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Christian 

Library 

J O U R N A L 

Volume V No.4 

F ALL 2000 

THIS ISSUE FEATURES: 

■ CLJ on the Oregon Coast, 

and more . . . 

■ Stephanie Lavenia Swinnea: 

Writer of a Tale 

Worth Telling 

■ Beauty out of Ashes 

■ Technology in Schools; 

Children’s Book Award 

Winners 

■ You Can’t Judge a Book by 

Its Cover 

■ A Still, Small Voice: 

Spirituality in Young Adult 

Literature 

■ Devotionals 

■ Harps of Heaven to Hands 

of Men: Composer 

Kathryn Ellis 

■ Reluctant Reader Remedies 

■ The Way the World Is: 

The Science and 

Theology of the 

Reverend Dr Sir John 

Polkinghorne 

■ Recent Books on Prayer

CLJ News 

Dear Readers, 

A Letter from the Editor 

In our last issue, Sylvia Stopforth’s article on the Harry Potter 

books brought comments from readers, both positive and negative. One 

that made me stop and evaluate our purpose at CLJ was a remark that 

we did not present “the Christian point of view” in discussing the books. 

I had previously read a number of well-written Christian reviews of 

Harry Potter books including those published by Make Way for Books 

and Focus on the Family. These expressed many of my thoughts about 

the books, as did Sylvia’s. So what was the difference? 

The difference I see is that at CLJ we don’t express any one 

“Christian point of view,” or one specific doctrinal position, but try to 

bring objective information about books and other library materials to 

our readers, so they can choose wisely based on their institution’s 

philosophy. We do try to raise all issues we see, but may miss some, as 

issues for some may not be for another. As we all know, there are 

numerous Christian viewpoints, and our goal is to meet your needs as 

objectively as possible. We do not take a doctrinal stand, but present 

information so others can take their own stands. Does this mean our 

work is weak and meaningless? I don’t think so. What do you think? 

On another note, please read the following column carefully. We 

are dropping our review ratings. There is also some important 

subscription information you won’t want to miss. 

In Christ’s love, 

Nancy L. Hesch 

Editor and Publisher 

You’ll notice the absence of 

ratings in the reviews in this issue. 

Our ratings for quality were 

becoming so much the same as to 

be meaningless, and the ratings for 

acceptability were based on text 

that described the problems better 

than a number could. So...no more 

ratings. 

Over the past two years our 

publication has been irregular, ever 

since I returned to work in the 

library field. Approaching 

retirement age, I no longer have 

had the energy to maintain a full 

time position and publish CLJ 

regularly. 

Now I have officially retired from 

my public library position, have 

moved to Florence, Oregon, (see 

our new address on the next page), 

and will be working full time on 

the journal. 

We did not publish several issues 

recently (vol. 4, nos. 3, 4; vol. 5, 

nos.2, 3), for each issue not 

published, we extended 

subscribers’ expiration dates three 

months. You will find your new 

expiration date on your mailing 

label. 

I thank each of you for your 

patience. 

Nancy

The Christian Library Journal invites 

prospective reviewers and writers to 

write for information. The Christian 

Library Journal is published quarterly 

January through December by Christian 

Library Services. Subscriptions $45 per 

year; $55 in Canada. Back issues $4.50 

as supplies last. Bulk postage paid at 

Eugene, Oregon. Indexed in Christian 

Periodical Index. Address 

correspondence to Christian Library 

Services, 1240 34th Place, Florence, OR 

97439-8936. POSTMASTER: Send 

address changes to CLJ, 1240 34th 

Place, Florence, OR 97439-8936. 

Copyright 2000 by Christian Library 

Services. 

Phone (541) 997-4430 

Christian 

Library 

J O U R N A L 

T A B L E O F 

C O N T E N T S 

Volume V No. 4 

F ALL 2000 

ISSN 1097-1262 

Fax (541) 997-4434 

Emailheschclj@harborside.com 

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 

C O L U M N S a n d A R T I C L E S 

Inside Front Cover 

www.christianlibraryj.org 

The purpose of the Christian Library 

Journal is to provide readers with 

reviews of both Christian and secular 

library materials from a Christian point 

of view. About 300 books, cassette 

tapes, and videos from both Christian 

and secular publishers are reviewed each 

issue. Materials reviewed may reflect a 

broad range of Christian doctrinal 

positions and do not necessarily reflect 

the views of the staff of the Christian 

Library Journal. 

Nancy Hesch 

Andrew Seddon 

Raymond Legg 

Mary McKinney 

Sylvia Stopforth 

Eileen Zygarlicke 

Kitty Lindstrom 

Publisher & Editor 

Editor: Articles 

Editor: Adult Nonfiction 

Editor: Adult Fiction, 

Young Adult Nonfiction 

Editor: YA Fiction 

Editor: Children’s Books 

Design and Graphics 

Cover illustration from All Together in One 

Place, by Jane Kirkpatrick, © 2000. 

Reprinted by permission of Waterbrook Press. 

Printed in the U.S.A. 

Harps of Heaven to Hands of Man Andrew Seddon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 

A Few Clicks Away to Fun Lisa Wroble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 

School Librarian’s Corner Debra Stombres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 

Recent Books on Prayer Lydia Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 

A Still Small Voice: 

Spirituality in Young Adult Literature Celia Straus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

The Way the World Is Andrew Seddon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Stephanie Lavenia Swinnea Mary Jarvis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Reluctant Reader Remedies Eileen Zygarlicke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Devotionals Sylvia Stopforth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 

You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover Mary McKinney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 

Beauty Out of Ashes Raymond Legg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 

R E V I E W S 

Picture Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Children’s Fiction : Gr. 2 - 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 

Children’s Nonfiction : Gr. 2 - 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 

Young Adult Fiction : Gr. 6 - 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 

Young Adult Nonfiction : Gr. 6 - 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 

Adult Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 

Adult Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 

O T H E R 

Publisher List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 

C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 1 F A L L 2 0 0 0

AWord from the Editor: Andrew M. Seddon 

Harps of 

Heaven to 

Hands of 

Man: 

Composer 

Kathryn Ellis 

Rise, Royal Sion! Rise and sing 

Thy soul’s kind shepherd, thy heart’s King. 

Stretch all thy powers; call if you can 

Harps of heaven to hands of man. 

Richard Crashaw 

“There is a mysterious quality to music that 

we have not yet defined,” says Texas 

composer Kathryn Ellis. “From the earliest 

songs that were sung or chanted, to the 

earliest instruments that were invented, 

music has fulfilled needs of the human 

heart.” If this alone was the sole meaning 

of music, it would be judged worthwhile. 

But music extends deeper into the fabric of 

creation: “Musicians have tried to represent 

creation and God, and I believe they have 

done as good a job communicating the 

phenomenon of creation to the general 

public as have scientists.” 

As a Christian, Ellis believes that her ability 

and desire to compose music is God-given. 

She embarked early on the path that would 

see her emerge later as a composer. Piano 

lessons began at age seven and she first 

attempted to write music at age sixteen, 

although at that time she lacked the 

technical tools for proper musical notation. 

But then marriage, motherhood, and a 

career as a nurse intervened. 

Although she didn’t pursue music seriously, 

her love of music endured and she 

continued to play for her own enjoyment. 

In 1991 she enrolled at Houston Baptist 

University with the dual intents of learning 

the theory behind piano music notation and 

to become conversant with other 

instruments. She credits excellent piano 

and theory/composition instruction and 

encouragement from the music faculty as 

guiding her towards graduation in 1996 

with a Bachelor of Music in theory and 

composition (magna cum laude). 

After graduation she enjoyed having the 

freedom to compose as she wished and 

began to write in earnest. Acknowledgment 

did not come easily. Two years elapsed 

before her first publication (the Beethovenstyle 

Piano Sonata in C minor), but she 

currently has sixteen works either published 

or scheduled for publication. Classically 

trained and fond of traditional forms such as 

the fugue, prelude, sonata, and theme and 

variations, she views herself as a traditional 

composer. Major influences on her work 

include Haydn, Schumann, Mozart, 

Rachmaninoff, Saint Saens, Vivaldi, 

Debussy, Ravel, and from this century, Ives, 

Stravinsky and John Williams. She admires 

Part and Gorecki because of the seriousness 

and depth of their subjects. Her music 

incorporates stylistic elements from the 

baroque, classical, romantic, and 

impressionistic eras as well as 

contemporary twentieth century techniques. 

The spiritual journey that has influenced her 

career as a composer began with childhood 

acceptance of Christianity. “In expressing 

myself musically,” she says, “I intend it to 

be an offering back to God, honoring the 

beauty of everything He has created and 

acknowledging His gifts. My Christian 

faith is the skeleton of my music.” She 

continues, “I believe that whenever 

appreciation of beauty in the world is 

expressed, God is honored as Creator.” 

This isn’t accomplished only by those who 

are professed Christians. “A talented artist 

can paint a beautiful scene with religious 

implications that deeply touches Christians, 

although he himself may not understand 

what he is portraying.” She agrees with 

Madeleine L’Engle’s comment: “Christ has 

always worked in ways which have seemed 

peculiar to many men, even his closest 

followers. Frequently the disciples failed to 

understand him. So we need not feel that 

we have to understand how he works 

through artists who do not consciously 

recognize him. Neither should our lack of 

understanding cause us to assume that he 

cannot be present in their work.” Still, as 

Christians we ought to have a deeper insight 

into the nature and personality of our 

Creator. 

Ellis finds music in the words of scripture, 

too. “Much of the Bible is very musical to 

me,” she says. “I particularly like the 

psalms.” Her praise song “From 

Everlasting to Everlasting” (the only 

biblical text she’s set to music) is based on 

Psalm 90. She’s also attracted by Old 

Testament tales. “The story of Esther seems 

to demand trumpets, processionals, and 

exotic dance music.” She has written music 

about Jonah—”a story filled with so much 

magic, especially when Jonah was sinking 

into the depths of the sea”—that uses 

xylophone and harp. The majestic 

depictions of kings and priests call to mind 

the ancient instruments—drums and lyres— 

they used in rituals. 

How does Christian classical music fit into 

our society? “Our culture is spiritually 

impoverished,” Ellis says. “In the baroque 

and classical times, many famous 

composers were church musicians and used 

scripture for the basis of their music. Many 

mirrored famous artists’ works, and became 

well known because of their sacred music. 

That is not common now, in fact the reverse 

is true—it seems that the “art” community 

leans well toward secular art and music 

versus anything that is overtly Christian.” 

Some of Ellis’s music is specifically 

Christian, such as “Sanctus” for organ or 

piano and SATB; “Sacred Songs No. 1 and 

No. 2” for baritone and piano; “Rainbow 

Man” for soprano and piano; “From 

Everlasting to Everlasting”, and the piano 

prelude “Justification and Sanctification”. 

Of these, she says, “I find when I am 

writing a specifically Christian piece that I 

pray more before and during the process ... I 

F A L L 2 0 0 0 2 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L

approach these pieces with a more reverent 

attitude than my other pieces ... lots of times 

at the piano I feel really creative and music 

just comes out of me easily. I have found it 

is best just to go with the flow and write it 

down or record it right then and there, then 

I thank God afterwards for the inspiration of 

the music.” 

She freely admits to being a program music 

writer—even pieces which on the surface 

appear to be absolute music are not. “I am 

always expressing something—most of my 

pieces are inspired by stories and characters 

I like, places I’ve been to, or feelings I want 

to express musically without using words. 

Prayer is a source of inspiration for the 

actual music after I have a subject.” But 

unless she’s writing overt program music 

(such as in “The Little Prince Suite”, or her 

work-in-progress “Texas Symphony”) she 

doesn’t note the underlying meaning on the 

score. “Every piece is very personal to 

me,” Ellis says. “This leaves me feeling 

very vulnerable where my music is 

concerned.” Music can be both very 

personal, but also interpersonal. Ellis notes 

that “The Greeks believed that every person 

had a certain modal scale that best suited 

them—they used certain scales and tones 

for battle, for prayer, for celebration, for 

every occasion. But music also crosses 

language barriers—people of different 

languages can listen together to music of 

the old masters, and can feel the same 

emotions being evoked and communicate 

that shared feeling with each other without 

having to speak the same dialect.” 

Music also involves the composer, the 

performer and the listener in 

communication. “That can be a 

wonderfully creative process because many 

times the listener hears and interprets a 

piece quite differently from the composer or 

performer. Unless a composer wants only 

to write and perform for himself, he lets go 

of the music once it is written. It is so 

much fun when a person hears a piece of 

music I have written and tells me a totally 

different interpretation of it than what I had 

intended. I think this is to be expected 

when no explanation or program is given 

with the music. I like hearing different 

performers interpret music—that is why we 

all enjoy live performances so much; we 

can get wonderful consistent quality of 

music in a CD, but isn’t it fun to hear an 

orchestra or a soloist play familiar pieces 

with different interpretations?” 

Some contemporary classical music can, 

however, be quite difficult for the listener to 

assimilate. Ellis is aware of this. To her, 

much contemporary music is “the emperor’s 

new clothes.” 

“Music that no one but the composer can 

relate to is only good for the composer ... if 

the general music listening public cannot 

find anything to relate to in a work of 

music, then that sort of music will never be 

used as building blocks or foundations for 

new music in the future. The reason that 

the music of the great masters has endured 

was because they each introduced new 

concepts and elements to music while 

retaining part of the familiar, so the public 

could listen, learn, accept and then enjoy.” 

She herself needs to have something to 

relate to in music—either melodies, 

rhythms, or harmonic progressions that 

make sense. “I have never liked atonal 

music, or serial music as a whole,” she says, 

“unless there is at least a tonal center to 

grab hold of every now and then. I find 

some contemporary music unpleasing and 

uninspirational because it just doesn’t make 

me want to hear more.” Innovations—like 

music being played underwater on chimes 

while the listeners listen while snorkeling— 

she finds clever and interesting, if not 

practical. Still, there needs to be a reason or 

goal for breaking established rules or 

traditions in music. “New and fresh music 

can result. But a composer has to hang onto 

some common ground and then build upon 

it, rather than throwing everything out.” 

Although she is a classical composer, Ellis 

enjoys contemporary Christian music too. 

There is “a lot of really good music being 

written and performed by Christian artists, 

and much good orchestration being used.” 

In conjunction, she sees an emergence of 

Christian artists in literature and in the 

visual arts, as well as a wider public 

acceptance of this art and writing. 

“Christian music is also gaining larger 

audiences. Contemporary Christian music 

is one of the primary venues of reaching the 

youth of today—especially the nonchurched. 

I find this encouraging.” 

Her goals for the future include several 

large scale projects: a five movement 

symphony based on historical events and 

places in Texas, chamber music, a string 

quartet, pieces for flute and piano, clarinet 

and piano, and a Christmas suite of five 

pieces for flute and piano. She is writing 

hymns to accompany a book of Celtic 

Christian devotions being written by author 

Andrew M. Seddon and Bishop Neil Jones 

of St. David’s Celtic Catholic Church of 

Canada. She desires to write music for 

piano and solo instrument for young and 

intermediate musicians, and aims to write 

music that is realistically playable, not 

awkward for the performer. She composes 

music for weddings (“to honor the sanctity 

of the church and the union of two 

believers, but that is new and different”); 

has been very active in church music; and 

will soon be teaching a “Kindermusik” class 

called “Village” for babies and parents. 

“Modern music,” she says, “helps children 

learn the stories and teachings of both 

testaments.” 

As any composer would, she’d like to hear 

more of her compositions played, and so 

another dream is to work with a group of 

musicians. “I do all my work alone, which 

is the way composing is, of course, but it 

would be very rewarding to have a working 

relationship with musicians who would 

perform my music. Currently, on the 

symphony I am writing, I have only heard 

computer-generated instruments, reduced 

parts on the piano, and my imagination.” 

Many composers have attempted to express 

the Christian faith in music and song. 

Bringing the harps of heaven to the hands 

of man is a task that composers of every 

generation seek to accomplish—because 

each generation needs to hear that 

expression for itself. It is a task that 

Kathryn Ellis embraces gladly—and 

tunefully. 


Kathryn Ellis is published by: 

Voice of the Rockies 

Box 1043 

Boulder, CO 80306 

800-783-1233 

http//www.VoiceOfTheRockies.com 

voiceofrock@mindspring.com 

For Piano solo: 

“Piano Sonata No.1 in C minor” 

Three Impressionist Pieces (“A Little 

Afternoon Rain”, “Prelude for a 

Snowfall”, “Ice Dances”) 

“Ezekiel’s Rag” 

“Fugue in Ab” 

“The Little Prince Suite” (9 short character 

pieces based on St. Exupery’s “The Little 

Prince”) 

Other: 

“Butterfly Fantasy” for flute and piano 

“Cappricio” for clarinet and piano 

“Fanfare for Brass Quartet.” 

Unpublished works: 

“March of the Russian Children” 

“Variations on an Original Theme” 

“Sacred Songs No.1 and No.2 for Baritone 

and Piano” 

“Rainbow Man” for soprano vocal solo 

and piano 

“Goblins” three movement work for 

woodwind quintet 

1. L’Engle, Madeleine. Walking on 

Water. Wheaton:Harold Shaw Pub., 

1980, p.33. 

A Few Clicks Away 

to Fun! 

On-line Versions Add to the Fun! 

by Lisa A. Wroble 

The children’s 

magazine market is 

booming. New magazines are debuting 

every year. For several successful 

magazines, the Internet provides 

additional fun for children’s leisure time. 

Click through to some of these on-line 

versions of popular magazines to provide 

your child-patrons with educational 

entertainment. 

DiscoveryKids ( brought to you by the 

Discovery Channel) includes activities, a 

word puzzle, and links to the month’s 

current topic-such as dinosaurs. Children 

can play games, chose from sixty-three 

“adventures,” find when the month’s 

topic airs on the Discovery Channel, and 

explore the world. 

www.discoverykids.com 

Pack-O-Fun is a craft site designed for 

adults working with youth groups. 

Updated weekly, it includes instructions 

for an easy-to-make craft (often made 

from items found around the home) such 

as a recycled robot, plus an activity or 

skit suitable for medium to large groups 

of children. www.pack-o-fun.com 

National Geographic includes highlights 

for kids, updated monthly, such as a 

“creature feature” on polar bears, in 

addition to a link to the children’s 

magazine National Geographic World. 

The Kids page includes catchy articles, 

quizzes, experiments (such as making a 

vortex in a bottle), short stories, and cool 

links to other kid-friendly sites. 

www.nationalgeographic.com/kids 

Smithsonian magazine is another popular 

and educational magazine for adults that 

includes an on-line children’s version. 

“Kids Castle” provides a place for kids to 

post their own messages to each other, 

play games, read about history, the arts, 

sports, animals, science and more, in 

addition to linking to a featured “site of 

the day.” www.kidscastle.si.edu 

For the preschoolers that visit your 

library, two sites provide fun but 

educational activities with familiar 

friends. They can play alone, or with an 

adult’s help. 

Sesame Street Central includes games 

and links for “preschool,” “parents,” 

“kids,” and “baby & you.” 

www.ctw.org/home 

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood includes 

links to his house, the neighborhood of 

make-believe, for neighbors of all ages, a 

tour guide, and a song list. 

www.pbs.org/rogers 

Kids don’t need to know they’re learning 

when they have fun with these magazinerelated 

sites. 


School Librarian’s s Corner 

Welcome back to the School Library Corner of 

Christian Library Journal. 

by Debra Stombres 

Technology in Schools: 

GOLD MEDALLION 

AWARD WINNERS 

FOR 2000 

Bibles 

The Knowing Jesus Study Bible, 

NIV, Dr. Ed Hindson and Dr. Ed 

Dobson, Zondervan Publishing 

House 

Reference Works/Commentaries 

Holman Bible Atlas, Thomas V. 

Brisco, Broadman & Holman 

Publishers 

Fiction 

A New Song, Jan Karon, Penguin 

Putnam 

Biography/Autobiography 

Fingernail Moon, Janie Webster, 

Doubleday: A Division of Random 

House 

Theology/Doctrine 

The Story of Christian Theology, 

Roger E. Olson, InterVarsity Press 

While I fancy myself a creative person, I am not very coordinated with free-handed drawing, 

painting, or anything requiring perception of proportions. I have been delighted to find help for 

my bulletin boards, newsletters, and bookmarks through the aid of clip art and card/poster 

making software! While I will not claim an exhaustive experience in this area, let me share my 

knowledge of several programs and how they have improved my creative expression in the 

library. 

Mindscape Printmaster Gold version 8.0 is now available. Version 4.0 is offered free for those of 

you using HP printers.(http://www.hp.com/printing_ideas/index.html for more information.) 

Why buy banners when you can make them? I advertise National Library Week, Family Reading 

night, and others with attractive fonts and graphics. Use your color printer and laminate for a 

professional look. Need especially large letters? Blow each letter up to fill a page and then cut 

them out. Version 8.0 is also an easy way to create a clever web page with no html knowledge 

required. 

Serif PagePlus 5.0 (6.0 will be out by the time you read this) is an inexpensive desk-top 

publishing tool. Create attractive newsletters with any of many templates by replacing text with 

your own. Or create your own Library News letterhead for a professional newsletter and keep 

your teachers informed of new materials, schedules, reading programs, etc. Also a good 

wwsiwyg for web sites. 

American Greetings Print! Premium is another card/poster program with its own large clip art 

set. I have enjoyed the attractive clip art alphabets that accompany this easy to use program. 

Use colored card stock and make your own promotional book marks! 

Parsons/Broderbund Calendar Creator Christian Edition is a great way to post your library 

calendar. Beautiful graphics and religious holidays make it easy to look like you spent hours on 

your work. 

For even more clip art options I bought a Corel Gallery. Cut and paste from this program for 

clip art in almost any category you can dream up! 

* All of the above programs require Windows compatible PCs. 

Devotional 

Wow-The Big Picture: The Bible in 

7 Minutes a Day, J. Carl Laney, Jeff 

Schulte, Lloyd Shadrach, Nelson 

Bibles 

Inspirational 

The Bible Jesus Read, Philip 

Yancey, Zondervan Publishing 

House 

contiued on page 7 

Writer in the Spotlight: Andrew Clements, author of 1999 Crown award-winning title Frindle. 

Before choosing a career as a writer, Andrew Clements was a teacher in the public schools north 

of Chicago. For seven years he wrote poetry and songs as he taught 4th grade, then 8th grade, 

and finally high school English. He had been encouraged to write by his own high school 

English teacher and once discovered could never quite put away the talent. 

He moved to New York singing and writing songs with his wife. Their career in music never 

took off, so he accepted a job with a childrens book publisher. For ten years he was Editorial 

Director at Picture Book Studio in New York. Now, he is a full time writer, and lives in Central 


Massachusetts with his wife and four 

children. While Mr. Clements feels it 

doesn’t come easily, he considers writing to 

be a great privilege. 

Software Highlight: 

The Master Christian Library. Version 6.0 

Ages Digital Library, 1998. (Version 7.0 is 

out as of November 1999.) Requirements: 

Win 3.1 or higher, Macintosh System 7.0.1 

or higher. $79.95. Available at 1-800-297- 

4307. (www.ageslibrary.com) 

Increase your collection by over 400 rare 

and out-of-print titles with this unusually 

affordable CDRom. The Master Christian 

Library uses the easy Acrobat Reader, 3.0. 

(included in the disk) to open any of the 400 

titles. Several Bibles are included along 

with sermon collections, commentaries, 

Foxes Book of Martyrs, Bible reference 

books, and thirteen works by Jonathan 

Edwards. Also read works by Charles G. 

Finney, Martin Luther, Dwight L. Moody, 

C.H. Spurgeon and John Wesley. Many 

biographies and even some fiction round out 

this collection. All text is searchable with 

Boolean Logic. 

Logos Research Systems 

In January, 1992 a Microsoft programmer 

who had been using his spare time to write 

a program with which to read and search the 

Scriptures left Microsoft. Bob Pritchett 

followed his mother Jenni’s passion for 

Christian reference material when he joined 

his father Dale and good friend and 

programmer Kiernon Reiniger to found 

Logos Research Systems, Inc., and to 

market the first Logos Bible software 

package. Jenni is still known in library 

circles as the designer of one of the very 

first catalog card printing programs, 

Librarian’s Helper. 

Today Logos markets a large and 

sophisticated product line including entire 

libraries of Bible reference software 

designed around their Logos Library 

System. Other companies market a variety 

of books to be read on this platform. Logos 

sells over 1000 books compatible with this 

system, but the best value is to puchase the 

book collections. 

Before taking a look at some of the 

programs currently available, I’d like to 

give you an overview of the Logos Library 

System platform. This is free software that 

is installed the first time you purchase any 

book collection. LLS is a powerful 

platform for collecting, organizing and 

searching your personal electronic library. 

Included is a powerful search engine that 

will search any and all books that you 

designate. Books are cross-referenced and 

any time you add or unlock new books, they 

are placed in the same library collection 

even when purchased by other companies 

which use the Logos Library System as 

their platform. Both Nelson and Baker 

produce book collections for this system. 

Because of the sophistication and 

complexity of this system, training 

videocassettes are available and Logos puts 

on training seminars at various locations 

around the country. Once this system is 

mastered, the Bible researcher can 

bookmark pages in individual books, set up 

study screens using favorite titles for 

quicker retrieval, and paste passages into 

any word processor. 

System requirements for the Logos 

Research System are Windows 3.1 or 

higher, a 486 33 MHz or better, 12 Mg 

RAM, 2X CD-ROM drive. 

The Logos Bible Reference Series. This 

library collection for the Logos Library 

Web Sites of Interest 

System is available in three levels. The 

Standard Collection, listing for $129.95 

includes five bibles such as NIV and NAS, 

Eastons Bible Dictionary, seven study tools 

and commentaries, as well as geography 

aids and devotional literature including My 

Utmost for His Highest, totaling nineteen 

books. The Intermediate Collection retails 

for $199.95 and includes a total of 30 titles, 

adding titles to the Standard Collection such 

as the New Living Translation of the Bible. 

The Deluxe Collection is $299.95 and 

features 42 titles adding books such as 

Wiersbes Expository Outlines, and the 

Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations. If you 

purchase the Standard or Intermediate 

Collections, you can pay to have individual 

titles unlocked and added to your personal 

collection. 

The Scholars Library. For the true bible 

scholar, Logos publishes the Deluxe 

Collection above, along with the New 

Testament Greek Core Collection and the 

Old Testament Hebrew Core Collection for 

a total of over $2000 worth of print material 

all in electronic format and listing for 

$599.95. From the Deluxe Collection you 

have a large selection of bibles including 

NIV, NAS, and the New Living Bible. Use 

the Greek and Hebrew dictionaries and 

lexicons to trace the true meanings behind 

the different translations. Language tools, 

teaching tools, commentaries, and maps 

BookAdventure.com — For libraries not already offering a computerized 

reading program such as Accelerated Reader, check out this free site put up 

by Sylvan along with a host of reputable organizations. 3000 + tests on a very 

comprehensive reading list are available. Teachers or parents can sign up kids 

and then track their progress. Prizes are downloadable. 

FunBrain www.funbrain.com — Play games such as Math Baseball and 

Stay Afloat, a word game. These interactive games rival edutainment 

software. Proton Don teaches elements of the Periodic Table. There is 

something for everyone at this site. 

Christianity Online www.christianityonline.com —From the Christianity 

Today family of magazines comes an extensive site for Christian news, bulletin 

boards and links to other Christian sites. All 12 magazines are available online 

for free as well as a 7000 + link Christian site search engine. 


make this invaluable to the bible scholar. A 

bonus in the Scholars Library are Alfred 

Rahlfs Septuagint with Morphology and 

Nesle/Aland 26th Edition Greek NT with 

Gramcord Morphology. This is an 

incredible Bible reference library providing 

easy searching, cross-referencing and 

printing at your fingertips! 

Steve Greens Midi Hymnal: a complete tool 

kit for personal devotions and corporate 

worship. For the music department in your 

church or school, here is a collection of 

more than 3,000 traditional hymns with 

four-part midi files to be printed from your 

favorite music notation program. The Logos 

Library System is also included in order to 

view and search all the text of the hymns as 

well as the included Bible, and books such 

as 101 Hymn Stories, and The Spiritual 

Lives of Great Composers. List Price, 

$129.95. 

Noah and the Ark and David and Goliath. 

For kids in your library, church or school, 

here are two fun Bible game/programs. 

Young children can have the story read to 

them and older children can click through 

the story themselves. List Prices, $29.95 

each. 

The Dead Sea Scrolls Revealed. An 

officially authorized CD-ROM exploring the 

original texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls -- with 

interviews, translations, and video clips -- 

web site. The Dead Sea Scrolls are one of 

the most important discoveries of the 20th 

century. This is a pleasant way to become 

familiar with the ancient manuscripts 

through the use of color photos of artifacts 

and people, historical videos and 3D 

animations, and interviews with leading 

scroll scholars. List Price, $59.95 

Bible Clips: The complete church graphics 

resource kit. Besides beautiful vector 

graphics of bible characters, scenes and 

more, this kit includes Arts & Letters Draw, 

a powerful tool for manipulating clip art and 

for drawing your own. Vector graphics are 

better designed for manipulation than are 

bitmap graphics. These can be enlarged 

without ever losing their integrity. You can 

also ungroup them and take characters out of 

scenes, leaving the scenes intact. Anyone 

creating Christian bulletin boards, T-shirts, 

flannel graphs, or producing desktop 

publishing will enjoy this collection. List 

Price, $59.95. 

For more information about the above 

products, and to see the entire product line 

visit www.logos.com. 

More Gold Medallion Winners, 2000 

Christian Living 

Fresh Faith, Jim Cymbala with Dean Merrill, Zondervan Publishing 

House 

Christianity and Society 

How Now Shall We Live?, Charles Colson with Nancy Pearcey, Tyndale 

House Publishers 

Missions/Evangelism 

Finding Common Ground, Tim Downs, Moody Press 

Christian Ministry 

The Upside Down Church, Greg Laurie, Tyndale House Publishers 

Christian Education 

Boundaries GroupWare, Henry Cloud and John Townsend, Zondervan 

Publishing House 

Preschool Children 

The Rhyme Bible Storybook for Toddlers, Linda Sattgast, Zondervan 


Because I Love You, Max Lucado, Crossway Books/Good News 

Publishers 

Youth 

What’s the Big Deal? About Sex, Jim Burgen, Standard Publishing 

Marriage 

Boundaries in Marriage, Henry Cloud and John Townsend, Zondervan 


Family and Parenting 

Just In Case I Can’t Be There, Ron MehI, Multnomah Publishers 

Gift Book/Poetry 

The Art of God, Ric Ergenbright, Tyndale House Publishers 

Bible Study 

Moses, Charles Swindoll, Word Publishing 

Spanish 

Nuevo Diccionario De La Biblia, Alfonso Lockward, Editorial Unilit 

Elementary Children 


Recent Books on Prayer 

by Lydia E. Harris 

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16 NIV) 

Prayer is a powerful tool and of interest 

to many. Consequently, new books 

continue to be written on the subject. 

This bibliography covers some recent titles 

plus classics that encourage, teach, and 

motivate readers to pray. For additional 

books on prayer, check your church library, 

Christian bookstores, or the Internet. 

Consider prayer books by E. M. Bounds, 

Andrew Murray, J. Oswald Sanders, Oswald 

Chambers, C. Peter Wagner, Dick Eastman, 

Richard Foster, and others. 

Although reading a book on prayer may 

stimulate your prayer life, it is not a 

substitute for praying. May these books 

inspire both children and adults to grow in 

their relationship with God and to “pray 

without ceasing.” (I Thessalonians 5:17 

KJV) 

Prayer Books for Children 

1. Brooks, Sandra. I CAN PRAY TO GOD, 

illustrated by Gwen Connelly. Standard, 1989, 

1997. ISBN 0-7847-0258-6. PAP, $1.99, 24 

pages. This dear book with colorful illustrations 

teaches children they can do something just as 

important as grown-ups--pray. Children learn to 

pray using a five-finger prayer pattern. Each 

finger reminds them of one category of people to 

pray for. For example, the thumb, closest to the 

heart, prompts them to pray for family and 

friends they love. This prayer tool is easy for 

children to understand and remember. 

2. Christenson, Evelyn. WHAT HAPPENS 

WHEN CHILDREN PRAY: Learning to Talk 

and Listen to God, illustrated by Joy Dunn 

Keenan. ChariotVictor, 1997. ISBN 0-78140- 

047-3. HBB, $14.99, 30 pages. Based on 

biblical principles, this book helps children 

understand prayer by giving examples of what to 

pray about. Intercession, confession, 

thanksgiving, and salvation are types of prayers 

suggested. Beautifully illustrated, it also contains 

ideas for adults to use when teaching children to 

pray. 

3. Haidle, Helen. A POCKET FULL OF 

PRAYERS, illustrated by Elizabeth Haidle. 

Questar, 1994. ISBN 0-88070-795-X. HBB, 

$5.99, 20 pages. A five-inch-square board book 

with simple one-sentence prayers for children 

ages one to three. Prayers of thanksgiving and 

asking for help and forgiveness are included. 

4. Knowlton, Laurie Lazzaro. GOD BE IN MY 

HEART: Poems and Prayers for Children. Boyd 

Mills Press, 1999. ISBN 1-56397-646-3. HBB, 

$9.95, 24 pages. Written, selected, and illustrated 

by a former kindergarten teacher, these short, 

simple prayers and poems have appeal for young 

children. Fabric collages of children create 

charming illustrations. 

5. Larsen, Carolyn. LITTLE GIRLS BOOK OF 

PRAYERS FOR MOTHERS AND 

DAUGHTERS, illustrated by Caron Turk. Baker, 

1999. ISBN 0-8010-4422-7. HBB, $12.99, 189 

pages. Designed to enhance mother-daughter 

prayer times, this book includes ninety prayers on 

matters that interest four- to seven-year olds. A 

helpful table of contents lists the prayers by 

topics of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and 

supplication. 

6. Miller, Steve and Becky. A CHILD’S 

GARDEN OF PRAYER: Turning Little Hearts 

Toward God, illustrated by Kathryn Andrews 

Fincher. Harvest House, 1999. ISBN 0-7369- 

0117-5. HBB, $14.99, 60 pages. This beautiful 

gift book contains a collection of short children’s 

prayers in verse form. Realistic, exquisite 

paintings enhance these classic and contemporary 

prayers. 

7. Osborne, Rick and K. Christie Bowler. I 

WANT TO KNOW ABOUT PRAYER. 

Zondervan, 1998. ISBN 0-310-22091-2. HBB, 

$9.99, 32 pages. A fun, informative book filled 

with facts, Bible stories, puzzles, and activities 

plus full-color photos, cartoons, and graphics. It 

discusses the what, why, where, and how of 

prayer and is suitable for children ages seven to 

ten. Questions and answers about prayer 

conclude this youth-friendly book. 

8. Robb, Andy. WHAT SHALL WE PRAY 

ABOUT? Harvest House, 1998. ISBN 1-56507- 

7539. HBB, $10.99, 32 pages. Patterned after 

Richard Scarry’s books, this large-sized, 

interactive book is filled with detailed 

illustrations of familiar objects and scenes to 

stimulate conversation and prayer. Each page 

spread covers a relevant topic such as friends, 

animals, people who help us, school, God’s love, 

and more. It provides ideas of what to pray for 

rather than examples of prayer and thus helps 

children ages four to eight form their own 

prayers. 

9. Yagow, James. S., compiler. PRAISE 

PRAYERS. Concordia, 1999. ISBN 0-570- 

05572-5. HBB, $9.99, 60 pages. Nearly sixty 

prayers of thanksgiving and praise fill this 

cheerful book. Both new prayers and old 

favorites, most in rhyming verse, reassure young 

children of God’s loving care. Prayers can be 

sung or spoken, since familiar melodies are 

suggested for many. Divided into daytime, 

nighttime, mealtime, and traditional prayers, this 

book can be enjoyed throughout the day. 

Prayer Books for Parents and Families 

1. Arkins, Anne and Gary Harrell. 

WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS: Praying 

Character Into Your Child. FamilyLife, 1995. 

ISBN 1-57229-031-5. HBB, $12.95, 106 pages. 

This excellent tool helps parents systematically 

pray for specific character traits to be built into 

their children’s lives. Twelve traits with specific 

scriptures to pray include kindness, courage, 

servanthood, contentment, plus eight more. 


Action steps to teach these traits to children are 

included. To order: 1-800-FL-Today. 

2. Carmichael, William and Nancie. LORD, 

BLESS MY CHILD: A Keepsake Prayer 

Journal to Pray for the Character of God in My 

Child. Tyndale House, 1995. ISBN 0-8423- 

2047-4. HBB, $19.99, 218 pages. An 

outstanding resource that guides parents to pray 

for blessings and godly character traits in their 

children. Fifty-two chapters include scriptures, 

prayers, devotional insights, suggestions for 

family interaction, and space to record prayers. 

For a gift with eternal impact, consider this book 

for parents. 


WHEN WE PRAY FOR OUR FAMILIES? 

Victor Books, 1992. ISBN 0-89693-541-8. PAP, 

$10.99, 202 pages. Christenson reveals prayer 

secrets learned from fifty years of praying for her 

family. She offers suggestions to pray for broken 

relationships, health problems, wayward 

children, and non-Christians. She also shares 

prayers of release, prayers at births, deaths, and 

special occasions. Her spontaneous lifestyle of 

prayer demonstrates the importance of praying 

for every family need. Leader’s guide available. 

4. Couser, Thomas. REAL MEN PRAY: Prayer 

Thoughts for Husbands and Fathers. Concordia, 

1996. ISBN 0-570-04849-4. PAP, $13.99, 331 

pages. Couser shares prayers and thoughts from 

his personal journal on topics relevant to men. 

Fifty-two weeks of prayers are included along 

with scripture, quotes, and reflective questions. 

He encourages men to take a few minutes a day 

to focus on God and begin their own journals. 

5. Fuller, Cheri. WHEN CHILDREN PRAY: 

How God Uses the Prayers of a Child. 

Multnomah, 1998. ISBN 1-57673-288-6. PAP, 

$12.99, 196 pages. Fuller believes God moves 

when children pray and shares many answered 

prayers from preschool to college-aged children 

as proof. A practical book with spiritual depth, it 

offers creative ways to help children grow in 

prayer. A useful, inspiring resource for parents 

and all who work with children. 

6. Fuller, Cheri. WHEN FAMILIES PRAY: 

Forty Devotions to Build, Strengthen, and Bond. 


$12.99, 201 pages. These devotions are 

designed to draw families closer to each other 

and God. They include scripture, stories, 

prayers, quotes, discussion questions suitable for 

different-age children, and specific ways to apply 

the teaching. This valuable book will bless and 

strengthen families. 

7. Fuller, Cheri. WHEN MOTHERS PRAY: 

The Greatest Influence in a Child’s Life. 


$12.99, 224 pages. This book brims with 

answers to prayer from mothers throughout 

history to present-day moms praying worldwide 

through Moms In Touch International. Practical 

tips and suggested scriptures motivate and equip 

mothers to pray through each stage of parenting. 

Parents and all who love children will appreciate 

this resource. 

8. Linamen, Karen. PARENT WARRIOR. 

Fleming H. Revell, 1999. ISBN 0-8007-5698-3. 

PAP, $11.99, 224 pages. Filled with stories, 

scripture, and practical advice, this interactive 

book shows parents how to pray effectively for 

their children. Parents learn to pray scripturally 

for their children’s futures, protection, and 

development of godly characteristics. A 21-day 

workbook that requires study and journaling 

comprises over half the book. A meaty resource, 

it will benefit parents serious about protecting 

their children through prayer. 

9. Omartian, Stormie. THE POWER OF A 

PRAYING PARENT. Harvest House, 1995. 

ISBN 1-56507-354-1. PAP, $9.99, 213 pages. 

Omartian believes parents can impact their 

children’s lives through prayer. In thirty short 

chapters she tells parents how to pray for 

children through every age and stage. Specific 

prayers and scriptures are included for concerns 

such as safety, friends, relationship with God, 

marriage, career choices, and more. A powerful 

book to apply for a lifetime. 

