Orchard, Washington<br />
★<br />
Terror from the Gulf : a hurricane in<br />
Galveston, written by Martha Tannery<br />
Jones. LCCN 99014579. Dallas:<br />
Hendrick-Long Publishing, 1999. ISBN<br />
1885777213, HBB, $15.95.<br />
F. Hurricanes--Texas--Galveston--Fiction; Galveston<br />
(Tex.)--Fiction; Fear--Fiction. 128 p. Middle school.<br />
In the year 1900, Charlie, twelve and<br />
rambunctious, has already been in trouble<br />
several times for fighting. His mother warns<br />
him about his temper, but what can he do when<br />
others keep egging him on? He lives seven<br />
blocks from the warm gulf waters in Galveston,<br />
yet this presents another problem, because ever<br />
since his father was lost at sea, Charlie has been<br />
afraid to go in the water. This brings incessant<br />
teasing from his classmates and even his<br />
supposed friends; thus the temper flare-ups. At<br />
the moment, however, there are other things to<br />
be concerned about. A mysterious man<br />
continues to spy on their house, always staring,<br />
always disappearing before Charlie can get<br />
anyone else to see him, and now a hurricane is<br />
making its way toward the town.<br />
Charlie’s suspicion about the strange man is<br />
quickly forgotten as the hurricane-force winds<br />
and rapidly rising water threaten the lives of<br />
everyone in Galveston. When the water reaches<br />
the family on the second floor of their home,<br />
they have to jump into the swirling, debris-filled<br />
waters before their home collapses around them.<br />
Charlie is forced to face his worst fears as he<br />
must choose between clinging to the floating<br />
roof parts, or letting go and attempting to rescue<br />
a baby floating in a precarious wooden cradle.<br />
A definite page-turner, Terror from the Gulf<br />
brings the fear and tension of fighting the fury of<br />
nature into one’s own home. Written simply yet<br />
with power, Martha Tannery Jones’ narrative<br />
uses the historical account to give strength to the<br />
storyline. The issues of facing one’s fears and<br />
dealing with anger are resolved, as Charlie<br />
discovers what is really important in life. The<br />
book includes photographs showing the<br />
destruction the town suffered, as well as the<br />
rebuilding of the destroyed Galveston. These<br />
images help the reader to visualise the scale of<br />
the horror and devastation suffered.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
Trapped between the lash and the gun : a<br />
boy’s journey, by Arvella Whitmore.<br />
LCCN 98014564. New York: Dial Books,<br />
Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN<br />
0803723849, HBB, $16.99.<br />
F. Slavery--Fiction; Afro-Americans--Fiction; Time<br />
travel--Fiction. 185 p. Middle school.<br />
Jordan Henning Scott does not want to move<br />
with his mother and sister to Springdale. After<br />
all, at twelve years of age, he should be able to<br />
make a decision as important as this on his own.<br />
Jordan wants to live with his father, though his<br />
mother has refused to reveal his father’s<br />
location. Angry about the events in his life,<br />
Jordan joins the Cobras, a neighborhood gang.<br />
Jordan plans to stay with the Cobras until he can<br />
get enough money to fly out to be with his<br />
father.<br />
Gang members must have a gun, so Jordan visits<br />
his grandfather and steals the gold watch that<br />
has been passed down in the family from slave<br />
ancestors. Suddenly Jordan is no longer in the<br />
city. Instead Jordan is in a wooded area with a<br />
strange young black boy named Uriah Henning,<br />
his great, great, great, great grandfather and a<br />
slave on the Henning’s plantation.<br />
Because Jordan cannot prove he is free, he ends<br />
up picking cotton and is eventually sold, with<br />
other members of Uriah’s family. Jordan is<br />
purchased by a member of the underground<br />
railway and put into hiding with other runaway<br />
slaves including Uriah. Suddenly, Jordan is<br />
back in his own time. Finally realizing the true<br />
value of the watch, he returns it to his<br />
grandfather and decides to quit the gang; this<br />
action results in a shooting, cementing the<br />
changes in Jordan’s life.<br />
Arvella Whitmore has an engaging style that<br />
allows her writing to pull the reader into the<br />
story. Jordan seems very much a real person.<br />
However, Trapped Between the Lash and the<br />
Gun deals too neatly with the gang issue and<br />
with slavery. This would be a good addition to<br />
the time travel genre of fiction were it not so<br />
neatly wrapped up.<br />
Barbara Wall, School <strong>Library</strong> System Director, Oswego County<br />
BOCES, Mexico, New York<br />
Uprising at dawn, by Lee Roddy.<br />
(Between two flags; 5.) LCCN 99051012.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764220292, PAP, $5.99.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 3 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
F. Slavery--Fiction; United States--History--Civil<br />
War, 1861-1865--Fiction. 159 p. Middle school.<br />
Hunting in a Virginia swamp for an escaped<br />
hog, Gideon Tugwell overhears men planning to<br />
burn down both Briarstone Plantation and<br />
Gideon’s home. Gideon runs to Briarstone to<br />
tell William, the owner’s son, about the<br />
impending uprising.<br />
Emily, a relative of William’s from the North, is<br />
living at Briarstone. She wants to ask him not to<br />
sell Nat to the slave trader. Earlier, Emily and<br />
Gideon had tried to help Nat escape, and now he<br />
must wear a collar with a bell. Angry and bitter,<br />
Nat fears for his life when he learns he will be<br />
sold to a slave trader.<br />
Before Emily can appeal to William, however,<br />
Gideon comes in with the news of the rebellion.<br />
Emily and Gideon fear they’ll be murdered in<br />
their beds at dawn on Sunday. Now they need<br />
Nat’s help to find the leader of the uprising. Nat<br />
had decided to run, but gives up his bid for<br />
freedom in order to help Emily and Gideon.<br />
Uprising At Dawn is a fast-paced and exciting<br />
account of an attempted slave rebellion. The<br />
Civil War and the issues that prompted it<br />
become real as Lee Roddy describes life in<br />
Virginia in 1862. Roddy skilfully weaves<br />
together numerous sub-plots. The characters are<br />
well-developed and show the diversity of<br />
opinion that existed in the North and South on<br />
slavery. Many young people will be surprised at<br />
the amount of responsibility young teens<br />
assumed at that period in history. The cover<br />
illustration by Chris Ellison is well done and<br />
adds to the excitement of the story.<br />
Barbara A. Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
articles and poetry substantiate the strength of<br />
this story, a certain tragedy turned into a real<br />
canine hero’s opportunity. Everything about this<br />
story is enjoyable and satisfying.<br />
Rev. Jim McKinney, Teacher, Port Orchard, Washington<br />
The wreck of the Ethie, by Hilary Hyland.<br />
LCCN 99024706. Atlanta: Peachtree,<br />
1999. ISBN 1561451983, PAP, $7.95.<br />
F. Ethie (Steamship)--Fiction; Shipwrecks--Fiction;<br />
Dogs--Fiction; Survival--Fiction; Newfoundland--<br />
Ficiton. 115 p. Elementary.<br />
Proof that real life has everything that fiction has<br />
to offer, and more, The Wreck of the Ethie is<br />
based on a real shipwreck on the coast of<br />
Newfoundland. Colleen and Skipper, her huge<br />
canine protector and friend, enjoy life on this<br />
island province and are thrilled by all that their<br />
coastal cliffside cottage has to offer. Storms<br />
bring many things in to the shore, but the fateful<br />
day that the S.S. Effie crashed over the “whale’s<br />
back” brings meaning and purpose to all that the<br />
dog and girl have shared before. The shipside<br />
sequences are told through Patrick, the ship’s<br />
boy, who works hard to help deliver passengers<br />
and crew safely to a cove he has worked before<br />
as a fisherman.<br />
Hilary Hyland’s first book is brisk and full as<br />
she covers the terrible challenges the people<br />
face, here on the North American homeland of<br />
the Vikings. Coastal storms that rival<br />
Hollywood’s “Perfect Storm” threaten to tear<br />
life apart on the rocks as each season passes.<br />
Skilled research and lively writing make this<br />
true tale an interesting read. Accompanying<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 4 0 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
MIDDLE SCHOOL NONFICTION<br />
200’s—Religion<br />
Thanks for being my friend, by Lois<br />
Walfred Johnson. (Let’s talk about it<br />
stories for kids.) LCCN 00008381.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
1556616538, PAP, $7.99.<br />
241’.6762. Friendship; <strong>Christian</strong> life; Prayer books<br />
and devotions. 167 p. Middle school.<br />
Thanks for Being My Friend, by Lois Walfred<br />
Johnson, is designed for family devotions,<br />
Sunday School, a child’s own “quiet time,” and<br />
much more. The stories are short and timely,<br />
averaging about 500 words each. Following<br />
each story is a “TO TALK ABOUT” section that<br />
encourages the reader to relate the story and<br />
Bible truths to their own lives. The questions<br />
are thought provoking and open-ended, and<br />
encourage the child to think beyond yes and no.<br />
For example, one of the sections has a question<br />
regarding finding free time and making time for<br />
being together. Children should know that<br />
making time to be together is more important<br />
than finding free time.<br />
Family is stressed, and questions show how<br />
relationships are important. Readers are shown<br />
how to invite Jesus into their lives, and a<br />
sinner’s prayer is given. Encouragement is<br />
given to use the book as a type of journal, and<br />
space is provided for just that. For a family who<br />
wants to have devotions but is unsure how or<br />
where to begin, this book is excellent. Also, for<br />
the reader who has already established the habit,<br />
this book would be a refreshing opportunity.<br />
Every chapter includes a Bible verse and a<br />
prayer to reinforce the lessons.<br />
Ms. Johnson has written an excellent devotional<br />
book, and is worthy of the Gold Medallion Book<br />
Award it has been given. I highly recommend<br />
this book for every family library.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
The young warriors : arise, shout, pursue,<br />
by Wesley E. Smith. LCCN 00551157.<br />
Shippensburg, Pa.: Treasure House,<br />
Destiny Image Publishers, 1998. ISBN<br />
1560432969, PAP, $8.99.<br />
248. <strong>Christian</strong> life. 169 p. Middle school.<br />
Recognizing the great decay of American<br />
morality, the author recognizes the need for<br />
“young warriors.” Using the lives of Saul,<br />
David, and Jonathan, the reader is admonished<br />
to follow God’s principles rather than yielding<br />
to the cultural pulls of our society. Giving<br />
scriptural references as well as modern day<br />
examples, a person is pointed toward the right<br />
choices to make when faced with dilemnas. The<br />
author works among gang members in the innercity,<br />
so he is very aware of the societal<br />
breakdown. This book personally gave my<br />
husband extra courage to stand up for what he<br />
believed in during a very difficult situation. By<br />
faith, he followed the principles set out in God’s<br />
Word that the author presented, and wasn’t<br />
swayed by feelings, emotions, and what seemed<br />
right. The author concludes the book with a<br />
statement of faith as well as the Apostle’s Creed<br />
explained.<br />
Mary Jo Cassner, Teacher, Norfolk, Nebraska<br />
300’s—Social Sciences<br />
Amy Carmichael : the hidden jewel :<br />
curriculum guide, by Julia Pferdehirt;<br />
with Dave & Neta Jackson. (A trailblazer<br />
curriculum guide.) Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764223461, PAP,<br />
$4.99.<br />
372.64. Literature--Study guide. 24 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
David Livingstone : escape from the slave<br />
traders : curriculum guide, by Julia<br />
Pferdehirt; with Dave & Neta Jackson. (A<br />
trailblazer curriculum guide.)<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764223453, PAP, $4.99.<br />
372.64. Literature--Study guide. 24 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
Martin Luther : spy for the night riders :<br />
curriculum guide, by Julia Pferdehirt;<br />
with Dave & Neta Jackson. (A trailblazer<br />
curriculum guide.) Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 076422347X, PAP,<br />
$4.99.<br />
372.64. Literature--Study guide. 23 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
Hudson Taylor : shanghaied to China : a<br />
trailblazer curriculum guide, by Julia<br />
Pferdehirt; with Dave & Neta Jackson. (A<br />
trailblazer curriculum guide.)<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764223445, PAP, $4.99.<br />
372.64. Literature--Study guide. 24 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
At first glance, the curriculum materials by Julia<br />
Pferdehirt with Dave and Neta Jackson, using<br />
their books about Amy Carmichael, David<br />
Livingstone, Martin Luther, and Hudson Taylor,<br />
appear to be geared for solely the homeschool<br />
audience. Further examination reveals a<br />
profusion of creative ideas that integrate<br />
subjects in a most refreshing way. The guides<br />
are relatively short at 24 pages, with no<br />
worksheets or other traditional activities to copy<br />
for classroom use. Background information and<br />
questions need to be read to or by the individual<br />
student.<br />
Each guide begins with Notes to the Teacher;<br />
which include instruction on how to use the<br />
guide, the scope and sequence, planning helps,<br />
an overview of the guide, and an historical<br />
summary of the particular book. Each guide has<br />
seven lessons; the first and last lessons each<br />
cover one chapter, and the others cover two<br />
chapters of the text. The authors consider this a<br />
two-week unit, when combined with the other<br />
materials given. Each lesson is one page and<br />
includes a prayer and praise section, tying the<br />
chapter into scripture; a background section;<br />
vocabulary and concepts; a discussion segment;<br />
and an encoded list of corresponding activities<br />
which are presented in the last part of the guide.<br />
The scripture passages and the discussion<br />
questions bring relevant and healthy thinking<br />
about God’s view on the issues of major world<br />
problems of the time; like world trade, opium,<br />
colonialism, slavery, and the caste system. On<br />
each lesson page is a pencil sketch and a onesentence<br />
quote from the particular chapter.<br />
After the lessons is an excellent map, that may<br />
be copied for geography work. Multitudinous<br />
activities are then listed in geography; history;<br />
social studies and folkways; literature and<br />
language arts; and the church today, which is<br />
missions involvement. Each correlates to a<br />
particular chapter in the book, and are driven by<br />
the particular person and area of the world<br />
studied, so each guide is different. Many<br />
activities deal with further research and realistic,<br />
interesting learning for the students; for<br />
example, instructions are given on how to put on<br />
a sari in the story of Amy Carmichael, and how<br />
to make fried rice in the story of Hudson Taylor.<br />
Each guide has a couple of “mega-projects” for<br />
further work, which are keyed for older or<br />
younger students.<br />
The guide ends with a list of resources. Many of<br />
the activities refer to sites on the World Wide<br />
Web, including the Jackson’s own site at<br />
trailblazers. com. At this site are additional<br />
helps and a list of links to other sites, which are<br />
actually internal to that site. A few of the other<br />
web addresses listed have changed, a notuncommon<br />
happening in working with the web.<br />
All in all, the teacher is given a wealth of options<br />
for working with the stories of famous <strong>Christian</strong><br />
leaders in a way that brings focus and support<br />
for the individual student or for the entire class.<br />
Judy Belcher, Teacher, Sylvan Way <strong>Christian</strong> School, Bremerton,<br />
Washington<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 4 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
NONFICTION<br />
500’s—Natural Sciences & Mathematics<br />
The science factory, by Jon Richards;<br />
[illustrators, Ian Moores, Ian Thompson].<br />
LCCN 99461964. Brookfield, Ct.: Copper<br />
Beach Books, The Millbrook Press, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0761308326, PAP, $16.95.<br />
508. Science--Experiments; Experiments. 224 p.<br />
Middle school (High school).<br />
The Science Factory by John Richards is a<br />
collection of science experiments that cover ten<br />
topics: air and flight, water and boats, electricity<br />
and batteries, magnetism and magnets, light and<br />
sight, sound and music, measurements, work<br />
and simple machines, shapes and structures, and<br />
finally, chemicals and reactions. Each chapter<br />
contains a brief introduction about the chapter<br />
topic and then nine to eleven experiments. Each<br />
experiment includes an informational<br />
paragraph, materials needed, numbered<br />
instructions, an extra tidbit of science<br />
information, and an explanation of “Why It<br />
Works,” referring to a successful experiment.<br />
The illustrations are mostly photographs. An<br />
equipment checklist is included at the beginning<br />
of the book that lists over 70 items needed to<br />
complete the experiments. A glossary of science<br />
words and an index is also included.<br />
The subtitle of this book is Easy-To-Make<br />
Science Experiments. However, the<br />
experiments included are far from easy. There<br />
are several reasons this collection of<br />
experiments would cause frustration among<br />
children or those with little science background<br />
who may attempt these experiments without<br />
adult instruction. The list of materials needed<br />
for each experiment is woefully incomplete.<br />
There are many items lacking necessary details.<br />
Some examples of these materials are thin<br />
cardboard, sticks, wire, adhesive vinyl, and foil.<br />
While these are not unusual materials, there is<br />
no indication of amount, size, type, or kind.<br />
Another shortcoming is the numbered<br />
instructions. The author assumes on several<br />
occasions that the reader has some<br />
understanding about the topic. While this isn’t<br />
usually a problem for science teachers, most will<br />
need help understanding the directions. They<br />
are over simplified and lack necessary details.<br />
For example, for the experiment on<br />
electromagnets, the reader is told to “Make a<br />
crane out of two boxes. Make the arm of the<br />
crane from cardboard.” This is all the direction<br />
provided. The picture offers a little help, but no<br />
details. Another criticism is the illustrations.<br />
They are not clear enough to offer any detailed<br />
assistance as the reader attempts to follow the<br />
steps. They are somewhat small and difficult to<br />
see, especially when involving small pieces or<br />
wires.<br />
If the reader has prior science experience, then<br />
these experiments may not be difficult for<br />
him/her. If however, there is no previous<br />
knowledge, these experiments would be<br />
frustrating for both children and adults. The<br />
interest level for this book would be middle<br />
school age, but they would certainly need adult<br />
help.<br />
Patricia Youmans, Homeschool Parent, Siloam Springs, Arkansas<br />
DK guide to space, by Peter Bond. LCCN<br />
98042054. New York: Dorling Kindersley,<br />
1999. ISBN 0789439468, HBB, $19.95.<br />
520. Astronomy; Austronoics in astronomy; Solar<br />
system. 64 p. Middle school (Elementary - Adult).<br />
In DK Guide to Space, author Peter Bond uses<br />
astronomical photography to provide an<br />
excellent resource to those seeking a general<br />
information book about space and related topics.<br />
Each double page spread covers a different<br />
topic, including the nine planets, the sun, the<br />
moon, space exploration and travel, stars, space<br />
stations, the extraterrestrial, and several others.<br />
Most illustrations are photographs, including<br />
many from the Hubble telescope. Mr. Bond<br />
provides seven or eight easy to read paragraphs<br />
that correspond to the many pictures for each<br />
topic. Several space data charts are provided, as<br />
well as a list of space web sites, a list of<br />
landmarks in space exploration, and an index.<br />
Peter Bond has provided another opportunity for<br />
readers to enjoy learning about space. For those<br />
to young too read, the pictures will keep them<br />
occupied and increase curiosity. For the older<br />
reader, there are sure to be several pieces of<br />
information that will be new and interesting.<br />
Even though older readers may have a general<br />
understanding of the topics presented, looking at<br />
beautiful pictures and reading about the<br />
mysteries of space never seems to grow old.<br />
DK Guide to Space would not be appropriate as<br />
the only resource for astronomical or space<br />
study; this book is recommended to complement<br />
a teacher’s space theme or a librarian’s<br />
collection of books about astronomy or outer<br />
space. It is easy reading and enjoyable viewing.<br />
Patricia Youmans, Homeschool Parent, Siloam Springs, Arkansas<br />
Nature’s fury : eyewitness reports of<br />
natural disasters, by Carol Garbuny<br />
Vogel. LCCN 99046103. New York:<br />
Scholastic, 2000. ISBN 0590115022, HBB,<br />
$16.95.<br />
551’.5. Natural disasters. 127 p. Middle school.<br />
This picture-book-sized volume presents natural<br />
disasters with a different slant. The author,<br />
Carole G. Vogel, fires up the reader’s interest in<br />
this topic by describing how she became<br />
interested in natural disasters. While studying<br />
about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius during her<br />
sixth-grade year, she imagined the drama of that<br />
disaster. Investigating more about the fury of our<br />
restless planet led to her lifelong interest in<br />
natural disasters. She shares with the reader<br />
how her research turned her into an “amateur<br />
detective.” First-hand accounts, gleaned from<br />
interviews or original news clippings, of what it<br />
was like to experience and live through the<br />
disasters makes Nature’s Fury an inviting read.<br />
The book is divided into three parts which serve<br />
to “classify” the type of disaster: “On Shaky<br />
Ground”, “Monster Storms”, and “Water.” A<br />
map shows the site for each disaster mentioned<br />
as well as the location areas for types of<br />
disasters, i.e. Mount St. Helen’s ash fall out.<br />
The opening chapter of each part explains about<br />
the disasters. The chapters, covering thirteen<br />
specific disasters that took place in the United<br />
States, are not presented chronologically but<br />
rather logically. For example, “Water” moves<br />
from the Dust Bowl (too little water), to the<br />
Great Peshtigo Fire (water to put out a fire), to<br />
the Flash Flood in Big Thompson Canyon (too<br />
much water). Each chapter reads like a<br />
magazine article complete with quotations from<br />
survivors and experts on the subject. Captions<br />
for photos and illustrations, used generously<br />
throughout each chapter, add to the content of<br />
the text. For example, in “Alaska’s Good Friday<br />
Earthquake,” photos show the black fissure lines<br />
running through a portion of the town, a<br />
devastated neighborhood, and an eight-year-old<br />
survivor with her mother and brother after the<br />
earthquake.<br />
Though this volume is slim, don’t let this fool<br />
you. It’s brimming with information. In<br />
addition to giving the reader a glimpse into the<br />
fury of blizzards, tornadoes, floods, droughts,<br />
and earthquakes, the book includes end notes,<br />
sources (including websites) for additional<br />
information, and a helpful index.<br />
Lisa Wroble, Freelance Writer/<strong>Library</strong> Aide, Plymouth, Michigan<br />
El Nino and La Nino : weather in the<br />
headlines, by April Pulley Sayre. LCCN<br />
00025605. Brookfield, Ct.: Twenty-First<br />
Century Books, The Millbrook Press,<br />
2000. ISBN 0761314059, HBB, $24.90.<br />
551.6. El Nino Current--Environmental aspects; La<br />
Nina Current--Environmental aspects; Global<br />
environmental change. 80 p. Middle school (High<br />
school).<br />
April Sayre has loaded this book with many<br />
color illustrations and photographs that will help<br />
the readers to understand this weather<br />
phenomena a little better. Definitions of El Nino<br />
can be found at the very beginning of the first<br />
chapter. El Nino was named for the Christ Child<br />
by Peruvian fishermen because they noticed this<br />
weather pattern near Christmas. La Nina is<br />
basically the opposite weather conditions of El<br />
Nino. The chapters discuss the effects of this<br />
weather phenomena in South America, North<br />
America and other countries around the world.<br />
Animal and plant life are also portrayed as being<br />
greatly affected anytime El Nino or La Nina<br />
happens.<br />
The author has included a table of contents, a<br />
bibliography, an index, and websites. Satellite<br />
images, photos of the destruction caused by<br />
floods, and diagrams of wind patterns are<br />
extremely well done. The effects of El Nino and<br />
La Nina are not always bad and Sayre has text<br />
discussing how plant life has grown in deserts<br />
due to rainfall that fell when it would not<br />
normally. The text is somewhat technical and<br />
sometimes difficult for a layperson to grasp, but<br />
the information is timely.<br />
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Connie Weaver, Church Librarian, Newville, Pennsylvania<br />
600’s—Technology (Applied Sciences)<br />
Space station science : life in free fall, by<br />
Marianne J. Dyson; foreword by Buzz<br />
Aldrin. LCCN 98045994. New York:<br />
Scholastic, 1999. ISBN 0590058894, HBB,<br />
$16.95.<br />
629.45. Space stations; Astronauts. 128 p. Middle<br />
school (High school).<br />
Space Station Science is organized into five<br />
parts: Getting There, Space Basics, Living in<br />
Space, Working in Space, and Coming Home.<br />
Each part explains the appropriate aspects of<br />
space travel or station living. Throughout the<br />
book, there are informative and relatively<br />
inexpensive home experiments that illustrate the<br />
complex science and technology associated with<br />
the space station.<br />
The text covers a lot of material: the effects of<br />
space travel on humans and animals, conducting<br />
experiments in zero gravity, the possible<br />
commercial uses of the developed technology,<br />
and reasons for expanded space exploration.<br />
Space Station Science does not ignore the risks<br />
and difficulties of space travel. It does point out<br />
how scientists and engineers have addressed<br />
these issues in the past, present, or future. The<br />
book also emphasizes why astronauts undergo<br />
rigorous training and development to overcome<br />
those issues that science can not address.<br />
Author Marianne J. Dyson was one of the first<br />
ten women to work in NASA’s Mission Control,<br />
and it shows. She writes with an insider’s<br />
knowledge, an enthusiast’s passion and a<br />
veteran’s realism. She clearly supports<br />
continued development and exploration of “the<br />
final frontier,” yet does not ignore the<br />
technological and economic hurdles that remain<br />
to be overcome.<br />
Still, she eagerly and convincingly writes about<br />
subjects she loves and knows. If NASA has a<br />
youth recruitment program, this book should be<br />
heavily considered as the primary text. Ms.<br />
Dyson managed to find a wonderful balance of<br />
content and understandability. This book<br />
engages the reader with wonder and wow, yet<br />
never sugarcoats any of the risks and realities of<br />
space travel.<br />
This highly readable book is an excellent choice<br />
for students who want an introduction to the<br />
current space program, but aren’t ready for<br />
college level physics textbooks. It balances<br />
content, interest, and accuracy in a delightful<br />
way. The author does not directly address God<br />
or Scripture, but her sense of wonder and<br />
fascination points to an appreciation of His<br />
Creation.<br />
Kirk Hunt, Instructor, Pima County Community College, Business<br />
& Industry Division, Tucson, Arizona<br />
Black hands, white sails : the story of<br />
African-American whalers, by Patricia C.<br />
McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack.<br />
LCCN 99011439. New York: Scholastic,<br />
1999. ISBN 0590483137, HBB, $15.95.<br />
639.2’8’0896073. Whaling--History; Afro-American<br />
whalers--Biography; Whalers. 152 p. Middle school.<br />
Patricia C. and Frederick L. McKissack present<br />
a fascinating story of the role African Americans<br />
played in the whaling industry. Black Hands,<br />
White Sails is a history of whalers showing their<br />
contribution both to whaling and to the abolition<br />
movement. The McKissacks’ poignant picture<br />
of black whalers begins with the first African<br />
captives brought as “indentured servants” to<br />
Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619 and ends with the<br />
Viola, the last wooden whaling ship built in<br />
America in 1917.<br />
Captain Paul Cuffe, a famous black whaleman,<br />
was instrumental in a movement to return<br />
former black slaves to Africa. Not every African<br />
American appreciated his efforts however, and<br />
with his death, his dream of recolonization of<br />
freed blacks evaporated. Another man,<br />
Frederick Douglass, helped raise the esteem of<br />
African Americans. Douglass, an educated and<br />
articulate former slave, spoke out against<br />
prejudice and discrimination. Other famous<br />
whalemen, including Absalom Boston, Captain<br />
Daniel Drayton, and Lewis Temple are<br />
mentioned.<br />
One movement among the abolitionists was the<br />
Underground Railroad, a secret group that<br />
helped runaway slaves make their way to<br />
freedom. Numerous whalers, both black and<br />
white, used ships to transport runaways to<br />
safety. Like their white counterparts, black<br />
whalers carved scrimshaw, sang whaling<br />
shanties (also spelled chanties), and lost their<br />
lives attempting to capture the great whales of<br />
the Atlantic Ocean. Only one story—that of the<br />
Essex of Nantucket—left this reader<br />
uncomfortable. That story, set in 1821 describes<br />
a shipwreck and cannibalism.<br />
The McKissacks give us a list of common sea<br />
expressions and their original meanings. These<br />
expressions, like “hand over fist,” “hard and<br />
fast,” “over a barrel,” and “groggy,” continue to<br />
be used in America. An Appendix describes the<br />
various whales and compares their shapes and<br />
sizes. Four pages of Important Dates are<br />
followed by a four page Bibliography and a<br />
comprehensive Index.<br />
Both students and teachers will find the reading<br />
of Black Hands, White Sails easy reading.<br />
People who enjoy discovering little known<br />
historical facts will delight in the McKissacks’<br />
presentation.<br />
Dell Smith Klein, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Yarnell, Arizona<br />
700’s—The Arts and Recreation<br />
Building the book Cathedral, by David<br />
Macaulay. LCCN 99017975. Boston:<br />
Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN<br />
0395921473, HBB, $29.95.<br />
726.6. Macaulay, David. Cathedral.; Cathedrals;<br />
Architecture, Gothic. 112 p. Middle school<br />
(Elementary - Adult).<br />
How does an award-winning author<br />
commemorate a twenty five year best seller?<br />
Caldecott Medalist David Macauley celebrates<br />
with yet another one of his popular how-it-wasmade<br />
books, Building the Book Cathedral.<br />
What Macauley really wanted to do twenty-five<br />
years ago was write a book about gargoyles. His<br />
publishers liked the picture of the cathedral<br />
better than the picture of the gargoyle; so, even<br />
though Macaulay was unsure about how to do it,<br />
he wrote Cathedral, explaining the construction<br />
of a medieval cathedral. How does an author<br />
who knows nothing about gothic construction<br />
and only a little about book making produce a<br />
masterpiece? Building the Book Cathedral<br />
explains it all, mistakes, corrections, misplaced<br />
perspectives, exhaustive study, deadlines, and<br />
the fun. David Macauley learned with that first<br />
book. Now he teaches us what he learned, while<br />
also giving us an engaging glimpse of who he is.<br />
Building the Book Cathedral contains the full<br />
text and drawings of Cathedral enhanced by<br />
many of the original sketches and editing notes,<br />
with humorous, instructive asides and<br />
explanations from the the now older, wiser<br />
author. What can the artist do when linear<br />
perspective does not provide our eyes with the<br />
true picture? How can the artist make a drawing<br />
evoke emotion? What does he do if his<br />
sketching makes the carver and the block of<br />
wood look the same? Macauley explains all this<br />
and more with both text and the juxtaposition of<br />
subtly changed illustrations and original<br />
illustrations. The author’s black and white pen<br />
and ink drawings present the story; his words<br />
illustrate the pictures. Written at middle school<br />
level, Building the Book Cathedral, like it’s<br />
forerunner Cathedral, will delight all inquisitive<br />
readers.<br />
Donna Eggett, Freelance Writer, Radford, Virginia<br />
Draw 3-D : a step-by-step guide to<br />
perspective drawing, by Doug DuBosque.<br />
LCCN 98042174. Columbus, N.C.: Peel<br />
Productions, 1998. ISBN 0939217147,<br />
PAP, $8.95.<br />
742. Perspective; Drawing--Technique. 64 p. Middle<br />
school (Elementary - Adult).<br />
A how-to book, Draw 3-D by Doug DuBosque<br />
teaches interested artists how to add a sense of<br />
depth to their drawings. Following illustrationenhanced<br />
steps, the tyro begins with circles,<br />
boxes, or his name, adds a vanishing point, rules<br />
in some lines, and it all pops into perspective.<br />
Further lessons explain such concepts as<br />
horizon, two and three vanishing points, the<br />
relationship between perspective and eye level,<br />
drawing curved objects, the perspective of<br />
shadows, and the four vanishing point paradox.<br />
With panache and wit, DuBosque dynamically<br />
teaches three dimensional drawing. Armed with<br />
the tools listed in the introduction the artist can<br />
participate in the clearly understandable step by<br />
simple step directions for producing linear<br />
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perspective. Pencil illustrations fully amplify<br />
each step. Black and white photographic<br />
examples of perspective help explain some of<br />
the more difficult ideas. The first lesson<br />
produces rushing cylinders, and converts them<br />
into outer space poles. Further lessons introduce<br />
new or enlarged concepts, turn them into fun,<br />
then give ample directions for self directed<br />
projects. Early lessons allow the beginning<br />
student to feel the flush of achievement at his<br />
own level of understanding, yet lead the more<br />
experienced student on to further 3-D<br />
intricacies. DuBosque treats his readers with<br />
friendship, respect and sympathy, encouraging<br />
further experimentation. Written at middle<br />
school level, Draw 3-D will be welcomed by<br />
any age reader with interest, time, and a large<br />
stack of scrap paper.<br />
Donna Eggett, Freelance Writer, Radford, Virginia<br />
Music of the American colonies, by Anne<br />
Enslow and Ridley Enslow. Berkeley<br />
Heights, N.J.: Enslow Publishers, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0766016145, CDR, $24.95.<br />
782.42’0973. United States--History--Colonial period,<br />
ca. 1600-1775--Songs and music; Songs--United<br />
States--History--Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775--<br />
History and criticism; United States--History--<br />
Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775. 1 CD-ROM, 61 min.;<br />
booklet, guide. Middle school (High school).<br />
Anne Enslow and Ridley Enslow have compiled<br />
a well-rounded selection of authentic colonial<br />
period music in this CD, Music of the American<br />
Colonies. Music and songs from Dutch,<br />
Spanish, French, and English are played on<br />
period instruments. Readings and music<br />
introduce the African and Native American<br />
experiences also.<br />
The music is well done and the vocals are clear<br />
and nice. The selections cover many cultures<br />
and events in colonial life. Accompanying<br />
literature introduces each piece and gives<br />
background information. Lyrics are given and a<br />
glossary defines words and terms. The booklet<br />
also includes chapter notes, sources for the<br />
music, a music bibliography, and index. Internet<br />
addresses are also listed. The addresses all work<br />
and are well chosen to provide further<br />
information on the colonial period. Another<br />
pamphlet gives ideas for classroom activities<br />
and curriculum connections.<br />
Betsy Ruffin, Teacher/Librarian, Cleburne, Texas<br />
800’s—Literature and Rhetoric<br />
Speaking of journals : children’s book<br />
writers talk about their diaries, notebooks<br />
and sketchbooks, by Paula W. Graham.<br />
LCCN 98088261. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds<br />
Mills Press, 1999. ISBN 1563977419, PAP,<br />
$14.95.<br />
818’.540308 20. Authors, American--Diaries--<br />
Authorship; Creative writing; Authorship. 226 p.<br />
Middle school.<br />
<strong>Journal</strong> writing is something many language arts<br />
teachers expect or require of their students.<br />
Paula Graham interviewed twenty-seven<br />
children’s authors for the book Speaking of<br />
<strong>Journal</strong>s. Each author shares his or her views<br />
on journal keeping. Styles of journal keeping<br />
vary from collecting memorabilia and<br />
newspaper clippings to keeping copies of letters<br />
and e-mails to writing and sketching in a<br />
notebook. Each author entry includes a listing<br />
of the author’s books, a description of the<br />
author’s journal keeping style and a record of<br />
the interview. Jack Gantos describes journal<br />
keeping in this way. It is “the single most<br />
important book that [kids] will write. Whether<br />
they become poets or novelists, or better<br />
business letter writers.. It’s a good writing habit<br />
and it’s a way to discover important truths about<br />
yourself..”<br />
Speaking of <strong>Journal</strong>s by Paula Graham is an<br />
encouragement to aspiring writers in junior high<br />
and above. The book is a useful resource for<br />
language arts teachers of all ages. Several of the<br />
authors interviewed started their journal at the<br />
urging of a teacher. While not all authors keep<br />
on, Ms. Graham presents an excellent argument<br />
for the use of journals.<br />
Jane Mouttet, Librarian, Hilltop <strong>Christian</strong> School, Window Rock,<br />
Arizona<br />
900’s—Geography, History, &<br />
Biography<br />
Myth maker : J.R.R. Tolkien, by Anne E.<br />
Neimark; illustrated by Brad Weinman.<br />
LCCN 97050380. New York: Beech Tree,<br />
Morrow, 1998 c1996. ISBN 0688157416,<br />
PAP, $4.95.<br />
921 (828). Tolkien, J.R.R. (John Ronald Reuel),<br />
1892-1973; Authors, English--20th century--<br />
Biography; Fantasy literature--Authorship; Middle<br />
Earth (Imaginary place). 128 p. Middle school.<br />
This biography of the life of Tolkien takes the<br />
reader on a fascinating trip from South Africa to<br />
England, to the outermost parts of the imaginary<br />
world—the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. Without<br />
reading the introduction, the reader may believe<br />
he is induging in a fascinating fiction, because<br />
Tolkien’s life was so interesting. It would be<br />
very helpful to have read The Hobbit and/or The<br />
Lord of the Rings previous to this reading,<br />
because there are many allusions that can be<br />
better understood having that background.<br />
Tokien led a very moral and respectable life. He<br />
waited many years to finally marry the woman<br />
he loved. Raised as an orphan by a priest,<br />
Tolkien highly valued the advice of his<br />
authorities and elders. His educational<br />
standards and committment to do what was right<br />
made him successful, happy, and legendary.<br />
Teachers would benefit from this book, as it<br />
would expand their knowledge of and<br />
appreciation for the man if they teach any of his<br />
books. Junior high students will enjoy the easyto-read<br />
style and will be fascinated with the<br />
content. All readers could benefit from the true<br />
inspiration of this man, J.R.R. Tolkien.<br />
Mary Jo Cassner, Teacher, Norfolk, Nebraska<br />
Forging freedom : a true story of heroism<br />
during the Holocaust, by Hudson Talbott.<br />
LCCN 99052551. New York: G.P.<br />
Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Putnam, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0399234349, HBB, $15.99.<br />
921 (940.53’18’09492352). Penraat, Jaap; Righteous<br />
Gentiles in the Holocaust--Netherlands--Amsterdam--<br />
Biography; World War, 1939-1945--Jews--Rescue--<br />
Netherlands--Amersterdam; Holocaust, Jewish (1939-<br />
1945)--Netherlands--Amsterdam; Amsterdam<br />
(Netherlands)--Biography. 64 p. Middle school<br />
(Elementary).<br />
Forging Freedom tells the true story of Jaap<br />
Penraat, a young boy growing up in Amsterdam<br />
in the 1930’s. When German forces arrive in<br />
Holland at the onset of World War II, Jaap<br />
immediately begins to protects his Jewish<br />
friends and neighbors from the Nazis. By<br />
making fake ID cards he is able to save many<br />
Jews from arrest, but as Nazi persecution<br />
increases Jaap realizes he must do and risk even<br />
more. Although he has already been imprisoned<br />
for his resistance activities, Jaap begins<br />
counterfeiting documents from a German<br />
construction company to create a ‘letter’<br />
requesting that Dutch workers be transferred to<br />
France to work on the Atlantic Wall. Risking his<br />
life, Jaap repeatedly poses as a foreman and<br />
travel leader and, over several trips, is able to<br />
lead 406 Jewish men to France where they are<br />
transported by the French Underground to<br />
Gibraltar and then to England and freedom.<br />
Hudson Talbott has written and illustrated a<br />
wonderful story of compassion and courage.<br />
Talbott takes Jaap Penraat’s complicated<br />
resistance activities and, without losing<br />
important details, simplifies them in a way that<br />
will make sense to even younger readers. The<br />
horrors of the Nazi regime and the awful<br />
dangers resistant workers faced are clearly<br />
depicted, yet the book is able to remain gentle<br />
and the message is clearly one of hope. Talbott’s<br />
illustrations show everything from a Dutch<br />
market to war scenes and Hitler himself, and<br />
help bring to life the world of 1940’s Europe.<br />
Maps and authentic forged documents are also<br />
included.<br />
The book ends with an interesting Author’s Note<br />
where Talbott explains that although he had<br />
been friends and neighbors with Jaap Penraat for<br />
over twelve years, it was only after hearing Jaap<br />
being interviewed on the radio that he learned of<br />
his bravery and compassion during World War<br />
II. In 1998, Jaap Penraat was awarded the<br />
medal of the Righteous Among the Nations.<br />
Kerri Cunningham, Librarian, Camano Island, Washington<br />
Alexander Hamilton : America’s bold lion,<br />
by John Rosenburg. LCCN 99057292.<br />
Brookfield, Ct.: Twenty-First Century<br />
Books, The Millbrook Press, 2000. ISBN<br />
0761316175, HBB, $23.90.<br />
921 (973.4’092). Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804;<br />
Statesman--United States--Biography; United States--<br />
Politics and government--1783-1809. 192 p. Middle<br />
school.<br />
If it were not for his portrait on the ten-dollar<br />
bill, Alexander Hamilton might have become<br />
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another “Forgotten Founding Father” of the<br />
United States of America, remembered only by<br />
historians. As it is, few school children could<br />
say why Hamilton was placed there or what had<br />
been his various roles in the infancy of our<br />
country. Alexander Hamilton: America’s Bold<br />
Lion by John Rosenburg redresses this oversight<br />
in a respectful, yet honest account of his life.<br />
Born out of wedlock, Hamilton had only his<br />
quick intelligence and forceful personality to<br />
commend him in a world which was concerned<br />
primarily with family connections and wealth.<br />
He put these to immediate use and, by the age of<br />
twenty-one, found himself aide-de-camp to<br />
General George Washington and privy to the<br />
momentous events of the American Revolution.<br />
After independence was won, Hamilton was<br />
called upon to serve as Secretary of the Treasury<br />
under Washington, where he had great influence<br />
on the forming and defining of the new entity<br />
called the United States. His life cut short in a<br />
duel at forty-one, Hamilton never attained high<br />
elected office, but did profoundly influence the<br />
direction the country took with his tireless<br />
writing, best illustrated by his contributions to<br />
The Federalist Papers.<br />
Rosenburg’s biography of Alexander Hamilton<br />
is a good, serviceable introduction to the man<br />
for the middle school reader or researcher. The<br />
text is somewhat dry, but it is perfectly adequate<br />
for transmitting the facts of Hamilton’s life if not<br />
the spirit. The author does this honestly, with a<br />
warmness for his subject that does not gloss<br />
over his frailties, such as his affair with Maria<br />
Reynolds, or gush with admiration. In addition,<br />
the work is well indexed, and a very helpful<br />
bibliography and list of important dates in<br />
Hamilton’s life can be found at the end. The<br />
researcher also will appreciate the author’s own<br />
list of sources and acknowledgments in which<br />
he ranks the helpfulness of the titles in his<br />
bibliography.<br />
Pamela A. Todd, Librarian/English Teacher, Chalcedon <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Cumming, Georgia<br />
Masada, written and illustrated by Neil<br />
Waldman. LCCN 97032912. New York:<br />
Morrow Junior Books, Morrow, 1998.<br />
ISBN 0688144810, HBB, $16.00.<br />
933. Masada Site (Israel); Jews--History--Rebellion,<br />
66-73; Excavations (Archaeology)--Israel--Masada<br />
Site. 64 p. Middle school.<br />
Masada was a fortress built deep into the rock<br />
and high upon a cliff to protect Nebuchadnezzer.<br />
It was his finest fortress, and few dared to<br />
overcome it. However, when Nero tried to<br />
anhialate the Jews, he had some difficulty with<br />
the zealots. An historical narrative written about<br />
the famous fortress Masada, this book delves<br />
into the Jewish zealots’ valiant efforts to defeat<br />
Rome.<br />
Although this appears to be a children’s book<br />
(with pencil drawings, short content, and large<br />
pages), the style, vocabulary, and content is<br />
high-school to college level. Adults will be<br />
fascinated by some of the history including the<br />
psychotic King Nebuchadnezzer, who built it,<br />
the Jewish Zealots who defended it with their<br />
very lives, the determined Romans who<br />
attempted to destroy it, and the modern<br />
archaeologists who have dug up its treasures.<br />
Mary Jo Cassner, Teacher, Norfolk, Nebraska<br />
Martyrs to madness : the victims of the<br />
Holocaust, by Ted Gottfried; illustrations<br />
by Stephen Alcorn. (The Holocaust.)<br />
LCCN 99057587. Brookfield, Ct.:<br />
Twenty-First Century Books, The<br />
Millbrook Press, 2000. ISBN 0761317155,<br />
HBB, $29.90.<br />
940.53’18. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945); World<br />
War, 1939-1945--Atrocities; Germany--History--1933-<br />
1945; Antisemitism--Europe. 126 p. Middle school<br />
(High school).<br />
Ted Gottfried has done an outstanding job of<br />
relating the horrors of the Holocaust for the YA<br />
audience. His easy to follow narrative leads the<br />
reader from the early days of the Nazi party’s<br />
assension to power through the atrocities of the<br />
“Final Solution.” Gottfried’s chronicle is firstrate.<br />
He unflinchingly relates the facts without<br />
dwelling unnecessarily on the gruesome details.<br />
There are separate chapters on each of the<br />
groups that Hitler persecuted. His brief<br />
afterword is a solemn warning that if we do not<br />
learn from the past and if we believe we are<br />
superior to others, we could find ourselves<br />
where the Germans, both aggressors and<br />
victims, found themselves in WWII.<br />
The fine illustrations by Stephen Alcorn<br />