10. Osborne, Rick. TEACHING YOUR 

CHILD HOW TO PRAY. Moody, 1997. ISBN 

080248489-1. PAP, $9.99, 221 pages. Osborne 

explains the importance of laying a foundation of 

prayer and guides parents step-by-step in 

teaching their children to pray. Written in three 

sections, part one shows parents how to prepare 

to teach their children to pray. Part two covers 

the principles and approaches to teaching prayer, 

and part three provides practical hands-on 

suggestions to complete the task. A valuable 

book for parents. 

11. THE POWER OF FAMILY PRAYER. 

National Day of Prayer Task Force. ISBN 1- 

56179-659-X. PAP, $4.00, 52 pages. This 

concise booklet helps families pray together all 

year, not just on the National Day of Prayer. 

With testimonies of answered prayers, scriptures, 

family-night activities, and more, this guide 

emphasizes the privilege and power of family 

prayer. 

12. Wooden, Keith. TEACHING CHILDREN 

TO PRAY. Zondervan, 1992. ISBN 0-310- 

54481-5. PAP, $10.99, 109 pages. Written from 

the viewpoint of a pastor and father, this resource 

offers practical guidance rather than specific 

formulas for teaching children to pray. It is not a 

how-to book but rather stresses the importance of 

parents modeling their faith. Topics include 

prayer patterns, prayer etiquette, letting children 

touch their world through prayer, and more. 

Prayer Books for Adults 

1. Beltz, Bob. BECOMING A MAN OF 

PRAYER. NavPress, 1996. ISBN 0-89109-981- 

6. PAP, $10.00, 141 pages. Written by a 

minister, this how-to book shares a seven-week 

prayer strategy based on the Lord’s Prayer. It 

helps men organize their prayer lives using 

journals and promises a fresh, exciting approach 

to prayer. 

2. Bounds, Edward McKendree. THE 

COMPLETE WORKS OF E.M. BOUNDS ON 

PRAYER. Baker, 1990. ISBN 0-8010-0985-5. 

PAP, $19.99, 560 pages. Eight classics on prayer 

collected in one volume. Words have been 

modernized for today’s reader. 

3. Carmichael, Nancie. DESPERATE FOR 

GOD: How He Meets Us When We Pray. 

Crossway Books, 1999. ISBN 1-58134-089-3. 

HBB, $15.99, 191 pages. This insightful book 

compares growing in prayer with four stages of 

life: infancy, youth, midlife, and maturity. Each 

phase draws us closer to God and the effective 

prayer life that comes with maturity. Evaluation 

questions and tips to apply are included for each 

stage. A worthwhile, enriching read. 

4. Christenson, Evelyn. A TIME TO PRAY 

GOD’S WAY. Harvest House, 1996. ISBN 1- 

56507-300-2. PAP, $10.99, 254 pages. 

Changing the world through evangelistic prayers 

is the topic of this inspiring book. The method 

taught is prayer triplets: three Christians praying 

together weekly, each praying for the salvation of 

three others. The book presents an effective, 

simple plan and can be used with A STUDY 

GUIDE FOR EVANGELISM PRAYING. 



WHEN WOMEN PRAY. Chariot Victor, 1975, 

1992. ISBN 0-89693-975-8. PAP, $10.99, 142 

pages. The heart of Christenson’s book is the 

“6S” method: subject by subject, short prayers, 

simple prayers, specific prayers, silent periods, 

and small groups. This book offers practical 

tools for simple, effective prayer groups. 

Leader’s guide available. 

6. Cymbala, Jim with Dean Merrill. FRESH 

WIND, FRESH FIRE. Zondervan, 1997. ISBN 

0-310-21188-3. HBB, $17.99, 188 pages. 

Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle 

Church in New York for twenty-five years, 

shares the powerful story of how God revived 

this dying church. As the congregation made 

prayer a priority, attendance grew from twenty to 

6,000. He recounts stirring testimonies of 

transformed lives, illustrating what happens 

when God’s Spirit invades the hearts of his 

people. Cymbala exhorts churches to put aside 

diversions from God’s best and to emphasize 

prayer. An inspiring must read. 

7. Dean, Jennifer Kennedy. POWER 

PRAYING: Prayer That Produces Results. 

WinePress, 1997. ISBN 1-883893-61-5. PAP, 

$9.00, 110 pages. Based on 1 John 5:14-15, 

Dean believes understanding God’s will is the 

cornerstone of power praying. She provides 

guidance to find God’s will and pray with power. 

Sample prayers are included. 

8. Donihue, Anita Corrine. WHEN I’M ON 

MY KNEES: Devotional Thoughts on Prayer 

for Women. Barbour, 1997. ISBN 1-55748-976- 

9. PAP, $7.95, 213 pages. Written especially for 

women, this collection of devotional thoughts 

includes prayers, poems, hymns, and scriptures. 

Fourteen topics cover praise, forgiveness, grief, 

family, love, worship, and many more. 

9. Dunn, Ronald. DON’T JUST STAND 

THERE, PRAY SOMETHING: The Incredible 

Power of Intercessory Prayer. Thomas Nelson, 

1992. ISBN 0-8407-4393-9. PAP, $12.99, 269 

pages. An inspiring handbook with sound 

biblical teaching, this book offers practical help 

to pray with purpose and power for yourself and 

others. Appendices include how to start an 

intercessory church prayer ministry. 

10. Fryar, Jane L. ARMED AND 

DANGEROUS: Praying with Boldness. 

Concordia, 1997. ISBN 0-570-04997-0. PAP, 

$10.99, 176 pages. This quick read is not deeply 

theological but covers powerful, scripturallybased 

concepts of prayer. Fryar emphasizes the 

reality of spiritual warfare and that Christians, 

armed with God’s Word and prayer, are 

dangerous to forces of the devil. Over forty 

pages of appendices strengthen the book and 

include suggestions for teaching children to pray, 

planning a prayer retreat, and more. 

11. Galindo, Israel. LET US PRAY: 

Contemporary Prayers for the Seasons of the 

Church. Judson Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8170- 

1296-6. PAP, $13.00, 120 pages. A collection of 

original, contemporary prayers suitable for 

worship services, group meditations, and 

personal devotions. Following the themes of the 

Christian calendar, indexed prayers cover 

Christmas, Easter, other seasons, and special 

occasions. The author desires that these prayers 

reveal the heart of the people and the mind of 

God. 

12. Glaspey, Terry W. PATHWAY TO THE 

HEART OF GOD: Inspired to Pray by the Great 

Christian Writers. Harvest House, 1998. ISBN 

1-56507-776-8. PAP, $9.99, 208 pages. This 

contemplative book weaves together a collection 

of classic thoughts on prayer from past centuries 

with the author’s narrative. Learn from Martin 

Luther, C.S. Lewis, Augustine, and countless 

others about the foundations, elements, and 

practices of prayer. Intended to be digested 

slowly, the volume concludes with a selection of 

famous prayers and brief biographies of quoted 

writers. 

13. Goll, Jim W. KNEELING ON THE 

PROMISES: Birthing God’s Purposes through 

Prophetic Intercession. Chosen/Baker, 1999. 

ISBN 0-8007-9268-8. PAP, $14.99, 320 pages. 

Readers will learn how to pray God’s promises 

back to him and gain fresh vision to impact 

family, friends, and nations through prophetic 

intercession. The book includes appendices with 

scriptural promises and verses to pray for Israel, 

plus notes, glossary of terms, and extensive 

recommended reading list. 

14. Haan, Cornell, compiler. THE 

LIGHTHOUSE MOVEMENT. Multnomah, 

1999. ISBN 1557673-633-4. PAP, $4.99, 125 

pages. This exciting movement aims to mobilize 

Christians to pray for every person in America 

by year-end 2000. The vision is to have 

lighthouses (homes) in every neighborhood 

where members pray for, care for, and share the 

gospel with their neighbors. The inspiring 

handbook compiles the writings of thirty-five 

Christians and offers help and encouragement to 

join the movement. A must read for those who 

long for spiritual awakening in our nation. 

15. Hauerwas, Stanley. PRAYERS PLAINLY 

SPOKEN. InterVarsity Press, 1999. ISBN 0-- 

8308-2209-7. HBB, $12.99, 132 pages. Over 

ninety simple but unique prayers are collected in 

this book. Prayers cover a range of topics from 

events in the world and community such as war, 

hurricanes, and suicide to atypical matters such 

as the death of a beloved cat. Originally penned 

to be prayed in his divinity school classroom at 

Duke University, Hauerwas later published these 

prayers as a gift for his grandson. 

16. Houston, James. THE TRANSFORMING 

POWER OF PRAYER: Deepening Your 

Friendship with God. NavPress, 1996. ISBN 0- 

89109-937-9. PAP, $11.00, 312 pages. Houston, 

a seasoned theology professor, sees prayer not as 

a discipline but as developing a friendship with 

God. This meaty book explores how prayer 

transforms our lives and includes a brief 

bibliography. 

17. Jeremiah, David. PRAYER: THE GREAT 

ADVENTURE. Multnomah, 1997. ISBN 1- 

57673-131-6. HBB, $18.99, 263 pages. When 

Jeremiah learns he has cancer, prayer takes on 

greater urgency. He shares personal discoveries 

and biblical truths from Jesus’ general teaching 

on prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, and John 17. 

Jeremiah advocates keeping a prayer journal and 

shares excerpts from his own. 

18. Kopp, David, Heather Harpham Kopp, and 

Larry Wilson, editors. PRAYING FOR THE 

WORLD’S 365 MOST INFLUENTIAL 

PEOPLE. Harvest House, 1999. ISBN 0-7369- 

0047-0. PAP, $12.99, 379 pages. A unique 

guide with specific ideas to pray effectively for 

365 influential people around the world. 

Included are authors, musicians, leaders, 

politicians, and other professionals such as 

Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, Kay Arthur, Fred 

Rogers, Jack Kevorkian, and hundreds more. 

This resource recommends five minutes of 

prayer a day to change the world. 

19. Maxwell, John. PARTNERS IN PRAYER: 

Support and Strengthen Your Pastor and Church 

Leaders. Thomas Nelson, 1996. ISBN 0-7852- 

7437-1. PAP, $9.99, 162 pages. Maxwell 

presents the exciting concept of lay people 

partnering in prayer with church leaders. He 

F A L L 2 0 0 0 1 0 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L

shares how his life and ministry exploded with 

power after God brought him a prayer partner. 

For example, his church prayer team grew from 

one to 120. The book covers fundamentals of 

prayer, how to become a prayer partner, 

discussion questions for each chapter, and more. 

Practical appendices are included. 

20. Moore, Carey and Pamela Rosewell Moore. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HUSBANDS AND 

WIVES PRAY TOGETHER? Spire, 1999. 

ISBN 0-8007-8659-9. PAP, $5.99, 208 pages. 

The Moores discovered the secret for a healthy 

marriage was praying together regularly. 

Sharing from their experiences and those of 

others, they offer step-by-step guidance and 

biblical teaching to develop this habit. Tips to 

overcome problems and reap the blessings of 

daily prayer are given. Formerly published as IF 

TWO SHALL AGREE. 

21. Morris, Fred Parks. HOW TO SHARPEN 

YOUR LISTENING-TO-GOD SKILLS. 

WinePress, 1998. ISBN 1-57921-051-1. PAP, 

$8.99, 94 pages. Easy to read, the book teaches 

how to listen to God and improve your 

communication with him through journaling. 

The last portion discusses the author’s churchbuilding 

ministry called Skyhook. 

22. Mueller, George. ANSWERS TO PRAYER. 

Moody, 1984. ISBN 0-8024-0565-7. PAP, $4.99, 

126 pages. Mueller, who founded and operated 

orphanages in 19th-century England, believed in 

the power of prayer and relied on God to provide 

the orphanages’ daily needs. He details the 

continual provision and answered prayer as he 

and his staff asked according to God’s will. This 

classic inspires reliance on God and 

demonstrates his faithfulness. 

23. Omartian, Stormie. THE POWER OF A 

PRAYING WIFE. Harvest House, 1997. ISBN 

1-56507-572-2. PAP, $9.99, 203 pages. 

Omartian teaches wives how to effectively pray 

for their husbands by sharing personal 

experiences, sample prayers, and scriptures. 

Thirty chapters cover praying for a husband’s 

spiritual, emotional, physical, and other needs. 

Based on sound biblical teaching, this 

encouraging book is certain to strengthen 

marriages if applied. 

24. Payne, Leanne. LISTENING PRAYER: 

Learning to Hear God’s Voice and Keep a Prayer 

Journal. Baker, 1999. ISBN 0-8010-5916-X. 

PAP, $12.99, 265 pages. “Prayer is the most 

important thing I do,” says Payne. Based on her 

personal experience, the book outlines how to 

organize a prayer journal and listen to God. It 

details specific aspects of prayer patterned from 

scriptures and the Lord’s Prayer and includes 

hindrances to listening prayer. Extensive notes 

and useful appendices are included. Readers 

desiring a fuller prayer life will appreciate this 

warm, practical resource. 

25. Price, Oliver W. THE POWER OF 

PRAYING TOGETHER: Experiencing Christ 

Actively in Charge. Kregel, 1999. ISBN 0- 

8254-3552-8. PAP, $10.99, 187 pages. This 

how-to book on corporate prayer presents five 

keys that unleash the power of prayer and 

change lives. Written by a long-time pastor, the 

principles have been tested in his life and church 

prayer meetings. Each chapter includes review 

questions and exercises to apply. A worthwhile 

read that teaches Christ-centered rather than 

request-centered praying. 

26. Rinker, Rosalind. PRAYER: 

CONVERSING WITH GOD. Zondervan, 1987. 

ISBN 0-310-32171-9. PAP, $9.99, 120 pages. 

When Rinker discovered the focus of prayer 

should be on God and not the impression made 

on others, she no longer was afraid to pray aloud. 

A classic study on conversational prayer, it 

teaches praying back and forth on one subject at 

a time in group intercession. Helpful appendices 

for daily quiet time and personal worship are 

included. This simple, powerful method 

revolutionizes prayer lives. 

27. Sanders, Oswald, and others. WORLD 

PRAYER: Powerful Insights from Four of the 

World’s Great Men of Prayer. Overseas 

Missionary Fellowship, 1999. ISBN 0-87508- 

491-5. PAP, $6.99, 124 pages. This collection 

of biblical truths teaches how to pray effectively 

for world evangelism. It includes: “Effective 

Prayer” by J. Oswald Sanders, “The Prayer of 

Faith” by J. O. Fraser, “Prayer Tools” by Will 

Bruce, and “When You Pray” by J. Hudson 

Taylor. Readers can enlarge their prayer lives 

from the insights of these prayer visionaries. 

Bible Studies on Prayer 

1. Arthur, Kay. LORD, TEACH ME TO PRAY 

IN 28 DAYS. Harvest House, 1982. ISBN 1- 

56507-252-9. PAP, $10.99, 159 pages. Not just 

another book on prayer but a study of Jesus’ 

response when the disciples asked, “Lord, teach 

us to pray.” Arthur helps readers dig into the 

Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) sentence by 

sentence and learn its pattern for prayer. Based 

on biblical truth, this valuable 28-day study can 

be used alone or in a group. But mainly, it’s 

meant to apply. Teaching tapes to accompany 

the book are available through Precept 

Ministries: (423) 892-6814. 

2. Gilliland, Glaphre, TALKING WITH GOD. 

Zondervan, 1985. ISBN 0-310-45301-1. PAP, 

$6.99, 153 pages. Designed to help readers 

establish consistent and meaningful prayer lives, 

this practical study is suitable for individuals or 

groups. Twelve lessons include insights, 

scriptures, and questions on different aspects of 

prayer. The book also contains notes for group 

leaders. Additional materials on prayer are 

available through Gilliland’s ministry called 

Prayerlife. To order: (405) 789-5304. 

3. Heald, Cynthia. BECOMING A WOMAN 

OF PRAYER. NavPress, 1996. ISBN 0-89109- 

954-9. PAP, $7.00, 101 pages. This 11-week 

Bible-based study helps women respond to God 

and learn to pray biblically. Lessons include 

Bible-study questions, quotes from devotional 

writers, author reflections, prayer, and memory 

verses. Valuable for both personal and group use 

for those desiring deeper prayer lives. 

4. Hunt, T.W. and Catherine Walker. 

DISCIPLE’S PRAYER LIFE. Sunday School 

Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1988, 

1997. ISBN 0-7673 2611-3. HBB, $15.95, 250 

pages. A comprehensive 13-unit study to help 

Christians develop effective prayer lives. 

Organized in a three-ring notebook, this excellent 

course is a self-study, interactive tool suitable for 

groups or individuals. It contains deep 

foundational teaching combined with practical 

prayer tips. Leader’s guide included. To order: 

1-800-233-1123. 

Lydia E. Harris, M.A., is a freelance writer 

involved in prayer ministry in her church, 

community, and Moms In Touch International. 

She writes for numerous publications including 

THE STANDARD, CELEBRATE LIFE, AND 

REJOICE! and lives in Seattle, Washington. 

C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 1 1 F A L L 2 0 0 0

A Still Small 

Voice— 

Spirituality in 

Young Adult 

Literature 

by Celia Straus 

Recently I reread several of the novels 

in Madeleine L’Engle’s anthology 

Trailing Clouds of Glory : Spiritual 

Values in Children’s Books to discern 

connections between my two collections of 

prayer-poems for teenage girls and books 

that meet the spiritual needs of young 

adolescents. I was also interested to see 

how spiritual works for young people fit 

within the context of Christian school 

libraries. The reason I chose Trailing 

Clouds of Glory is because the stories 

included in the anthology reflect a common 

theme voiced by L’Engle when she says, 

“Only as we keep in touch with the child 

within our very grown-up body can we keep 

open enough to recognize God who is Love 

itself, as that Love is revealed in story.” 

For example, one of the novels in L’Engle’s 

anthology is Emily of New Moon by Lucy 

M. Montgomery. After the young girl’s 

dying father says to her, “You mustn’t be 

afraid of anything, Emily. Death isn’t 

terrible. The universe is full of love—and 

spring comes everywhere,” the author 

explains that, “Emily didn’t know exactly 

what Father meant. But all at once she 

found that she wasn’t afraid any longer— 

and the bitterness had gone 

out of her sorrow, and the 

unbearable pain out of her 

heart. She felt as if love was 

all about her and around her, 

breathed out from some great, 

invisible, hovering 

Tenderness.” 

Today, most school librarians 

must also be media specialists 

who grapple on a daily basis 

with issues such as: the 

explosion of information 

technology; the tension 

between building a library’s 

book collection and creating a multi-media 

center that will position the library as the 

core resource of the school; the challenge of 

trying to build lifelong readers out of 

students who may not have found time to 

read a book for pleasure since the fourth 

grade; and finally, the search for religious 

books that are both spiritual and modern. 

We succeed in our search when we find, in 

either poetry or prose, books that 

communicate to young people essential 

Christian values such as honesty, selfrespect, 

responsibility for others, courage, 

compassion, and faith in God. These are 

values that teenagers must learn and feel to 

their very core to retain a sense of their own 

self and their relationship to God—a 

relationship, like Emily’s in Emily Of New 

Moon, that enables them to navigate 

successfully life’s journey. 

My first book, Prayers On My Pillow : 

Inspiration for Girls on the Threshold of 

Change, started as an effort to communicate 

with my daughters Julia (then twelve) and 

Emily (eight). Beginning in October of 

1995 and continuing on a daily basis for the 

next two years, I wrote at least one prayerpoem 

every night. I first began writing them 

because Julia was beginning to distance 

herself from me. The prayers, written in the 

first person, from her point of view, were 

designed to bridge the gulf that was 

developing between us as she confronted the 

confusion, changes, and pressures of 

growing up, and I confronted this 

accelerated pace of life that leaves parents 

with little time for heart-felt conversations 

with our children. The prayers were an 

indirect way for me to let her know I 

understood how she was feeling and what 

she was going through. 

I did not write these intimate and extremely 

specific expressions of feelings and faith in 

God so that they would be shared with a 

wider audience, which is, perhaps, why they 

came to be published. I suppose this should 

not have surprised me. What is most real 

and personal in our lives is also what is most 

universal in the lives of others. Librarians— 

who have chosen a career which has a goal 

of building book collections for children 

based on this premise—know this well. 

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird, Colby 

Rodowsky’s What About Me?, Jean 

Craighead George’s Julie of the Wolves, 

Little Women, Winnie The Pooh, and The 

Little Prince, to mention just a few in the 

anthology, all meet our urgent and 

compelling need for understanding of the 

Divine. L’Engle points out that the message 

these books share is that: “in order to live 

life to one’s fullest potential, one must grow 

up and remain a child.” That message also 

happens to be the theme of the very first 

prayer I ever wrote for Julia dated October 

25, 1995 which states: 

I think I’m afraid to grow up, God. 

For I see how much pain there can be 

I want to stay young and protected 


I’m scared that I’ll lose what is me. 

I know in my life there’s no choice, God. 

That each day that goes by is a change. 

So I pray that my soul grows with You 

Then my world as I grow won’t be strange. 

Contemporary young adult stories such as 

Paul Fleischman’s Whirligig, Rob Thomas’ 

Slave Day, John Marsden’s Tomorrow, When 

the War Began and Phyllis Reynolds 

Naylor’s Sang Spell also express in concrete 

and credible terms the yearning of the 

adolescent to know God. In Whirligig, a 

teenage girl, Alexandra, has discovered the 

whirligig left in Maine and describes its 

magic to her skeptical friend, Steph. “You 

can’t see the wind, but look what it can do. 

It’s invisible but powerful. Like thoughts. 

One brings a bunch of junk to life. The 

other brings desires to life. And it’s better if 

you broadcast your thoughts outside….It 

symbolizes all unseen forces. It’s like 

electricity—an invisible power that people 

didn’t know existed for centuries. If you 

learn to use thoughts, you can do all kinds of 

things.” When I read this passage, I can not 

help but think of John 3:5 when Jesus, 

explaining to Nicodemus the concept of 

being born again, uses wind as an analogy, 

saying, “Only God’s Spirit gives new life. 

The Spirit is like the wind that blows 

wherever it wants to. You can hear the 

wind, but you don’t know where it comes 

from or where it is going.” 

Like Paul Fleischman, it is crucial to me that 

my prayer-poems recognize and respect the 

interior lives of adolescent girls or anyone 

who has ever been an adolescent girl. Here 

is a single verse of a prayer that expresses 

the difficulty of maintaining one’s faith in 

God, particularly during young adolescence 

when identity can be ephemeral at best: 

Today I woke no little girl 

But someone not yet here 

As if I’d lost the faith to grow 

In God instead of fear. 

Many of us lose the faith to “grow in God 

instead of fear” as we mature. We no longer 

hear the inner voice of faith that was so clear 

and joyous when we were children. Often 

our loss of trust in the Lord starts to happen 

when we are around ten. During the past 

two and a half years of reading thousands of 

emails sent to my web site, 

www.girlprayers.com, I have found that 

young people may stand before us as cynical 

and uncaring but, in reality, they are 

attempting to make meaning out of life. 

They are searching to know God. In what 

has become an online youth ministry, I 

respond with personalized prayers to provide 

support and solace for girls and their 

families as they weather the stormy times 

that inevitably occur in all relationships. 

Like prayer, stories about adolescent 

spirituality also provide support and solace. 

Reading these stories can be a salvation for 

teenagers from troubled homes or with 

troubled lives, for they communicate 

messages of compassion and courage that 

invite personalization and ownership on the 

part of the reader. Taking ownership of 

these stories moves God from some abstract 

concept on the outskirts of a young person’s 

life into their very core. The process of 

reading spiritual literature also opens up for 

teens new ways of thinking about 

themselves and their relationships with 

others. The process often breaks down their 

self-imposed isolation and relaxes the 

frequently rigid standards by which 

teenagers judge themselves and their peers. 

However, with the disintegration of family 

structures and the frantic pace of modern 

life, getting young people to take the time to 

read and then reflect on what they read is 

extremely difficult. Few parents bother to 

read aloud to their children once their 

children learn to read. As children get older 

and their free time is taken up with sports, 

extra curricular activities, homework, the 

Internet, and, of course, television, reading 

for pleasure simply disappears off the radar 

screen for all but the most avid readers. 

As a result, reading is hard for them. 

Internet communication may have enabled 

them to learn basic typing skills at an early 

age, but how many long descriptive passages 

have today’s adolescents been motivated to 

master while browsing through virtual 

shopping malls and teen webzines? Holding 

their attention long enough to enable them to 

first read and then integrate the spiritual 

content of a book or poem is daunting. And 

yet, it is through solitude that we are able to 

learn to know God and take measure of our 

soul. Both reading and prayer invite 

solitude, a state of mind experienced all too 

seldom by our young people today. 

If we decide to take on the challenge of 

encouraging adolescents to seek out books 

that meet their spiritual needs, we must use 

whatever tools we have at our disposal. I 

believe that indirect methods are frequently 

the most effective. The “grapevine,” for 

example, often works like a charm. Get a 

couple of seventh grade avid readers hooked 

on a book like Monster with its 

unconventional scripted format and morally 

intriguing open-ended finale, and good 

“word of mouth” among peers makes it a 

popular choice even among the most reticent 

of readers. “Word of mouth” was certainly 

the reason Prayers On My Pillow became 

successful. Girls who received the book for 

Christmas 1998, and the mothers who 


ought it for them told their friends about it 

so that by the spring of 1999 a grass roots 

movement had given it life. 

I am convinced that, if we can choose stories 

that teach adolescents essential Christian 

values in ways they can relate to and 

embrace we can better communicate our 

values to adolescents; we can bridge 

spirituality and technology ; we can capture 

and hold the attention of our students, our 

readers; and we can continue to guide young 

people on their search to know -- and love -- 

God. 

BIBILOGRAPHY: 

Carpenter, Humphrey, Secret Gardens : 

The Golden Age of Children’s Literature, 

Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985. 

Collins, Julie, “Adolescent Male 

Spirituality,” America, Vol 181, No. 9, 

October 2, 1999. 

Dossey, Larry, MD, Prayer Is Good 

Medicine, HarperSan Francisco, 1996. 

Fleischman, Paul, Whirligig, Copyright, 

Dell Laurel-Leaf, imprint of Random House 

Children’s Books, NY, 1998. 

L’Engle, Madeleine with Avery Brooke, 

Trailing Clouds of Glory : Spiritual Values 

In Children’s Books, Crosswicks, Ltd, The 

Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA, 1985. 

Montgomery, Lucy, M, Emily Of New 

Moon, The Canadian Publishers, McClelland 

and Stewart Limited, Toronto. 

D.C. and Lorraine Bentley, Library Media 

Specialist at St. Andrews School for their 

generosity, wisdom and insight into adolescent 

spirituality. 

Celia Straus is a writer and speaker on 

adolescent self-esteem and spirituality. Also a 

screenwriter, with over 150 top professional 

awards, she lives in Washington, D.C. with her 

husband and two daughters. The author of the 

book, Prayers On my Pillow : Inspirations for 

Girls on the Threshold of Change, (Ballantine 

Books, 1998) More Prayers On My Pillow : 

Words of Comfort and Hope for Girls On The 

Journey To Self, (Ballantine Books, October, 

2000) and the spoken word CD, “I’m More Than 

What I Seem,” Celia continues to answer 

requests for prayer-poems from girls and women 

of all ages who visit her web site at 

www.girlprayers.com. 

CONFERENCE 

TIME 

IS HERE 

Want to share CLJ 

with others? 

Ask us for sample issues to 

share with other librarians 

and/or administrators at 

your regional conference 

of libraries or Christian 

schools. 

We are happy to send 

sample copies. 

Christian Library Services 

1240 34th Place 

Florence, OR 97439 

Fax (541) 997-4434 

heschclj@harborside.com 

www.christianlibraryj.org 

I would like to acknowledge and thank Ann 

Whittington and Nancy McKinley, librarians of 

the Blessed Sacrament School in Washington, 


THE WAY THE WORLD IS 

The Science and Theology of 

the Reverend Dr. Sir John Polkinghorne 

BY ANDREW M. SEDDON 

With our ever-increasing 

understanding of our 

universe comes a desire to relate 

the picture presented by science 

to that provided by our faith. We 

listen intently as scientists - 

particularly those involved in 

physics, astronomy, and 

cosmology - pronounce upon 

matters of science and theology. 

There can be a tendency to regard 

all scientific pundits as either 

atheists (Stephen Hawking, Carl 

Sagan, Frank Tipler) or agnostics 

(Paul Davies). But the New York 

Times reported a few years ago 

that 40% of American scientists 

believe in a personal God to 

whom thay pray. Physicist 

Freeman Dyson says "Many firstrate 

scientists are Christians, 

Moslems, Buddhists or Jews, 

many are Marxists, many are 

militant atheists, many are like 

me, loosely attached to Christian 

beliefs by birth and habit but not 

committed to any particular 

dogma." In short, scientists 

reflect the composition of society 

at large. 

As we seek to penetrate the 

secrets of our wonderful, 

complex, and mysterious 

universe, it behooves us to listen 

to the voices of scientists, 

particularly those who share our 

Christian faith. One such is John 

Polkinghorne, who has combined 

the twin vocations of 

mathematical physicist and 

theologian. 

Polkinghorne's active career was 

spent as a particle physicist at 

Cambridge University, delving 

into the structure of the atom. 

There, he says, "I did not make 

any important discovery myself 

but I had a ringside seat during a 

period in which many very 

remarkable and exciting 

discoveries were being made." In 

1979 he resigned his 

professorship in Mathematical 

Physics to pursue holy orders. He 

was ordained as a priest in the 

Anglican Church in 1982, and 

served in parish ministry for five 

years before returning to 

Cambridge as President of 

Queen's College. He is currently 

canon theologian at Liverpool 

Cathedral, a founding member of 

the Society of Ordained 

Scientists, and the only ordained 

Fellow of the Royal Society. He 

was knighted (KBE) in 1997. 

Polkinghorne's first book of 

reflections on science and 

Christianity, The Way the World 

Is, was published in 1983, shortly 

after his ordination. He wrote, he 

says, to give a coherent account 

of his Christian belief to his 

physics colleagues - "for a 

number, the basic question was 

not why I was seeking ordination 

but why I was a Christian at all." 

For Polkinghorne (as for many 

Christians working at the juncture 

of science and theology), science 

and faith are not adversaries but 

complementary methods of 

exploration on a common quest. 

"Religion is our encounter with 

divine reality, just as science is 

our encounter with physical 

reality." Polkinghorne has "...a 

desire to understand the rich and 

complex world in which we live 

and to seek the truth about it. In 

my view, the insights of science 

and the insights of religion are 

both essential to that task..." But 

not merely any religion - "...no 

attempt at such an endeavor could 

begin to be adequate which did 

not address the questions posed 

by the mysterious and 

commanding figure of Jesus 

Christ..." 

True, some scientists do see faith 

as incompatible with science. 

Others seek to equate scientific 

discoveries with eastern 

religions. Still others are content 

with a deistic, mechanical, handsoff 

god who doesn't interfere. But 

Polkinghorne sees no reason why 

thinking Christians cannot hold 

their faith with integrity: 

"Christians do not have to close 

their minds, nor are they faced 

with the dilemma of having to 

choose between ancient faith and 

modern knowledge. They can 

hold both together." 


For Polkinghorne, it is God who 

makes the universe intelligible. 

He asks, "Is the true key to the 

way the world is to be found in 

the possession of a wandering 

carpenter in a peripheral province 

of the Roman Empire, far away 

and long ago?" and answers his 

own question, "The Christian God 

is not a detached if 

compassionate beholder of the 

sufferings of the world, he is a 

participant in them. It is the 

crucified God whom we worship." 

Polkinghorne is concerned that 

the core of Christian faith not be 

watered down in concession to 

science, or a ‘false harmony' 

created between them: "...I do not 

find that a trinitarian and 

incarnational theology needs to 

be abandoned in favour of a 

toned-down theology of a Cosmic 

Mind and an inspired teacher, 

alleged to be more accessible to 

the modern mind." There are 

limits to Christian orthodoxy, and 

Polkinghorne stands squarely in 

the historical Christian faith as 

expressed in the Nicene Creed. 

Our society accuses Christians of 

having abandoned intellectual 

integrity to embrace blind faith. 

Polkinghorne disagrees. His faith 

is not based on science, but on 

his "encounter with God in 

Christ, mediated through the 

Church, the sacraments, and... the 

reading of scripture. The 

discussion of science-and-religion 

is a valuable but second order 

task..." 

How, exactly, does God interact 

with his creation? How does he 

operate in the world of the atom 

and quantum mechanics? In the 

exercise of the will? How does he 

allow humanity to be human? 

How does he allow the universe 

to operate without constant 

tinkering? How can he be both 

immanent and transcendent, 

eternal and involved in time? 

Why is there evil? 

It is questions such as these that 

Polkinghorne discusses in the 

heart of his writings, in the 

trilogy composed of One World, 

Science and Creation, and 

Science and Providence. 

His answers may not always be 

expected, and are never 

simplistic, because, "the world is 

complex, full of surprises, and 

understanding it involves notions 

a good deal more subtle than we 

could possibly have foreseen." 

They are not final answers, and 

Polkinghorne is comfortable with 

gaps in our understanding, "it is 

important to recognize that things 

can be true, and manifest 

themselves as true, without our 

necessarily being in possession of 

a theoretical understanding of 

them." Such mysteries as the 

incarnation and the crucifixion 

may not be possible with our 

limited human understanding. 

"In the rational beauty and 

rational transparency of the 

physical world we see the threads 

of a deeper meaning woven into 

the empirical tapestry of science. 

Those physicists, like Stephen 

Hawking, who, in speaking of the 

mathematical order of the 

physical world like to refer to 

reading the Mind of God, are in 

my opinion speaking better than 

perhaps they know, though there 

remains much more to the divine 

mind than physics will ever 

disclose." 

Such a statement stands in 

contrast to those of Paul Davies, 

who believes that "science offers 

a surer path to God than 

religion," or Stephen Hawking, 

whose quest to understand why 

the universe is the way it is leads 

him to ask, "What place then, for 

a Creator?" Or even, 

Polkinghorne would add, those 

who use the Bible as a science 

textbook. 

But God, Polkinghorne asserts, is 

not an object to be subjected to 

scientific experiment. "Every 

encounter with divine reality has 

the character of gracious gift and 

it partakes of the uniqueness 

inherent in any personal 

meeting." 

Polkinghorne has, he says, 

"always stood within the 

community of the Christian faith 

and Christianity has always been 

central to my life," and 

acknowledges the "unique saving 

action of God in Christ." While 

he doesn't believe that faith can 

be proved - in a "knockdown 

final demonstration" - it can 

provide a coherent and rational 

view of the way the world is. He 

notes that the vital question for 

faith is not whether it is 

comforting or altruistic, but 

whether it is true. For 

Polkinghorne, the answer is 

clearly "yes". 

Polkinghorne is not content to 

look merely at the world, at the 

planet inhabited by humanity. His 

vision extends further. "If there is 

a purpose in the universe (as I 

believe there is), it is perhaps not 

exhausted by what happens in the 

solar system." There is a grand 

and great universe out there, and 

all of it matters to God. 

Where does the purpose and 

future of the universe lie? - in the 

Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The 

Resurrection is a focal point for 

Polkinghorne - it is the defining 

action of God. 

In a review of Polkinghorne's 

recent book Beyond Science in 

the prestigious journal Nature, 

physicist David Merman 

complained, "...an eloquent 

discussion of how it may all 


end... comes down from these 

lofty heights with a resounding 

thud for the non-Christian reader 

with a... declaration of faith in 

the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Provincial Christian mythology is 

a blemish on so grand a 

theological vision." 

But Merman misses the point. For 

Polkinghorne - and all Christians 

- it is the Resurrection that gives 

hope and meaning to the 

universe, that tears it away from 

the universe of atheist Steven 

Weinberg who wrote, "The more 

the universe seems 

comprehensible, the more it also 

seems pointless." 

The Resurrection is not 

‘provincial mythology', but the 

crowning expression of God's 

faithfulness and promise to his 

creatures. The Resurrection 

provides the ultimate hope for the 

universe. 

Despite their deceptively short 

lengths, John Polkinghorne's 

books are not ‘light reads'; for 

those unacquainted with 

contemporary physics and 

cosmology, they can be daunting. 

They require thought and 

contemplation. The most 

accessible for the non-scientist 

are Quarks, Chaos and 

Christianity, which provides an 

overview of his thoughts, The 

Way The World Is, Science and 

Providence, and Serious Talk. The 

Faith of a Physicist is an 

exposition centered around the 

Nicene Creed. Reason and Reality 

explores other areas in science 

and theology, such as the role of 

the Bible and the nature of the 

Fall. Searching for Truth is a 

series of Lenten meditations. 

Belief in God in an Age of 

Science also provides a 

reasonably accessible overview. 

Scientists as Theologians 

compares and contrasts his views 

with two other prominent 

scientist theologians, Ian Barbour 

and Arthur Peacocke. 

Not everyone will agree with all 

of the positions Polkinghorne 

takes. Adherents of a young age 

for the universe, for example, 

will find little sympathy with 

Polkinghorne, who accepts 

standard models of cosmology 

and believes in a "fully gifted 

universe" - that is, a creation 

gifted by God with the potential 

to grow and develop. He finds 

little interest in the question of 

origins as temporal beginnings 

(how did things begin?) but much 

in the deeper ontological question 

"why is there anything at all?". 

"God," he says, "is the God of all 

times and all places." He wonders 

about God's foreknowledge of the 

future. He rejects both a strictly 

literal interpretation of the Bible 

as well as a completely 

allegorical viewpoint. He writes 

from a fully Anglican 

perspective. But whether or not 

one is in agreement with 

everything he says, he presents a 

vision of the interaction of God 

and the cosmos beyond the 

ordinary. The Christian Gospel 

has a unique duality - the heart of 

the Gospel message is simple 

enough to be understood by a 

child, yet it is complex enough to 

engage the best theological and 

scientific minds in a search for 

deep understanding of the cosmic 

order. 

Throughout his writings, 

Polkinghorne's wonder at the 

intricacies and beauties of 

creation shines though. Not for 

him a creation in ruins, but a 

creation that yet shows the 

wonder and glory of God, that 

matters to God, and will be 

redeemed by Him. 

I mentioned once to an agnostic 

colleague - skeptical of most 

tenets of Christianity - that I had 

heard John Polkinghorne speak at 

Liverpool Cathedral, and when I 

had explained who Polkinghorne 

was, my colleague said, "I could 

listen to somebody like that." 

I think such a comment would 

please John Polkinghorne. 

Books on science and theology by John 

Polkinghorne 

* indicates volumes currently available in the US. 

Amazon.com has a UK branch that carries other 

tirles. 

* The Way the World Is - 1983, SPCK/ Triangle 

in the US Books on Demand 

* One World - 1986, SPCK/Triangle; in the US 

Princeton 

Science and Creation - 1988, SPCK/Triangle 

Science and Providence - 1989, SPCK/Triangle 

* Reason and Reality - 1991, SPCK /Triangle; in 

the US, Trinity Press International 

* Science and Christian Belief - 1994, SPCK; in 

the US as The Faith of A Physicist - 1994, 

Princeton 

* Serious Talk: Science and religion in Dialogue 

- 1994, Trinity Press International 

* Searching for Truth: Lenten Meditations on 

Science & Faith -1996 Crossroad Pub. 

* Quarks, Chaos and Christianity - 1996, 

Crossroad 

* Beyond Science - 1996, Cambridge University 

Press 

Scientists as Theologians - 1996, SPCK/ Triangle 

* Science and Theology, 1998, SPCK, Fortress 

* Belief in God in an Age of Science, 1998, Yale 

University Press 

The John Polkinghorne web site can be found at 

www.starcourse.org/jcp/index.html 

The Society of Ordained Scientists is at 

www.ctel.net/~keggi/sosc/ 


Stephanie 

Lavenia 

Swinnea - 

Writer of a Tale 

Worth Telling 

by Mary Jarvis 

An afternoon outing with her children 

was the catalyst for change that led 

Stephanie Swinnea into a five-year 

odyssey of study and research which 

resulted in the writing of a screenplay and 

the book, I Patrick a Sinner : A Tale Worth 

Telling. 

A few years ago, Swinnea wanted her four 

children to learn about their Irish heritage. 

She took them to the North Texas Irish 

Festival in Dallas, Texas, where they were 

captivated by the Irish music, stories, art, 

and dancing. She engaged festival 

participants in questions and conversation. 

To her surprise, the following year she and 

her children were invited to be performers in 

the children's area. They all sing and play 

instruments, so Irish tunes and tales were 

added to their repertoire. 

In looking for stories to tell about St. 

Patrick, she discovered the real Patrick. She 

says, "I thought he was more myth than 

man; then I discovered the historic figure. I 

read several translations and commentaries 

on his writings." Swinnea's dark brown eyes 

glow as she relates, "Reading his Confession 

set a fire in my soul. I was in awe of this 

man who so desperately wanted to live his 

life in imitation of Christ. I had always been 

unaware of his true greatness. His own 

words gave me a picture of who he really 

was. He wrote his Confession so that others 

would know it was God working in his life 

that created his ministry to the Irish." 

Patrick, writing near the end of his life, 

begins his Confession, "I Patrick, a sinner..." 

from which Swinnea derives the title of the 

book. Patrick writes, "I must teach from the 

rule of faith of the Trinity, without fear of 

danger to make known the gift of God and 

eternal comfort, to promulgate the name of 

God everywhere fearlessly and faithfully, so 

as to leave after my death a legacy to my 

brothers and my children whom I have 

baptized, so many thousands of people... 

May it never happen... that I should ever 

lose his people which he has gathered in the 

ends of the earth. If I have achieved any 

small success, it was the gift of God." 

What began as an exercise to learn Irish 

folklore became a compelling journey into 

the history and culture of the Emerald Isle 

and its people. Fifth century Ireland was a 

dark and barbaric time of black Druid 

religious practices and brutal warring 

kingdoms. 

Patricus Magonus Sucatus was born to a 

British noble family during the waning years 

of the Roman Empire when Britain was still 

nominally under Roman rule. As a young 

boy of fifteen he was captured by Irish 

raiders while staying at the family villa on 

the Irish Sea and taken to Ireland as a slave. 

On the voyage to Ireland and after arriving, 

he endured cruel mistreatment. 

Gathering material from Patrick's Confession 

and other historical documents, Swinnea has 

woven together a novel that puts the reader 

in the middle of Patrick's trials and the dark 

ages. Patrick, alone without family or 

friends, turned to the one true Friend and 

found solace in the midst of deprivation and 

loneliness. According to Swinnea's novel, 

the "Holy Boy" won the respect and hearing 

of his masters by his life and his ability to 

spin tales. After six years of slavery, Patrick 

escaped and journeyed home to Britain. But 

God was not finished with the young man 

and called him to go back to Ireland to 

preach the Gospel. He became a priest and 

ultimately won permission to return to 

Ireland. 

The slave turned servant of God lived to 

become bishop of numerous churches in 

Ireland. Pagans were transformed to faithful 

believers and martyrs of Christ. Known as 

"Patrick, shepherd of God's people in 

Ireland," he has stood through the centuries 

as one who brought light to the Irish during 

the darkest of times. 

This novel, though earthy and sometimes 

violent, grips the reader with its message of 

God's powerful transformation and working 

in the lives of men and women. Swinnea 

states that "Patrick was an uncultured 

country evangelist, a rugged individualist. 

His was the universal message, 'God loves 

you.'" She says, "I hope I have succeeded in 

bringing to my readers, not a true biography, 

impossible with the limited facts available, 

but rather the true character of Patrick, with 

all his faults and failings, strengths and 

successes, and his heart big enough for all 

Ireland. He was a flesh and blood man, 

humbled by friends and foes alike, a man 

who faced death at least a dozen times, but 

who loved his God and the Irish people 

more than his own life. His is a story of a 

common man facing uncommon and 

insurmountable odds and overcoming them 

with unconquerable faith." 

Before writing the novel Swinnea wrote a 

screen play about Patrick, A Tale Worth 

Telling, which has been picked up by a 

California motion picture company. She 

says, "I wrote a screenplay because a movie 

is the only book a lot of people read." 

How does a mother home-schooling four 

children sit down and write both a screen 

play and a historical novel? A gifted 

storyteller and musician by profession, after 

beginning her research on Patrick, she joined 

a screen writing group and each week as part 

of the discipline of the group, she wrote 

twenty pages in odd moments and late at 

night to be critiqued by the group. As she 

continued her research, the book grew from 

that effort. Even the design for the cover of 

the book was created by Swinnea. 

Researching the symbols and Irish art of 

Patrick's day, she created a design for the 

cover. Presenting the design to an artist as 

an idea for the cover, she was told that she 

had already created it. 

At first glance, this tall soft-spoken woman 

gives little hint of the talent and creativity 

she possesses. But as story and song begin 

to flow from her, one realizes this is 

someone touched in a special way by God's 

spirit and gifts. She, like Patrick, has been 

faithful in using the gifts God has given. We 

hope we will read more from her pen. 

Mary Jarvis is a retired teacher, writer, and 

editor. She and her husband Mike live in 

Pawhuska, Oklahoma, on a ranch. She is 

currently working on a novel, several articles, 

and poetry. 


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BOOK REVIEWS 

PICTURE BOOKS 

★ 

Right Here on This Spot, by Sharon Hart 

Addy; illustrated by John Clapp. LCCN 

96015382. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 

ISBN 0395730910, HBB, $15.00. 

E. Wisconsin--Antiquities--Fiction; Archaeology-- 

Fiction. unp. Gr. 1—3. 

Imagine digging a simple ditch and finding the 

past. To every child who hopes to find an 

arrowhead or even dinosaur bones, this story is 

told. Author Sharon Hart Addy takes the reader 

on a journey to the past in the picture book Right 

Here on This Spot. Grandpa finds an old button 

while digging a ditch, which leads to discoveries 

even older than the button. 

Artist John Clapp uses watercolor and pencil in 

his illustrations. From Indians in native dress to 

a Civil War soldier, the reader is drawn into the 

natural and warm portraits and carried back in 

time. 

Although the book is fictional, the Wisconsin 

setting was inspired, the author said, by an 

archaeologist who claimed Wisconsin was once 

covered by a glacier during the Ice Age. There 

is no mention of dates. Any hint of evolutionary 

content would be extremely subtle. Who once 

lived where I now stand? The author uses 

graceful prose to address this thought-provoking 

message. 

Joanne M. Haffly 

Writer/Homeschool Parent 

Gig Harbor, Washington 

Little Bear’s Surprise, by Kathleen Allan- 

Meyer; illustrated by Elaine Garvin. LCCN 

99023596. Greenville, S.C.: Journey Books, 

Bob Jones University Press, 1999. ISBN 

1579240666, PAP, $6.49. 

E. Bears--Fiction; Valentine’s Day--Fiction. 28 p. 

PS—Gr. 1. 

Little Bear is just too young to make a proper 

Valentine’s surprise for his family when they 

awake for their Valentine’s party after their long 

winter’s nap. His paws can’t control the scissors. 

He’s not strong enough to squeeze the glue. So 

how can he compete with his siblings’ pink 

Valentines with lace? Over the long winter’s 

sleep Little Bear dreams up an answer. As each 

Bear child presents their Valentine with a riddle 

to their parents, Little Bear comes up with a 

surprise riddle of his own. 

AWord from the Editor: Eileen Zygarlicke 

RELUCTANT READER 

REMEDIES 

Reluctant readers (RR) abound. They come 

in all different shapes and sizes, ages and 

genders, abilities and desires. Enticing RRs 

to discover new worlds in books may be 

challenging, even frustrating, but it is 

always rewarding. 

The other day I met a boy named Seth. A 

bright, inquisitive youngster more interested 

in throwing the football than reading about 

someone else doing so, he had all the 

symptoms of a RR. Head down, pawing 

through books quickly, immediately 

discarding those that looked “too long” or 

“too boring,” Seth’s personality cried out for 

a challenge. After thinking of several 

options for series books, I gathered my 

bounty and set it out for him to review. His 

gaze lingered over one book, so I set out to 

hook him. Picking up the book, I invited 

him to sit down with me to read the first 

few pages together. After completing those 

pages, I posed several questions to him 

about how he thought the book would end. 

As a typical RR, Seth never answered, but I 

knew I had him. The starry-eyed stare told 

me so. Smiling, I closed the book and 

started to put it away. Before the book was 

out of his reach, Seth, Mr. RR himself, 

grabbed the book, shyly asking if he could 

keep it and “maybe see what happens.” 

The business of books doesn’t stop at the 

publishing end. Rather it begins the biggest 

challenge of all, encouraging RRs and all 

readers to open the pages and immerse 

themselves in the story held within. With a 

little prodding on our part, we can introduce 

our RRs to a new experience, that of 

actually enjoying the reading adventure. As 

book professionals, it is our job to be 

knowledgeable of the markets, paying close 

attention to the style and tone of each writer. 

This information can be helpful in directing 

the search of RRs. 

While Goosebumps and Harry Potter are 

popular in the secular markets, it is our 

responsibility to know why they are popular. 

After reading a few of the books, I can see 

the attraction. The books, filled with humor 

and engaging language, entice the reader 

with round characters and realistic dialogue. 

However, the Christian market has as much 

to offer. Bill Myers and Sigmund Brouwer 

are just as skilled at developing interesting 

stories, sprinkled with humor and welldeveloped 

characters as their counterparts in 

the secular market. Myers’ Wally 

McDoogle books never fail to elicit gaggles 

of giggles from even the most diehard RRs. 

The series, closing in on twenty-plus books, 

gives all readers the excitement of looking 

forward to Wally’s newest adventure. 

Reluctant readers are everywhere. 

Unfortunately, video games and movies are 

cutting into the time once reserved for 

reading in our society. However, with a bit 

of work on our part, we can take the most 

RR and turn him into an enthusiastic reader. 

So open the page with your RR and let the 

adventure begin! 


PICTURE BOOKS 

"What is warm and soft 

And you don’t wrap it up; 

You wrap it around, 

And it’s good for any time of the year. 

Not just on Valentine’s Day." 

Then Little Bear answers his own riddle with a 

Little Bear hug for each member of his family. 

Lively illustrations by Elaine Garvin bring the 

characters in the story to life. Little Bear’s 

Surprise is the second in a series of Easy to Read 

Little Bear books written by Kathleen Allan- 

Meyer. 

Judy Driscoll 

Retired Teacher 

Poulsbo, Washington 

The Little Match Girl, by Hans Christian 

Andersen; adapted and illustrated by Jerry 

Pinkney. LCCN 99013814. New York: 

Phyllis Fogelman Books; Dial Books for 

Young Readers, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 0803723148, HBB, $16.99. 

E. Fairy tales. unp. K—Gr. 3. 

Using an American girl of the early 1920s, Jerry 

Pinkney masterfully illustrates and retells the 

classic fairy tale of Hans Christian Anderson, 

The Little Match Girl. 

It is New Year’s Eve on the city streets. A poor 

little girl, with her tray of matches and basket of 

artificial flowers to sell, wanders unnoticed by 

the elegantly dressed ladies and the handsome 

gentlemen with warm scarves, muffs, and widebrim 

hats. She feels the cold severely as she 

loses her too-large slippers. 

The feeling of cold increases as snowflakes fall 

over the little girl’s bare hands and feet, so she 

seeks a corner protected from the wind. Her 

bleak life is a glaring contrast to the warmth and 

comfort of the visions seen in the warm glow of 

each match she lights. First she sees a warm 

stove, followed by a marvelous feast, shining 

Christmas tree, and last of all her loving 

grandmother. As she strikes all her remaining 

matches at once, she is with her grandmother 

who lifts her in her arms. The cold and hunger 

are over, for she is with God. 

The text is short but ample to communicate the 

story as it blends with the vibrant illustrations 

that poignantly show the invisibility of the poor 

among the prosperous. Hopefully this glimpse 

will give each reader eyes to see this contrast as 

well. 

An excellent resource for discussion, this book 

teaches compassion and sharing. 

Marie Knaupp 

Retired Librarian 

Monmouth, Oregon 

Aunt Pitty Patty’s Piggy, retold by Jim 

Aylesworth; illustrated by Barbara 

McClintock. LCCN 98046263. New York: 

Scholastic Press, Scholastic, Inc., 1999. ISBN 

0590899872, HBB, $15.95. 

E. Folklore. unp. K—Gr. 3. 

Nelly and her Aunt Pitty Patty go to the local 

market, where they purchase a "fine fat piggy" 

and bring it back home. Unfortunately, when 

they arrive at the front gate the pig will not go 

through it. Nelly goes to get help, asking a dog, 

a stick, fire, water, an ox, a butcher, a rope, a cat, 

and a cow all to no avail. Finally she seeks out 

Farmer Brown who gives her hay to bribe the 

cow, who gives milk to bribe the cat, who begins 

to chase the rat, and so on. The cumulative tale 

is set in motion until the dog bites the pig and 

the pig goes through the front gate. Then Aunt 

Pitty Patty, Farmer Brown, and Nelly all sit 

down to dinner. 

Jim Aylesworth’s fresh retelling of Aunt Pitty 

Patty’s Piggy is both funny and delightful. 

Using rhythm, rhyme, and colloquial language, 

the story reads like poetry, while its repetitive 

nature makes it a great read-aloud for audience 

participation. 

Award-winning illustrator Barbara McClintock 

uses pencil and watercolor to illustrate 

nineteenth-century life. The comic illustrations 

are a great counterpart to the inherent humor 

found in this favorite folktale. 

Kerri Cunningham 

Librarian 

Camano Island, Washington 

One Saturday Afternoon, by Barbara Baker; 

pictures by Kate Duke. (Dutton Easy 

Reader.) LCCN 98041605. New York: 

Dutton Children’s Books, Penguin Putnam, 

1999. ISBN 0525458824, HBB, $13.99. 

E. Family life--Fiction; Bears--Fiction. 48 p. Gr. 1— 

3. 

In Barbara Baker’s One Saturday Afternoon, the 

author shows a bear family, each member trying 

to enjoy a Saturday. Mama, who needs a 

moment alone, wants to take a walk. Lily, the 

oldest, cleverly reads her book while 

supervising her brother and sisters at the same 

time. No one listens to Rose, Daisy draws 

pictures, and Jack scribbles on the walls and 

resists taking his nap. Papa can’t seem to keep 

his bread and jam from disappearing. 

Kate Duke’s watercolor illustrations depicts 

each bear’s own unique identity, while Barbara 

Baker does a wonderful job depicting real life 

through this family of bears. Children will be 

able to relate to at least one of the characters in 

the story. Each member of the bear family faces 

some kind of simple crisis that is realistic for a 

large family. This story would lend itself to 

opening discussions with children about their 

own family. 

Patricia Youmans 

Homeschool Parent 

Siloam Springs, Arkansas 

Good Night, Little One, by Steve Björkman. 

Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 1999. 

ISBN 1578562759, HBB, $9.95. 

E. Bedtime--Fiction. unp. PS—Gr. 1. 

It’s hard to know who will enjoy Good Night 

Little One more—the child being tucked into 

bed or the parent who sees his/her child in so 

many different moods during the day. From 

"Good night, little sparrow; it’s hard to be small" 

to "Good night, little skunk; you were a stinker 

today" on to "Good night little rat, with your tail 

in a knot," Steve Bjorkman finds twelve little 

animals, each with a different personality, to 

tuck into bed with a promise that God loves 

them and cares how they feel. Soft water color 

illustrations create just the right dreamy 

atmosphere to quell the quills on any prickly 

little porcupine as being tucked in for the night. 

Judy Driscoll 



Somebody Bigger Than I, written by Leroy 

Blankenship; illustrated by Peggy Tagel. 

LCCN 98046165. Nashville: Tommy Nelson, 

Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999. ISBN 

0849958849, BOARD, $6.99. 

E. Creation; Color--Fiction; Stories in rhyme. 29 p. 

PS-K. 

Use of lively adjectives by Leroy Blankenship, 

clearly defined and colorful illustrations by 

Peggy Tagel, and a board-book format by the 

publisher combine to make Somebody Bigger 

Than I a popular choice for the pre-school and 

kindergarten child. Don’t underestimate the 

power of the simple verses which asks the 

question, "Who put the colors in creation?" 

Each page presents another color, with related 

objects to keep little eyes and ears busy finding 

objects, naming colors, and listening for those 

ear-catching "big" words which fascinate little 

people like "infinite," "glistening," "juggles," 

and "pondering." Leroy Blankenship has not 

stinted on colorful vocabulary to drive home his 

point. "Now you might be wondering, seriously 

pondering on who this somebody is. It’s really 

no bother. It’s my heavenly Father. These 

miracles are His." 

Judy Driscoll 



The Throwaway Cat, by Steven and Judi 

Brantley; illustrated by Del Holt. LCCN 

98090767. Wadmalaw Island, S.C.: Spring 

House Books, 1999. ISBN 1892570009, HBB, 

$16.95. 

E. Cats--Fiction; Animals--Fiction. unp. Gr. 1—3. 

God’s love and care is seen in The Throwaway 

Cat by Steven and Judy Brantley. Pearl, a 


PICTURE BOOKS 

throw-away cat, finds herself in the care of 

loving humans, who live in the English 

countryside. She quickly becomes friends with 

Monty, a squirrel self-appointed care keeper for 

the animals, and the Wise Owl, from whom 

Pearl learns that there is Someone greater who 

tenderly cares for all creatures, even throwaway 

cats. 

Authors Steven and Judy Brantly use Pearl, 

Monty, and the Owl to help readers understand 

God’s love for his created beings, and shows 

how accepting God’s love enables us to live in 

peace. The book speaks loudly to children who 

know what it is like to be unloved by those 

around them. 

Illustrations by Del Holt add to the delight of 

this book with soft, peaceful drawings of Pearl 

and her friends. 

Lynette Sorenson 

College Librarian 

Kirkland, Washington 

Gingerbread Baby, by Jan Brett. LCCN 

98052310. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 

Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 0399234446, 

HBB, $16.99. 

E. Gingerbread--Fiction; Baking--Fiction. 32 p. 

PS—Gr. 3. 

Matti and his mom are baking a gingerbread 

boy. Even though the baking directions clearly 

state "do not peek,” Matti cannot resist taking a 

peek into the oven. When Matti opens the oven 

door, a Gingerbread baby hops out. The story is 

similar to the Gingerbread man wherein 

Gingerbread baby is chased by a cat, a dog, 

goats, a pig, a fox, and dares them to catch him. 

Matti hatches a clever plan to catch his 

Gingerbread baby. 

Gingerbread Baby is a delightful tale with 

beautiful illustrations by Brett that will enthrall 

the reader. As always, Jan Brett has created a 

story that will captivate not only children but 

also adults. 

Connie Weaver 

Reference Librarian 

Carlisle, Pennsylvania 

The Final Game : The Further Adventures of 

the Moccasin Goalie, by William Roy 

Brownridge. LCCN 97067367. Victoria, 

BC; Custer, WA: Orca Book Publishers, 

1998. ISBN 1551431009, HBB, $14.95. 

E. Hockey--Fiction. PS - Gr. 3. 

The Final Game is a sequel to The Moccasin 

Goalie, but easily stands alone. Danny, who has 

a crippled leg and foot, plays on the hockey 

team as a goalie, wearing moccasins instead of 

skates. His team, the Wolves, is up against the 

Bombers, the best team, in the finals. Travis, a 

member of the Wolves team, has a bad attitude 

about the players who are different, Danny, 

Petou, who is small, and Anita, a girl. Travis 

does not pass to the other players on his team 

and play as a true member of a team. Advice 

from a professional hockey player he admires 

helps Travis learn that all the players on the team 

are important. The Wolves learn about working 

as a team and defeat the Bombers in overtime. 

The author, William Roy Brownridge, himself 

was the moccasin goalie playing hockey despite 

his spina bifida and clubfeet. This book 

contains positive messages regarding handicaps, 

teamwork, and sharing victory. The illustrations 

by Brownridge are impressionistic oil paintings, 

which lack sharp lines and definition. This is an 

unusual choice for a picture book, due to the 

need to distance oneself from impressionistic art 

in order to appreciate it. However, the 

illustrations are colorful, action-packed, and 

appropriate. 

Karla J. Kessell 

Public Services Librarian, Warner Pacific College 

Portland, Oregon 

While You Were Sleeping, by John Butler. 

Atlanta: Peachtree, 1999. ISBN 1561452114, 

HBB, $15.95. 

E. Animals--Fiction. PS—Gr. 2. 

This gentle story, with beautiful illustrations by 

acclaimed nature artist John Butler, is a naturelover’s 

counting book. When Daisy awakens, 

her mother tells her of the activities of a variety 

of animals while she slept. The number of 

animals increases from "one tiger went hunting 

in the jungle" to "ten penguins jumped out of the 

icy sea…to join one hundred friends." 

Butler, a noted illustrator of the environment and 

animals in titles such as Polar Star and Cimru 

the Seal, depicts beautiful scenes of geese flying 

past the moon and rabbits playing in a meadow. 

The spreads containing Daisy and her mother 

feel less detailed in comparison to the animal 

spreads, but overall the illustrations are warm 

and lovely. 

Unlike typical counting books, which show 

spreads increasing by one throughout, this is a 

story that begins with Daisy and her mother, in 

the middle has scenes of the animals in their 

natural habitats as her mother describes them, 

and concludes with Daisy and her mother in 

Daisy’s bedroom. This is a wonderful book for 

one-on-one sharing. 

Lisa A. Wroble 

Freelance Writer and Librarian 

Plymouth, Michigan 

The Very Clumsy Click Beetle, by Eric Carle. 

LCCN 97033417. New York: Philomel 

Books, Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 

039923201X, HBB, $21.99. 

E. Beetles--Fiction. PS—Gr. 1. 

Author/illustrator Eric Carle presents a simple 

look at the art of "turning over" for a click 

beetle. A young click beetle goes for a walk, 

becomes tired while in a tree, doses off, and falls 

out of the tree landing on his back. The 

following day a wise old beetle shows the young 

beetle how to right himself. The young beetle 

tries and tries and finally rights himself as a 

young boy bends down to look at him. 

Carle cleverly incorporates a device that clicks 

into the book so the young reader actually hears 

a noise. This audio effect will entice and 

enchant young listeners. An adult could tie in 

the lesson of perseverance to the young reader 

using the click beetle’s determination to learn 

how to right himself. Instead of giving up, he 

succeeds in learning a new skill. 

The illustrations, done in collage format with 

varied textures and techniques, enhance the 

story with their vivid colors and unique 

composition. Youngsters will enjoy the colorful 

pages and sounds of the book. 


Freelance Writer/Editor 

Grand Forks, North Dakota 

★ 

The Cello of Mr. O, by Jane Cutler; 

illustrated by Greg Couch. LCCN 98042692. 

New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 


HBB, $15.99. 

E. Violincello--Fiction; War--Fiction; Courage-- 

Fiction; Musicians--Fiction. 30 p. Gr. 1—6. 

How can someone you tease and mock be the 

one who eventually gives you hope and 

courage? In an unnamed, war-torn city, an 

unnamed girl tells of her anger, describing her 

life since the war began. Everyone is cold and 

hungry, bored and lonely. Children amuse 

themselves by taunting reclusive Mr. O. 

Wednesdays are good days because the supply 

truck comes with tuna, flour, and soap. But 

when the truck is bombed and no longer brings 

food and hope, it is Mr. O who feeds the people 

with his cello music. And when his cello is 

bombed, the town still takes heart from Mr. O’s 

harmonica music. 

Jane Cutler shows, in a delicate way, a child 

caught in a war. The Cello of Mr. O gives an 

honest glimpse into the child’s perspective and 

thought process. Cutler writes of a child’s 

weakness to taunt the different, then provides a 

story to challenge the reader to rethink those 

actions. The one hated is the one who gives to 

everyone. Even when Mr. O’s cello is 

destroyed, the child is at a turning point to give. 

Her crayon drawing inspires Mr. O to continue 

to make music in the midst of the war. 

Greg Couch’s illustrations express both a war 

zone and the beauty of music. His stylized, 

elongated characters inhabit glowing yellow 

warm scenes, cool blue settings, and red angry 

spreads. Couch has brought further life to 

Cutler’s text through selective paintings. 


PICTURE BOOKS 

The Cello of Mr. O offers much to a study of any 

war, a study of music, or a study of friendship. 

The strength of human resilience is the theme of 

this remarkable picture book. 

Lorie Ann Grover 

Author/Illustrator 

Sumner, Washington 

The Rabbit and the Promise Sign, by Pat Day- 

Bivins and Philip Dale Smith; illustrated by 

Donna Brooks. LCCN 97030326. Tacoma: 

Golden Anchor Press, 1998. ISBN 

188686408X, HBB, $15.95. 

E. Rabbits--Fiction; Jesus Christ--Fiction; Easter-- 

Fiction. 30 p. K—Gr. 3. 

The Rabbit and the Promise Sign, by Pat Day- 

Bivins and Philip Dale Smith, is a beautifully 

written and illustrated story of God’s love for 

each of us. In this Christian fable, the only 

creature who remains with Jesus in the Garden 

of Gethsemane is a tiny rabbit. Because the 

rabbit demonstrates his love by waiting and 

watching with Jesus when all others fail him, 

Jesus gives it a special blessing. He places a star 

on its forehead which will be passed down 

through future generations. This star is a pledge 

of God’s love for all his creatures. It is also a 

reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, which led 

shepherds and Wise Men to the baby Jesus. 

The lovely rich colors of the illustrations by 

Donna Brooks add a great deal to the magical 

quality of this book. Each picture is an original 

oil painting on canvas, which is reproduced in 

full color. 

Authors’ notes offer additional materials on 

request to help children understand the message 

of The Rabbit and the Promise Sign. An 

audiotape of the book is obtainable from the 

publisher. 

The Rabbit and the Promise Sign goes beyond 

the Easter Bunny to reveal God’s great love for 

all of his creatures. It is a book to read and enjoy 

at Easter and beyond. 

Virginia Brown 

Library Technician 

Sheridan, Wyoming 

You’re Safe Now, Waterdog, by Richard 

Edwards; illustrated by Sophy Williams. 

New York: Viking, PenguinPutnam, 1996. 

ISBN 0670873853, HBB, $14.99. 

E. Toys--Fiction. unp. PS—K. 

In this sweet childhood story, Matt and Watt the 

dog go everywhere and do everything together, 

including going to school. However, as Matt 

grows up, he begins to lose interest in Watt, 

forgetting what a special place the dog had in his 

early life. The reader will experience sadness 

when Watt is left at the riverbank and is not even 

missed by Matt. While at the river, Watt gets 

swept away by rainfall and becomes so soggy 

only his head is above the water. A young girl 

named Hattie rescues Watt from the water and 

renames him Waterdog. She adores the dog and 

takes him home with her and treats him very 

well. As Hattie snuggles into bed that night, she 

makes sure that Waterdog is right there beside 

her warm, safe and snuggled with love. 

You’re Safe Now, Waterdog, told by Richard 

Edwards, is the sweet portrayal of the childhood 

experience of outgrowing belongings that 

eventually are discarded or cared for by others. 

Sophy William’s soft and colorful paintings add 

to the tenderness of this story. 

Susan K. Brown 

Teacher 

Indianapolis, Indiana 

A Difficult Day, written and illustrated by 

Eugenie Fernandes. Toronto, Ont.: Kids 

Can Press, 1999. ISBN 0921103174, HBB, 

$14.95. 

E. . p. PS—Gr. 2. 

Melinda had a bad night: crumpled sheets, 

lumpy pillow, crumbs in her bed ... it was awful! 

And as tired Melinda makes her way through 

her day, it is even worse. She’s late for school, 

naughty in gym class, and mouthy to her mother. 

When she is sent to her room, she tries to make 

the whole day go away by hiding under the bed 

where she dreams herself away to the other side 

of the world. When her sympathetic mother 

comes with cookies to find her in her room, she 

searches everywhere, finally joining Melinda 

under the bed with a reassuring “I love you more 

than anything in the whole world” and a shared 

snack to end the story. 

Eugenie Fernandes gives her readers a little 

treasure between the covers of A Difficult Day. 

Everyone has a bad day, and children are no 

exception. The book contains the hopeful 

message that crabby kids and their frustrated 

parents still love each other in spite of it all. 

Fernandes’ illustrations are bright with faces 

echoing the text’s strong emotions. Melinda’s 

feelings are wonderfully captured in thoughtful 

similes: a warm bath which makes Melinda feel 

like a noodle in a bowl of chicken soup, a dark 

under the bed experience which leaves the little 

girl lost in space with no one who cares. The 

cozy image of mother and daughter eating 

cookies under the bed is humorous and full of 

love. This is one difficult day that definitely has 

a happy ending. Melinda’s bare backside 

appears in some of the illustrations. 

Ann M. Ponath 

Teacher and Mother 

No. St. Paul, Minnesota 

Hold the Boat, by Jeremiah Gamble; 

illustrated by Joy Allen. LCCN 99006627. 

Minneapolis: Bethany Backyard, Bethany 

House Publishers, 1999. ISBN 076422199X, 

HBB, $12.99. 

E. Disguise--Fiction. unp. PS—Gr. 2. 

In this fanciful rendition of the story of Noah’s 

Ark, a young boy is the only one who believes 

Noah’s message. Convinced of the coming 

deluge and determined to stay afloat, the boy 

looks for a way to get aboard the ark. Thinking 

that the only way is by disguising himself as one 

of the animals, the boy goes to work. First, he 

picks up long thistles to poke into his clothes in 

order to pass himself off as a porcupine. But the 

thistles stick him in all the wrong places and he 

gives it up. Next, he tries to stretch as tall as a 

giraffe but comes up a few inches short. 

Swinging through the trees like a monkey seems 

like a good idea but that doesn’t work either. 

While trying to sneak aboard between two apes, 

the boy is spotted by Noah. After hearing his 

story and looking into the boy’s eyes, Noah 

declares that, “I just happen to have room out on 

the high seas for two of every animal and one 

child who believes.” 

Although Hold the Boat by Jeremiah Gamble 

does not stick to the straight biblical account of 

Noah’s Ark, it is an engaging story for young 

children. A note to parents at the back of the 

book encourages them to read the Genesis 

account to their children and to go through the 

questions for discussion together. 

The watercolor illustrations by Joy Allen are 

bright and funny with lots of detail for children 

to explore. 

Donna E. Brown 

Church Librarian 


Presenting Tanya, the Ugly Duckling, by 

Patricia Lee Gauch; illustrated by Satomi 

Ichikawa. LCCN 98022266. New York: 

Philomel Books, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 0399232001, HBB, $16.99. 

E. Ballet dancing--Fiction; Self-perception--Fiction. 

32 p. Gr. 1—4. 

Tanya is chosen to dance as the ugly duckling in 

the spring performance! She begins by knowing 

just how she’ll dance. As her mind learns the 

steps, and she sees the success of the other 

dancers, Tanya quickly loses confidence. 

Practice doesn’t bring her closer to her character. 

Not until the dress rehearsal, and the whole story 

of the ugly duckling has been told, is Tanya 

ready to perform. 

Author Patricia Lee Gauch presents a beautiful 

story of a ballerina’s quest to fulfill a role. 

Gauch has paralleled the story of the ugly 

duckling with Tanya’s endeavors. The other 

dancers begin to believe Tanya is, herself, a 

misfit dancer incapable of performing. As the 

duckling turns into a swan, Tanya, through hard 

work, becomes a swan on stage. Gauch’s 

language is smooth and concise. Ballet steps 

and terms add to the credibility of the story. 

Satomi Ichikawa’s watercolors capture Tanya’s 

emotional states and physical positions. The 

dancers movements are technically sharp and 


PICTURE BOOKS 

correct. A great strength of the book is layout. 

Each encounter between Tanya and her 

instructor includes a depiction from the story of 

“The Ugly Duckling.” Parallels are easily 

drawn. A full-page wordless spread follows 

where the reader sees Tanya working to flesh out 

her dancing character. The silent moments are 

reminiscent of watching a ballet. 

Presenting Tanya, the Ugly Duckling is one of a 

series featuring the young dancer. This addition 

is a charming story that captures a performer’s 

fears, with a classic tale, and a final triumph. 




Fog Cat, written by Marilyn Helmer; 

illustrated by Paul Mombourquette. 

Toronto, Ont.: Kids Can Press, 1999. ISBN 

1550744607, HBB, $14.95. 

E. Cats--Fiction; Grandfathers--Fiction. unp. Gr. 2— 

4. 

Hannah and her grandfather are beachcombing 

when they see "a pale, thin wisp of a creature 

with eyes as green as the sea itself." And thus 

the reader is introduced to the title character, the 

“Fog Cat.” “If I can tame her, can I keep her?” 

Little by little, Hannah entices Fog Cat to 

become part of her life. As the seasons change, 

child and cat become closer, accepting each 

other as part of their individual lives. The two 

grow closer, becoming in a sense family, as 

Hannah gives her own baby blanket to line Fog 

Cat’s litter for the expected kittens. When two 

kittens are stillborn, Hannah deals with 

disappointment. Fog Cat moves on, but she 

leaves a keepsake to remind Hannah of their 

time together. 

Paul Mombourguette works magic in the space 

dedicated to the illustrations done in pen, ink, 

and watercolor. With an eye for authenticity, he 

carefully portrays the essence of family, 

Hannah, grandfather, and Fog Cat. The layouts 

are generous, the words used almost as an 

enhancement to the drawings. Fog Cat is a 

read-to-me book for the younger set, a pleasure 

for anyone who has been owned by a cat. 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 

Issaquah, Washington 

Mr. McGratt and the Ornery Cat, written by 

Marilyn Helmer; illustrated by Martine 

Courbault. Toronto, Ont.: Kids Can Press, 

1999. ISBN 1550745646, HBB, $14.95. 

E. Cats--Fiction. 30 p. PS—Gr. 2. 

Mr. McGratt did not like cats, and especially not 

the one that showed up and decided to stay at his 

house. Each time someone comes by and 

admires the cat, Mr. McGratt says the cat is 

ornery, and gives them the cat. Each time, the 

person soon returns the cat, saying this cat is 

impossible. Finally, Mr. McGratt realizes this 

cat, who he calls Ornery, has come to stay, and 

the man and the cat become friends. Although 

Mr. McGratt never quite admits it, Ornery keeps 

the birds out of his pear tree, the Buswangers’ 

dog from shredding his newspaper, and the 

Gantry boy from running through his pumpkin 

patch—not to mention being a faithful friend 

with whom to share a tuna sandwich. 

Mr. McGratt and the Ornery Cat is a warm, 

gentle story of friendship between a man and a 

cat, with just enough of “orneriness” to give it 

zip. Author Marilyn Helmer writes in an easy 

manner with a touch of subtle humor to make 

this a great read-aloud book. Martine 

Gourbault’s charming, colorful illustrations add 

character to this ornery cat and to the very nice, 

but perhaps ever so slightly ornery himself, Mr. 

McGratt. Her drawings of Mr. McGratt’s red 

wooden chair with the colorful pillow, his plaid 

slippers and suspenders, and his hand-carved 

ducks show us why Ornery has made a good 

choice in moving in with Mr. McGratt. The 

story has a warm message of contented 

friendship, and the pictures communicate the 

joy of a man who loves his work, his home, and 

garden. 

Cathleen Sovold Johnson 

Student, Fuller Theological Seminary 

Des Moines, Washington 

Tree of Hope, by Amy Littlesugar; illustrated 

by Floyd Cooper. LCCN 98012853. New 

York: Philomel Books, Penguin Putnam, 

1999. ISBN 0399233008, HBB, $16.99. 

E. Afro-Americans--Fiction; Actors and actresses-- 

Fiction; Depressions, 1929--Fiction; Harlem (New 

York, N.Y.)--Fiction. unp. Gr. 1—5. 

Some picture books are not just for young 

children. Tree of Hope is one such story based 

on historical fact that can enchant younger 

readers while serving as a springboard for 

discussion on multiple themes for older readers. 

Not many children’s stories have been written 

on the Great Depression. In Tree of Hope, Amy 

Littlesugar balances the despair of a family 

struggling to make ends meet during the 

Depression with the hope for the future. The 

object of their hope is a the traditional wishing 

tree growing outside the Lafayette Theatre in 

Harlem. For years the actors have rubbed its 

trunk for luck. 

Florrie, the daughter of an actor at the Lafayette, 

not only demonstrates for the reader the effects 

of the Depression on her world, but also 

acquaints her audience with real people like 

director Orson Welles and plays like Macbeth. 

Littlesugar acquaints her audience with the 

history of Black Theater in America, without 

detracting from the storyline in which Florrie 

wishes for her daddy’s return to the stage where 

his heart feels at home. When her wish comes 

true, she discovers what a wide effect her wish 

has on her whole family. 

Oilwash illustrations by Floyd Cooper bathe 

each page with a sense of the times and just the 

right touch of hope. An historical note by the 

author tells of the real tree of hope in Harlem 

and also provides a brief summary of the rise of 

the Black Theater. Tree of Hope is a great 

addition to a multi-cultural library. 

Judy Driscoll 



Welcome to Odyssey : The Start of Something 

Big!, written by Phil Lollar; illustrated by 

DRi Artworks. (Adventures in Odyssey.) 



1561791040, HBB, $14.99. 

E. Helpfulness--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. 32 p. 

PS—Gr. 2. 

Dylan Taylor, new to the small town of Odyssey, 

is having a difficult time adjusting to life in his 

new home. Used to a big city, he is not only 

bored but lonely as well. Very little resembles 

his life as he once knew it. The huge skating 

parks are gone. The only skate park in Odyssey 

doubles as the sidewalk. He misses the 

amusement park and major league baseball of 

the big city. 

A chase after a hyperactive dog that has stolen 

his baseball leads him to discover Whit’s End, a 

combination ice cream parlor and discovery 

emporium. Here he meets new friends, John 

Avery Whitaker (Whit), Connie, and Eugene, 

who try to help him make the transition to his 

new home. 

While helping his new friends, Dylan uncovers 

the surprise welcome party being planned for 

him by his parents and Whit. Through a series 

of adventures, Dylan not only learns lessons 

about friendship and trust in God, but he also 

finds life is no longer boring. Welcome to 

Odyssey : the Start of Something Big, by Phil 

Lollar, is the beginning of a new series written to 

introduce young readers to the Adventures in 

Odyssey stories. 

Marie Knaupp 



Baby Whale’s Journey, by Jonathan London; 

illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. San Francisco: 

Chronicle Books, 1999. ISBN 0811824969, 

HBB, $14.95. 

E. Sperm whale--Fiction; Whales--Fiction; Animals-- 

Infancy--Fiction. unp. Gr. 1—4. 

Baby Whale’s Journey chronicles the first two 

years of a baby whale’s life. Jonathan London 

begins the journey by tastefully documenting 

Baby Whale’s conception in the warm waters of 

the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico. Her 

birth, many moons later, is presented with 

tenderness. London describes how her mother, 

with the help of the sperm whale midwives in 


PICTURE BOOKS 

the pod, move Baby Whale to the surface for her 

first breath. However, Baby Whale’s life is not 

always calm and peaceful. Killer Whales try to 

attack the pod and a giant squid attacks Mother 

Whale when she makes a deep dive looking for 

food. 

London includes an Afterword with additional 

information on the life and habits of the sperm 

whale. The reader’s guide contains many ideas 

for individual discovery as well as ways to share 

the book with a group. Baby Whale’s Journey is 

part of a nature series. Schools and libraries can 

request the Endangered Species Teacher’s 

Guide. 

Jon Van Zyle’s illustrations successfully capture 

the tremendous size of the dark-bodied whales 

as they swim across the pages of the picture 

book in beautiful blue water shaded in greens 

and purples. 

Barbara Bryden 

Freelance Writer 

Olympia, Washington. 

Just the Way You Are, by Max Lucado; 

illustrations by Sergio Martinez. LCCN 

99016876. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 

Good News Publishers, 1999. ISBN 

1581341148, HBB, $15.99. 

E. Kings, queens, rulers, etc.--Fiction; Orphans-- 

Fiction; Adoption--Fiction. 32 p. K - Gr. 5. 

Just the Way You Are originally appeared in Tell 

Me the Story and later as a separate book titled 

The Children of the King. In Just the Way You 

Are, Max Lucado has written a story that 

portrays what God the Father wants from us, his 

children. He isn’t as interested in what we know 

or how well we use our talents as he is in 

spending time with us. 