introduce each chapter and are supplemented by<br />
photographs, which are a nice addition but not<br />
for younger, more squeamish readers. The book<br />
also contains a chronology, glossary, chapter<br />
notes, index, and a list of other books to read and<br />
Internet sites to visit if the reader would like<br />
more information.<br />
The <strong>Christian</strong> reader should be advised that the<br />
topic is not appropriate for younger children and<br />
that even for some older children this book may<br />
be somewhat frightening and/or graphic both in<br />
terms of violence and some sexuality (example:<br />
castrations, rapes). Also, while Gottfried makes<br />
no judgments about the homosexual lifestyle,<br />
there is a chapter devoted to Hitler’s persecution<br />
of homosexuals. Parents will perhaps want to<br />
read this with their older children to discuss the<br />
many issues that are covered and exchange<br />
views on what a <strong>Christian</strong>’s response to such<br />
horrors should be.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Teacher, Scotts Valley, California<br />
Nazi Germany : the face of tyranny, by<br />
Ted Gottfried; illustrations by Stephen<br />
Alcorn. (The Holocaust.) LCCN<br />
99057589. Brookfield, Ct.: Twenty-First<br />
Century Books, The Millbrook Press,<br />
2000. ISBN 0761317147, HBB, $29.90.<br />
940.53’18. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945); National<br />
socialism; Hitler, Adolf, 1889-1945; Antisemitism--<br />
Europe. 128 p. Middle school (High school).<br />
“How can such a monstrous crime as the<br />
Holocaust occur? It begins when people start<br />
thinking of themselves as ‘us’ and of others as<br />
‘them.’ But there is no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ There is<br />
only ‘we.’”<br />
Nazi Germany: The Face of Tyranny describes<br />
the beginning, middle, and end of a systemic<br />
attempt to rid Germany and other European<br />
states of the Jewish population. Author Ted<br />
Gottfried introduces a young Adolph Hitler who<br />
soon becomes the leader of the Nazi party and<br />
then the leader of Germany. Through Hitler’s<br />
command the “The Final Solution” was<br />
undertaken. Two thirds of European Jews were<br />
massacred.<br />
With well footnoted chapters, the author traces<br />
the evolution of the Nazi movement,<br />
summarizes key events leading up to and<br />
through World War II, and describes the final<br />
attempts to round up and murder millions of<br />
Jews and other estranged groups such as<br />
Gypsies, Polish citizens, mentally and<br />
physically ill people, and homosexual<br />
individuals.<br />
Toward the end of the book, the author tells the<br />
fate of the more infamous Nazis discussed in the<br />
book. He lists the major events chronologically<br />
and supplies source notes. He provides a<br />
glossary of German terms and others and gives<br />
additional resources for reading, including<br />
Internet sites.<br />
The illustrations by Stephen Alcorn are bold<br />
black and white ink drawings accented with<br />
beige. The pictures reflect the bleak nature of<br />
the information within the pages. Several black<br />
and white photographs of Jews, Nazi soldiers,<br />
and children in a concentration camp lend<br />
additional sobriety to the reading.<br />
Homosexuality is mentioned several times. In<br />
recounting of the murder of a Nazi, Ernest<br />
Rohm, the author tells that two men who shared<br />
the same bed were dragged from their bed and<br />
shot.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
A special fate : Chiune Sugihara : hero of<br />
the Holocaust, by Alison Leslie Gold.<br />
LCCN 99024298. New York: Scholastic,<br />
2000. ISBN 0590395254, HBB, $15.95.<br />
940.53’18’092. Sugihara, Chiune, 1900-1986;<br />
Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust--Biography;<br />
Diplomats--Japan--Biography; Jews--Persecution--<br />
Lithuania--Kaunas; World War, 1939-1945--Jews--<br />
Rescue--Lithuania--Kaunas. 176 p. Middle school<br />
(Elementary).<br />
It is a time of terror and fear as World War II<br />
rages around the globe, and for one man, Chiune<br />
Sugihara, a diplomat from Japan, it is a time to<br />
determine destiny.<br />
Sugihara began life simply enough, willingly<br />
following his family’s traditions and values, but<br />
now he is a man and must choose for himself<br />
either to become a doctor as his father wishes, or<br />
to follow his own dream and become a teacher.<br />
Chiune’s decision will lead him down a far<br />
different path than he could ever have imagined<br />
and will give him the power to choose life or<br />
death for thousands of WWII refugee Jews.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 4 5 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
MIDDLE SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
Will he follow his conscience or the dictates of<br />
his government?<br />
In A Special Fate, by Alison Leslie Gold, the<br />
little known story of Japanese diplomat Chiune<br />
Sugihara is played out. Gold writes about a man<br />
of compassion and intelligence, who in spite of<br />
the danger to himself and his family, willingly<br />
becomes God’s instrument. Just as God placed<br />
Esther in a position of power in time to rescue<br />
his people from death, A Special Fate reveals<br />
how God used Sugihara in the same way. Gold<br />
uses short, simple sentences to reach her young<br />
audience, which sometimes interrupts the flow<br />
of the book, but Gold also wraps her narrative<br />
around the stories of some of the Jewish families<br />
Sugihara helped to save, making her writing<br />
seem more credible and alive.<br />
Included in the book are some photographs and<br />
images of actual documents signed by Sugihara<br />
on behalf of Jewish refugees. These images<br />
provide a glimpse into Sugihara’s personal life<br />
and reveal the faces of one young man and a<br />
little girl his actions helped to rescue.<br />
Virginia Schnabel, Freelance Writer, Shelton, Washington<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 4 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
HIGH SCHOOL FICTION<br />
★<br />
Backwater, by Joan Bauer. LCCN<br />
98050729. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons,<br />
Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN<br />
0399231412, HBB, $16.99.<br />
F. Genealogy--Fiction; Aunts--Fiction; Lawyers--<br />
Fiction; Birds--Fiction; Survival--Fiction; Hermits--<br />
Fiction. 185 p. High school (Middle school).<br />
Sixteen-year-old Ivy is determined to be an<br />
historian, contrary to her dad’s promptings that<br />
she follow in his legal tracks. To relatives who<br />
take pride in producing consecutive generations<br />
of lawyers, Ivy’s quiet, methodical ways appear<br />
rebellious. Yet, she is encouraged by the<br />
memory of her mother, who died of cancer when<br />
she was very young, leaving Ivy with an<br />
appreciation of people and their roots.<br />
At the annual holiday reunion, a competition<br />
ensues between Ivy and her aggressive Aunt<br />
Fiona over recording the Breedlove family<br />
history. Ivy is convinced that true character only<br />
appears through taking time to listen and record<br />
individual personalities. Aunt Fiona, widely<br />
known for her time management successes,<br />
prefers video clips of rehearsed speeches and<br />
views Ivy as unreasonable. Many of her<br />
relatives liken Ivy to her eccentric Aunt<br />
Josephine, who cut family ties and ran off<br />
several years before.<br />
One day, Ivy encounters a crazy neighbor who<br />
informs her that her Aunt Jo lives deep in the<br />
nearby Adirondack Mountains. With the<br />
encouragement of a motherly aunt, the help of<br />
an eccentric tracker named Mountain Mama,<br />
and a handsome student ranger, Ivy locates her<br />
estranged aunt and her birds. Aunt Jo reveals a<br />
side of the Breedloves Ivy had never known. As<br />
the quiet beauty of the place begins to grow on<br />
her, disaster strikes, and Ivy must rescue her<br />
injured aunt from the icy jaws of death.<br />
Backwater, by Joan Bauer, is a coming of age<br />
portrait of a young girl who, through adversity,<br />
finds value in herself and others. Ivy’s<br />
approachable characteristics draw the reader<br />
into her adventures. Though not specifically<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> fiction, this story exudes solid morals<br />
and values. Main characters are well sketched.<br />
Writing style and point of view are consistent<br />
and exquisitely crafted.<br />
Kim Harris, Librarian, Newman Riga <strong>Library</strong>, Churchville, New<br />
York<br />
Cabs, cameras, and catastrophes, by<br />
Wendy Lee Nentwig. (Unmistakably<br />
Cooper Ellis; 4.) LCCN 00008334.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764220683, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Models<br />
(Persons)--Fiction; New York (N.Y.)--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 143 p. High school.<br />
In author Wendy Lee Nentwig’s fourth book in<br />
the Cooper Ellis series, Cabs, Cameras, and<br />
Catastrophes, Cooper still has feelings for her<br />
former boyfriend, Josh, and embarks on a<br />
campaign to re-establish a relationship with him.<br />
Encouraged by her friends, Claire and Alex,<br />
Cooper makes attempts to restore a connection<br />
with Josh. This plan becomes muddled when<br />
she agrees to go out with another fellow. When<br />
he sees Cooper dating other people, Josh<br />
eventually begins seeing another girl.<br />
Cooper comes to realize she must trust God in<br />
the situation with Josh. This same trust in God<br />
is tested in her modelling jobs, when Cooper is<br />
confronted with skimpy clothing that she must<br />
model. During all this mayhem, Cooper also<br />
discovers that her best friend Claire is forced to<br />
deal with the painful issues of divorce. Once<br />
again, Cooper turns to God for comfort, support,<br />
and the wisdom to know how to support Claire<br />
during the difficult time of divorce.<br />
Throughout the book, Nentwig weaves<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> ideals and morals into her plot. This<br />
book will catch the eye and hold the interest of<br />
most young girls, since it deals with relevant<br />
topics that pertain to them, such as break-ups,<br />
boyfriends, and botched relationships. The<br />
main character shows a strong dependence and<br />
faith in God, which can only help reinforce the<br />
importance of personal relationships with God<br />
among the readers.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
★<br />
Diary of a teenage girl, by Melody<br />
Carlson. LCCN 00009655. Sisters, Ore.:<br />
Multnomah Publishers, 2000. ISBN<br />
1576737357, PAP, $12.99.<br />
F. Diaries--Fiction; Self-perception--Fiction;<br />
Interpersonal relations--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction;<br />
High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction. 248 p. High<br />
school.<br />
Diary of a Teenage Girl, by Melody Carlson,<br />
provides a candid look at a sixteen-year-old’s<br />
life as she begins to question who she is and<br />
what she believes. The comfortable friendship<br />
she has with her longtime friend, Beanie, is put<br />
on the shelf when Caitlin finds herself accepted<br />
into the popular crowd at high school. Suddenly<br />
what Caitlin had only dreamed about becomes a<br />
reality; yet the popularity she experiences<br />
doesn’t fill her emptiness, and in fact increases<br />
her anxieties. Raised in the church, Caitlin<br />
begins to question her beliefs, particularly her<br />
parents’ beliefs, especially when she discovers<br />
her father is possibly having an affair.<br />
Another first-person account, Someone Like<br />
You, by Sarah Dessen—an ALA Best Book for<br />
Young Adults—covers much of the same<br />
territory as Carlson’s Diary does. However,<br />
even though Halley, the main character in<br />
Someone, comes to much the same conclusions<br />
as Caitlin, there is not the same heartfelt hope as<br />
is felt by Diary’s end. The difference? Jesus.<br />
Without being pretentious, Carlson shows how<br />
Jesus fills the empty places in our lives.<br />
Difficult subjects like infidelity, dating,<br />
abstinence, partying, and teen pregnancy are<br />
addressed from a point of view within the<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> circle of standards. Nonetheless,<br />
Carlson still addresses the roller-coaster life of a<br />
teen girl with down-to-earth authenticity and<br />
satisfaction. She makes it clear that even good<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> kids can take a tumble off the path at<br />
times. Her point is: are they willing to get back<br />
on it when God stretches out His hand in gentle<br />
correction and forgiveness?<br />
Pam Webb, <strong>Library</strong> Technician, Sandpoint, Idaho<br />
Elephant tears : mask of the elephant, by<br />
Richard Trout. (MacGregor family<br />
adventures; 2.) LCCN 00036223. San<br />
Antonio, Tex.: , LangMarc Publishing,<br />
2000. ISBN 1880292726, PAP, $9.95.<br />
F. Elephants--Fiction; Poaching--Fiction; Wildlife<br />
rescue--Fiction; Adventure and adventurers--Fiction;<br />
Kenya--Fiction. 241 p. High school.<br />
The MacGregor family consists of Dr. Jack, Dr.<br />
Mavis, seventeen-year-oldChris, fourteen-yearold<br />
Heather, and twelve-year-old R.O. The<br />
teens are reminiscent of Nancy Drew and the<br />
Hardy Boys, in that they are constantly<br />
happening upon exciting adventures that<br />
ultimately lead to their solving a crime. In this<br />
particular situation, the crime is that of poaching<br />
elephants, lions, and various other African<br />
animals.<br />
Chris, Heather, and their Kukuyu friend,<br />
fourteen-year-old Rebecca, find themselves<br />
stranded in the wilds of Africa where baboons<br />
infiltrate their camp. They must also confront<br />
the beginning of the rainy season, which entails<br />
several severe thunderstorms, charging lions,<br />
and being imprisoned by poachers. And these<br />
are only a few of the mishaps that occur during<br />
this fascinating tale.<br />
The details that are included in this story are so<br />
appalling that the reader becomes very aware of<br />
the plight of animals that are in danger of being<br />
killed by poachers just for their tusks, skins, and<br />
feet. Author Richard Trout is an environmental<br />
biologist and a college professor, and has done<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 4 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
an admirable job of making this adventure story<br />
true-to-life. Although Elephant Tears is book<br />
two in the series, it can be read without reading<br />
Cayman Gold. However, the ending would<br />
make a little more sense if Cayman Gold had<br />
been read first.<br />
Connie Weaver, Church Librarian, Newville, Pennsylvania<br />
Forgotten, by Patricia H. Rushford.<br />
(Jenny McGrady mystery; 13.) LCCN<br />
99050486. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 0764221213, PAP, $4.99.<br />
F. Kidnapping--Fiction; Robbers and outlaws--<br />
Fiction; Amnesia--Fiction; Mystery and detective<br />
stories. 192 p. High school (Middle school).<br />
Forgotten almost starts off with a bang, but the<br />
bank robber doesn’t pull the trigger of the gun<br />
he is pointing at Jennie McGrady on page nine.<br />
The gun does not goes off until page thirty-five,<br />
when the same criminal, Jon, forces his way into<br />
Jennie’s car the next day. Jon and his cohorts,<br />
Maude and Junior, kidnap her and hold her at an<br />
isolated summer home.<br />
Jennie’s escape attempts fail. When she hears<br />
Maude say, “We’ll have to kill her,” she knows<br />
that only a miracle can save her. Before they<br />
leave, Jon makes Jennie walk ahead of him into<br />
the woods. She bolts, and he shoots.<br />
A miracle rescue preserves Jennie’s life, but she<br />
suffers a complete loss of memory. She doesn’t<br />
remember her family and friends, who promise<br />
protection when she wonders fearfully, “what if<br />
the man who shot me comes back to finish the<br />
job?” Later, intuition warns again, but Jennie<br />
pays no attention. Another shot aimed at her and<br />
a car accident send her back to the hospital. An<br />
alert orderly on a hijacked elevator, along with<br />
Jennie’s quick action, end the trauma. Jennie<br />
has her memory again and authorities take the<br />
culprits into custody.<br />
With Forgotton, Patricia Rushford again<br />
maintains her high standards for good mysteries<br />
aimed at younger readers. She ably weaves<br />
Jennie’s <strong>Christian</strong> witness throughout the<br />
enthralling twists and turns of plot. Jennie<br />
models her faith as she recalls Bible verses and<br />
prays during her ordeal.<br />
Jennie and her family have starred in twelve<br />
other books. Nonetheless readers who discover<br />
the series for the first time with Forgotten will<br />
enjoy it. Rushford includes enough details<br />
about Jennie’s background to help readers feel<br />
acquainted.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
Horse whispers in the air, by Dandi Daley<br />
Mackall. (Horsefeathers; 3.) LCCN<br />
99050884. St. Louis, Mo.: Concordia,<br />
2000. ISBN 0570070082, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Grandfathers--Fiction; Alzheimer’s disease--<br />
Fiction; Horses--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 192<br />
p. High school (Middle school).<br />
Aunt Dotty tells Sarah “Scope” Coop, “life is a<br />
package deal.” Scope realizes you have to take<br />
the good with the bad. But it seems to Scope<br />
that there’s a whole lot more bad than good.<br />
Although she loves Grandad, his Alzheimer’s is<br />
an embarrassing disruption in her life as she is<br />
called out of school to go hunt for him when he<br />
wanders off. Her little brother’s manic<br />
depression creates stress for everyone. Scoop<br />
never knows whether to expect him to be hyper,<br />
or on a crying jag. Just when Scoop gets a<br />
chance to go to the school mixer with Jake, she<br />
falls and cracks a bone in her forearm.<br />
But one thing makes up for all the bad in<br />
Scoop’s life: her horse, Orphan. At<br />
Horsefeathers Stables she can forget about the<br />
wrongs in life, as she flies through the pasture<br />
with Orphan. She doesn’t even mind mucking<br />
out stalls, picking hooves or brushing horses.<br />
Horsefeathers Stables boards horses, and in this<br />
book Scoop gets a new boarder, Little Sugar<br />
General, to train. She has to figure out why<br />
Sugar chews on the boards of her crib and<br />
mopes around instead of running with the other<br />
horses. Horse fanciers will enjoy this series.<br />
The author shares her knowledge of horses in an<br />
entertaining manner. Faith in God is a natural<br />
part of the household, and shows up in everyday<br />
situations. Religion is nicely incorporated into<br />
the story without being preachy.<br />
Written in the first person, Horse Whispers in<br />
the Air shows how a ninth grader copes with<br />
problems. Good descriptions, well-crafted<br />
characterization, and moving plot line make<br />
Dandi Daley Mackall’s book a good read. It is a<br />
well-told tale about coping with disease and<br />
death. Horse Whispers is third in the<br />
Horsefeathers series, but readers will have no<br />
trouble following the plot even if they haven’t<br />
read one and two. A glossary of horse breeds at<br />
the end of the book is a helpful tool.<br />
Myrtlemay Pittman Crane, Freelance Writer, Editor, Alderwood<br />
Manor, Washington<br />
Kit, by Jane Peart. (Orphan train west for<br />
young adults.) LCCN 99042060. Grand<br />
Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, Baker Book<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0800757157, PAP,<br />
$6.00.<br />
F. Orphans--Fiction; Adoption--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life-<br />
-Fiction. 128 p.<br />
Laurel, by Jane Peart. (Orphan train west<br />
for young adults.) LCCN 99044201.<br />
Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, Baker<br />
Book House, 2000. ISBN 0800757130,<br />
PAP, $6.00.<br />
F. Orphans--Fiction; Family life--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
life--Fiction. 153 p.<br />
Toddy, by Jane Peart. (Orphan train west<br />
for young adults.) LCCN 99031962.<br />
Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, Baker<br />
Book House, 2000. ISBN 0800757165,<br />
PAP, $6.00.<br />
F. Orphans--Fiction; Adoption--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life-<br />
-Fiction; Secrets--Fiction. 150 p.<br />
Ivy and Allison, by Jane Peart. (Orphan<br />
train west for young adults.) LCCN<br />
99048425. Grand Rapids: Fleming H.<br />
Revell, Baker Book House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0800757149, PAP, $6.00.<br />
F. Orphans--Fiction; Adoption--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life-<br />
-Fiction; Secrets--Fiction. 147 p.<br />
April and May, by Jane Peart. (Orphan<br />
train west for young adults.) LCCN<br />
00040288. Grand Rapids: Fleming H.<br />
Revell, Baker Book House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0800757246, PAP, $6.00.<br />
F. Orphans--Fiction; Adoption--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life-<br />
-Fiction; Sisters--Fiction. 136 p.<br />
High school.<br />
The Orphan Train West series is a collection of<br />
stories that Jane Peart has based on the historical<br />
orphan train migration and placement of<br />
abandoned children during the late nineteenth<br />
century. The large print ensconced between the<br />
covers of each book renders these stories easy to<br />
read. At the same time, the span of time<br />
covered, as we trace each character’s history<br />
from early childhood to young adulthood,<br />
makes for simple tales, somewhat lacking in<br />
depth. Ms. Peart describes different aspects of<br />
the orphan train experience and endeavors to<br />
show the pain of rejection and hardships<br />
endured by orphans and how they rise above<br />
difficulties to become accepted and industrious<br />
adults. The <strong>Christian</strong> life plays a minor role,<br />
with an occasional Scripture verse interspersed<br />
throughout, but the moral tone is strong.<br />
Romance just slightly flavors each story at the<br />
appropriate time.<br />
Kit, Laurel, and Toddy are separate but distantly<br />
related stories. Considered the three musketeers<br />
of the orphanage, they slyly act crippled to<br />
prevent being adopted until the orphan train’s<br />
last stop, in order to stay in touch.<br />
Shortly after the death of their mother, Kit, along<br />
with her younger brother and sister, is placed in<br />
the orphanage by their own father. Adopted by<br />
a struggling family with five boys and a surly<br />
father, Kit helps the mother manage the busy<br />
household. Kit dreams of becoming a teacher,<br />
and of finding her brother and sister.<br />
Laurel, her father dead from an accident and her<br />
beloved mother from sickness, is adopted by a<br />
doctor and his wife who have a void in their<br />
hearts. Laurel fills their need but after<br />
graduation is torn between staying or pursuing<br />
her music and locating her maternal<br />
grandparents in Boston.<br />
Toddy is the daughter of a dance hall floozy. An<br />
inconvenience, she is deposited at the<br />
orphanage. Energetic and mischievous<br />
nonetheless, Toddy is chosen to be a companion<br />
to Mrs. Hale’s invalid granddaughter, whose<br />
parents are deceased. This relationship steers<br />
Toddy to pursue a nursing career.<br />
Ivy and Allison trade dresses at their train stop.<br />
Ivy is sent with the couple that Allison is<br />
intended for. The opulent lifestyle of the mayor<br />
allows Ivy everything she could ever hope to<br />
have. Allison, on the other hand, is now with a<br />
single handicapped lady. But a black cloud boils<br />
on the horizon of Ivy’s fairytale life when her<br />
fiance dumps her after the explosion of an<br />
embezzlement scandal involving her adoptive<br />
father. Ivy’s life, burdened with guilt from the<br />
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dress switch and now scandal, pales in<br />
comparison to Allison’s simple but fulfilled one.<br />
April and May are sisters. Torn apart during the<br />
adoption process, they each adapt to their<br />
respective loving families. But by age ten harsh<br />
circumstances propel April to return to the<br />
orphanage. May is brought up without the<br />
knowledge of having been adopted. The secret<br />
unfolds after a trunk’s lid is lifted. There is a<br />
sister out there somewhere and she is<br />
determined to find her!<br />
Following the conclusion of April & May<br />
readers will find an endorsement of the books by<br />
the founder and director of the Orphan Train<br />
Heritage Society, an organization made up<br />
mostly of the descendants of the actual Orphan<br />
Train Riders.<br />
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington<br />
Lord Brocktree : a tale from Redwall, by<br />
Brian Jacques; illustrated by Fangorn.<br />
LCCN 00025140. New York: Philomel,<br />
Penguin Putnam, 2000. ISBN<br />
0399235906, HBB, $22.95.<br />
F. Badgers--Fiction; Animals--Fiction; Fantasy. 370<br />
p. High school (Middle school).<br />
Lord Brocktree is a delightful tale of good and<br />
evil. The mountain of Salamandastron, home of<br />
the Badger Lord Stonepaw, is invaded by a<br />
horde of vermin. When blue rats by the<br />
hundreds, led by wildcat Ungatt Trunn, take<br />
over the mountain, Stonepaw sends Fleetscut<br />
hare for help. In visions Lord Stonepaw has<br />
seen a mighty badger. Ungatt Trunn has visions<br />
of the great badger too, but his response has<br />
been fear.<br />
Unknown to them, the mighty Badger Lord,<br />
Brocktree, has seen a vision of the mountain and<br />
is looking for it. As Brocktree journeys toward<br />
Salamandastron, Dorothea hare joins him. Soon<br />
their company includes an assortment of hares,<br />
moles, otters, squirrels, and other animals.<br />
Fleetscut finds Brocktree and his friends and<br />
leads them to Salamandastron where, after a<br />
great battle, Lord Brocktree takes command of<br />
the mountain.<br />
Brian Jacques never leaves any doubt in the<br />
mind of the reader as to which side is good and<br />
which is evil. Ungatt Trunn deals with<br />
everyone, including his own troops, cruelly.<br />
Brocktree deals fairly and kindly and believes<br />
you should never kill another animal<br />
unnecessarily. All shades of the human<br />
personality are seen in the various animals. It is<br />
easy to laugh at the antics of Brocktree’s troops.<br />
They may not always be kind as they scold and<br />
scrap among themselves, but they learn from<br />
Brocktree to work together and care about each<br />
other. In Ungatt Trunn the dark side of man is<br />
displayed. The animals’ dialogue is written as<br />
they pronounce it. Each group has delightful<br />
differences in language.<br />
Fangorn drew the map at the beginning of the<br />
book and also provided chapter illustrations.<br />
The small sketches at the beginning of each<br />
chapter faithfully depict the personalities of the<br />
characters. The cover picture of Brocktree is<br />
excellent.<br />
Barbara A. Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
Out of hiding, by Catherine Farnes.<br />
LCCN 99088171. Greenville, S.C.:<br />
Journey Books, Bob Jones University<br />
Press, 2000. ISBN 1579243290, PAP,<br />
$6.49.<br />
F. Missionaries--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction;<br />
Death--Fiction; Mexico--Fiction. 174 p. High school.<br />
When Ashton volunteered to help build a church<br />
in the Mexican jungle, she never dreamed the<br />
team would be up against a drug smuggling ring.<br />
As the team gathers in El Paso, Ashton is<br />
horrified to discover that Judah Ewen and his<br />
girlfriend, Rebekah, will be part of the group.<br />
Judah, the son of Ashton’s former pastor, was<br />
blamed for the drowning death of Ashton’s<br />
brother. Although Ashton has tried to forget<br />
what happened, she has not forgiven Judah.<br />
As the group heads into the Mexican jungle,<br />
many unresolved personal problems threaten the<br />
success of the mission and the safety of the<br />
team. Arriving at the village, they discover that<br />
Dane Meyer, the pastor they came to help, is<br />
missing. Ashton finds Meyer hiding from the<br />
drug smugglers in the jungle. Hunger, rain, and<br />
illness plague the group. As Ashton helps to<br />
build the church and prays for Judah’s healing,<br />
she learns how to forgive.<br />
There are many ways to hide. Meyer hides in<br />
the jungle to escape danger. Ashton tries to hide<br />
from the pain of her brother’s death by refusing<br />
to deal honestly with it. Others on the team are<br />
hiding from other problems. Catherine Farnes<br />
reveals what happens when we attempt to hide,<br />
and shows how we can come out of hiding.<br />
Fast-moving and exciting, Out of Hiding<br />
illustrates the need for forgiveness without<br />
lecturing. The author’s descriptions of hiking<br />
uphill in the heat, of the team’s ministry to<br />
people in the small Mexican villages, and of the<br />
problems of being ill in a foreign country are<br />
quite realistic. When they visit a tiny Catholic<br />
Church, Judah refuses to stay in it, and Shane<br />
says the statues are not “meant to just be art.”<br />
The cover picture of the jungle village by Mary<br />
Ann Lumm adds visual interest to this adventure<br />
story.<br />
Barbara A. Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
Passage to Little Bighorn, by Terry<br />
Kretzer Malvehy. LCCN 98049481.<br />
Flagstaff, Ariz.: Rising Moon, Northland<br />
Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0873587138, PAP,<br />
$6.95.<br />
F. Little Bighorn, Battle of the, Mont., 1876--Fiction;<br />
Time travel--Fiction; Sitting Bull, 1834?-1890--<br />
Fiction; Dakota Indians--Fiction; Indians of North<br />
America--Plains--Fiction. 217 p. High school.<br />
Passage To Little Bighorn tells the story of<br />
Dakota, a modern Native American boy, swept<br />
backwards through time to the Battle of the<br />
Little Bighorn. Living for weeks among his<br />
Lakota ancestors, Dakota learns of his proud<br />
heritage directly from those ancestors, and from<br />
the great Hunkpapa leader, Sitting Bull.<br />
Passage tells the Native Americans’ side of the<br />
famous battle, and of life during the 1870’s.<br />
Intermixed with his reflections on life in the<br />
past, Dakota has thoughts and visions of the<br />
present and his troubled mother.<br />
Dakota’s passage through time lands him near a<br />
Hunkpapa camp, a few weeks before Little<br />
Bighorn. Initially wounded and held captive,<br />
Dakota eventually grows to be accepted and<br />
valued by the Lakota. Along the way, he learns<br />
of the history and culture of his people through<br />
first-hand experience. After witnessing the<br />
Battle of Little Bighorn, Dakota returns to the<br />
present with a better understanding of himself<br />
and his modern-day situation.<br />
Author Terry Kretzer-Malvehy’s attempt to<br />
blend history and fiction is not entirely<br />
successful. Like Dakota, this book doesn’t quite<br />
fit in. Passage includes several scenes of<br />
graphic violence and at least one profane use of<br />
God’s name. The text describes some of the<br />
animist beliefs and practices of the Native<br />
American people of the time, without any<br />
comparison, or reference, to <strong>Christian</strong>ity.<br />
Although more readable than a history textbook,<br />
Passage is less than an enjoyable novel. The<br />
story simply does not recover from the rushed<br />
and jarring way Dakota is hustled through one<br />
hundred and fifty years of history. The reader<br />
simply doesn’t have a chance to know or care<br />
about Dakota. The book would have been<br />
stronger had a more relevant and engaging<br />
mechanism, or reasoning, for moving Dakota<br />
been found or developed.<br />
This book delivers the culture, history and<br />
sensibilities of the Lakota People in a unique<br />
way. The book’s substantial bibliography<br />
proves the author did her homework. That said,<br />
Passage fails to measure up to the readability of<br />
books like Centennial or The Court Martial of<br />
George Armstrong Custer. These books do a<br />
much better job of delivering history and a good<br />
story.<br />
Kirk Hunt, Instructor, Pima County Community College, Business<br />
& Industry Division, Tucson, Arizona<br />
Queen’s own fool : a novel of Mary Queen<br />
of Scots, by Jane Yolen and Robert J.<br />
Harris. LCCN 99055070. New York:<br />
Philomel Books, Penguin Putnam, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0399233806, HBB, $19.99.<br />
F. Mary, Queen of Scots, 1542-1587--Fiction;<br />
Scotland--History--Mary Stuart, 1542-1567--Fiction;<br />
Fools and jesters--Fiction; Kings, queens, rulers, etc.--<br />
Fiction. 390 p. High school.<br />
When young Nicola Ambruzzi, a traveling<br />
troubadour, is saved from the cruelties of her<br />
uncle by Queen Mary, wife of French King<br />
Francis, her life takes a turn many young girls<br />
would only dream of in fairytales. She becomes<br />
Nicola, La Jardiniere, the Queen’s Own Fool,<br />
whose job it is to be not only the queen’s<br />
entertainer, but also her listening ear, and in a<br />
sense her conscience. This fast-paced story<br />
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moves from Huguenot persecution in France<br />
where the untimely death of King Francis leaves<br />
the young Queen stripped of her title, to<br />
Scotland, where the famous Mary, Queen of<br />
Scots, restores herself as Queen of her<br />
homeland. Nicola becomes an integral force in<br />
her Queen’s life as the Catholic royal battles her<br />
Protestant detractors (namely John Knox) and<br />
enemies who would usurp her power for their<br />
own greedy gains. This is a story of mystery,<br />
intrigue, war, and love.<br />
In Queen’s Own Fool, authors Jane Yolen and<br />
Robert J. Harris have crafted a Reformation tale<br />
which keeps the reader intensely involved from<br />
first to last. Vivid descriptions, such as, “He is<br />
like a serpent when he smiles—all lips, no<br />
teeth,” interspersed with short parables, afford<br />
humor and provoke thought. This novel, written<br />
from the point-of-view of the fool, is a great<br />
enticement to further explore the life and times<br />
of Mary, Queen of Scots.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
Second choices, by Shirley Brinkerhoff.<br />
(The Nikki Sheridan series; 6.) LCCN<br />
00041373. Minneapolis: A Focus on the<br />
Family Book, Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
1561798800, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Adoption-<br />
-Fiction; Abortion--Fiction; Vandalism--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 156 p. High school.<br />
Nikki Sheridan’s life seems to be falling apart.<br />
At seventeen, Nikki doesn’t live with her<br />
parents anymore. Instead, she has moved<br />
several hours away from Millbrook, to live with<br />
her grandparents while she heals from a teenpregnancy.<br />
Her own parents have separated as<br />
they deal with their own difficulties. Living<br />
with her grandparents gives Nikki the<br />
opportunity to get her life back in order. She is<br />
making new friends, is establishing herself<br />
academically, and best of all, she is getting a<br />
second chance at love. Things are going well.<br />
One weekend Nikki decides to drive back to<br />
Millbrook to visit her mom. While there she<br />
bumps into TJ at the local 7-11. Emotions and<br />
memories flood over Nikki, and she blurts out<br />
something about her pregnancy to TJ. He is<br />
stunned, but determined to understand what<br />
Nikki means. It is at this point in her life that<br />
she begins to learn the life-healing lesson of<br />
forgiveness.<br />
Through a variety of events, Nikki’s faith grows<br />
and her <strong>Christian</strong> walk matures. She learns to<br />
listen to the Father’s voice, and witnesses<br />
relational miracles in the process.<br />
Shirley Brinkerhoff has written a compelling<br />
story of teenage perspective, problems,<br />
relationships, and resolutions. Her characters<br />
are well-developed and realistic. The <strong>Christian</strong><br />
perspective is written with realism, relevance,<br />
and life-impacting power. Doctrine is left out,<br />
which leaves Ms. Brinkerhoff’s message a<br />
simple one of faith in God and the power of<br />
prayer. Second Choices would be a wonderful<br />
addition to any library.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
The secret of the Mezuzah, by Mary<br />
Reeves Bell. (Passport to danger; 1.)<br />
LCCN 99006470. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 1999. ISBN 1556615493, PAP,<br />
$5.99.<br />
F. Americans--Austria--Fiction; Spies--Fiction;<br />
Antisemitism--Fiction; Prejudices--Fiction; Jews--<br />
Austria--Fiction; Austria--Fiction. 201 p. High<br />
school.<br />
Bored with life in Vienna, fifteen-year-old<br />
American, Con Rea is ready for some<br />
excitement. When Branko, owner of the<br />
neighborhood bakery, tells him that one out of<br />
every ten people in Vienna is a spy, Con starts a<br />
list of everyone he knows. If he knows ten<br />
people, one could be a spy. High on the list of<br />
suspects are Branko, and Con’s stepfather,<br />
Nigel, but Con would never suspect his mother,<br />
Roberta. However, Roberta is indeed the spy<br />
and Con becomes involved in The Secret of the<br />
Mezuzah.<br />
Before Con and his best friend, Hannah, can<br />
narrow their list of suspects, Con and his family<br />
leave for a weekend in Grossgmain. Herr<br />
Donner, their old landlord there, gives Con a<br />
gold mezuzah. Unbeknownst to Donner, the<br />
mezuzah contains a hidden message that will<br />
identify Donner as a former SS officer in charge<br />
of the “Jewish problem” in Romania during<br />
WWII.<br />
While Con’s mother works with Simon<br />
Wiesenthal to find those guilty of war crimes,<br />
Con and Hannah find themselves fighting for<br />
their lives. Con is faced with the reality of anti-<br />
Semitism when Hannah, who is Jewish, is<br />
nearly killed.<br />
Mary Reeves Bell uses mystery and intrigue to<br />
teach the reality of the Holocaust, its lingering<br />
effects, and the necessity of choosing friends<br />
carefully. The author effectively contrasts the<br />
apparent quietness of a Vienna neighborhood<br />
with the seething hatred for all Jews that lies<br />
beneath the surface. Although Bell’s main<br />
characters and story are fictitious, the historical<br />
background and some of the minor characters<br />
are real.<br />
The background figures in Cheri Bladholm’s<br />
cover illustration seem to be waiting for Con<br />
and Hannah to solve The Secret of The Mezuzah.<br />
The illustration is an excellent visual bridge<br />
between past and present.<br />
Barbara Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
Shakespeare’s scribe, by Gary Blackwood.<br />
LCCN 00034603. New York: Dutton<br />
Children’s Books, Penguin Putnam, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0525464441, HBB, $15.99.<br />
F. Theater--Fiction; Orphans--Fiction; Actors and<br />
actresses--Fiction; Plague--England--Fiction;<br />
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616--Fiction; Great<br />
Britain--History--Elizabeth, 1558-1603--Fiction. 265<br />
p. High school.<br />
As an apprentice in the Chamberlain’s Men,<br />
William Shakespeare’s acting company, Widge<br />
plays the female parts, helps with the sets, spies<br />
on other acting companies, and serves as<br />
Shakespeare’s scribe. Despite the long hours<br />
and strict rules, Widge would do anything to<br />
stay with the acting company. The<br />
Chamberlain’s Men is the closest thing to family<br />
the orphaned Widge has ever known.<br />
Previously apprenticed to Dr. Bright, Widge has<br />
some knowledge of medicine and charactery, a<br />
system of “swift writing” which makes him<br />
valuable to Shakespeare as a scribe.<br />
When the plague strikes London, Queen<br />
Elizabeth orders all of the theaters closed. After<br />
loading two wagons with props and costumes<br />
the troupe goes on the road. During their travels<br />
a rival company tries to burn their wagons and<br />
thieves steal their money. Longing for<br />
information about his parents, Widge visits the<br />
orphanage where he lived as a child.<br />
Sal, a new apprentice, tries to take Widge’s<br />
roles, and Jamie Redshaw, the man claiming to<br />
be his father, proves to be dishonest. Desperate,<br />
Widge challenges Sal to an acting competition<br />
and wins. Redshaw admits he’s not Widge’s<br />
father and leaves. Widge learns that Mr. Armin,<br />
an older actor, is right: “..what you’re made of is<br />
not as important as what you do with it.”<br />
Gary Blackwood’s story of Elizabethan England<br />
is a delightful mix of history and fiction.<br />
Widge and Redshaw are fictitious, but most of<br />
the other characters in the Chamberlain’s Men<br />
are based on historical fact. The language of the<br />
characters and Blackwood’s descriptions of<br />
conditions of the times add a sense of<br />
authenticity. The story moves rapidly, yet deals<br />
with many of the problems faced by people in<br />
1602. Shakespeare’s Scribe is the sequel to The<br />
Shakespeare Stealer.<br />
Barbara Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
★<br />
Snow, by Catherine Farnes. LCCN<br />
98040785. Greenville, S.C.: Journey<br />
Books, Bob Jones University Press, 1999.<br />
ISBN 1579241999, PAP, $6.49.<br />
F. Albinos and albinism--Fiction; Visually<br />
handicapped--Fiction; Physically handicapped--<br />
Fiction; High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 146 p. High school (Middle<br />
school).<br />
As a junior venturing mid-term through the<br />
crowded halls of Canyon Street High, Stephanie<br />
braces herself for the gawks that have shadowed<br />
her since birth. Frosty, Snow White, Casper, and<br />
Albo Annie are among the hurled taunts she<br />
continuously dodges. She is a one-in-fifteenthousand<br />
genetically anomalous albino with a<br />
visual impairment.<br />
Turning out for track, Stephanie determines to<br />
prove this is an area where she sparkles. But at<br />
practice she finishes dead even with the school<br />
snob. As Stephanie leaves, the sun’s glare blinds<br />
her already weak eyesight and she collides with<br />
one of the guys. She is surprised as a hand helps<br />
her to her feet and defends her against another<br />
jeer. The name attached to the hand is Nathan.<br />
Despite Nathan’s attempts to be a genuine<br />
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friend, Stephanie is quite sure he is only<br />
interested in her scientifically since he is<br />
planning to train as a paramedic.<br />
Catherine Farnes sprinkles Snow with a mixture<br />
of humor and poignancy. Written in the first<br />
person, this is a very believable piece of work<br />
that confers the impression of having been<br />
experienced or well-researched. The reader is<br />
thrust into the depths of the character’s anguish,<br />
conflict resolutions, and the vexations that<br />
accompany all humanity, but is magnified for a<br />
person who is physically challenged.<br />
The insights illustrated include the following:<br />
that self worth does not come from outperforming<br />
others but only through the Spirit’s<br />
tender caress upon the heart strings, which<br />
reveal God’s love and approval; that cynicism<br />
builds walls and prevents the foundation of true<br />
friendship; that the dating process can be a tool<br />
for finding a marriage partner at the appropriate<br />
time; that it is possible to become a <strong>Christian</strong> for<br />
the wrong reason. In the end, Stephanie learns<br />
that God can use her handicap to actually help<br />
others, and that he can also help her to gain final<br />
acceptance that God can work through, past, and<br />
in spite of it.<br />
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington<br />
Stranger online, written by Carol Smith;<br />
created by Terry K. Brown. (Todays<br />
girls.com; 1.) LCCN 00025812. Nashville:<br />
Tommy Nelson, Thomas Nelson, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0849975549, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Web sites--Fiction; Swimming--Fiction; High<br />
schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--<br />
Fiction. 140 p. High school (Middle school).<br />
Luv@first site, written by Tess Eileen<br />
Kindig; created by Terry K. Brown.<br />
(Todays girls.com; 5.) LCCN 00032876.<br />
Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas<br />
Nelson, 2000. ISBN 0849975824, PAP,<br />
$5.99.<br />
F. Dining (Social customs)--Fiction; Computers--<br />
Fiction; High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 134 p. High school (Middle<br />
school).<br />
In Stranger Online, Amber Thomas is a member<br />
of Edgewood High School’s swim team, and of<br />
Todaysgirls Club. Her life consists of getting up<br />
early in the morning for practice, and of being<br />
the best student she can be, as well as<br />
webmistress of the todaysgirls.com website.<br />
This is supposed to be a “password access” only<br />
site, but someone gains access to Amber’s email<br />
and leaves cryptic messages, causing Amber to<br />
doubt her own programming abilities, and to<br />
fear for her personal safety.<br />
When she returns to school the following<br />
Monday, Amber can’t help but wonder if the<br />
stranger is a student passing her in the hallway,<br />
sitting next to her in class, or someone else<br />
entirely. Adding to her stress level is a new girl<br />
on the swim team, and a fellow student who<br />
insists on availing himself of her answers on<br />
chemistry quizzes. Amber feels like she’s<br />
tackling these things alone, until she<br />
incorporates Proverbs 3:5-6 into her Todaysgirls<br />
verse for the week. As she considers the verses,<br />
she begins to realize that she isn’t alone and<br />
reaches out to her friends and family for advice<br />
and support.<br />
Bren Mickler has fallen in love in Luv@first<br />
site. If only the boy knew who she was. It’s<br />
tough when the one who makes your heart<br />
thump doesn’t even know your name. Bren tries<br />
to make a good impression on this boy, only to<br />
repeatedly fall on her face. Her friends from<br />
Todaysgirls Club try to talk her out of her<br />
attraction, but to no avail. She finds herself<br />
obsessed with the object of her affections, and<br />
finds herself reduced to manipulating her<br />
friends.<br />
Bren comes up with what she thinks is the<br />
perfect solution to her problem: computerized<br />
dating for her high school. Feelings of betrayal,<br />
and broken friendships, are left in the wake of<br />
her efforts. How will she make the wrongs<br />
right?<br />
These books by Carol Smith and Tess Eileen<br />
Kindig are excellent readers for middle school<br />
and high school girls. They are written with a<br />
strong <strong>Christian</strong> view, and encourage faith in<br />
God and reading the Word. Doctrine does not<br />
become a part of the stories, so readers will not<br />
feel conflicted. The characters are believable<br />
and well-developed, and the language is current.<br />
These authors have created stories that teens<br />
will identify with. An excellent addition to any<br />
library.<br />
Debby Willett, Freelance Writer, Canyon, Texas<br />
Subway tokens in the sand, by Wendy Lee<br />
Nentwig. (Unmistakably Cooper Ellis; 3.)<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1999. ISBN<br />
0764220675, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Boyfriends--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
life--Fiction. 157 p. High school.<br />
At sixteen, Cooper Ellis is allowed to travel the<br />
subways of New York by herself, going to<br />
modelling auditions or special photography<br />
sessions. She is doing well in school and<br />
everything seems to be running smoothly. That<br />
is, until she starts dating Josh, one of the most<br />
likeable and cutest boys in school. Suddenly,<br />
everything gets complicated. As much as<br />
Cooper enjoys being with Josh, she feels like<br />
she doesn’t have a life of her own anymore.<br />
Everyone said that things would change, and<br />
Cooper is beginning to realize that she doesn’t<br />
like the kind of changes necessary to have a<br />
fulltime boyfriend.<br />
Wendy Lee Nentwig writes a realistic story of<br />
the complications that can occur when young<br />
people enter the dating scene. Her third book in<br />
the Unmistakably Cooper Ellis series takes its<br />
readers on a journey through the ups and downs<br />
of relationships. Cooper discovers in her<br />
adventures that not only does she feel smothered<br />
by Josh and his constant attention, but more<br />
importantly, her all-important relationship with<br />
the Lord suffers. She is still young, and there is<br />
a lot of life to live. Subway Tokens in the Sand<br />
helps the reader to consider the importance of<br />
friendships and the fact that perhaps a serious<br />
personal commitment to another should wait.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