In the story, five orphans learn they’ve been 

adopted by the King. The townspeople tell them 

that they must impress him when he visits. One 

of the orphans is a woodcarver, so he spends his 

time carving a gift. Another an artist, spends her 

time on a painting. A third is a musician, so she 

spends her time practicing. The fourth is a 

scholar, and he is busy learning more. The four 

are too busy with their gifts to have time for 

anything else. They are even too busy to visit 

with the King when he comes disguised as a 

merchant. The fifth child feels she has no talent, 

but she does have a big heart. And she has time 

to spend with the King. 

Sergio Martinez’s paintings complement the text 

well. The colored paintings are in earth tones 

and depict the characters as seventeenth century 

people. Just the Way You Are has an endearing 

quality and would encourage those who feel 

they are untalented. 

Jane Mouttet 

Missionary School Librarian 

Window Rock, Arizona 

Thank You, Moses, written by Charlotte 

Lundy; illustrated by Margaret Ray James. 

LCCN 99072124. Mooresville, N.C.: Bay 

Light Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0967028035, 

HBB, $15.95. 

E. Science projects--Fiction. p. PS—Gr. 2. 

Brad’s science project is due in one month. He 

is discouraged because he does not think it is 

possible to do the project he planned in that 

short a time. When his father comes home from 

work, he tells Brad the story of Moses’ life to 

encourage him to keep working as Moses had. 

“I’m sure with some hard work and 

determination, like Moses, you could finish your 

science project,” Brad’s father states. 

So Brad keeps working and when the project is 

finished and he receives a first place ribbon, 

Brad says, “Thank you, God, for sending Moses 

to teach me how to meet a challenge.” 

Margaret Ray James illustrates the story with 

characters that show action and facial 

expressions that show emotions. Author 

Charlotte Lundy chooses a theme that is 

appropriate for readers of all ages as 

perseverance takes hard work and needs 

encouragement. 

Despite her attempt to tie in the perseverance 

theme with Moses, the Exodus story is of God’s 

deliverance of his people from Egypt. Moses 

was faithful but his determination did not 

deliver the people. Several inaccurate parts are 

found in the text, such as saying Moses ran away 

at night and joined his people. He left because 

he killed an Egyptian trying to deliver his 

people. The story says he joined his people, but 

he ran to Midian and joined strangers, 

shepherds. The long story of Moses has been 

summarized to the point of sounding inaccurate 

in places. This book needs to be used with an 

explanation by the reader to be useful. 

Marie Knaupp 



Thank You, Noah, written by Charlotte 

Lundy; illustrated by Heather Claremont. 

LCCN 99072123. Mooresville, N.C.: Bay 

Light Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0967028027, 

HBB, $15.95. 

E. Horse-shows--Fiction. p. PS—Gr. 3. 

Elaine loves to ride horses. When her riding 

instructor plans for her to ride in a horse show, 

Elaine is thrilled. However, her mother 

becomes concerned when Elaine tells her how 

determined she is to win first place. Her mother 

patiently tells her the story of Noah building the 

ark to encourage Elaine to see that the love of 

horses is more important than winning first 

place. 

Elaine enjoys her mother’s story but continues 

to plan to win first place. Only after the horse 

show is over and she has won second place does 

she say, “Thank you, God, for sending Noah to 

save the horses during the big flood.” 

Young readers will enjoy Charlotte Lundy’s 

attractive book about horses. Heather 

Claremont’s illustrations will enchant the reader. 

The love of horses is a universal theme, but the 

link between winning at a horse show and the 

story of Noah falls short. Both are good stories 

but don’t connect. A bridge or explanation 

needs to be made, either in the front of the book 

or by the reader. 

Marie Knaupp 



The Rainbow Tulip, by Pat Mora; illustrated 

by Elizabeth Sayles. LCCN 98015868. New 

York: Viking, Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 

0670872911, HBB, $15.99. 

E. Mexican Americans--Fiction; May Day--Fiction; 

Schools--Fiction. 30 p. K—Gr. 3. 

Stella is a young girl whose family has 

immigrated to the United States from Mexico. 

Her parents speak only Spanish, and her mother 

wears plain clothes and no makeup. Stella 

wishes her family was more like the others in 

her neighborhood and school. 

When it is time for the school’s May parade, the 

girls in Stella’s class need to have tulip 

costumes. Stella dares to be different and asks 

her aunt to make a dress with all of the spring 

colors in it. When she arrives at school, her 

teacher calls her their “rainbow tulip.” The 

parade begins and Stella feels self-conscious. 

Soon, however, she is caught up in the 

excitement of the day and learns that being 

different is something of which she can be 

proud. 

In The Rainbow Tulip, Pat Mora uses gentle, 

meaningful prose that all readers will relate to 

and enjoy. Spanish words and phrases are 

scattered throughout, adding to the crosscultural 

feel of the book. Elizabeth Sayles’ soft 

pastel illustrations enhance the text, warmly 

bringing the reader into the story. The Rainbow 

Tulip is an excellent choice for collections on 

ethnic diversity and feelings. 

Karen Brehmer 

Teacher 

Silverdale, Washington 

The Perfume of Memory, by Michelle Nikly; 

illustrations by Jean Claverie. LCCN 

98033108. New York: Arthur A. Levine 

Books, Scholastic Press, 1999. ISBN 

0439082064, HBB, $16.95. 

E. Perfumes--Fiction. K - Gr. 3. 

Author Michelle Nikly delights readers with the 

fragrant tale The Perfume of Memory. Set in 

Asia, the story tells of a country that has 

forgotten its heritage and all that was important 

to it. In trying to remedy the people’s 


PICTURE BOOKS 

forgetfulness, the king sends his Royal Advisor 

on a journey to another country to ask advice on 

solving this problem. However, the advisor 

forgets his way back home, and the people 

forget about him. 

Young Yasmin’s father, who is a perfume maker, 

teaches his daughter the art of perfume making, 

and encourages her to try different scents. She 

creates a perfume and decides to enter the 

fragrance in the Great Contest. The queen, 

judge of the contest, selects a dark and seductive 

scent, applies some to herself and collapses. 

The creator of the fragrance, the forgotten Royal 

Advisor, tells the people the name of the scent is 

Forgetfulness because everyone forgot about 

him. The queen is reduced to a childlike state 

with little memory of anything until Yasmin, 

with her fragrances, brings back her memory 

and restores the queen to her true self. 

Illustrator Jean Claverie compliments the text 

well with her depictions of the events of the 

story. One picture, however, of the evil Royal 

Advisor at the Great Contest, is a bit frightening 

and dark. The soft colors adorning the creamy 

yellow pages seem to have a fragrance all their 

own as they transplant the reader to the Asian 

land. 

Although the story starts out without any 

discernible characters, it progresses nicely once 

Yasmin and her father are introduced. The 

importance of one’s past and the oral and written 

history of one’s nation are imparted to the reader 

and would be well worth discussing with a 

young audience. 




Making Memories, by Janette Oke; 

illustrated by Cheri Bladholm. Minneapolis: 

Bethany Backyard, Bethany House 

Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0764221906, HBB, 

$14.99. 

E. Grandfathers--Fiction; Memory--Fiction; Christian 

life--Fiction. 32 p. PS - Gr. 3. 

Trying to figure out what his grandma meant 

about thanking God for the gift of memories, 

Joel asks his grandpa how to make memories. 

As the two sit on the farmhouse porch, Grandpa 

reveals the secret. He tells his grandson to use 

his eyes, ears, nose, and hands to gather the 

memories, and then to use his mind to pay 

attention and store the memories. Joel and 

Grandpa then reminisce about special memories 

from the past year. 

Rich illustrations by Cheri Bladholm match 

perfectly with Janette Oke’s well-written text. 

Descriptive words help the reader to see what 

Joel is looking at, hear what Joel hears, feel what 

he is touching, and smell the apple pie he sniffs 

out. Making Memories is a quiet, peaceful book 

that gently urges readers to slow down and pay 

attention to the world around them. 

There is little action and a lot of conversation; 

slowing down, appreciating the small things 

around you, and really paying attention are the 

focus of the story. As Joel discovers, memories 

are being made whether we’re storing them or 

not. This is a valuable concept to learn at any 

age; memories are truly a gift from God. 

Elizabeth Coleman 


Tumwater, Washington 

Dear Juno, by Soyung Pak; illustrated by 

Susan Kathleen Hartung. LCCN 98043408. 

New York: Viking, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 0670882526, HBB, $15.99. 

F. Grandmothers--Fiction; Letters--Fiction; Korean 

Americans--Fiction. 30 p. K—Gr. 3. 

When Juno receives a letter from his 

grandmother in Korea, he uses clues in the 

enclosed pictures to tell him what she has 

written. Realizing that he does not need to know 

how to read or write to send a letter, Juno draws 

pictures of his life in America to send to his 

grandmother. 

Dear Juno reflects the love between a young 

boy and his grandmother. Susan Kathleen 

Hartung’s beautiful oil paintings enhance this 

tender story. Her attention to detail such as 

actual Korean words in the letters help make 

Dear Juno a treasure to read. Children 

separated from grandparents by distance will 

find Dear Juno heartwarming. Teachers can use 

the story to teach letter writing even to young 

children. Soyung Pak’s Dear Juno will be a 

welcome addition to any children’s collection. 

Susan Robinson 

Public Librarian 

Upper Darby, Pennsylvania 

First Corinthians 13, prayers by Linda 

Perry; illustrations by Alan Perry. (Prayers 

with Bears.) LCCN 99074437. Nashville: 

Tommy Nelson, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 

1999. ISBN 0849959764, PBB, $3.99. 

E. Prayers; Love. unp. Infant—PS. 

The 23rd Psalm, prayers by Linda Perry; 

illustrations by Alan Perry. (Prayers with 

Bears.) LCCN 99074440. Nashville: Tommy 

Nelson, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999. 

ISBN 0849959780, PBB, $3.99. 

E. Prayers; 23rd Psalm. unp. Infant—PS. 

The Beatitudes, prayers by Linda Perry; 




ISBN 0849959772, PBB, $3.99. 

E. Prayers; Beatitudes. unp. Infant—PS. 

The Lord’s Prayer, prayers by Linda Perry; 




ISBN 0849959705, PBB, $3.99. 

E. Prayers; Lord’s Prayer. unp. Infant—PS. 

Alan and Linda Parry’s charming series of four 

Prayers with Bears board books for preschoolers 

will delight the youngest readers. Each book’s 

format is the same. On two page spreads, the 

authors place a verse from the Scripture passage 

indicated in the book’s title, a simple four line 

rhyming prayer for the child to recite aloud, and 

an illustration of a teddy bear engaged in an 

interesting activity. Number of pages in each 

book ranges from six to sixteen. 

In First Corinthians 13, for example, verse one 

of that passage from the International Children’s 

Bible, New Century Version, appears at the top. 

The child is encouraged to pray with Prayer 

Bear, “Help me when I speak, Lord,/ And let the 

words I say,/ Be filled with loving-kindness,/ On 

each and every day. Amen.” Prayer Bear stands 

tall, holding cymbals near a stuffed elephant 

who rings a bell with his curled-up trunk. 

Children will hold these bear shaped books 

easily and eagerly in their little hands. A big 

teddy on the cover and illustrations in brilliant 

primary colors will attract their eyes quickly and 

elicit many conversations. Brief Scriptures and 

simple language facilitate “hiding the Word” in 

their hearts and motivate enjoyment in prayer 

activities. These books make a cuddly, playful, 

and important selection for every toddler’s 

bookshelf. 

Rhonda Marie Lackey 

Freelance Writer, Former Teacher/Librarian 

Tukwila, Washington 

No Dragons for Tea : Fire Safety for Kids (and 

Dragons), written by Jean Pendziwol; 

illustrated by Martine Gourbault. Toronto, 

Ont.: Kids Can Press, 1999. ISBN 

1550745697, HBB, $14.95. 

E. Fire--Fiction; Safety education--Fiction; Stories in 

rhyme. 32 p. Gr. 1—3. 

In No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids 

(and Dragons), Pendziwol and Gourbault use a 

fire-breathing dragon to present fire safety tips 

to young readers in this story about a dragon 

who comes to tea. The hostess, a young girl 

about five, invites the dragon she meets on the 

beach to come home for a sumptuous tea. All 

goes well, no mess, no problems until the 

dragon sprinkles pepper on food and sneezes. A 

fire breaks out, but the hostess has learned what 

to do. After the story there are two pages telling 

children, and the adults reading this to them, fire 

safety rules and procedures. 

The illustrations by Martine Gourbault are in 

colored pencils with a grainy effect, very child 

friendly, reminding one of the Bruce Degen 

illustrations for Joanna Cole’s work. While 

most illustrations are double-page spreads 

showing the main character involved in many 

activites, there are ten that are arranged in a 

combination of a larger square and smaller 

square on alternating pages. This breaks up the 

sameness. There is much energy in the 


PICTURE BOOKS 

illustrations which is brought out in the diagonal 

movement of the characters. 

Author Jean Pendziwol puts together good 

information, but the text seems to be more for 

the adults reading the story rather than for the 

child. This would be an optional purchase. 

Leslie Greaves Radloff 

Teacher/Librarian 

W. St. Paul, Minnesota 

Axle Annie, by Robin Pulver; pictures by 

Tedd Arnold. LCCN 98008696. New York: 

Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin 

Putnam, 1999. ISBN 0803720963, HBB, 

$15.99. 

E. School buses--Fiction; Snow--Fiction. 32 p. K— 

Gr. 3. 

Winter is wild in Burskyville. When it storms, 

one would expect to find every vehicle stranded, 

every person stuck at home. But, Axle Annie, 

bus driver extraordinaire, can master the 

toughest hill in town on any winter day. 

Superintendent Solomon always calls her to see 

if she can make it up Tiger Hill, or if they should 

cancel school due to weather. Annie always 

answers, “Mr. Solomon! Do snowplows plow? 

Do tow trucks tow? Are school buses yellow? 

Of course I can make it up Tiger Hill!” She 

always does and the schools in Burskyville 

never have a snow day. 

Trouble comes when a disgruntled bus driver 

and the discouraged owner of the local ski resort 

scheme to stop Annie in her tracks. The storm 

of the century comes and with extra assistance 

from the troublemakers, Tiger Hill is worse than 

ever. Axle Annie appears to be stuck. 

Axle Annie will have young ones smiling and 

giggling throughout. Robin Pulver uses silly 

situations and repeated phrases to keep the 

reader anticipating what will happen next. 

Cartoon-like illustrations by Tedd Arnold done 

in colored pencil and watercolor wash are a 

perfect match to Pulver’s fun-filled text. A 

humorous addition to any picture book 

collection, Axle Annie would be a great book for 

older readers to read aloud to the non-reading 

child. 

Karen Brehmer 

Teacher 


The Grannyman, by Judith Byron Schachner. 

LCCN 98052964. New York: Dutton 

Children’s Books, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 0525461221, HBB, $15.99. 

E. Cats--Fiction; Old age--Fiction. 30 p. PS—Gr. 2. 

Everyone who has lived with a cat will enjoy the 

story of Simon, who is a very old cat. Even 

though his family takes very good care of him, 

Simon can hardly keep going and feels useless. 

One Tuesday night at ten o’clock he sticks his 

bony old legs into the air to breath his last. But, 

no, his family places something soft on top of 

him and Simon sniffs. It is a new kitten. 

Now, even though he moves slowly, Simon is 

too busy taking care of his little kitten to think of 

himself. When his family sees how tenderly he 

cares for the new kitten, they give him a new 

name. They call him the Grannyman. 

Judith Byron Schachner not only writes words 

filled with devotion and love, she also paints 

pictures with depth and feeling that will be 

appreciated by all who read the book. 

Marie Knaupp 



Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round, by 

Teri Sloat; illustrated by Nadine Bernard 

Westcott. LCCN 98014272. New York: DK 

Ink Book, DK Publishing, 1999. ISBN 

0789425122, HBB, $15.95. 

E. Farm life--Fiction; Domestic animals--Fiction; 

Tornados--Fiction; Stories in rhyme. 30 p. PS—Gr. 

3. 

“My chores are done,” says Farmer Brown as he 

stretches out contentedly on his porch after a 

long day of taking care of the animals. 

Suddenly he hears a rumbling sound—a twister 

is coming! The black cloud scoops up Farmer 

Brown, his clothesline, and his entourage of 

animals, each one now wearing “a pair of 

Farmer Brown’s plaid underwear.” All seems 

well when they land safe and sound, but “his 

cows oinked, / the pigs moo’d,/ his sheep 

clucked,/ the cat coo’d.” And when Farmer 

Brown tries to ask what’s wrong, all he can do is 

“cock-a-doodle-doo!” The farm is in chaos. 

Farmer Brown definitely goes round and round 

in Teri Sloat’s wild and silly tale. 

This is a great “lap” book to read to young 

children as the plot is simple, there are a lot of 

things to look at, and only a few lines of text on 

each page. The frisky verse is a delight to read 

aloud. Colorful and bright, Nadine Bernard 

Wescott’s humorous cartoon, watercolor 

animals are a perfect match to the light mood of 

this story. 

Lillian Heytvelt 


Pomeroy, Washington 

Over Is Not Up!, by Dale Smith; illustrated 

by Donna Brooks. LCCN 94021338. 

Tacoma: Golden Anchor Press, 1995. ISBN 

1886864004, HBB, $14.95. 

E. Morning--Fiction; Sleep--Fiction. 32 p. K—Gr. 2. 

Over Is Not Up!, by Dale Smith, is a charmingly 

simple story that makes the eternal problem of 

getting up in the morning fun for children. 

When Daddy calls for Bitsie to get up, Bitsie 

turns over, snuggles under the covers, cuddles 

her dolly, and goes back to sleep. Everything 

else is up, however. The sun, the birds, and the 

flowers are up. The animals and even the 

goldfish are up. Finally Daddy calls again in a 

louder voice, and Bitsie finally yawns, stretches, 

gets up, and runs to Daddy for a big hug. 

Donna Brooks’ beautiful illustrations greatly 

enhance the simple text of this book. Each 

picture is an oil painting on canvas, which is 

color-separated and reproduced in full color. 

The short sentences and multiple repetitions of 

the concept of ‘up’ make Over Is Not Up! an 

excellent choice for even the youngest child. An 

additional benefit of this book is a word list in 

which all of the words are arranged as flashcards 

that can be duplicated on a copy machine. 

These can be used to repeat the text of the book 

or to make up new sentences. Over Is Not Up! 

is a book which will be read, reread, and loved 

for many years. 

Virginia Brown 

Library Assistant 

Sheridan, Wyoming 

Little Cliff and the Porch People, by Clifton L. 

Taulbert; paintings by E. B. Lewis. LCCN 

98005503. New York: Dial Books for Young 

Readers, Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 

0803721749, HBB, $15.99. 

E. Food--Fiction; Neighborliness--Fiction; Afro- 

Americans--Fiction. 32 p. PS—Gr. 3. 

Little Cliff’s great-grandmother sends him on a 

mission to get the special butter she needs to 

make sweet potatoes in her magic skillet. She 

tells him not to stop along the way and to return 

lickety-split, but he finds this impossible to do 

as the Porch People, his grandparents friends 

and neighbors, interrupt his journey to offer 

their own contributions to the special dish. 

Uncle Abe offers to teach Cliff how to trim 

hedges and sends him on his way with nutmeg. 

Mr. Boot-Nanny invites Cliff to join him on the 

porch to listen to the Brooklyn Dodgers play and 

ends up giving him pure vanilla from New 

Orleans. Cliff tries to avoid Cousin Savannah 

because she always wants to kiss him and feed 

him big slices of pound cake, but having been 

taught to obey the older people, he goes on his 

way with one of her kisses and a few 

tablespoons of fresh grease. He watches as Miz 

Callie churns the butter he has been sent to 

purchase and then returns to Mama Pearl who is 

waiting anxiously for him on the front porch. 

Clifton L. Taulbert’s Little Cliff and the Porch 

People is a gentle and heartwarming tale set in 

the Mississippi Delta. According to Taulbert, 

this intergenerational tale is a “tender reminder 

of all that was good when all of one’s neighbors 

could be counted on to make significant deposits 

in one’s life.” The dialogue is colloquial and 

genuine and the relationships realistic. E. B. 

Lewis’ watercolors beautifully illustrate this 

story of a young African-American living in the 

segregated South. 





PICTURE BOOKS 

CHILDREN’S FICTION 

Somewhere in the Ocean, written by Jennifer 

Ward and T.J. Marsh; illustrated by 

Kenneth J. Spengler. LCCN 99025400. 

Flagstaff: Rising Moon, Northland 


$15.95. 

E. Marine animals--Fiction; Animals--Infancy-- 

Fiction; Counting; Picture puzzles; Stories in rhyme. 

32 p. PS—Gr. 2. 

Written to the tune of “Over in the Meadow,” 

Jennifer Ward and T.J. Marsh invite their readers 

on a romp under the ocean to explore sea 

animals and their habitats, where a personable 

“mother manatee and her little calf one” nibble 

sea lettuce, while a pod of Orca whales and 

“their little calves two ... splash in the waters 

clear and blue.” Traveling through the number 

line the reader can examine three clown fish, 

four hermit crabs, five sea otters, six tiger 

sharks, seven sea horses, eight sea turtles, nine 

jellyfish, and ten octopi. With each verse the 

reader learns the name of the baby for that 

animal (“Did you know baby jelly fish are called 

jellies?”) see where they live and sometimes 

what they eat, and for a challenge find the 

camouflaged number on each page. 

Illustrated Fun Facts pages at the end of the 

story give additional scientific information for 

the animals and plants mentioned. For those 

unfamiliar with the tune to the song, the music is 

included at the back of the book. 

Kenneth J. Spengler’s bright and animated 

illustrations ala Ruth Heller support scientific 

fact without detracting from the whimsy of the 

animals. Somewhere in the Ocean will be a 

welcome and well-used addition to any primary 

classroom. 

Judy Driscoll 



The Ocean Within, by V. M. Caldwell; 

illustrated by Erica Magnus. LCCN 

99013418. Minneapolis: Milkweed 

Editions, 1999. ISBN 157131623X, PAP, 

$6.95. 

F. Adoption--Fiction; Foster home care--Fiction; 

Grandmothers--Fiction; Family life--Fiction. 277 p. 

Gr. 3 - 6. 

Elizabeth’s dream of seeing the ocean comes 

true, but now her goal is to avoid becoming 

part of the foster family that she has just been 

placed with. For the month of July she will be 

with the other Sheridan cousins staying with 

their grandma who lives by the ocean. 

Elizabeth does not answer questions or play 

games, choosing to be silent and withdrawn as 

she tries to understand what makes this family 

so close. She experiences many firsts while at 

Grandma Sheridan’s (whom she nicknames 

Iron Woman): first time at the ocean, first 

fireworks, and first understanding of what 

family life and love is all about. 

V. M. Caldwell does an excellent job of sharing 

the inner thoughts, struggles, and triumphs of a 

child who has been orphaned and moved from 

home to home. Her new family welcomes her 

to be a part, but she doesn’t know how or if she 

really wants to do that. The Ocean Within is a 

book that will give the reader an understanding 

of family togetherness and acceptance of those 

who are different. 

Lynette Sorenson 

College Librarian 

Kirkland, Washington 

Molly’s Pilgrim, by Barbara Cohen; 

illustrated by Daniel Mark Duffy. LCCN 

98009227. New York: Lothrop, Lee & 

Shepard Books, Morrow, 1998. ISBN 

0688162797, HBB, $15.00. 

F. Jews--United States--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; 

Thanksgiving Day--Fiction; Emigration and 

immigration--Fiction; Russian Americans--Fiction. 

28 p. Gr. 2 - 4. 

“It takes all kinds of Pilgrims to make a 

Thanksgiving.” Molly, the heroine of Molly’s 

Pilgrim, learns this lesson. Molly desperately 

wants “to belong” but finds herself unaccepted 

in the new school. Miss Stickey, the third 

grade teacher, asks the class to make a village 

peopled by Pilgrims. Molly’s mom wonders 

what a Pilgrim is. “A Pilgrim is someone who 

came here from the other side to find freedom.” 

This truth becomes the key to this Jewish 

immigrant’s acceptance. 

Daniel Mark Duffy illustrates Molly’s Pilgrim 

with shades of gray drawings that are full of 

life and detail. The pictures tell the story as 

strongly as the text. 

Author Barbara Cohen bases her book on true 

events. Although she grasps the hub of this 

poignant story, it is almost predictable in ways: 

the family is transplanted from turmoil in 

Russia, Molly is chased home from school by 

the mean Elizabeth. The author adds the 

occasional Yiddish phrase to the narrative, but 

it is always decoded by context. This changeof-pace 

Thanksgiving book ties Jewish 

tradition to that of the Pilgrim forefathers. 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 


White Socks Only, by Evelyn Coleman; 

illustrations by Tyrone Geter. LCCN 

09538324. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert 

Whitman, 1999. ISBN 080758956X, PAP, 

$6.95. 

F. Afro-Americans--Fiction; Race relations--Fiction; 

Mississippi--Fiction. 29 p. Gr. 2 - 4. 

Grandma tells about the first time she went to 

town by herself when she was just a girl. 

Walking into town on a hot summer day with 

two eggs in her pocket, she wants to see if it’s 

possible to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Hot and 

thirsty, she misunderstands the ‘Whites Only’ 

sign on the water fountain. Taking off her 

black shoes, she steps up on the little step in her 

white socks to get a drink. She is frightened 

when a large white man appears and shouts at 

her for drinking at the fountain. When he 

threatens to whip her with his belt, an old 

woman from the little girl’s church takes off 

her shoes and gets a drink too. More black 

adults take off their shoes and form a line to get 

a drink. Angry and red faced, the white man 

beats the little girl and the adults with his belt 

as the white townspeople watch. But when the 

Chicken Man walks up to the fountain, the 

white man stops and backs away. The Chicken 

Man has mysterious powers he learned in 

Africa. The white man is never seen again, but 

a strange chicken is seen flapping around the 

fountain. 

Evelyn Coleman spins a fascinating story of 

life in a segregated Mississippi town and the 

power of one little girl to do some good. White 

Socks Only vividly portrays a group of people 

standing together to defeat racial hatred. 

Younger children may be distressed by the 

violence and need help understanding the 

context of the story. The author uses language 

and expressions of the region and time, which 

adds to the story, but may be difficult for young 

readers. Tyrone Geter’s illustrations convey 

the heat, anger, and mystery of that fateful day. 





BOOK REVIEWS 


Blue Willow, by Pam Conrad; illustrated by 

S. Saelig Gallagher. LCCN 95042867. New 

York: Philomel Books, Penguin Putnam, 

1999. ISBN 0399229043, HBB, $16.99. 

F. Fathers and daughters--Fiction; Listening--Fiction. 

32 p. Gr. 2 - 5. 

Kung Shi is the beautiful daughter of a wealthy 

Chinese merchant. Because his wife is dead, the 

merchant treasures his daughter more than his 

many possessions and gives her everything she 

asks. The years pass and one day Kung Shi 

meets Chang the Good. It is love at first sight 

for both and soon Chang asks Kung Shi to marry 

him. However, when she asks her father he tells 

her no. Again and again she requests permission 

to marry but he continues to put her off with 

various excuses. Frustrated by her father’s 

refusal, one stormy evening Kung Shi sets off in 

her boat to find Chang. During the storm her 

boat capsizes and she is drowned. That same 

evening Chang, looking for Kung Shi, is 

mistaken for a leopard and is slain by the local 

village men. The wealthy merchant learns too 

late the value of listening to his daughter. He 

commissions a plate be made to tell the story of 

Kung Shi and Chang and gives them to 

everyone he meets so parents everywhere will 

listen to their children and heed what is in their 

hearts. 

Pam Conrad’s retelling of the legend of the Blue 

Willow plate is both lovely and haunting. 

Written in a way that is accessible to even a 

young audience, Conrad captures the sadness, 

poignancy, and beauty of this familiar tale. Her 

language is rich and vivid, and evokes the 

imagery of the Chinese countryside and the 

emotions of first love. S. Saelig Gallagher’s 

acrylic and pastel illustrations are simply 

fabulous. The pastoral scenes are lovely, but 

even more noteworthy are her character 

depictions. Each character portrays believable 

emotions that are both sorrowful and humorous 

in turn. Calligraphy is included on both the 

inside cover pages. 


Librarian 


Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue, by Paula 

Danziger; illustrated by Tony Ross. LCCN 


Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 039923179X, 

HBB, $14.99. 

F. Divorce--Fiction; Parent and child--Fiction. 133 p. 

Gr. 3 - 4. 

Amber Brown is a fourth grade girl whose 

parents divorced a few years ago. Her father, 

living in Paris the last two years, is now moving 

back to be near Amber. She is looking forward 

to seeing her father with eager anticipation. 

Amber’s mother is engaged to marry a man 

named Max. Amber enjoys her relationship 

with Max and the time she spends with him and 

her mother is warm and fun. Her father’s return 

is going to force Amber into a position of 

making difficult choices and decisions. “I want 

to make choices and not feel guilty. I want to 

not have to make choices, not ones like this. 

The ones I want to make are things like ... 

Should I have chocolate or vanilla ice cream? 

Should my allowance be raised? Should I have 

to do homework, or not have to do homework? 

Now, these are good choices for a kid to make ... 

not the ones I have to make . . .choosing one 

parent instead of the other.” 

The feelings and emotions a child of divorce 

goes through are dealt with very deftly by Paula 

Danziger in Amber Brown is Feeling Blue. 

Though the topic is a weighty one, the author 

interjects humor in her characters and secondary 

situations which help balance the book and 

create a real empathy for Amber’s situation. 

Tony Ross’ pen and ink illustrations fit the funloving 

personality of Amber Brown perfectly, 

depicting Amber just as one would imagine her 

to look. 

Sally Kuhns 

Teacher 

Bremerton, Washington 

I, Amber Brown, by Paula Danziger; 

illustrated by Tony Ross. LCCN 98052884. 

New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin 


$14.99. 

F. Self-esteem--Fiction; Divorce--Fiction; Parent and 

child--Fiction. 140 p. Gr. 3 - 4. 

Amber Brown is embarking on a new leg of her 

journey through life, learning to live under the 

joint custody agreement of her divorced parents, 

now that her father has moved back from 

overseas. “There should be a rule book for kids 

of divorced parents with every little thing listed 

that we have to remember. I, Amber Brown, 

think that there should also be a rule book for 

parents ... and the first rule should be that there 

shouldn’t have to be a rule book for their kids.” 

On one of Amber’s outings with her father, she 

manages to wiggle through one of the 

communication cracks between her parents, and 

get her ears pierced, in direct violation of her 

mother’s wishes. She struggles with her 

decision and the guilt of disobeying her mother 

and putting her father into a difficult situation, 

and her own need to feel in control of 

something. 

The characters in Paula Danziger’s I, Amber 

Brown are all very likable, and the sad 

circumstances they find themselves in are all too 

real and relevant in today’s world. The events in 

the story take place in just a few days time, and 

the affection one feels for the characters leaves 

the reader wanting to know what happens next. 

Tony Ross’ illustrations and Paula Danziger’s 

words work together to build very believable 

and well-developed characters. 

Sally Kuhns 

Teacher 


The Story of the Sea Glass, by Anne Wescott 

Dodd; illustrated by Mary Beth Owens. 

LCCN 99013120. Camden, Me.: Down East 

Books, 1999. ISBN 0892724161, HBB, 

$15.95. 

F. Glass--Fiction. Gr. 2 - 5. 

Nicole and her nana travel to the seaside house 

where Nana grew up. While roaming the rocky 

shore, Nana tells Nicole of a childhood memory 

about the rarest color of sea glass—red. In days 

gone by people threw bottles, broken china, and 

other crockery into the sea. As the waves tossed 

about the broken glass, the edges were worn 

smooth and the pieces eventually washed 

ashore. Anyone who has spent long days at the 

beach knows the best part is hunting for special 

seashells or sea glass, those bits of worn debris 

worn smooth over time. 

Environmental concerns today and the wide use 

of plastic have made sea glass less common, so 

Nicole’s finding a piece of red glass is a great 

treasure. Through beautiful illustrations, and 

Nana’s gentle recollection about the day she 

broke a very special red vase as a little girl, the 

reader learns a bit about the origins of sea glass 

as well as a lesson about remorse. Could 

Nicole’s piece of red sea glass be from the very 

vase Nana broke? Though this question is never 

answered, this charming story may be used to 

prompt discussions of conscience, sorrow, and 

consideration of the property of others as well as 

the environment. 

This book provides a lovely example of crossgenerational 

sharing and may prove useful in 

additional sharing on the part of readers and 



their families. The book concludes with a short 

article about sea glass and an activity for 

“recycling” it into a sun catcher. 




The Case of the Vanishing Fishhook, by John 

R. Erickson; illustrations by Gerald L. 

Holmes. (Hank the Cowdog; 31.) LCCN 

99203971. New York: Viking, Penguin 


$13.99. 

F. Dogs--Fiction; Ranch life--West (U.S.)--Fiction; 

Humorous stories; West (U.S.)--Fiction. 125 p. Gr. 3 

- 5. 

The Garbage Monster from Outer Space, by 

John R. Erickson; illustrations by Gerald L. 

Holmes. (Hank the Cowdog; 32.) LCCN 


Putnam, 1999. ISBN 67088488X, HBB, 

$13.99. 

F. Dogs--Fiction; Mystery fiction; Humorous stories; 

West (U.S.)--Fiction. 126 p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

The Case of the Measled Cowboy, by John R. 

Erickson; illustrations by Gerald L. Holmes. 

(Hank the Cowdog; 33.) LCCN 98041787. 

New York: Viking, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 0670884898, HBB, $13.99. 

F. Dogs--Fiction; Ranch life--West (U.S.)--Fiction; 

Humorous stories; West (U.S.)--Fiction; Measles-- 

Fiction. 126 p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

“It’s me again, Hank the Cowdog.” Thus starts 

another hilarious adventure told in first person 

by Hank the Cowdog, head of Ranch Security. 

The series, written by John R. Erickson, stays 

well in character, each book focusing on another 

facet of ranch life. Written in a folksy, chatty 

style, these chapter books are perfect to be read 

aloud. A high-interest level urges the reluctant 

reader to read on. Each chapter ends with a 

cliff-hanger. The illustrations by Gerald L. 

Homes, cartoon-style with the perfect touch of 

whimsy, are totally compatible with the fastpaced 

text. 

In The Case of the Vanishing Fishhook, a bit of 

liver could be bait or a snack. When Hank finds 

out the difference, he finds himself in deep 

trouble and on his way to the vet’s. Sally May, 

Lady of the House, gives forgiveness to the 

errant Tom Sawyer (five-year-old Alfred) and 

Huckleberry Finn (Hank, of course) through the 

words of a very silly song. 

The Garbage Monster from Outer Space tells 

the tale of the five mischievous raccoons who 

scatter Sally May’s garbage. Circumstantial 

evidence takes Hank into exile, to the land of the 

trash-talking coyotes Rip and Snort who offer 

Hank lessons in survival. The outrageous 

adventures get the cowdog into more trouble. 

As predicted, Sally May comes to his rescue. 

Hank the Cowdog’s adventures continue in The 

Case of the Measled Cowboy. Loper and Sally 

May, along with baby Molly, are taking a trip. 

Alfred, the five-year-old comes down with 

measles, so the ranch hand Slim Chance and 

Hank are left in charge of the boy and the ranch. 

Mischief aplenty begins when Slim himself 

comes down with the measles. There’s hash for 

lunch that is really dog food (but who can 

read?), spilled honey tracked all over the house, 

dogs where they don’t belong, an unseasonable 

snowstorm, and Alfred driving the truck through 

a fence. When all is said and done, the moral of 

the story rings true, “Cleaning up these messes 

isn’t as much fun as making them, is it?” 

All three books are peppered with slang and 

questionable philosophy. (“A fib is a small lie 

for your own good.” 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 


Casey Jones’s Fireman : The Story of Sim 

Webb, by Nancy Farmer; pictures by James 

Bernardin. LCCN 09512821. New York: 

Phyllis Fogelman Books; Dial Books for 

Young Readers, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 0803719299, HBB, $15.99. 

F. Jones, Casey, 1863-1900--Legends; Webb, Sim-- 

Legends; Afro-Americans--Folklore; Folklore--United 

States. 32 p. Gr. 3 - 6. 

Sim Webb works with Casey Jones, the 

railroad’s best engineer. Known for having the 

best and biggest steam whistle on any train, 

Casey is surprised to be offered an even larger 

whistle made of gold, with a glorious sound. A 

sinister man tempts Casey into taking the 

whistle. On their next train run, they anxiously 

await the sound of the new whistle, which will 

blow when they reach their fastest speed. 

Pushing the train’s limits, Sim is troubled. He 

comes to realize that this whistle is Gabriel’s 

trumpet itself, which will bring the end of the 

world. Sim looks up to see another train on the 

track and he yells to warn Casey. The engineer 

brakes the train and shouts for Sim to jump. He 

does, and escapes the crash that follows. They 

find Casey’s body, his hand still grasping the 

brake. His quick response saved the lives of 

everyone else on the trains. 

In Casey’s Fireman, Nancy Farmer brings us a 

new explanation for what might have happened 

on that fateful night in 1900. Based on real 

people and events, this tale is told from Sim 

Webb’s perspective, giving the story a personal 

feel. Drawing on the importance of the 

fireman’s job, we see what a significant 

achievement it was for Sim Webb, a black man, 

to hold such a position at that time. Easy 

flowing text makes it readable for younger 

children, yet the devil figure is an unsettling 

character, vividly brought to life in the 

illustrations. Rich, realistic paintings by James 

Bernardin bring the story together, creating both 

an exciting and eerie feeling. 

Included is factual information about Sim, 

Casey, and railroad life at the turn of the century. 

Karen Brehmer 

Teacher 


Frightful’s Mountain, written and illustrated 

by Jean Craighead George; with a foreword 

by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. LCCN 99032932. 

New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 


HBB, $15.99. 

F. Peregrine falcon--Fiction; Falcons--Fiction; 

Wildlife conservation--Fiction; New York (State)-- 

Fiction. 258 p. Gr. 4 - 6. 

Frightful is the peregrine falcon trained and 

cared for by Sam Gribley since she was two 

weeks old. Now, Sam must release her. 

Frightful encounters danger, excitement, 

motherhood, and freedom, but she never forgets 

Sam and the one tree on the one mountain where 

Sam lives. An endangered species, Frightful’s 

adventures draw the interest of poachers as well 

as environmentalists. When her three eggs are 

endangered by state mandated bridge repairs, a 

group of children write letters trying to save the 

baby birds. The story follows Frightful on her 

amazing migration from her home in upstate 

New York to the Galapagos Islands off the coast 

of South America and back again. 

Written by Jean Craighead George, Frightful’s 

Mountain is the third book in a trilogy that 

includes On the Far Side of the Mountain and 

Newberry Honor book, My Side of the 

Mountain, written forty years ago. This book 

shows the deftness of an experienced writer as 

well as the passion of a naturalist who cares 

deeply about the environment. The book is 

illustrated by the author’s own pen and ink 

drawings, which captures the beauty and 

intelligence of the peregrine falcon. Although 

Frightful is the central character, the central 

human character is Sam Gribley. The author 

assumes her readers know Sam from the earlier 

books in the series, and gives little explanation 

of this teenager who lives alone in a tree in the 

forest. Although this book does stand alone, 

reading the other books in the trilogy first would 

enhance the reader’s enjoyment. The book 

includes a very interesting foreword by Robert 

F. Kennedy, Jr., who writes of his own 

enjoyment of the author’s book when he was 

young, and her influence on his lifelong interest 

in wildlife. 




Owen Foote, Frontiersman, by Stephanie 

Greene; illustrated by Martha Weston. 

LCCN 98044843. Boston: Clarion Books, 

Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN 039561578X, 

HBB, $14.00. 



F. Tree houses--Fiction; Bullies--Fiction; Mothers and 

sons--Fiction; Outdoor life--Fiction. 88 p. Gr. 2 - 4. 