Take my hand, by Robin Jones Gunn.<br />
(Sierra Jensen series; 12.) LCCN<br />
98055512. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
1999. ISBN 1561797367, PAP, $5.99.<br />
F. Interpersonal relations--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--<br />
Fiction; California, Southern--Fiction. 138 p. High<br />
school.<br />
In Take My Hand, the twelfth book in Robin<br />
Jones Gunn’s Sierra Jensen series, Sierra<br />
prepares with anticipation for a new chapter in<br />
her life. She bids her good friends in Portland,<br />
Oregon, a tearful good-bye, then drives to<br />
California with her family, where she will attend<br />
her sister’s engagement party and also begin her<br />
first year at college. What has Sierra totally<br />
beside herself with excitement is that at Tawni’s<br />
engagement party she will finally, after months<br />
of correspondence, be reunited with Paul. She<br />
daydreams of running into his open arms and of<br />
his putting to rest her questions about where<br />
their relationship with one another stands.<br />
After a long drive, during which the air<br />
conditioner quits working in the car, and her<br />
brother accidentally gives her a black eye with a<br />
pop can, Sierra and her family arrive at their<br />
destination. One misunderstanding after<br />
another complicate her reunion with Paul. She<br />
settles into her new dorm room despairing of<br />
things ever being straightened out between<br />
them. Her good friend Christy Miller gives her<br />
some much needed wisdom, and Sierra and Paul<br />
prayerfully begin their acquaintance anew under<br />
God’s auspices.<br />
In this book Gunn focuses on the different<br />
expectations teenage boys and girls bring to<br />
relationships with the opposite sex. While<br />
Sierra interpreted their romantic walk on the<br />
beach and Paul’s poetry in one manner, Paul’s<br />
take on what occurs between them is completely<br />
different. Robin Jones Gunn does a fine job of<br />
storytelling while also conveying an important<br />
message about the role physical intimacy should<br />
play in a <strong>Christian</strong> dating relationship.<br />
Lillian Heytvelt, Librarian, Pomeroy, Washington<br />
The theft, by Betty Gaard. LCCN<br />
00038458. Greenville, S.C.: Journey<br />
Books, Bob Jones University Press, 2000.<br />
ISBN 1579243754, PAP, $6.49.<br />
F. Cheating--Fiction; Honesty--Fiction; High schools-<br />
-Fiction; Schools--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 190<br />
p. High school.<br />
Mike Prickett and his two friends, Scott and<br />
Carlos, are all on the high school tennis team in<br />
Atlanta. You might say that they are the stars of<br />
the team. There is one problem though—<br />
history. With final exams coming soon, poor<br />
history grades threaten to cut all three of them<br />
from the tennis team. In an impulsive act, Scott<br />
ends up with the original of the history exam. In<br />
an attempt to cover up the act, Carlos and Mike<br />
also land themselves in serious trouble. Mike<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 5 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
wants to confess, but what about the big tennis<br />
tournament, and what about his reputation.<br />
They haven’t actually looked at the test; is it<br />
really cheating if you don’t look at the exam?<br />
Betty Gaard has created a situation that many<br />
young people will find themselves in some day.<br />
Is it really dishonest to not tell the whole truth?<br />
Mike finds himself in a situation where he<br />
knows what he should do. He can hear his mom<br />
telling him that two wrongs don’t make a right.<br />
He can feel God’s prompting in his heart to tell<br />
the truth and confess. Yet he struggles with all<br />
the other circumstances that surround him.<br />
Instead of making a decision he just puts it off<br />
for another day. To make matters worse, his dad<br />
announces they are going to move. Mike is<br />
struggling with all his circumstances, but<br />
discovers that what he really needs is to get right<br />
with God. The Theft offers realistic characters<br />
and a challenge for today’s youth.<br />
Marcia Snyder, Librarian, Missoula, Montana<br />
Torn thread, by Anne Issacs. LCCN<br />
95031655. New York: Scholastic, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0590603639, HBB, $15.95.<br />
F. World War, 1939-1945--Jews--Fiction; Holocaust,<br />
Jewish (1939-1945)--Fiction; Concentration camps--<br />
Czechoslovakia--Fiction; Jews--Europe--Fiction. 188<br />
p. High school.<br />
It is June 1943, and for two years the Nazi<br />
armies have controlled the Polish town of<br />
Bedzin. Eva and Rachel, along with their father,<br />
have been forced to leave their home and live in<br />
an attic room in the Jewish ghetto. Rachel is<br />
often sick and weak. Eva spends most of her<br />
time caring for Rachel, knitting, and playing<br />
chess.<br />
One terrifying day, however, the girls are taken<br />
from their father to a Nazi work camp. They are<br />
forced to work in a factory, making uniforms<br />
and blankets for the armies. The girls struggle<br />
against sickness, fatigue, and starvation to hang<br />
on to love and family amidst the chaos.<br />
In this novel, Anne Isaacs depicts the<br />
experiences of her mother-in-law, Eva<br />
Buchbinder. The title Torn Thread symbolizes<br />
the threads of the spinning machine that<br />
continue to tear, just like the girls’ lives that are<br />
threatening to tear apart. Throughout the story<br />
each of the girls grows in strength and<br />
determination. Although Rachel is the weaker,<br />
there comes a time when she is the one who is<br />
instrumental in saving the life of her sister.<br />
Their sacrificial love and commitment is<br />
inspiring.<br />
Isaacs has done a superb job of bringing this<br />
story to life. There have been many books<br />
written about this subject, and this is one worth<br />
reading. You will feel as if Eva and Rachel are<br />
sitting beside you telling you the story<br />
themselves. You will feel their suffering and<br />
wish you could do something to stop it. You will<br />
see their commitment to God and their resolve<br />
to honor him despite extraordinary<br />
circumstances. A captivating story.<br />
Marcia Snyder, Librarian, Missoula, Montana<br />
Until tomorrow, by Robin Jones Gunn.<br />
(Christy and Todd; 1.) LCCN 00008271.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764222724, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. Americans--Switzerland--Fiction; College students-<br />
-Fiction; Switzerland--Fiction; Romance fiction. 286<br />
p. High school.<br />
As you wish, by Robin Jones Gunn.<br />
(Christy and Todd; 2.) Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0764222732,<br />
PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. College students--Fiction; Romance--Fiction. 313<br />
p. High school.<br />
Until Tomorrow and As You Wish continue the<br />
story of Christy Miller. Robin Jones Gunn has<br />
labelled this series “Christy & Todd: The<br />
College Years.” Until Tomorrow takes the<br />
reader on an unbelievable trip. Christy, Todd,<br />
and friend Katie all meet in Switzerland for a<br />
fantastic vacation in Europe. Christy has been<br />
going to college in Switzerland as well as<br />
working in an orphanage. After Christy<br />
convinces Todd and Katie of the need for an<br />
itinerary that is supplemented by a tour book,<br />
the group travels to Venice, Rome, Paris,<br />
Salzburg, Oslo, and Amsterdam. Most of the<br />
journey is by train. The trip is not without<br />
mishaps as Christy and Todd temporarily breakup,<br />
Katie gets lost, Todd goes on a side trip alone<br />
to the Arctic Circle; also, Christy discovers that<br />
she is not interested in teaching.<br />
As You Wish picks up the story with the trio<br />
attending college in the United States. Katie<br />
wants a boyfriend but first must forgive her past<br />
boyfriends for dumping her. Christy finally<br />
admits she loves Todd; unfortunately, Todd has<br />
a serious car accident which lands him in the<br />
emergency ward for surgery.<br />
These books are longer than the original Christy<br />
Miller series. Unfortunately, the trip through<br />
Europe is a little unbelievable even with some of<br />
the mishaps. Katie and Nancy go through<br />
changes but Todd seems a bit too perfect.<br />
However, fans of the series will want to read<br />
these two books to finally see Todd propose to<br />
Christy.<br />
Connie Weaver, Church Librarian, Newville, Pennsylvania<br />
A winding road to freedom, by Randall<br />
Wisehart. LCCN 99052469. Richmond,<br />
Ind.: Friends United Press, 1999. ISBN<br />
094435047X, PAP, $15.00.<br />
F. Coffin, Levi, 1798-1877--Fiction; Haviland, Laura<br />
(Laura Smith), 1808-1898--Fiction; Slavery--Fiction;<br />
Underground railroad--Fiction; Afro-Americans--<br />
Fiction. 184 p. High school.<br />
After two years of freedom, Cassie finds herself<br />
huddled in shackles while kidnappers plot her<br />
return to slavery. A fight erupts and one<br />
kidnapper ends up dead; Cassie must decide if<br />
she will voluntarily return to slavery to rescue<br />
her son, Jacob. One of the slave catchers,<br />
Fairfield, assures her that if she agrees, he has a<br />
plan. Cassie and Fairfield walk all the way to<br />
the Kentucky farm. When they arrive, Fairfield,<br />
not really a slave catcher, tells Cassie she must<br />
play the part of a willing slave until he returns<br />
for her and Jacob. Her presence at the farm<br />
brings her close to Jacob, but angers other<br />
slaves. She obeys the master, watches and waits<br />
for Fairfield’s return, and gets better acquainted<br />
with Jacob. Then another slave’s betrayal<br />
changes everything. But Zeke, also a slave,<br />
carries Jacob to safety. The master beats Cassie,<br />
who lives and later escapes.<br />
Luke Thomas, a young white man from Ohio<br />
and a friend to Cassie, figures largely in Randall<br />
Wisehart’s A Winding Road to Freedom.<br />
Through him readers meet Levi and Catherine<br />
Coffin, Laura Haviland, John Fairfield, John<br />
Jolliffe, and Rev. William Casey, real people<br />
who assisted with the underground railroad.<br />
Wisehart thoroughly researched that movement<br />
and those who participated in it. His research<br />
adds credibility and important information,<br />
though he developed Luke, Cassie, and the other<br />
slaves from his imagination. The background<br />
material helps illuminate the situation at that<br />
time, but its recounting tends to interfere with<br />
the story.<br />
AWinding Road to Freedom lacks a literary<br />
writing style as well as precision editing. Even<br />
so, Cassie captures a reader’s heart.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
A year down yonder, by Richard Peck.<br />
LCCN 99043159. New York: Dial Books<br />
for Young Readers, Penguin Putnam,<br />
2000. ISBN 0803725183, HBB, $16.99.<br />
F. Grandmothers--Fiction; Country life--Illinois--<br />
Fiction; Illinois--Fiction. 130 p. High school.<br />
This sequel to the earlier Newbery Honor<br />
winning A Long Way From Chicago (Puffin,<br />
2000) revolves around Mary Alice, a 15-yearold<br />
who grows up during the recession of 1937.<br />
Her parents are without work, and send her to<br />
live with her grandmother, a woman who is<br />
known for arousing tense emotions in her<br />
neighbors. Grandma Dowdel, whose rampages<br />
were seen through the eyes of her grandson,<br />
Joey, in A Long Way From Chicago, here has<br />
Mary Alice as an accomplice. While the<br />
activities and life in this small Illinois town are<br />
not easy, by the end of the year Mary Alice<br />
comes to see the love in the heart of her<br />
formidable grandma.<br />
The hilarious story makes this a great readaloud,<br />
and older teens will gain historical<br />
perspective on the challenging years of the<br />
depression in small-town America. In addition<br />
to receiving the Newbery Honor, A Year Down<br />
Yonder was a National Book Award finalist, and<br />
an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.<br />
Richard Peck has written over twenty novels for<br />
young readers. <strong>Christian</strong> libraries and schools<br />
can add this title, sure to entice interest and<br />
provide a positive view of life and relationships.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 5 2 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
FICTION<br />
The year of the child, by Isabel Anders<br />
and Sarah Alison Throop. Winchester,<br />
Tenn.: Anders Literary Group, 1999.<br />
ISBN 1553060253, PAP, $13.95.<br />
F. Science fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 143 p. High<br />
school (Middle school).<br />
Meena Biop has just received a critical<br />
assignment from the Grand D’Hoffna in front of<br />
the Universal Council. This council is made up<br />
of senators from all the known planets in the<br />
universe except for Earth. Initially her<br />
assignment is to evaluate Earth to see if it is<br />
ready to begin a relationship with other planets.<br />
Meena comes to the Earth posing as an<br />
exchange student from England and stays with a<br />
family that has other children close to her age.<br />
Soon, however, Meena becomes involved in a<br />
plot to unseat a despot who desires to destroy the<br />
Earth because of his estranged wife and their<br />
son. She feels, and then learns, that she is one of<br />
a set of triplets taken at birth by the D’Hoffna’s<br />
people to be ready for this assignment. She is<br />
reunited with her “family” and discovers that<br />
everything will be fine.<br />
This mother-daughter duo, Anders and Throop,<br />
writes a science-fiction-based-in-today’s-timestory<br />
that is quick reading. The simple plot of<br />
The Year of the Child portrays a teenage heroine<br />
saving the world, with plenty of action and also<br />
details concerning life in high school. There is<br />
also a subplot that revolves around a romantic<br />
relationship between Meena and her host<br />
family’s oldest son. All of the characters, except<br />
Meena, are quickly sketched and not welldeveloped.<br />
The dialogue is adequate, with<br />
many references to the differences between<br />
English and American speech.<br />
Woven throughout the book is a strong<br />
evangelical message. The references to “El<br />
Niño” are paralleled to both Meena’s life and<br />
that of Christ. There are many times that Meena<br />
prays and receives instruction. This book is fine<br />
for middle to high school students.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 5 3 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
HIGH SCHOOL NONFICTION<br />
100’s—Philosophy & Psyschology<br />
Love ya like a sister : a story of friendship<br />
: from the journals of Katie Ouriou,<br />
edited by Julie Johnston. LCCN<br />
98061728. Toronto, Ont.: Tundra Books,<br />
1999. ISBN 0887764541, PAP, $7.95.<br />
177.62. Ouriou, Katie, 1980-1996--Correspondence;<br />
Friendship. 201 p. High school.<br />
Katie was a lively, Canadian sixteen-year-old<br />
who died while with her family in France.<br />
While on the plane taking Katie’s body back to<br />
Canada her mother, Susan, read Katie’s journal<br />
and felt it would be worthwhile to share with<br />
others. Katie’s sister, Christelle, also contributes<br />
poignant comments in the book. In Love Ya Like<br />
a Sister: A Story of Friendship, Susan explains<br />
that the family went to Paris, France, for one<br />
year to show the children their father’s heritage<br />
and to improve their French. Each journal entry<br />
is Katie’s note to a friend (Heather, Ashley, and<br />
Maude) or personal reflection. Later the entries<br />
are the emails that she sent to her friends. The<br />
correspondence is very typical for teenagers.<br />
Examples of topics Katie discusses are boys,<br />
virginity, drugs, friends, books (she really liked<br />
Embraced by the Light), advice, and everything<br />
else teenagers talk about with their friends. She<br />
tells about the minutia of her days in Paris and<br />
other parts of France. She spends considerable<br />
time trying to explain the differences between<br />
French and Canadian culture. Since the reader<br />
knows from the first pages that Katie will die, it<br />
is difficult to not want to tell Katie to see a<br />
doctor when she starts writing to her friends<br />
about her fatigue and general malaise.<br />
The editor, Julie Johnston, has done a<br />
remarkable job in permitting Katie’s voice to be<br />
heard in the book. This book is very emotional.<br />
There are sections in French but the translations<br />
are quite appropriate with only a few slightly<br />
suggestive sentences. The only objectionable<br />
word is used when Katie and Christelle are in<br />
the park and a bird makes a mess on Katie.<br />
There are pictures to chronicle the brief life of<br />
Katie, and the photo of her just one week before<br />
she dies is very touching. This book will be of<br />
interest to a wide variety of ages and levels of<br />
interest.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
200’s—Religion<br />
God’s will, God’s best for your life, by<br />
Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson.<br />
LCCN 00009924. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764223283, PAP,<br />
$9.99.<br />
248.8’3. Teenagers--Religious life; God--Will. 153 p.<br />
High school.<br />
Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson have<br />
teamed up to write a short, easy to read book<br />
dealing with how a young person can know the<br />
will of God in his or her life. There is almost an<br />
attitude of camaraderie, as if Josh and Kevin<br />
were sitting across from a young person at a<br />
local fast food chain. The causal language and<br />
typical situations are the backdrop for biblical<br />
counsel addressing issues such as God’s plan,<br />
life to the extreme, love, meaningful career, and<br />
a life that matters. Each of the eight chapters<br />
compares and contrasts what the world offers<br />
young people with what God offers young<br />
people. There is an abundance of current<br />
examples and references for the young person to<br />
identify with in the chapters. The issues are<br />
germane to the young person/early adult.<br />
The chapters are relatively short and the tempo<br />
is quick and upbeat. The discussion becomes<br />
frank in a few places but never goes over the<br />
edge of appropriateness.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Help! My friend’s in trouble! : supporting<br />
your friends who struggle with..family<br />
problems, sexual crises, food addictions,<br />
self-esteem, depression, grief and loss, by<br />
Susie Shellenberger. LCCN 00027408.<br />
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Vine Books, Servant<br />
Publications, 2000. ISBN 1569551650,<br />
PAP, $10.00.<br />
248.8’3. Youth--Religious life; Problem youth--<br />
Religious life; Friendship--Religious aspects--<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>ity; <strong>Christian</strong> life; Conduct of life. 209 p.<br />
High school (Middle school).<br />
Susie Shellenberger offers a guide that libraries<br />
can make available to teens who may be facing<br />
a variety of difficult situations. Without being<br />
preachy, she offers solid biblical advice in<br />
contemporary teen situations. The timely<br />
advise, appropriate for both junior and senior<br />
high, describes what it means to be a friend, and<br />
then presents situations teens might face, e.g.<br />
eating disorders, unwanted pregnancy or<br />
pressure to have sex, wondering if one is gay,<br />
being depressed, having no date, and coping<br />
with illness.<br />
Help! My Friend’s in Trouble comes from the<br />
co-host of Focus on the Family’s weekly<br />
national radio teen talk show, Life on the Edge:<br />
Live. She is editor of Brio monthly magazine<br />
for girls and author of twenty-five books,<br />
including the recent Dear Diary (Zondervan,<br />
2000). She also loves burnt hotdogs and old<br />
Mary Tyler Moore reruns.<br />
Church shelves, libraries, youth counselors,<br />
camps—anywhere where teens are, will be a<br />
perfect place for this warm, caring book.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
Old enough to know : what teenagers need<br />
to know about life and relationships, rev.<br />
ed., by Michael W. Smith & Fritz<br />
Ridenour. LCCN 89005276. Nashville:<br />
Tommy Nelson, Thomas Nelson, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0849975875, PAP, $9.99.<br />
248.8’3. Adolescence; Conduct of life; <strong>Christian</strong> life;<br />
Smith, Michael W. (Michael Whitaker). 152 p. High<br />
school.<br />
This book, Old Enough to Know, is in its third<br />
edition since 1987. In this book Michael W.<br />
Smith takes the lyrics from his album The Big<br />
Picture and relates them to the questions and<br />
situations that occur in young people’s lives. He<br />
adds the letters and questions he receives from<br />
his listeners to further explain his points. He<br />
presents an evangelical attitude towards the<br />
young people and his singing. The chapters<br />
cover issues such as self-esteem, drug use,<br />
making decisions, etc. Woven in the book is<br />
Smith’s testimony of becoming a <strong>Christian</strong> and<br />
living a <strong>Christian</strong> life. He admits to drug use<br />
when he was younger but he never glamorizes it.<br />
Smith’s honest, candid responses will strike a<br />
chord in the young people who read this book.<br />
There is a note section at the end if the reader<br />
needs more information. Especially helpful is<br />
the nine page annotated listing of clinics and<br />
hotlines that can help any teenager in trouble or<br />
need. Also in the listings are the internet<br />
addresses as well as the traditional phone<br />
numbers to these sites. Smith’s book closes with<br />
a page that invites the reader to write to him.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Real life begins after high school : facing<br />
the future without freaking out, by Bruce<br />
and Stan. LCCN 99086973. Ann Arbor,<br />
Mich.: Vine Books, Servant Publications,<br />
2000. ISBN 1569551553, PAP, $12.00.<br />
248.8’3. Young adults--Religious life; High school<br />
graduates--Religious life; Young adults--Conduct of<br />
life; High school graduates--Conduct of life; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
life. 208 p. High school.<br />
Teens ready to graduate or having just, will<br />
benefit from the wit and wisdom of Bruce and<br />
Stansís Real Life Begins After High School.<br />
There are twelve chapters with titles like:<br />
Custom Design Yourself : Who Do You Want To<br />
Be? More Than Friends : Dating and Beyond,<br />
Money Matters : Your Fiscal Fitness Program,<br />
Those Things You Do : What God Wants For<br />
You. These subject areas become useful as a<br />
guide for future college entrants looking for<br />
insightful information to help them make<br />
educated decisions. The book winds it all up<br />
with a helpful bibliography. Definitely written<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 5 4 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
NONFICTION<br />
with a <strong>Christian</strong> perspective, the book has solid<br />
advice for any high schooler with postgraduation<br />
life to consider. Those who<br />
appreciate the writing style found in popular<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> magazines Campus Life, Brio, or<br />
Breakaway will likewise enjoy this humorous<br />
approach to a serious subject.<br />
Pam Webb, <strong>Library</strong> Technician, Sandpoint, Idaho<br />
300’s—Social Sciences<br />
Sex smart : 501 reasons to hold off on sex,<br />
by Susan Browning Pogány. LCCN<br />
98019179. Minneapolis: Fairview Press,<br />
1998. ISBN 1577490436, PAP, $14.94.<br />
306.7’0835. Sexual ethics for teenagers; Teenagers--<br />
Sexual behavior; Sexual abstinence; Youth--Sexual<br />
behavior. 213 p. High school.<br />
I didn’t count exactly 501 reasons for holding<br />
off on sex, but Susan Pogány’s Sex Smart<br />
provides many excellent points for abstaining<br />
from sex before marriage. The book is designed<br />
to answer the most basic questions that a teen<br />
may have regarding sex. Pogány wrote the book<br />
in hopes of reaching young people directly or to<br />
help the parent who must answer the inquiring<br />
minds of their children. The book starts right off<br />
with definitions of love versus sex and how sex<br />
can actually ruin a relationship. Pogány goes on<br />
to explain how the sexes are not ”wired“ the<br />
same regarding how sex is perceived.<br />
Throughout the book, in appropriate locations,<br />
Pogány discusses the truths and myths regarding<br />
sexual activity. The answers are graphic and<br />
direct but never out of line. Chapter six is<br />
written by Susan’s sister, Attorney Anne<br />
Browning Wilson, who wrote a brochure that is<br />
distributed in Kansas high schools titled ”If We<br />
Make a Baby, Do I Have to Pay?“<br />
Pogány presents information over many topics<br />
as diverse as masturbation, abortion, double<br />
standards, date rape, how to say no, and sexually<br />
transmitted diseases. The theme of abstinence is<br />
never ignored and is emphasized by direct<br />
quotes from males and females who have<br />
suffered from premature sexual activity. There<br />
are numerous tables and practical suggestions to<br />
help drive home the information. There are<br />
letters from young people sprinkled throughout<br />
the book to make sure the reader knows how the<br />
young person feels about the specific situation.<br />
There is a detailed note section as well as a<br />
bibliography. This would make a ready<br />
reference book for public school counselors and<br />
sex education personnel as well as any and all<br />
private school settings.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Easy credit, by Ann E. Weiss. LCCN<br />
99462150. Brookfield, Ct.: Twenty-First<br />
Century Books, The Millbrook Press,<br />
2000. ISBN 0761315039, HBB, $22.40.<br />
332.7’43. Credit; Credit cards. 128 p. High school.<br />
Easy Credit is an excellent book in which Ann<br />
Weiss presents an easy to read and<br />
understandable overview of credit written with,<br />
to, and for youth. The concise chapters deal<br />
with the history and current conditions of using<br />
credit in the United States. The book starts out<br />
with how certain young people in the 1990’s<br />
were given credit and the results of their<br />
experiences. The book then provides the history<br />
of credit starting in times of old, making this<br />
review neither dry nor boring. Whenever there<br />
may be a section that could be misunderstood,<br />
Weiss provides either a past or current example<br />
of the concept for clarification of the point.<br />
Weiss anticipates the questions of the reader and<br />
not only asks them, but answers them clearly<br />
and cogently. Weiss could have stopped there<br />
and had a wonderful book but she takes the<br />
reader to the next logical consequence of<br />
credit—consumer protection. She discusses<br />
topics such as privacy, who is granted or refused<br />
credit, plus detailing of the laws and regulations.<br />
She ends her book with a chapter on consumer<br />
education that she has presented in the<br />
preceding pages.<br />
The book is well constructed and ready for<br />
considerable use. The print is easy to read and<br />
the sections within each chapter are precise and<br />
useful. This should be a required text for public<br />
and private libraries.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Civil liberties : opposing viewpoints,<br />
Tamara L. Roleff, book editor. (Opposing<br />
viewpoints.) LCCN 98011808. San Diego:<br />
Greenhaven, 1999. ISBN 1565109368,<br />
PAP, $28.70.<br />
342.73’085. Civil rights--United States. 208 p. High<br />
school.<br />
Opposing Viewpoints is written to provide the<br />
reader with the wherewithal to determine his/her<br />
position and consider other positions to major<br />
current issues. The editors seek out<br />
knowledgeable people as well as those with<br />
vested interests in the topic or issue covered.<br />
Views from those not usually heard in the<br />
mainstream media are also presented. As a<br />
result of these objectives, Civil Liberties:<br />
Opposing Viewpoints has a reputation of being a<br />
good resource. This book is like the others in<br />
the series in that it will make the high school<br />
student think and consider the position they<br />
espouse. There are many excellent study<br />
features such as end notes, questions for<br />
consideration that begin every essay, visuals,<br />
cartoons, and a periodical bibliography at the<br />
end of each section. The end of the book has a<br />
further discussion section, an annotated<br />
organization to contact section, bibliography,<br />
and a detailed index.<br />
Having said this there are a few areas of<br />
concern. There are references to racist speech<br />
made within certain essays. Additionally, the<br />
sections dealing with pornography are strongly<br />
worded. The words used in that section are<br />
clinical and descriptive. In the chapter dealing<br />
with religion, the editors created an atmosphere<br />
that is non-religious and therefore not offensive<br />
to any one sect.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Pregnant and single : help for the tough<br />
choices, rev. ed., by Linda Roggow and<br />
Carolyn Owens. LCCN 98021074.<br />
Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1998. ISBN<br />
0836190920, PAP, $9.99.<br />
362.83’92’08352. Unmarried mothers--United States;<br />
Pregnancy, Unwanted--United States; Teenage<br />
mothers--United States; Teenage pregnancy--United<br />
States. 160 p. High school.<br />
The word ”pregnancy“ can be frightening to an<br />
unmarried teenager. In the midst of trying to<br />
live up to all kinds of expectations, a pregnancy<br />
during this delicate time in a young girl’s life<br />
can be devastating, perhaps even more so to a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> who may feel as if she not only failed<br />
herself and her parents, but God as well. To help<br />
guide them toward making decisions they can<br />
live with, Linda Roggow and Carolyn Owens<br />
have written a gentle yet serious book designed<br />
to inform, provoke honest soul-searching, and<br />
help young mothers look reality straight in the<br />
eye.<br />
In simple language, Pregnant and Single<br />
includes short personal stories and comments<br />
from girls of all walks of life and in various<br />
circumstances, helping the reader to identify<br />
with others who have faced an unplanned<br />
pregnancy. Among the topics discussed are the<br />
shock of discovering the pregnancy, dealing<br />
with the reactions of others, health and finances,<br />
the practical aspects of taking care of a baby,<br />
whether or not to marry, and the process of<br />
adoption. The roles of the father and<br />
grandparents are explored, and caution is given<br />
to take time to carefully consider each option<br />
thoroughly. Pregnant and Single also serves as<br />
both a personal and practical workbook, asking<br />
detailed questions concerning all possible areas<br />
of conflict, bringing focus not only to the<br />
pregnancy, but to the bigger picture of the young<br />
woman’s life as a whole. The final chapter<br />
entitled ”Faith Helps,“ gives scripture that<br />
speaks about the sanctity of all life, both that of<br />
mother and the child, and of the forgiveness and<br />
guidance that God gives through his Son Jesus.<br />
Roggow, a social worker, and Owens, a library<br />
clerk and mother, emphasize that objective<br />
counseling is essential, including an index of<br />
pregnancy care centers with addresses and<br />
phone numbers throughout the United States<br />
and Canada. An easy-to-read book with a<br />
colorful cover, the authors have written a much<br />
needed tool for anyone who needs help or wants<br />
to offer it. With over half a million teen<br />
pregnancies in 1999 (49.6 births per 1,000<br />
females aged 15-19 according to thr Centers For<br />
Disease Control and Statistics August 8,2000<br />
issue of the National Vital Statistics Reports<br />
(Vol. 48 number 14)), chances are someone you<br />
know can benefit from this book.<br />
Denise Griffin, Freelance Writer, Pfafftown, North Carolina<br />
★<br />
Leaving Cuba : from Operation Pedro<br />
Pan to Elian, by Kathleen Gay. LCCN<br />
99462149. Brookfield, Ct.: Twenty-First<br />
Century Books, The Millbrook Press,<br />
2000. ISBN 0761314660, HBB, $22.90.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 5 5 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
NONFICTION<br />
362.87’083’0973. Refugee children--Cuba; Refugee<br />
children--United States; Refugee children--Services<br />
for--United States; Cuban Americans; Refugees. 144<br />
p. High school.<br />
In this short book is a concise history of the<br />
emigration from Cuba to the United States since<br />
the 1960s. Leaving Cuba: from Operation<br />
Pedro Pan to Elian, begins with, and uses<br />
throughout, the numerous quotes of people,<br />
young and old, who have left Cuba. Kathleen<br />
Gay weaves these quotes into a simple and yet<br />
compelling narrative of the situation in Cuba.<br />
She states the political climate in the United<br />
States and Cuba throughout those years<br />
evenhandedly. Early in the 1960’s the children<br />
were the ones who left Cuba. Gay explains at<br />
this point in the book how the children received<br />
the nickname ”Pedro Pan,“ referring to the<br />
children’s story Peter Pan. Gay then goes on and<br />
details the other major ”waves“ of adults and<br />
children who left Cuba and continues her<br />
narrative to the modern times with a review of<br />
the Elian Gonzalez case.<br />
The high school student doing research for this<br />
topic will find the text easy to read and<br />
understand, powerful quotes, notes that include<br />
internet sites, books for further research, and an<br />
appendix of United States-Cuban Relations<br />
from 1958 to 2000. The students will identify<br />
with the feelings of the young people that left<br />
Cuba. The ecumenical attitude of the<br />
participants is reflected in the author’s writing.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
800’s—Literature & Rhetoric<br />
The poetry of John Greenleaf Whittier, a<br />
reader’s edition, edited and introduced by<br />
William Jolliff. LCCN 00037585.<br />
Richmond, Ind.: Friends United Press,<br />
2000. ISBN 0944350488, PAP, $18.00.<br />
811’.3. Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892; Poetry,<br />
American. 272 p. High school.<br />
John Greenleaf Whittier, one of the most<br />
outspoken abolitionists among the poets of his<br />
generation, was born into a Quaker farming<br />
family in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1807.<br />
Although his early life was full of relative<br />
hardship and isolation, his constant exposure to<br />
the wonders of nature gave him a poet’s<br />
appreciation for the beauties of the world around<br />
him. Probably best known for the poem ”Snow-<br />
Bound,“ Whittier struggled most of his life to<br />
find a balance between his Quaker beliefs and<br />
his longing for literary fame and recognition.<br />
William Jolliff, the editor of The Poetry of John<br />
Greenleaf Whittier, has selected fifty-six of<br />
Whittier’s finest poems, including: ”Ichabod,“<br />
”Snow-Bound,“ ”Telling the Bees,“ and ”The<br />
Barefoot Boy.“ He organizes his selections in<br />
four thematic groupings: the crusading<br />
abolitionist, the nostalgic recorder of a vanished<br />
rural past, the balladeer of New England history,<br />
and the contemplative Quaker. Jolliff has<br />
written an introduction to each section and a<br />
headnote to every poem. While Whittier is often<br />
passed over by modern critics, Jolliff’s<br />
headnotes persuasively comment on why<br />
Whittier’s poems remain of value to modern<br />
readers. A selected bibliography is included at<br />
the end of the work.<br />
Lillian Heytvelt, Librarian, Pomeroy, Washington<br />
900’s—Geography, History, &<br />
Biography<br />
★<br />
Nate Saint : on a wing and a prayer, by<br />
Janet and Geoff Benge. (<strong>Christian</strong> heroes,<br />
then and now.) LCCN 98007287. Seattle:<br />
WYAM Publishing, 1998. ISBN<br />
1576580172, PAP, $8.99.<br />
921 (266’,0092). Saint, Nate, 1923-1956;<br />
Missionaries--Ecuador; Missionaries--United States--<br />
Biography. 201 p. High school (Middle school).<br />
Nate Saint was raised in a <strong>Christian</strong> home and<br />
had two great passions in life—serving Jesus<br />
and flying. He served stateside in the military in<br />
WWII and found a wife, Marj, when he was<br />
stationed in California. They soon joined<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> Airmen’s Missionary Fellowship and<br />
were stationed in Equador where Nate assisted<br />
missionaries who served deep in the jungles,<br />
often becoming their only lifeline to the rest of<br />
the world.<br />
In 1951 after many adventures and the birth of<br />
two children, Nate flies his visiting sister,<br />
Rachel, over the section of the jungle where the<br />
fierce and isolated Aucas reside. Nate predicts<br />
that Rachel will some day minister to them.<br />
Four years and one more child later Nate and<br />
four missionary friends, Ed McCully, Roger<br />
Youderian, Pete Fleming, and Jim Elliott hatch a<br />
plan to reach the Aucas. They decide to drop<br />
gifts from the plane and then attempt to find a<br />
meeting place. The gifts are dropped, a sandbar<br />
on the river that will accommodate plane<br />
landings is found, and five men’s families are<br />
about to experience tragic loss as these <strong>Christian</strong><br />
servants heroically sacrifice themselves so that<br />
the Aucas may hear about the saving love of<br />
Christ.<br />
Janet and Geoff Benge have done an excellent<br />
job of relating the story of Nate Saint in this<br />
entry in their <strong>Christian</strong> Heroes series. This is a<br />
truly inspiring story of young men and women<br />
who are willing to joyfully go wherever the<br />
Master calls and to abandon themselves into His<br />
loving care regardless of the consequences to<br />
themselves. Especially uplifting is the last<br />
chapter and the epilog in which the reader<br />
discovers the surprising way that these deaths<br />
open the doorway to the Aucas. Not for young<br />
readers who may be frightened by the idea of<br />
martyrdom but certainly appropriate (and easy<br />
enough to read) for middle school and up.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Teacher, Scotts Valley, California<br />
★<br />
Jonathan Edwards, by David J. Vaughan.<br />
(Men of faith.) LCCN 99006868.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
076422168X, PAP, $4.99.<br />
921 (285.8’092). Edwards, Jonathan, 1703-1758. 127<br />
p. High school (Adult).<br />
David Vaughan writes a quick-read that simply<br />
and elegantly presents a history of one of the<br />
greatest theologians and preachers in our<br />
nation’s short history. This is one of the Men of<br />
Faith books, good overviews of the lives of<br />
important <strong>Christian</strong>s. This title begins with the<br />
background of Edwards’ family and progresses<br />
with many insightful and appropriate quotes<br />
from people of the time. A variety of detailed<br />
quotes from Reverend Edwards himself help to<br />
shape the understanding of this preacher.<br />
Vaughan presents the political and religious<br />
infighting that occurred in that period of history.<br />
There is a brief mention of Edwards being<br />
responsible indirectly for a suicide, but it is<br />
explained in the larger context of Edwards’<br />
dismissal from his pastorate. The text is<br />
satisfactory for reading and the binding is<br />
typical for small paperbacks. In the back of the<br />
book is a chronology of Edwards’ life and<br />
writings, selected biography section, and a notes<br />
section. This would be very appropriate for a<br />
church school or library.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Educator, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Restless spirit : the life and work of<br />
Dorothea Lange, by Elizabeth Partridge.<br />
LCCN 98009807. New York: Viking,<br />
Penguin Putnam, 1998. ISBN<br />
067087888X, HBB, $19.99.<br />
921 (770’.92). Lange, Dorothea; Women<br />
photographers--United States--Biography;<br />
Photographers; Women--Biography. 122 p. High<br />
school (Middle school).<br />
Dorothea Lange is best known for her famous<br />
photograph of the migrant mother taken during<br />
the Great Depression. But her photography<br />
didn’t stop then—this remarkable woman<br />
continued to record the people, places, and<br />
history of America through photos taken until<br />
her death at age seventy. This engaging account<br />
of her life portrays Lange’s restless spirit and<br />
describes how her passion for photography<br />
allowed her to capture, in revealing images, a<br />
zest for life she both felt and observed in the<br />
ordinary, sometimes sorrowful, lives of<br />
everyday people. Equally illustrated with<br />
photos taken by Lange and of Lange, the text<br />
covers Lange’s childhood through her death in<br />
1965.<br />
The author, Elizabeth Partridge, is the daughter<br />
of Lange’s assistant, Ron Partridge, and was<br />
treated as part of Dorothea’s extended family.<br />
Her text is enjoyable to read because it offers<br />
both the facts of Lange’s life, as well as insights<br />
into her character, enlivened by quotes from<br />
Lange as well as her close friends.<br />
Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea<br />
Lange begins with a foreword on the story<br />
behind her most famous photograph, taken in a<br />
pea picker’s camp after the crop had been ruined<br />
by freezing rain. It concludes with an afterword<br />
on the author’s reflections and memories of this<br />
remarkable woman, who called her ”Bitsie“ and<br />
who both scared and inspired the daughter of<br />
Lange’s assistant. The twelve chapters in<br />
between recount Lange’s life in chronological<br />
order, taking the reader through Lange’s portrait<br />
photography, through the Great Depression, to<br />
the internment of Japanese Americans, and<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 5 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
NONFICTION<br />
across the globe as Lange’s restless spirit took<br />
her in search of the human spirit she so<br />
beautifully portrayed in her photography.<br />
Students will find this book inspiring and factfilled.<br />
The bibliography and index are helpful<br />
additions for those interested in learning more<br />
on this incredible photographer and woman.<br />
Lisa Wroble, Freelance Writer/<strong>Library</strong> Aide, Plymouth, Michigan<br />
Iraq : old land, new nation in conflict, by<br />
William Spencer. LCCN 99049894.<br />
Brookfield, Ct.: Twenty-First Century<br />
Books, The Millbrook Press, 2000. ISBN<br />
0761313567, HBB, $23.90.<br />
956.7. Iraq--History. 144 p. High school (Adult).<br />
Iraq: Old Land, New Nation in Conflict by<br />
William Spencer, professor emeritus of Middle<br />
East history at Florida State University, is a<br />
competent, simply written, survey of the nation<br />
of Iraq from antiquity to the present. The<br />
author’s approach is chronological, beginning<br />
with Iraq’s Mesopotamian heritage and<br />
concluding with an account of the current tense<br />
situation pitting Saddam Hussein against the<br />
United Nations sanctions.<br />
Professor Spencer elucidates the origins of<br />
Islam, the differences between the Sunni and<br />
Shia factions, and the Islamic worldview<br />
particularly well. His description of the origin<br />
and meaning of terms commonly encountered<br />
but not commonly known by westerners is<br />
fascinating. He describes, for instance, how the<br />
names Caliph, Sultan, and Shah were derived, as<br />
well as the fact that the ”Ottomans“ were<br />
originally ”the sons of Osman.“ Iraq itself<br />
means, ”mud bank.“ Over half of the book is<br />
devoted to the post World War I period,<br />
including chapters on the British mandate, the<br />
ill-fated monarchy, and the slide into one-man<br />
rule under Saddam.<br />
Themes of Iraqi history presented include the<br />
Iraqi peoples’ pride in their long heritage, pride<br />
in Islam, and a faith in the somewhat nebulous<br />
concept of the ”Arab Nation.“ The Iraqis have<br />
also survived many conquests and amalgamated<br />
many cultures. Professor Spencer explains the<br />
origins of the Baath (Party of the Arab<br />
resurrection) and how it and Saddam control<br />
modern Iraq. Saddam, incidentally, means ”he<br />
who confronts and is bold.“ Professor Spencer<br />
delineates Saddam’s treachery and terror, but<br />
also notes some of his successes in nation<br />
building.<br />
The book has appropriate illustrations and maps<br />
in black and white. It contains a competent<br />
index and an up-to-date bibliography. A facts<br />
index of vital statistics is presented at the end.<br />
Two of the illustrations have their captions<br />
switched. There is a cross reference to an<br />
important battle, the battle of Qadisiya, that<br />
refers the reader to chapter one when, in fact,<br />
that battle was described in chapter two. This<br />
accessible and intriguing book deserved better<br />
editing.<br />
David W. Rash, Public Services Librarian & History Instructor,<br />
Everett Community College<br />
A brief history of Canada, by Roger<br />
Riendeau. LCCN 99023494. New York:<br />
Facts on File, 2000. ISBN 0816031576,<br />
HBB, $35.00.<br />
971. Canada--History. 310 p. High school (Adult).<br />
A Brief History of Canada covers five distinct<br />
periods of Canadian history. Part one,<br />
Exploring the Northern American Frontier,<br />
begins with the geography of Canada. The<br />
mountains, plains, and rivers of Canada dictate<br />
the location of major cities. Roger Riendeau<br />
touches on early Norse expeditions and later<br />
European explorers looking for a sea route to<br />
Asia. Part two is titled The French Empire in<br />
Northern America from 1608-1760. The French<br />
looked at the natural resources of Canada as a<br />
way of strengthening their economic selfsufficiency,<br />
but they were not as committed to<br />
defending their North American empire as<br />
Britain. This led to the period of The British<br />
North American colonies from 1760-1867, part<br />
three. The fourth section deals with The<br />
Foundations of Canadian Nationhood from<br />
1867-1931. In an effort to stop the United States<br />
growth northward, Sir John A. Macdonald,<br />
Canada’s first prime minister moved to acquire<br />
the North-West Territories, establish a<br />
transcontinental railway system, and encourage<br />
the settlement of the west. Affluence and<br />
Anxiety in the Modern Era is the concluding<br />
section. Riendeau also discusses various<br />
writers, poets, artists, and athletes and how they<br />
fit into the over-all picture.<br />
Excellent maps accompany each section.<br />
Photos of Canadian leaders and events are<br />
scattered throughout the book. Riendeau<br />
includes an extensive list of books for further<br />
reading. The list is divided into six sections.<br />
The first section lists general topic books. The<br />
next five sections match the five divisions of the<br />
book. There is also a complete index. The lack<br />
of white space on the page and small print could<br />
be daunting. However, the author’s extensive<br />
vocabulary and outstanding writing ability make<br />
this history book a rewarding read.<br />
Barbara A. Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 5 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
ADULT FICTION<br />
African skies, by Karen Rispin. (Palisades<br />
pure romance.) LCCN 00009546. Sisters,<br />
Ore.: Multnomah, 2000. ISBN<br />
1576736261, PAP, $6.99.<br />
F. Africa--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Love stories.<br />
363 p. Adult (High school).<br />
From Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Kenya,<br />
Africa, Laurel Binet travels to work with Joan<br />
Doyle in studying a troop of olive baboons. This<br />
opportunity fulfills a dream for Laurel of<br />
helping to understand and care for God’s<br />
creation. She feels this is her chance to make a<br />
real difference.<br />
The first person she meets is Darren Grant, the<br />
pilot of a Cessna 210, who is to deliver her to<br />
Ndovu. Darren believes that caring for animals<br />
instead of investing in human life is contrary to<br />
God’s will. In the drought of Africa their<br />
opposing views clash as it seems only one<br />
species can survive. Darren doesn’t like to see<br />
Laurel join Joan Doyle who fights for her troop<br />
of baboons against the Meru people. The Meru<br />
are struggling to find pasture for their animals in<br />
the same territory the baboons occupy. Laurel is<br />
to find out just how far Joan will go to drive the<br />
Meru away.<br />
Author Karen Rispin’s presentation of these<br />
two extreme viewpoints dominates the story,<br />
leaving romance in second place. African Skies<br />
does give a deeper understanding of African<br />