Owen Foote’s frontier is Mrs. Gold’s wood lot 

behind his house. He and his friend Joseph 

spend many hours there following animal 

tracks, imagining Daniel Boone adventures, and 

building a fort. One day, two older boys 

discover the fort. They are Mrs. Gold’s mean 

and streetwise grandsons from New York City. 

Their idea of fun involves ransacking forts and 

threatening little boys who try to stop them. 

This means war. But can Owen declare war 

without telling his parents? Owen finds the truth 

to be the best convincing evidence for action. 

Even his older sister is sympathetic. Owen and 

Joseph use their knowledge of nature to booby 

trap the fort for the final assault. Joseph digs a 

pitfall trap while Owen smears pitch up the 

ladder and scatters animal scat on the floor of 

the fort. In the middle of their preparations, the 

enemy unexpectedly advances. Owen is trapped 

in the fort. As a last desperate measure he 

releases his pet snake. It drops down on the 

intruders and sends them scrambling for the 

safety of Grandma’s house. Woodland lore and 

nature trivia are woven unobtrusively into the 

adventure. There is also an underlying theme 

about telling the truth, its power to convince, 

and the confidence it builds. 

Owen Foote, Frontiersman is Stephanie 

Greene’s third book about Owen. Martha 

Weston’s pencil and ink wash illustrations 

capture the highlight of each chapter. The 

vocabulary is geared for independent readers in 

the second and third grade. Description is 

sparse, action is high, and dialogue is realistic, 

making the story an excellent read-aloud choice 

for younger listeners. 

Other books in this series are, Owen Foote, 

Second Grade Strongman and Owen Foote, 

Soccer Star. 

Melinda Torgerson 



The Singing Snowbear, written and 

illustrated by Carol Grigg. LCCN 98043242. 

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN 

0395942233, HBB, $15.00. 

F. Polar bear--Fiction. Gr. 2 - 5. 

Carol Grigg’s story The Singing Snowbear 

begins with a baby polar bear and his mother, as 

she teaches him to care for himself. When 

Snowbear is two years old, he hears music while 

he is swimming. He is compelled to find the 

music and the music maker, so he leaves his 

home. He meets a raven, a walrus, a snowy owl, 

and an arctic fox. They aren’t much help, so he 

continues searching. Lonely and discouraged, 

he searches until one day he hears the saddest 

song he has ever heard. When he finds the 

music maker, it is a beluga whale that is trapped 

in the ice. Snowbear rescues the whale. In 

return, the whale teaches Snowbear to sing as 

they swim together in the arctic sea. 

Carol Grigg has written a polar bear fantasy and 

added a little “nature in harmony” flavor. There 

is an underlying theme that we should all try to 

“fill ourselves with the song” and get along with 

each other in love. There is a lot of metaphorical 

grammar and symbolism that children won’t 

understand on their own. Even though the story 

itself is sweet, it is written in a disjointed way 

that may cause readers to lose interest or need 

help following the theme of perseverance. 

The main redeeming point of this book is the 

illustrations. Ms. Grigg uses beautiful 

watercolors with lots of purples and blues. The 

pictures have a certain softness that flows with 

the story. 

Patricia Youmans, MLIS 



Unlikely Friends : A Story of Second Chances, 

novelization by Monica Hall; illustrated by 

Joe Brown; based on a teleplay by Kathleen 

McGhee-Anderson. (Touched by an Angel.) 



0849958016, HBB, $14.99. 

F. Juvenile delinquency--Fiction; Physically 

handicapped--Fiction; Angels--Fiction. 32 p. Gr. 1 - 

4. 

After a series of small thefts, fifteen-year-old 

Jason DeLee is caught stealing a car. Because 

he has been in trouble with the law before, Jason 

is sent to a juvenile camp where he volunteers 

for a special work program. At first, Jason isn’t 

too sure about working with Kelly who has 

cerebral palsy. After getting in trouble for racing 

Kelly around in her wheelchair and smoking, 

Jason begins to see how he can help Kelly. In a 

moment of doubt about his future, however, 

Jason considers stealing the car of his dreams. 

As he puts this plan in motion, Monica appears 

telling him that she is an angel. Monica tells 

Jason not to take the easy way out and that God 

has provided him with a second chance in 

working with Kelly. After thinking things 

through, Jason realizes he really does want to 

stay and help Kelly. 

Unlikely Friends, novelized by Monica Hall, is 

based on the Touched By An Angel television 

series episode “At Risk.” Monica, Tess, and 

Andrew, angelic figures in the television show, 

are all characters in the book. Illustrations by 

Joe Brown accurately portray the familiar angels 

and add depth to the relationship between Jason 

and Kelly. 

True to the television series, this book tells the 

reader of a loving God who is involved with 

each of our lives, and can provide a second 

chance for anyone. 




Ambushed in Jaguar Swamp : Barbrooke 

Grubb, by Dave & Neta Jackson; story 

illustrations by Julian Jackson. (Trailblazer 

Books.) LCCN 99006490. Minneapolis: 

Bethany House, Bethany House Publishers, 

1999. ISBN 0764220144, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Missionaries--Fiction; Missionaries--Uganda-- 

Fiction. 144 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

This fictionalized account of several adventures 

in the life of Barbrooke Grubb, missionary to 

Paraguayan Indians, is seen through the eyes of 

fourteen-year-old Kyemap. The story begins as 

Kyemap rises to the missionary’s challenge to 

prove there are no ghosts at the graves of dead 

babies. Kyemap’s adventure makes fools of the 

witch doctors and they retaliate with challenges 

of their own. Kyemap becomes a student of Mr. 

Grubb. 

Kyemap’s older cousin, Poit, takes an interest in 

the missionary’s activities. Trusted to care for 

Mr. Grubb’s cattle, Poit begins selling them 

when Barbrooke Grubb takes a year’s furlough 

to England. Upon his return Poit, in an attempt 

to cover his failure, takes Mr. Grubb deep into 

Jaguar Swamp to kill him. Grubb survives and 

staggers out severely wounded. Kyemap, 

seeking to find the real reason for Mr. Grubb’s 

wounds—jaguar or human—is able to piece 

together the story. Poit is killed as a murderer 

and Kyemap sees his own need to respond to 

God’s love for him. He becomes the first 

baptized convert of the Lengua people in 

Paraguay. 

At the end of Ambushed in Jaguar Swamp, the 

Jacksons give more biographical information 

about Barbrooke Grubb, often referred to as “the 

David Livingston of South America.” Dave and 

Neta Jackson explain the true chronology of 

events and explain what is accurate and what is 

fictionalized in the book. A bibliography of 

other books about Barbrooke Grubb is included. 

Patricia J. Perry 

Parent, Former Librarian 

Westerville, Ohio 

Race for the Record : Joy Ridderhof, by Dave 

& Neta Jackson; story illustrations by Julian 

Jackson. (Trailblazer Books.) LCCN 

99006538. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 

Bethany House Publishers, 1999. ISBN 

0764220136, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Missionaries--Fiction; Palawan (Philippines)-- 

Fiction; Island--Philippines--Fiction; Ridderhof, Joy-- 

Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. 143 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

Dave and Neta Jackson fictionalize Joy 

Ritterhof’s ministry of recording the Gospel 

message in the Palawano language in the book 

Race for the Record. The story revolves around 

Alastair Sutherland, a Scottish boy whose 

parents are missionaries in the Philippines 

during World War II. Through providential 

circumstances, Lastani, a Palawano, comes to 



live with the Sutherlands. He quickly learns the 

ways of the missionaries and their language. 

Although they share the Gospel with this tribal 

boy, he is steeped in his tribal religion and does 

not understand God’s Word. 

Meanwhile, Alastair reads in a Sunday School 

paper of Joy Ritterhof who makes Gospel 

recordings using a phonograph machine. They 

contact her and invite her to come to the 

Phillipines hoping to impact the natives using 

the technology. Miss Ritterhof arrives but is 

detained in Manila, and Lastani, who is to be the 

“reader,” must leave for school. When she does 

arrive, Miss Ritterhof’s recorder will not work. 

In all of this Joy Ritterhof shows that Christians 

can always rejoice, knowing that God is in 

control. 

Miss Ritterhof returns to the mainland with 

Alastair accompanying her on his way to 

boarding school. When the recorder begins to 

work again, Alastair steals away during the night 

to bring Lastani back to make the recording. Six 

months later ten hand-crank phonographs and 

ten sets of recordings are delivered to the 

Sutherlands. As the message is played, Lastani 

shares his testimony with those listening to the 

“talking box.” When they hike back up the 

mountain to deliver a phonograph and record to 

Lastani’s tribe, he seals his testimony by 

returning the family “good luck charm” to his 

uncle. 

Following the story are five pages of additional 

information about Joy Ritterhof. 




The Invisible Harry, by Marthe Jocelyn; 

illustrated by Abby Carter. LCCN 

98033507. New York: Dutton Children’s 

Books, Penguin Putnam, 1998. ISBN 

0525460780, HBB, $14.99. 

F. Dogs--Fiction; Science--Experiments--Fiction; 

Schools--Fiction; New York (N.Y.)--Fiction; 

Humorous stories. 133 p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

A sequel to The Invisible Day, The Invisible 

Harry by Marthe Jocelyn is a tale about the 

adventures and misadventures of sixth grader 

Billie Stoner. But this is also a story about 

relationships: friends, sisters, divorced parents. 

The babysitter’s (Jodi’s) dog “Pepper had an 

adventure out in the world” (p. 7) which resulted 

in a litter of puppies. Harry Houdini, a sort of a 

terrier, becomes the center of the universe whose 

story turns into a comedic fantasy when Jodi, a 

science whiz, makes the pup invisible. There 

are giggles aplenty as Billie tries to cope with 

everyday life and this unusual pet. 

The use of contextual clues ranks high in this 

chapter book. The first-person narrative rolls 

along at an even pace, with an occasional word 

just beyond the norm. The story is told with 

great humor and the cartoon-like drawings by 

Abby Carter add to the frivolity. 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 


Molly’s in a Mess, by Suzy Kline; illustrated 

by Diana Cain Bluthenthal. LCCN 



HBB, $13.99. 

F. Schools--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction. 72 p. Gr. 2 

- 3. 

Molly is a spunky third grader with “black 

braided hair, Band-Aids on her knees or elbows, 

and brown eyes,” who seems destined for 

mischief. A new girl, Florence, comes to their 

classroom and is suspiciously guarded about her 

purple backpack. Not only that but she had the 

misfortune of being the one to tattle on Molly 

after an unfortunate incident with a basketball. 

Now Molly is after her to discover the secret in 

her backpack and to pay Florence back. Molly 

has a good friend named Morty who comes to 

the aid of Molly and Flo, teaching Molly the 

lesson that when you’re in trouble you should 

tell the tough parts of the truth first, then 

apologize. 

Suzy Kline writes a well-paced story full of 

variety and humor and great descriptive 

language in Molly’s in a Mess. Diana Cain 

Bluthenthal’s pen and ink illustrations are 

expressive and fun. Children will enjoy the 

character of Molly and hopefully glean the 

message on the value of honesty. 

Sally Kuhns 

Teacher 


A Perfect Match, by Beverly Lewis. (Girls 

Only (GO); 3.) Minneapolis: Bethany 

House, Bethany House Publishers, 1999. 

ISBN 0764220608, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Ice skating--Fiction; Brothers and sisters--Fiction; 

Christian life--Fiction. 190 p. Gr. 4 - 6. 

It seems Heather has always ice-danced with her 

brother. They make such a perfect match, or do 

they? Her parents think so, as well as her 

friends. The Girls Only Club would definitely 

agree Heather and her brother make great icedancing 

partners. However, Heather is 

beginning to tire of the closeness she shares with 

her brother. Everything from homeschooling to 

athletics involves them both. She decides she 

wants to skate alone. With her decision made, 

the only thing left to do is tell her family. 

Beverly Lewis has written the inside story of 

ice-dancers and figure skaters in A Perfect 

Match. This book is the third addition to the 

Girls Only (GO!) series. Preteen girls will enjoy 

Heather’s predicament and feel they are part of 

the club in this life-changing decision. Lewis 

provides a safe haven for her characters to act 

out their story. Parents and children are 

Christians. Family devotions and private Bible 

reading are noted. An honest portrayal of 

homeschooling is relayed. The Girls Only Club 

does comment regularly on how cute Heather’s 

brother is. 

It takes Heather a long portion of the book to tell 

her family her decision. Finally when everyone 

offers support, her realization that she wants to 

skate with her brother again occurs quickly. The 

motivation is only a gut feeling. Her brother 

takes her back instantly despite having found a 

new partner. Lewis’s characters are a bit too 

squeaky clean. The information gained by the 

reader into the skating field, and the good 

examples the children offer outweigh these 

problems. 




Morgy Makes His Move, by Maggie Lewis; 

illustrated by Michael Chesworth. LCCN 


ISBN 0395922844, HBB, $15.00. 

F. Moving, Household--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; 

Massachusetts--Fiction; Family life--Fiction. 74 p. 

Gr. 3 - 7. 

Morgy MacDougal-MacDuff finds making new 

friends in third grade a formidable task after 

moving from California to Massachusetts with 

his parents. Fifth-grade bully Ferguson doesn’t 

make it any easier. But Morgy never gives up 

trying to make new friends or outwitting 

Ferguson. When a monstrous blizzard descends 

on Pucket Corner, Morgy learns to appreciate 

his new surroundings and friends. 

Morgy Makes His Move is extremely spirited 

and puts readers right into the story. Maggie 

Lewis brings alive real emotion and thought 

while teaching valuable lessons of courage and 

fitting in. Illustrations by Michael Chesworth 

are a bit bland, but kids will love them anyway. 

This book is a great addition to any school 

library. 

Beth Loughner 

Freelance Writer, Registered Nurse 

Columbus, Ohio 

Songbird, by Nancy Lohr; illustrated by 

Johanna Berg. LCCN 99048423. Greenville, 

SC: Journey Books, Bob Jones University 

Press, 2000. ISBN 1579242979, PAP, $6.49. 

F. Fathers and sons--Fiction; Family life--Fiction; 

Christian life--Fiction. 72 p. Gr. 3 - 6. 

Truxton has a way with birds, especially 

wounded ones. He comes from a family of poor 

silversmiths in Colonial Williamsburg, so he 

must spend more time in the foundry helping 

with the work than he does in the woods with the 

birds. An accident happens in the foundry in 

which a wealthy silversmith is burned. Father is 

put in jail for maiming this silversmith, taking 

away his ability to work as a silversmith. When 

the judge comes, he is sure to sentence Father to 

the gallows. Father’s only hope is a pardon 



from the governor. The governor shares 

Truxton’s passions for birds. Truxton gains an 

audience with the governor through the gift of a 

Mock-bird. Unfortunately, the governor dies 

before deciding to pardon Father. When the 

judge arrives, Father, because he can read, 

claims the benefit of clergy, thus receiving his 

pardon. 

Johanna Berg’s black line drawings will help the 

mid-elementary reader visualize the scenes in 

the book. This short chapter book is especially 

good for those just beginning to read chapter 

books. Nancy Lohr concludes with some 

historical notes as to actual historical figures 

included in the story and information on 

colonial law and colonial books. The family’s 

faith in God is very evident throughout the story. 

Family devotions occur daily. The family’s 

dependence on God to get Father out of jail is 

unfailing. The book seems to give an accurate 

portrayal of life in Colonial Williamsburg. If 

you’re looking for historical fiction written from 

a Christian perspective, Songbird would be a 

good book to consider for your library. 

Jane Mouttet 



Zooman Sam, by Lois Lowry; illustrated by 

Diane De Groat. LCCN 98056006. Boston: 

Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN 0395973937, 

HBB, $16.00. 

F. Occupations--Fiction; Zoo keepers--Fiction; 

Nursery schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Literacy-- 

Fiction. 155 p. PS - Gr. 4. 

Poor Sam Krupnik. Tomorrow is “Future Day” 

at nursery school and he has nothing at all to 

wear. He feels like a failure, “like the biggest, 

dumbest poophead in the world.” And when the 

sobbing preschooler comes to the dinner table 

stark naked, he certainly makes his point. He 

needs a special outfit to show everyone what he 

wants to be when he grows up. 

The Krupnik family pulls together during 

troubling times, not like the Tuckers who yell at 

each other and used “the S-word.” After some 

prodding, Sam announces he wants to be a 

zookeeper. His creative mother recycles some 

old pj’s and embroiders “Zooman Sam” on 

them. As for his hat, big sister Anastasia comes 

up with a plan. She borrows caps galore, each 

with the name of an “animal” sports team. 

Every day Sam comes in with a new one to tell 

the class about a different animal. 

Gently woven into Lois Lowry’s sweet story is 

Sam’s budding exploration of the world of 

reading. To his delight, by the end of the book 

he’s sounding out real words. Countering 

Anastasia’s interest in mediating to Buddha—an 

excellent point of discussion for parents— 

comes a section about how it’s OK for girls to 

grow up to be full-time moms. Affirmation of 

this career choice is rarely seen. 

With sensitivity and humor, Lowry has created a 

tale of a little boy who wants to feel good about 

himself. Thanks to his family, Sam gets to enjoy 

the delight of being “the Chief of 

Wonderfulness,” even if only for a few days. 

Illustrator Diane de Groat peoples the book with 

warm, fun-loving characters, the kind you 

wished lived next door. Lowry’s Zooman Sam 

gives every reader a sense of the wonder of 

books and the joy of learning. 

John T. Perrodin 

Attorney, Editor, Homeschool Father 

Colorado Springs, Colorado 

My Name Is Not Gussie, written and 

illustrated by Mikki Machlin. LCCN 


ISBN 0395956463, HBB, $16.00. 

F. Immigrants--Fiction; Russian Americans--Fiction; 

Jews--United States--Fiction; New York (N.Y.)-- 

Fiction. 32 p. Gr. 3 - 6. 

Golda Schmukler is about to embark on the 

biggest and longest journey of her life. Her 

Papa anxiously awaits the family’s arrival on 

Ellis Island where the promise of refuge and 

freedom will greet them. But first they must 

survive the boat ride. Sea sickness takes over 

most in the cramped hull, but not Golda and her 

brothers who cheerfully play tag on deck, nearly 

killing themselves in the process. There is 

adventure at every turn and she makes good out 

of each situation—even when the immigration 

inspector insists on giving her the dreadful 

American name, Gussie. 

My Name Is Not Gussie is an engaging account 

of one immigrant girl’s escapades as she faces 

the new world. Mikki Machlin brings to life 

stories her own mother lived and told. Serious 

issues are brought out, but with an upbeat 

approach. Colorful illustrations by the author 

herself are plenteous, vibrant and detailed, 

adding to the overall charm and imaginative 

whimsy of this book. 

Beth Loughner 



Darien’s Rise, by Paul McCusker. (Passages; 

1.) LCCN 99014208. Nashville: Tommy 


ISBN 1561797731, PAP, $6.99. 

F. Space and time--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. p. 

Gr. 5—8. 

Arin’s Judgment, by Paul McCusker. 

(Passages; 2.) LCCN 99014247. Nashville: 


1999. ISBN 156179774X, PAP, $6.99. 

F. Space and time--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. p. 

Gr. 5—8. 

It’s 1958, and twelve-year-old Kyle and his ten 

year-old sister, Anna, are bored in small-town 

Odyssey, where they are visiting their 

grandparents. The tale of a mysterious house in 

the woods is welcome news to Kyle and he 

convinces his less adventurous sister to help him 

find it. When they do, a mishap sends both of 

them to another world and into the path of two 

colliding personalities: King Lawrence of Marus 

and his young general, Darien. Attracted to the 

sincere and capable Darien, the two join his 

entourage as he flees into exile amidst 

accusations that he is plotting to usurp the 

throne. Kyle and Anna also find that the 

mysterious “Unseen One” has given them 

supernatural gifts, which they put into Darien’s 

service. After numerous close calls, Darien and 

his loyal followers rejoin the Marutian forces to 

defeat the kingdom’s foes, only to discover that 

the despairing king has taken his own life. 

Darien is proclaimed king, and the two children 

suddenly find themselves back in Odyssey. 

Paul McCusker’s recasting of the biblical 

account of David and Saul as an adventure story 

for middle-schoolers does not stand up well to 

the demands of such a task. The world of 

Darien’s Rise never succeeds in establishing a 

setting or tone, nor in developing its characters. 

The plot shadows incidents found in the Bible 

but in a context that does not always lend itself 

to the requirements of the biblical account or the 

point it was originally intended to convey. The 

use of two other-world children to explain and 

advance the plot is thin at best and their 

precognitive “gifts” questionable. Finally, our 

Lord, the “Unseen One,” is presented as a 

remote god rather than the immanent Savior of 

David’s psalms. 

In Arin’s Judgment, Wade Mullins has three 

strikes against him, as far as he can figure. First, 

he’s what adults call “precocious,” and that 

means he’s only popular as a punching bag with 

most of the guys at school. Secondly, his father 

is still missing in the South Pacific, even though 

the war with Japan ended weeks ago. The third 

“strike” consists of the papers in his pants 

pocket: copied plans for the atomic bomb the 

U.S. has just dropped. Whatever the count, 

Wade is “out” with a black eye from a fight, and 

now a bout of the flu. Stumbling down to the 

coal bin for more fuel for their old furnace, 

Wade turns around to find himself in another 

world, one whose wars have not ended. 

Immediately, Wade finds that he is a source of 

contention between two very different men. On 

one side is Arin who, with his family, has built 

an underground bunker in response to a 

prophecy from the “Unseen One” that promises 

total, world-wide annihilation. He sees Wade as 

the last sign before the end. On the other is 

Tyran, a powerful man poised on the brink of 

dictatorship with plans to unite the tribes of 

Marus into one country. To him, Wade is the 

means to the weaponry that will bring Marus 

under his control. Caught in the middle, Wade 

must chose between Arin’s incomprehensible 

warnings and Tyran’s flattering interest. 

The second in the Passages series, Arin’s 

Judgment by Paul McCusker continues a project 



sponsored by Focus on the Family to strip Bible 

stories of their “stained-glass…associations” 

and present them in their “real potency” as a tool 

for “communicating gospel truths.” This is a tall 

order by any measure, and particularly so in this 

attempt to re-tell the account of Noah, for which 

we have little background. Arin’s Judgment 

fails its own standard by offering an ill-defined, 

confusing setting, cartoon characters, and little 

in the way of “truth,” gospel or otherwise. 

Don’t send your kids to Marus; send them to 

Narnia instead. 

Pamela A. Todd 

Librarian, Chalcedon Christian School 

Cumming, Georgia 

Annison’s Risk, by Paul McCusker. 



1999. ISBN 1561798096, PAP, $6.99. 

F. Space and time--Fiction; Kings, queens, rulers, 

etc.--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. 177 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

Glennall’s Betrayal, by Paul McCusker. 



1999. ISBN 1561798088, PAP, $6.99. 

F. Space and time--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. 

198 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

Draven’s Defiance, by Paul McCusker. 



2000. ISBN 1561798442, PAP, $6.99. 

F. Space and time--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction; 

Obedience--Fiction. 181 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

Fendar’s Legacy, by Paul McCusker. 



2000. ISBN 1561798452, PAP, $6.99. 

F. Space and time--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction; 

Freedom--Fiction. 184 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

Annison’s Risk 

In the tradition of C.S. Lewis, author Paul 

McCusker, uses the fantasy world of Marus to 

retell familiar Bible stories, giving them new life 

and power for young readers. In Annison’s Risk, 

book three of the Passages series, Madina 

(Maddy) Nicholaivitch, living in 1927 America, 

dreams of a fairy tale princess who asks for her 

help. Later, while playing hide and seek with 

her friends, Maddy disappears into the shadows 

under her house and re-emerges into the world 

of Marus in which a new king is being 

proclaimed to his newly conquered subjects. At 

his side is his soon-to-be-queen, the beautiful 

Annison. Annison is not only a member of the 

conquered people but a secret follower of the 

“Unseen One.” 

Watching the parade, Maddy suddenly realizes 

that the princess in her dream and the soon-tobe-queen 

are one in the same. Determined to 

help her, Maddy finds her way into the palace 

and learns of plans to assassinate the king and 

exterminate the secret followers of the Unseen 

One. Annison needs her, but what can Maddy 

do? 

Glennal’s Betrayal. 

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, 

James Curtis runs away from home and his Aunt 

Edna and into a mysterious mist, which 

transports him into the world of Marus. While 

there, he meets up with a band of gypsies, hears 

stories of the Unseen One, and rescues a strange 

boy who has been thrown down a mine shaft by 

his jealous brothers. But the stranger’s 

problems, along with James Curtis’s, don’t end 

there. Soon both have been captured and are on 

their way to a slave market in a distant land. 

Draven’s Defiance. 

Scott Graham, a newcomer to the town of 

Odyssey, walks into a railroad tunnel near the 

town but when he comes out, Odyssey is no 

longer there. Instead, he finds himself in a place 

in which soldiers raid a woman’s vegetable 

garden and the truth is suppressed. But 

followers of the Unseen One put their trust in 

him for protection and provision. They also 

witness miracles when Draven, a Voice of the 

Unseen One, raises a child from the dead and 

confronts a corrupt king and his evil wife. 

Fenfar’s Legacy. 

Here the author changes the format from one 

main character to three, two boys and a girl, so 

that the story may be told on two different 

fronts. Michelle, Danny, and Wayne are cousins 

looking for excitement in 1968 Odyssey. They 

find it in a hippie festival at a nearby lake. 

Things get too exciting, however, when the 

police show up and the revelers scatter. The trio 

is knocked into the lake but when they emerge 

they find themselves no longer in a lake but in a 

public fountain on Marus. Still being pursued 

by policemen, although for a different reason, 

the trio splits up and runs. 

Michelle is quickly caught, taken to the palace 

for questioning, and suddenly finds herself 

being offered a position as advisor to the king 

based on her strange story. Danny and his 

brother Wayne, in another part of the city, are 

pressed into servitude but then rescued by an 

exiled prince who trusts in the Unseen One. 

Raised in the palace but born to the enslaved 

people, the prince has a mission from the 

Unseen One to deliver his people from their 

oppressors. 

Passages is an excellent series for the eight to 

twelve-year-old audience. Paul McCusker takes 

familiar Bible stories, puts them into unfamiliar 

settings, changes the details, and comes up with 

a fresh new view to help readers experience 

them in a new way. Each of the books feature 

different main characters, coming from different 

decades in 20th the century, but all are tied 

together by the town of Odyssey and the 

character of John Avery Whittaker, known as 

Whit to the readers of the Adventures in 

Odyssey series. 




Bridge 6, by Jim McGugan; illustrated by 

Judith Christine Mills. New York: Stoddart 

Kids, Stoddart Publishing, 1998. ISBN 

0773731377, HBB, $16.95. 

F. Brothers and sisters--Fiction. Gr. 1 - 3. 

Bridge 6 is about three siblings, Owen, Prunes, 

and Kelly, and is told from Kelly’s point of view. 

Owen runs the family restaurant, loves living by 

rules and expects others to live by rules, too. 

Prunes hates rules so much that he has moved 

out and lives under the Number 6 Railroad 

Bridge. All the characters love hockey. Owen, 

being the oldest, believes that he should always 

be the goalie. However, Kelly wants to get a 

chance at playing goalie. Prunes knows this and 

advocates for Kelly. An argument breaks out 

and Owen resorts to pouting. It is finally 

decided that the goalie’s name will be picked out 

of a hat. Owen’s name is chosen because Kelly 

and Prunes have conspired to make every name 

in the hat Owen’s. The next week Owen, who 

loves rules, takes on a new position, that of 

referee. 

This family is definitely nontraditional. No 

mention is made of parents, only the three 

siblings. Also, Prunes’ choice to ignore all rules 

and live under a bridge is unusual. This story 

shows that family can agree to disagree and can 

overcome differences of opinion, but the attitude 

toward boundaries and rules is of concern. This 

story can open the door for discussion of the 

benefits of rules and consistency and the 

circumstances under which being flexible can be 

a good thing. 

The illustrations by Judith Christine Mills are 

colorful and portray action. The men are large, 

scruffy truckers and lumberjacks. Facial 

expressions support the storyline. 




Secret Letters from 0 to 10, by Susie 

Morgenstern; translated by Gill Rosner. 

LCCN 98005559. New York: Viking, 


HBB, $15.99. 

F. Friendship--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Paris 

(France)--Fiction. 137 p. Gr. 4 - 6. 

Susie Morgenstern tells the unusual story of 

Ernest Morlaisse who lives a very routine life 

with his grandmother. The routine is shattered 

by the arrival of Victoria de Montardent, an 

unpredictable and vivacious girl. Ernest soon 

discovers that there is much more to life than his 

familiar routine, and that he has a long lost 

father. Ernest and his grandmother are impacted 

and transformed by the new people they 

encounter and come to terms with old hurts and 

regrets. 



Victoria is one of fourteen children in a family 

of free spirits. Ernest’s mother died in childbirth 

and his father deserted Ernest, leaving him in the 

care of his grandmother. Ernest is reunited with 

his father who has come to regret his separation 

from his son. The families portrayed in this 

book are certainly nontraditional, but familial 

love and acceptance are central concepts. 

Secret Letters From 0 to 10 was originally 

written in French and this translation has a 

formality of language, which only adds to the 

charm of the story. The story may seem odd at 

first, but the reader is soon hooked by the 

mystery and unpredictability of the plot. Susie 

Morgenstern is an award winning French author 

of children’s literature. 




The Squire’s Tale, by Gerald Morris. LCCN 


ISBN 0395869599, HBB, $15.00. 

F. Gawain (Legendary character)--Fiction; Knights 

and knighthood--Fiction; Magic--Fiction; England-- 

Knighthood--Fiction. 212 p. Gr. 4 - 7. 

In the writing of The Squire’s Tale, Morris owes 

a debt to the legends of King Arthur and his 

knights, including his nephew-subject, Sir 

Gawain. And Morris’ readers owe a great debt 

to him for reinvigorating the old stories with his 

fresh re-telling. The main character of his story, 

the Squire Terence, is a fabrication of the 

writer’s imagination. Many of the other 

characters are familiar to the fans of England’s 

Camelot. Terence is an orphan, raised by a 

clairvoyant-hermit and rescued to a life of 

excitement and danger by Sir Gawain, to whom 

he becomes a squire. 

In this story, Gawain has yet to become the 

greatest of the Knights of the Round Table. He 

and Terence set off on a series of adventures that 

take them though the Other World and its 

magical inhabitants. Young readers who enjoy 

stories of wizards and magicians, damsels-indistress 

and witches will not be disappointed as 

these and many other characters emerge to help 

or hurt the knight and his servant-boy on their 

journey to maturity. The author’s clever wit and 

subtle humor may be lost on members of his 

target audience, but they will appreciate the 

amusing, at times comic, characters that emerge. 

While some readers may find the story to be 

slow moving, especially in the beginning, the 

diligent reader will be rewarded with a surprise 

ending and a delightful victory of good over 

evil. While the use of magic spells and 

enchantments may be troublesome to some, the 

ultimate moral found in the story affirms beauty, 

truth, and goodness. 


Teacher 


The Mystery of the Butterfly Garden, by 

Elspeth Campbell Murphy; illustrated by 

Joe Nordstrom. (Three Cousins Detective 

Club; 23.) Minneapolis: Bethany House, 


0764221310, PAP, $3.99. 

F. Mystery fiction; Cousins--Fiction. 64 p. Gr. 2 - 5. 

The Mystery of the Book Fair, by Elspeth 

Campbell Murphy; illustrated by Joe 

Nordstrom. (Three Cousins Detective Club; 

24.) Minneapolis: Bethany House, Bethany 

House Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0764221329, 

PAP, $3.99. 


The Mystery of the Coon Cat, by Elspeth 

Campbell Murphy; illustrated by Joe 

Nordstrom. (Three Cousins Detective Club; 

25.) Minneapolis: Bethany House, Bethany 


PAP, $3.99. 


The Mystery of the Runaway Scarecrow, by 

Elspeth Campbell Murphy; illustrated by 

Joe Nordstrom. (Three Cousins Detective 

Club; 26.) Minneapolis: Bethany House, 


0764221345, PAP, $3.99. 


The Mystery of the Butterfly Garden 

Ten-year-old Timothy Dawson, with an interest 

in both artwork and butterflies, has decided to 

do a painting of the butterfly garden at his 

church for a neighborhood art show. As his 

cousins Sarah Jane and Titus watch him work, 

Timothy becomes aware of something odd or 

unusual in the butterfly garden. Ever alert for a 

mystery, the three cousins join together to 

discover just what Timothy finds so unsettling 

about the garden and his painting. Soon the 

cousins are involved in an even bigger mystery 

of switched paintings, stolen candlesticks, and 

misplaced marigolds. 

The Mystery of the Book Fair. 

Sarah Jane is excited about finding a series of 

her favorite books for sale at the library book 

fair. But as soon as she snatches up the 

treasures, an old collection of Winnie-the-Pooh, 

two grown-ups try to talk her out of the books, 

offering her double what she paid for them. 

How valuable are these books and will Sarah 

Jane be able to return them to their rightful 

owner? 

The Mystery of the Coon Cat. 

Titus McKay is taking care of a most unusual 

cat. Even his cousins, Timothy and Sarah Jane, 

think that the huge cat looks more like a wild 

lynx than a house pet. But when Titus takes the 

Coon cat, named for its resemblance to a 

raccoon, to a special animal show, the attention 

that the big cat receives becomes alarming and 

even dangerous. The three cousins are soon at 

work trying to locate a second Coon cat at the 

show, and its owner, to warn her about a 

mysterious and threatening note they’ve 

received. 

The Mystery of the Runaway Scarecrow. 

Sarah Janes’s favorite seasonal display, a 

scarecrow named Buster, seems to have run 

away from home during his busiest season, 

Thanksgiving. Furthermore he has left a note 

for the town, challeging them to come and find 

him. He’s even sending in “vacation pictures” 

to provide them with clues. When no one in 

town can solve the mystery the three cousins go 

to work on Buster’s strange disappearance. 

They manage to solve not only the mystery of 

Buster’s disappearance but uncover the theft of 

a rare coin in the process and identify a thief. 

The Three Cousins Detective Club series has 

several features that attract the attention of 

young readers. Each story is a mystery, a 

popular genre among children, with the mystery 

being proclaimed in the title. The trio of 

cousins, two boys and a girl, work together to 

solve mysteries. Each story features a different 

member of the group as its main character. 

The covers are colorful and attractive. The 

format of short chapters, large print and black 

and white illustrations by Joe Nordstrom make 

these books particularly attractive to early 

readers. Each story illustrates a biblical value 

found in a Psalms or Proverbs. 




My Life as a Mixed-up Millennium Bug, by 

Bill Myers. (The Incredible Worlds of Wally 

McDoogle; 17.) LCCN 99035244. Nashville: 


1999. ISBN 0849940265, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Computers--Fiction; Cheating--Fiction; Humorous 

stories. 115 p. Gr. 3 - 8. 

Wally McDoogle, 7th grader, is the selfproclaimed 

“Walking-Disaster McDoogle.” 

Everything he undertakes seems to turn into a 

wild and unpredictable event. His latest 

adventure begins when a computer glitch puts 

him in charge of the world’s computers. 

Whatever he and his friends, Wall Street and 

Opera, type into his computer becomes a reality 

as it’s instantly transferred to every other 

computer in the world. What begins as Wall 

Street’s desire to change her school grade from 

a “C” to a “B” and Wally’s wish to remove an 

overbearing coach from their school, turns into a 

Y2K disaster in which all computers are wiped 

clean of memory and the president of the United 

States is declaring war on Wally’s house. 

Bill Myers, author of the Wally McDoogle 

series, fills his books with a wild sense of humor 

and outrageous events that capture the reader’s 

imagination. The books also convey biblical 

values, in this case, one against cheating. Wally 



is a sympathetic character whose troubles mirror 

those of the average twelve-year-old, but in a 

greatly exaggerated manner. Readers will love 

My Life as a Mixed-Up Millennium Bug. 

Donna Brown 



Beyond Mayfield, by Vaunda Micheaux 

Nelson. LCCN 98035692. New York: G. P. 

Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 0399233555, HBB, $15.99. 

F. Afro-Americans--Fiction; Race relations--Fiction; 

Civil rights workers--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Fallout 

shelters--Fiction; Recluses--Fiction. 138 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

It doesn’t take long at her new school for fourth 

grader Meg to learn people are not always 

treated as they are in her small hometown 

community of Mayfield. Her parents tell her 

people are afraid of what they don’t understand; 

this affects how they treat others. Meg and her 

friends stick together and stand by each other 

when Dillon’s brother comes home from the 

Navy and later when Sam dies. Meg doesn’t 

understand at first why Sam spends so much 

time talking with her parents. Later she realizes 

Sam had his own choices to make about his part 

in the Civil Rights movement. Meg sees people 

she knows come and go, and hears her friends 

and parents talk about current events. It 

becomes clear there is much “beyond Mayfield” 

that affects the community, and that there are 

people, such as Sam and Mr. Slater, who are 

willing to try to make a difference in the world. 

Vaunda Nelson’s work of historical fiction is 

just right for the elementary reader. Dialogue 

and action move the narrative at just the right 

pace to hold the reader’s attention. The 

historical setting is not overpowered by facts 

and news accounts, and Meg is a typical fourth 

grader. The story effectively gives the reader a 

sense of how a specific time in history affects 

one small community. The narrative is 

somewhat vague as to exactly what Sam might 

have been doing in the Civil Rights movement, 

and there is some confusion initially on who is 

related to whom. It is not immediately clear 

who is “white” and who is “colored;” to the 

author’s credit this distinction isn’t important to 

the story, which is probably as it should be. 

Tracie Heskett 

Teacher/Freelance Writer 

Vancouver, Washington 

The Trick, by Nancy Rue. (Christian 

Heritage Series; The Chicago Years; 1.) 

LCCN 99019627. Minneapolis: Bethany 


ISBN 1561797340, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Chicago (Ill.)--Fiction; Great-aunts--Fiction; 

Gangsters--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. 192 p. Gr. 

3—7. 

The Chase, by Nancy Rue. (Christian 




ISBN 1561797359, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Chicago (Ill.)--Fiction; Gangsters--Fiction; 

Christian life--Fiction. 180 p. Gr. 3—7. 

The Capture, by Nancy Rue. (Christian 




ISBN 156179810X, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Chicago (Ill.)--Fiction; Gangsters--Fiction; 

Christmas--Fiction; Jews--United States--Fiction; 

Christian life--Fiction. 177 p. Gr. 3—7. 

The Stunt, by Nancy Rue. (Christian 




ISBN 1561798339, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Discrimination--Fiction; Prejudices--Fiction; Race 

relations--Fiction; Afro-Americans--Fiction; Labor 

movement--Fiction; Chicago (Ill.)--Fiction. 192 p. 

Gr. 3—7. 

The Christian Heritage Series: The Chicago 

Years, by Nancy Rue, takes place in 1928-29 

and deals with issues such as women’s rights, 

crime and the mob, the Ku Klux Klan, and 

prejudice against Jews and blacks. The series 

also confronts issues of character and shows the 

consequences of wrong decisions. 

The Trick introduces the main characters, tenyear-old 

twins Rudy and Hildy Hutchinson, who 

have just moved to Chicago with their lawyer 

father. They live with their wealthy and 

eccentric great aunt Gussie and have to face a 

different life in the city. Rudy is constantly 

getting into trouble and looking for ways to get 

out of doing anything that doesn’t look like fun. 

While going to Hull House with Aunt Gussie to 

help the immigrants who come to learn English 

and a trade, Rudy runs into Little Al whose 

dream in life is to make it big in the mob. He 

tries to get Rudy to help him steal purses and 

soon Rudy finds himself in over his head. When 

Little Al is arrested for some mob activities, Mr. 

Hutchinson defends him and Aunt Gussie steps 

up and agrees to take him into her home. 

The Chase begins with Rudy, Hildy, and Little 

Al starting school, barely escaping a fight on the 

playground, and Rudy challenging Miss Tibb’s 

control in the classroom. While Hildy is 

worried about being fashionable and is obsessed 

with getting her hair bobbed, Rudy is trying to 

stay out of trouble, while simultaneously 

pushing every restriction. Trying to help a 

young lady from a nearby boarding house, the 

Hutchinsons become entangled in a conflict 

involving the mob and the Ku Klux Klan. In the 

middle of the excitement, Little Al is missing. 