tribes and their struggles to simply survive.<br />
Century old tribal feuds make change difficult.<br />
Myrtlemay Pittman Crane, Freelance Writer, Editor, Alderwood<br />
Manor, Washington<br />
An ancient strife, by Michael Phillips.<br />
(Caledonia; 2.) LCCN 00008584.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. PAP,<br />
076422218X, $13.99.<br />
F. Highlands (Scotland)--Fiction; Scotland--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 542 p. Adult.<br />
A Note from the Editor: by Mary McKinney<br />
Equipping<br />
the<br />
Saints<br />
There are some<br />
exciting books<br />
available, which,<br />
even though they aren’t “hot off the<br />
press,” present messages that are as fresh<br />
and relevant today as when they were first<br />
written. These key books will encourage<br />
everyone’s <strong>Christian</strong> walk by imparting<br />
spiritual insight and revealing the heart of<br />
God.<br />
A unique book, The Final Quest by Rick<br />
Joyner, was published 1996, and is a<br />
fascinating read. Joyner describes what<br />
he has seen and learned on a “behind the<br />
scenes” journey to view life’s battles.<br />
From the very first page, the reader will<br />
be amazed and in awe of what is revealed<br />
in this page-turner. Understanding and<br />
ability to combat the enemy’s fiery darts<br />
will increase, and the reader will also gain<br />
discernment to deal with frustrating and<br />
sometimes devastating life circumstances.<br />
More importantly, the reader will learn the<br />
importance of being a good steward of the<br />
Lord’s provision, and how to walk humbly<br />
with our God. This is a must for the<br />
young teen through the adult reader and<br />
will definitely hold the interest of all.<br />
The Three Battlegrounds by Francis<br />
Frangipane presents an excellent and wellbalanced<br />
view of what spiritual warfare is<br />
all about. To sum it up in one key phrase,<br />
“It’s about focusing on Jesus, not the<br />
enemy!” Frangipane breaks the book into<br />
three components: the mind, the Church,<br />
and the enemy; and shows how each plays<br />
a key part in spiritual perception. With<br />
acute insight, he not only presents a<br />
powerful account of Christ, but<br />
encourages the reader to discover identity<br />
in Him, to bring honor and glory to His<br />
name. Frangipane’s succinct points reveal<br />
why frustrations occur in our walk, and<br />
how to focus on our source of love (Jesus)<br />
rather than our fears. The reader will<br />
learn how to deal with difficult<br />
circumstances in life with praise and<br />
thanksgiving, and discover victorious<br />
living that lets Light shine forth to the<br />
world. His well-made point, “It is not<br />
Satan that defeats us, but our openness to<br />
him,” helps the <strong>Christian</strong> keep his/her<br />
focus and trust on the Lord!<br />
Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets is<br />
another gem of a read. Of course, prayer<br />
is a key issue in our spiritual walk, and he<br />
gives great insight and encouragement to<br />
be the “prayer warriors” the Lord calls us<br />
to be. With simple presentation and, at<br />
times, light humor, he presents an honest,<br />
heart-baring account that will help equip<br />
even the newest saint to become a<br />
capable, God-approved pray-er.<br />
Acknowledging the command to “pray<br />
without ceasing,” Sheets presents practical<br />
and exciting pointers that will enhance our<br />
faith and our personal relationship with<br />
the Lord.<br />
These three books compliment each other<br />
and leave the reader well equipped not<br />
only for dealing with every day<br />
frustrations, but for facing with assurance<br />
and fine-tuned faith anything that presents<br />
itself. Our assurance is not in ourselves or<br />
what we have learned, but always in the<br />
Author and Perfector of our faith, Jesus<br />
Christ.<br />
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In this sequel to The Legend of the Celtic Stone,<br />
Andrew Trentham, British Liberal Democratic<br />
Party leader, continues to search for his Scottish<br />
roots. With the aid of American BBC reporter<br />
Patricia “Paddy” Rawlings, who helped him to<br />
recover the fabled Stone of Scone, the puzzle<br />
pieces regarding the murder of Eagon Hamilton<br />
begin to come together and men at the highest<br />
levels of government are implicated. Andrew<br />
and Paddy discover that Scottish oil reserves,<br />
money, and power lie at the heart of the murder<br />
and the Stone’s theft.<br />
Andrew travels incognito through Scotland<br />
doing historical research and he meets the clan<br />
of Finnlagen Gordon. Andrew is especially<br />
taken with the petite daughter of the family,<br />
Ginevra. The Gordons believe that their new<br />
friend is Andy Trent and when they find out his<br />
true identity, they assume that he is attempting<br />
to find reasons to block Scottish devolution. As<br />
Andrew examines his own genetic and spiritual<br />
roots he finds his thoughts on Scottish<br />
independence changing and it soon becomes<br />
apparent that his vote on the issue will be vital.<br />
Can he be the man of integrity he<br />
needs to be and still win Ginevra?<br />
In Michael Phillip’s enthralling An<br />
Ancient Strife the reader is caught up<br />
in the modern day story of Andrew<br />
Trentham and the very real issues of<br />
Scottish independence, and is equally entangled<br />
in the history of Scotland. As in the first book,<br />
modern day chapters are juxtaposed with<br />
chapters on the history of Scotland from 843 to<br />
the mid 1700s. Some readers may find the style<br />
of jumping back and forth a bit disconcerting,<br />
but not only is the main story very well told, but<br />
the shorter historical fiction stories are<br />
extremely involving and the way that they<br />
illustrate the current situation in Scotland adds a<br />
nice touch.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Specialist, Bayhmonte <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Scotts Valley, California<br />
Beneath the mockingbird’s wings, by<br />
Gilbert Morris and Aaron McCarver.<br />
(The spirit of Appalachia; 4.) LCCN<br />
99050633. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 1556618883, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Frontier and pioneer life--Appalachian Region--<br />
Fiction; Indians of North America--Appalachian<br />
Region--Fiction; Appalachian Region--History--<br />
Fiction; Cherokee Indians--Fiction. 270 p. Adult.<br />
With Hawk and Elizabeth Spencer living in the<br />
wilderness of Appalachia in the Misty<br />
Mountains of the hoped for state of Franklin,<br />
Gilbert Morris turns the focus of this fourth<br />
book of the Spirit of Appalachia series on<br />
Nathaniel “Fox” Carter the son of Titus Carter<br />
and his Cherokee wife, Awinita. The Carters are<br />
living at Havenwood, the Carolina plantation<br />
which Titus will inherit at the death of his father.<br />
However, before that event happens, Titus is<br />
killed in the Revolutionary War, leaving “Fox”<br />
the heir apparent, an eventuality which grates on<br />
his greedy uncle, Namaan Carter, who can’t<br />
stand to see a half-breed taking over the family<br />
fortune. As the story develops, Fox and his<br />
mother flee Havenwood to save their lives and<br />
join the Spencers over the Misty Mountains.<br />
Author Morris, with his editor Aaron McCarver,<br />
spins a tale of intrigue, suspense, murder, and<br />
love as Fox determines to choose between the<br />
white world of his father and the intriguing<br />
world of his Cherokee mother. His choice not<br />
only affects his future and that of the Spencer<br />
family, but lays the ground work for a fifth book<br />
in the series.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
★<br />
Blessing in disguise, by Lauraine Snelling.<br />
(Red River of the North; 6.) LCCN<br />
99006578. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
1999. ISBN 076422090X, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. Norwegian Americans--Dakota Territory--Fiction;<br />
Dakota Territory--Fiction. 298 p. Adult.<br />
Augusta Bjorklund is leaving Norway and<br />
joining her family in America. Single and thirty<br />
years of age, Augusta has no reason to stay in<br />
Norway. Traveling alone, with no<br />
comprehension of the English language,<br />
Augusta finds herself in trouble. She mistakenly<br />
boards the wrong train and ends up far from the<br />
town of Blessing. Kane Moyer is awaiting his<br />
“mail-order” bride from Norway, and is at the<br />
station when Augusta disembarks. Following a<br />
quick ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. Moyer head back<br />
to the ranch, with Augusta thinking she has just<br />
signed papers for her citizenship. When<br />
Augusta’s trunks arrive in Blessing, with no<br />
Augusta, her family is in a panic. How will they<br />
ever locate Augusta when they have no idea<br />
where she ended up?<br />
Lauraine Snelling has written an interesting<br />
story that holds the reader’s interest. One can<br />
not help but to sympathize with both Augusta<br />
and Kane, but at the same time, want to “shake<br />
some sense” into Augusta. The story line of<br />
Blessing in Disguise that evolves around these<br />
two characters is excellent, but the intertwining<br />
stories of the persons in Blessing causes<br />
confusion to the whole. I have personally read<br />
one other in this series, and was lost with the<br />
abundance of characters then, as I was again.<br />
Reading the series in order would certainly help,<br />
but if the author had fewer personalities in the<br />
series, the reader would derive more enjoyment<br />
from each story.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
Blind justice : a novel, by James Scott Bell.<br />
LCCN 99040602. Nashville: Broadman &<br />
Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805421610, PAP,<br />
$12.99.<br />
F. Attorneys--Fiction; Alcoholics--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
fiction. 374 p. Adult.<br />
Howie Patino has been arrested for murder. A<br />
harmless man, his greatest love is his wife, Rae.<br />
When she is found dead in her home, with an<br />
incoherent Howie and the murder weapon close<br />
by, it seems to be an open and shut case. But his<br />
family can’t believe he is guilty. Howie himself<br />
claims, “the devil did it.” Howie’s sister<br />
Lindsey, a devout <strong>Christian</strong>, believes his story.<br />
Desperate to clear him, Lindsey and Howie’s<br />
parents turn to a childhood friend of Howie’s,<br />
who is also a defense lawyer.<br />
Jack Denney is a divorced alcoholic who hasn’t<br />
had a case in months. He goes to Howie’s small<br />
hometown of Hinton to work on the case with a<br />
private investigator named Trip who has helped<br />
him in the past. He and Trip, along with<br />
Lindsey, soon discover that the town of Hinton<br />
has some sinister secrets—secrets that could<br />
clear Howie’s name. The involvement of Satan<br />
worshipers confirms to Lindsey that Howie is<br />
telling about “the devil.” Trip, who is also a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>, believes her, but Jack, a confirmed<br />
atheist, finds the whole idea ludicrous. But<br />
somehow he must legally use what he has<br />
learned to convince jurors of Howie’s<br />
innocence.<br />
Blind Justice is a compelling mystery novel that<br />
will keep the reader interested from beginning to<br />
end. Although this is definitely a <strong>Christian</strong><br />
novel, the author, James Scott Bell, uniquely<br />
tells the story from Jack Denney’s point of view.<br />
Denney drinks heavily throughout the story to<br />
cover the pain of his divorce. He often voices<br />
contempt for God and for <strong>Christian</strong>s. This is<br />
balanced, however, by the presence of Trip,<br />
Lindsey, and other <strong>Christian</strong>s. They disapprove<br />
of his drinking and try to lead him to peace in<br />
Christ. The story of his spiritual journey is a<br />
touching sub-plot. The resolution of the murder<br />
is predictable in one sense, but with a surprising<br />
twist. This book is well worth the time invested<br />
in reading it.<br />
Robyn Wyatt, Freelance Writer, Port Orchard, Washington<br />
★<br />
By the light of a thousand stars, by Jamie<br />
Langston Turner. LCCN 99006527.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1999. ISBN<br />
0764221531, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Family life--Fiction. 414 p. Adult.<br />
Catherine Biddle, from the outside, looks like a<br />
woman who “has it all.” Her husband Blake is<br />
successful and her children are healthy. She<br />
wears the right clothes, drives the right car, and<br />
has the latest hairstyle. Inside, Catherine feels<br />
isolated and angry. She lets no one in, including<br />
her family. The unexpected interrupts<br />
Catherine’s life, and changes it forever. Blake’s<br />
older sister shows up on the doorstep with a<br />
suitcase, saying she has no where to go. It does<br />
not take Catherine long to reinforce her idea that<br />
Dottie is “one brick shy of a load.” Catherine<br />
resents Dottie’s intrusion into their lives. Her<br />
presence uncovers the ugliness and deception in<br />
their household. Her cheerfulness and<br />
eagerness to help makes Catherine feel<br />
inadequate and unlovely. Then new neighbors<br />
move in next door, and through their testimony,<br />
Catherine’s son Hardy turns his life around,<br />
causing Catherine to face the emptiness in her<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 5 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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own life. For so long she has lived with the<br />
façade that everything was perfect. Can she let<br />
down her guard and let someone in?<br />
By the Light of a Thousand Stars is a modern<br />
day novel that demonstrates how God brings<br />
people into the lives of hurting and lost people to<br />
bring them to Himself. It also shows how God<br />
uses perhaps the “plain” or “unlovely,” and how<br />
each of us is a living testimoniy to the world.<br />
The author, Jamie Turner develops interesting<br />
characters that are easy to identify with and she<br />
reaches deep into the lives of the characters.<br />
I found the story line interesting, unique, and it<br />
promoted self-examination into my own life.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
★<br />
Command the sun, by Gilbert Morris.<br />
(The liberty bell; 7.) LCCN 99050484.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
155661571X, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. Inheritance and succession--Fiction; Nobility--<br />
Fiction; United States--History--Revolution, 1775-<br />
1782--Fiction; Great Britain--Fiction; Historical<br />
fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 286 p. Adult (High school).<br />
The Bradford Family saga continues with<br />
Matthew sailing to England to take possession<br />
of his inheritance and title. In his heart, he<br />
knows he is running away..from Abigail..from<br />
God. Innocent of the ways of the world,<br />
Matthew soon finds himself a victim of a<br />
devious financial scam. Broken and ill,<br />
Matthew returns home. Sam continues his<br />
pursuit of Keturah, but she continues to reject<br />
him. When Keturah moves to South Carolina to<br />
help Grace with her new baby, Sam despairs that<br />
he will ever convince her of his love. Grace<br />
finds herself a widow, but finds she can not<br />
grieve for a husband that never fulfilled her<br />
needs. She is determined never to open her<br />
heart again. When she hires a new overseer,<br />
Cormac, she discovers her resolve crumbling.<br />
Grace has a second chance for love, will she<br />
take it?<br />
Command the Sun is a novel full of rich<br />
characters. Gilbert Morris consistently creates<br />
characters that readers can relate to, and fall in<br />
love with. The story contains some surprises,<br />
but is a bit predictable. As part of a series, one<br />
that I had not read, I had little difficulty<br />
“catching up.”<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
Crown of fire, by Kathy Tyers. (Firebird;<br />
3.) LCCN 00010881. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0754222163,<br />
PAP, $10.00.<br />
F. Fantastic fiction; Science fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction.<br />
320 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Crown of Fire, by Kathy Tyers, is the exciting<br />
conclusion to the science fiction trilogy<br />
including Firebird and Fusion Fire. Summoned<br />
to Netaia to be confirmed as an heiress to the<br />
royal House Angelo, Lady Firebird is thrilled<br />
with the opportunity to bring about change in<br />
her home world, and to fight for the common<br />
folk so long ruled and ignored by the royal<br />
house. Firebird and her telepathic husband,<br />
Brennan, also hope their presence will draw out<br />
one of the evil Shuhr for capture. The<br />
Federation, under attack by the Shuhr, wants to<br />
employ mind access on their captive enemy and<br />
discover where the Shuhr intend to strike next.<br />
Firebird struggles with pride and independence,<br />
desiring to save her Netaian people by her own<br />
leadership and strength, rather than seeking the<br />
Eternal Speaker’s (God’s) will. Raised to<br />
believe that her actions must balance her<br />
shortcomings, Firebird pays a high price for her<br />
pride. Only through her husband’s sacrifice of<br />
life is she able to fully grasp the idea of<br />
atonement and realize that she owes her life to<br />
the Eternal Speaker, with no cause to be proud.<br />
Brennan likewise learns the vital lesson that in<br />
his own weakness, the One is made strong<br />
through Brennan’s complete surrender to Him.<br />
As Firebird and Brennan allow the One to work<br />
through them, they are called to fulfill the<br />
ancient prophecy predicting the destruction of a<br />
“nest of evil”—the Shuhr and their twisted<br />
genetic experimentation and breeding program.<br />
After a dramatic and surprising outcome of that<br />
battle, Firebird and Brennan, along with other<br />
faithful followers of the One, eagerly await the<br />
arrival of the promised messiah, the Word to<br />
Come.<br />
Crown of Fire is a challenging read the first half<br />
of the book, as it discusses complex political<br />
circumstances involving Netaia, Thyrica, Three<br />
Zed, the Federation, the Sentinels, and the Shuhr<br />
—issues that are more convoluted than several<br />
Deep Space Nine episodes. The second half of<br />
the book is more action oriented, and delves<br />
more deeply into the minds and hearts of<br />
Firebird, Brennen, and their relationship with<br />
God, the One. Tyers includes a “what has gone<br />
before” overview of Firebird and Fusion Fire to<br />
remind readers of what transpired in the first two<br />
books, both of which definitely should be read<br />
before tackling Crown of Fire. True science<br />
fiction fans will enjoy this trilogy greatly.<br />
Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade <strong>Christian</strong> High School, Medford,<br />
Oregon<br />
Cry freedom, by Marlo Schalesky. (The<br />
winds of freedom; 1.) LCCN 99089206.<br />
Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2000.<br />
ISBN 1581341695, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. United States--History--Colonial period, ca. 1600-<br />
1775--Fiction; Whitefield, George, 1714-1770--<br />
Fiction; Delaware Indians--Fiction; Great Awakening--<br />
Fiction. 379 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Cry Freedom is double edged. The birthing of<br />
America and the flowering of faith are<br />
intertwined in this historical romance. The main<br />
focus is less on the romance and more on the<br />
development of steadfast trust in God’s leading.<br />
The intense inner struggle against<br />
overwhelming fears in choosing Christ over life<br />
in the face of harsh trials, brutality and death is<br />
beautifully detailed. Marlo Schalesky<br />
incorporates interaction with the historical<br />
figures and events of that era including the<br />
impact on society of George Whitefield and<br />
Samuel Adams. Taking place at this time is the<br />
seesaw for power between the English, French,<br />
and Native Americans during the King George<br />
War. The conclusion promises more to follow to<br />
develop secondary characters.<br />
After the massacre of her missionary father and<br />
her people only Kwelik, a lovely <strong>Christian</strong> halfbreed<br />
maiden and her brother remain. She<br />
surrenders her freedom so Little Cloud can<br />
vanish. Kwelik escapes one captor to become<br />
enslaved by another while inner demons compel<br />
her to give up as she continuously pleads with<br />
God for liberation. God appears not to be<br />
listening. A torturous death awaits but God<br />
whispers: “Whosoever will lose his life for my<br />
sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25)<br />
Oppressed by the anguish of abuse, false piety,<br />
and dark secrets perpetrated by his father and<br />
now the mantle of lord of the manor being<br />
conferred on his equally domineering brother,<br />
Jonathan flees England. The American frontier<br />
offers asylum, but everything he undertakes to<br />
make a new life is torched into ashes. Without<br />
an example of a godly father Jonathan resists the<br />
summons: “If the Son therefore shall make you<br />
free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)<br />
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington<br />
Daughter of Twin Oaks, by Lauraine<br />
Snelling. (A secret refuge; 1.) LCCN<br />
00008414. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 1556618395, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--<br />
Fiction. 282 p. Adult (High school).<br />
With the turbulence of the Civil War<br />
surrounding their plantation, Jesselynn, in shorn<br />
hair and britches, secrets away what is left of her<br />
deceased father’s prize Thoroughbred horse<br />
stock. Leaving Kentucky with her toddler<br />
brother and several freed slaves, their<br />
destination is Missouri to seek refuge with an<br />
uncle. Traveling by the stars, they encounter<br />
and embrace several other individuals affected<br />
by the war as they wend their way.<br />
In the meantime Jesselynn’s sisters are<br />
temporarily residing with an aunt in Virginia.<br />
Carrie Mae is soon to be married to a wounded<br />
ex-soldier while Louisa is volunteering at the<br />
hospital where she immerses herself in<br />
comforting the human wreckage spawned by the<br />
war.<br />
Those who have appreciated Lauraine<br />
Snelling’s Red River of the North series will<br />
likely enjoy Daughter of Twin Oaks, the first<br />
volume in A Secret Refuge. The story leaps<br />
back and forth between Jesselynn’s trek and the<br />
sisters’ activities, with a sharper focus on<br />
Louisa. The trek is melodramatic due to the<br />
many interruptions of their travels in an attempt<br />
to carry the plot to the end, whereas the hospital<br />
depiction has more energy. Through Ms.<br />
Snelling’s research she strives to portray the<br />
horrors and desolation of this period in<br />
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America’s history without zeroing in on violent<br />
details, but does include the use of an occasional<br />
ethnic slur in common usage at that time. The<br />
conclusion is a cliff hanger and fails to resolve<br />
the various characters’ dilemmas creating<br />
anticipation for the next volume in this series.<br />
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington<br />
The divine symphony, by Calvin Miller.<br />
LCCN 00008166. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764221701, PAP,<br />
$12.99.<br />
F. Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
women saints--Palestine--Fiction; Creation--Fiction;<br />
Palestine--Fiction; Allegories. 290 p. Adult.<br />
In The Divine Symphony, Calvin Miller<br />
combines his previously published A Requiem<br />
for Love, and A Symphony in Sand.<br />
The story of Earthmaker, Regis, and Regina, in<br />
A Requiem for Love, parallels God, Adam, and<br />
Eve. Regis and Regina experience total<br />
happiness with themselves and Earthmaker until<br />
she becomes curious about her Father’s enemy.<br />
Soon Regina sees a handsome youth, but draws<br />
away “feeling both fear and enticement.” He<br />
says, “I am Slithe, no enemy but friend. I’m<br />
ready now to serve your curiosity and answer all<br />
your wonder.” Slithe appears often, sometimes<br />
man, sometimes serpent, always contradicting<br />
Earthmaker. At last Regina yields to his lure.<br />
Then Earthmaker must force his people out the<br />
Sanctuary gates to the desert beyond.<br />
A Symphony in Sand details the story of a maid,<br />
Trouvere, and her betrothed, The Artisan,<br />
recognizable as Mary and Joseph. An intruder<br />
enters their lives, sometimes as a serpent. He<br />
unsettles The Artisan with untruths and heaps<br />
doubts upon Trouvere. Victory finally comes<br />
when Trouvere gathers unknown strength to<br />
grab “the heavy thing of hate” and “..with her<br />
bare foot crushed the ugly reptile’s head.” Then<br />
comes the birth of Trouvere’s child, welcomed<br />
by Melek and Imperious, two ancient men, who<br />
acknowledge Him as the Savior.<br />
The imaginative retelling of these two<br />
foundational Bible stories portrays Satan’s everpresent<br />
strategy and God’s faithfulness. Slithe’s<br />
words echo today’s new-age thought and<br />
theology, but one of his statements reminds, “..I<br />
do not barge into any soul unwelcomed by the<br />
heart.” Miller fills his poetry with proverbs that<br />
bear reading more than once, even underlining<br />
in one’s own copy. Most chapters end with a<br />
rhyming couplet, otherwise Miller writes in free<br />
verse. Simple pen and ink drawings as well as<br />
special sayings serve as chapter dividers.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
☛<br />
Everything I long for, by Melody Carlson.<br />
(Whispering pines series; 1.) LCCN<br />
99014914. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House,<br />
2000. ISBN 0736900624, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. Oregon--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 268 p.<br />
A place to come home to, by Melody<br />
Carlson. (Whispering pines series; 2.)<br />
LCCN 99014245. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest<br />
House, 1999. ISBN 0736900535, PAP,<br />
$9.99.<br />
F. Oregon--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 262 p.<br />
Adult (High school).<br />
Seasoned writer Melody Carlson brings to<br />
readers more satisfying stories that deal with<br />
hopeful dreams, grating reality, and complex<br />
relationships in her Whispering Pines series. In<br />
the first book, A Place To Come Home To,<br />
Maggie Carpenter answers an enticing Internet<br />
ad to be the editor of a small town newspaper.<br />
Leaving her life as an award-winning journalist<br />
at the L.A. Times she packs her belongings and<br />
her unwilling fourteen year old son and heads<br />
off to Whispering Pines, Oregon. Her dreams of<br />
living a simplistic, uncluttered life become<br />
mired in the discovery that the town is slowly<br />
dying after the new highway bypassed it. Her<br />
reception is mixed between high expectations<br />
she will turn the town around, and open hostility<br />
since she is an outsider. Maggie also finds<br />
herself the focus between two very different<br />
men. Reconciling her mourning for her<br />
husband, and her attraction to these possible<br />
suitors, amidst all the other adjustments in her<br />
new life, keeps Maggie relying on the Lord all<br />
the more.<br />
The second book in the series, Everything I<br />
Long For, jumps right in where the first book<br />
leaves off. Maggie’s rocky start in Whispering<br />
Pines settles down with the success of receiving<br />
a grant she wrote to help make some very much<br />
needed improvements and repairs to the town.<br />
Unfortunately, her personal life hits some<br />
serious potholes making Maggie wonder if<br />
Whispering Pines is really what she had longed<br />
for after all.<br />
What could have been yet another formula<br />
romance takes some interesting plot turns. The<br />
author has a touch for writing about realistic<br />
situations and giving dimension to the many<br />
characters involved. Maggie’s plucky<br />
enthusiasm, combined with her vulnerability<br />
make her quite a likable heroine. Her reliance<br />
on the Lord is ever-present without being<br />
overbearing. These books could be a cross-over<br />
novel much like Jan Karon’s books which<br />
centered on small-town life, and had the thread<br />
of God’s grace running through them.<br />
Pam Webb, <strong>Library</strong> Technician, Sandpoint, Idaho<br />
★<br />
Fireside stories of love, life and laughter,<br />
written and compiled by Mary<br />
Hollingsworth. Nashville: Word<br />
Publishing, Thomas Nelson, 2000. ISBN<br />
0849937825, PAP, $12.99.<br />
F. Short stories; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 203 p. Adult.<br />
Fireside Stories is a collection of short stories<br />
based on real life situations and fictional tales.<br />
A number of the stories are <strong>Christian</strong> based, but<br />
not all. All have a message that brings laughter<br />
or sometimes a tear. Authors range from Mark<br />
Twain to Max Lucado, offering a variety that<br />
would appeal to a broad audience. Mary<br />
Hollingsworth has carefully selected stories that<br />
can be used as references or just to be enjoyed<br />
by a reader on a rainy day.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
For such a time, by Elyse Larson.<br />
(Women of valor; 1.) LCCN 00008270.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764223550, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. World War, 1939-1945--France--Fiction; World<br />
War, 1939-1945--Women--Fiction; Americans--<br />
France--Fiction; Women--France--Fiction; France--<br />
Fiction. 351 p. Adult (High school).<br />
In December 1943, life in Lyon, France,<br />
becomes even more difficult for Giselle and<br />
Claude Munier, members of the French<br />
Resistance. Giselle takes their daughters,<br />
Jacquie and Angie, to live in a safe place, but<br />
when she returns home she finds Claude gone.<br />
She wonders if informers betrayed them.<br />
Jean Thornton, Giselle’s American cousin and a<br />
Red Cross worker, arrives for duty in Wales with<br />
two concerns: whereabouts of Tom, the<br />
Japanese man she loves, but who no longer<br />
loves her, and safety of Giselle. When she hears<br />
the Nazis have captured Giselle, Jean finagles<br />
and receives permission to rescue her. She<br />
practices the intricacies of parachute jumping,<br />
gun handling, and daily life in France before<br />
launching into the dangerous mission.<br />
For Such A Time, by Elyse Larson, takes the<br />
reader through agonizing twists and turns that<br />
lead Jean, Giselle, Jacquie, and Angie back to<br />
Wales. But even there the road goes bumpy<br />
before they feel safe. All the while, Jean longs<br />
for Tom and Giselle worries about Claude.<br />
Fearsome complications mount, despite all<br />
precautions. One night when an informer<br />
threatens them as well as Jacquie, Angie, and<br />
Tom, Jean uses her gun to save the lives of those<br />
she loves. Although the plot dictates that Jean<br />
shoot a man, Larson emphasizes in the final<br />
pages the need to love and forgive everyone,<br />
even our enemies. She does this naturally,<br />
honestly, and convincingly through story.<br />
Larson grabs the reader’s attention from the first<br />
paragraph, and does not let go until the final<br />
word. Her in-depth research of time and places<br />
carries the reader into the scenes all the way<br />
through the story. This, along with a skillful use<br />
of words and plot, bring alive the physical<br />
deprivation, pain, and emotional stress common<br />
for many during that time. She writes in a way<br />
that makes plausible her large cast of<br />
characters—a good balance of hateful people<br />
and delightful, caring folks.<br />
The last sentence points to more about Jean and<br />
Giselle. For the story preceding For Such A<br />
Time, read Dawn’s Early Light, by Elsie J.<br />
Larson.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 6 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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★<br />
Heathersleigh homecoming, by Michael<br />
Phillips. (The secrets of Heathersleigh<br />
Hall; 3.) LCCN 99006750. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 1999. ISBN 0764220454,<br />
PAP, $12.99.<br />
F. World War, 1914-1919--England--Devon--Fiction.<br />
429 p. Adult.<br />
In Heathersleigh Homecoming, twenty-oneyear-old<br />
Amanda Rutherford Halifax, a prodigal<br />
daughter, finds herself in the “faraway land” of<br />
disobedience, suffering the consequences of<br />
rebellion from her parents. Upon learning that<br />
Ramsey, her unfaithful husband of one month,<br />
belongs to a spy ring working against the Allies<br />
in World War I, she flees from Vienna by train,<br />
hoping to escape through Italy or France to<br />
London. Fearful that she will reveal their<br />
espionage secrets, Ramsey and evil Mr. Barclay<br />
pursue Amanda relentlessly.<br />
After discerning Amanda’s forlorn countenance<br />
in the train station, and befriending her with a<br />
kind invitation, Gretchen introduces her to<br />
beauty and peaceful seclusion at the Chalet of<br />
Hope high in the Alps of neutral Switzerland.<br />
Here a group of <strong>Christian</strong> women dedicate their<br />
lives to the emotional and spiritual healing of<br />
others. But because healing is slow and painful<br />
and Amanda’s prideful independent spirit<br />
strong, she breaks away again to cross enemy<br />
lines.<br />
Amanda is unaware that information she<br />
possesses about enemy spies in a secluded<br />
lighthouse on the English coast is intertwined<br />
with the duties of her father and brother on the<br />
battle cruiser Dauntless, responsible for<br />
torpedoing German U-boats in the English<br />
Channel. Cleverly disguised, she outwits<br />
Ramsey and Mr. Barclay, stalking them and<br />
eavesdropping. Amanda reaches London, begs<br />
an audience with Winston Churchill, her father’s<br />
friend, and reports intelligence crucial to ending<br />
the war.<br />
Solid <strong>Christian</strong> truths and themes fill Michael<br />
Phillips’ third novel in the Secrets of<br />
Heathersleigh Hall series. In the Introduction,<br />
his thoughtful treatise on the universal parable<br />
of the prodigal son prepares the reader to<br />
participate more personally in Amanda’s<br />
homecoming. Through Amanda’s observations<br />
and experiences, Phillips brilliantly depicts her<br />
awakening to a godly sorrow leading to<br />
repentance of pride and damaged relationships.<br />
Phillips molds Amanda’s character as she learns<br />
compassion and comforts others.<br />
God answers her parents’ prayers and faith with<br />
Amanda’s healing and restoration. But sin has<br />
its consequences. Though she is reunited with<br />
her mother and sister, Amanda never sees her<br />
father or brother again; they die in the war.<br />
Phillips shows that God is always good and life<br />
goes on. Amanda looks expectantly to a new<br />
future.<br />
Readers will understand how to have a personal<br />
relationship with their heavenly Father, and<br />
think about the meaning of Christmas and<br />
differing attitudes toward divorce and<br />
remarriage. The story may be read without<br />
knowledge of the series. Phillips says we are a<br />
prodigal humanity. Heathersleigh Homecoming<br />
is a splendid story for all of us and about all of<br />
us.<br />
Rhonda Marie Lackey, Writer, Former Teacher/Librarian, Tukwila,<br />
Washington<br />
Honor’s reward, by Kristen Heitzmann.<br />
(Rocky mountain legacy; 5.) LCCN<br />
99006867. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 076422204X, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Family life--Fiction; Western stories; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
fiction. 317 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Abbie was married to Monte Farrell. Cole<br />
Jasper was a foreman on their ranch, but has<br />
known Abbie since they were teens. Cole has<br />
loved Abbie since he can remember, but after<br />
Monte’s death by a bull, Abbie dismisses Cole<br />
from his position on the ranch and vows she<br />
never wants to see him again. In book five,<br />
Abbie returns to the ranch with her new husband<br />
Cole Jasper, after outwitting the outlaw Crete<br />
Marlowe. Accompanying Cole and Abbie is<br />
Birdie, the sixteen-year-old saloon girl, with a<br />
large chip on her shoulder. Cole expects Abbie<br />
to accept Birdie as her own, and raise her<br />
alongside her niece Jenny and her son Elliot.<br />
With Birdie “making eyes” at Cole, Abbie<br />
struggles to accept and love her. Abbie knows<br />
that she loves Cole, but she continually<br />
compares him to Monte and is consumed with<br />
guilt. When Cole discovers that Crete Marlowe<br />
is after revenge, Cole is determined to see him to<br />
justice, even against the wishes of Abbie. Will<br />
Cole and Abbie’s marriage survive?<br />
Kristen Heitzmann has written an interesting, if<br />
somewhat typical story of love in the west. I<br />
found it difficult to pick up all the details from<br />
previous books and was often confused or lost in<br />
the story. The theme of reconciliation was<br />
strong as well as the power of forgiveness.<br />
Murder and prostitution is included in the<br />
content, but not with much detail or graphics.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
Imperial legions, by Andrew M. Seddon.<br />
LCCN 99088716. Nashville: Broadman &<br />
Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805421807, PAP,<br />
$14.99.<br />
F. Great Britain--History--Roman period, 55 B.C.-449<br />
A.D.--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> saints--Great Britain--Fiction;<br />
Boadicea, Queen, d.61--Fiction; Paul, the Apostle,<br />
Saint--Fiction; Soldiers--Rome--Fiction. 434 p.<br />
Adult.<br />
Sergius, a Roman soldier, and Ailidh, a Celt,<br />
should be dire enemies, but they’re not. Despite<br />
the conflict between their two cultures as Rome<br />
attempts to subdue the inhabitants of Britain,<br />
Sergius and Ailidh unite themselves in Christ<br />
where there is “neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor<br />
free.” Appointed as tribune of a Roman legion,<br />
Sergius participates in the destruction of the<br />
Druids, the Celtic intelligentsia believed to be<br />
responsible for stirring up the British tribes to<br />
rebellion. Later, Sergius faces Queen Boudicca<br />
and her warriors as they fight to protest the<br />
injustices of the Roman empire. Dismayed by<br />
the needless bloodshed of innocents, and<br />
sickened by the tortured human sacrifices<br />
Boudicca’s warriors offer to pagan gods, Sergius<br />
is forced to question his own role as a soldier<br />
and as a follower of Christ. Ailidh, once a<br />
Druidess before her conversion to Christ, finds<br />
herself an outcast among her people and grieved<br />
by the revengeful, bloody nature of the tribes<br />
against Rome. Together she and Sergius vow to<br />
follow a better way.<br />
Imperial Legions, by Andrew M. Seddon, is a<br />
well-researched novel detailing the life and<br />
attitudes of those living in the first century A.D.<br />
The book includes a map, (very useful in<br />
keeping track of the numerous locations and<br />
military movements throughout the story), an<br />
extensive dictionary of Roman and British<br />
terms, and a list of sources. The book, which<br />
gathers intensity about midway through, is<br />
similar in style to the historical novels of Steven<br />
Lawhead, Francine Rivers, and Donna Fletcher<br />
Crow, although with more emphasis on the story<br />
than the internal workings of the main<br />
characters. The spiritual struggles of Sergius<br />
and Ailidh seem more of an afterthought rather<br />
than an integral part of their lives, resulting in a<br />
somewhat anticlimactic ending. While there are<br />
numerous characters involved, many of them<br />
historical figures, Seddon uniquely describes<br />
them so they are easily remembered. Seddon<br />
also does a good job of portraying both sides of<br />
the story—Rome’s and Britian’s. The book<br />
describes the violence of war realistically, but is<br />
reasonably non-graphic.<br />
Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade <strong>Christian</strong> High School, Medford,<br />
Oregon<br />
Jenny’s story, by Judy Baer. (Best friends<br />
forever; 1) LCCN 00025562. Wheaton,<br />
Ill.: Tyndale House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0842319220, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. <strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Widows--Fiction; Gambling--<br />
Fiction. 261 p. Adult.<br />
Having lost her beloved husband of twelve years<br />
to an aneurysm, Jenny Owens finds herself<br />
mired in severe depression and grief. Barely<br />
able to function, she relies on the strength of her<br />
two childhood best friends, Libby and Tia,<br />
feeling that God has abandoned her. As Jenny<br />
works through the difficult stages of grief, she is<br />
faced with the startling news that the husband<br />
she idolized led a double life as a gambling<br />
addict who frittered away all their financial<br />
resources. Left with a heavy mortgage on her<br />
home, and no college degree or job experience,<br />
Jenny is forced to take control of her life in a<br />
way she never had to before.<br />
When Jenny hires a gardener to put her huge<br />
yard back in order, the last person she expects to<br />
see is another person from her childhood—<br />
Mike, the rebellious “preacher’s kid.” As Mike<br />
works in the soil, weeding, planting, and<br />
fertilizing, he provides a listening ear for Jenny,<br />
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enabling her to “weed out” her own life. By<br />
sharing bits of his own spiritual journey, he<br />
helps Jenny find her way back to God, one step<br />
at a time. As Jenny’s garden begins to yield an<br />
abundance of flowers, so her friendship with<br />
Mike blossoms into love, and her trust in the<br />
Lord begins to flourish.<br />
Judy Baer, an experienced novella author, wrote<br />
Jenny’s Story, her first full-length book.<br />
Although five or six pages are missing the last<br />
line at the bottom, it is worth the read. Jenny’s<br />
life shows how God never forsakes us, even in<br />
the hard times. He ministers to us through close<br />
personal friends, strangers, and through<br />
answered prayer—even though we may not<br />
always recognize it. Jenny is reminded that faith<br />
in God is dependent on fact, regardless of how<br />
she feels. Forced to come to terms with her own<br />
mortality, Jenny also comes to realize that she<br />
does not need a husband in order to be whole;<br />
God is the only one who can make her complete.<br />
Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade <strong>Christian</strong> High School, Medford,<br />
Oregon<br />
Josephine’s fortune, by Kay D. Rizzo.<br />
(Serenity Inn series; 3.) LCCN 98049464.<br />
Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0805416757, PAP, $7.99.<br />
F. Slavery--Fiction; Underground railroad--Fiction.<br />
213 p. Adult.<br />
Rich Josephine Van der Mere, engaged to the<br />
politically influential Samuel Pownell of<br />
Albany, New York, is mourning his loss at sea,<br />
when she receives information that he is not<br />
dead, but recuperating from his accident and<br />
hidden away in New Orleans, Louisiana. An<br />
avid conductor on the Underground Railroad,<br />
Josephine must try to unobtrusively finish her<br />
present assignment in the freedom organization<br />
and take leave to travel to Pownell’s side<br />
without being found out. But who is the man in<br />
black who continuously shadows her?<br />
This intriguing story leads the reader on a romp<br />
through New York and its Underground<br />
Railroad system, a sea voyage, pirates, and its<br />
thrilling climax in New Orleans. The last leg of<br />
the adventure takes the reader up the Mississippi<br />
River to Missouri, and the start of a new life near<br />
Samuel’s daughter Serenity and her new<br />
husband. Josephine and Samuel must face and<br />
make hard decisions of career, politics, family,<br />
and religion. Author, Kay D. Rizzo’s lively plot<br />
in book three of her Serenity Inn Series is fast<br />
paced, but at the same time preserves the<br />
traditions and temper of historic pre-Civil War<br />
America.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
Lethal harvest, by William Cutrer, Sandra<br />
Glahn. LCCN 00030951. Grand Rapids:<br />
Kregel Publications, 2000. ISBN<br />
0825423716, PAP, $10.00.<br />
F. Genetic engineering--Fiction; Medical ethics--<br />
Fiction; Physicians--Fiction. 407 p. Adult.<br />
The combined talents of Sandra Glahn and<br />
William Cutrer, M.D. have created a new<br />
medical thriller, Lethal Harvest, that’s hard to<br />
put down. It’s like Robin Cook’s books with a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> slant. Marnie Sullivan is shocked but<br />
not heartbroken when her husband, Tim<br />
Sullivan, drives into the Potomoc River one icy<br />
day in December. Although the body is never<br />
found, death is accepted. Marnie and five year<br />
old Emily must start a new life together. In<br />
steps, Dr. Ben McKay, Tim’s silent partner, who<br />
is also a hospital chaplain, comforts Marnie,<br />
makes the memorial arrangements, and helps<br />
the little family through the difficult months.<br />
Eventually Ben introduces Marnie to Jesus<br />
Christ and the world of faith. She and Ben’s<br />
hearts begin to blend. Then through a series of<br />
oddities Marnie realizes things are not as they<br />
seemed. When Marnie receives an e-mail from<br />
her late husband Tim, she flies to Texas to meet<br />
him. She is disappointed, however, that he<br />
offers no love or apology for his staged death,<br />
just a warning. She and Emily are in danger. He<br />
wants only to concentrate on his medical<br />
research—cloning human eggs. Murder,<br />
litigation, and arson add spark to this unique<br />
novel of modern science.<br />
Lethal Harvest is pleasingly complex,<br />
religiously genuine, and clinically correct.<br />
Perhaps too much so. One may choose to skim<br />
over the scientific details; no problem, the<br />
storyline carries the tale. An intriguing element<br />
about this book is that in America’s high-tech<br />
society, cloning human eggs may some day<br />
become a reality. A wise people will consider<br />
the questions and consequences beforehand.<br />
Lethal Harvest, through an entertaining media,<br />
will help readers do just that.<br />
Ginger McGrath, Freelance Writer, Leavenworth, Washington<br />
Like gold refined, by Janette Oke. (A<br />
prairie legacy; 4.) LCCN 00008127.<br />
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0764221612, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Mothers and daughters--Fiction. 253 p. Adult<br />
(High school).<br />
Like Gold Refined, set in the early 1900’s,<br />
follows the lives of the Davis family. This<br />
particular story focuses on Virginia,<br />
granddaughter of Clark and Marty. Virginia has<br />
been raising Mindy, the child of her childhood<br />
friend for over six years. Virginia and her<br />
husband Jonathan consider Mindy to be theirs.<br />
Even though they have not heard from Jenny,<br />
Mindy’s mom, for more than six years, they still<br />
pray for her each day. Little do they realize that<br />
their prayers are about to be answered. Jenny<br />
arrives and announces that she is there to claim<br />
her daughter for her own. How can Virginia<br />
give up the child? How can she fill the void that<br />
Mindy would leave in their home?<br />
Janette Oak has written a novel relevant to<br />
issues faced by women today, but in an<br />
historical setting. Not only in regards to child<br />
custody issues, but she also writes a great deal in<br />
this story about dealing with aging<br />
parents/grandparents and accepting the changes<br />
that are inevitable. I found the story sensitive in<br />
dealing with painful issues, if a bit naïve. It<br />
would have been helpful to have read the stories<br />
in this series, as it was difficult to categorize the<br />
numerous characters introduced throughout the<br />
story.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
The list, by Robert Whitlow. LCCN<br />
99045922. Nashville: Word Publishing,<br />
2000. ISBN 0849916402, PAP, $12.99.<br />
F. Spiritual warfare--Fiction. 395 p. Adult.<br />
Renny Jacobson finds that after the unexpected<br />
death of his wealthy father he has been virtually<br />
disinherited except for his membership in The<br />
List, a secret group formed during the closing<br />
days of the Civil War whose descendents still<br />
meet.<br />
On his way to a coastal inn in South Carolina to<br />
find out about The List, Renny meets Jo<br />
Johnston, an attractive <strong>Christian</strong> whose<br />
ancestors were also members of The List. She<br />
challenges him to find out more about the group<br />
which signs a covenant and seals it with blood.<br />
Renny is not only falling for Jo but is intrigued<br />
by her faith in Christ. As he journeys from<br />
unbeliever to <strong>Christian</strong>, largely through the<br />
prayers of Jo, his landlady, and Mama A, a<br />
friend of his deceased mother’s, he is torn<br />
between the desire to serve the Lord and the lure<br />
of the vast wealth of those involved in The List.<br />
It soon becomes clear that this is really a battle<br />
between good and evil and that demonic forces<br />
have been at work and curses have been loosed.<br />
Is he willing to sacrifice to bring about the<br />
destruction of The List, or will he be overcome<br />
by greed and blinded by the darkness that<br />
surrounds all who are involved in the unholy<br />
covenant?<br />
Fast-paced and intriguing, The List is a mystery<br />
and a love story. Robert Whitlow has woven an<br />
involving plot that boldly discusses the battle<br />
that continually wages in the spiritual realm.<br />
Renny discovers that while evil is pervasive and<br />
strong, Christ is Light and can easily dispel the<br />
darkness for true believers. The author does an<br />
excellent job of portraying the importance of<br />
prayer. not only to our daily lives but in times of<br />
spiritual crisis. It also emphasizes the personal<br />
aspect of the believer’s relationship with Christ.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Teacher, Scotts Valley, California<br />
Looking for you all my life, by Melody<br />
Carlson. (Whispering pines series; 3.)<br />
LCCN 99041914. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0736900632, PAP,<br />
$9.99.<br />
F. Oregon--Fiction; Love stories; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction.<br />
304 p. Adult (High school).<br />
In an attempt to stop an ill-planned housing<br />
development project from being built in Pine<br />
Mountain, Maggie, a small-town newspaper<br />
editor, prints the truth about the developer’s<br />
other failed projects. However, she does not<br />
receive the support she expects from many of<br />
the local business owners who are desperate for<br />
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anything to help revive their sluggish<br />
economy—particularly since the winter snows<br />
have held off, thus delaying the start of the<br />
skiing and tourist season.<br />
As she struggles to stand for what is true and<br />
right, she also encounters difficulty in her<br />
personal life. Maggie and Jed had an<br />
“understanding,” but that is put on hold when<br />
Jed’s long-lost daughter, newly reunited with<br />
her father, demands more and more of his time<br />
and attention. Maggie must learn to deal with<br />
her insecurity regarding her relationship with<br />
Jed, and come to a deeper understanding of why<br />
Leah seems determined to keep her away from<br />
Jed. Eventually the three of them work out their<br />
difficulties, and Maggie and Jed become<br />
engaged.<br />
Looking For You All My Life, by Melody<br />
Carlson, is the third book in the Whispering<br />
Pines series. Readers will definitely need to<br />
read the first two books before this one, or they<br />
will be confused. There are numerous<br />
characters, and the author, assuming the reader<br />
is acquainted with their various backgrounds<br />
and relationships, does little explaining. While<br />
the book is generally well-written, it is not as<br />
riveting or realistic as the first two. Maggie and<br />
Jed get engaged, but never spend the time<br />
together investing in a serious relationship<br />
necessary for marriage. The land development<br />
project is brought up as a major conflict and<br />
focus of the story, but no satisfying closure is<br />
given to the issue.<br />
Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade <strong>Christian</strong> High School, Medford,<br />
Oregon<br />
Lost Romance Ranch, by Annie Jones.<br />
(Route 66.) LCCN 00022410. Colorado<br />
Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2000. ISBN<br />
1578561353, PAP, $6.95.<br />
F. Automobile travel--Fiction; Separated people--<br />
Fiction; United States Highway 66--Fiction;<br />
Humorous stories; Love stories. 234 p. Adult (High<br />
school).<br />
Lost Romance Ranch is subtitled A Romantic<br />
Comedy From the Roadsides of Route 66 and<br />
comes with a giggle guarantee. Though there<br />
are a few amusing events, the subject matter of<br />
the plot is very cogitative. Tidbits of the history<br />
of Route 66 are part of the fabric as the<br />
characters maneuver their way through this<br />
story displaying that men and women truly<br />
appear to be from opposite planets. Annie Jones<br />
stimulates the reader to contemplate the sanctity<br />
of the marriage vows by setting aside selfabsorption<br />
and considering a partner’s<br />
viewpoint so obstacles are able to be<br />
surmounted. Seeking God’s counsel is<br />
demonstrated to be extremely important before<br />
making drastic decisions. Also, the surrendering<br />
of pride becomes the restorative balm for<br />
damaged relationships.<br />
Blind-sided by the letter left from his wife in the<br />
now empty house, Teague is confused. The<br />
typical family difficulties aside he is left with<br />
not a single clue to understand what has led up<br />
to his wife suddenly leaving with the children.<br />
Everything he does is for the welfare of his most<br />
precious possession, his family.<br />
Wendie broods over the numerous reasons to<br />
justify her actions—Teague’s all absorbing work<br />
ethic, charity functions, and other priorities that<br />
he places above his family’s happiness. By<br />
leaving with the twins, Wendie hopes to jolt<br />
Teague into awareness of the seriousness of their<br />
situation.<br />
Will this be another marriage shattered on the<br />
rocks of today’s statistics?<br />
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington<br />
The Marquesa, by Stephen Bly. (Heroines<br />
of the golden west; 2.) LCCN 09833717.<br />
Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1998.<br />
ISBN 1581340257, PAP, $10.00.<br />
F. Actresses--Fiction; Women merchants--Fiction;<br />
Montana--Fiction. 221 p. Adult.<br />
Isabel Leon, better known by her stage name,<br />
“The Marquesa,” has settled down in Cantrell,<br />
Montana, to manage a general store for her good<br />
friend Carolina Parks, who is in the East<br />
awaiting the birth of her first child. The<br />
Marquesa has also joined a venture to build a<br />
hotel in the rapidly growing boom town.<br />
Unfortunately, her partners and almost everyone<br />
else are in the gold fields.<br />
When the Marquesa is approached by former<br />
army captain Dawson Mandara who offers to<br />
take charge of the construction of the hotel, she<br />
accepts his offer even though she resents his<br />
superior manner and pities the wife he mentions<br />
frequently. As work progresses on the hotel, the<br />
relationship between the Marquesa and the<br />
captain develops to a point where the Marquesa<br />
begins to envy the captain’s wife. As the<br />
Marquesa struggles with her feelings for the<br />
captain and her developing faith in God, she is<br />
increasingly distressed by the thought of the<br />
impending arrival of the captain’s family to<br />
Cantrell. The Marquesa also has other problems<br />
including a number of men from her past who<br />
pose complications, including having her<br />
thrown in jail. Life in Cantrell is never dull with<br />
runaway horses, robberies, shootouts, and wild<br />
chases after outlaws. Throughout all of this<br />
activity, the Marquesa discovers that real life<br />
can be even more exciting and fulfilling than<br />
any role on the stage.<br />
The Marquesa is the second book in the<br />
Heroines of the Golden West series by Stephen<br />
Bly. To fully understand many of the characters<br />
and incidents in the book, one should have read<br />
book number one, Sweet Carolina. As long as<br />
the reader remembers that this book contains a<br />
great deal more fiction than history, it is an<br />
entertaining book that will make an enjoyable<br />
light read.<br />
Virginia Brown, <strong>Library</strong> Assistant, Freelance Writer, Former<br />
Teacher, Sheridan, Wyoming<br />
★<br />
The midwife’s song : a story of Moses’<br />
birth, by Brenda Ray. LCCN 00102602.<br />
Port St. Joe, Fla.: Karmichael Press, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0965396681, HBB, $14.95.<br />
F. Moses (Biblical leader)--Birth--Fiction; Bible.<br />
O.T. Exodus--History of Biblical events--Fiction;<br />
Midwives--Fiction; Egypt--History--To 332 B.C.--<br />
Fiction. 243 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Brenda Ray draws on work credentials and a<br />
Master’s in nurse-midwifery, to fictionalize the<br />
account of midwife, Puah, and her mentor<br />
Shiphrah recorded in Exodus 1:15-2:10 in The<br />
Midwife’s Song: A Story of Moses’ Birth.<br />
She portrays Puah with compelling suspense,<br />
colorful descriptions, and deep insight, as Puah<br />
defies the Pharaoh’s decree to murder all<br />
newborn males, endangering her and those she<br />
loves. Then Hattush, “who makes her heart<br />
sing,” accepts punishment for Puah and their<br />
unborn child when faced with the Pharaoh’s<br />
rage, leading to a gripping climax. Shiphrah<br />
remains a steady source of comfort and strength<br />
throughout the ordeal. Puah, at 98, tells this<br />
provocative story in chapter flashbacks to the<br />
children as they march into the desert, led by<br />
Moses.<br />
Puah’s faith in God is reminiscent of<br />
Hadassah’s, the memorable heroine in The Mark<br />
of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. The<br />
reader cheers and then grieves as the story<br />
develops, and Puah’s deep faith is challenged,<br />
sometimes minute-by-minute.<br />
Research for the book followed the biblical<br />
account, Jewish traditions, folklore, and ancient<br />
Near Eastern history. An outstanding first book<br />
of a planned trilogy, Ray’s account rings with<br />
courage, sometimes deception, but always with<br />
God at the center. This will become an oftenread<br />
classic.<br />
Gail Welborn, Freelance Writer, Everett, Washington<br />
A moment of weakness, by Karen<br />
Kingsbury. LCCN 99050869. Sisters,<br />
Ore.: Multnomah, 2000. ISBN<br />
1576736164, PAP, $11.99.<br />
F. Custody of children--Fiction; Domentic fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Love stories. 411 p. Adult.<br />
A Moment of Weakness is a compelling story of<br />
two people, Jade and Tanner, childhood friends<br />
separated by a family scandal and reunited years<br />
later as adults. Their feelings for each other<br />
have remained and deepened and they soon find<br />
themselves in love. Jade commits her life to<br />
Christ and their desire to serve the Lord only<br />
strengthens their commitment to one another.<br />
But their feelings carry them away in a moment<br />
of weakness and their lives are changed forever.<br />
While Tanner is on a trip to Hungary, Jade<br />
discovers she is pregnant and contacts his<br />
mother for an emergency number so that she<br />
might get in touch with him. His ambitious<br />
mother, convinced Jade will never be the wife<br />
he needs to further his political career, fills her<br />
with lies about her beloved Tanner, and Jade<br />
leaves, a crushed and broken young woman,<br />
determined to never see Tanner again.<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 6 4 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
ADULT<br />
FICTION<br />
Ten years later their lives again cross, this time<br />
when Jade is in desperate need of a lawyer,<br />
about to lose her only child because of her faith<br />
in Christ; because of a bitter, angry husband<br />
with intentions to destroy her. Tanner is the only<br />
man who can help her in her darkest hour, yet so<br />
much remains between them and only God can<br />
heal the deep hurts each one harbors.<br />
Author Karen Kingsbury ends the book with a<br />
letter to the reader defining her intention in<br />
writing A Moment of Weakness; the intention to<br />
demonstrate God’s truth about sin, particularly<br />
sexual sin, and His readiness to forgive and<br />
welcome sinners with open arms. Although the<br />
scenes of sexual desire are phrased delicately,<br />
this book is not written for young people but<br />
rather for adults. Its message is strong and clear<br />
and belongs on the shelves of church libraries.<br />
Ceil Carey, Young Adult Librarian, Plano, Illinois<br />
The Omega deception, by John F. Bayer.<br />
LCCN 99046480. Nashville: Broadman &<br />
Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805419667, PAP,<br />
$12.99.<br />
F. World War, 1939-1945--Secret service--United<br />
States--Fiction. 310 p. Adult.<br />
German military top secret project code name<br />
Omega Deception is being developed to<br />
annihilate thousands of New York City<br />
residence. Michael Jason Shaw, is recruited be<br />
American intelligence to stop this massacre of<br />
innocent people. This is the chance for<br />
vengeance Michael has been waiting for since<br />
he lost his beloved wife Barbara to a German<br />
torpedo, three years ago.<br />
Michael infiltrates the German military as an SS<br />
officer assigned to oversee the Omega project.<br />
Michael’s life is spared through one catastrophe<br />
after another, and he finds himself praying and<br />
regaining his trust in God. Unable to find a way<br />
to keep the project from completion, Michael<br />
finds himself on the U-boat with minutes to<br />
launch, taking the last chance to save thousands<br />
from a most painful death. Michael lays his life<br />
on the line, knowing it is certain death. He races<br />
to reprogram the rocket and fails. As the rocket<br />
launches, Michael is blown into the freezing<br />
water of the North Atlantic Ocean. God sends<br />
an instant storm to change the path of the rocket,<br />
and a cargo ship to pluck Michael out of the<br />
water seconds before his death from exposure.<br />
In The Omega Deception, author John E Bayer<br />
could have a page-turner. The violence is in line<br />
with the era and situation even though the<br />
characters do not leave a lasting memory, and<br />
the suspense stops short of being heart stopping.<br />
The plot is well thought out and a good story<br />
over-all. Glossary of German words is a great<br />
help and makes the story seem more authentic.<br />
Adult men who enjoy military history will find<br />
the cover and the story line appealing.<br />
Mari Williams, Literature Reviewer and Critic, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
Reaping the whirlwind : a Trent Tyson<br />
historical mystery, by Rosey Dow. Fort<br />
Mill, S.C.: Diadem Ministries, 2000. ISBN<br />
1579212964, PAP, $15.99.<br />
F. Scopes, John Thomas--Trials, litigation, etc.--<br />
Fiction; Evolution--Study and teaching--Law and<br />
legislation--Tennessee--Fiction. 399 p. Adult.<br />
The Scopes trial is the background for this<br />
murder mystery by author Rosie Dow. Deputy<br />
Sheriff Trent Tyson, recently moved to Dayton,<br />
Tennessee, finds suspicious deaths increasing in<br />
number. He discovers poisoning in two of the<br />
unexplained deaths and begins his investigation.<br />
In the meantime, city leaders decide to challenge<br />
the law about teaching evolution in school.<br />
Finding an ally in John Scopes, a high school<br />
science teacher, the town leaders fabricate<br />
events to bring notoriety and business to their<br />
small town. The reader travels with Tyson as he<br />
struggles with his own faith while confronted<br />
with the skepticism and anti-creation views of<br />
his friend the local doctor. In the midst of the<br />
sleuthing and self-discovery, Tyson’s father<br />
comes for a visit and declares that he is now a<br />
believer. The deputy’s whole foundation and<br />
belief system is challenged and through the<br />
course of the novel, he comes to terms with his<br />
wife’s death and his beliefs in God.<br />
In an attempt to educate people about the<br />
importance of the landmark Scopes trial case,<br />
author Rosey Dow chooses a unique and<br />
interesting way of presenting the material in<br />
Reaping the Whirlwind. The mysterious deaths,<br />
budding relationships, and introspective<br />
musings are enough to make this book a pageturner.<br />
She keeps the reader in suspense as to<br />
who the real killer is while allowing interesting<br />
glimpses into the mind of Trent Tyson as he<br />
comes to terms with his own beliefs. The<br />
characterizations are tight and consistent and the<br />
dialogue realistic. Dow also includes enough<br />
subplots to keep the story moving at a quick<br />
pace.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
The redemption of Sarah Cain, by Beverly<br />
Lewis. LCCN 00009407. Minneapolis:<br />
Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0764223291,<br />
PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. Lancaster County (Pa.)--Fiction; Guardian and<br />
ward--Fiction; Orphans--Fiction; Aunts--Fiction;<br />
Amish--Fiction. 316 p. Adult.<br />
Embittered by being made to feel inferior by her<br />
older sister, and emotionally wounded by the<br />
death of one of her students, Sarah Cain gives up<br />
her teaching job and pours her life into the fast<br />
track of real estate, high commissions, and an<br />
extravagant lifestyle. However, when Ivy, her<br />
widowed sister, dies and names Sarah guardian<br />
of her five Amish children, Sarah is forced to<br />
deal with her bitterness and grief in a way she<br />
never would have dreamed.<br />
At first the “plain” life-style seems stark and<br />
oppressive to Sarah, the “fancy Englisher.”<br />
Eager to return to her “real” life in Oregon,<br />
Sarah immediately makes plans to find an<br />
Amish family to take over the children’s<br />
guardianship. During her stay with Ivy’s<br />
children, Sarah begins to develop great respect<br />
for Lydia, the oldest, who keeps the family<br />
together and the farm running. And she finds<br />
that little Anna Mae, who struggles mightily to<br />
come to terms with her mother’s death, tugs at<br />
her heart in a way that her former student did.<br />
Gradually, the Amish ways become more<br />
appealing to Sarah in her search for peace. As<br />
Sarah reads her sister’s journals, she discovers<br />
the transformation her sister underwent when<br />
she accepted Christ as her Savior. Sarah, too,<br />
comes to know the Lord, and decides to stay on<br />
as the children’s guardian.<br />
The Redemption of Sarah Cain, by Beverly<br />
Lewis, is a story of hope and healing. It<br />
illustrates the subtle ways greed can infiltrate<br />
our lives, and reminds us that ultimately, the<br />
things of this world will not satisfy us. While<br />
the story does not specifically promote the<br />
Amish lifestyle, it makes one want to take a<br />
deep breath, slow down a bit, and appreciate<br />
life’s many blessings. As with Lewis’ other<br />
books, the characters are richly developed, and<br />
endear themselves to the reader; their struggles<br />
with life are real, and answers to their problems<br />
do not come easily—but eventually they do<br />
come, in the Lord’s timing.<br />
Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade <strong>Christian</strong> High School, Medford,<br />
Oregon<br />
The rose legacy, by Kristen Heitzmann.<br />
(Diamond of the Rockies; 1.) LCCN<br />
00009990. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 076422381X, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Italian Americans--Colorado--Fiction; Women<br />
pioneers--Fiction; Colorado--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction;<br />
Western stories; Love stories. 395 p. Adult (High<br />
school).<br />
Ten thousand feet up in the crags of the<br />
Colorado Rockies, nestles the throbbing mining<br />
town of Crystal. With all of her belongings<br />
trashed at the bottom of a cliff and her hot Italian<br />
blood bubbling, Carina determines to claim the<br />
home she purchased through the ad that enticed<br />
her to this drab hole. Carina finds her home<br />
already occupied by coarse characters, so she<br />
marches to the nearest lawyer’s office and is<br />
heartily welcomed and reassured that her<br />
concerns will be cared for. Carina unwittingly<br />
becomes immersed in the underbelly of<br />
malevolent politics fueled by the town’s legends<br />
and superstitions.<br />
The Rose Legacy is an abandoned gold mine<br />
with an eerie history, and Quillan is a by-product<br />
of its deceased owners. His father was a savage<br />
and his mother a prostitute. He tries to maintain<br />
a low profile in Crystal to keep from disturbing<br />
sleeping memories. But due to Carina’s<br />
nosiness about the history of the mine, tensions<br />
escalate to volcanic proportions and burst,<br />
engulfing the citizens of Crystal. The aftermath<br />
leads to vigilante justice and grisly death.<br />
Author of the Rocky Mountain Legacy series,<br />
Kristen Heitzmann’s talent has evolved with The<br />
Rose Legacy which begins the Diamond of the<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 6 5 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
ADULT<br />
FICTION<br />
Rockies series. She captures the essence of the<br />
surroundings and plunges the reader into the<br />
heart and soul of the main characters with a<br />
gripping intensity. This novel offers a twist of<br />
mystery, legend, romance, and foul play brought<br />
to justice by the citizens due to the disablement<br />
of the law. The response to the effects of the<br />
gospel is reminiscent of the Bible’s parable of<br />
the sower with the seed falling on a variety of<br />
conditions. Character interaction chastely<br />
crescendos to just prior to the consummation of<br />
marriage, then resumes with the thought and<br />
emotions that follow. The conclusion, though<br />
adequate will tantalize the reader’s desire for the<br />
sequel.<br />
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington<br />
Second chances, by Debra White Smith.<br />
(Seven sisters ; book 1.) LCCN 99048824.<br />
Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0736902767, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. Divorced women--Fiction; Clergy--Fiction;<br />
Stalking victims--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 334 p.<br />
The awakening, by Debra White Smith.<br />
(Seven sisters ; book 2.) LCCN 00243160.<br />
Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0736902775, PAP, $9.99.<br />
F. Americans--Travel--Vietnam--Fiction; Stalking<br />
victims--Fiction; Models (Persons)--Fiction; Vietnam--<br />
Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 332 p.<br />
Adult.<br />
Despite attempts to reconcile with her<br />
adulterous pastor husband, newly-divorced<br />
Marilyn Thatcher insists that she will never<br />
marry again. However, when Josh, her friendly<br />
neighbor, is injured during a tornado, Marilyn is<br />
quick to help him out—even if he is a pastor,<br />
and she is no longer on speaking terms with<br />
God. Marilyn once felt a strong call to be a<br />
pastor’s wife; now, despite her undeniable<br />
attraction to Josh, Marilyn resists with all her<br />
strength, determined never to make herself<br />
vulnerable again.<br />
When one of her seven “sisters,” good college<br />
friends she’s kept in touch with for years, asks<br />
her if she has prayed about her relationship with<br />
Josh, Marilyn becomes very angry. However,<br />
the Lord works on Marilyn’s heart and<br />
surprisingly, she finds herself praying for her exhusband<br />
and his new wife. Eventually she is<br />
able to let go of her bitterness towards them. As<br />
she ceases striving with the Lord, she realizes<br />
that she has been disobedient in denying his<br />
clear call to a relationship with Josh and serving<br />
as a pastor’s wife once more.<br />
Second Chances is book one in the Seven Sisters<br />
series which follows the lives of seven college<br />
friends who have kept in close touch since<br />
graduation, supporting each other through<br />
regular conference calls and biannual gettogethers.<br />
Although the story drags a bit,<br />
Second Chances clearly illustrates the<br />
forgiveness of God and his redemptive power as<br />
Josh’s past life of social sins and living on the<br />
edge of the law is revealed, and threatens his<br />
pastorship. Second Chances affirms the<br />
cleansing power of God’s forgiveness and his<br />
ability to use anyone who surrenders to him,<br />
regardless of his or her past.<br />
Book two, The Awakening, tells the story of<br />
supermodel Kim Lan. Under strong conviction<br />
by the Lord to deepen her walk with him, Kim<br />
Lan signs up for a missions trip to Vietnam.<br />
Although she is engaged to the handsome and<br />
wealthy movie star Ted Curry, Kim finds herself<br />
incredibly attracted to the mission trip leader,<br />
Mick O’Donnel. She resists him fiercely,<br />
clinging desperately to the pleasure she finds in<br />
her up-scale lifestyle, and status-symbol fiancé.<br />
But as the Lord impresses Kim Lan with the<br />
need to surrender completely to him, including<br />
her wealth, the “perfect man,” and maybe even<br />
her modeling career, Kim finds true happiness in<br />
a godly relationship with Mick.<br />
The Awakening is the stronger of the two books.<br />
The spiritual struggle is real and compelling,<br />
and the story is kept interesting with a side-plot<br />
of a sinister stalker, and the struggles of the other<br />
seven “sisters.”<br />
Sherri Beeler, Teacher, Cascade <strong>Christian</strong> High School, Medford,<br />
Oregon<br />
Serenity Bay, by Bette Nordberg. LCCN<br />
00010526. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 0764223968, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Puget Sound Region (Wash.)--Fiction; Female<br />
friendship--Fiction; Married women--Fiction; Abused<br />
wives--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Psychological<br />
fiction. 320 p. Adult.<br />
Patricia Koehler’s seemingly perfect life as the<br />
wife of a doctor on an island in the Puget Sound<br />
is a lie. Although she has a daughter and is<br />
pregnant with her second child, it is only when<br />
her best friend, Susan, stops by unannounced<br />
and overhears the obvious sounds of violence<br />
that Patricia’s secret is revealed. Her husband,<br />
Russell, beats her. Patricia continues to believe<br />
that her husband’s abuse can somehow be<br />
controlled if she just finds the correct way to<br />
respond to him. He is always so loving and kind<br />
after each episode of violence. Surely she could<br />
not have been so mistaken in her choice of men<br />
to marry.<br />
He had seemed like the answer to her prayers<br />
when she first met him. Russell Koehler began<br />
courting her during her second year of teaching<br />
elementary school and soon after her mother had<br />
died of cancer. The son of wealthy parents, he<br />
had the means to plan wonderful, fairy-tale dates<br />
for her around Seattle while diligently pursuing<br />
his schooling as a doctor. And when he chose<br />
her even though his parents argued that she had<br />
no pedigree, Patricia felt that his love was strong<br />
enough to protect her against anything.<br />
It takes Russell’s physical violence against their<br />
daughter, and his smashing of Patricia’s<br />
treasured cello while telling her, “Don’t you<br />
ever forget..I can do the same thing to you” to<br />
break his hold over her. And it takes Susan’s<br />
friendship to provide her with the emotional<br />
courage to leave. But that is only the beginning<br />
of Patricia’s search to find true shelter. Through<br />
Susan, Patricia is also introduced to a<br />
relationship with Jesus. While Beete<br />
Nordberg’s novel, Serenity Bay, realistically<br />
portrays how difficult it is for women to leave<br />
abusive relationships, the aspect of Patricia’s<br />
spiritual awakening and growth seems rather<br />
forced.<br />
Lillian Heytvelt, Librarian, Pomeroy, Washington<br />
A slender thread, by Tracie Peterson.<br />
LCCN 99051016. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764222511, PAP,<br />
$10.99.<br />
F. Motion picture actors and actresses--Family<br />
relationships--Fiction; Mothers--Death--Psychological<br />
aspects--Fiction; Grandmothers--Fiction; Sisters--<br />
Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Domestic fiction. 380 p.<br />
Adult.<br />
Five sisters were abandoned by a mother they<br />
never knew and raised by a grandmother who<br />
loved them dearly. Now in their twenties and<br />
early thirties, the five women, all with different<br />
lifestyles, must discover who they really are.<br />
They come together for their mother’s funeral,<br />
but none feel any grief. Instead they haggle over<br />
the hurts that haunt them and question their<br />
relationships with one another. Through it all<br />
their grandmother, Mattie, stands silently by,<br />
knowing the only thing that can heal their hurts<br />
is the power of God. Mattie creates a<br />
powerfully illustrative quilt of how she sees the<br />
family. It is made of six large blocks,<br />
representing Mattie and the girls, and has a thin<br />
slender thread woven throughout that connects<br />
the blocks, just they are all connected.<br />
Disagreements and spiteful words pull the<br />
sisters apart, but tragedy reunites them and<br />
opens their eyes to the importance of<br />
forgiveness and love.<br />
A Slender Thread by Tracie Peterson tackles the<br />
difficult subject of parental abandonment and all<br />
the issues that accompany it. Her characters are<br />
realistic and the dialogue and action compelling<br />
enough to keep the reader’s attention. One of<br />
the sisters, Deirdre, develops a gambling<br />
problem. Although Peterson deals with the<br />
problem and has the character come to accept<br />
her addiction, Deirdre does so easily compared<br />
with real life. However, this was the only<br />
weakness noted in plotting. The author<br />
examines the meaning of true forgiveness and<br />
allows the reader glimpses at the heartwrenching<br />
agony living with unforgiveness<br />
brings.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
Solemn oath, by Hannah Alexander.<br />
LCCN 99050972. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764223488, PAP,<br />
$10.99.<br />
F. Physicians--Fiction; Medical novels; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
fiction. 351 p. Adult.<br />
Cowboy Casey and Buck Oppenheimer, along<br />
with Arthur and Alma Collins, meet disaster in<br />
Solemn Oath’s first four pages. From those<br />
scenes, Hannah Alexander, the pseudonym for<br />
the husband and wife writing team of Cheryl<br />
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and Melvin Hoddle, takes readers directly into<br />
the Knolls Community Hospital emergency<br />
room. Dr. Lukas Bower, the unwilling<br />
temporary director, and Dr. Mercy Richmond,<br />
who maintains a private practice, treat the<br />
wounded.<br />
Abner and Delphi Bell, Clarence Knight and his<br />
sister Darlene, the Cuendet family, and teenager,<br />
Shannon Becker bring various troubles to<br />
emergency. Their problems intertwine with a<br />
hospital investigation launched by Bailey Little,<br />
a bitter and guilty man. Ups and downs of the<br />
personal lives of Dr. Lukas and Dr. Mercy add<br />
another dimension, especially when Dr .Mercy’s<br />
husband, Theodore, shows up after his release<br />
from detox. His presence affects her and their<br />
daughter, eleven-year-old Tedi. Dr. Lukas helps<br />
Theodore find his way to faith in Christ. But<br />
what about Dr. Mercy’s faith?<br />
A strong attraction between the two doctors puts<br />
each in personal turmoil as multiple fires make<br />
folks wonder if the Knolls community has an<br />
arsonist on its hands. Then, because of a major<br />
disaster at the hospital, many questions suddenly<br />
have answers.<br />
Cheryl and Melvin Hoddle have fashioned a<br />
fast-paced story with one emergency after<br />
another, both inside the hospital and elsewhere.<br />
Since Melvin Hoddle practices emergency<br />
medicine, descriptions of injuries, illnesses, and<br />
medical procedures hold an aura of real-life.<br />
Several plots successfully woven together create<br />
the theme: compassion costs, but it’s worth it.<br />
A large number of characters, primary and<br />
secondary, with others who make only a minor<br />
appearance, add to the hustle and bustle of A<br />
Solemn Oath. The writer rounds them out into<br />
real people who create in readers disgust,<br />
sympathy, and love, along with chuckles. The<br />
medical setting makes a welcome change in<br />
current fiction.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
Suncatchers, by Jamie Langston Turner.<br />
LCCN 00009991. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0754224158, PAP,<br />
$10.00.<br />
F. South Carolina--Fiction; Separated people--Fiction;<br />
Evangelicalism--Fiction; <strong>Journal</strong>ists--Fiction;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> fiction. 389 p. Adult.<br />
Suncatchers could carry the subtitle, The<br />
Revitalization of Perry Warren. What starts out<br />
as an assignment to write a book about “fire and<br />
brimstone fanatics” ends up as a life-changing<br />
year for Perry.<br />
When cracks in his marriage to Dinah open<br />
wide, Perry leaves her and their son Troy behind<br />
and goes to Derby, South Carolina. He moves<br />
into his sister’s empty house; immediately his<br />
next-door neighbors, Eldeen, Jewel, and Joe<br />
Leonard, befriend him.<br />
Eldeen, elderly, dressed in odd clothes and<br />
talking constantly but at times eloquently,<br />
amazes Perry. He finds Jewel and her teen-aged<br />
son, Joe Leonard, who plays the tuba, intriguing.<br />
Under the guise of studying them, he goes along<br />
to the Church of the Open Door. Folks there<br />
also welcome him, but he resolves not to<br />
become involved. Concerns for Dinah and Troy<br />
continually pierce his mind.<br />
Sunday services, weekly prayer meetings, the<br />
Fourth of July celebration, Wilderness Gospel<br />
Camp, a wedding, youth activities, and Joe<br />
Leonard’s injury, melt Perry’s resolve like snow<br />
in the sun. He sometimes feels preached at and<br />
at other times wonders about authenticity of all<br />
Eldeen and others say about God and answers to<br />
prayer. He surprises himself with certain<br />
spontaneous reactions.<br />
Turner has created a character-driven story that<br />
moves slowly, even sometimes tediously, yet<br />
steadily to accomplish her goal. No real twists<br />
and turns of plot to keep readers going, but the<br />
characters do that themselves. She reveals a<br />
master-hand at describing details and showing<br />
characters rather than merely telling about them.<br />
Eldeen, believable, humorous, and always<br />
replete with something to say, bears well the<br />
weight of spiritual admonisher. Her words spin<br />
out naturally, full of advice, Scriptures, love, and<br />
understanding. Well-crafted flashbacks, Perry’s<br />
remembrances, reveal much about him and<br />
Dinah.<br />
In Suncatchers, Turner avoids a preachy tone<br />
while speaking to many real-life situations. She<br />
expertly presents a message of encouragement<br />
to believers and invitation to non-believers. The<br />
book’s title is a metaphor for this message.<br />
Readers will find at the end of the book sixteen<br />
questions intended as discussion helps for<br />
reading groups.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
Tidings of peace, by Tracie Peterson.<br />
LCCN 00010525. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764222910, PAP,<br />
$9.99.<br />
F. World War, 1939-1945--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction;<br />
War stories, American. 299 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Tidings of Peace is four novellas of love during<br />
World War II. The author writes of four<br />
different, unrelated couples, and their individual<br />
journeys to love. David is a young man who<br />
escaped death aboard the USS Arizona because<br />
he was AWOL. Fulfilling a promise given to his<br />
deceased captain, Kenny, David travels to<br />
Washington State to visit Kenny’s family.<br />
David is determined to end his life through<br />
suicide immediately following the visit. But,<br />
when David arrives, he finds a family ready to<br />
welcome him as if he was their own. David is<br />
sure that if they knew his past, especially<br />
Kenny’s beautiful sister Rachel, they would<br />
reject him, as so many had in the past.<br />
In the South Pacific, Erik bails out of his<br />
burning plane and finds himself on an island that<br />
is either deserted or, worse yet, full of cannibals.<br />
Erik had not been receiving mail from his<br />
fiancee nor his family back home and has been<br />
filled with fear and rejection. Now, he is<br />
convinced he will never leave this island alive,<br />
because God must have rejected him, too.<br />
Melody is facing the birth of her first child, and<br />
her husband is fighting in Europe. When her<br />
parents discovered she was pregnant prior to her<br />
marriage, they threw her out of their house. Will<br />
Melody find reconciliation with her family?<br />
Will she be able to face this pregnancy and<br />
delivery feeling so alone?<br />
Clara is excited, because she has just discovered<br />
she will be stationed with the Red Cross in the<br />
same location as her fiancee in Europe. But,<br />
rumors circle around that his company will be<br />
moving out on the eve of their wedding day.<br />
Clara is determined that she will be married in a<br />
real white wedding dress. Now, she is not even<br />
sure it the wedding will take place.<br />
The author, Tracie Peterson, writes these<br />
novellas in the style of Grace Livingston Hill.<br />
The similarities are in the content and also the<br />
settings/era of the stories. Having read other<br />
works by Tracie Peterson and enjoying them<br />
immensely, I found these stories to be lacking in<br />
depth and found my interest steadily decreasing.<br />
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,<br />
Washington<br />
Ties that bind, by Judith Pella and Tracie<br />
Peterson. (Ribbons west; 3.) LCCN<br />
99050592. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 076422073X, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Railroads--West (U.S.)--History--19th century--<br />
Fiction; Frontier and pioneer life--West (U.S.)--<br />
Fiction; Women journalists--West (U.S.)--Fiction. 285<br />
p. Adult.<br />
Those who have read the first two books in the<br />
Ribbons West series, will be delighted to<br />
continue following the life of the Baldwin<br />
children as they move west to Sacramento and<br />
become part of the building of the<br />
Transcontinental Railroad. Jordana Baldwin,<br />
feeling out of sorts living with her brother and<br />
his new wife, decides to embark on a career of<br />
her own, writing stories for New York<br />
newspapers about the building of the Central<br />
Pacific Railroad. At the same time she forms an<br />
alliance with Charles Crocker, head of that<br />
railroad, to serve as a spy for him in trying to<br />
finger those responsible for the theft and<br />
sabotage which has been plaguing the railroad’s<br />
progress. Against her family’s wishes, she<br />
disguises herself as young male reporter Joe<br />
Baldwin, and lives in the railroad camps in order<br />
to be accepted by the rough railroad workers.<br />
Across the continent, Jordana’s long time friend<br />
Captain Rich O’Brian leaves the army and<br />
(unbeknownst to her) is hired by the Union<br />
Pacific Railroad as their spy. The intrigue builds<br />
when their paths cross and they become<br />
involved in each other’s missions. The two<br />
young adventurers not only manage to solve the<br />
mysteries they face on the railroad, but at the<br />
same time explore and solve some of the<br />
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problems which they face in their personal lives,<br />
crises of faith, family, and career.<br />
Authors Judith Pella and Tracie Peterson show<br />
their expertise as <strong>Christian</strong> writers in creating<br />
believable characters who are able to live and<br />
share their faith without clubbing others over the<br />
head with it. Their witness is natural without<br />
resorting to fantastic miracles and instantaneous<br />
conversions to make their point.<br />
Judy Driscoll, Retired Teacher, Poulsbo, Washington<br />
True devotion, by Dee Henderson.<br />
(Palisades pure romance.) LCCN<br />
00008387. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah,<br />
2000. ISBN 1576736202, PAP, $6.99.<br />
F. United States. Navy. SEALS--Fiction; Widows--<br />
Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Love stories. 352 p. Adult<br />
(High school).<br />
SEAL is the acronym for an elite branch of the<br />
U. S. Navy special forces. From the sea, air, or<br />
land, they get the job done. This is the basis<br />
upon which True Devotion is built.<br />
Kelly, a young widow whose SEAL husband<br />
Nick is killed in the line of duty, grapples with<br />
her loss. Blaming God, she feigns spirituality<br />
before everyone, and now caught in the ocean’s<br />
riptide while attempting to rescue a surfer, they<br />
drift further out to sea. With plenty of time to<br />
scrutinize her life and possible death she<br />
confesses her folly.<br />
Joe, Nick’s buddy and their mutual friend, is<br />
Kelly’s mainstay when she needs emotional<br />
cleansing and support following Nick’s death.<br />
They explore the possibility of becoming more<br />
than friends, but have many issues to surmount.<br />
Kelly yearns for a family but is reluctant to risk<br />
being a SEAL wife again. Joe is in the SEALs<br />
to stay and cannot justify being an absent father<br />
while on lengthy missions. Both determine to<br />
seek God’s will and guidance as they explore<br />
furthering their relationship.<br />
Dee Henderson infuses this romance with facts<br />
regarding the tactics and terminology of a Navy<br />
SEAL team and briefly explains where she<br />
diverges from fact. She details several SEAL<br />
team missions which injects a bit of action and<br />
mystery as the plot unfolds. The characters<br />
interact realistically as they resolve their<br />
respective grief as spouse and friend. The<br />
conclusion is weakened by a sense of deja vu<br />
because Kelly again finds herself floating in the<br />
ocean awaiting rescue.<br />
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington<br />
Unseen riches, by Gilbert Morris and J.<br />
Landon Ferguson. (The chronicles of the<br />
golden frontier; 2.) LCCN 98051867.<br />
Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1999.<br />
ISBN 1581340222, PAP, $11.99.<br />
F. Newspaper publishing--Fiction; Women publishers-<br />
-Fiction; Colorado--Fiction; Western stories; Love<br />
stories. 332 p. Adult.<br />
Newspaper editor, Jennifer DeSpain, and Jason<br />
Stone, her assistant, have established a<br />
successful newspaper in Virginia City during<br />
Nevada’s gold rush. Now they are ready to face<br />
new challenges. Jennifer, her children, Jason,<br />
and their good friends Lita and Abe are moving<br />
to Black Hawk, Colorado, to establish a<br />
newspaper in the Colorado gold fields. On the<br />
train to Colorado, the notorious Kissing Bandit<br />
steals all of Jennifer’s money as well as a kiss.<br />
Although all of Jennifer’s capital for the<br />
newspaper is gone, Jason and Abe still have<br />
some money, which they pool to get the paper<br />
started. A serious accident leaves Jason<br />
paralyzed, and Jennifer is unable to print the<br />
newspaper by herself. Help comes in the form<br />
of a preacher and a handsome rancher.<br />
In Unseen Riches, Jennifer, her family, and<br />
friends face the temptations and tragedies of life<br />
in the Colorado gold fields together, but they all<br />
must work out their own problems through their<br />
faith in God. How they accomplish this, get the<br />
scoop of the century for the newspaper, and<br />
discover the identity of the Kissing Bandit keeps<br />
the reader turning pages right to the end.<br />
Unseen Riches is the second in The Chronicles<br />
of the Golden Frontier Series. The reader who<br />
has not read Riches Untold may have a difficult<br />
time understanding the relationship between the<br />
characters. Although this book is historical<br />
fiction, some great liberties have been taken<br />
with history, with the characters riding from Salt<br />
Lake through the Colorado Rockies to Golden,<br />
Colorado. Actually, the Union Pacific ran north<br />
of Colorado through Wyoming to avoid the<br />
mountains. However, this book is exciting with<br />
a good <strong>Christian</strong> message. Hopefully the reader<br />
may also be inspired to read other true stories<br />
about heroines of the Colorado gold rush<br />
including Virginia Cornell’s Doc Susie: The<br />
True Story of a Country Physician in the<br />
Colorado Rockies, Ballantine Books, 1992.<br />
Many excellent books have also been written<br />
about the “unsinkable” Molly Brown, who not<br />
only survived the gold rush, but was also a<br />
heroine of the sinking of the Titanic.<br />
Virginia Brown, <strong>Library</strong> Assistant, Freelance Writer, Former<br />
Teacher, Sheridan, Wyoming<br />
Unveiled, by Francine Rivers. (Lineage of<br />
grace.) LCCN 99086431. Wheaton, Ill.:<br />
Tyndale House Publishers, 2000. ISBN<br />
0842319476, HBB, $12.99.<br />
F. Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah--Fiction; Bible.<br />
O.T. Genesis--History of Biblical events--Fiction;<br />
Women in the Bible--Fiction; Biographical fiction;<br />
Religious fiction. 173 p. Adult.<br />
Given in marriage to unite two households,<br />
fourteen-year-old Tamar finds herself in an<br />
unloving and abusive marriage. Accepting the<br />
physical abuse from her husband and verbal<br />
abuse from mother-in-law, Tamar dedicates<br />
herself to becoming the best person and wife she<br />
can be. When her husband chokes to death<br />
without leaving an heir, Tamar is given to Onan,<br />
the second son. Instead of wanting to<br />
impregnate her, Onan spills his seed and again<br />
Tamar is left childless. Onan dies suddenly and<br />
Judah, son of Jacob and brother of Joseph, sends<br />
Tamar back to her father’s house, despite the<br />
fact that she should be given to the youngest son<br />
in marriage. Tamar struggles for over six years<br />
to accept her fate. She has forsaken the<br />
Canaanite gods and yearns to know Judah’s<br />
God. In a final act of desperation, Tamar<br />
disguises herself as a temple prostitute and lures<br />
her father-in-law to sleep with her. She becomes<br />
pregnant and averts death when Judah realizes<br />
he is the father.<br />
Author Francine Rivers does a masterful job in<br />
Unveiled. She takes a small story in the Bible<br />
with one-dimensional people and brings them to<br />
life. The characterization is strong and<br />
consistent and the dynamics between the people<br />
realistic. At the end of this novella there is a sixsection<br />
study designed to give the reader more<br />
information from the Bible about Tamar and her<br />
story. This study can be done individually or in<br />
a group setting and helps the reader see the<br />
Biblical story in a new light.<br />
Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North<br />
Dakota<br />
When joy came to stay, by Karen<br />
Kingsbury. LCCN 00009451. Sisters,<br />
Ore.: Multnomah, 2000. ISBN<br />
1576737462, PAP, $11.99.<br />
F. Women--Fiction; Identity (Psychology)--Fiction;<br />
Psychological fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Depression--<br />
Fiction. 387 p. Adult.<br />
Picture-perfect Maggie Stovall puts her name<br />
into the church’s prayer circle basket. When<br />
assigned to pray, Laura is faithful to the leading<br />
of God to pray at odd times and places, and the<br />
cracks in the mask begin to show. As Maggie<br />
experiences bizarre occurrences that lead her to<br />
fear a nervous breakdown, she checks herself<br />
into a private <strong>Christian</strong> hospital. In When Joy<br />
Came to Stay Karen Kingsbury manages to refer<br />
to a brief seduction in the past with no doubt that<br />
the consequences of that sin and the subsequent<br />
deception about the birth of a daughter given up<br />
for adoption have seeded Maggie’s current<br />
difficulty.<br />
Maggie deludes herself that her husband Ben is<br />
to blame because of his standards of purity that<br />
engendered her fear of disclosure. Fearing that<br />
she will be unacceptable to him when the truth<br />
comes out, she refuses to see him and demands<br />
a divorce. Finally recognizing the necessity of<br />
vulnerability for growth and healing, Maggie<br />
finds her way through a maze of self-deceit and<br />
guilt to sort out the conflicts that have shortcircuited<br />
her life.<br />
Her bewildered husband, an assistant DA too<br />
busy building his career to see his wife’s pain<br />
until her abrupt departure, begins an odyssey to<br />
discover the reason for her behavior and any<br />
possible way out of the confusion for both of<br />