Rudy finally acknowledges his need for God. 

In The Capture Mr. Hutchinson takes on a case 

for a Jewish family whose son has been arrested 

for a murder he claims he didn’t commit. When 

Hildy is kidnapped and Little Al disappears, 

Rudy finds help from an unexpected source and 

realizes the importance of really listening. The 

kidnappers are discovered, the murder case 

resolved, and Rudy learns to appreciate and 

accept people from a different background. 

The Stunt finds the Hutchinson family traveling 

to a family reunion in Virginia. Two major 

issues in the story include prejudice and 

discrimination against blacks, and the working 

conditions of women. Rudy finds himself 

alienated from everyone in his family when he 

disobeys his father and is nearly killed 

attempting to wing walk on an airplane. After 

facing one crisis after another in his family, 

Rudy finally realizes that his negative, critical 

attitude has not only hurt himself, but the ones 

he loves. He is willing to stand up for what is 

right and realizes the value of family roots and 

learning from the past. 

Nancy Rue has filled these stories with allusions 

to historical events, people, styles, and 

inventions of the 1920’s. These action-packed 

episodes—while exciting—are rather farfetched. 

While Rudy’s disobedience and 

disrespect is dealt with, Little Al’s disrespectful 

way of addressing adults is completely 

overlooked and never corrected by those in 

authority. The characters are rather shallow and 

not well-developed. 

Esther Knaupp 

Librarian 

Corvallis, Oregon 

Child Bride, by Ching Yeung Russell; 

decorations by Jonathan T. Russell. LCCN 

98073070. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills 

Press, 1999. ISBN 1563977486, HBB, $15.95. 

F. Marriage customs and rites--Fiction; China--Social 

life and customs--Fiction; Marriage customs and rites- 

-Fiction. 133 p. Gr. 4 - 6. 

Ying is eleven years old and lives with her 

Grandmother (Ah Pau) in a small Chinese 

village. Ah Pau is sick, so Ying is trying to do 

all she can to make things easier around the 

house. One day, Ah Pau sends Ying to visit Ah 

Mah (Ying’s other Grandmother). The year is 

1948 and according to Chinese tradition Ah Mah 

arranges Ying’s marriage. The prospective 

bridegroom is a wealthy college student whose 

family lives in the same village as Ah Mah. 

Ying runs away but is captured and brought 

back to face her very angry Ah Mah. A happy 

ending will make readers glad that Ying has 

such spunk. 

Ching Yeung Russell bases the story, Child 

Bride, upon her ancestors, so the Chinese 

tradition of arranged marriages makes for 

fascinating reading. Although Ying has 

appeared in earlier books, this story can be read 

without reading the others. Endearing 

illustrations by Jonathon Russell add a 

dimension to the book. 

Connie Weaver 





Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, story by 

Pam Nuñoz Ryan; pictures by Brian 

Selznick. LCCN 98031788. New York: 


059096075X, HBB, $16.95. 

F. Earhart, Amelia, 1897-1937--Fiction. Gr. 1 - 3. 

Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride, written by 

Pam Muñoz Ryan, compares the lives of two 

famous American women, Amelia Earhart and 

Eleanor Roosevelt. Although with different 

occupations, the two find a similarity in their 

desire for daring adventures. While dining at 

the White House, Amelia shares with her fellow 

guest and with Eleanor Roosevelt, the feeling of 

flying at night, describing in detail what the 

stars, the clouds, and the landscape below look 

like. Asked by Eleanor what Washington, D.C., 

looks like at night, Amelia invites the First Lady 

to experience it herself, that night. The two 

make arrangements and head to the plane where 

they lift off to the stars. Eleanor is overcome by 

the wonder of all she sees. After landing and 

heading back to the White House, Eleanor spies 

her new car sitting outside and invites Amelia to 

take a drive with her around the capital city. The 

two go racing off into the night, letting the wind 

stream through their hair. 

The monochromatic illustrations by Brian 

Selznick give accurate portraits of the two 

famous women. He illuminates the text, 

showing the shimmering nightlights of 

Washington, D.C. 

The book shows the similarities between the 

two. Amelia loves the freedom the skies afford 

her and Eleanor enjoys that same freedom in her 

car. They were oddities in their day, doing 

things and standing for things that women 

normally had no part in. Yet Ryan does a good 

job in showing that being different is acceptable 

and taking risks is okay. The story, based on a 

true event, gives readers a glimmer of insight 

into the personalities of these two famous 

women. 




Can You Whistle, Johanna? : A Boy’s Search 

for a Grandfather, by Ulf Stark; illustrated 

by Anna Höglund; translated by Ebba 

Segerberg. LCCN 96070093. Oakland: 

RDR Books, Wetlands Press, 1999. ISBN 

1571430571, HBB, $16.95. 

F. Grandfathers--Fiction. Gr. 2 - 4. 

First published in Sweden, Can You Whistle, 

Johanna? is humorous, heartwarming, and wellwritten. 

Berra, spurred on by Ullfe, his friend, 

picks out a grandfather in an old folk’s home. 

Berra and the old man provide each other with 

company, stability, and love. They venture on 

walks, make a kite, and celebrate the 

“Grandfather’s” birthday. When Berra is 

challenged to learn to whistle by the grandfather, 

he doesn’t visit until he learns how. But when 

he finally does learn, the grandfather has gone to 

heaven. It is the final gift the grandfather gives 

Berra. 

This short chapter book by Ulf Stark is 

colorfully and cheerfully illustrated by Anna 

Hoglund. The moral that special friendships 

happen when you reach out to others is 

excellent. The only negative is a short incident 

having the boy and the grandfather go out and 

steal some cherries in order to relive an 

adventure that the old man remembers as a high 

point of his youth. 

Paula Stewart Marks 

Principal, Morning Star Christian School 

Bend, Oregon 

Flags, story by Maxine Trottier; paintings by 

Paul Morin. Toronto: Stoddart Kids, 

Stoddart Publishing, 1999. ISBN 

0773731369, HBB, $16.95. 

F. Japanese Canadians--Evacuation and relocation-- 

1942-1945--Fiction. PS - Gr. 3. 

Author Maxine Trottier introduces the reader 

slowly to the perils of the Japanese Americans in 

America during W.W.II. A young girl visiting 

her grandmother befriends the next-door 

neighbor, Mr. Hiroshi. She is enchanted with his 

garden, brimming with shrubs, moss, irises 

(flags), sand, and a pond filled with koi. The 

blissful days of summer are interrupted when 

Mr. Hiroshi receives a letter from the 

government. The young girl doesn’t understand 

why he is leaving, but is just saddened by it. 

Time goes by and she tends his garden. One day 

his house, now for sale, sells. The night before 

the new owners arrive, Grandmother and the 

little girl go to the garden and dig up two iris 

bulbs and capture all the koi, which they release 

in the nearby river. The little girl goes home 

with her two iris bulbs, which she plants as a 

tribute to her friend. 

The story is a fascinating account from a child’s 

point-of-view of the concentration camps 

Canada and the U.S. had for Japanese 

Americans during W.W.II. The puzzlement of 

the child over what is happening to her friend is 

echoed in the adults. Mr. Hiroshi, born and 

raised an Canadian, can’t understand why he 

must leave his home and his garden. The same 

confusion, an unspoken, childlike confusion, is 

seen in the young girl. 

Paul Morin breathes life into the story with 

carefully crafted illustrations, filled with soft, 

vibrant colors that beckon the reader to come 

read the book again. Although a simple story, it 

is filled with a profound message of how 

suspicion and racism can cloud people’s 

judgment. 




Hannah of Fairfield, by Jean Van Leeuwen; 

pictures by Donna Diamond. (Pioneer 

Daughters.) LCCN 98007947. New York: 

Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin 


$14.99. 

F. United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783-- 

Fiction; Fathers and sons--Fiction; Family life-- 

Fiction. 90 p. Gr. 3 - 7. 

Reminiscent of Felicity, of American Girl fame, 

Hannah of Fairfield lives happily on the family 

farm in Connecticut, learning to spin and sew 

even though she’s not much interested in such 

womanly arts. What Hannah really loves is the 

animals and working outside—men’s work she 

is told—until its mother rejects one of the newly 

born lambs. After staying up all night to care for 

the newborn animal, Hannah gains respect from 

her father for her healing abilities. 

But the real conflict in Hannah’s life is the battle 

for American independence. Ben, Hannah’s 

oldest brother, at the age of fifteen is eager to be 

off to war and defend his family and country. 

His father strictly forbids it and everyone in the 

household seems to hold their breath waiting to 

see if Ben will obey his father’s command or run 

off to war. Hannah discovers the war has come 

to her own home and her growing up is 

approaching faster than she had ever anticipated 

would happen. 

Hannah of Fairfield, by Jean Van Leeuwen, is 

easy historical fiction, written for elementary 

school readers, and will appeal particularly to 

girls. It is the first story in a trilogy chronicling 

Hannah and her family. Also included at the 

back of the book is an author’s note on the 

history of the time period and a recipe for bird’s 

nest pudding, a dessert mentioned in the text. 

This book is well written and readers will find 

Hannah an engaging character. 

Ceil Carey 

Young Adult Librarian 

Plano, Illinois 

Spider Storch’s Desperate Deal, by Gina 

Willner-Pardo; illustrated by Nick Sharratt. 

LCCN 99020140. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert 

Whitman, 1999. ISBN 0807575887, HBB, 

$11.95. 

F. Weddings--Fiction. p. Gr. 2 - 6. 

Spiders on the brain, spiders on the underwear: 

Spider Storch loves spiders. Girls are another 

story. Spider is trapped in the middle-school 

web of hatred for the opposite sex. His nemesis, 

Mary Grace, is a gangly gal with a long ponytail. 

To her disgust, Spider calls her “Smelly Face” 

and “Sasquatch.” When she is chosen to be a 

flower girl in a wedding, she is thrilled. Spider 

is volunteered to be ring bearer for the same 

wedding. 


BOOK REVIEWS 

CHILDREN’S NONFICTION 

000’s—Generalities 

Scholastic Kid’s Almanac for the 21st Century. 

LCCN 98048739. New York: Scholastic 

Reference, Scholastic, Inc., 1999. ISBN 

0590307231, HBB, $18.95. 

031. Encyclopedias and dictionaries. p. Gr. 4 - 7. 

It’s a fact—you can look it up—kids love books 

about trivia, superlatives, and believe-it or-not 

kinds of information. The Scholastic Kid’s 

Almanac for the 21st Century by Elaine Pascoe 

and Deborah Kops is aimed squarely at this 

audience. 

As a fact book, browsed for enjoyment, it 

succeeds quite well. As a reference book it is 

less successful since the index, which consists of 

approximately 750 entries, is woefully 

inadequate. For example, Mount Rainier is the 

fourth tallest peak in the contiguous United 

States and that information is presented, but 

there is no listing for mountains, much less 

Mount Rainier itself, in the index—thus there is 

no easy way to find discrete facts. This title 

would certainly not replace one of the general 

almanacs on the reference shelf. 

On the plus side the illustrations and graphics by 

Bob Italiano are great—clear, large, with bright 

appealing colors and made easy to read and 

interpret; the colored bar graph made visual 

comparisons quite accessible. Some parts of 

some charts have a fairly small typeface, but 

overall the legibility is much better than an adult 

almanac. Weights are given in both pounds and 

kilograms. The information appears to come 

from reputable and appropriate governmental 

and private sources, and it seems to be up-todate. 

Several charts and timelines, both in the history 

and the life sciences sections, depict Darwinian 

evolution. Overall, an interesting fact book for 

the younger set but not really a serious work of 

reference. 

David W. Rash 

Public Services Librarian, Everett Community College 

Everett, Washington 

200’s—Religion 

The Baker Book of Bible Travels for Kids, by 

Anne Adams. Grand Rapids: New Kids 

Media, Baker Books, 1999. ISBN 

0801044235, HBB, $12.99. 

220.9. Bible--Antiquities--Guidebooks; Bible-- 

Geography. 192 p. Gr. 3 - 8. 

This 6-1/4 x 7-3/4” hardcover book by Anne 

Adams is a unique children’s reference guide to 

Bible geography. Sixty-four places mentioned 

in the Bible are featured alphabetically. Several 

pages acquaint children with each of these 

places where people of the Bible walked. 

Each entry includes a phonetic pronunciation, 

an “itinerary” (the passage of Scripture where 

this place is primarily mentioned), list of 

“travelers” (main characters), and “destination.” 

The topography of the area is explained in 

simple language today’s children can 

understand. Also included is “transportation” 

(mode of travel used in the Bible passage), 

“what to take” (special Bible items of interest 

from this passage), “arrival” (historical time 

frame), and the “reason for the visit” 

(background). “Things to do” gives more 

historical insight into the Bible story. A “then 

and now” section helps children make the 

connection between the ancient historical setting 

and the area today. Color cartoon illustrations 

are included on nearly each page. 

Designed as a children’s reference book, The 

Baker Book of Bible Travels for Kids could 

provide interesting reading material for the child 

interested in geography or be an aid in children’s 

devotions. 




The Exodus : Moses’ Story from the Bible, 

notes by Charles Swindoll; compiled by 

Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz. (The Prince of 

Egypt.) LCCN 98039393. Nashville: Tommy 


ISBN 0849958547, PAP, $12.99. 

222. Exodus, The--Commentaries. 95 p. Gr. 3 - 8. 

The Exodus: Moses’ Story from the Bible, by 

Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, is a visually 

inviting book with an excellent blend of 

illustrations from the Dream Works animation 

The Prince of Egypt and the first fourteen 

chapters of the Book of Exodus from the Bible. 

Told in language appealing to young readers, the 

text is supplemented by sidebars and 

commentary by Charles R. Swindoll. 

Sidebars explain terms and concepts to put the 

Bible text into historical context. “Courageous 

Nurses,” “Hot and Bothered,” and “Dreaded 

Disease” are examples of sidebars that help 

young readers better understand the events 

portrayed in the text. Appealing sidebar titles 

such as “Moses Needs a Pep Talk” and 

“Stinking Toads” draw the reader to these 

helpful tidbits of information. 

Each of the fourteen chapters from the Book of 

Exodus are accompanied by an “Insights from 

Chuck Swindoll”—a single page that relates the 

text to the popular Dream Works The Prince of 

Egypt production. These insights appear at the 

end of each chapter in this book and reinforce 

the message from the Book of Exodus. “God is 

in Charge,” “God’s Extraordinary Plan for an 

Ordinary Man,” and “When Moses is Down, 

God Picks Him Up,” are some examples of 

Swindoll’s intriguing insights. 

Both parents and children will delight in this 

attractive book. It provides a wonderful 

opportunity to share this exciting drama, and the 

Bible, as a family. 




Comfort for a Child’s Heart : The 23rd Psalm 

and Bible Promises, written by Helen Haidle; 

illustrated by David Haidle. Sisters, Ore.: 

Gold ‘n’ Honey Books, Multnomah 


$9.99. 

223. Psalm 23. 87 p. Gr. 2 - 5. 

Comfort for a Child’s Heart: The 23rd Psalm 

and Bible Promises is a beautifully illustrated 

devotional book. The author, Helen Haidle, has 

divided the 23rd Psalm into thirteen phrases or 

sections. For each section, she includes a brief 

explanation of the meaning, some questions for 

the reader to consider, a related New Testament 

passage, suggestions for family sharing, several 

Bible promises, and a memory verse. The 

author uses the 23rd Psalm to point the child to 

trust Jesus as his or her shepherd. The last two 

pages of the book feature an invitation to 

salvation, giving six Bible verses and a 

suggested prayer. The primary biblical 

translation used is the New King James Version, 

with exceptions noted. 

The writing is clear and easy to follow, and the 

author explains biblical terms. She does a good 

job of bridging references in the 23rd Psalm to 


CHILDREN’ S NONFICTION 

references in the New Testament. The book has 

an attractive format, with many beautiful fullpage 

watercolor illustrations by David Haidle. 

The artist uses soft, earthy colors, which suit the 

subject well. Haidle’s sheep are particularly 

engaging, with expressive faces that reflect the 

fears, concerns, love, and gratitude of the sheep. 

This book is designed as personal devotional 

reading, but it could also be read aloud to 

younger children or used as a family devotional 

guide. It could be easily adapted as a group 

study for children. This would be a nice book 

for a child to own, as it is one a child might read 

many times. 




The Other Brother, written by Melody 

Carlson; illustrated by Steve Björkman. 

LCCN 99016674. Wheaton: Crossway 

Books, Good News Publishers, 1999. ISBN 

1581341229, HBB, $10.99. 

226.8. Prodigal son (Parable). K - Gr. 3. 

In The Other Brother, by Melody Carlson, 

Malachi and Benjamin are brothers. Their 

father hopes the boys will one day take over 

running the family farm. Malachi is loyal, 

obedient, and hardworking. Benjamin, 

however, wants his inheritance now so he can 

buy a yacht and fish all day. When Ben gets his 

boat, “his friends” come to celebrate with him. 

Unfortunately, the boat sinks and the friends 

leave. Ben, broke and hungry, ends up taking 

care of pigs. Soon, he realizes his father has 

workers that are taken care of and fed, so he 

heads home to ask to become his father’s 

servant. When his father sees him, he throws a 

big party to celebrate. Malachi is jealous that his 

dad would welcome Ben back after he behaved 

so shamefully. The father reassures Malachi 

that his loyalty will be rewarded, but that they 

should rejoice because Ben is not dead, but 

alive, and he’s come home. 

This modern adaptation of the story of the 

prodigal son, with its cowboy flavor, will delight 

its young readers. The story is told in rhyme and 

is somewhat simplified, which makes it quite 

readable. The author has included the passages 

from Luke 15:11-32 to aid in further discussion. 

Steve Bjorkman’s watercolor illustrations are 

bright, colorful, and very expressive. From 

seeing the pitiful Benjamin in the pigpen, to the 

big shindig his father has upon his return, the 

illustrations truly compliment the style of the 

author’s story. 




The Rhyme Bible Story Book for Toddlers, by 

L. J. Sattgast; illustrated by Toni Goffe. 

LCCN 99013144. Grand Rapids: 

Zonderkidz, Zondervan, 1999. ISBN 

157673319X, HBB, $12.99. 

230.9. Bible stories. 256 p. PS - K. 

Covering both Old and New Testament, The 

Rhyme Bible Storybook for Toddlers begins with 

the creation of the world and ends with Jesus 

returning to heaven. Many favorite stories such 

as Noah, Jonah, and Jesus’ birth are covered. 

Three consecutive stories cover Jesus entering 

Jerusalem, dying on the cross, and his 

resurrection. His death is handled briefly, but 

seriously in one story. Biblically accurate, the 

Bible reference is given at the beginning of 

every story. 

Selecting child-friendly stories, author L.J. 

Sattgast has written each story in a rhyming 

format. Stories are short, about five stanzas 

long, with one stanza per page. Accompanying 

each stanza are delightful illustrations by Toni 

Goffe. The colorful drawings are expressive 

and joyful, the perfect companion to the author’s 

charming text. Logically organized, this book 

will be meaningful as a whole to children old 

enough to remember details from the previous 

story. Each story also stands on its own, making 

it useful for several different age groups. 

Toddlers, preschoolers, and their parents will 

enjoy this fun and funny book. 




Jesus, by Rick Osborne and K. Christie 

Bowler. (I Want to Know.) LCCN 97038953. 

Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998. ISBN 

0310220874, HBB, $9.99. 

232. Jesus Christ. 32 p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

Part of Zondervan’s popular I Want to Know TM 

series, this volume presents the story of the life 

and times of Jesus Christ in an engaging format. 

The book includes direct quotations from the 

New International Reader’s Version of the 

scripture, but it is much more than a Bible 

storybook. The authors have included pages 

about the history of the ancient New Testament 

world. Of special note are the sections on how 

the city of Rome came to rule the world and how 

its rule influenced the Gospel. Another short 

section outlines the Jewish religious themes that 

were contemporary with the life of Christ. This 

historic background information supports the 

retelling of major events in the life of Christ. 

Of special note are the illustrations that 

accompany the summaries of Jesus’ miracles 

and his parables. These, along with the 

photographs and other drawings in the book, 

assist the young reader’s recall of the major 

themes is in the life of Christ. The use of vivid 

colors adds to the reader’s understanding of the 

text. 

The book includes an excellent summary of the 

Gospel message and what it means to “have 

Jesus in your heart.” While the authors take an 

Arminian view of human nature and 

responsibility, the book is decidedly nondenominational 

in its discussion of baptism, the 

Lord’s supper, and other subjects. Despite its 

brevity, the book Jesus provides an outstanding, 

age-appropriate survey of the content and times 

of the New Testament. 


Teacher 


Seeds of Heaven, written by Kim M. Henry; 

illustrated by Mary Anne Lard. LCCN 

99020292. Harrisburg, Pa.: Morehouse 

Publishing, Trinity Press Intl., 1999. ISBN 

0819217913, HBB, $17.95. 

242. Nature--Religious aspects--Christianity; 

Creation; Jesus Christ--(Parables). 28 p. PS - Gr. 2. 

A small boy and his Dad are going for a walk in 

the woods and by the sea. As they walk, Dad 

answers his little boy’s questions about the 

things they see. Patiently, Dad explains about 

wildflowers, heaven, oak trees, pearls, birds, and 

how God has a hand in all of these items. 

Appropriate Bible verses accompany each 

scenery change. 

Watercolor illustrations by Mary Anne Lard 

make a nice addition to this truly inspiring 

father/son story, Seeds of Heaven by Kim M. 

Henry. 

Connie Weaver 

Reference Librarian, Bosler Free Library 


God of the Sparrow, text by Jaroslav J. 

Vajdo; illustrated by Preston McDaniels. 

LCCN 99024142. Harrisburg, Pa.: 

Morehouse Publishing, Trinity Press Intl., 

1999. ISBN 081921745X, HBB, $16.95. 

242. God--Worship and love; Praise of God; Hymns. 

32 p. PS - Gr. 2. 

In his hymn “God of the Sparrow,” Jaroslav 

Vajda asks people to observe the world around 

them. He calls upon us to notice the sparrow, 

the whale, and the stars, as well as the hungry, 

the sick, and the foe. He then asks how we 

should respond to God and his creation. Rather 

than answer this, Vajda instead prompts us to 

consider how we praise and thank God as well 

as how we define life, peace, and home. The 

hymn “God of the Sparrow” is whimsically 

illustrated by Preston McDaniels and placed in a 

picture book format. The first in a series of 

hymns to be illustrated by McDaniels, God of 

the Sparrow could be used by parents or 

teachers as a tool to initiate conversations with 

children about God, his creation, and how we 

are to praise him. However, this would be a 

confusing book for children to read alone. 

References to “prodigals” and “pruning hooks” 

could be difficult for many children to 



understand and the open-endedness of the 

hymn’s questions make it perhaps too 

ambiguous for younger readers. 

Although the idea of a series of illustrated 

hymns is a worthy one, perhaps a better-known 

and more straight-forward hymn would better 

serve the purpose. McDaniels’ illustrations will 

no doubt be attractive to children as they are 

both humorous and fanciful. The childlike 

characters and fantastical world depicted are 

reminiscent of fantasies and fairy tales. Music 

and words to the hymn are included. 


Librarian 


AYoung Child’s Garden of Christian Virtues : 

Imaginative Ways to Plant God’s Word in 

Toddlers’ Hearts, by Susan Lawrence. LCCN 

97031705. St. Louis: Concordia Pub. House, 

1998. ISBN 0570053145, HBB, $9.99. 

249. Christian ethics; Christian education of children; 

Moral development; Family--Religious life. 144 p. 

PS. 

AYoung Child’s Garden of Christian Virtues is a 

devotional book to be used with toddlers. Each 

devotional consists of four parts: the Seed 

(scripture verse), Planting Time (repetition of 

the concepts of the scripture), Harvest Time 

(directions to parents regarding further 

enforcements of the concepts), and My Prayer (a 

short prayer which can be repeated by the child). 

The scripture verse is usually very short, such as 

(Matthew 19:26) ‘with God all things are 

possible.’ Planting Time often involves a poem 

with corresponding hand motions. Harvest 

Time may involve role-playing, craft projects, or 

other ways of applying the principles to daily 

life. The Prayers are one to three sentences 

long. Each prayer is related specifically to each 

topic and addressed to God or Jesus as seems 

most appropriate. None of the prayers are 

addressed to the Holy Spirit, but this omission 

may be appropriate considering the age range. 

Susan Lawrence has done a good job of 

designing meaningful devotions that will fit 

within the toddler’s attention span. Hand 

motions and activities will help the child to 

understand and retain the concepts. This book is 

not illustrated. The book has a table of contents 

listing each devotional by its title, but lacks any 

scripture or topic index. 




Hero Tales, Vol.3, by Dave and Neta Jackson. 



ISBN 1556610181, HBB, $12.99. 

270. Christian biography; Missionaries--Biography; 

Missionaries. 190 p. Gr. 1 - 6. 

Hero Tales, Volume III contains forty-five 

fascinating stories of fifteen Christian heroes. 

Each of the fifteen sections contains a short 

biography of the hero and three short true 

stories. Each one of the true stories chosen 

emphasizes a different Christian character 

quality. Trust, endurance, and compassion are 

just three of the qualities Dave and Neta Jackson 

write about in this volume. They follow up each 

true story with a sentence that combines aspects 

of the story with a Christian character trait. An 

appropriate Bible verse and three questions for 

discussion are included with each story. 

This volume includes stories about Charles 

Albert Tindley, Lottie Moon, Billy Graham, and 

others. The stories are quite short, which would 

make them suitable for family devotions or 

Sunday school class use as well as individual 

reading. Even though the stories are short, they 

are well written and contain enough information 

to make the characters seem real. Toni Auble’s 

drawings help to flesh out the men and women 

in the book. The authors include a list of the 

Christian character qualities in the back of the 

book with the name of the story where you will 

find it. 



Olympia, Washington 

300’s—Social Sciences 

If I Were President, written by Catherine 

Stier; illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. 

LCCN 98050005. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert 

Whitman, 1999. ISBN 0807535419, HBB, 

$14.95. 

352.23. Presidents. K - Gr. 3. 

Author Catherine Stier and illustrator DyAnne 

DiSalvo-Ryan team up in If I Were President to 

introduce the executive branch to youngsters. 

The book explains where the president lives, his 

purpose, “to ‘preserve, protect, and defend the 

Constitution of the United States,’” and some of 

the perks that being president has, like living in 

a home with a private bowling alley and movie 

theater. However, Stier doesn’t make light of 

the job. She also includes telling descriptions of 

how difficult the job is because everyone in the 

country has different agendas. Being president 

and trying to meet those needs and work with 

Congress and the Cabinet is not an easy job. 

The illustrations, the main colors being red, 

white, and blue, depict various scenes from the 

life of a president with different children posing 

as president. By using a variety of children 

posing as president, it gives the reader a vision 

that the position is attainable to them it they 

want it. 

DiSalvo-Ryan’s illustrations bring the text to life 

and give visual pictures of the various 

responsibilities of a president. From the fun 

activities of riding in Air Force One to the 

paperwork and meetings, young children will 

get a good idea of what the job of president is 

and how important a position it is. 

The book deals with the life of the president 

from signing laws, making speeches, greeting 

dignitaries, and being protected by Secret 

Service Agents to the compassionate side of the 

president’s position-helping comfort those who 

have experienced catastrophic disaster and 

honoring our nation’s heroes. This book is a 

well-rounded look at our nation’s most 

important political position. 




500’s—Natural Sciences & Mathematics 

Tyrannosaurus : The Tyrant Lizard, written 

by Janet Riehecky; illustrated by Susan 

Tolonen. (Dinosaur Days.) LCCN 96048540. 

New York: Benchmark Books, Marshall 

Cavendish, 1998. ISBN 0761406018, HBB, 

$14.95. 

567.912. Tyrannosaurus rex; Dinosaurs. 32 p. Gr. 3 - 

5. 

Velociraptor : The Swift Hunter, written by 

Janet Riehecky; illustrated by Susan 




$14.95. 

567.912. Velociraptor; Dinosaurs. 32 p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

Stegosaurus : The Plated Dinosaur, written 





$14.95. 

567.915. Stegosaurus; Dinosaurs. 32 p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

Triceratops : The Horned Dinosaur, written 





$14.95. 

567.915. Triceratops; Dinosaurs. 32 p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

This four volume series by Janet Riehecky 

includes the following titles: Tyrannosaurus: 

The Tyrant Lizard, Velociraptor: The Swift 

Hunter, Stegosaurus: The Plated Dinosaur, and 

Triceratops: the Horned Dinosaur. In each of 

the books the readers are introduced to the 

dinosaur and follow it through a day. Readers 

learn about its diet, predators, and habitat, at 

least as much as can be conjectured. There is a 

short section for further reading and an index 

provided in each book, along with a short 

glossary. A description of the dinosaur and its 

lifestyle follows the story. These are simply 

written and should appeal to middle grade 

students the most and of course, those interested 

in dinosaurs. 



It should be stressed that these give information 

about the dinosaurs themselves and not periods 

of time in which they lived, so teachers and 

librarians will not have to explain the 

differences in time so often found in books 

dealing with prehistoric creatures. There seems 

to be nothing, which would contradict the 

biblical timeframe of creation and age of the 

world. On the negative side, the illustrations, 

which seem to be done in chalk, are not all that 

attractive, a bit fuzzy. 




Dolphins : What They Can Teach Us, text by 

Mary M. Cerullo; photographs by Jeffrey L. 

Rotman. LCCN 97034424. New York: 

Dutton Children’s Books, Penguin Putnam, 

1999. ISBN 0525652639, HBB, $16.99. 

599.53. Dolphins; Human-animals relationships. 42 

p. Gr. 3 - 5. 

Informative, readable text gives basic 

information about dolphin’s mating habits, 

habitat, and sounding systems. Short sections 

set off with color photographs by Jeffery L. 

Rotman allow the reader to read and study only 

sections of the book, or read from cover to 

cover. This would provide information for 

classes reading Scot O’Dell’s Island of the Blue 

Dolphins and those studying marine life, or 

mammals. Short chapter length, glossary, 

bibliography, and index provide ideas for 

additional reading. Author Mary M. Cerullo 

impartially addresses concerns about dolphins, 

such as living in captivity, the number caught in 

fishing nets, pollution, contact with humans, and 

tour boats carrying people who want to view 

dolphins in their habitat. 




Lootas, Little Wave Eater : An Orphaned Sea 

Otter’s Story, by Clare Hodgson Meeker; 

photographs by C.J. Casson. LCCN 

99024722. Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 1999. 

ISBN 1570611645, PAP, $12.95. 

599.769. Sea otter; Wildlife rescue; Seattle Aquarium. 

48 p. Gr. 1 - 5. 

One morning in the cold waters of Uganik Bay, 

Alaska, a mother sea otter and her pup were 

accidently hit by a motor boat. Lootas: Little 

Wave Eater tells the heartwarming story about 

an injured orphaned sea otter pup who was hand 

raised by Seattle Aquarium personnel. 

Marine biologist C. J. Casson directed the sea 

otter program and led the staff in developing a 

program for raising Lootas. He also 

documented the pup’s progress through 

photographs which appear throughout the book. 

Aside from telling Lootas’ story, the author 

provides factual information on the life cycles 

and behavior patterns for sea otters. She also 

tackles the issue of conservation without 

scolding the reader. 

Joanne M. Haffly 

Writer/Home School Parent 

Gig Harbor, Washington 

600’s—Technology (Applied Sciences) 

Muscles : Our Muscular System, by Seymour 

Simon. LCCN 97044578. New York: Wm. 

Morrow, 1998. ISBN 0688146430, HBB, 

$16.00. 

612.7. Muscles; Muscular system. 28 p. Gr. 3 - 6. 

Seymour Simon has written many informational 

picture books for children that are of excellent 

quality. Muscles: Our Muscular System is no 

exception. Different types of muscle and the 

interaction of muscles with the skeletal structure 

are explained clearly. The concepts of 

voluntary, involuntary, contraction, and leverage 

are introduced. The structure of muscles down 

to the cell level is described. The connection 

with the nervous system is briefly mentioned. 

Three types of muscle, skeletal, smooth and 

cardiac are described. The effects of nutrition 

and exercise on muscles are included. These 

concepts are all treated in an introductory 

manner. 

The illustrations include drawings, photographs, 

x-rays, MRI, and CAT scans. The anatomical 

drawings do not include reproductive organs 

and are, appropriately, unisex. Young children 

are often curious about the inner workings of 

their bodies and this book will answer their 

questions about muscles clearly and accurately. 




You Are Wonderfully Made!, by Lois Walfrid 

Johnson. (Let’s Talk About It : Stories for 

Kids.) LCCN 99006628. Minneapolis: 


1999. ISBN 1556616546, PAP, $7.99. 

613.907. Sex education for children; Teenagers-- 

Sexual behavior; Sex--Religious aspects--Christianity; 

Sexual ethics; Christian life. p. Gr. 3 - 8. 

You Are Wonderfully Made! by Lois Walfrid 

Johnson is a devotional for pre-teens answering 

questions about physical development from a 

Christian perspective. Johnson explains that not 

only is their body changing but also their 

interests, emotions, and responsibilities are 

maturing as well. The author uses short, 

fictional stories to explain puberty and sexuality 

of both boys and girls. She offers solutions to 

the problems of peer pressure, self-esteem, and 

mood swings, and touches on tough subjects 

such as sexual abuse, abortion, and AIDS. At 

the end of each story is a To Talk About section 

for group or family discussions, a supporting 

verse, and a prayer. The role of parents is held 

in high regard, but examples of other 

trustworthy adults, friends, and extended family 

are also offered, especially when the parental 

role is not supportive of Christian values. 

Lois Walfrid Johnson has written over twentyfive 

books, and has won the Gold Medallion, the 

C.S. Lewis Silver Medal, and five Silver Angel 

awards from Excellence in Media. You Are 

Wonderfully Made! is the third book in the Let’s 

Talk About It Stories for Kids series. The other 

two titles are You Are Worth More Than You 

Think, and Secrets Of The Best Choice. Her 

style is informative, friendly, and factual without 

being graphic. A good example is always the 

best instructor for making solid life-long 

choices, but this book is an excellent supporting 

tool. 




Century Farm : One Hundred Years on a 

Family Farm, by Cris Peterson; with 

photographs by Alvis Upitis. LCCN 

98071792. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills 

Press, 1999. ISBN 1563977109, HBB, $16.95. 

636.2. Farm life--Wisconsin. unp. K - Gr. 4. 

In a wonderful mixture of the old and new, Cris 

Peterson presents a photographic history in 

Century Farm: One Hundred Years on a Family 

Farm. “So much has changed in one hundred 

years, but many things have stayed the same.” 

Although there is no storyline, Peterson writes 

the text as if she were the voice of her husband, 

Gary, descendent of the original owners, B. John 

and Lovisa Anderson. A mélange of sepia and 

full-color pictures stress the connection between 

the generations and introduce how machination 

has eased the work of the farmer. The slow pace 

of farming is reflected in the large print, the 

generous amounts of white space, and the varied 

sizes of the pictures. Century Farm is simply 

preserving one family’s legacy for even the 

youngest child. 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 


700’s—The Arts and Recreation 

Fishing for a Dream : Ocean Lullabies and 

Night Verses, collected and illustrated by 

Kate Kiesler. LCCN 99011182. Boston: 

Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 

ISBN 0395941490, HBB, $16.00. 

782.4215. Lullabies; Sea poetry; Poetry--Collections. 

29 p. PS. 

Drifting off to sleep will never be same after 

reading Fishing For A Dream. Kate Kiesler’s 

beautifully warm illustrations nearly float off 

each page as traditional lullabies from Ireland, 

Scotland, Greece, and even Robert Louis 

Stevenson complement the pleasant, restful 

tone. Artfully matched together, each 

heartwarming poem and picture creates a sleepy 



rhythm sure to lull even the most tired mind into 

a welcome nod. 

Beth Loughner 



The Big Book of Games, by Dorothy Stott. 

LCCN 96053674. New York: Dutton 

Children’s Books, Penguin Putnam, 1998. 

ISBN 0525454543, HBB, $17.99. 

790.1. Games. 64 p. PS - Gr. 7. 

The Big Book of Games is an excellent resource 

for parents and teachers. Classic games played 

for generations are described in detail for future 

generations to enjoy. Favorites such as kick-thecan; 

hopscotch; pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey; red 

light, green light; and red rover are broken down 

into step by step instructions. Lists of materials 

needed to play the games, safety tips, and 

alternative ways to play help make the 

instructions very easy to follow. 

Dorothy Stott’s The Big Book of Games has an 

attractive design that makes it a popular addition 

to any children’s collection. Colorful and 

cheerful illustrations add to the fun. The clear 

format with games organized by categories such 

as indoor/party and outdoor games along with a 

simple index make the games easy to locate. 

Dorothy Stott has also included helpful 

suggestions on choosing teams and how to 

decide who plays “It” or who goes first. The 

singing games include written music and actions 

to go with the songs. This book will be helpful 

to anyone wanting to add some excitement to 

their activities with children. 




800’s—Literature & Rhetoric 

My Name Is Jorge on Both Sides of the River, 

poems by Jane Medina; illustrated by 

Fabricio Vanden Broeck. LCCN 99060227. 

Honesdale, Pa.: Wordsong, Boyds Mills 

Press, 1999. ISBN 1563978113, HBB, $14.95. 

811. Mexican American children--Poetry; American 

poetry; Schools--Poetry. 48 p. Gr. 3 - 6. 

Jorge desperately tries to learn the ways and 

customs of the United States, but he dearly 

misses Mexico. Through poetry, this fictional 

young boy expresses frustration at learning the 

English language, and the cruel treatment of 

classmates and adults alike. No one is ever nice 

and nothing ever goes right. Even the librarian 

seems cruel and sadistic, laughing at his 

mother’s pitiful attempt at a signature. 

My Name is Jorge is a real disappointment. 

From the start, Jane Medina barrages the reader 

with one negative after another, never showing a 

balance. There is a sense that the author has an 

ax to grind about American treatment of 

immigrants and has found this book an available 

soapbox in which to vent her own frustration. 

Fabricio Vanden Broeck’s illustrations lack 

imagination as well, and many pages are 

without any drawings completely leaving large, 

white, empty spaces. One redeeming quality 

can be found—the book is printed in both 

English and Spanish providing an educational 

angle for those in second-year Spanish. Giving 

a positive balance would have helped this book 

greatly. 

Beth Loughner 



A Barnyard Bestiary : Poem, by David 

Bouchard; paintings by Kimball Allen. 

LCCN 98083004. Victoria, B.C.: Orca Book 


$14.95. 

811.54. Domestic animals--Poetry. unp. Gr. 4 - 6. 

Many voices have championed the cause of wild 

endangered species, but who speaks for the 

animals that have served us, saved us, and 

shared our food? Since the dawn of the 

barnyard, innumerable beasts have offered 

valuable service. As animal husbandry evolved, 

many have fallen from favor. Some are now 

extinct. A Barnyard Bestiary addresses their 

plight in free verse voice in this collection of 

poems by David Bouchard. 

Among them are the Highland Cow, once 

valued for its adaptability to extreme conditions, 

and the Buffalo, whose prized tongue and 

woolly robe caused massive herds to be hunted 

to the brink of extinction. The Shire horse 

remembers its history as a noble battle charger, 

and the Onagadori Chicken relates how its 

extravagant tail feathers were coveted by the 

Shogun dynasty of Japan. While speaking of the 

past, these voices also ask a question of the 

future. Is it wise to treat so casually these 

creatures that in times past have often meant the 

difference of life or death to those they served? 

Who knows what events in the future might 

once again make their unique qualities a 

valuable asset to the human kind? 

A Barnyard Bestiary, by David Bouchard, is 

slightly less scientific than an encyclopedia, but 

quite a bit more informative than a picture 

book. Although the subject is domestic animals 

of the past, it has a lot to say about modern 

civilization. The large portrait paintings by 

illustrator Kimball Allen will hold the interest 

of pre-school readers while the language and 

passion of the poems would appeal to any reader 

who is concerned about preserving endangered 

animals. 