them. The truths discovered are made more<br />
difficult, as they are first thrown at him by a<br />
despicable character he can’t believe that<br />
Maggie ever knew. As he fits more pieces to the<br />
puzzle he fights through rage to indifference.<br />
Then surprised by a fierce love for the child he<br />
finds whose hope and faith overcomes her<br />
sadness, Ben is led to compassion. He becomes<br />
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determined to reach his wife, ask for forgiveness<br />
and convince her of his continued love.<br />
Even though it is a novel rather than a dry<br />
treatise on a mental disorder, this book pictures<br />
potentially real behaviors and experiences<br />
related to depression. Characters as revealed<br />
through dialogue and description of their<br />
emotions and actions are realistic. Motivations<br />
as people struggle with their circumstances,<br />
stretching their faith are believable. Although<br />
there is graphic description of the abuse suffered<br />
by the child in the story, the ending is a hoped<br />
for and predictable, if idealized one. Both<br />
husband and wife learn about the cost of<br />
deception, the healing of truth and forgiveness,<br />
the power of God’s kind of love, and the reality<br />
of intercessory prayer as a source of spiritual<br />
strength. The reader is drawn repeatedly to trust<br />
in God over personal understanding. The<br />
faithfulness of God sustains the characters and<br />
the reader to a joyful resolution.<br />
Carol B. Taylor, Freelance Writer, Certified Social Worker, Poulsbo,<br />
Washington<br />
When shadows fall, by Patricia H.<br />
Rushford. (Helen Bradley mysteries.)<br />
LCCN 00008487. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 155661733X, PAP,<br />
$9.99.<br />
F. <strong>Christian</strong> fiction; Mystery and detective stories;<br />
Policewomen--Fiction; Bradley, Helen (Fictitious<br />
character)--Fiction. 238 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Helen Bradley, retired police officer, once again<br />
proves her agility when she survives being<br />
locked in a storage closet, pushed onto rocks,<br />
shot at, banged on the nose by a fleeing culprit,<br />
and being in a car accident. All this happens<br />
because Helen, a retired policewoman, cannot<br />
resist the temptation to help investigate two<br />
murders at Bay Village on the Oregon coast.<br />
Before Helen and the police find answers for all<br />
the questions facing them, they must solve a<br />
third murder.<br />
Rosie, Helen’s best friend, acts irresponsibly,<br />
and evidence of her involvement in the crimes<br />
goes against her. Additional complications arise<br />
when a newcomer claims his father was one of<br />
the murder victims.<br />
Helen plunges headlong into the situation in<br />
spite of her own personal crisis. Why did J.B.,<br />
her husband of only a short while, suddenly<br />
leave one morning without an explanation?<br />
Helen wants to believe he had to return to<br />
another undercover job, even though retired. On<br />
the other hand, dubious thoughts make her<br />
wonder, “Is he seeing another woman?”<br />
Patricia H. Rushford takes readers on a busy<br />
spin from first to last in When Shadows Fall. At<br />
the end, everything becomes clear, and Helen<br />
discovers her worst fears have melted away.<br />
This Helen Bradley #4 will not disappoint<br />
anyone who has met her before. Once again<br />
Rushford brings her to life with everyday<br />
details—the kind of tea Helen prefers, color and<br />
style of clothes, feelings and emotions. The<br />
conversational writing style helps readers feel as<br />
if they participate in Helen’s life. She’s a good<br />
friend to take along on vacation or to invite in<br />
for a lazy day of reading.<br />
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,<br />
Oregon<br />
Whispering stones, by Sally Hawthorne.<br />
LCCN 98040562. San Antonio: Langmarc<br />
Publishing, 1998. ISBN 1880292602, PAP,<br />
$12.95.<br />
F. Grandmothers--Arizona--Fiction; Castles--Arizona-<br />
-Fiction. 192 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Sari Wyatt resents being ordered to Arizona by a<br />
grandmother she has never met. Raised in India<br />
by her missionary parents, Sari blames her<br />
grandmother for much of the hardship in her life<br />
and harbors bitter feelings toward her. On<br />
arriving in Arizona, Sari discovers her<br />
grandmother lives in a castle and is a real<br />
Duchess. Although Monty, her grandmother’s<br />
adopted son, tries to reassure her, Sari wonders<br />
if the Whispering Stones in her bedroom are<br />
warning her to leave.<br />
Surprised to hear her grandmother has<br />
disappeared before she arrived, Sari is more<br />
surprised when no one seems to care. The<br />
whispering Sari heard is explained when she<br />
finds a secret passage in the wall. Oscar<br />
Drayton, her grandmother’s lawyer, is found<br />
stabbed. Jessica, Monty’s wife, becomes<br />
increasingly resentful of Sari. Ron, Jessica’s<br />
cousin, wants to know Sari better. Although<br />
Sari broke her engagement to Michael before<br />
leaving New York, she still loves him and can’t<br />
understand her attraction to Ron.<br />
While searching her grandmother’s room for<br />
clues to where she may be, Marianne, the maid,<br />
interrupts and challenges Sari to forgive her<br />
grandmother. Realizing she needs God’s help to<br />
resolve her problems, Sari asks Him to forgive<br />
her. Although there are still questions to be<br />
answered and problems to be resolved, Sari is<br />
now able to face them.<br />
Sally Hawthorne spins a tale of love and<br />
forgiveness. Her love and knowledge of castles<br />
is evident. Each chapter ends with a situation<br />
that urges you to read on.<br />
Barbara Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
Woman of means, by Thom Lemmons.<br />
(Daughters of faith; 2.) LCCN 99088654.<br />
Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah, 2000. ISBN<br />
1576736121, PAP, $10.99.<br />
F. Lydia (Biblical character)--Fiction; Bible. N.T.--<br />
History of Biblical events--Fiction; Women in the<br />
Bible--Fiction; Biographical fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> fiction.<br />
346 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Woman of Means is a story of Lydia, the woman<br />
mentioned in Acts 16:14 as a dealer in purple<br />
cloth. From Lydia’s deathbed the story is told in<br />
a series of flashbacks that are at times, confusing<br />
and disruptive to the smooth flow of the<br />
storyline. The reader learns of Lydia’s young<br />
love for Menander in a flashback, also of her<br />
fascination with the apostle Paul at a later date.<br />
Lydia, as a young girl, is a headstrong tomboy.<br />
Her mother is absorbed in arts, drama, and<br />
music. Her father spends most of his time on his<br />
business, which leaves Lydia to her own<br />
devices. At sixteen she falls in love with<br />
Menander, and against her father’s better<br />
judgement he agrees to their marriage. After<br />
their first child is born, Menander decides to join<br />
the army. Shortly after he leaves, Lydia<br />
discovers she is pregnant again. When<br />
Menander is killed, Lydia is left to fend for<br />
herself and her children.<br />
In a time when women did not normally deal in<br />
the world of commerce, Lydia makes her mark<br />
in Philippi. Even when she becomes a <strong>Christian</strong><br />
late in life, her faith doesn’t seem to do much for<br />
her irascible character.<br />
Author, Thom Lemmons has done his research.<br />
Careful attention to details puts the reader into<br />
the Roman colony of Philippi of 28 A.D. The<br />
characters drink wine, a normal part of that<br />
culture and does not depict drunkenness.<br />
Myrtlemay Pittman Crane, Freelance Writer, Editor, Alderwood<br />
Manor, Washington<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 6 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
ADULT NONFICTION<br />
100’s—Philosophy & Psychology<br />
Holy people, holy lives : law and Gospel in<br />
bioethics, by Richard C. Eyer. LCCN<br />
00008495. St. Louis, Mo.: Concordia,<br />
2000. ISBN 0570052556, PAP, $16.99.<br />
174.’2. Medical ethics; Bioethics; <strong>Christian</strong> ethics.<br />
167 p. Adult.<br />
This book is a good place to start for anyone<br />
interested in the areas of theology and bioethics.<br />
Written from an overt, non-apologetic <strong>Christian</strong><br />
mindset, Eyer uses the format of real world<br />
situations that are used to model philosophies<br />
both old and new. This will benefit the reader<br />
greatly as many readers may not have had, or<br />
not had in a long time, a philosophy class that<br />
contained <strong>Christian</strong> thinkers. Eyer then<br />
systematically presents the mindset of each of<br />
these philosophies in the field of bioethics. This<br />
is a large field and Eyer admits that it is for each<br />
person to decide how to live out <strong>Christian</strong> ethics<br />
but he maintains that once the facts are<br />
presented the <strong>Christian</strong> will know the “mind of<br />
Christ” and therefore will know what action<br />
needs to be taken.<br />
The book is attractive and the type easy to<br />
manage. There are end notes, a detailed<br />
bibliography, and an appendix which is<br />
especially helpful for its explanations.<br />
Reverend Eyer discusses topics such as<br />
abortion, quality of life, reproduction, and<br />
genetic engineering with great care and<br />
consideration.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Teacher, Linwood, Kansas<br />
200’s—Religion<br />
★<br />
Surprised by faith : a scientist shares his<br />
personal, life-changing discoveries about<br />
God, the Bible, and personal fulfillment,<br />
by Dr. Don Bierle. Lynnwood, Wash.:<br />
Emerald Books, 1992. ISBN 1883002338,<br />
PAP, $8.99.<br />
220.8. Bible and science. 120 p. Adult.<br />
Can a person come to faith through the intellect<br />
or is it merely an emotive response or is it some<br />
combination of the two? That is the question<br />
answered by Dr. Don Bierle, who although<br />
raised in a <strong>Christian</strong> home, was never a believer<br />
until he was in college. Like many others, he<br />
believed that faith in Christ was an ignorant<br />
superstition for the emotionally and mentally<br />
weak. In Surprised by Faith he takes us step by<br />
step through an apologetic breakdown of how a<br />
person truly comes to faith.<br />
In this succinct book he leads the reader through<br />
the basic scientific proofs of <strong>Christian</strong>ity<br />
through the essence of what belief truly is and<br />
then finally confronts the reader with the<br />
question we all must answer—“what will you<br />
do with Christ?” Each chapter has thought<br />
provoking quotes both by the faithful and by<br />
those who have chosen to reject or are<br />
undecided about faith in Christ. His style and<br />
arguments are reminiscent of Josh McDowell<br />
A Note from the Editor: by Ray Legg<br />
Turning on<br />
their<br />
“Wanter”<br />
I am one of the<br />
fortunate ones—I love what I do. I am a<br />
teacher. I enjoy having the opportunity<br />
to stimulate and challenge students in<br />
my classes, and watching them develop<br />
as people as we interact with subject<br />
matter brings joy to my days.<br />
But with that joy comes an attendant<br />
frustration. Not all of those enrolled in<br />
any given class are there because they<br />
want to be. Many are registered because<br />
they need the credit and the only thing<br />
they want from the class is, out. They<br />
are the ones I find to be most<br />
challenging. How do I get them to<br />
WANT to be there and WANT to learn<br />
and WANT to take something away from<br />
the class other than a grade? How do I<br />
help them develop an interest in what<br />
they are doing?<br />
It occurs to me that many of the readers<br />
of this publication might face a similar<br />
problem. Many of the people entering<br />
the library are there because there is no<br />
other place they would rather be. Their<br />
only frustration is that they cannot take<br />
out every book on the shelves in which<br />
they are interested. There are the others,<br />
also. They are the ones who are there<br />
because they are forced by assignment,<br />
parent, or other necessity to interact with<br />
books. But read? Horrors!<br />
So, how do we get the non-readers<br />
interested? What can we do to make<br />
reading as painless as possible until they<br />
come to actually enjoy it? The local<br />
library has come up with an interesting<br />
twist on an old idea. It has put together<br />
a reading list and formed discussion<br />
circles that meet regularly. The twist<br />
comes in that the leaders of the groups<br />
come from all walks and levels of life.<br />
There are moms, teachers, college<br />
professors (I am doing The Grapes of<br />
Wrath), and even high school students.<br />
This mix of perspectives should prove to<br />
be both interesting and informative. But<br />
I think the greatest asset of this approach<br />
will be getting everyone on every level<br />
interested in reading. It may prove to be<br />
a very useful tool in not only getting<br />
people to the library but helping them<br />
enjoy the time there. And who knows?<br />
if they enjoy it they may want to come<br />
back. And if they come back, it may<br />
just be because they want to, and isn’t<br />
that the goal?<br />
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NONFICTION<br />
and C.S. Lewis. In fact, Dr. Bierle quotes Lewis<br />
quite a few times and the title Surprised by Faith<br />
is similar to Surprised by Joy, Lewis’ account of<br />
his own spiritual awakening.<br />
Each chapter is concluded with several<br />
interactive questions which confront the reader<br />
on his/her own belief or lack of belief. A<br />
wonderful addition is the inclusion of easy to<br />
understand charts. What an appropriate book to<br />
give to unbelievers to challenge them in a<br />
logical, non-confrontive manner. It would also<br />
be useful to share with new <strong>Christian</strong>s to<br />
provide to them an easy to understand basis for<br />
their faith or to use in a small group setting as a<br />
study guide.<br />
Teresa O’Donley, <strong>Library</strong> Media Specialist, Bayhmonte <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Scotts Valley, California<br />
Ten commandments, produced by EO<br />
International. Worcester, Pa.: Gateway<br />
Films, Vision Video, 1999. ISBN<br />
1563643898, VID, $79.99.<br />
222. Ten Commandments (Bible. O.T.). 5<br />
videocassettes (60 min. ea.) : sd., col. Adult (High<br />
school).<br />
Adrian Snell offers each commandment’s<br />
application, biblical context, and helpful points,<br />
and while he is talking, interesting pictures<br />
appear in the background. The viewer is<br />
introduced to a current day situation where<br />
another person is highlighted to accentuate the<br />
application of this commandment, e.g. in the<br />
Second Commandment, “Do not bow down to<br />
anything” we meet a woman, originally part of<br />
Koresh’s Waco commune, and her journey in<br />
coming to understand this commandment.<br />
There are no loose ends but neither is the<br />
contemporary story perfectly laid out—the<br />
viewer is able to think and apply the truths<br />
evident in the situation. Snell, an accomplished<br />
pianist and guitarist, and singer of such songs as<br />
“City of Peace” and “My Heart Shall Mourn,”<br />
has produced twelve solo albums over his<br />
twenty-five year musical career. His narration<br />
adds a quiet, smooth, inviting touch without any<br />
overtones of headtalk.<br />
The quality of the video and narration adds to<br />
the series. The discussion is short and easy to<br />
follow, and fast moving with the background<br />
scenes. In addition, the discussion includes the<br />
current day situation and other applications to<br />
probe the commandment’s meaning. Each<br />
commandment segment stands by itself and can<br />
be viewed in that setting. An introduction to the<br />
commandments, and periodic reference to<br />
another commandment, also notes how these<br />
guides fit together and present a picture of<br />
healthy life.<br />
Teachers can use these with confidence in high<br />
school classes, and adults will be challenged at<br />
their applicability to one’s life. There is no<br />
heavy theological jargon, and the viewer is<br />
likely to see the commandment in a new or<br />
expanded manner, e.g. Commandment Eight,<br />
“Do not steal,” considers overt theft and ripping<br />
someone off but also considers how negligence,<br />
waste, indifference, and disregard become<br />
significant theft. The discussion also notes a<br />
connection between stealing and self-respect.<br />
Recommended for all church and <strong>Christian</strong><br />
school libraries.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The ways of God : how God reveals<br />
himself before a watching world, by<br />
Henry T. Blackaby and Roy T. Edgemon.<br />
LCCN 00031290. Nashville: Broadman &<br />
Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805423737, HBB,<br />
$17.99.<br />
231.7. Providence of God; God--Attributes; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
life. 180 p. Adult.<br />
Beginning with the assertion that God’s ways<br />
are not our ways, the authors guide readers<br />
through various evidences of the nature and<br />
ways of God. Each of six chapters is organized<br />
around facets of God’s character such as love,<br />
sovereignty, holiness, and truth. Scripture in<br />
boxes breaks up the text. A summary ends each<br />
chapter with a focus to pray and think about.<br />
Five short chapters on leading a group<br />
discussion on the ways of God complete the<br />
volume. Numerous examples from scripture<br />
illustrate each point. The authors discuss ways<br />
people avoid truth, rationalize their actions, and<br />
avoid God’s assignments. We are encouraged to<br />
know his ways and thoughts so we can “identify<br />
and respond to his working in our lives.”<br />
While a direct route may be the human choice,<br />
God’s purpose is more than the task at hand; it is<br />
the drawing of people to himself. First he makes<br />
himself available. Then God forgives, calls into<br />
being that which was not, teaches and works<br />
though those that fear and believe him. Insights<br />
into the nature of God enable us to find the<br />
purpose, promise, and reliability of his perfect<br />
love. Choosing to trust God, we can accept his<br />
wisdom and believe he will provide for us<br />
because he is sovereign over provisions,<br />
circumstances, and fears. We can allow God to<br />
shape our lives with his holiness through<br />
repentance and obedience. As we do so we are<br />
available to instruction and correction and<br />
escape the destruction of sin, becoming more<br />
fruitful. He says that his word will accomplish<br />
what he desires. Unbelief rejects the truth and<br />
Jesus rejects unbelief. God is eternal and the<br />
authors remind us that what we do here in time<br />
affects us in eternity. We move into alignment<br />
with God’s purpose when we can desire to share<br />
God’s power and love even with those who<br />
reject us.<br />
Roy Edgemon and Henry Blackaby ask us in<br />
The Ways of God to recognize the contrast of<br />
living in time; of thinking we have time to<br />
forgive or repent later, needing to justify our<br />
anger or rebellion now. “Eternal life is a<br />
relationship with a person,” far beyond head<br />
knowledge. “The clearest way to know the<br />
ways of God is to know him personally through<br />
this son, his spirit, and his word. When we have<br />
Christ living within us, we can begin to<br />
understand God’s ways of love, God’s sovereign<br />
ways, His ways of holiness and truth, and his<br />
eternal ways. As God transforms us into His<br />
image, we can function in his ways and serve his<br />
purpose.”<br />
This book would be especially helpful for<br />
someone who is unsure where to start reading<br />
God’s word. Specific pointers to scripture<br />
encourage understanding of basic <strong>Christian</strong><br />
principles, as well as the nature of God. While<br />
it doesn’t engender spontaneous enthusiasm for<br />
the subject, short periods of reading should<br />
engage and encourage thoughtful meditation in<br />
all but the most jaded reader. The guidance in<br />
this book would be useful for revitalizing<br />
perhaps even that unfortunate soul.<br />
Carol B. Taylor, Freelance Writer/Certified Social Worker, Poulsbo,<br />
Washington<br />
Our covenant God : learning to trust Him,<br />
by Kay Arthur. LCCN 99011808.<br />
Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press,<br />
1999. ISBN 1578561825, HBB, $19.95.<br />
231.7’6. Covenants--Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity;<br />
Trust in God--<strong>Christian</strong>ity. 276 p. Adult.<br />
Covenant: perhaps this not too familiar word has<br />
escaped your notice and your understanding;<br />
yet, as a <strong>Christian</strong>, it is an essential and rich<br />
word that encompasses the very promises and<br />
blessings of God himself. Actually, it embraces<br />
the very essence of who God is. Kay Arthur, a<br />
well-known Bible teacher, presents a wealth of<br />
information about our covenant making-God.<br />
Without understanding what this covenant is, we<br />
cannot partake in or enjoy all that the Lord has<br />
intended.<br />
In the book Our Covenant God we find rich<br />
truths that will bring the <strong>Christian</strong> into a closer<br />
and more relevant relationship with God.<br />
Although these precepts are not always simple<br />
to grasp, the reader will enjoy unfolding<br />
revelation of who God is and who we are in<br />
Him. Step by step, truth is revealed and<br />
celebrated in its simplicity and impact on the<br />
believer. Glimpses into the joy the author<br />
experiences in sharing these rich insights gives<br />
one an occasional sense of Max Lucado style—<br />
sincere and insightful eloquence and<br />
enthusiasm. Anyone desiring to grow in the<br />
knowledge and love of God will welcome the<br />
teachings within this book.<br />
Mary McKinney, Former Teacher, Freelance Writer, Editor, Port<br />
Orchard, Washington<br />
★<br />
Sister Wendy’s nativity, by Sister Wendy<br />
Beckett. LCCN 99167653. Chicago:<br />
Loyola Press, 1998. ISBN 0829413677,<br />
HBB, $24.95.<br />
232.92. Jesus Christ--Nativity; Jesus Christ--Art;<br />
Jesus Christ--Biography. 95 p. Adult (High school).<br />
In her own inimitable style, Sister Wendy<br />
Beckett presents the nativity of Christ using a<br />
series of beautiful miniatures and illuminations<br />
from manuscripts in the Vatican’s Apostolic<br />
<strong>Library</strong>. Sister Wendy’s Nativity expresses both<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 7 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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her insights into the paintings and the scriptures<br />
prompting the paintings. Sister Wendy believes,<br />
“Jesus was born into the real world, and so the<br />
wonder of his birth must be framed by what<br />
came before and by what happened after it.” As<br />
a result, the book is divided into four sections<br />
and the birth of Christ becomes a part of the<br />
whole story. In the first section, Preparing the<br />
Way, she discusses creation, Adam and Eve, and<br />
the ancestry of Jesus. The Holy Birth is the<br />
second section and Christ Among Us the third.<br />
After presenting highlights of Christ’s life, she<br />
moves to the final section, Death and<br />
Resurrection. The book ends with a painting of<br />
a scene in heaven to which Sister Wendy adds<br />
thoughtfully, “Jesus came down from heaven to<br />
take us back with him. Whether we consciously<br />
accept this or not, it is so.”<br />
Sister Wendy, a world-renowned art historian,<br />
draws attention to the expressive faces and<br />
bodies of the people in the paintings and<br />
explains the pictures within the pictures. Her<br />
astute assessment of the paintings and<br />
knowledge of scripture are combined to create a<br />
book that will delight everyone who has seen<br />
her on television and serve as a special<br />
introduction to those who have not.<br />
This is the first time some of these lovely<br />
colored miniatures and illuminations from the<br />
ninth to fifteenth centuries have been seen by the<br />
public. They are part of a group exhibited by the<br />
Vatican <strong>Library</strong> and the Italian Ministry of<br />
Culture to celebrate the third <strong>Christian</strong><br />
millennium.<br />
Barbara Bryden, Freelance Writer, Olympia, Washington<br />
Gifted for good : every woman’s guide to<br />
her spiritual gifts, by Kathryn Deering.<br />
LCCN 00020906. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Vine<br />
Books, Servant Publications, 2000. ISBN<br />
1569550891, PAP, $10.99.<br />
234.’13’082. <strong>Christian</strong> women--Religious life; Gifts,<br />
Spiritual. 206 p. Adult.<br />
Kathryn Deering,, senior editor at Servant<br />
Publications, presents a unique resource<br />
designed especially to assist women in<br />
identifying and cultivating their spiritual gifts.<br />
In Gifted for Good Deering assumes the Holy<br />
Spirit has given every born-again believer one<br />
or more gifts, and describes the discovery<br />
process: experiment, evaluate, expect<br />
confirmation, take initiative, and pray. She<br />
recommends using spiritual gift questionnaires<br />
only after personal searching.<br />
Deering lovingly refers to her work as Aunt<br />
Agnes, a replacement for bygone days, when<br />
women encouraged each other in intergenerational<br />
family living situations. She<br />
imparts this heart to heart wisdom for each of<br />
twenty-seven gifts through interesting, unusual<br />
true stories of women who discover in<br />
surprising ways how God has equipped them to<br />
serve in the Body of Christ. Encouragement<br />
abounds for the new <strong>Christian</strong> as well as for the<br />
mature <strong>Christian</strong> who wants to grow in her<br />
understanding of the subtle changes and blends<br />
of her gifts over time.<br />
Having thoroughly researched the field and<br />
borrowed from others’ works, Deering explains<br />
the differences between spiritual gifts and<br />
natural talents, how people misunderstand and<br />
misuse gifts, and cautions against the legalism<br />
of rigid human lists, which may limit the Holy<br />
Spirit’s appropriation of the gifts. A selfdescribed<br />
charismatic <strong>Christian</strong>, she admits that<br />
her list, which includes the gifts of tongues, their<br />
interpretation, miracles, and deliverance, is a<br />
“representative sampling.” Helpful for<br />
individuals, Sunday School classes, small group<br />
studies, or mentoring, the book contains a<br />
comprehensive appendix describing positive<br />
and negative personal traits for all gifts<br />
discussed.<br />
Enlightening readers with engaging personal<br />
examples and clear teaching, the text enables<br />
women to find or develop spiritual gifts and say<br />
delightfully, “I would rather do this for God than<br />
anything else in the world!”<br />
Rhonda Marie Lackey, Writer, Former Teacher/Librarian, Tukwila,<br />
Washington<br />
The way of forgiveness : how to heal life’s<br />
hurts and restore broken relationships, by<br />
Patrick J. Brennan. LCCN 00022949.<br />
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Charis, Servant<br />
Publications, 2000. ISBN 1569551715,<br />
PAP, $9.99.<br />
234.’5. Brennan, Patrick J.; Catholic church--<br />
Doctrines; Forgiveness--Religious aspects--Catholic<br />
Church; Reconciliation--Religious aspects--Catholic<br />
Church. 216 p. Adult.<br />
Father Brennan presents a contemplative and<br />
intimate method to practice what he calls the<br />
way of forgiveness. As a Roman Catholic priest<br />
he explains the R.C.I.A. (Rite of <strong>Christian</strong><br />
Initiation of Adults) which then became the<br />
Order of Penitents. He goes on in the following<br />
chapters to explain how this order may be<br />
modified and used in the believer’s life.<br />
The book contains three powerful chapters that<br />
contain mini sections that close with scripture<br />
and prayer. The power in the book is the<br />
simplicity and the yearning for the reader to<br />
contemplatively consider their role in<br />
forgiveness. Especially helpful is the<br />
recognition that with some sins the “forgiver”<br />
needs time to process the hurt. Father Brennan<br />
indicates that the “forgiver” desires to forgive<br />
but the pain must be dealt with and this means<br />
the “forgivee” needs to be patient. Father<br />
Brennen uses many examples for how to forgive<br />
from his own life. His candidness regarding his<br />
dismissal from a position and his striving to not<br />
be bitter was very helpful. In the back of the<br />
book is a synthesis of the material he articulates<br />
earlier in the book. There is a ten step “Process<br />
of Sorrow and Repentance” and a ten step<br />
“Process of Forgiveness.”<br />
The paperback is of good quality and the print is<br />
perfect. This is a must for church libraries with<br />
hurting people.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Teacher, Linwood, Kansas<br />
★<br />
Follow me : experience the loving<br />
leadership of Jesus, by Jan David<br />
Hettinga. LCCN 96009482. Colorado<br />
Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 1996. ISBN<br />
0891099824, PAP, $14.00.<br />
234.’6120. Jesus Christ--Lordship; Salvation;<br />
Spiritual life--<strong>Christian</strong>ity; Kingdom of God. 271 p.<br />
Adult.<br />
“Tell me who your leader is—Boris Yeltsin,<br />
Louis Farrankhan..Gloria Steinem or Billy<br />
Graham—and I can immediately tell you all<br />
kinds of things about you..even if your leader is<br />
yourself, which is what most of us prefer,”<br />
writes Pastor Jan Hettinga, Senior Pastor of<br />
Northshore Baptist Church, Seattle,<br />
Washington.<br />
In twenty-nine, short, easy-to-read chapters,<br />
Hettinga asks the thought-provoking question,<br />
“Who do you follow?” He addresses the current<br />
lack of worldwide leadership today. His<br />
research might surprise most readers. He bases<br />
his assumptions on personal observation,<br />
opinion polls, and a distressed, worldwide<br />
populace. He claims leadership is further<br />
compromised by the breakdown of the family<br />
unit where 50% of the western world is intimate<br />
with the word divorce. “Is it any wonder,” he<br />
asks, “why the coming generation’s motto is to<br />
question authority?” He says society should be<br />
able to look to the church for leadership<br />
examples and moral authority. But, the<br />
disturbing truth is that <strong>Christian</strong>s struggle with<br />
these issues as well.<br />
The chapters are broken into five sections. In<br />
each Hettinga shows why Jesus is the safest<br />
leader to follow. Then discusses why we reject<br />
the leadership of Jesus in an unsafe world filled<br />
with sin and rebellion. Next, he reveals how to<br />
get back on track and into personal relationship<br />
with Him, rather than just the practice of<br />
religion. After that he explains why there is no<br />
formula, only followers who teach by example<br />
through faith. Subsequently he discloses how to<br />
have a healthy fear of the Lord and blossom as a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> within that context.<br />
Each section ends with “Taking Another Step,”<br />
comprised of meditative questions to ensure a<br />
complete understanding. The author illustrates<br />
whom you follow determines where you go and<br />
cites the differences between following and<br />
believing. He writes, “Believing is a spectator<br />
sport, following is what makes you a player.”<br />
An engaging and thought provoking read,<br />
Follow Me is sorely needed in our world today<br />
to show people how to experience a personal<br />
relationship with Jesus, one where you can<br />
become the follower He created you to be.<br />
Gail Welborn, Freelance Writer/Reporter, Everett, Washington<br />
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Good news about injustice : a witness of<br />
courage in a hurting world, by Gary A.<br />
Haugen. LCCN 99017480. Downers<br />
Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1999.<br />
ISBN 0830822240, PAP, $11.99.<br />
241.’622. <strong>Christian</strong>ity and justice. 200 p. Adult.<br />
Haugen has seen so much hurting. As director<br />
of the United Nations genocide investigation,<br />
Haugen went to Rwanda and saw the carnage<br />
first-hand. Additionally, he has witnessed the<br />
effects of apartheid in South Africa and guerrilla<br />
war in the Philippines. But it was not only in the<br />
far corners of the world that Haugen saw others<br />
in need; he saw need for justice in the United<br />
States as well. Haugen doesn’t gloss over the<br />
carnage nor does he dwell on it as one who has<br />
no hope. He simply states the situation in all its<br />
ugliness to underscore the biblical teaching<br />
regarding God’s heart concerning injustice. His<br />
goal is not only to bring together the ones with<br />
needs with those who can meet those needs such<br />
as attorneys, judges, officers, etc. but also to<br />
equip other <strong>Christian</strong>s to pray, send money, or<br />
whatever needs to be done.<br />
In 1994 the International Justice Mission was<br />
formed to make <strong>Christian</strong> public justice<br />
professionals available to serve Global <strong>Christian</strong><br />
workers when they encounter cases of abuse or<br />
oppression in their communities. As a result,<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> workers have professionals they can<br />
call upon throughout the world to help them<br />
with matters involving injustice. If that were all<br />
this book did it would be required reading, but<br />
Haugen takes the issue of justice and shows it as<br />
dear to the heart of God. In three units Haugen<br />
provides an introduction to the injustice of our<br />
world, the character of our God, and the<br />
opportunity for God’s people to make a<br />
difference.<br />
This book has specific questions and answers to<br />
pressing problems in the world. Haugen never<br />
over simplifies but rather states the exact<br />
reasons for why there needs to be this service<br />
and how it needs to be done. All of the<br />
situations are carefully noted in the back of the<br />
book. Additionally, there is a page for additional<br />
resources. This is a must read for the <strong>Christian</strong><br />
church.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Teacher, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Joy to the world : the stories behind your<br />
favorite Christmas carols, by Kenneth W.<br />
Osbeck. Grand Rapids: Kregel<br />
Publications, 2000. ISBN 0825434394,<br />
PAP/CD, $17.00.<br />
242.’335. Christmas--Prayer-books and devotions--<br />
English; Carols, English--History and criticism. 112<br />
p.; CD-ROM. Adult (All ages).<br />
Kenneth W. Osbeck tells the stories behind<br />
twenty-five beloved Christmas carols in Joy to<br />
the World! Familiar carols such as “Silent<br />
Night!” “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,” and<br />
“Away in a Manger” are among the carols<br />
featured. Also included are less familiar ones<br />
like “While by Our Sheep,” “Once in Royal<br />
David’s City,” and “Lo! How a Rose E’er<br />
Blooming.”<br />
Each chapter contains the inspiration behind the<br />
carol, a devotional thought, Scripture, and the<br />
complete musical score with lyrics. Interesting,<br />
little-known information adds new meaning to<br />
each song. For example, “Ring the Bells” was<br />
published in 1958 by Harry Bollback. He was<br />
standing in line at a bus station in Sao Paulo,<br />
Brazil, when he heard bells ringing for The<br />
Virgin Mary. His thoughts turned to the birth of<br />
Jesus and the words and music came to him.<br />
When he arrived at his friend’s home, he sat<br />
down and played it. “I had nothing to do with<br />
the writing of it. The Lord just gave it to me.”<br />
Filled with inspiration, the volume is suitable for<br />
personal and family devotions. With twentyfive<br />
songs, there’s one for each day from<br />
December first through Christmas Day.<br />
The book comes packaged with a CD also<br />
entitled Joy to the World! The Discovery<br />
Singers perform the carols found in the book.<br />
Families will appreciate this book/CD combo<br />
that adds enrichment to Christmas celebrations.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer & Educator, Seattle, Washington<br />
Women of prayer : an anthology of<br />
everyday prayers from women around the<br />
world, compiled by Dorothy Stewart.<br />
LCCN 98028274. Chicago: Loyola Press,<br />
1999. ISBN 0829412808, HBB, $18.95.<br />
242.’643. Prayers; Women--Prayer-books and<br />
devotions. 291 p. Adult.<br />
This collection of international prayers<br />
expresses the act of praying from a variety of<br />
pray-ers. Some are from individuals, others<br />
more generic like ‘women of Canada.’ Many of<br />
the prayers are contemporary and others from<br />
women of past ages. Some prayers are oneliners<br />
and others are longer and more reflective.<br />
Some lend themselves to use for public<br />
occasions and others for private use.<br />
The prayers encompass life situations such as<br />
matters of trust and hope, forgiveness and<br />
devotion, excitement, and crying in desperation.<br />
Prayers are about work and friends, about<br />
families and individuals, about concerns for<br />
peace and justice, and sometimes, just about<br />
being.<br />
Of particular help are an index of subjects, and<br />
an index of first lines of the prayers. One is sure<br />
to find something, whether it’s the quiet<br />
elegance of Helen Steiner Rice, “And little do<br />
we realize how contented we would be, if we<br />
knew that we were beautiful when our hearts are<br />
touched by Thee” or the direct approach of<br />
Stewart herself, “Here I am, Lord, inquiring of<br />
you. Please, is there an answer?” or Jan<br />
Pichard’s paraphrase of Psalm 105:1-5, “We<br />
thank you, God! We want to tell the world what<br />
you have done: your wonderful works..”<br />
Stewart is also author of Women of Vision<br />
(Loyola Press, 2000).<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The perfect catch : lessons for life from a<br />
bass fisherman, by H. Norman Wright.<br />
LCCN 99050953. Minneapolis: Bethany<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 0764222953, HBB,<br />
$14.99.<br />
242.’68. Fishing--Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity;<br />
Fishers--Religious life. 287 p. Adult.<br />
The sixty short stories in The Perfect Catch<br />
weave real-life fishing experiences, scripture,<br />
and applicable lessons for life in general<br />
together. Even those with little or no fishing<br />
experience will find enough here to make the<br />
readings worthwhile. The stories lend<br />
themselves to meditation, or as a daily or<br />
periodic reminder about the eternal values of<br />
life. The careful blend of Old and New<br />
Testament stories make this a way to appreciate<br />
Scripture even more. Amid the fishing tips and<br />
fish tales (tall but true), one learns biblical<br />
thoughts about creation, learning, relationships,<br />
priorities, disappointments, and challenges.<br />
Wright is an avid bass fisherman and a licensed<br />
marriage, family and child therapist. Macauley<br />
has provided some illustrations for this work,<br />
and as Wright’s adult daughter, shares his<br />
delight for fishing.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The image maker, by Terry M. Crist.<br />
LCCN 00100889. Lake Mary, Fla.:<br />
Creation House, 2000. ISBN 0884196372,<br />
PAP, $12.99.<br />
248. <strong>Christian</strong> life. 222 p. Adult.<br />
The modern-day proliferation of self-help gurus,<br />
New Age philosophies entering churches and<br />
schools, and the growth of humanism and<br />
pantheism serve as the backdrop to The Image<br />
Maker. Self-pride, self-esteem, and selffulfillment<br />
are discussed and Crist offers a<br />
paradigm that enables the reader to understand<br />
one’s identity that comes from a biblical<br />
worldview and relationship with God. He<br />
enables the reader to understand that our God<br />
generated identity is the key to being free from<br />
addictions and dependencies. It makes for<br />
quality individual reading, and could also be<br />
used well for reflection in group discussion. I<br />
particularly like the way Crist is able to point out<br />
less than welcome developments in our culture<br />
without harping on the negativity but instead<br />
offering a positive way to move ourselves<br />
forward in Christ.<br />
Crist is the father of three sons, spiritual<br />
overseer of a network of churches, and<br />
companion to wife Judith. He has an endearing<br />
knack to filter in the truths of <strong>Christian</strong>ity into<br />
his discussion in a way that makes such heavy<br />
words like redemption, justification,<br />
incarnation, or righteousness seem not only right<br />
but easily digestible.<br />
Recommended for church libraries and in<br />
collections where readers seek self-help<br />
guidance.<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 7 3 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
ADULT<br />
NONFICTION<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The Cleavers don’t live here anymore :<br />
bringing hope and radical forgiveness to<br />
the bewilderment, betrayal, and bitterness<br />
of real family life, by Laurie Sharlene<br />
Hall. LCCN 99088896. Ann Arbor,<br />
Mich.: Vine Books, Servant Publications,<br />
2000. ISBN 1569551316, PAP, $10.99.<br />
248.4. Married persons--Religious life; Marriage--<br />
Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity. 218 p. Adult.<br />
This is Laurie Hall’s second book. Her first,<br />
Affair of the Mind, discussed her ordeal with her<br />
husband’s addiction to pornography. She<br />
references that book in her new book taking the<br />
reader to the next level when there has been a<br />
betrayal in the marriage—forgiveness. Her<br />
book is written as if one is sitting across from<br />
her drinking coffee in the kitchen. Her honest<br />
discussions of her sadness and experiences will<br />
connect with those hurting. Most importantly,<br />
her appropriate use of humor make this book<br />
one to read and turn to in the hard times. She<br />
presents, in the opening chapters, an overview<br />
of our hurting society. She spends much of her<br />
time reporting statistics of the situation in the<br />
church and in the world. Throughout her book<br />
Hall doesn’t mince words or gloss over the<br />
situation of a hurting man or woman where trust<br />
has been destroyed. She simply states that there<br />
is a specific process that has brought her and her<br />
husband peace. She presents her ideas regarding<br />
how marriage is not understood well in three<br />
units entitled, dealing with the outward realities,<br />
dealing with the inward realities, and dealing<br />
with the ongoing realities.<br />
Each chapter begins with a quote of an<br />
individual and scripture. She then proceeds to<br />
rip any pretense for the reader to remain<br />
unforgiving in their present situation. Each<br />
chapter ends with questions that force the reader<br />
to examine himself/herself rather than the other<br />
person.<br />
The book is a quality paperback. Hall discusses<br />
depression, pornography and its effects, abuse,<br />
as well as other topics candidly. Appendix A is<br />
a table indicating how one can discern abusive<br />
leadership. Appendix B is a listing of<br />
recommended reading ordered by topicality.<br />
She qualifies this reading list by stating that she<br />
doesn’t endorse every book; she just found it<br />
generally helpful in her understanding of<br />
forgiveness. Her notes section is worth reading<br />
on its own.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Teacher, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Visioneering, by Andy Stanley. LCCN<br />
99015763. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah,<br />
1999. ISBN 1576735389, HBB, $18.99.<br />
248.4. Nehemiah (Governor of Juday); Success--<br />
Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity. 272 p. Adult.<br />
Using the Book of Nehemiah as a running<br />
illustration, Visioneering describes the process<br />
of recognizing, developing, implementing, and<br />
maintaining a vision. The book constantly<br />
reminds the reader that visions begin, end, and<br />
have their purpose in glorifying God and<br />
expanding His Kingdom. The text introduces<br />
two new words into the lexicon: “visioneering,”<br />
the process of developing and maintaining<br />
vision; and “visioncasting,” the sharing of a<br />
vision with others.<br />
Visioneering’s eighteen chapters thoroughly<br />
cover a number of topics: vision birth, prayer,<br />
faith, moral authority, and godly purpose. The<br />
book also addresses vital topics such as<br />
planning, public relations, organizational<br />
behavior, and team development. Visioneering<br />
covers the secular and religious aspects of vision<br />
in a natural, smooth manner. Appropriately, the<br />
book ends with a challenge: “Pay the price.<br />
Embrace the vision.”<br />
Visioneering is well written, well researched and<br />
well organized. Author Andy Stanley marches<br />
through the Book of Nehemiah in an orderly,<br />
thorough way. Despite that order and structure,<br />
the book is an engaging read. Additionally,<br />
Pastor Stanley goes out of his way to tie<br />
everything, at every opportunity, back to our<br />
Lord and the building of His Kingdom.<br />
Anyone who reads the text should develop a<br />
complete understanding of vision. The entire<br />
subject is made accessible and understandable.<br />
While remaining true to a scriptural and biblical<br />
basis, Visioneering does not become<br />
sanctimonious or dogmatic. It’s easy to imagine<br />
any secular businessman picking up this book<br />
and being enriched by its content.<br />
Visioneering will, by its nature, be most valuable<br />
to the leaders and managers of organizations and<br />
institutions. Any parent, pastor, teacher or<br />
leader should find something of value within<br />
these pages. Happily, even those who seek to<br />
simply manage themselves with benefit from<br />
reading this book.<br />
This book is a valuable and important resource<br />
for anyone who wants to get something done.<br />
Kirk Hunt, Instructor, Pima County Community College, Business<br />
& Industry Division, Tucson, Arizona<br />
Husbands and fathers : rediscover the<br />
Creator’s purpose for men, by Derek<br />
Prince; foreword by Edwin Louis Cole.<br />
LCCN 99038439. Grand Rapids: Chosen<br />
Books, Baker Book House, 2000. ISBN<br />
0800792742, PAP, $9.99.<br />
248.8’421. <strong>Christian</strong> men--Religious life; Husbands--<br />
Religious life; Fathers--Religious life. 160 p. Adult.<br />
Husbands and Fathers is a thought-provoking,<br />
discussion-starting, quick-reading, experiencebased<br />
book written by Pentecostal preacherteacher<br />
Derek Prince. Prince draws on his own<br />
experience as the father of nine daughters and<br />
the husband of two wives to provide practical<br />
advice.<br />
Much of what he shares has the grandfatherly<br />
feel that readers might expect from an eighty<br />
year old evangelist who remains active in<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> ministry despite the very recent homegoing<br />
of his second wife. Herein lies a problem.<br />
Much of his solid, practical, experiential advice<br />
Prince labels as biblical advice. While the<br />
principles he shares with readers may transcend<br />
many cultural walls, this does not make them<br />
biblical. Examples include this bold statement:<br />
“If the wife does not submit willingly to her<br />
husband’s headship, there is only one way he<br />
can take that position—by self-assertive<br />
domination.” While this is a debatable claim<br />
even within the most conservative of<br />
evangelical circles, Prince couches it in a section<br />
addressing “what the Bible has to say” about<br />
wives.<br />
Readers should be prepared for several casual,<br />
but not too frequent, references to speaking in<br />
tongues and the filling of the Holy Spirit.<br />
Additionally, Prince’s treatment of the historic<br />
meaning and nature of “covenant” relationships<br />
is interesting. Unfortunately, his observations<br />
seem to be that of an amateur theologian rather<br />
than a biblical scholar.<br />
The greatest reward awaits the reader who<br />
completes his study of this book. Prince’s<br />
advice and insight regarding spiritual fatherhood<br />
is gratifying and affirming. Detailing the life<br />
and teaching of Paul, Prince provides creative<br />
and original perspectives for fathers, single men,<br />
and childless husbands. These later portions of<br />
the book were a wonderful surprise and will,<br />
unfortunately, miss their target audience because<br />
of the book’s misdirected title.<br />
Maturing <strong>Christian</strong> men and the women who<br />
care about them will benefit from discussion<br />
based on Husbands and Fathers.<br />
Daniel S. Brown, Professor of Communication, Indiana Wesleyan<br />
University, Indianapolis, Indiana<br />
★<br />
When couples pray together, by Jan Stoop<br />
and David Stoop. LCCN 99059126. Ann<br />
Arbor, Mich.: Vine Books, Servant<br />
Publications, 2000. ISBN 1569551081,<br />
PAP, $10.99.<br />
248.8’44. Spouses--Religious life; Marriage--<br />
Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity; Prayer--<strong>Christian</strong>ity.<br />
180 p. Adult.<br />
Authors David and Jan Stoop struggled to pray<br />
together during their early years of marriage.<br />
Jan yearned for spiritual intimacy with Dave,<br />
but he resisted when she suggested they join in<br />
prayer. Problems like theirs are not uncommon.<br />
Informal statistics reveal only four percent of<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> couples actually pray together on a<br />
regular basis.<br />
Whether marriage partners already pray together<br />
or want to start, When Couples Pray Together<br />
has much to offer. It brims with stories of<br />
praying couples, answered prayers, and practical<br />
guidance. Written in a friendly tone, it covers<br />
why couples should pray together, why they<br />
don’t, and how to begin.<br />
The Stoops, now grandparents, have prayed<br />
with each other daily for almost thirty years and<br />
list marital stability as an important benefit.<br />
While divorce statistics soar even among<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s, one marriage ministry reported: If<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 7 4 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
ADULT<br />
NONFICTION<br />
couples pray together regularly, only one in<br />
1,500 gets divorced.<br />
Couples in this book testified that their prayer<br />
times enhanced spiritual intimacy with God and<br />
each other. When couples unite in prayer, God<br />
releases his incredible power. Jesus promised,<br />
“If two of you on earth agree about anything you<br />
ask for, it will be done” (Matthew 18:19 NIV).<br />
This book cites exciting answers as husbands<br />
and wives agreed in prayer. But even when<br />
prayers weren’t answered as hoped, praying<br />
together sustained them during dark times.<br />
Since numerous benefits result from praying<br />
together, why don’t more <strong>Christian</strong> couples do<br />
so? One hindrance is our natural resistance to<br />
change. Other barriers include busyness,<br />
personality differences, fear, laziness, marital<br />
conflicts, plus evil, unseen forces. But the<br />
authors don’t leave readers stuck with these<br />
difficulties. They offer suggestions to overcome<br />
resistance and barriers, then challenge married<br />
partners to begin praying. Discussion questions<br />
and sample prayers are included to help couples<br />
start. I highly recommend this motivating,<br />
quick read.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer & Educator, Seattle, Washington<br />
★<br />
Chronic kids, constant hope : help and<br />
encouragement for parents of children<br />
with chronic conditions, by Elizabeth<br />
Hoekstra and Mary Bradford. LCCN<br />
00009201. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books,<br />
Good News Publishers, 2000. ISBN<br />
1581341849, PAP, $12.99.<br />
248.845. Parents of chronically ill children--Religious<br />
life; Chronic diseases in children--Religious aspects--<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>ity. 206 p. Adult.<br />
One-third of American families are estimated to<br />
have children with life-altering diseases.<br />
Authors Elizabeth Hoekstra and Mary Bradford,<br />
both sisters and nurses, are mothers of such<br />
children. In Chronic Kids, Constant Hope, they<br />
share struggles and triumphs and offer help and<br />
encouragement to parents with chronically ill<br />
children. Written with compassion and<br />
sensitivity, the book brims with Scripture, hope,<br />
and practical advice.<br />
The authors understand the hurt,<br />
disappointment, and grief parents feel and cover<br />
pertinent topics. They aren’t afraid to tackle<br />
difficult questions and provide honest answers.<br />
Subjects include anger towards God, prayers for<br />
healing, medical care, how to respond when<br />
others are insensitive, educating yourself about<br />
disease, bonding as a family unit, how chronic<br />
disease affects siblings, schooling for the ill<br />
child, and much more. The authors discuss<br />
ways to cope emotionally, physically, and<br />
spiritually, and encourage readers to hope in<br />
God, who will not disappoint them. They<br />
suggest parents write stories of their children’s<br />
illnesses so they can testify about God’s<br />
faithfulness, provision, and protection when<br />
asked about their children.<br />
Parents of chronic kids will be comforted to<br />
know they aren’t alone in coping with their<br />
situations and will value this supportive<br />
resource. It offers tremendous help to raise<br />
well-adjusted children who know God has a<br />
purpose for their illness and lives. Also included<br />
are useful Scripture verses and an appendix with<br />
resources. I strongly recommend this resource<br />
for families with chronic kids and others who<br />
deal with them.<br />
Lydia E. Harris, Freelance Writer & Educator, Seattle, Washington<br />
Real family values : leading your family<br />
into the 21st century with clarity and<br />
conviction, by Robert Lewis. LCCN<br />
99050892. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah<br />
Publishers, 2000. ISBN 1576736679, PAP,<br />
$12.99.<br />
248.8’45. Family--Religious life; <strong>Christian</strong> ethics.<br />
265 p. Adult.<br />
Real Family Values sets out to clarify the values<br />
that are part of our cultural milieu and how these<br />
values help us understand the real forces at work<br />
in the changes we experience in life. It also<br />
seeks to offer suggestions and guidance as to<br />
how one can remove any moral confusion in the<br />
home and one’s family.<br />
This book will be resource for anyone interested<br />
in issues involved in many topics including nofault<br />
divorce, new definitions of what<br />
constitutes a family, safe sex, and values-neutral<br />
schools are affecting our culture. Lewis is able<br />
to bridge discussion and deal with the<br />
polarization of those who belong in one camp or<br />
another, e.g., pro-choice or pro-life, pro<br />
alternative lifestyles or anti homosexuals. His<br />
frank discussion and open-heart can enable<br />
adults to look farther, and discussion or study<br />
groups to probe the issues.<br />
Lewis pastors a church in Little Rock, Arkansas,<br />
and he and his wife Sherard have four children.<br />
He has also helped lead and develop a Men’s<br />
Fraternity ministry. A graduate of the University<br />
of Arkansas, Western Theological Seminary, and<br />
Talbot Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has<br />
written several books, including Rocking the<br />
Roles: Building a Win-Win Marriage (Navpress,<br />
1999). He has appeared on radio and television<br />
programs including Family Life Today, Focus<br />
on the Family, and The 700 Club.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The shaping of a <strong>Christian</strong> family, by<br />
Elisabeth Elliot. LCCN 00031082. Grand<br />
Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, Baker Book<br />
House, 2000. ISBN 080075736X, PAP,<br />
$12.99.<br />
248.8’45’0922. Howard family; Family--Religious<br />
life; Parenting--Religious aspects--<strong>Christian</strong>ity. 217 p.<br />
Adult.<br />
For many years, author Elisabeth Elliott has<br />
been an example of godly womanhood and<br />
faithful <strong>Christian</strong> service. Widowed in her<br />
twenties when husband Jim Elliott and four<br />
companions were massacred by Ecuador<br />
Indians they were attempting to reach for Christ,<br />
she returned to Ecuador with toddler daughter<br />
Valerie in tow to live for eleven years,<br />
ministering to the very tribe that had killed her<br />
husband. She was widowed a second time in<br />
later years when husband, Addison Leitch, died<br />
of cancer. Despite the tragedies she has<br />
endured, Elliott believes fervently in the<br />
goodness and mercy of God and, with the help<br />
of husband Lars Gren, shares her trust in and<br />
love for God with hundreds of thousands of<br />
people annually through her books, magazine<br />
articles, and radio program Gateway to Joy.<br />
But how did she become the woman she is<br />
today? What is her secret? Part of the answer to<br />
that is in the pages of The Shaping of a<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> Family, as Elliott tells of her<br />
childhood and growing up years and the<br />
example and training she received from parents<br />
Philip and Katherine Howard. In the<br />
introduction she says, “Let’s live before our<br />
children that they may be able to truly honor<br />
us..,” she then goes on to honor her parents and<br />
the way they chose to raise their children, using<br />
excerpts from her mother’s autobiography, her<br />
father’s speeches, her memories, and those of<br />
her siblings. She includes eight pages of family<br />
photos and a suggested reading list for parents<br />
and ends, in the afterword, by saying<br />
“[although] the principles [written about in this<br />
book] are sound and biblical, I believe, their<br />
application will differ in different times and in<br />
different homes” and then encouraging readers<br />
to ask God for help in building their own homes.<br />
Betty Winslow, Librarian, Bowling Green <strong>Christian</strong> Academy,<br />
Bowling Green, Ohio<br />
★<br />
A light in the shadows : emerging from the<br />
darkness of depression, by William L.<br />
Coleman. LCCN 00023352. Ann Arbor,<br />
Mich.: Vine Books, Servant Publications,<br />
2000. ISBN 1569551510, PAP, $10.99.<br />
248.8’525. Depression, Mental--Religious aspects--<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>ity; Depressed persons--Religious life. 192<br />
p. Adult.<br />
This book is a must for any <strong>Christian</strong> who is<br />
living with depression personally or who knows<br />
anyone who is living with the disease. A<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> counselor who lives with depression<br />
discusses the deep pathos and mind-set of a<br />
depressed person. His writing resonates with<br />
the peace of God and yet the pain of depression.<br />
There are five parts with short, one to two page<br />
stories that provide the reader with clear vision<br />
into the mind of the depressed. There are mini<br />
chapters that clearly show the depressed are able<br />
to experience joy.<br />
Coleman spends precious print space to remind<br />
others regarding what to do and not do as well as<br />
what to say or not say. These insightful<br />
suggestions are offered to help those suffering<br />
with depression as well as those who have loved<br />
ones experiencing depression. Coleman writes<br />
from the heart and his humor and self-analysis<br />
are powerful to read. Many of the mini sections<br />
end with a scripture verse. Especially helpful is<br />
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the closing chapter wherein Pat Coleman,<br />
spouse, offers thoughts to help the spouse of a<br />
depressed person cope with the situation.<br />
The attractive cover and inviting format make<br />
this book easy to pick up. The book is written<br />
from the perspective that depression is a disease<br />
that <strong>Christian</strong>s may get. Coleman uses Old and<br />
New Testament biblical stories to explain his<br />
thoughts and positions. This book would be<br />
checked out often in many libraries.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Teacher, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Daring to live on the edge : the adventure<br />
of faith and finances, by Loren<br />
Cunningham; with Janice Rogers.<br />
Seattle: WYAM Publishing, 1991. ISBN<br />
0927545063, PAP, $8.99.<br />
254.8. Finance; <strong>Christian</strong> life. 197 p. Adult.<br />
Loren Cunningham is the founder of Youth With<br />
A Mission (YWAM) and knows from firsthand<br />
experience to expect big things from God.<br />
Daring to Live on the Edge is a book both for<br />
those who make a living doing ministry and<br />
those who are financial supporters of ministry.<br />
With chapters entitled Living by Faith in the 9 to<br />
5 World and How to Ask for Money,<br />
Cunningham addresses these widely divergent<br />
audiences, and does so admirably. The subtitle,<br />
The Adventure of Faith and Finances, points<br />
directly to the goal of the book which is to<br />
encourage people to live by faith in both the<br />
giving and the receiving of money. This is not<br />
another Larry Burkett/ Ron Blue how-tobudget-your-money<br />
book. Cunningham shows<br />
that a person choosing to live by faith will<br />
experience God in a deeper way. To support his<br />
stance, he uses numerous examples of people<br />
living by faith in extreme circumstances.<br />
Though this book emphasizes faith,<br />
Cunningham carefully differentiates between<br />
God providing for our needs and God giving us<br />
our wants. This is not a book about God giving<br />
us our wants. It is about having faith in God’s<br />
provision when He has called you to minister.<br />
By giving, even a little, we may never know<br />
how much God can use our little bit to show his<br />
faithfulness to someone. Overall, Daring to<br />
Live on the Edge is a very balanced view of<br />
finances from one who has seen God do<br />
amazing things.<br />
Robert M. Lindsey, Associate <strong>Library</strong> Director, Hannibal, Missouri<br />
Against the night : living in the new dark<br />
ages, by Charles Colson with Ellen Santilli<br />
Vaughn. LCCN 99026124. Ann Arbor,<br />
Mich.: Vine Books, Servant Publications,<br />
1999. ISBN 1569551448, PAP, $10.99.<br />
261.’0973’09048. <strong>Christian</strong>ity and culture; <strong>Christian</strong><br />
life--Biblical teaching. 221 p. Adult.<br />
Chuck Colson’s book, Against the Night, first<br />
published in 1989, is available in this new<br />
printing which includes a new preface written<br />
by the author and a study guide. The book was<br />
widely read in its first release and will, no doubt,<br />
enjoy the praise of a new generation of<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s that is struggling with the same issues<br />
of how the Church of Jesus Christ should relate<br />
to the fallen culture in which it finds itself.<br />
Colson sounds the clarion that the Church is not<br />
changing the world. Many times its<br />
ineffectiveness is linked directly to its desire to<br />
be “relevant” and “adaptable” to the pagan<br />
society. Unfortunately, this is not what God<br />
requires of His Church, Colson argues. Instead,<br />
the author reminds us that Christ calls His<br />
Church to be the Church, to be obedient to His<br />
commands. Of course, the upshot is that this<br />
obedience actually will result in a changed<br />
culture. Thus, much of our desire to “change the<br />
world” is misdirected and ill-advised. Our<br />
desire—challenges Colson—must be obedience<br />
to the Lord.<br />
To support his claim Colson provides an<br />
outstanding series of essays that provide lessons<br />
in the history of culture. Colson transcends<br />
contemporary theological divisions as he<br />
effortlessly wraps quotations from Roman<br />
Catholic theologians around stories about<br />
pietistic evangelical successes. Colson is one<br />
whose experience sees beyond denominational<br />
labels to what God is actually accomplishing<br />
among His people. Quite often Colson shares<br />
personal anecdotes about his ministry<br />
experiences as a lecturer, lobbyist, and an<br />
advocate for prison reform. He peppers the<br />
narrative with examples from his days in the<br />
Nixon White House, Watergate, federal prison,<br />
and now the lecture circuit.<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s who think about how the Church<br />
functions in a postmodern society marked by a<br />
seeming lack of absolutes are encouraged to<br />
read this book thoroughly; those who have read<br />
it before are advised to revisit it.<br />
Daniel S. Brown, Professor of Communication, Indiana Wesleyan<br />
University, Indianapolis, Indiana<br />
Any given day in the life of the Bible,<br />
Wycliffe Bible Translators. LCCN<br />
93200095. Portland, Ore.: Multnomah<br />
Publishers, 1992. ISBN 0880705132, PAP,<br />
$12.95.<br />
266.023. Wycliffe Bible Translators--Pictorial works;<br />
Bible--Translating--History. 168 p. Adult (High<br />
school).<br />
October 1, 1991, was like Any Given Day in the<br />
Life of the Bible—except that on that day over<br />
100 members of Wycliffe Bible Translators in<br />
fifty countries took thousands of color<br />
photographs to provide a glimpse into a portion<br />
of the many varied peoples and activities<br />
involved in the worldwide Bible translation<br />
effort. This lavish 8 1/2“ x 11” book includes<br />
nearly 300 of those photographs, arranged by<br />
hours in a “dawn to dusk” sequence. Missionary<br />
linguists from several different countries go<br />
through the daily routines of their lives as they<br />
build friendships, learn unwritten languages,<br />
and work with native speakers to produce Bible<br />
translations for those who have n ever had the<br />
Scriptures in the language of their heart. The<br />
team of technical specialists supporting the<br />
work of Wycliffe field linguists includes radio<br />
technicians, airplane pilots, computer<br />
specialists, graphic artists, audio and video<br />
specialists, scholars, teachers for “missionary<br />
kids,” literacy workers, government liaison and<br />
administrative personnel, to name a few. As part<br />
of their language learning process, these<br />
missionaries often build personal friendships<br />
through medical and community development<br />
activities. Members of the lay ministry,<br />
Wycliffe Associates, contribute to hands-on<br />
building projects around the world.<br />
The printing and binding are top quality—the<br />
gutters on the several double-page spreads line<br />
up beautifully. Several inset photos and<br />
occasional pages with black background and<br />
white text provide visual variety. Captions<br />
accompanying photos identify people groups,<br />
geographic locations, the names of personnel<br />
featured, and the photographers. (Due to low<br />
contrast, some eyes may need magnifying<br />
glasses to read text comments printed over a<br />
very few double-page spreads.) Scripture<br />
passages interspersed throughout the book relate<br />
to the diverse activities portrayed. Any Given<br />
Day demonstrates how many people throughout<br />
the world affect, and are affected by, the work<br />
of Wycliffe Bible Translators.<br />
Donna W. Bowling, Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics<br />
<strong>Library</strong>, Dallas, Texas<br />
★<br />
In the image of God : faces and souls that<br />
reflect their creator, by Hyatt Moore and<br />
artists of Wycliffe Bible Translators.<br />
Orlando, Fl.: Wycliffe Bible Translators,<br />
1999. ISBN 0938978160, PAP, $19.95.<br />
266.023. Wycliffe Bible Translators--Pictorial works.<br />
148 p. Adult.<br />
An oversized paperback book, In the Image of<br />
God contains page after page of illustrations<br />
depicting mankind from all over the world. The<br />
book is divided into the following areas: North<br />
America, Central America, South America,<br />
Eurasia/Asia, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. All<br />
illustrators are Wycliffe Bible Translators. The<br />
artists (amateur and professional) portray the<br />
image of God’s likeness in conjunction with<br />
Bible verses. Hyatt Moore writes a paragraph of<br />
comments that correspond to the Bible verses<br />
and the artwork. The illustrations range from:<br />
pen and ink drawings, oil on canvas,<br />
photographs of sculpture, watercolor, and<br />
acrylic on canvas. For each geographic region,<br />
the illustrators have given the reader a glimpse<br />
of what the native people look like at work and<br />
at play.<br />
There is no index nor is there a table of contents<br />
included. The illustrations are mainly color but<br />
there are some in black and white. The last page<br />
of the book explains the Bibleless People Prayer<br />
Project. An address and website are listed for<br />
those readers who may be interested in learning<br />
more about the project.<br />
Connie J. Weaver, Church & Reference Librarian, Newville,<br />
Pennsylvania<br />
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★<br />
Come what may, by Betty M. Hockett.<br />
LCCN 98073586. Newberg, Ore.: Barclay<br />
Press, 1998. ISBN 0913342890, PAP,<br />
$15.00.<br />
266.’092. El Sembrador (Honduras); Hawk, Don;<br />
Hawk, Twana; Missions--Honduras. 253 p. Adult<br />
(High school).<br />
Kneeling in his cornfield, Don Hawk answers<br />
yes to God’s unexpected plan for his life. Come<br />
What May is the true story of Twana and Don<br />
Hawk who left all they knew in 1947 to be<br />
missionaries in Honduras. Because their vision<br />
was unique, they were not given the financial<br />
support of the missionary board. Undaunted,<br />
the Hawks sold their prospering Ohio farm and<br />
moved to the Central American jungle using<br />
their own money. Through difficult times, they<br />
never waiver from their goal to have a selfsupporting<br />
farm school that teaches<br />
disadvantaged boys a vocation and tells them<br />
about Christ’s love. Overcoming many<br />
obstacles, the school is eventually selfsupporting<br />
and also validated by the Honduran<br />
government. Many boys’ lives are forever<br />
changed, and many neighbors come to know<br />
Christ as a result of Don and Twana’s tireless<br />
work. The name of the school, “El Sembrador,”<br />
means The Sower. Many seeds of faith are<br />
planted at the school and many former students<br />
go on to the ministry. Some seeds are still<br />
waiting to sprout and Twana continues to pray<br />
for those. El Sembrador is still in existence<br />
today and operated by Don and Twana’s<br />
children and grandchildren.<br />
Author Betty M. Hockett does a fine job of<br />
making the Hawk’s struggles, joys, and answers<br />
to prayer come to life for the reader. This book<br />
is an exciting biography with a touch of humor<br />
which adults and teens will enjoy reading. To<br />
make for easier reading, Hockett put the<br />
pronunciation for the many Spanish words in<br />
parentheses. A fifteen-page photo album is<br />
included. Putting faces to names adds an extra<br />
dimension to the story. Following God,<br />
wherever he leads, no matter what, is an<br />
important lesson at any age.<br />
Elizabeth Coleman, Freelance Writer, Tumwater, Washington<br />
Is that really you, God? : hearing the voice<br />
of God, by Loren Cunningham; with<br />
Janice Rogers. LCCN 84001862. Seattle:<br />
WYAM Publishing, 1984. ISBN<br />
0310607116, PAP, $8.99.<br />
267. Youth With a Mission, Inc.; Cunningham, Loren;<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> biography. 157 p. Adult.<br />
This book is really two books enmeshed in one:<br />
a chronicle of the Youth With a Mission<br />
ministry, and a how-to on recognizing God’s<br />
direction.<br />
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) started with a<br />
vision Cunningham saw of waves of young<br />
people spreading across continents with the<br />
good news of Jesus Christ. He took it from<br />
vision to reality by seeking God’s leading and<br />
learning to obey with pure motives. Along the<br />
way he battled with setbacks and with pride and<br />
struggled to keep in close relationship with God.<br />
He lists his failures as well as his successes,<br />
including what he learned from each.<br />
He periodically went off by himself to fast, pray,<br />
and read scripture, inspired by Jesus’ forty days<br />
in the wilderness before His public ministry. He<br />
received confirmation of God’s leading through<br />
other people and through extraordinary means.<br />
And he saw his ministry multiply as he<br />
remained in communion with God.<br />
Cunningham tells YWAM’s story in a<br />
straightforward but entertaining manner,<br />
recording the contributions of family, friends,<br />
and others. He closes the book with a chapter<br />
listing twelve principles to keep in mind while<br />
pursuing the Lord’s direction.<br />
Andrea R. Huelsenbeck, Freelance Writer and Drama Minister,<br />
Tempe, Arizona<br />
Please pray for us : praying for persecuted<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s in 52 nations, Johan<br />
Companjen, general editor. LCCN<br />
00009992. Minneapolis: Bethany House,<br />
2000. ISBN 0764224166, PAP, $9.99.<br />
272.’0’090511. Persecution--Prayer-books and<br />
devotions--English. 219 p. Adult.<br />
Companjen, as the general editor, has provided<br />
an excellent reference for <strong>Christian</strong>s who would<br />
like information regarding how to pray more<br />
effectively for specific countries. He is the<br />
president of Open Doors International that deals<br />
with the persecuted church around the world.<br />
His commitment to the persecuted church is<br />
documented in the contributor page of the book.<br />
Justin Long has done the research for this book.<br />
Long has had over ten years experience specific<br />
to missions and unreached peoples and<br />
countries. Companjen has selected 52 nations<br />
where prayer is critical. He chose 52 countries<br />
so one may pray for a different country each<br />
week. The countries are presented<br />
alphabetically in the book. On page eleven is a<br />
powerful chart indicating the 52 countries where<br />
persecution against <strong>Christian</strong>s is the worst.<br />
Present in each chapter is a brief description of<br />
the country with a statistical box inset.<br />
Additionally, there are short paragraphs<br />
pertaining to church life in the country,<br />
persecution of people, the future for the country<br />
and/or church, and specific prayer topics. Every<br />
now and then the people who are in the front<br />
lines in the targeted country share an interesting<br />
story. This would be an excellent addition to<br />
any library.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Teacher, Linwood, Kansas<br />
Guerrilla hostage, by Denise Marie Siino.<br />
LCCN 98042893. Grand Rapids: Fleming<br />
H. Revell, Baker Books, 1999. ISBN<br />
0800756932, PAP, $9.99.<br />
278.61. Rising, Ray--Captivity, 1994-1996; Hostages-<br />
-Colombia--Biography; Hostages--United States--<br />
Biography; Summer Institute of Linguistics--<br />
Biography. 239 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Denise Marie Siino writes a gripping story about<br />
the kidnapping of Ray Rising in Colombia and<br />
his subsequent two years as a prisoner. Siino<br />
begins Guerrilla Hostage with a little<br />
background information on the political<br />
situation in Colombia and moves into the day of<br />
the kidnapping. The Risings were in Colombia<br />
working with Wycliffe Bible Translators. After<br />
his capture, Ray does his best to remain a<br />
faithful witness in circumstances that most of us<br />
cannot imagine. To remain hidden from the<br />
Colombian army, the guerrilla groups move<br />
often and change personnel frequently. Rising<br />
suffers the suspense of wondering which will<br />
kill him first, the kidnappers or the jungle. He<br />
experiences extreme loneliness and doubt.<br />
Allowed to have a New Testament that included<br />
some Psalms, Ray spends significant portions of<br />
each day reading and wrestling with the “why’s”<br />
and “how much longer’s.” Through it all, God<br />
shows that He is indeed in control even though<br />
Rising may never know why the Lord permitted<br />
this circumstance or what eternal effect his<br />
captivity will have.<br />
Siino portrays the terrorists as human beings<br />
with feelings and motivations of their own. She<br />
assists us in picturing them as Ray came to see<br />
them. While some captors taunt and harass<br />
Rising, others risk rebuke by befriending him.<br />
Beginning the book with some background on<br />
Colombia helps put the story in context.<br />
Additional features include appendix of names,<br />
eight pages of pictures and footnotes. Some<br />
important details contained in the footnotes are<br />
not used in the text. Readers from high school<br />
through adult would enjoy this journey of faith.<br />
Robert M. Lindsey, Associate <strong>Library</strong> Director, Hannibal, Missouri<br />
300’s—Social Sciences<br />
When love dies : how to save a hopeless<br />
marriage, by Judy Bodmer. LCCN<br />
99024421. Nashville: Word Publishing,<br />
1999. ISBN 0849937140, PAP, $12.00.<br />
306.8’1. Marriage; Marriage--Psychological aspects;<br />
Love; Divorce; Interpersonal relations. 194 p. Adult.<br />
Writing from personal experience, Judy<br />
Bodmer, in When Love Dies, fills fourteen<br />
chapters with wisdom, doses of humor, and<br />
scriptures that restore hope for marriages headed<br />
toward divorce. Each chapter begins with a<br />
scripture text, or inspirational quote, and ends<br />
with an action designed to challenge the reader.<br />
For example, chapter two tells these truths about<br />
divorce: a core of depression and a sense of<br />
personal failure pervades those who experience<br />
divorce; a divorcee’s standard of living (for<br />
women) will go down 73 percent; children are<br />
seriously affected for life. The action item in<br />
this chapter includes a prayer written by Thomas<br />
Kempis regarding surrender to Christ. Other<br />
recommended actions include acting in love<br />
toward your spouse because the Bible<br />
commands it, a specific plan to symbolically<br />
forgive your spouse, and reading Matthew 5, 6,<br />
and 7 of The Message.<br />
“The decision to leave your husband is not made<br />
in a moment; but is arrived at over time,” writes<br />
Bodmer. Then she illustrates how to recognize<br />
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your part in the estranged marriage and why<br />
forgiveness is the cornerstone to healing and<br />
peace. “Just as Christ’s forgiveness is<br />
unconditional so must yours be.” Bodmer<br />
describes the path to forgiveness, what it means,<br />
and how to do it when it doesn’t seem possible.<br />
Her use of anecdotes to demonstrate hard truth<br />
is especially appealing because of the clarity<br />
each story brings.<br />
Each chapter contains excellent information on<br />
issues found in divorce, such as anger, mental or<br />
physical sexual involvement, betrayal, and<br />
defining the real problems. A comprehensive<br />
notes and bibliography section provides further<br />
resources. This book is comparable to Anna<br />
Kristin Carrols’ excellent resource, Together<br />
Forever, which is now out of print, and would<br />
make a good replacement. Bodmer’s book<br />
could change the direction of your life and your<br />
marriage.<br />
Gail Welborn, Freelance Writer/Reporter, Everett, Washington<br />
600’s—Technology (Applied Sciences)<br />
A quiet world : living with hearing loss, by<br />
David G. Myers. LCCN 00038153. New<br />
Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 2000. ISBN<br />
0300084390, HBB, $18.50.<br />
617.8. Deafness--Popular works; Hearing disorders--<br />
Popular works; Hearing aids. 176 p. Adult.<br />
In this book, David Myers introduces us to the<br />
world of the hard of hearing. Written in the form<br />
of an occasional journal over a period of ten<br />
years, Myers looks at this issue from both a<br />
professional and a personal perspective. For it is<br />
during this ten-year period that Myers himself<br />
wrestles with a gradual loss of hearing. As a<br />
professor of psychology at Hope College in<br />
Michigan, and, the author of a number of<br />
psychology textbooks, Myers is well qualified<br />
to chronicle the physiology and psychology of<br />
hearing loss. However, as a person enmeshed in<br />
the day-to-day struggle of coming to terms with<br />
his condition, Myers must face the uncertainties<br />
like the rest of us. It is here that his work shines.<br />
For there is a tension between Myers’<br />
presentation of the search for technological<br />
advances in hearing aid devices, and his<br />
personal love/hate relationship with his present<br />
equipment. On the one hand, Myers lays out the<br />
various components of hearing loss: alienation<br />
in relationships, communication struggles, and<br />
the essential support played by family and<br />
friends. On the other hand, there is the personal<br />
angst as Myers endeavors to teach, give public<br />
interviews, and live a “normal” social life. The<br />
juxtaposition of these two perspectives is the<br />
genius of the book.<br />
A Quiet World is a good introduction to the<br />
challenges faced by the hard of hearing, and the<br />
present and potential progress made in the area<br />
of technology. It offers “outsiders” a glimpse<br />
into this often-neglected world. Myers also<br />
includes an appendix of resources for the hard of<br />
hearing, which provides information on<br />
publications, resource centers, and organizations<br />
supporting these individuals.<br />
Ted Goshulak, University Librarian, Langley, British Columbia,<br />
Canada<br />
Read to me : raising kids who love to read,<br />
revised and updated by Bernice E.<br />
Cullinan. LCCN 00027178. New York:<br />
Scholastic, 2000. ISBN 043908721X, PAP,<br />
$6.95.<br />
649.58. Children--United States--Books and reading;<br />
Reading--parent participation--United States. 151 p.<br />
Adult.<br />
In 1979 Jim Trelease self-published the first<br />
edition of his The Read-Aloud Handbook.<br />
Many revisions later, it remains the<br />
quintessential guide to the correlation between<br />
reading aloud to children and their future<br />
academic success.<br />
What Trelease’s book does in scholarly fashion,<br />
Cullinan’s does simply and concisely. Half the<br />
size of Trelease’s tome, Read to Me is less<br />
intimidating to parents who might be reluctant<br />
readers themselves.<br />
In the first thirty pages, Cullinan makes the case<br />
for reading out loud to children. She shares<br />
some heartbreaking statistics: 82% of prison<br />
inmates are school dropouts and 60% are<br />
illiterate. But female inmates can be coaxed to<br />
learn to read using children’s picture books—<br />
which they, in turn, read to their own children on<br />
visiting days.<br />
Cullinan points out that just as a child needs<br />
models for speech, “he needs models for<br />
reading, too. He needs to hear what reading<br />
sounds like when it is done by a competent<br />
reader.” Otherwise, kids miss the flow, the<br />
larger picture, as they get bogged down in the<br />
chain of individual words.<br />
If parents do not read to their preschooler, all is<br />
not lost. One teacher who began reading out<br />
loud to a class of struggling sixth graders saw a<br />
leap in their comprehension—and discovered<br />
the kids were reading ahead because they were<br />
eager to find out what would happen next.<br />
The body of Read to Me is made up of how-to<br />
chapters, with tips on getting started and<br />
suggestions for related activities. Cullinan<br />
describes how to read to a child from infancy<br />
through age twelve. Her book list is less<br />
extensive than Trelease’s, with briefer<br />
summaries, but she also includes a list of<br />
children’s magazines, wonderful tools to delight<br />
young readers. This inexpensive book would<br />
make a wonderful gift for new parents.<br />
Andrea R. Huelsenbeck, Freelance Writer and Drama Minister,<br />
Tempe, Arizona<br />
Kids in danger, by Ross Campbell with<br />
Carole Sanderson Streeter. Colorado<br />
Springs: Chariot Victor, 1999. ISBN<br />
0781433916, PAP, $10.99.<br />
649.’7. Anger in children; Child rearing; Conflict<br />
(Psychology) in children. 187 p. Adult.<br />
Originally published in 1995, Kids in Danger is<br />
meant to help parents, teachers, and all<br />
concerned recognize anger in children, its<br />
possible causes and manifestations, as well as<br />
definitive methods in handling the anger of a<br />
child. Dr. Campbell uses short, easy to<br />
understand vignettes of real life situations to<br />
exemplify his points. He also explains what<br />
anger is and what it is used for in a positive<br />
setting. Laced throughout is Scripture to<br />
undergird his points. Dr. Campbell spends<br />
much of his book discussing passive aggression.<br />
He sees this manifested in many young people’s<br />
(and adults) lives. His visual anger ladder helps<br />
individuals track the activities that display anger<br />
negatively or positively. Dr. Campbell also<br />
describes what he calls the “25%/75%” person.<br />
The 25%’s are people who are pro-authority and<br />
the 75%’s are those who are anti-authority. He<br />
believes that all people fall somewhere on the<br />
spectrum of these two categories. He also<br />
believes that proper identification of which one<br />
we lean to will help us handle our anger more<br />
effectively.<br />
The book is an attractive paperback with many<br />
helpful sections. The notes section is useful as<br />
are his tables and visuals within the book. The<br />
two sections I like are the section for parents of<br />
children with special needs, and <strong>Christian</strong>s and<br />
anger. The special needs child also needs to<br />
learn how to handle anger and Dr. Campbell<br />
helps the parent(s) to see how and why this<br />
needs to be done. The section discussion<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s and anger is helpful in showing how<br />
pastors have suffered from anger displayed to<br />
them and how unmanaged anger may create a<br />
sociopath in the sheepfold.<br />
Bianca Elliott, Teacher, Linwood, Kansas<br />
★<br />
The alphabet makers, a presentation from<br />
the Museum of the Alphabet, Waxhaw,<br />
North Carolina. Huntington Beach,<br />
Calif.: Summer Institute of Linguistics,<br />
1991. ISBN 0938978136, PAP, $13.95.<br />
813.’54’20. Language and languages; Alphabet. 95 p.<br />
Adult (High school).<br />
On the outskirts of Waxhaw, North Carolina,<br />
The Museum of the Alphabet stands as a unique<br />
educational resource. In a 4900 square foot<br />
building, the history of writing in the world’s<br />
many different languages and scripts comes<br />
alive. Using photographs and paintings,<br />
sculptures and weavings, quiz boxes and<br />
models, a special focus of this multimedia<br />
exhibition is on people who have contributed to<br />
this history. The museum is a dream-child of<br />
Cameron Townsend, the founder of Wycliffe<br />
Bible Translators and the Summer Institute of<br />
Linguistics, and utilizes the efforts of noted<br />
linguists, artists, and many volunteers.<br />
This 9 x 12 book is not an ordinary museum<br />
guide book. Rather, artistically arranged fullcolor<br />
photographs of the museum’s paintings,<br />
maps, charts, and other artifacts illustrate the<br />
narrative history of writing in the diverse<br />
languages of the world. Fine detail in several<br />
illustrations invites the use of a magnifying<br />
glass. A floor plan of the museum in the<br />
introduction to The Alphabet Makers indicates<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 7 8 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
ADULT<br />
NONFICTION<br />
the order of topics. More than forty different<br />
language scripts are described and illustrated.<br />
Several systems of numbers, musical notations,<br />
Braille and Moon alphabets for the blind, and<br />
one hand sign alphabet for the deaf are included.<br />
The development of the manufacture of paper<br />
and later the movable type printing press made<br />
significant contributions to the advance of<br />
writing. Through the years, the worldwide<br />
effort for Bible translation has benefited from,<br />
and frequently encouraged, the development of<br />
new alphabets. As previously unwritten<br />
languages are reduced to writing, they<br />
sometimes demand the invention of new<br />
alphabet letters to represent special sounds in<br />
those languages. Today computers facilitate the<br />
development and use of the special characters<br />
needed to produce printed materials. Attractive<br />
for browsing, this book is useful for study or<br />
reference. Includes generous bibliography, but<br />
no subject index.<br />
Donna W. Bowling, Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics<br />
<strong>Library</strong>, Dallas, Texas<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 7 9 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
REFERENCE<br />
000’s—Generalities<br />
The church librarian’s handbook : a<br />
complete guide for the library and<br />
resource center in <strong>Christian</strong> education,<br />
3rd ed., by Betty McMichael. LCCN<br />
98007885. Grand Rapids: Baker Books,<br />
1998. ISBN 0801057728, PAP, $17.99.<br />
027.6. Church libraries--United States--Handbooks,<br />
manuals, etc.; Church libraries--Canada--Handbooks,<br />
manuals, etc. 288 p. Adult.<br />
The Church Librarian’s Handbook by Betty<br />
McMichael provides all the information any size<br />
church library would need to get started or to<br />
make improvements in existing systems.<br />
Intended primarily for the church librarian, but<br />
also directed at other interested church staffers,<br />
McMichael’s book offers twelve chapters, four<br />
appendices, a lengthy bibliography and index.<br />
The first chapter presents the hypothetical<br />
launching of a church library, delineating all the<br />
pitfalls one might encounter. Overall, however,<br />
the tone of this vade mecum is that of inspiration<br />
and enthusiasm. Ensuing chapters delve into<br />
staffing, book and AV selection, establishing<br />
policies, preparing materials, promotion of the<br />
library, financing, budgeting, and computer<br />
usage. The author intersperses germane biblical<br />
references throughout her text. There are a lot of<br />
ideas and guidance to draw from in this book<br />
and it is obvious the author has a great deal of<br />
experience.<br />
Results from surveys of church libraries are<br />
provided in almost every chapter to arm the<br />
neophyte librarian with what is at least an<br />
“average” figure or goal. For example, the<br />
average church library has 240 square feet; 26%<br />
of church libraries check out 1-19 books per<br />
week. Church library budgets are recommended<br />
to fall within one-half to one percent of the total<br />
church operating budget.<br />
At least half the value of the book is in the<br />
voluminous appendices, which give names and<br />
addresses of suppliers and associations, a<br />
classification system, and subject headings. The<br />
bibliography appears comprehensive but<br />
somewhat dated. Bibliography entries appear to<br />
be current as of the publication date of the book<br />
but there are titles that are too old to serve wellfor<br />
example, Computer Basics for Librarians<br />
and Information Scientists which has a<br />
publication date of 1981.<br />
If there is a drawback to the book, it is<br />
timeliness. Although this, the third edition, was<br />
published in 1998, readers are still referred to<br />
Wilson <strong>Library</strong> Bulletin—defunct since 1995.<br />
The address for <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Library</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> given<br />
in the appendix is five years old. Also, the<br />
illustrations seem dated and, while computers<br />
are mentioned, primacy is given to doing things<br />
by hand.<br />
David W. Rash, Public Services Librarian & History Instructor,<br />
Everett Community College<br />
(Editor’s note: CLJ’s address has changed several times in the past<br />
five years. Please see our current address on the contents page of<br />
this issue.)<br />
200’s—Religion<br />
Index of biblical images : similes,<br />
metaphors, and symbols in Scripture :<br />
based on the text of The new international<br />
version of the Bible, by Warren W.<br />
Wiersbe. LCCN 00710334. Grand<br />
Rapids: Baker Books, 2000. ISBN<br />
0801091071, PAP, $9.99.<br />
220.6. Metaphor in the Bible--Indexes. 127 p. Adult.<br />
Over 400 figures of speech are indexed in this<br />
easy-to-use paperback designed primarily for<br />
preachers and teachers of the Word. Preachers<br />
who are teaching through the book of John may<br />
be interested in how other writers use the image<br />
of “bread,” for example. The index provides<br />
thirteen categories which show “bread” used to<br />
mean, among other things, “Christ,” “The Body<br />
of Christ,” “Sorrow/discipline,” “Poverty,”<br />
“Friendship,” and “Sin.”<br />
The metaphors are arranged in alphabetical<br />
order from “Account” to “Wrestle.” The author<br />
confesses his own frustration in creating<br />
categories and assigning passages. When is a<br />
given passage metaphorical and when is it not?<br />
Eschatological concepts are considered<br />
symbolic and this, of course, reflects Wiersbe’s<br />
dispensational theology. Likewise, Paul’s text<br />
about “Isaac” and “Ishmael” in Galatians 4:28-<br />
31 is labeled “God’s Children” and “Legalism”<br />
respectively. Missing from the book is any<br />
significant commentary other than the brief<br />
introduction and acknowledgements; even the<br />
“brief phrases” that commonly appear in<br />
concordances are absent. The index is a list of<br />
biblical references formatted in three columns<br />
per page. From Wiersbe, the evangelical<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> reader expects more, frankly.<br />
While the book is disappointing on these counts,<br />
it is important to note that preachers yearning for<br />
fresh and creative ways of exposing biblical<br />
truth are always looking for new tools to create<br />
their messages. This is one such tool that many<br />
will find helpful because it points them in the<br />
pathway of creative and original thinking.<br />
Daniel S. Brown, Professor of Communication, Indiana Wesleyan<br />
University, Indianapolis, Indiana<br />
The Baker atlas of <strong>Christian</strong> history,<br />
[edited by] Tim Dowley. Grand Rapids:<br />
Baker Books, 1997. ISBN 0801022487,<br />
HBB, $29.99.<br />
270. <strong>Christian</strong> Church--History--Maps. 160 p. Adult<br />
(High school).<br />
This atlas is a re-issue of Dowley’s earlier Atlas<br />
of the Bible and <strong>Christian</strong>ity. The new title (just<br />
released in fall 2000) more accurately reflects<br />
the scope and content of this unique reference<br />
book: it covers the span of church history.<br />
Organized in four sections—Old Testament,<br />
New Testament, Early Church, and Modern<br />
Church—the work is comprehensive and yet<br />
accessible to the curious. The atlas contains<br />
over 160 computer-generated maps in full color;<br />
50 beautiful full-color photographs; numerous<br />
charts; latitude and longitude references; sound<br />
commentary; and an indispensable index and<br />
gazetteer. Dowley has edited numerous<br />
volumes on <strong>Christian</strong> history and doctrine over<br />
the years. This book is yet another pleasant and<br />
profitable fruit of his efforts. It not only<br />
includes the expected archeological maps of<br />
ancient Hebrew history and Paul’s missionary<br />
journeys; Dowley and his editing team have<br />
created maps and charts representing the spread<br />
of <strong>Christian</strong>ity—its various <strong>Christian</strong> sects and<br />
movements—from the beginning of the church<br />
to the late 20th century. This is the type of<br />
reference that converts the casual consumer into<br />
a devotee. Reports of data are unbelievably<br />
manageable and understandable in this format.<br />
The graphics paint the history of <strong>Christian</strong><br />
proliferation in page after page. Rather than<br />
focusing on stories of individuals, however, this<br />
reference work shows in sweeping detail the<br />
societal and cultural shifts in page after page.<br />
The various waves of Church growth and<br />
development are quite striking when viewed in<br />
this manner. The comparative religious details<br />
are impressive when seen graphically. The<br />
religious affiliations of the world population are<br />
visually summarized; scholarly commentary,<br />
including caveats and warnings about how to<br />
interpret and apply the information, is well done<br />
and written from an evangelical perspective<br />
throughout the work.<br />
Daniel S. Brown, Professor of Communication, Indiana Wesleyan<br />
University, Indianapolis, Indiana<br />
300’s—Social Sciences<br />
Baker’s guide to <strong>Christian</strong> distance<br />
education : online learning for all ages, by<br />
Jason D. Baker. LCCN 00040382. Grand<br />
Rapids: Baker Books, Baker Book House,<br />
2000. ISBN 0801063418, PAP, $13.99.<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 8 0 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
REFERENCE<br />
371.35025. Distance education--United States--<br />