Wonders : The Best Children’s Poems of Effie 

Lee Newsome, by Effie Lee Newsome; with 

illustrations by Lois Mailou Jones; compiled 

by Rudine Sims Bishop. LCCN 99062256. 

Honesdale, Pa.: Wordsong, Boyds Mills 

Press, 1999. ISBN 1563977885, HBB, $14.95. 

811.54. Poetry. p. PS - Gr. 3. 

Rudine Sims Bishop reaches back to 1930 to reintroduce 

the works of Effie Lee Newsome to a 

new generation. Effie Lee Newsome was a 

pioneer in American literature, possibly the first 

African American to dedicate herself to writing 

poetry for children. Observation of nature is her 

favorite theme. “Winter Morning” describes a 

moon wrapped in mist like a candy ball in tissue 

paper. “Strange” asks the question, “Who 

wakes the birds that wake the world at dawn?” 

Behind the simple strength of her poems is 

another purpose. Newsome wrote and 

published during a time when portrayals of 

African American children seldom appeared in 

children’s literature in a realistic manner. 

Gladiola Garden, the book from which most of 

the poems in Wonder were selected, was one of 

the first to do so. 

Wonders is a collection of poems to be enjoyed 

by children, but is also a trophy won for human 

rights. Rudine Sims Bishop includes an 

introduction explaining the importance of this 

volume, the role of Effie Lee Newsome in 

influencing literature, and the accomplishments 

of Loise Mailou Jones, whose pen and ink 

drawings illustrate this book. 




900’s—Geography, History, & Biography 

Rare Treasure : Mary Anning and Her 

Remarkable Discoveries, written and 

illustrated by Don Brown. LCCN 98032372. 

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN 

0395922860, HBB, $15.00. 

921 (560). Anning, Mary, 1799-1847; Paleontologists; 

Women--Biography. 31 p. Gr. 1 - 5. 

In 1799, in a small English port, lived Mary 

Anning. Before scientists had coined the word 

dinosaur, Mary was excavating fossils from the 

seashore with her brother. With little money, no 

schooling, and a lot of hard work, she found 

ichthyosaur, plesiosaur, and a pterodactyl. 

During her adult life she gained the respect of 

the scientific community. It was said, “She 

knows more about the science than anyone 

else.” Mary Anning’s life-long passion was 

digging along the dangerous coast for bones 

from the past. 

Don Brown has chronicled a true story of a 

marvelous woman from English history in Rare 

Treasure. It is wonderful to have a picture book 

added to the shelf that portrays a woman 

achieving in the area of science. The example of 

a resourceful person educating herself is 



excellent. She perseveres in finding fossils, 

studying them, and selling them in her local 

shop. Here is a person focused on her life goals 

and achieving. 

Brown’s soft watercolor illustrations recreate an 

atmosphere of the past. Thin, loose, fine 

outlines seem to subtly capture the figures as 

they are remembered through his text. Mary 

Anning’s circumstances and story will inspire 

children and adults to pursue their own passions 

despite obstacles. 




The Boy Who Loved to Draw : Benjamin West, 

by Barbara Brenner; illustrated by Olivier 

Dunrea. LCCN 97005183. Boston: 

Houghton Mifflin, 1999. ISBN 0395850800, 

HBB, $15.00. 

921 (759.13). West, Benjamin, 1758-1820; Artists. 

44 p. Gr. 1 - 2. 

Benjamin is supposed to be keeping his niece 

from crying, but he draws her picture instead. 

He later learns about making paints from the 

Indians. He learns about hair pencils from a 

traveler. The family cat develops bald 

patches—Benjamin has cut hair from the cat to 

make his own hair pencils. The story mentions 

that Benjamin is a Quaker boy, but no religious 

beliefs are mentioned in the story. 

The Boy Who Loved to Draw by Barbara 

Brenner is an excellent biography of artist 

Benjamin West for those in the younger grades. 

Olivier Dunrea’s colored paintings with the 

sharp distinct edges accurately portray colonial 

life. The book concludes with reproductions of 

some of Mr. West’s work. If you have readers 

who are young artists, this book would be an 

especially good addition to your library. 

Jane Mouttet 



Nature Art with Chiura Obata, by Michael 

Elsohn Ross; illustrations by Wendy Smith. 

(Naturalist’s Apprentice.) LCCN 98049073. 

Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, Lerner 

Publications, 2000. ISBN 1575053780, HBB, 

$19.93. 

921 (760). Obata, Chiura; Artists; Japanese 

Americans. 48 p. Gr. 3 - 6. 

Nature Art with Chiura Obata chronicles the life 

and career of nature artist and Japanese 

American, Chiura Obata. Beginning with his 

birth in 1885 on the Japanese island of Honshu, 

the biography tells of his childhood, artistic 

training, and immigration to America at age 

eighteen. It then chronicles his university 

teaching career, family life, and his many artistic 

achievements. Special chapters are devoted to 

Obata’s love for Yosemite National Park (from 

which came much of the inspiration for his 

nature art) and his years spent in an internment 

camp during World War II. Related activities 

interspersed throughout the book help the 

readers to make nature art of their own. 

Michael Elsohn Ross has done a superb job of 

presenting to readers the life and work of a 

lesser-known naturalist. Although the story of 

Obata’s life is told concisely, Ross is able to 

make it fascinating. Obata’s immigration story 

and his love for the beauty of California and 

Yosemite Park are balanced with the 

discrimination he met with because of his Asian 

heritage and his resiliency in the face of many 

obstacles. 

The reader is left with the desire to know more 

about this incredibly gifted artist. Also 

fascinating are the many tips included 

throughout the book for making your own 

nature art, such as how to produce your own 

flower and rock art, bird portraits, and nature 

portraits along with many other suggestions. An 

Important Dates page, Glossary, Bibliography, 

and Index are included. 

Wendy Smith’s illustrations are well done and 

assist the reader by highlighting the related 

activities and suggestions. More importantly, 

reproductions of Obata’s own work and the 

photographs of the artist pique the reader’s 

interest and give a sense of the enormous scope 

and talent of Chiura Obata. 


Librarian 


Tallchief : America’s Prima Ballerina, by 

Maria Tallchief with Rosemary Wells; 

illustrations by Gary Kelley. LCCN 



$15.99. 

921 (792). Tallchief, Maria; Ballet dancers; Osage 

Indians--Biography; Indians of North America-- 

Biography; Women--Biography. 28 p. PS - Gr. 3. 

Dedication, hard work, and supportive parents 

allowed Maria to get her start in ballet. This 

autobiography is of Maria Tallchief’s young life 

and her early training. The book ends with her 

trip to New York to join a ballet troupe. 

Maria mentions in the story, “I was born with 

music that flowed through my body as naturally 

as blood in my veins. This was a gift from 

God.” Mr. Kelley’s colored paintings have a 

softness to them that go well with the life of a 

young ballerina. The paintings are beautiful. 

The three double page paintings are a nice 

addition to the text. Young ballerinas will be 

encouraged by this book to work hard. Young 

Native Americans can read about a fellow 

Native American who left Indian country to 

receive better training that was locally available. 

Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina would be a 

nice addition to the biography section of your 

children’s library. 

Jane Mouttet 



Babe Didrikson Zaharias : All-Around 

Athlete, by Jane Sutcliffe; illustrations by 

Jeni Reeves. (On My Own Biography.) 

LCCN 99027486. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda 

Books, Lerner Publications, 2000. ISBN 

1575054213, HBB, $19.93. 

921 (796.352). Zaharias, Babe Didrikson, 1911-1956. 

Gr. 2 - 4. 

Jane Sutcliffe’s story Babe Didrikson Zaharias 

begins on Doucette Street in Beaumont, Texas, 

in 1919. We meet an eight-year-old girl who 

runs, jumps hedges, and hits a baseball like “a 

regular Babe Ruth.” Being poor and one of 

seven children, Babe and her brothers had to be 

creative when it came to having fun. She was 

just as strong and fast as any of her brothers. 

She loved running, jumping, and throwing. She 

wanted to become the greatest athlete that ever 

lived. This story follows Babe through her 

school years until she eventually competes in 

the 1932 Olympics where she won several 

medals and set many world records. Babe was 

a star athlete. 

This is an inspiring story about a girl with a lot 

of drive and ambition. Jane Sutcliffe has made 

this a very readable story, packed with facts 

about Babe Didrikson’s life. Jeni Reeves’ 

illustrations are well done, yet unassuming so as 

not to detract from the story. An afterword is 

included to give more detailed information 

about Babe Didrikson’s life after she won her 

Olympic medals, including information about 

her being one of the founders of the Ladies 

Professional Golf Association (LPGA), as well 

as being named Outstanding Woman Athlete of 

the Half Century in 1950. There is a timeline on 

the last page that shows the events of Babe’s 

life. 




Twenty-six Fairmount Avenue, by Tomie De 

Paola. LCCN 98012918. New York: G. P. 

Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Putnam, 1999. 

ISBN 039923246X, HBB, $13.99. 

921 (813.54). DePaola, Tomie--Childhood and youth; 

Authors, American; Illustrators. 56 p. Gr. 2 - 5. 

An East Coast hurricane, a new house, a first 

viewing of the classic Disney film Snow White, 

the disappointment of kindergarten, a fire, a 

flood, Christmas, New Year’s, a move, and the 

end (‘for the time being’). Welcome to Tomie 

dePaola’s first chapter book, the tale of the time 

when he was not quite five, told in Tomie’s 

voice, illustrated in Tomie’s easily recognizable 

style, for Tomie’s readers. 

DePaola’s simple text tells the story in the 

language of a young boy. Readers of his picture 

books will enjoy hearing about his upstairs and 



downstairs grandmothers, mother and father, 

and other relatives who appear in many of the 

other stories he’s written and illustrated. The 

black and white illustrations lovingly portray the 

people and places important to the author. The 

book is written in a light-hearted, funny way. 

This was a good year, an exciting year. 26 

Fairmount Avenue is a good, exciting 

introduction to biography for the young reader 

and a great addition to dePaola’s already 

wonderful list of stories. He promises to write 

more about his life soon. The next installment 

will be worth the wait. 

Ann M. Ponath 

Teacher and Mother 

N. St. Paul, Minnesota 

Why Not, Lafayette?, by Jean Fritz; 

illustrated by Ronald Himler. LCCN 


Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 039923411X, 

HBB, $16.99. 

921 (973.3). Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch 

Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834; Generals; 

Statesmen. 87 p. Gr. 4 - 7. 

This is the abridged version of the American 

Revolutionary hero, Marquis Jean Lafayette. 

Fritz begins this historical talk when Lafayette is 

very young, but only briefly mentions his 

boyhood. The gist of the book covers 

Lafayette’s passion for the American colonies’ 

pursuit of freedom where General George 

Washington becomes an important friend to the 

Marquis. This friendship lasts till Washington’s 

death and Lafayette deeply mourns his dear 

General. Americans loved Lafayette so much 

that many cities were named after him. The 

book ends, at the death of this beloved war hero. 

Fritz has included a useful index, bibliography, 

and two pages of notes. A glossary would have 

been nice for some of the undefined terms, but 

on the whole this historical account is 

enlightening and informative. 

Connie Weaver 



Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving, by 

Eric Metaxas; illustrated by Shannon 

Stirnweis. LCCN 99022912. Nashville: 


1999. ISBN 0849958644, HBB, $9.99. 

921 (974.4004). Squanto; Wampanoag Indians-- 

Biography; Indians of North America--Massachusetts- 

-Biography; Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony); 

Thanksgiving Day. 32 p. Gr. 2 - 5. 

Squanto has come home, but his tribe is gone. 

Illness has killed everyone. If Squanto had been 

there, he would have been dead, too. Instead, 

God uses a negative to provide a positive. 

Squanto, an Indian captured as a slave and sent 

to Spain, ends up in England and finally comes 

home to North America to find that everyone he 

knew is gone. Sometimes people wonder why 

bad things happen to good people. When the 

Pilgrims come, they settle in the very spot where 

Squanto’s tribe had been. The first winter for 

the Pilgrims is difficult and half of them die. 

The second winter, Squanto comes to the 

settlement and teaches them how to live. 

Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving is a 

compelling tale written by Eric Metaxas. 

Colorful illustrations by Shannon Stirnweis 

bring the story to life. Although Squanto’s early 

life is probably somewhat speculative, most 

sources agree that Squanto was definitely an 

instrument of God in helping the Pilgrims 

survive. His slavery, his knowledge of England, 

knowledge of the English language, and 

understanding of the area were assets in helping 

the Pilgrims make it through their second winter. 

This is a must read book for anyone who wants 

to understand the early settlement of our land. 


Principal Morning Star Christian School 

Bend, Oregon 

The Roman Colosseum, by Elizabeth Mann; 

with illustrations by Michael Racz. (A 

Wonders of the World Book.) LCCN 

98020060. New York: Mikaya Press, Firefly 

Books, 1998. ISBN 0965040337, HBB, 

$19.95. 

937. Colosseum (Rome, Italy); Rome, Italy. 48 p. 

Gr. 4 - 8. 

Why was the Roman Colosseum built? What 

kind of “games” were played within its walls? 

How was it built? Elizabeth Mann does a 

thorough job of answering these questions as 

she weaves first century Roman history with the 

building of the famous Roman Colosseum. 

Full-page, full-color illustrations by Michael 

Racz graphically display both the grandeur of 

the Colosseum and the fierce brutality of the 

Roman people. Sin was rampant and blatant at 

this time. Although called “games,” losers were 

killed in the presence of the spectators, their 

lives often in the hands of the cheering crowd. 

The Christian will see in this secular book the 

wickedness of the people to whom the Apostle 

Paul ministered. 

To provide more entertainment for more people, 

this large amphitheater is built. The building 

materials, architectural design, and organization 

of the labor force of that first century building 

project is reminiscent of our modern building. 

This new Colosseum provides more space for 

viewers, an intricate underground system to 

contain animals and prisoners, ramps and ropes 

to change scenery, and a cloth cover to provide 

protection from the sun. The Colosseum now 

requires more animals and more gladiators to 

appease its blood-thirsty crowds. Crowds 

demand bigger and better shows until, after 

more than 400 years of activity, the Colosseum 

is silent. Through time it has been partially 

destroyed by the elements and looters, but its 

remains stand today as an “example of the 

greatness of ancient Rome and a symbol of its 

terrible brutality.” 

A map, timeline, glossary, and facts about the 

Colosseum are included at the end of the book. 





BOOK REVIEWS 

YOUNG ADULT FICTION 

Forever Friends, by Judy Baer. (Cedar River 

Daydreams; 28.) Minneapolis: Bethany 


ISBN 1556618387, PAP, $4.99. 

F. Friendship--Fiction. p. Gr. 9—11. 

They promised to be forever friends, but it might 

not happen. Slowly, year by year, they are 

graduating and leaving each other. Binky just 

can’t cope with her brother Egg going off to 

college; what will she ever do without him? A 

close friendship worries Lexi’s parents, who 

want her to step back from her serious 

relationship with Todd. They even want Lexi to 

date others. How will they all deal with these 

problems? It seems Todd’s way is to find a 

beautiful girl to date. Lexi has her own 

difficulties, as an importunate date gets the 

wrong idea about the relationship she had with 

Todd. Of course there’s always Miranda’s group 

to keep things stirred up with a bit of nasty 

gossip and a dollop of wrong attitude. 

Everything eventually comes out right as Binky 

discovers she can cope without Egg, and Lexi 

and Todd convince Lexi’s parents of their 

mature Christian attitudes. 

Author of the Live! From Brentwood High 

series and several advice books, Judy Baer 

capably uses her story to exhibit Christian 

solutions to teenagers’ problems. Her 

protagonists recognize the value of positive 

friendships, chaste dating situations, and saving 

sex for marriage. With mature thought and 

action, they obey their parents—even when it 

goes against their own desires. Prayer and Bible 

study form a fundamental part of their lives. 

The author deals with a number of issues, 

including suicide, teen pregnancy, anger, 

honoring parents, coping with friends’ strange 

ideas, and dating. The slang used adds 

verisimilitude to the scenes. With easy-to-read 

sentences and simple language, Forever Friends 

encourages reading. A Note From Judy ends 

this book, and provides an address, offer of a 

newsletter, and an invitation for the reader to 

contact the author. 

Donna J. Eggett 


Radford, Virginia 

The Sagebrush Rebellion, by Mary Reeves 

Bell. (Passport to Danger; 2.) LCCN 



1556615507, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Grandparents--Fiction; Ranch life--Wyoming-- 

Fiction; Wyoming--Fiction. 208 p. Gr. 4—8. 

Con spends summers on his grandparents’ ranch 

in the Wind River area of Wyoming, along with 

his female cousins. This summer, he flies in 

from Austria and into the middle of a heap of 

problems. Strange things have been happening 

around the ranch and his grandfather is not well. 

He encourages Con to observe carefully things 

that are different and to put together all the 

pieces. Grandpa and Gran have a deep trust in 

God to take care of them according to his will 

and to provide for them. But a big movie star 

with a lot of money secretly attempts to destroy 

their ranch and their way of life, ostensibly in 

the name of saving the environment. Native 

Americans, jealous neighbors, and a radical 

group are thwarted by determined sleuthing and 

help from all of the cousins and Con’s good 

friend, Hannah, in Washington D. C. 

While certainly a good story, written with 

obvious joy for the barren lands and beauty of 

Wyoming, the premise of The Sagebrush 

Rebellion—that kids could solve such a mystery 

and conquer the evil motivations presented—is 

really presumptuous. Too many coincidences 

drive the plot forward. What was Hannah doing 

in Washington D. C. anyway, just in time to take 

an incriminating picture? All of the cousins run 

together in the reader’s mind, although their 

different gifts and abilities are demonstrated. 

However, the values presented by author Mary 

Reeves Bell, including respect for the land and 

the native American, love and honor for 

grandparents and heritage, the importance of 

reading and writing of poetry, and deep faith in 

God, are real and worthy. 

Judy Belcher 

Teacher 


Birch Hollow Schoolmarm, by Carrie 

Bender. (Dora’s Diary; 1.) LCCN 98050568. 

Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1999. ISBN 

0836190955, PAP, $8.99. 

F. Amish--Pennsylvania--Fiction. Gr. 9—12. 

Dora, a sixteen-year-old Amish girl, sneaks out 

on dates with Gideon until the guilt of 

disobeying God and her parents becomes 

overwhelming. When Dora is offered the 

schoolmarm job at Birch Hollow School in 

Minnesota, she accepts. She comes to like 

Matthew, and they begin dating. The courtship 

continues until Matthew becomes distant, and 

Dora wonders if he has found out about her 

secret dates with Gideon. Then Matthew moves 

to California, and Dora returns home to 

Pennsylvania. She writes Matthew a number of 

letters, but there is no response. After Dora 

returns to her schoolmarm job, she writes to 

Matthew one last time. At last she receives a 

letter, and it appears that he plans to return home 

for a visit; she hopes he still cares for her. 

Carrie Bender has written a story about a 

teenager’s rebellion against waiting until age 

seventeen to date, and the problems this attitude 

causes in her life. Dora never gets to enjoy a 

courtship with Gideon when she is old enough 

to date, and Dora’s courtship with Matthew is 

jeopardized because of her past relationship 

with Gideon. 

Birch Hollow Schoolmarm is a terrific book 

about the importance of not allowing selfcenteredness 

to keep God from being the focal 

point. Scattered throughout the book are 

German names for activities, objects, and 

people, with the meanings in English provided 

in parentheses. At the back of the book are 

“Rules for Teachers and Schoolchildren,” that 

describe old customs; there is also a listing of 

credits for each section with applicable 

scripture. 

Dianne Woodman 

Freelance Writer and Homeschool Parent 

San Jose, California 

Camille’s Crossroad, by Judi S. Brantley; 

illustrated by Martha-Elizabeth Ferguson. 

LCCN 98090766. Wadmalaw Island, S.C.: 

Spring House Books, 1999. ISBN 

1892570025, HBB, $16.95. 

F. Choices--Fiction. unp. Gr. 4—8. 

Twelve-year-old Camille faces many decisions 

and she wants to make the right choices. But did 

she make the right choice by joining the 

Christian Debating Team at school? Close 

friends don’t think so. They predict this outward 

show of faith will certainly alienate her from the 

in-crowd. As she stews over the dilemma, an 

angel suddenly appears. Camille soon finds 

herself on a unique journey where concepts of 

faith take on form. She learns how to use Time, 

Wisdom, Faith, Courage, Praise, and 

Thanksgiving in her Christian walk, and how to 

avoid Fear, Doubt, and Worry. 

Judi Brantly makes biblical principles come 

alive through symbolism. Although fiction, this 

imaginative approach implants practical ideas 

for decision-making in a very real way. Martha- 

W I N T E R / S P R I N G , 1 9 9 9 4 5 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L

A Note from the Editor: Sylvia Stopforth 

Life is busy. 

DEVOTIONALS 

For some of you, that brief sentence might 

just represent the height of impertinent 

understatement. Each month the calendar 

fills up as the tyranny of the urgent runs 

roughshod over our best intentions. It 

wouldn’t be so bad if we could only keep 

our priorities in order, but it often seems that 

the very things that are most precious to us 

and most vital to our health and spiritual 

wholeness are the first to be jettisoned as we 

rush from one responsibility to the next. 

One fine but hectic day, I became fed up. 

And so, in spite of tongue-in-cheek 

warnings to “be careful about what you pray 

for,” I prayed that God would help me to 

find more time to spend in his presence. 

God saw fit to answer my prayers. It 

seemed I was in need of back surgery, and 

not only that, but while waiting for surgery, 

I would be forced to take time off work. I 

wondered, somewhat ruefully, if I should 

have paid more attention to those warnings 

... But the upshot of the matter was that I 

now had time. There was no denying it. 

So, feeling that I had better keep up my end 

of the bargain, I decided to set aside a 

portion of each day to read, study, pray, and 

meditate on his word. It will not surprise 

you to learn that through this experience— 

surgery and all—I have been most richly 

blessed. Not only have I grown closer to 

my God, but I’ve also met some interesting 

friends along the way, and my path has been 

most wonderfully illuminated by their wise 

words and insightful observations. I thought 

I’d share some of my favorite passages, in 

the hopes that you might share in my 

blessing, without having to resort to 

surgery! 

For those who wonder why we pray at all, 

since God already knows our innermost 

thoughts and needs, Julian of Norwich tells 

us that “Prayer unites the soul to God.” 

Julian experienced visions, which she 

referred to as ‘showings.’ In one of these 

showings, Christ gave her these words for 

those who suffer from doubts and 

uncertainty: “‘I may make all things 

well, and I can make all things well, and I 

shall make all things well, and I will make 

all things well; and you will see yourself 

that every kind of thing will be well.’” For 

those who are weighed down by fear and 

anxiety, Teresa of Avila wrote the following 

poem: 

“Let nothing disturb you, 

nothing cause you fear; 

All things pass 

God is unchanging. 

Patience obtains all: 

Whoever has God 

Needs nothing else, 

God alone suffices.’” 

David put it more concisely when he wrote, 

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not 

want.” (Psalm 23:1) 

For those who struggle—even in the midst 

of their Christian walk—with questions 

about the meaning of their lives, Teresa 

declares that “The goal of the spiritual 

journey is to be united with God ...” For 

those who labor endlessly to find a balance 

between the demands of this world and the 

desire for the next, Hildegard of Bingen 

wrote, “On the one hand, your desires and 

feelings sigh for the narrow path that leads 

to God. But, on the other hand, you have a 

whole realm of worries about the people 

entrusted to you. The former is in light; the 

latter in shadow ... You don’t allow yourself 

to see that they belong together and this is 

why you so frequently experience 

depression in your spirit. For you fail to see 

your striving for God and your concern for 

people as a unity ... ” 

For those who wonder how it is that God 

can truly care for them, when so many 

others clamor for his attention, Therese of 

Lisieux reminds us that “The sun’s light, 

that plays on the cedar-trees, plays on each 

tiny flower as if it were the only one in 

existence; and in the same way our Lord 

takes a special interest in each soul, as if 

there were no other like it.” 

For those who suffer under the self-imposed 

burden of perfectionism, Therese states that 

“Perfection consists simply in doing his 

will, and being just what he wants us to be 

... ” For those who punish themselves for 

failing to meet the needs of others, Canon 

Tallis counsels, “Who are you to think you 

are better than our Lord? After all, he was 

singularly unsuccessful with a great many 

people.” 

Of those who cannot find the strength to 

keep to the narrow way, Augustine asks 

“Why do you try to stand in your own 

strength and fail? Cast yourself upon God 

and have no fear. He will not shrink away 

and let you fall. Cast yourself upon him 

without fear, for he will welcome you and 

cure your ills.” 

It is my hope that the words I have passed 

along may serve to refresh, inspire, and 

enlighten, and I would strongly encourage 

you to visit local bookstores and, of course, 

libraries in order to pursue further readings. 

I have listed some of my own sources 

below, and while they are all excellent, I 

would recommend Devotional Classics most 

highly. Editors Foster and Smith have 

selected fifty-two classic works of 

devotional literature, and each 2-4 page 


YOUNG ADULT 

FICTION 

excerpt is accompanied by a brief 

biography of the author, a relevant passage 

from the Bible, suggested exercises and 

questions for reflection, and an annotated 

bibliography of additional readings. 

Featured authors include Francis of Assisi, 

Blaise Pascal, Dallas Willard, C.S. Lewis, 

and Teresa of Avila. 

Finally, let each and every one of us take 

comfort in the promise of our own dear 

Lord, when he said “And lo, I am with you 

all the days until the end of the world.” 

(Matthew 28:20) 

SOURCES 

Praying with Julian of Norwich, 

by Gloria Durka 

Praying with Teresa of Avila, 

by Rosemary Broughton 

Praying with Hildegard of Bingen, 

by Gloria Durka 

Winona: Minn: St. Mary’s Press, 

various years 

Walking on water: reflections on faith and 

art, by Madeleine L’Engle. 

Wheaton, Ill: H. Shaw, 1980 

Devotional classics: selected readings for 

individuals and groups, by Richard J. Foster 

and James B. Smith. San Francisco: 

HarperSanFrancisco, 1993 

Scripture references are taken from the King 

James Version of the Bible. 

Elizabeth Ferguson’s dreamy illustrations 

complement this line of thought. Camille’s 

Crossroad is a great discussion-building tool for 

parents and teachers. 

Beth Loughner 



Cobra Threat, by Sigmund Brouwer. (Sports 

Mystery Series.) LCCN 98023259. 

Nashville: Tommy Nelson, Thomas Nelson 

Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0849958156, PAP, 

$5.99. 

F. Orphans--Fiction; Kentucky--Fiction; Stuttering-- 

Fiction; Pollution--Fiction; Football--Fiction; Mystery 

fiction. 118 p. Gr. 5—8. 

Hurricane Power, by Sigmund Brouwer. 

(Sports Mystery Series.) LCCN 98051078. 



$5.99. 

F. Gangs--Fiction; Miami (Fla.)--Fiction; Cuban 

Americans--Fiction; Track and field--Fiction; 

Christian life--Fiction; Mystery fiction. 118 p. Gr. 

5—8. 

Maverick Mania, by Sigmund Brouwer. 



Publishers, 1998. ISBN 84995813X, PAP, 

$5.99. 

F. Kidnapping--Fiction; Soccer--Fiction; Mystery 

fiction. 115 p. Gr. 5—8. 

Scarlet Thunder, by Sigmund Brouwer. 




$5.99. 

F. Stock-car racing--Fiction; Television--Production 

and direction--Fiction; Mystery fiction. 122 p. Gr. 

5—8. 

Tiger Heat, by Sigmund Brouwer. (Sports 




$5.99. 

F. Paintball (Game)--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction; 

Mystery fiction. 121 p. Gr. 5—8. 

Titan Clash, by Sigmund Brouwer. (Sports 




$5.99. 

F. Basketball--Fiction; Mystery fiction; Criminals-- 

Fiction; Fathers and sons--Fiction. 121 p. Gr. 5—8. 

In each of the books in this series, the author, 

Sigmund Brower, takes a high-school-age boy, 

a sport, a personal problem, and throws in some 

cultural problems or earthy aspects to construct 

a story of intrigue. Yes, these are definitely 

formula books. However, they have welldeveloped 

characters facing personal struggles 

and trying to make wise decisions while being 

successful in their sports. The author is 

obviously well-acquainted with each of the 

various sports, as he uses appropriate 

terminology to describe strategies and talents 

required for successful participation in each 

one. He also deals with safety issues and 

competition. He hooks the reader with some 

pretty earthy images. For example, a boy 

escaping through a second-story window lands 

in some dog waste, only to be laughed at by the 

police because of his smell. These incidents are 

not central to the stories, however, and are 

handled humorously. 

Each book in the Sports Mystery series 

introduces a character who has faith that God 

will work all things out for the good for those 

who trust in him. In a couple of the books, these 

prayers seem to be a bit tacked-on at the end; 

perhaps the protagonist really would have been 

struggling with God in the deepest part of the 

conflict, not just recognizing him at the end. 

There is nothing sugar-coated about the faith 

described, though. “Believing ain’t really 

believing if you don’t practice it.” (Cobra 

Threat) 

Personal and cultural issues addressed include 

stuttering, popularity, making friends, illegal 

aliens, computer hacking, impersonation, 

gangs, illegal dumping of dangerous chemicals, 

an unemployed father, fraud, and materialism. 

Storylines, which make reference to such 

elements as the Internet or making it in a sport 

as a woman, are current and timely. 

Readers will be thinking about real life in new 

and helpful ways as they get drawn into these 

stories. 

Judy Belcher 

Teacher 


The Hermit Thrush Sings, by Susan Butler. 

LCCN 98022893. New York: DK Ink Book, 

DK Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0789424894, 

HBB, $17.95. 

F. Science fiction. 282 p. Gr. 5—7. 

In a tale of the classic battle between good and 

evil, The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler 

tells of the reunion of Leora and her sister Reba. 

The twisted circumstances of the times— 

caused by radiation from a meteor—creates a 

narrative filter through which we see Mayner, 

the remains of Maine. Leora’s wicked relatives, 

Tanette and Wilfert, the misunderstood 

birmbas, and the kind-hearted servants Norie 

and Howie, all, in their own way, compel 

Leora—with her webbed left hand—to make 

the dangerous trip from Village 3 to Village 15. 

There occurs the ultimate battle, as the 

commoners take back their lives from the 

oppressive government. 

The Hermit Thrush Sings is a complex story. 

The brevity of the chapters, some four-to-seven 

pages in length, works to the advantage of the 

author, allowing her to develop the characters 


YOUNG ADULT 

FICTION 

with bold strokes. There is some violence in the 

book, which is integral to the storyline. 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 


The Journal of Ben Uchida : Citizen 13559, 

Mirror Lake Internment Camp, by Barry 

Denenberg. (My Name Is America.) LCCN 

98040956. New York: Scholastic Press, 

Scholastic, Inc., 1999. ISBN 0590485318, 

HBB, $10.95. 

F. Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 

1942-1945--Fiction; World War, 1939-1945--United 

States--Fiction; Diaries--Fiction. 156 p. Gr. 5—9. 

Nothing seems more unjust than what happens 

to Ben Uchida, a twelve-year-old American 

citizen and resident of San Francisco, three 

months after the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor on 

December 7, 1941. First his father, a harmless 

optometrist, is taken away to be “questioned.” 

Then Ben, his mother, and his sister Naomi are 

transported from their comfortable home to a 

Japanese-American internment camp at Mirror 

Lake, where all are forced to live in grim 

conditions; they share a single room with 

another family in a poorly-constructed barracks, 

sleep on straw-filled mattresses, endure dust 

storms, wait in long lines for uninspiring meals, 

and weigh constant rumors that challenge Ben’s 

courage. Are the Caucasian Americans planning 

to kill them? Will the armed soldiers use them 

as hostages for prisoners-of-war exchanges with 

the Japanese? Ben doesn’t want to go to Japan. 

He’s never been there. America is his home, or 

at least it was. He longs to return to his former 

life where he and his best friend Robbie can play 

baseball again. 

Using the trademark journal approach of this 

series, Barry Denenberg writes realistically and 

believably about one of the darkest moments in 

American history. The characters are welldrawn 

and unique, the pacing swift and 

compelling. The only perceived flaws are Ben’s 

cynical tone, which only occasionally erupts 

into quiet humor, and an overwhelming sense of 

gloom. While the subject matter makes these 

appropriate, sensitive children may find the 

story shocking as well as depressing. The fact 

that Americans could act so brutally against 

fellow Americans simply because of race (no 

German- or Italian-Americans were imprisoned) 

is important to understand, but may be more 

suitable for older ages who are well-grounded in 

America’s brighter moments in history for a 

sense of perspective. That said, this is an 

important book and belongs on the shelves of 

every school library. 

Marcy Stewart Froemke 

Assistant Professor of Education, Bryan College 

Dayton, Tennessee 

The Journal of Sean Sullivan : A 

Transcontinental Railroad Worker, by 

Willaim Durbin. (My Name Is America.) 


Press, Scholastic, Inc., 1999. ISBN 

0439049946, HBB, $10.95. 

F. Pacific railroads--Fiction; Railroads--Fiction; 

Diaries--Fiction. 188 p. Gr. 5—9. 

In 1867, fifteen-year-old Sean Sullivan joins his 

father to work on the Union Pacific railroad. 

Thus father and son become a part of the race to 

meet the eastward-bound Central Pacific 

railway, linking America by rail for the first 

time. Sean begins as a lowly waterboy but by 

the end of the story has worked his way up to the 

enviable position of spiker—one who drives the 

spikes into the rails. Not only is his labor 

physically gruelling, but he faces the possibility 

of a quick death at the hands of angry Indians or 

drunken whites, as well as the dangers of 

nature’s wrath and unforgiving terrain. 

As he matures toward adulthood, Sean observes 

more than the obvious discomforts of building a 

piece of history. He marvels sadly at the 

prejudice he sees directed toward the Chinese, 

Indians, Blacks, and even evident among the 

Irish themselves as they pit county against 

county. He mourns the greed of the financiers of 

the railroad who greatly overcharge the 

government for their own gain while forcing the 

underpaid workers to move so quickly that 

much of the railway will have to be replaced due 

to shoddy labor. 

One of several books in a remarkable series, this 

fictional journal brings to life an era of history 

vital to the development of the American way of 

life. Wagon trains crossing the country took 

several months and were fraught with danger 

and hardship. Travelling to California by ship 

could take as long as nine months. The 

transcontinental railroad reduced the journey to 

a week. 

In his afterword, author William Durbin astutely 

compares the railroad’s importance in uniting 

America with the Apollo moon landing a 

hundred years later. Sean’s journal is an 

exciting, literate read that painlessly provides 

historical information. It is a simply splendid 

book, beautifully written. 

Marcy Stewart Froemke 

Assistant Professor of Education, Bryan College 


Firestorm at Kookaburra Station, by Robert 

Elmer. (Adventures Down Under; 6.) 

Minneapolis: Bethany House, Bethany 


PAP, $5.99. 

F. Balloons--Fiction; Australia--Fiction; Christian life- 

-Fiction. 160 p. Gr. 5—9. 

Firestorm at Kookaburra Station, the newest 

installment in Robert Elmer’s Adventures Down 

Under series, holds up well in its continuation of 

character development and adventure. Readers 

familiar with the series will enjoy the latest 

escapades of the McWaid family as they leave 

their paddle-wheeler home and travel inland to 

help out at a sheep station. Michael, the 

youngest McWaid, starts off by getting a much 

closer look at a hot-air balloon than he 

anticipated. When he becomes sky-borne, 

Patrick tries to rescue his brother, only to find 

himself tangled up in the guide ropes. 

If flying away on a runaway balloon isn’t 

exciting enough, then add to it a crash-landing in 

the outback, the fearsome “bunyip,” and then an 

encounter with a mysterious giant of a man. All 

this, on top of the main event—surviving a 

sweeping fire-storm—will keep readers 

intrigued and anticipating the next installment. 

For readers unfamiliar with the series, there is 

more than enough action to guarantee interest; 

in fact, the storyline will convince new readers 

to go back and learn more about the McWaids. 

The author provides plenty of authenticity for 

his story of the land down under, and while his 

characters are quick to pray and give testimony 

to their belief, they don’t come across as too 

contrived or overbearing. 

Pam Webb 


Sandpoint, Idaho 

Panic at Emu Flat, by Robert Elmer. 

(Adventures Down Under; 8.) LCCN 



076422106X, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Paddle steamers--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction; 

Australia--Fiction. 171 p. Gr. 5—9. 

Robert Elmer, author of Panic at Emu Flat, 

writes a nail-biting conclusion to the eight book 

series of the McWaid family, titled Adventures 

Down Under. The story is set in Australia in 

1869, and Patrick McWaid, fourteen years of 

age, travels the Murray River with his parents 

and brother and sister aboard Lady Elisabeth, 

their family’s triple deck paddle steamer. River 

life is busy, but soon becomes busier, more 

mysterious and threatening than Patrick would 

want. Mayhem ensues when ostriches are 

loaded aboard. Patrick, curious and excited, 

unlatches a cage. One large, agitated bird 

trundles out and runs down the gangplank with 

Patrick hanging onto a wing. Thus begins an 

odyssey for Patrick that includes a missing 

friend, an encounter with Officer York, a bully 

and tyrant who almost kills him, and a break-in 

into the locked wards of Collingwood Asylum, 

where he finds a secret room. 

Tension mounts when strange Miss Perlmutter, a 

new passenger and Bible-quoting spinster, 

won’t discuss the hidden rifles Patrick saw. Her 

heavy German accent only adds to Patrick’s 

suspicions, until she comes to his aid when he is 

accused of murder. Building tension like a 

watchmaker winding a clock spring, Elmer 


YOUNG ADULT 

FICTION 

deftly brings the story to a surprising climax in 

this thrill-laden tale. Short, easy-to-read 

chapters make this an excellent adventure 

choice for reluctant readers. Each page-turning 

chapter builds suspense, much like the 

cliffhanger movie series of the forties. Although 

light on spiritual content, this is a solid, clean 

adventure story, written with skill, tension, and 

suspense. 

Gail Welborn 

Freelance Writer/Reporter 


Cleopatra VII : Daughter of the Nile, by 

Kristiana Gregory. (The Royal Diaries.) 



0590819755, HBB, $10.95. 

F. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, d. 30 B.C.--Fiction; 

Egypt--History--To 640 A.D.--Fiction; Diaries-- 

Fiction. 222 p. Gr. 4—8. 

Set in Egypt before the time of Christ in 57 B.C., 

this is Cleopatra’s journal, written during her 

twelfth and thirteenth years. The author has so 

effectively brought Cleopatra to life that the 

reader almost quivers in fear as she does when 

she realises she is in danger from the many 

enemies to the crown. Imagine her anxiety 

when a deadly cobra is let loose in the palace— 

its prey: Cleopatra or her father. Or envision the 

dread she feels each time a drink is presented— 

is it poisoned, or safe? Who is to know? Letters 

received clandestinely reveal plots to take over 

the realm of Egypt—or worse. And when 

Ptolemy, Cleopatra’s father, returns to claim his 

rightful throne, the first sight to meet 

Cleopatra’s eyes is the head of her sister on a 

platter, a murder ordered by Ptolemy himself. 

Yet all is not fear and danger for our young 

heroine. She happily records her friendships, 

love of animals and the sea, and the enjoyment 

she experiences in travelling to new and exotic 

places. 

This is historical fiction at its best, a page-turner 

that transports the reader right into Egyptian 

times and lets one almost experience for oneself 

the life of Cleopatra, a royal teenager. Kristiana 

Gregory’s wonderfully told story deserves a 

place in any school or public library collection, 

and will be enjoyed by both elementary and 

middle school students. 

Ceil Carey 

School Librarian 


Closer Than Ever, by Robin Jones Gunn. 

(Sierra Jensen Series; 11.) LCCN 98037607. 



PAP, $5.99. 

F. High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction. 150 p. 

Gr. 9—11. 

That ever-elusive boyfriend, Paul, living in the 

English Isles, once again pulls at Sierra’s 

heartstrings. This time she really believes she 

will get to see him. She even has a date in mind 

for their meeting: her high school graduation. 