Directories; University extension--United States--<br />
Directories; Computer-assisted instruction--United<br />
States--Directories; Church colleges--United States--<br />
Directories. 223 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Whether you’re looking for K-12 home<br />
schooling or want to earn an undergraduate or<br />
graduate degree, this guide will help the reader<br />
discover the options available for <strong>Christian</strong><br />
distance learning. As a reference took, Baker’s<br />
Guide to <strong>Christian</strong> Distance Education features<br />
aspects of distance learning such as models of<br />
distance course delivery, understanding<br />
accreditation, and a directory of 100 different<br />
programs outlined with profiles covering<br />
kindergarten through high school and accredited<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> certificate and degree programs<br />
(ranging from bachelor’s through doctoral level)<br />
that are delivered via various distance education<br />
methods.<br />
Baker has a passion to equip people with a<br />
biblical worldview. As a distance student<br />
himself, he writes with conviction and<br />
experience. His earlier books include Parents’<br />
Computer Companion (Baker Book, 1999) and<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> Cyberspace Companion (Baker Book,<br />
1997). He and his wife and two sons live in<br />
Baltimore, Maryland.<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> libraries, and adults seeking to locate<br />
what is available for lifelong learning or to<br />
deepen skills, will find in this guide succinct,<br />
easy-to-follow advice and programs outlined in<br />
detail.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
A dictionary of folklore, by David<br />
Pickering. LCCN 00703027. New York:<br />
Facts on File, 1999. ISBN 0816042500,<br />
HBB, $40.00.<br />
398. Folklore--Dictionaries; Mythology--Dictionaries.<br />
324 p. High school (Adult).<br />
A Dictionary of Folklore, written by David<br />
Pickering, gives the reader of folklore and ethnic<br />
mythologies a source for quick identification of<br />
terms, symbols, and persons found in tales from<br />
around the world. Pickering’s book is most<br />
complete in its coverage of the European<br />
traditions, but it also contains entries from<br />
American Indian, African, and South American<br />
traditions as well as from the Far East. The<br />
explanations are succinct, noting terms within<br />
the definitions which are themselves defined<br />
elsewhere. Alternate names or terms are<br />
provided with ”see“ and ”see also“ references to<br />
direct the reader to the proper term or a fuller<br />
explanation of aspects of a given definition.<br />
A Dictionary of Folklore is the perfect armchair<br />
guide for those just beginning to delve into the<br />
more serious treatment of the world of folk and<br />
fairy tales that is encountered in typical high<br />
school literature curricula. The definitions,<br />
arranged alphabetically regardless of source, are<br />
of the precise length and simplicity to satisfy the<br />
need for a quick explanation of those allusions<br />
often found in literature as well as those works<br />
falling into the fantasy genre. Cross-referencing<br />
is extensive and clear, giving every help to the<br />
reader in finding the correct or most complete<br />
sense of an entry. Also impressive is the<br />
geographic scope. For such a small work, it<br />
touches on major traditions from all over the<br />
globe, excepting those from the ancient world.<br />
If there is any material weakness in Pickering’s<br />
work, it might be in its lack of a pronunciation<br />
guide for the many words from non-English<br />
sources and of a selected bibliography for those<br />
who would like to pursue this subject further.<br />
Pamela A. Todd, Librarian/English Teacher, Chalcedon <strong>Christian</strong><br />
School, Cumming, Georgia<br />
400’s—Language<br />
Descriptionary : a thematic dictionary,<br />
2nd ed., by Marc McCutcheon. LCCN<br />
99089026. New York: Facts on File, 2000.<br />
ISBN 0816041059, HBB, $45.00.<br />
423.1. English language--Synonyms and antonyms;<br />
Description (Rhetoric)--Dictionaries; English<br />
language--Terms and phrases; Figures of speech--<br />
Dictionaries; English language--Dictionaries. 560 p.<br />
Adult (High school).<br />
Can’t think of the word on the tip of your<br />
tongue? Intrigued with discoveries when<br />
searching for that right word? Then consult<br />
Descriptionary by Mark McCutcheon. This<br />
560-page volume fits perfectly on the shelf<br />
between a dictionary and a thesaurus. In doing<br />
a crossword, I needed a word for ‘age of<br />
majority.’ I checked the alphabetical index ‘age<br />
of majority’ where it says page 217. Going to<br />
217, one finds the phrase in the criminal and tort<br />
law section with the description “when one<br />
legally becomes adult, usually considered to be<br />
of age 18.” Legal fit the crossword but even<br />
more interesting were the many words in law<br />
made simple and easy to understand.<br />
McCutcheon’s reference aid is divided into<br />
twenty-two broad subject areas, e.g.,<br />
architecture, medicine, tools; and these are<br />
divided further into 194 sub topics. The reader<br />
will find not only a definition and synonyms but<br />
components and technical words that make this<br />
journey a fun one. Under ‘space flight,’ e.g., one<br />
finds the various satellites and space probes with<br />
technical words such as avionics, blackout,<br />
gimbal, and retro rocket, and in addition a list of<br />
shuttle acronyms.<br />
Dozens of new terms reflect current usage in<br />
fields such as the Internet, medicine, finance, the<br />
performing arts, science, sports, politics, and the<br />
government. A closing chapter, “1,050 Words<br />
and Expressions You Should Know,” include<br />
basic vocabulary and expressions to expand<br />
one’s comprehension. Examples include c’est la<br />
vie, hubris, Holy Grail, WASP, and wistful.<br />
Adults will find this a tool one comes back to.<br />
Some readers will linger in the interesting<br />
directions offered when searching for a<br />
particular word. The unusual word arrangement<br />
enables one to find a variety of words to<br />
instantly increase practical vocabulary.<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> school libraries will find this a helpful<br />
title for high schoolers.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
500’s—Natural Sciences & Mathematics<br />
Birding in the American West : a<br />
handbook, by Kevin J. Zimmer. LCCN<br />
99053727. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell Univ.<br />
Press, 2000. ISBN 080148328X, HBB,<br />
$49.95.<br />
598.’07’23478. Bird watching--West (U.S.); Birds--<br />
West (U.S.)--Identification. 402 p. Adult.<br />
Birds of North America, by Kenn<br />
Kaufman. (Kaufman focus guides.)<br />
LCCN 00056717. New York: Houghton<br />
Mifflin, 2000. ISBN 0395964644, PAP,<br />
$20.00.<br />
598.’097. Birds--North America--Identification;<br />
Birds--North America--Pictorial works. 384 p. Adult.<br />
National Audubon Society the Sibley<br />
master guide to birds : field identification,<br />
written and illustrated by David Allen<br />
Sibley. LCCN 00041239. New York:<br />
Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. ISBN 0679451226,<br />
PAP, $35.00.<br />
598.’097. Birds--North America--Identification. 544<br />
p. Adult.<br />
With the continuing growth in the number of<br />
birders (or bird-watchers) in North American<br />
over the past two decades, it is hardly surprising<br />
that the number of new guides and handbooks<br />
published continues to escalate. Following in<br />
the footsteps of Roger Tory Peterson these three<br />
books all strive to assist the observer in<br />
accurately identifying the bird species they<br />
encounter. Kaufman, Sibley, and Zimmer are all<br />
part of the new generation of experts who are<br />
passing on their experience and expertise to a<br />
broader public in well-produced volumes of upto-date<br />
information. Birds of North America<br />
most clearly follows the legacy of Roger Tory<br />
Peterson. However, Kaufman has ventured out<br />
into a new technological frontier as he uses<br />
digitally enhanced photographs to emphasize<br />
the significant field marks crucial to identifying<br />
a particular species of bird. Over 2000<br />
photographs were scanned into computer files<br />
and corrected for color consistency, size, and<br />
lighting. This is the first field guide to adopt the<br />
technique. Besides the photo-enhanced images,<br />
the field guide itself primarily follows the<br />
familiar Peterson structure. The arrangement of<br />
species is not however consistent with the latest<br />
AOU list, as birds are grouped together by<br />
similar features rather than taxonomy. Colorcoded<br />
tabs divide the book into sixteen sections<br />
for quick thumb indexing. The range maps and<br />
species and voice descriptions are well done,<br />
providing a succinct description of each bird, its<br />
habits, and habitat. Kaufman’s stated objective<br />
with this work is to attract a whole new section<br />
of the population to birding. Birds of North<br />
America does an admirable job of fulfilling that<br />
goal.<br />
Within weeks of the publication of Kaufman’s<br />
book, a second guide made its appearance on<br />
bookshelves. David Sibley’s NAS Sibley Guide<br />
to Birds was more than ten years in the making,<br />
and is much larger in size and scope than<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 8 1 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
REFERENCE<br />
Kaufman’s work. With more than 66,000<br />
watercolor illustrations describing 810 species<br />
(and 350 regional populations), Sibley has<br />
broken new ground with this reference work.<br />
Each species of bird is presented in an average<br />
of a dozen illustrations and is shown in all<br />
plumages. Unique to this guide is the extensive<br />
use of small sketches showing head-on or tail-on<br />
views of birds in flight. The layout features<br />
illustrations, text, and maps all on one page;<br />
another unique feature. The Sibley Guide<br />
begins with a thorough introduction focusing<br />
particularly on bird topography. Throughout the<br />
guide an introductory page is provided for each<br />
family or group of related families of birds. The<br />
total package is a massive work setting a new<br />
standard for North America field guides. Both<br />
Kaufman and Sibley’s books are innovative and<br />
provide the birding community; from the<br />
“uninitiated” to the “converted,” with<br />
identification tools of high quality.<br />
Birding in the American West is a companion<br />
handbook that can be used together with the<br />
field guides reviewed above. Both Kaufman<br />
and Sibley provide users with accurate and<br />
detailed information on the physical<br />
identification of species. Zimmer’s book is<br />
meant to fill the gaps left by those resources.<br />
Identifying birds is only the beginning; knowing<br />
where to find them is quite another thing. It is<br />
here that Zimmer provides expert guidance.<br />
Despite the geographically limited scope of the<br />
book the general concepts apply across all of<br />
North America. Birding in the American West<br />
provides birders with the general concepts and<br />
framework needed to develop good<br />
identification skills as well as to investigate the<br />
important elements of determining where<br />
species occur and why (habitat recognition,<br />
elevation, key plant species, nest site<br />
availability, time of day, and time of year).<br />
Zimmer also devotes a chapter to the art of<br />
taking field notes of your sightings. The final<br />
two chapters are spent looking at difficult<br />
identification issues and focusing on where<br />
particular Western specialty birds can be found.<br />
With its use of drawings and photographs to<br />
supplement the text, this work is a goldmine of<br />
hard-to-find information. Time spent digesting<br />
the wealth of data in this book will definitely<br />
pay off in developing greater skills in the field.<br />
Ted Goshulak, University Librarian, Langley, British Columbia,<br />
Canada<br />
800’s—Literature & Rhetoric<br />
Contemporary <strong>Christian</strong> authors : lives<br />
and works, by Janice DeLong and Rachel<br />
Schwedt. LCCN 99041563. Lanham,<br />
Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2000. ISBN<br />
0810836882, HBB, $45.00.<br />
810.9’3823. <strong>Christian</strong> fiction, American--Biobibliography--Dictionaries;<br />
Novelists, American--20th<br />
century--Biography--Dictionaries. 385 p. Adult (High<br />
school).<br />
Inspirational fiction, <strong>Christian</strong> fiction, novels<br />
without gratuitous violence or sex—few<br />
libraries have not felt the interest or noticed the<br />
requests for titles in this new and growing genre.<br />
Contemporary <strong>Christian</strong> Authors by Delong and<br />
Schwedt focuses on writers who have achieved<br />
a wide readership through at least one<br />
outstanding contribution, although most have<br />
penned numerous titles.<br />
Styles of the writers included here vary, from<br />
picturesque historical fiction to adventure<br />
stories to areas of spiritual warfare and<br />
prophecy, but all the works contain a<br />
commitment to a philosophy based on<br />
traditional values and a <strong>Christian</strong> worldview.<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> librarians will be able to suggest<br />
additional authors for patrons, and readers can<br />
learn a lot about individual authors.<br />
The A to Z format of writer’s entries include a<br />
picture of the author, a professional section<br />
listing education completed, career, awards and<br />
memberships. The publications section offers<br />
an inventory of the author’s published works,<br />
and an expanded biographical narrative in the<br />
personal section offers glimpses into each<br />
writer’s research techniques and literary<br />
elements emphasized. A summary section<br />
highlights one or more titles that represent the<br />
author’s style with a brief synopsis.<br />
Randy Alcorn, Stephen Bly, Will Cunningham,<br />
Doris Elaine Fell, Angela Elwell Hunt, Paul<br />
McCusker, Judith Pella, Michael Waite, and<br />
Lance Wubbels are among the sixty-eight<br />
authors highlighted. A cross-index of titles and<br />
authors makes location even easier.<br />
Delong holds degrees in education and has<br />
taught in both public and parochial schools and<br />
along with husband, Robert, is raising four<br />
children. Schwendt holds a library science<br />
degree and has been a teacher and librarian in<br />
both private and public schools. She and<br />
husband, Ronald, have two grown children.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
The Facts on File companion to the<br />
American short story, edited by Abby H.P.<br />
Werlock. LCCN 99037703. New York:<br />
Facts on File, 2000. ISBN 0816031649,<br />
HBB, $65.00.<br />
813.’0103. Short stories, American--Encyclopedias.<br />
542 p. Adult (High school).<br />
Focusing on American short story authors from<br />
the early 19th century to the 1990s, The Facts on<br />
File Companion to the American Short Story has<br />
made special efforts to include all authors of<br />
merit, including previously ignored writers of<br />
both genders from all major cultural<br />
backgrounds. This Companion contains author<br />
entries in an A to Z format that include dates,<br />
biographies, lists of stories and their critical<br />
reception, and selected bibliographies.<br />
Individual entries, also alphabetical, appear on<br />
literary terms, themes, motifs, locales,<br />
influential critics, and major short story prize<br />
awards. Appendices include winners of selected<br />
prizes, stories listed by subject and setting, and a<br />
selected bibliography of historical events that<br />
have influenced short story writers, and<br />
theoretical approaches to the short story. The<br />
index is a treasure—making it easy to find all<br />
references and major treatment of authors, titles,<br />
and subjects.<br />
The clear, jargon-free style makes the 675<br />
entries in this guide something high schoolers<br />
can use with understanding and skill, and which<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> libraries will find contains a lot of<br />
content in very short space. Both scholars and<br />
students can wean something from the analysis<br />
offered here. One particular strength is that the<br />
interpretations of the stories are not just factual<br />
synopses of the stories but energizing and new<br />
ways of looking at them.<br />
Werlock is associate professor emeritus of<br />
English with a doctorate in American studies.<br />
She lives in Troy, Pennsylvania.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
900’s—Geography, History, and<br />
Biography<br />
Chronology of world history, by H.E.L.<br />
Mellersh. LCCN 99019300. Santa<br />
Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 1999. ISBN<br />
1576071553, HBB, $375.00.<br />
902.’02. Chronology, Historical. 4 v. Adult (High<br />
school).<br />
The four volume reference set Chronology of<br />
World History is divided by the following time<br />
periods: Volume I: Prehistory- AD 1491, The<br />
Ancient and Medieval World; Volume II 1492-<br />
1775: The Expanding World; Volume III: 1776-<br />
1900, The Changing World; and Volume IV:<br />
1901-1998, The Modern World. This series is<br />
compiled by a team of editors and overseen by<br />
advisory board of individuals from numerous<br />
universities and colleges.<br />
Within each volume, the entries are divided into<br />
four main categories and twenty-five<br />
subcategories. The main categories are: Politics,<br />
Government, and Economics; Science,<br />
Technology, and Medicine; Arts and Ideas; and<br />
Society. The subcategories are arranged<br />
alphabetically beneath each category. Scattered<br />
throughout each volume are boxes of “special<br />
features” highlighting major events<br />
chronologically. Each time- period closes with<br />
a section on the births and deaths of prominent<br />
individuals.<br />
An extensive index in the back of each volume<br />
assists the researcher in finding items of interest.<br />
Each entry of information is a sentence or two.<br />
With the information limited to a sentence or<br />
two, the references aid one more in the<br />
acquisition of trivia knowledge than a deep<br />
understanding of historical events. These books<br />
are “who” and “when” references. For<br />
information on the “why” and “how” of<br />
historical events one would use an encyclopedia<br />
or more comprehensive book.<br />
The gems within the books are the mini essays<br />
found throughout the pages. For example, an<br />
entire page is dedicated to the Rise of Islam<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 8 2 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
REFERENCE<br />
(610-756). From essays such as this, the reader<br />
is given a basic overview of complex issues.<br />
It is interesting to note the editors’ choice to<br />
divide the volumes according to historically<br />
significant time periods in American history.<br />
Through Volume III, the books seem to be<br />
balanced with a variety of political, scientific,<br />
and cultural details.<br />
Volume IV: 1901-1998, The Modern World,<br />
holds a more media dependent view. The<br />
editors allot ten to twelve pages per year to<br />
cover happenings in modern history. The<br />
second part of the 20th century dedicates a full<br />
page or more per year to movies released,<br />
naming the director and the actors. While<br />
Religion, Math, Education, and Health and<br />
Medicine sections contain a couple of<br />
paragraphs each, numerous sitcoms such as<br />
Gilligan’s Island, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and<br />
Friends each rate a paragraph detailing the<br />
program theme and the cast.<br />
Top Tony, Emmy, and Oscar awards are listed<br />
for each year. Also, the sports section lists the<br />
results of the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, and the<br />
World Series giving the appearance that the<br />
fourth volume is dominated by major U.S.A.<br />
media events rather than milestones in world<br />
history. This series is not illustrated.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
Timelines 2000 on file, Rev. ed., by the<br />
Diagram Group. LCCN 00039333. New<br />
York: Facts on File, 2000. ISBN<br />
0816042772, HBB, $390.00.<br />
902.’02. World history--Chronology. 4 v. Adult<br />
(High school).<br />
Want history in outline form? Like to compare<br />
one period with another, or one culture’s<br />
happenings with another? Want a loose-leaf<br />
resource that can be copied and encourages<br />
chronological thinking, historical<br />
comprehension, and issues analysis? Timelines<br />
on File offers a broad cultural and social picture<br />
of history and is sure to find a home in <strong>Christian</strong><br />
high schools and libraries.<br />
The set consists of four volumes, which access<br />
historic information on world history, social,<br />
economic, cultural and scientific events. Over<br />
40,000 dates are arranged by period, region, and<br />
by theme. One can consult just a page or linger<br />
longer in a particular area of interest. The<br />
attractive illustration and charts make it easy for<br />
high school students to use.<br />
The Ancient and Medieval World (Prehistory-<br />
1500 CE) follows the usual pattern with sections<br />
devoted to an outline of world history, Middle<br />
and Near East, European, American history,<br />
African, and Asian history. Subjects and topic<br />
consideration are laid out and covered the same<br />
in all four volumes: religion, science and<br />
technology, and the arts.<br />
The Expanding World (1500-1900) offers an<br />
outline of world history, then American history,<br />
and separate sections devoted to Canadian,<br />
Latin American, European, Middle East,<br />
African, Asian, and Australasian history.<br />
The 20th Century has twelve sections with same<br />
breakdown as The Expanding World, except<br />
added are sections on Latin American and the<br />
Caribbean, and one specifically on U.S. history.<br />
Nations and States has eight sections with focus<br />
on North American (each of the fifty states are<br />
handled separately), Central America and<br />
Caribbean (with each of the countries<br />
highlighted from Belize and Costa Rica to<br />
Trinidad and Tobago), South America<br />
(Argentina to Venezuela), European (Albania to<br />
Yugoslavia), African (Algeria to Togo), Middle<br />
East/Western Asian (Afghanistan to<br />
Turkmenistan), South and East Asian<br />
(Bangladesh to Vietnam), and Australasian<br />
(Australia to Western Samoa).<br />
Each of the loose-leaf pages consists of hard<br />
stock paper and is attractively laid out. All of<br />
the material may be photocopied for research<br />
and student use.<br />
Leroy Hommerding, Director, Fort Myers Beach P.L. District, Fort<br />
Myers, Florida<br />
Historical atlas of exploration : 1492-1600,<br />
by Angus Knostam. LCCN 99086935.<br />
New York: Checkmark Books, Facts on<br />
File, 2000. ISBN 0816042489, HBB,<br />
$35.00.<br />
910.’9. Discoveries in geography. 192 p. Adult<br />
(High school).<br />
Within the pages of the Historical Atlas of<br />
Exploration, 1492-1600, author Angus Knostam<br />
tackles the complicated history of global<br />
exploration authorized by the governments of<br />
Portugal, Spain, England, and France during the<br />
Age of Exploration. He touches briefly on the<br />
role of the <strong>Christian</strong> Church mentioning the<br />
“priests brought to convert the natives.” A<br />
section is given to critiquing the history of the<br />
church and the pope during the 15th century.<br />
Objectives listed for some of the explorers is to<br />
spread <strong>Christian</strong>ity throughout the new found<br />
lands, along with a desire for exploration,<br />
wealth, and personal glory.<br />
Beginning with Portugal’s Prince Henry the<br />
Navigator, the author provides biographical<br />
sketches of prominent navigators spanning a<br />
century and a half. The influence of European<br />
exploration toward native cultures is detailed<br />
including the brutality of the explorers and their<br />
crews. The author also discusses tribal<br />
behaviors such as cannibalism, slavery, and<br />
human sacrifices which occurred among some<br />
of the tribes encountered. The book is<br />
extensively illustrated with historic maps and<br />
paintings and drawings depicting the time<br />
period. The various artists have drawn the<br />
native people in their normal state of dress so<br />
partial nudity is commonplace.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
★<br />
Encyclopedia of archaeology. The great<br />
archaeologists, edited by Tim Murray.<br />
LCCN 99052159. Santa Barbara, Calif.:<br />
ABC-CLIO, 1999. ISBN 1576071995,<br />
HBB, $150.00.<br />
930.1’092’2. Archaeologists--Biography--<br />
Encyclopedias. 2 v. Adult (High school).<br />
The Encyclopedia of Archaeology. The Great<br />
Archaeologists is two volumes in a five volume<br />
set on archaeology. The editor Tim Murray<br />
chose fifty-eight archaeologists who contributed<br />
significant archaeological advancements as<br />
subjects. Each biographical essay was<br />
researched and written by practicing<br />
archaeologists. The sketches are listed<br />
chronologically.<br />
The articles are scholarly works directed toward<br />
a readership who has a working knowledge of<br />
archaeology or access additional information on<br />
the subject such as the following three volumes<br />
of the series. The writers often accept the reader<br />
understands associations of individuals within<br />
the field of archaeology. Each biography<br />
concludes with a bibliography of primary and<br />
secondary sources for further reading.<br />
An alphabetically list of entries is placed at the<br />
beginning of each volume. The second book<br />
closes with a glossary of archaeological terms<br />
and an index. Throughout the books, black and<br />
white photographs show portraits of the subject,<br />
crew, and archaeological digs.<br />
Much of the archaeology theory written<br />
supports a evolutionary perspective but the<br />
advancement of important anthropological<br />
information of ancient cultures cannot be<br />
forgotten.<br />
Joanne M. Haffly, Homeschool Parent/Writer, Gig Harbor,<br />
Washington<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 8 3 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
INDEX<br />
$66 summer 38<br />
100 best games 28<br />
A. Lincoln and me 10<br />
Adventures down under 35<br />
Adventures in Misty Falls 17<br />
African skies 57<br />
Against the night 76<br />
Ahmek 16<br />
Alcorn, Stephen 45<br />
Alexander Hamilton 44<br />
Alexander, Hannah 66<br />
Alexander, Sue 15<br />
All about turtles 26<br />
All you ever need 16<br />
Aloha Cove 35<br />
Alphabet makers 78<br />
Amazing life of Benjamin Franklin 29<br />
Amazing secret 31<br />
Amy Carmichael 41<br />
Anastasia 31<br />
Ancient strife 58<br />
And the angels were silent 8<br />
Anders, Isabel 7, 53<br />
Any given day in the life of the Bible 76<br />
Apple, Margot 10<br />
April and May 48<br />
Arch books 8<br />
Armadillo tattletale 16<br />
Armistead, John 38<br />
Arnosky, Jim 26<br />
Arthur, Kay 71<br />
As you wish 52<br />
AstroKids 18, 21<br />
Awakening 66<br />
Backwater 47<br />
Baer, Judy 62<br />
Bailey, Linda 15<br />
Bailey, Wendy 15<br />
Bainton, Roland H. 9<br />
Baker atlas of <strong>Christian</strong> history 80<br />
Baker's guide...distance education 80<br />
Baker, Jason D. 80<br />
Banks, Timothy 17<br />
Barnyard prayers 29<br />
Baseball for breakfast 16<br />
Bates, Ivan 10<br />
Batty Hattie 31<br />
Bauer, Joan 47<br />
Bayer, John F. 65<br />
Bear on the train 10<br />
Beck, Andrea 12<br />
Beckett, Wendy 71<br />
Before and after Easter 8<br />
Bell, James Scott 59<br />
Bell, Mary Reeves 50<br />
Beneath the mockingbird's wings 59<br />
Benge, Geoff 56<br />
Benge, Janet 56<br />
Benjamin's box 7<br />
Bernardin, James 7<br />
Best friends forever 62<br />
Best of Wilfred Grenfell 3<br />
Between two flags 39<br />
Betz, Adrienne 22<br />
Bierle, Don 70<br />
Big bad beans 16<br />
Big Truck and Little Truck 10<br />
Big truths for little kids 25<br />
Birding in the American West 81<br />
Birds of North America 81<br />
Bjorkman, Steve 12<br />
Black hands, white sails 43<br />
Blackaby, Henry T. 71<br />
Blackwood, Gary 50<br />
Bladholm, Cheri 27<br />
Blessing in disguise 59<br />
Blind justice 59<br />
Blizzard 30<br />
Bloodhounds, Inc. 17, 18, 19<br />
Bly, Stephen 64<br />
Bodmer, Judy 77<br />
Bolton, Martha 13<br />
Bond, Peter 42<br />
Boomer's big surprise 10<br />
Borden, Louise 10<br />
Bourgeois, Paulette 13<br />
Bowler, K. Christie 7<br />
Boys life adventure Bible storybook 22<br />
Bradford, Mary 75<br />
Brave Martha 10<br />
Breathing new life into Lent 8<br />
Brennan, Patrick J. 72<br />
Brief history of Canada 57<br />
Bright 'n beautiful 10<br />
Brinkerhoff, Shirley 50<br />
Brouwer, Sigmund 8, 9<br />
Brown, Terry K. 31, 37, 51<br />
Bruce 54<br />
Building the book Cathedral 43<br />
Bumblebee at Apple Tree Lane 11<br />
Bunting, Eve 11<br />
Burkhart, Jeffrey E. 8<br />
Butterfield, Ned 11<br />
Butterfly house 11<br />
Butternut Hollow Pond 26<br />
By the light of a thousand stars 59<br />
Byrd, Sandra 18, 20<br />
Cabs, cameras, and catastrophes 47<br />
Caledonia 58<br />
Campbell, Elspeth 19<br />
Campbell, Ross 78<br />
Can-do Thanksgiving 11<br />
Captain's hat 17<br />
Card, Michael 20<br />
Caribbean Island adventure 33, 38<br />
Carlson, Melody 7, 11, 12, 13, 32, 47, 61, 63<br />
Carpenter's cloth 8<br />
Carr, Jan 10<br />
Case of the missing minds 17<br />
Cassie, you're a winner 17<br />
Chat freak 31<br />
Child's garden of prayers 25<br />
Chisholm, Sarah Reid 7<br />
Christ in Easter 8<br />
Christenson, Larry 27<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> heroes, then and now 56<br />
Christmas doll 17<br />
Christmas story 24<br />
Christy and Todd 52<br />
Chronic kids, constant hope 75<br />
chronicles of the golden frontier 68<br />
Chronology of world history 82<br />
Church librarian's handbook 80<br />
Civil liberties 55<br />
Clark, Brenda 13<br />
Cleavers don't live here anymore 74<br />
Close call 17<br />
Cochran, Brian 7<br />
Cody unplugged 18<br />
Coffey, Tim 15<br />
Coleman, William L. 75<br />
Collins, Heather 30<br />
Colson, Charles W. 8, 76<br />
Come what may 77<br />
Command the sun 60<br />
Companjen, Johan 77<br />
Contemporary <strong>Christian</strong> authors 82<br />
Cooper, Patrick 14<br />
Costello, Angela Ward 7<br />
Cote, Nancy 11<br />
Coyote at Pinon Place 11<br />
Crafts for all seasons 27<br />
Creation 24<br />
Criss, Keith 8<br />
Crist, Terry M. 73<br />
Crown of fire 60<br />
Cry freedom 60<br />
Cul-de-sac kids 16<br />
Cullinan, Bernice E. 78<br />
Cunningham, Loren 76, 77<br />
Cutrer, William 63<br />
Darcy and friends 31<br />
Daring to live on the edge 76<br />
Daughter of Twin Oaks 60<br />
Daughters of faith 69<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 8 4 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
INDEX<br />
David Livingstone 41<br />
Davidson, Alice Joyce 7<br />
Davis, Bryan 7, 8<br />
Day Jesus died 7<br />
Day the circus came to town 11<br />
Dear America 33, 36, 37<br />
Deering, Kathryn 72<br />
Deines, Brian 10<br />
DeLong, Janice 82<br />
Denenberg, Barry 37<br />
Dennard, Deborah 11<br />
dePaola, Tomie 15<br />
Descriptionary 81<br />
Developing <strong>Christian</strong> fiction collections 32<br />
Diagram Group 83<br />
Diamond of the Rockies 65<br />
Diary of a teenage girl 47<br />
DiCianni, Ron 20<br />
Dictionary of folklore 81<br />
Divine symphony 61<br />
DK guide to space 42<br />
Dooling, Michael 29<br />
Dow, Rosey 65<br />
Dowd, John 33, 38<br />
Dowley, Tim 80<br />
Down North on the Labrador 3<br />
Downs, Sandra 26<br />
Draw 3-D 43<br />
Drawn by a China moon 33<br />
Dream a little dream 35<br />
DuBosque, Doug 43<br />
Duffey, Betsy 18<br />
Durbin, William 34<br />
DusÎková, Mája 28<br />
Dyson, Marianne J. 43<br />
Earth's fiery fury 26<br />
Easter ABCs 7<br />
Easter Bunny, are you for real? 7<br />
Easter hunt 7<br />
Easter promise 7<br />
Easter story 24<br />
Easy credit 55<br />
Ebert, Len 8<br />
Edgemon, Roy T. 71<br />
Edwards, Dennis 22<br />
El Nino and La Nino 42<br />
Elephant tears 47<br />
Elliot bakes a cake 12<br />
Elliot Moose story 12<br />
Elliot, Elisabeth 75<br />
Elmer, Robert 18, 21, 35, 38<br />
Emergency! 27<br />
Empson, Lila 7<br />
Encyclopedia of archaeology 83<br />
Enemy pie 12<br />
Enright, Vicky 27<br />
Enslow, Anne 44<br />
Enslow, Ridley 44<br />
EO International 71<br />
Erickson, David L. 13<br />
Eva's summer vacation 18<br />
Eversole, Robyn 15<br />
Everything book 12<br />
Everything I long for 61<br />
Exodus 23<br />
Exploring planet earth 26<br />
Eyer, Richard C. 70<br />
Facts on File...American short story 82<br />
Faith to grow on 23<br />
Family celebrations at Easter 8<br />
Family countdown to Easter 8<br />
Fangorn 35, 49<br />
Fangs for the memories 18<br />
Fantastic faith 12<br />
Farmer Brown's field trip 12<br />
Farnes, Catherine 49, 50<br />
Fenton, John 9<br />
Ferguson, J. Landon 68<br />
Final quest 58<br />
Final week of Jesus 8<br />
Firebird 60<br />
Fireside storie of love, life… 61<br />
Fisherman's Saint 3<br />
Fleming, Denise 12, 27<br />
Follow me 72<br />
For such a time 61<br />
Forever friends 13<br />
Forget me not 35<br />
Forging freedom 44<br />
Forgotten 48<br />
Fortner, Tama 25<br />
Forty years for Labrador 3<br />
Frangipane, Francis 58<br />
Franklin's class trip 13<br />
Franklin's neighborhood 13<br />
Free stuff for crafty kids…internet 22<br />
From sacrifice to celebration 9<br />
Gaard, Betty 51<br />
Gabriel, God, and the fuzzy blanket 13<br />
Galvin, Laura Gates 11<br />
Gavitt, Anne 33, 35<br />
Gay, Kathleen 55<br />
Genzo, John Paul 11<br />
Giblin, James Cross 29<br />
Gifted for good 72<br />
Girl who chased away sorrow 33<br />
Glahn, Sandra 63<br />
Glaser, Linda 26<br />
Glorious morning! 9<br />
God's will, God's best for your life 54<br />
Godwain, Laura 29<br />
Gold, Alison Leslie 45<br />
Good news about injustice 73<br />
Good night, sleep tight 28<br />
Good ol' Noah had an ark, E-I-E-I-O 13<br />
Gottfried, Ted 45<br />
Graham, Paula W. 44<br />
Graver, Jane 26<br />
Graves, Keith 16<br />
Great galaxy goof 18<br />
Great railroad race 33<br />
Greenwood, Barbara 30<br />
Gregory, Fran 38<br />
Gregory, Kristiana 33<br />
Grenfell of Labrador 3<br />
Grenfell, Wilfred 3<br />
Griessman, Annette 13<br />
Guerrilla hostage 77<br />
Gunn, Robin Jones 51, 52<br />
Haidle, David 24<br />
Haidle, Elizabeth 24<br />
Haidle, Helen 24<br />
Hall, Laurie Sharlene 74<br />
Hambrick, Sharon 39<br />
Hansen, Gloria 22<br />
Harris, Larnelle 8<br />
Harris, Robert J. 49<br />
Haugen, Gary A. 73<br />
Hawthorne, Sally 69<br />
Hayford, Jack 9<br />
Heathersleigh homecoming 62<br />
Hehenberger, Shelly 25<br />
Heim, Judy 22<br />
Heinz, Brian J. 26<br />
Heitzmann, Kristen 62, 65<br />
Helen Bradley mysteries 69<br />
Help! My friend's in trouble! 54<br />
Henderson, Dee 68<br />
Hermes, Patricia 37<br />
Heroines of the golden west 64<br />
Hettings, Jan David 72<br />
Hey, that's not what the Bible says! 22<br />
Hibbard, Ann 8<br />
Hidden treasures : N.T. 23<br />
Hidden treasures : O.T. 23<br />
Higgs, Liz Curtis 7<br />
Historical atlas of exploration 83<br />
Hockett, Betty M. 77<br />
Hoekstra, Elizabeth 75<br />
Hogsty Reef 33<br />
Holiday hero 18<br />
Holland, Gay 26<br />
Hollingsworth, Mary 61<br />
Hollow tree 34<br />
Holocaust 45<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 8 5 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
INDEX<br />
Holt, Kristi 31<br />
Holy people, holy lives 70<br />
Honigsberg, Peter Jan 15<br />
Honor's reward 62<br />
Horse whispers in the air 48<br />
Horsefeathers 48<br />
Horton, David 22<br />
How you are changing 26<br />
Howard, Evan Drake 9<br />
Hudson Taylor 41<br />
Hunt, Angela Elwell 8<br />
Hunt, Richie 25<br />
Hunt, Susan 25<br />
Husbands and fathers 74<br />
Hyland, Hilary 40<br />
I want my mummy 19<br />
I want to know 7<br />
I've just seen Jesus 8<br />
Image maker 73<br />
Imperial legions 62<br />
In the image of God 76<br />
Index of biblical images 80<br />
Intercessory prayer 58<br />
Iraq : old land, new nation in conflict 57<br />
Is that really you, God? 77<br />
Issacs, Anne 52<br />
Ivy and Allison 48<br />
Jackson, Dave 33, 35, 41<br />
Jackson, Neta 33, 35, 41<br />
Jacques, Brian 35, 49<br />
Jantz, Stan 54<br />
Jay Jay the jet plane 10, 12<br />
Jennings, Sharon 13<br />
Jenny McGrady mystery 48<br />
Jenny's story 62<br />
Jensen, Steve 31<br />
Jesus 7<br />
Johnson, Cathy Ann 24<br />
Johnson, Jane 29<br />
Johnson, Kevin 54<br />
Johnson, Lois Walfred 41<br />
Johnston, Julie 54<br />
Jolliff, William 56<br />
Jonathan Edwards 56<br />
Jones, Annie 64<br />
Jones, Ivan 28<br />
Jones, Mal 28<br />
Jones, Martha Tannery 39<br />
Jonke, Tim 8<br />
Jordan, John 28<br />
Josephine's fortune 63<br />
<strong>Journal</strong> of August Pelletier 34<br />
<strong>Journal</strong> of Joshua Loper 34<br />
<strong>Journal</strong> of Otto Peltonen 34<br />
Journey to the end of the earth 35<br />
Joy to the world 73<br />
Joyner, Rick 58<br />
Kaufman focus guides 81<br />
Kaufman, Kenn 81<br />
Kelly, Theresa 35<br />
Kent, Reneé 17<br />
Kerr, James 3<br />
Kest, Kristin 11<br />
Ketteman, Helen 16<br />
Kids Can...jumbo book of gardening 27<br />
Kids in danger 78<br />
Kindig, Tess Eileen 51<br />
King, Tara Calahan 12<br />
Kingsbury, Karen 64, 68<br />
Kinkade, Thomas 25<br />
Kit 48<br />
Klauba, Douglas 13, 16<br />
Knostam, Angus 83<br />
Koala Beach outbreak 35<br />
Krensky, Stephen 19<br />
Kurisu, Jane 7, 27<br />
Labrador days 3<br />
Labrador logbook 3<br />
Labrador looks at the Orient 3<br />
Ladwig, Tim 8<br />
LaRochelle, David 8<br />
Larsen, Carolyn 24<br />
Larson, Elyse 61<br />
Lasky, Kathryn 34<br />
Last safe house 30<br />
Laurel 48<br />
Lawson, Julie 10<br />
Learning about sex series 26<br />
Leaving Cuba 55<br />
Legend of Luke 35<br />
Legend of the Easter Egg 7<br />
Lemmons, Thom 69<br />
Leppard, Lois Gladys 36<br />
Let's talk about it stories for kids 41<br />
Lethal harvest 63<br />
Lewin, Ted 10<br />
Lewis, Beverly 16, 65<br />
Lewis, E. B. 14<br />
Lewis, Robert 75<br />
Liberty bell 60<br />
Light in the shadows 75<br />
Like gold refined 63<br />
Lindley, Thomas 28<br />
Lineage of grace 68<br />
Lion and the mouse 25<br />
List 63<br />
Little dogs on the prairie 28<br />
Little girls devotional storybook… 24<br />
Liu, Lesley 19<br />
Living on Nothing Atoll 35<br />
Lollar, Phil 28<br />
Look-alikes 28<br />
Look-alikes, jr. 28<br />
Looking for you all my life 63<br />
Lord Brocktree 49<br />
Lost Romance Ranch 64<br />
Louise goes wild 19<br />
Love ya like a sister 54<br />
Luba and the wren 25<br />
Lucado, Max 8, 9, 16<br />
Lunn, Janet 34<br />
Luther, Martin 9<br />
Luv@first site 51<br />
Lyon, Tammie 7<br />
MacArthur, John 23<br />
Macaulay, David 43<br />
MacGregor family adventures 47<br />
Machalek, Jan 18<br />
Mackall, Dandi Daley 37, 48<br />
Maendel, Rachel 20<br />
Magnificent monarchs 26<br />
Maier, Paul L. 8, 24<br />
Malvehy, Terry Kretzer 49<br />
Man's faith 3<br />
Mandie and the buried stranger 36<br />
Mandie and the dark alley 36<br />
Mandie and the seaside rendezvous 36<br />
Mandie book 36<br />
Marchiano, Bruce 9<br />
Marquesa 64<br />
Marsden, Hannah 20<br />
Marstall, Bob 26<br />
Martin Luther 41<br />
Martin Luther's Easter book 9<br />
Martyrs to madness 45<br />
Mary and the empty tomb 7<br />
Masada 45<br />
Masoff, Joy 27<br />
Matthew passion 9<br />
McCarver, Aaron 59<br />
McCutcheon, Marc 81<br />
McDowell, Josh 54<br />
McGeorge, Constance W. 10<br />
McGill, Alice 14<br />
McKissack, Fredrick L. 43<br />
McKissack, Patricia 37, 43<br />
McMichael, Betty 80<br />
Mei Fuh : memories from China 19<br />
Mellersh, H.E.L. 82<br />
Men of faith 56<br />
Mercati, Cynthia 20<br />
Meyer, Carolyn 31<br />
Meyer, Jeff 21<br />
Midwife's song 64<br />
Miller, Calvin 61<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 8 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
INDEX<br />
Mohr, Joseph 28<br />
Mollel, Tololwa M. 14<br />
Molly Bannaky 14<br />
Moment of weakness 64<br />
Moore, Hyatt 76<br />
Moore, Joan Trusty 9<br />
Moore, Tom 3<br />
Moores, Ian 42<br />
Morison, Frank 9<br />
Morris, Gerald 38<br />
Morris, Gilbert 59, 60, 68<br />
Morris, Karyn 27<br />
Morse, Tony 15<br />
Mrs. Mack 14<br />
Munger, Nancy 7<br />
Munson, Derek 12<br />
Murphy, Jim 30<br />
Murray, Tim 83<br />
Museum of the Alphabet 78<br />
Music of the American colonies 44<br />
My America 37<br />
My Bible friends 7<br />
My dear Noel 29<br />
My heart is on the ground 36<br />
My name is America 34<br />
My rows and piles of coins 14<br />
My secret war 36<br />
Myers, Bill 16, 17, 18, 19<br />
Myers, David G. 78<br />
Myers, Walter Dean 34<br />
Myra, Harold 7<br />
Mystery of the attic lion 19<br />
Mystery of the backdoor bundle 19<br />
Mystery of the golden reindeer 19<br />
Myth maker : J.R.R. Tolkien 44<br />
NAS the Sibley master guide to birds 81<br />
Nate Saint 56<br />
Natti, Susanna 19<br />
Nature's fury 42<br />
Nazi Germany 45<br />
Neavill, Michelle 7<br />
Neimark, Anne E. 44<br />
Nelles, Lyn Boyer 13<br />
Nentwig, Wendy Lee 47, 51<br />
Never trust a squirrel! 14<br />
Nielsen, Virginia 31<br />
Night of Las Posadas 15<br />
Nikki Sheridan series 50<br />
Nordberg, Bette 66<br />
Nordstrom, Joe 19<br />
Northern neighbors 3<br />
Nzingha 37<br />
O'Neal, Debbie Trafton 8<br />
Off the rocks 3<br />
Oke, Janette 63<br />
Old enough to know 54<br />
Omega deception 65<br />
On the cross road 9<br />
One eye laughing, the other weeping 37<br />
One more time, mama 15<br />
Opposing viewpoints 55<br />
Ordaz, Francisco 24<br />
Ordaz, Tim 8<br />
Orphan train west for young adults 48<br />
Osbeck, Kenneth W. 73<br />
Osborne, Mary Pope 36<br />
Osborne, Rick 7<br />
Our covenant God 71<br />
Our strange new land 37<br />
Out of hiding 49<br />
Owens, Carolyn 55<br />
Palisades pure romance 57, 68<br />
Parable of the lily 7<br />
Partridge, Elizabeth 56<br />
Passage to Little Bighorn 49<br />
Passport to danger 50<br />
Patty, Sandi 8<br />
Peace rebel 38<br />
Peart, Jane 48<br />
Peck, Richard 52<br />
Pella, Judith 67<br />
Perez, Eulalia 28<br />
Perfect catch 73<br />
Petal power 20<br />
Peter's first Easter 8<br />
Peterson, Tracie 66, 67<br />
Pferdehirt, Julia 41<br />
Phillips, Michael 58, 62<br />
Pickering, David 81<br />
Pillow of dreams 15<br />
Place in the heart 35<br />
Place to come home to 61<br />
Please pray for us 77<br />
Poetry of John Greenleaf Whittier 56<br />
Pogány, Susan Browning 55<br />
Polacco, Patricia 14, 25<br />
Pomeranc, Marion Hess 11<br />
Pope, William 3<br />
Portrait of lies 37<br />
Powell, Linda 7<br />
Prairie legacy 63<br />
Pregnant and single 55<br />
Preston, Jeff 23<br />
Prince, Derek 74<br />
Prize of life 3<br />
Promise breaker 38<br />
Promise of Zion 38<br />
Queen's own fool 49<br />
Quiet world 78<br />
Rachel, a Hutterite girl 20<br />
Rare and endangered 38<br />
Ray, Brenda 64<br />
Read to me 78<br />
Real family values 75<br />
Real life begins after high school 54<br />
Reaping the whirlwind 65<br />
Red berry wool 15<br />
Red River of the North 59<br />
Redemption of Sarah Cain 65<br />
Reinhard, B.J. 25<br />
Restless spirit 56<br />
Ribbons west 67<br />
Riccio, Frank 16<br />
Richards, J. T. 3<br />
Richards, Jon 42<br />
Ridenour, Fritz 54<br />
Riendeau, Roger 57<br />
Rinaldi, Ann 36<br />
Rispin, Karen 57<br />
Rius, Maria 28<br />
Rivers, Francine 68<br />
Rizzo, Kay D. 63<br />
Rock, Lois 22<br />
Rocky mountain legacy 62<br />
Roddy, Lee 39<br />
Rogers, Janice 76, 77<br />
Roggow, Linda 55<br />
Roleff, Tamara L. 55<br />
Rompkey, Ronald 3<br />
Rose legacy 65<br />
Rosen, Michael J. 20<br />
Rosenburg, John 44<br />
Ross, Bill 22<br />
Ross, Kathy 27<br />
Route 66 64<br />
Royal diaries 31, 37<br />
Rubel, David 29<br />
Rushford, Patricia H. 48, 69<br />
Sanji's seed 25<br />
Savage damsel and the dwarf 38<br />
Sayre, April Pulley 42<br />
Schaeffer, Edith 19<br />
Schalesky, Marlo 60<br />
Scholastic atlas of the US 29<br />
Scholastic treasury of quotations… 22<br />
Schwedt, Rachel 82<br />
Science factory 42<br />
Seaside High 35<br />
Second chances 66<br />
Second choices 50<br />
Secret of the Mezuzah 50<br />
Secret refuge 60<br />
Secret room 20<br />
Secret sisters 18, 20<br />
Secrets of Heathersleigh Hall 62<br />
C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 8 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
INDEX<br />
Seddon, Andrew M. 62<br />
Selecting books for the elementary… 6<br />
Selznick, Brian 29<br />
Serenity Bay 66<br />
Serenity Inn series 63<br />
Seven sisters 66<br />
Sex smart 55<br />
Shakespeare's scribe 50<br />
Shaping of a <strong>Christian</strong> family 75<br />
Sharratt, Nick 39<br />
Shed, Gred 11<br />
Sheets, Dutch 58<br />
Shellenberger, Susie 54<br />
Sibley, David Allen 81<br />
Sierra Jensen series 51<br />
Siino, Denise Marie 77<br />
Silent night, holy night 28<br />
Simon, Mary Manz 23<br />
Sister Wendy's nativity 71<br />
Six hours one Friday 9<br />
Slender thread 66<br />
Smith, Carol 51<br />
Smith, Debra White 66<br />
Smith, Michael W. 54<br />
Smith, Wesley E. 41<br />
Smithsonian's backyard 11<br />
Snapshots of Grenfell 3<br />
Snelling, Lauraine 59, 60<br />
Snow 50<br />
Soentpiet, Chris K. 14<br />
Solemn oath 66<br />
Soman, David 15<br />
Space station science 43<br />
Speaking of journals 44<br />
Special fate : Chiune Sugihara 45<br />
Spencer, William 57<br />
Spider Storch's desperate deal 39<br />
Spirit of Appalachia 59<br />
Stand by me 35<br />
Stanley, Andy 74<br />
Steiner, Joan 28<br />
Stephens, Claire Gatrell 6<br />
Stewart, Dorothy 73<br />
Stine, Cheryl 8<br />
Stockman, Jack 7<br />
Stoop, David A. 74<br />
Stoop, Jan 74<br />
Story of the empty tomb 8<br />
Storyteller's collection 32<br />
Stowe, Robert E. 8<br />
Stranger online 51<br />
Strasser, Todd 17<br />
Streeter, Carole Sanderson 78<br />
Stuart's run to faith 39<br />
Subway tokens in the sand 51<br />
Suddenly one morning 9<br />
Suncatchers 67<br />
Surprise in disguise 8<br />
Surprised by faith 70<br />
Swindoll, Charles R. 9<br />
Tada, Joni Eareckson 13, 21, 31<br />
Take my hand 51<br />
Talbott, Hudson 44<br />
Tale of three trees 8<br />
Tales of the Labrador 3<br />
Tell me why 20<br />
Ten commandments 71<br />
Terror from the Gulf 39<br />
Thanks for being my friend 41<br />
Thanksgiving wish 20<br />
Theft 51<br />
Thompson, Ellen 18<br />
Thompson, Ian 42<br />
Thompson, John 20<br />
Three battlegrounds 58<br />
Three cousins detective club 19<br />
Throop, Sarah Alison 53<br />
Tidings of peace 67<br />
Ties that bind 67<br />
Timelines 2000 on file 83<br />
Todays girls.com 31, 37, 51<br />
Toddy 48<br />
Tomorrow I’ll miss you 35<br />
Torn thread 52<br />
Trailblazer books 33, 35<br />
Trailblazer curriculum guide 41<br />
Trapped between the lash and the gun 39<br />
Trout, Richard 47<br />
True devotion 68<br />
Turk, Caron 24<br />
Turner, Ann 33<br />
Turner, Jamie Langston 59, 67<br />
Tyers, Kathy 60<br />
Unforgettable summer 31<br />
Unmistakably Cooper Ellis 47, 51<br />
Unseen riches 68<br />
Until tomorrow 52<br />
Unveiled 68<br />
Uprising at dawn 39<br />
Using Coretta Scott King award books 6<br />
Van Orden, Phyllis 6<br />
Vaughan, David J. 56<br />
Vaughn, Ellen Santilli 76<br />
Very first Easter 8, 24<br />
Visioneering 74<br />
Vogel, Carol Garbuny 42<br />
Walburg, Lori 7<br />
Waldman, Neil 45<br />
Walker, Barbara A. 32<br />
Walters, Catherine 14<br />
Wangerin, Walter, Jr. 8<br />
Watson, Patrick 16<br />
Watts, Bernadette 25<br />
Way of forgiveness 72<br />
Ways of God 71<br />
Weeping chamber 9<br />
Weinman, Brad 44<br />
Weiss, Ann E. 55<br />
Werlock, Abby H.P. 82<br />
When Addie was scared 15<br />
When couples pray together 74<br />
When joy came to stay 68<br />
When love dies 77<br />
When shadows fall 69<br />
Where once there was a wood 27<br />
Whispering pines series 61, 63<br />
Whispering stones 69<br />
Whitlow, Robert 63<br />
Whitmore, Arvella 39<br />
Whittier, John Greenleaf 56<br />
Who moved the stone? 9<br />
Whyte, Mary 10<br />
Wiersbe, Warren W. 80<br />
Wildsmith, Brian 23, 24<br />
Wilfred Grenfell 3<br />
William Grenfell : His Life and Work 3<br />
Williams, Anita 17<br />
Willner-Pardo, Gina 39<br />
Wimbush, David 18, 19<br />
Winding road to freedom 52<br />
Winds of freedom 60<br />
Wisehart, Randall 52<br />
Woman of means 69<br />
Women of prayer 73<br />
Women of valor 61<br />
Wonderful way babies are made 27<br />
Woodruff, Elvira 17<br />
Woodworth, Viki 8<br />
Words of gold 22<br />
Wreck of the Ethie 40<br />
Wright, H. Norman 73<br />
Wycliffe Bible Translators 76<br />
Year down yonder 52<br />
Year of the child 53<br />
Yesterday, today, forever 9<br />
Yippee ti-yay happy birthday 28<br />
Yolen, Jane 49<br />
You've got a friend 21<br />
Young warriors 41<br />
Young, Sarah 22<br />
Zero-G headache 21<br />
Zimmer, Kevin J. 81<br />
S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 8 8 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
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