But Sierra must place her emotions and mind 

under God’s control as other problems arise in 

Closer Than Ever. Friends and future plans 

take up a big portion of Sierra’s time and 

thoughts. Maybe they’ll all get to go to the same 

university, or maybe not. Prayer and Bible study 

become real to Sierra as she copes with crazy 

situations and real problems. She needs all her 

Christian maturity when the news comes that the 

plane Paul was supposed to be on has crashed. 

Will Sierra ever see Paul again? Her friends and 

family offer their own inimitable forms of 

support as they await the final denouement. 

Robin Jones Gunn, author of the Glenbrooke 

and Christy Miller series, presents a nicely 

wacky bunch of Christian teens here. While 

having fun and enjoying one another’s 

friendships, they learn—often through trial and 

error—to apply the Lord’s solutions to problems 

such as coping with emotions, arranging social 

events, spending money, leading a friend back to 

the Lord, and dealing with siblings, graduation, 

and the eventual departure of friends. 

With loving, respectful, firm guidance, the 

parents give the students the benefit of the doubt 

and room for mature thinking. In return students 

treat parents with love and respect, have fun 

with them, and try hard (and often successfully) 

to be mature and godly. Gunn believably 

presents members of the opposite sex as friends 

as well as dating material. Problems receive 

sufficient description to make them 

recognizable but are not delved into deeply. 

This leaves room for the reader to put herself in 

the situation and to consider how she should act. 

Sufficient in itself, the story is one of a series 

and therefore ends with room for another 

beginning. 




Departures : [three books in one]. Now 

Boarding at Gate 10, by Robin Jones Gunn. 

Please Pick Up the White Courtesy Phone, by 

Wendy Lee Nentwig. In the Event of a Water 

Landing, by Robin Jones Gunn. LCCN 



0764222716, PAP, $9.99. 

F. Christian life--Fiction; Short stories. 271 p. Gr. 

7—10. 

Departures is actually a collection of three 

summer vacation stories featuring characters 

from popular series. 

Now Boarding at Gate 10, by Gunn, features 

Christy Miller. The Miller family travels from 

California to the town in Wisconsin where they 

lived previously. The occasion is Christy’s 

grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary. 

Christy spends time with Matt, a boy she’d once 

had a crush on. By the end of the vacation, both 

agree that they’re not ready to be boyfriend and 

girlfriend. 

Unfortunately, Gunn constantly tells us what 

Christy is thinking, rather than showing us 

through Christy’s actions and words. While 

observing her grandparents, Christy decides 

commitment and intimacy are requirements for 

a successful marriage. Later, she concludes they 

are also elements of a close relationship with 

God. However, those deep thoughts seem 

pasted into the story, which has a does-he-likeme-or-doesn’t-he 

shallowness. 

Please Pick Up the White Courtesy Phone, by 

Nentwig, features Cooper Ellis. Cooper and her 

friend, Claire, accompany their mothers to 

Seattle on a business trip. The girls stay with 

Cooper’s Aunt Penny while the moms check 

into a hotel. 

Much of this story reads like an itinerary: they 

did this, they, did that, they went here, they went 

there. The conflict revolves around sibling 

rivalry between Mrs. Ellis and Aunt Penny. 

Mrs. Ellis thinks Penny is irresponsible. When 

she finds out the girls got lost in a rough part of 

the city because Cooper was trying to meet a 

boy she’d met, Mrs. Ellis vents her dismay on 

Penny rather than Cooper. As a result, the 

climactic scene lacks authenticity. 

In the Event of a Water Landing, by Gunn, 

features Sierra Jensen. This is the best story of 

the three. Sierra travels with her friend Jana, 

Jana’s brother Gregg, and Gregg’s friend Tim to 

join Jana’s and Gregg’s parents at their vacation 

cabin. Sierra and Jana each flirt with a couple of 

boys. 

When the kids go river rafting, Gunn uses the 

opportunity to make corny analogies to life. 

And speaking of corny, the dialogue is 

unnatural, particularly for teens. When Sierra 

accuses Jana of being fickle, Jana responds, 

“Come on, Sierra. Don’t be so critical. This is 

all part of it. . . Part of figuring out life. You 

know, leaving childhood and venturing into the 

wild wonderful world of womanhood.” Pullease. 

Gunn makes two half-hearted attempts at 

suspense in this story, but quickly resolves them, 

as though trying to shield her readers from 

intensity. The result is a light-weight story. 

Light-weight is an accurate characterization of 

the collection. This is truly light summer 

reading. Nevertheless, the stories had one 

special delightful twist. The three stories 

converge at one point, as the characters all cross 

paths. Although they don’t know each other, 

they do notice one another in a way that will 

have readers flipping pages to verify. 

Andrea R. Huelsenbeck 


Tempe, Arizona 


YOUNG ADULT 

FICTION 

From the Secret Place in My Heart : Christy 

Miller’s Diary, by Robin Jones Gunn. LCCN 



0764222619, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Interpersonal relations--Fiction; Christian life-- 

Fiction; Diaries--Fiction. 149 p. Gr. 6—8. 

From the Secret Place in My Heart contains the 

hopes, dreams, and prayers of Christy Miller, 

written in a journal format. She begins with a 

list of her friends, valuing their looks and 

popularity. She describes her feelings, 

activities, and loves over the course of five 

years, usually coming back to “Todd, Todd, 

Todd.” During this time she goes through high 

school, a year of junior college, and a year in 

Switzerland attending school while working in 

an orphanage. The plot bounces around, here 

and there, in a style commensurate with diarywriting. 

As the storyline proceeds, the entries 

are further and further apart. 

At first impression, the story is shallow, not 

convincing or realistic. Christy has no worries 

about money or clothes or making friends. She 

has a wealthy fairy godparent aunt and uncle 

who arrange great vacations and trips for her 

and give her generous gifts. Todd’s relationship 

with God is idealized, with everything in good 

balance. 

Interspersed within the plot are poems, Christian 

choruses, and scripture passages that are 

meaningful to her in a given struggle. The selfdiscussion 

points to some solid Christian values, 

like virginity before marriage, obedience to 

one’s parents, and taking care of one’s material 

possessions. Gunn’s text definitely presents the 

confusion of present-day adolescents, although 

perhaps in a somewhat romanticized manner. 

Judy Belcher 

Teacher 


A Light in the Storm : The Civil War Diary of 

Amelia Martin, by Karen Hesse. (Dear 

America.) LCCN 98049204. New York: 


0590567330, HBB, $10.95. 

F. Delaware--History--Civil War, 1862-1865--Fiction. 

Gr. 5—9. 

Fifteen-year-old Amelia Martin lives on 

Fenwick Island, off the coast of Delaware, 

where her father is the Assistant Lightkeeper. 

She spends her days going to school and helping 

with lighthouse duties, which is a life she 

enjoys. But Amelia’s mother is unhappy. She 

despises living on Fenwick Island and disagrees 

politically with her husband about slavery. 

When the Civil War begins, Amelia worries that 

her father will join the militia, and that Daniel, a 

good friend, will be killed. Eventually her 

mother’s unhappiness causes the parents to 

separate and divorce. At the age of eighteen, 

Amelia takes over as Assistant Lightkeeper at 

Fenwick Light and marries Daniel. 

Karen Hesse’s use of the diary format allows her 

to describe daily life during the Civil War from 

a teenager’s viewpoint. The war is particularly 

brought home to Amelia because of the political 

conflict that exists between her parents. When a 

ship of slaves is wrecked on the island, Amelia’s 

mother wants to turn them over to the 

authorities, while her father wants to help them 

escape. This same conflict exists among the 

people on the mainland. 

A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of 

Amelia Martin offers a superb opportunity for 

children to learn about the civil war and the 

unique position Delaware occupied because of 

its location. The state was on the border 

between North and South, freedom and slavery, 

and those who lived there disagreed about the 

right and wrongs of slavery. The book includes 

a brief history and illustrations depicting 

American life in 1861. 




Assassins in the Cathedral : Festo Kivengere, 

by Dave and Neta Jackson; story 

illustrations by Julian Jackson. (Trailblazer 

Books.) Minneapolis: Bethany House, 


0764220128, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Kivengere, Festo--Fiction; Evangelists--Uganda-- 

Fiction; Uganda--Fiction. 144 p. Gr. 4—8. 

This engaging and thought-provoking story puts 

the Bible's message of forgiveness into 

perspective for young readers. Part of the 

TrailBlazer series of books about Christian 

heroes, Assassins in the Cathedral tells the story 

of evangelist Festo Kivengere. The story takes 

place between 1976 and 1977, during General 

Idi Amin’s reign of terror in Uganda. 

Kivengere's evangalism is portrayed through the 

eyes of fictional character Yacabo Kabaza, an 

aspiring young author. Assassins in the 

Cathedral recounts the moving tale of six young 

actors who were kidnapped by Amin's 

henchmen and later found dead in a vacant lot. 

Yacabo's younger brother, Blasio, was one of 

those young actors. Yacabo feels guilty because 

the actors were rehearsing a play Yacabo wrote 

about martyrs in the early Church of Uganda. 

Yacabo struggles to understand the reasons 

behind this tragedy, and the violence racking his 

country, as well as learn to forgive himself. 

Husband and wife writing team Dave and Neta 

Jackson provide accurate historical information 

in an exciting story that brings the trying events 

of the "reign of terror" to light. The reader 

learns not only about the political upheaval 

going on during this time period, but about the 

bravery of the Christians who maintained their 

faith despite the risks. The book concludes with 

an historical note about Festo Kivengere, 

including a bibliography for further information. 

Assassins in the Cathedral could be used a 

discussion-starter on Christian heroes, 

evangelism, and the Bible's lessons of love and 

forgiveness. 




Mask of the Wolf Boy : Jonathan and 

Rosalind Goforth, by Dave and Neta 

Jackson; story illustrations by Julian 

Jackson. (Trailblazer Books.) Minneapolis: 


1999. ISBN 76422011X, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Goforth, Jonathan--Fiction; Goforth, Rosalind-- 

Fiction; Missionaries--China--Fiction. 144 p. Gr. 4— 

8. 

Another thought-provoking and inspiring title in 

the historical fiction series about early Christian 

heroes, Mask of the Wolf Boy recounts the story 

of Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth in China 

during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. 

Chou Fu-Lin is a houseboy for the Goforths, 

Canadian missionaries in Changte. After falling 

into a wolf’s den, where he is attacked and badly 

scarred, Fu-Lin is brought to the Goforths, 

where both his physical and spiritual wounds are 

tended. Wearing a bandana to mask his 

disfigured face, he earns the nickname “Wolf 

Boy.” Though plagued with recurring dreams 

about the accident, he knows that he would 

never have come to the Goforths, nor learned of 

Christ’s salvation, were it not for the incident. 

The Goforths give him a good home and 

schooling, in return for his service as a 

houseboy. 

When the American Consul urges the Goforths 

to flee the country, Fu-Lin accompanies them on 

their journey. As they travel to Shanghai, they 

are confronted with growing animosity towards 

whites and foreigners. The anger of the Chinese 

people grows more and more violent with each 

city they enter. Soon Fu-Lin is hiding not only 

behind his “Wolf Boy” mask, but behind the fear 

that veils his faith. Torn between his new faith 

and his national loyalty, he wonders if the 

Boxers will turn on him. As the Goforths and 

their travelling companions face impossible 

odds, overcoming them all through prayer, Fu- 

Lin’s faith is dealt the ultimate test. In the end, 

both Fu-Lin and the reader learn a valuable 

lesson about friendship and trust in God in this 

novel by the Jacksons. 




Never Forsaken, by Kathleen L. Jacobs. 

LCCN 99020906. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway 

Books, Good News Publishers, 1999. ISBN 

1581341105, PAP, $10.99. 

F. German Americans--Missouri--Saint Louis-- 

History--19th century--Fiction; Emigrants and 

immigrants--Fiction. 270 p. Gr. 7—12. 


YOUNG ADULT 

FICTION 

In Kathleen L. Jacob’s novel, Never Forsaken, 

seventeen-year-old Louisa Shumaker emigrates 

from Germany to St. Louis, Missouri in 1894. 

Two years earlier her father had sailed to 

America, promising to prepare a new home for 

his family. Now the long-awaited letter has 

come with money for ocean liner tickets and 

detailed travel instructions. Louisa faces a 

difficult and dangerous journey with her mother, 

Sophia, fifteen-year-old brother, Henry, and sixyear-old 

sister, Dorothy. 

After tearfully giving away treasured 

possessions and parting with relatives and 

friends, Louisa’s family embarks on their trip. 

Bound together by their love for each other and 

their faith in God’s presence and protection, the 

family survives the theft of their trunk, a stay in 

an unsanitary inn, and deplorable conditions 

during a nine-day voyage across the Atlantic. 

Their mother’s prayers give them courage. Fear 

and suspense grip them during exams at Ellis 

Island, but they receive immigrant status. 

Louisa is disappointed with St. Louis—her 

family is confronted with a small apartment and 

dirty neighborhood—but God has not forsaken 

them; the author skillfully weaves this theme 

throughout her story. Louisa helps support her 

growing family by sewing and house-cleaning. 

Rheumatic fever strikes and death visits more 

than once, but the family members comfort one 

another with the hope of heaven. Louisa 

blossoms into a lovely young lady with a strong 

faith and a promising romance. 

Jacobs’ story displays good literary style, 

capturing the flavor of the era with horse and 

buggy, cobblestone streets, gas lamps, and street 

cars. References to prayer, and to God’s 

sovereignty and blessings, abound. Louisa’s 

occasional journal entries do not impede the 

pace. A Shumaker Family Tree and glossary 

provide an opportunity to learn some basic 

German vocabulary. Hardships are not depicted 

in a graphically offensive manner. An excellent 

choice for a work of young adult fiction, a 

family read-aloud, or a supplemental history 

source. 

Rhonda Marie Lackey 

Freelance Writer, Former Teacher/Librarian 

Tukwila, Washington 

The Ashwater Experiment, by Amy Goldman 

Koss. LCCN 98023995. New York: Dial 

Books for Young Readers, Penguin Putnam, 

1999. ISBN 0803723911, HBB, $16.99. 

F. Moving, Household--Fiction; Friendship--Fiction. 

153 p. Gr. 4—9. 

Hillary is used to moving around the country 

with her parents as they sell homemade items at 

craft fairs. So when her father takes a house 

sitting job in Ashwater, California, Hillary isn’t 

sure she’ll like staying in one place for a whole 

school year. To cope, she tells herself that 

people and circumstances are only placed in her 

life to “test” her or teach her; she is the only real 

element in an “experiment” run by the 

“Watchers.” 

One or two popular girls befriend Hillary. She 

has never been part of the “in” crowd before. 

Not altogether comfortable with them, Hillary 

also becomes friends with Cass, a girl who has 

been a loner. Hillary begins to realize that she 

does have an effect on people in her life, that she 

is not the only reality. Hillary’s new-found 

friendships make her unwilling to go back to her 

previous nomadic way of life when the school 

year is over. Her mother assures her that the 

memories of friends and the people she knew 

will go with her. 

Young adult readers will enjoy Amy Koss’ fastpaced 

story, The Ashwater Experiment. The 

novel depicts characters the reader can identify 

with and care about. Struggles young teens have 

with parents and friends are realistically and 

humorously presented. Hillary learns about 

friendship and connects with a variety of people, 

just by being herself. 


Teacher, Freelance Writer 


★ 

Elizabeth I : Red Rose of the House of Tudor, 

by Kathryn Lasky. (The Royal Diaries; 1.) 



0590684841, HBB, $10.95. 

F. Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603-- 

Childhood and youth--Fiction; Great Britain--History-- 

History VIII, 1509-1547--Fiction; Princesses--Fiction; 

Diaries--Fiction. 236 p. Gr. 5—9. 

Written in diary format, Elisabeth I covers the 

life of Elizabeth and her observations of her 

father’s life and court from July 1, 1544 to 

March 3, 1547. Elizabeth includes recollections 

of events from the past and manages to 

effectively convey the constant political 

upheaval that is so much a part of her teen years 

as the “forgotten princess,” brought to court 

only when expedient. From the beginning of the 

journal the reader is aware of her astute survival 

skills and insights regarding the political 

seesawing around who is “in” or “out.” Some of 

her interpretations are definitely the thoughts of 

a teenaged, immature young woman, like her 

comment about Mary’s interest in marrying 

Charles V: “Why she’d want him, I wouldn’t 

know. I heard he is a man with a huge, ugly jaw, 

bad teeth . . .” On another occasion, Elizabeth 

comments about the appointment of a royal fool 

for Edward, lamenting her being “the only royal 

child in our family without a fool.” 

The data included appear to be accurate and, if 

fictionalized, in keeping with the events and 

descriptions of the time. Elizabeth reflects on 

all aspects of her life and feelings from day to 

day, well aware that her life will be in peril if 

Mary ever ascends the throne. The journal 

format is very popular reading and an easy way 

to absorb history and portray personality. 

A four-page epilogue summarizes events in 

Elizabeth’s life from her father’s death to her 

own. In addition, a historical essay on the 

Tudors, a family tree, a brief outline of Henry 

VIII’s wives, and a photo gallery are included at 

the end of Lasky’s book, providing more factual 

depth. 

Patricia Braun 

Retired Jr. High Librarian 

National Louis University, Elem. Educ. Student Teaching 

Supervisor 

Arlington Heights, Illinois 

Best of Friends, by N.J. (Nancy J.) Lindquist. 

: That’s Life Communications, 2000. ISBN 

0968549519, PAP, $7.95. 

F. High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Christian 

life--Fiction. 192 p. Gr. 6—12. 

Friends Like These, by N.J. (Nancy J.) 

Lindquist. Markham, Ont.: That’s Life 

Communications, 2000. ISBN 0968549527, 

PAP, $7.95. 

F. Friendship--Fiction; Christian life--Fiction. 200 p. 

Gr. 6—12. 

Glen, seventeen, likes his ordinary life; he never 

gets too excited about anything. As the narrative 

is written from Glen’s point of view, the reader 

learns that clothes and girls aren’t important to 

him yet. His parents think he’s not living up to 

his potential, but that doesn’t bother him much 

either—until his father challenges him to study 

for an A on a test. 

Phil, Glen’s friend since kindergarten, has no 

time for him anymore because of his new girl, 

Lisa. Glen feels deserted and lonely. Then 

Charlie Thornton moves in across the street. A 

star football player, tall, blonde and goodlooking, 

Charlie teaches Glen about drinking 

and breaking the rules. Drawn to Nicole, the 

pastor’s daughter, Glen believes she only has 

eyes for someone else. 

Life seems easy for newcomer Charlie, until he 

tries to date Nicole and she turns him down. He 

believes she’s playing hard to get, while Glen 

draws mistaken conclusions, which set the stage 

for misunderstanding and confusion. 

Readers are drawn into the story Best Of Friends 

through the many teen-age problems and fears, 

which leads to gripping questions about real 

issues. As Glen experiences a life-threatening 

mine cave in, he questions whether there really 

is a God, and learns that growing up has a price. 

Friends Like These continues the story of 17- 

year-old Glen Sauten as he begins his first 

dating relationship with Nicole, the pastor’s 

daughter, with sometimes humorous, often 

anxious moments. Charlie, now Glen’s exfriend 

because of Nicole, knows he’s better 

looking and smarter and can’t understand why 

Nicole prefers average, ordinary Glen over him. 


YOUNG ADULT 

FICTION 

But Glen isn’t ordinary; he’s searching for 

answers to real life questions, and frustrated 

with the youth group at church because they 

never talk about real problems. Overhearing his 

new mentor and friend, John, say, “People won’t 

grow unless they talk about real life issues with 

other believers,” strikes a chord in Glen’s spirit. 

Glen begins meeting weekly with John’s small 

Bible study group and schedules time to read the 

Bible and pray. Becoming vulnerable as God 

works in him, Glen develops a growing 

relationship with God along with an 

overwhelming realization of who God is. 

Lindquist combines the angst of growing up 

with the need for an increasing relationship with 

God. Written from Glen’s viewpoint, the text 

allows teens to identify with the characters. 

Lindquist draws the characters with skill and 

warm insight. Parents will welcome the strong 

moral values and common-sense answers 

suggested to address everyday problems youths 

face today. Whether reading this as a stand 

alone book or part of the series, the reader will 

want more from this author who portrays kids 

with realism and heart. 

Gail Welborn 



★ 

The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins : A 

World War II Soldier, by Walter Dean Myers. 

(My Name Is America.) LCCN 99013615. 

New York: Scholastic Press, Scholastic, Inc., 

1999. ISBN 0439050138, HBB, $10.95. 

F. World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Normandy-- 

Fiction; Diaries--Fiction. 140 p. Gr. 5—9. 

The Journal of Scott Pendleton deals with 

Scott’s life from May through August, 1944. 

The first entry establishes Scott’s feelings 

regarding his past home life, and moves quickly 

into events surrounding D-Day. In the 

beginning he is stationed in England as a 

member of the 116th Infantry Regiment, and he 

becomes part of the Allied push, landing in the 

chaos of Omaha Beach. The bulk of the journal 

entries detail the subsequent battles and 

skirmishes of which the 116th is part. After 

several weeks pushing forward in Europe, Scott 

is wounded and returns to Omaha Beach, which 

is now more organized; from there, he is shipped 

to a hospital and eventually home. 

While Scott and his Virginia recruits appear to 

be the main characters of the narrative, the 

author, Walter Myers, acknowledges the war as 

the primary figure of the book in the epilogue. 

A section at the end entitled “Life in America in 

1944” includes a historical essay about Hitler’s 

role in Europe, a list of events leading up to the 

war, and a selection of D-Day photos. 

The language and sentence structure are 

reflective of Scott’s central Virginia background 

and education. Scott is presented realistically 

and humanly, a young man plopped into war and 

reflecting periodically back on events that 

should be occurring at home, like picnics or 

parties. 




Supervisor 


★ 

Amelia’s War, by Ann Rinaldi. LCCN 


Scholastic, Inc., 1999. ISBN 0590117440, 

HBB, $15.95. 

F. Hagerstown, (Md.)--History--Civil War, 1862- 

1865--Fiction; Ransom--Fiction; Maryland--Fiction; 

United States--History--Civil War, 1862-1865-- 

Fiction. 265 p. Gr. 3—10. 

Friendship in the face of adversity, no matter the 

cost, no matter the cause, is given an excellent 

stage in Ann Rinaldi’s newest work of historical 

fiction, Amelia’s War. Set in Hagerstown, 

Maryland, it presents the Civil War as seen 

through thirteen-year-old Amelia Grafton’s 

eyes. Her family is pro-Union, but not 

necessarily pro-North, and throughout the story, 

and the war, Amelia struggles to take a stand. 

When she finally does take a stand her actions 

will make a life-changing difference in the lives 

of all around her. 

Rinaldi, an award-winning author, is at her best 

in this latest addition to Civil War stories. She 

has the ability to weave a credible storyline 

around uncovered historical facts, thereby 

giving the subject matter, in this case the Civil 

War, a more pronounced , immediate, 

perspective. The horror and destruction of war 

is evident, as is the tragedy of broken families 

and friendships; but more importantly Rinaldi 

draws attention to the need to show compassion 

and decency towards others, never mind whose 

side they may be on. The characters are all 

strong, and even though the main character is a 

pre-adolescent girl this should not deter boys 

from reading the book, since the plot has plenty 

of action. 

This book is excellent for its authenticity, and its 

ability to show how life continues on, despite 

the pressures of war. A book to consider when 

studying the Civil War. 

Pam Webb 



Burden of Honor, by Lee Roddy. (Between 

Two Flags; 3.) LCCN 99006625. 



PAP, $5.99. 

F. Slavery--Fiction. Gr. 5—8. 

Road to Freedom, by Lee Roddy. (Between 

Two Flags; 4.) LCCN 99006626. 



PAP, $5.99. 

F. Friendship--Fiction. Gr. 5—8. 

In Burden of Honor, three teenagers’ lives are 

disrupted by the American Civil War. Gideon 

Tugwell worries that the family’s lack of money 

will result in the loss of their farm, or force his 

widowed mother to marry a vicious slave 

catcher. But the ex-Confederate soldier, John 

Fletcher, rescued by the Tugwell family, helps 

Gideon sell the family’s crops at the market in 

Richmond for a satisfactory profit. 

Emily Lodge is frustrated with the military’s 

refusal to issue her a pass to Illinois. After 

innocently agreeing to pass on information from 

wounded soldiers to Oliver Fitzhugh, in 

exchange for free mail delivery, Emily is 

arrested. At Fitzhugh’s execution, she is cleared 

of any wrongdoing and is subsequently issued a 

pass. 

Nat Travis, a freed slave, returns to Virginia to 

help his mother and sister escape. After Nat is 

captured and has located them, he is taken to 

Richmond. He gets away and makes 

arrangements with the Underground for their 

freedom. Then Nat sees his brother, Rufus, in a 

coffle chain and decides to stay. 

In Road to Freedom, these same teenager’s lives 

are disrupted by the American Civil War. 

Gideon Tugwell worries his widowed mother 

will be forced to marry a vicious slave catcher. 

He wants her to marry John Fletcher, a friend 

and helper on the farm. When Cobb tries to get 

Gideon and John Fletcher hung as spies for 

hiding a Union soldier, the plan backfires. 

Emily Lodge is ready to leave for Illinois using 

a hard-earned military pass, but family 

responsibility takes her to Briarstone Plantation. 

She acts as liaison between her injured cousin, 

William, and the troublesome overseer and takes 

on teaching responsibilities. A week before 

Emily’s pass expires she leaves for Illinois but is 

forced to turn back. Nat Travis, a fugitive slave, 

is tracking his brother, Rufus, in a coffle chain. 

He is captured and sent to the Trumble 

Plantation. After escaping, Nat goes to a barn 

where runaway slaves hide and finds Rufus 

there. Nat gives up his freedom so Rufus can 

escape on a streamer. 

Lee Roddy has written historical novels about 

the responsibilities of three teenagers growing 

up during the Civil War. Gideon works on the 

family farm from sunup to sundown but still 

finds the energy to study with Emily as one day 

he hopes to write books. Emily figures out the 

best way to handle a troublesome overseer, and 

Nat wants all his family members free. 

These are excellent books for children to learn 

about the conflicts between individuals with 

differing views on slavery. 


YOUNG ADULT 

FICTION 




Abandoned, by Patricia H. Rushford. 

(Jennie McGrady Mystery; 12.) 



PAP, $5.99. 

F. Abandoned children--Fiction. p. Gr. 7—9. 

In Abandoned, Jennie McGrady once again 

finds herself in the middle of a mystery, when 

her friend Annie finds out that she was adopted 

after being abandoned as a baby in a trash bin. 

At the same time, Annie confides in Jennie that 

she thinks she is being followed. When Annie 

disappears, the police and the news media 

become involved. Meanwhile, Jennie’s dad is 

trying to track down a serial killer who is 

targeting pro-life victims. 

After tracking a license plate, Jennie confronts 

Debra Noble, the news anchor for a Portland 

television station, and Debra reveals that she had 

an abortion as a young girl. As Jennie tries to 

discover who Annie’s birth-mother is, murders 

continue, and a murder attempt is made on 

Debra Noble. 

Jennie’s discoveries lead her to some shocking 

revelations involving a failed abortion, 

blackmail, and a guilty doctor seeking to cover 

up facts that could destroy his reputation. 

Patricia Rushford’s exciting plot, descriptive 

writing, and integration of teen issues make this 

a worthwhile, enjoyable read. 

Esther Knaupp 

Librarian 


father, Brad, and his wife Jackie, all cheering DJ 

on at a show. 

In this title, DJ learns to focus, for in school, 

during lessons, or while working with her 

horses, her daydreaming often places her in 

embarrassing situations. She is also learning to 

let go of her worries and also of her horse, 

Major, who is holding her back from doing her 

best in competitions. When Brad and Jackie 

offer DJ one of their many horses, a 

thoroughbred gelding named Herndon, DJ can’t 

bear the thought of leaving Major behind. She 

and Herndon end up in the ring together, though, 

and DJ learns that life events are ultimately in 

God’s hands, if we simply “let go and let God” 

do his work. 




Letting Go, by Lauraine Snelling. (High 

Hurdles; 8.) LCCN 99006450. Minneapolis: 


1999. ISBN 0764220365, PAP, $5.99. 

F. Horses--Fiction. Gr. 4—9. 

Darla Jean (DJ) Randall is back in the High 

Hurdles series. She continues toward her goal 

of heading to the Olympics as a member of the 

U.S. Equestrian Team. She’s in ninth grade 

now, struggling with algebra, and desperately 

juggling all her obligations—from teaching new 

riders at Briones Academy to training with her 

horses. 

Whether or not they’ve read the earlier books in 

this series, young readers’ hearts will be 

captured by this busy and determined high 

school freshman. Snelling does an excellent job 

filling readers in on the details of DJ’s life—in 

case they haven’t read the previous books in the 

series. And she does this without repeating too 

much information, which would be frustrating 

to those following the series book-by-book. In 

the first few pages we have her mother and 

stepfather, Robert, DJ’s five-year-old twin 

stepbrothers the Double Bs, her biological 


BOOK REVIEWS 

YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION 


What’s With the Mutant in the Microscope?, 

by Kevin Johnson and James White. LCCN 



0764221876, PAP, $7.99. 

231.7. Creationism. Gr. 8 - 12. 

Johnson and White’s first chapter, “They say 

your uncle was fuzzy or was he?” leads into a 

refreshing explanation of evolution versus 

creationism in What’s with the Mutant in the 

Microscope? Using simple language and 

comparisons, the authors expose gaping holes in 

Darwin’s theory of evolution and give solid 

answers for creationism, based on scientific fact 

and the Bible. At the same time, they state that 

“Darwin is to evolutionists, what Christ is to 

Christians: truth itself.” 

The authors’ express the need to speak 

evolutionists’ language. Which means the 

creationist needs to know the arguments for 

evolution, as well as the arguments for 

creationism. In eight easy to read chapters the 

authors reveal both sides of the debate. Using 

the premise that the human body demonstrates 

intelligent design and points to a creator, the 

reader learns arguments based on scientific 

facts: 

Natural selection can be observed 

Exact cell reproduction leads to survival, 

while random cell reproduction leads to 

destruction. 

The single cell is hard evidence of a 

creator. 

DNA, a living blueprint within humans, 

points to a creator, because of its intricacy. 

The theory of irreducible complexity 

means life could not happen randomly. 

White, biologist-apologist, and Johnson, bestselling 

youth author, make the evolutioncreation 

debate enjoyable and almost easy to 

understand. Their comparisons of animals and 

people, theory and fact illustrate with clarity 

their message that God is the grand designer. 

Both youth and adults will appreciate this 

excellent resource. 

Gail Welborn 




One-Room School, by Raymond Bial. LCCN 


ISBN 0395905141, HBB, $15.00. 

370. Schools--History. 48 p. Gr. 7 - Adult. 

Years ago the school house was the community 

center. Small schools were located within 

walking or riding range. Parents wanted their 

children to have a good education and all grades 

were in one room. Boys were usually on one 

side, girls on the other. Wood desks, benches, a 

potbelly stove, an outhouse outside, and perhaps 

a blackboard was all that was needed to give an 

education. Few books were available. Teachers 

relied on rigorous drilling and memorization. 

Discipline was strong and teachers were 

respected. Virtue and high standards were 

emphasized. 

One-Room School by Raymond Bial provides a 

fascinating historical look at one-room schools 

from the 1700’s to the 1950’s. Clear, detailed, 

colorful photographs carefully add to the text. 

Find out what a “blab school” was, or how 

multi-age groups helped teach each other. This 

is an informative look at early education which 

shows that many modern education methods 

were actually pioneered in these early schools. 


Principal, Morning Star Christian School 

Bend, Oregon 

But What If I Don’t Want to Go to College? : 

A Guide to Success Through Alternative 

Education, Rev. ed., by Harlow G. Unger. 

LCCN 97050278. New York: Checkmark 

Books, Facts on File, 1998. ISBN 

0816037930, HBB, $22.95. 

374. Occupational training; Vocational education; 

Alternative education; Vocational guidance. 216 p. 

Gr. 9 - 12. 

Not everyone wants or needs to attend college. 

The book But What If I Don’t Want to Go to 

College? reveals alternative education programs 

and resources. Step by step information on 

alternative education is presented. Also, the 

author shows the reader how to find career 

opportunities, and how to get started in a new 

career. He points out that most of the new jobs 

that will be created between 1997 and 2005 will 

need graduates of vocational and other types of 

educational programs. 

From animal care and farm work, through 

nursery workers, truck drivers and wholesale 

workers, this book presents hundreds of job 

descriptions. The author even includes salary 

information and training requirements. The 

book contains numerous graphs, charts and 

illustrations on every aspect of job and career 

seeking. For example, following information on 

filling in an application on page 132, the author 

has presented several pages showing a sample 

application. Appendix C on page 147-154 lists 

the median weekly pay in 1996 for 600 different 

jobs. 

Harlow G. Unger has done a credible job of 

presenting his topic. In this book he gives the 

reader a carefully laid out plan to prepare for and 

find a career. On top of that he gives seventytwo 

pages of statistics, charts, and resources on 

alternative education and career finding 

opportunities. Those alone are worth the price 

of the book. 

Dell Smith Klein 

Writer/ Teacher 

Catalina, Arizona 

100 First-Prize Make-It-Yourself Science Fair 

Projects, written & illustrated by Glen 

Vecchione. LCCN 98016662. New York: 

Sterling Publishing, 1998. ISBN 

0806907037, PAP, $5.95. 

507.8. Science projects; Science--Experiments-- 

Methodology. 208 p. Gr. 5 - 6. 

Just as the title suggests, 100 projects have been 

included, geared to entice any student into 

becoming a successful science fair presenter. 

The experiments and projects cover all areas of 

science from chemistry to ecology. The 

introduction is an essay designed to provide 

reminders of excellent presentation techniques. 

Each experiment is presented simply, beginning 

with a list of materials, and careful procedures to 

be followed. When explanations or suggestions 

or interpretations seem appropriate, they are 

included as follow-up. Illustrations accompany 

each experiment. Metric equivalents and a full 

detailed index are included. Budding scientists 

should have no problem accomplishing these 

projects, only deciding which one to try. 




Supervisor 



YOUNG ADULT 

NONFICTION 

500’s—Natural Sciences & Mathematics 

National Audubon Society First Field Guide. 

Amphibians, written by Brian Cassie. LCCN 


Scholastic, Inc., 1999. ISBN 059063982X, 

HBB, $17.95. 

597.8. Amphibians--United States--Identification; 

Amphicians--Canada--Identification. 159 p. Gr. 3 - 

Adult. 


Night Sky, written by Gary Mechler; sky 

maps by Wil Tirion. LCCN 98051876. New 

York: Scholastic Press, Scholastic, Inc., 1999. 

ISBN 0590640852, HBB, $17.95. 

510. Astronomy--Observers’ manuals. 159 p. Gr. 3 - 

Adult. 

These two books are part of a series of guides 

designed for young people interested in natural 

history and nature. The books are an excellent 

introduction to amphibians and astronomy for 

children ages eight and older. While previous 

versions of these field guides from the 1970s 

were dull and overly detailed, the new editions 

are beautifully photographed and attractively 

laid out. Each book has an introductory section 

filled with interesting facts, definitions of many 

of the terms used in the book, and a guide to 

using the field guide portion of the book. 

The amphibian guide features fifty common 

North American species with photos, range 

maps, and brief descriptions of many more 

regionally occurring species. The field guide to 

the night sky follows a similar format, 

explaining through text and maps how to locate 

and identify stars, planets, meteors, comets, and 

constellations. Both books include a reference 

section for those interested in pursuing the 

subject in greater detail, as well as an index. 

These guides are excellent for children and 

adults with limited natural history background. 

Ted Goshulak 

University Librarian 

Langley, British Columbia 


Mammals, written by John Grassy and 

Chuck Keene. LCCN 98002939. New York: 


0590054899, PAP, $10.95. 

599. Mammals. 159 p. Gr. 3 - 8. 

The National Audubon Society First Field 

Guide: Mammals is a wonderful resource for 

young naturalists. The text is easy to read and 

the 450 color photographs make the guide 

interesting for casual browsing as well as for 

identification purposes. A removable, waterresistant 

spotter’s card is included to use out in 

the field or for quick identification. The authors 

have divided the guide into four sections. The 

first section, World of Mammals, explains 

specifics such as what mammals’ bodies are like 

and how they raise their young. The next 

section, How To Look at Mammals, points out 

the different habitats mammals can be found in 

and has great suggestions for identifying, 

tracking and reading the signs of mammal 

activity. 

The main portion of the book, the field guide 

itself, features fifty common North American 

mammals. Two pages are devoted to each 

mammal, with a large, full-color picture taking 

up most of the spread. A shape icon allows the 

reader to quickly identify the featured 

mammal’s general shape and category. Both the 

common and scientific names are given. The 

identification capsule gives the information, 

such as color and size, that are needed to 

identify the mammal. Also included are a small 

range map and a habitat listing that tell the 

reader at a glance where the mammal is likely to 

be found. Close-up drawings of tracks made by 

the mammal are also shown. The Look-Alikes 

box alerts users to other mammals similar to the 

main one on the page. The reference section at 

the end of the guide contains a glossary, an 

index, and a great list of other resources, 

including books, videotapes, CD’s, and Web 

sites devoted to North American mammals. 




The Smithsonian Book of North American 

Mammals, edited by Don E. Wilson and Sue 

Ruff. LCCN 98043735. Washington: 

Smithsonian Institution Press, 1999. ISBN 

1560988452, HBB, $75.00. 

599.097. Mammals--North America. 750 p. Gr. 9 - 

Adult. 

Intended as the first one-volume comprehensive 

source on North American mammal, The 

Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals, 

largely fulfills its goal. Written by more than 

200 experts, this work covers the approximately 

400 mammalian species found north of Mexico. 

Each entry includes a distribution map, 

photograph (many in color), identification 

guidelines, and information on behavior, diet, 

habitat preferences, and other related matters. A 

summary of the current population status of 

each species is also included. This authoritative 

work is useful for both the general reader and 

the specialist alike. The only shortcoming of the 

book is its preface, where the editors document 

the history of the study of mammalogy in the 

United States. Given the “north of Mexico” 

focus of the work, the absence of a Canadian 

historical counterpart is incomprehensible. This 

oversight aside, The Smithsonian Book of North 

American Mammals sets a standard for scientific 

writing and readability, which will be hard to 

follow. 

Ted Goshulak 

University Librarian 

Langley, British Columbia 

800’s—Literature and Rhetoric 

I, Too, Sing America : Three Centuries of 

African American Poetry, by Catherine 

Clinton; illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. 

LCCN 97046137. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 

1998. ISBN 0395895995, HBB, $20.00. 

812.2. Children’s poetry, American--Afro-American 

authors; Afro-Americans--Poetry. 128 p. Gr. 5 - 

Adult. 

I, Too, Sing America is an anthology of poetry 

written by African Americans that borrows its 

title from the poem of the same name by 

Langston Hughes. Catherine Clinton has 

compiled this collection, and for each of the 

twenty-five poets she has written a brief 

biography and introduction to the poet’s work. 

Each of the poems is illustrated with a full page 

of artwork by Stephen Alcorn. Some of the 

well-known poets include Phillis Wheatley, 

W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Laurence Dunbar, 

Gwendolyn Brooks, Maya Angelou, and Alice 

Walker. 

As an anthology, the collected voices speak of 

hope that cannot be destroyed by racial injustice. 

Here is exemplified the black poet’s quest for 

truth in a world that encourages the smile that 

hides pain and sorrow. Written over a period of 

almost three hundred years, the earlier poets 

lived at a time when most black Americans were 

slaves. Read as a collection, the message 

reflects both slavery and later racial injustice, 

and emerges as a voice that must speak truth and 

cannot be silenced. These voices also are 

America, as Langston Hughes asserts. 

The selection of poets is excellent. The twentyfive 

biographies of African Americans who 

chose to express themselves through poetry tell 

their own story. Catherine Clinton tells their 

stories simply, letting the facts speak for 

themselves, rather than pushing an agenda. The 

contemporary artwork, like the poetry it depicts, 

is sometimes celebratory and sometimes 

disturbing, but always hauntingly beautiful. The 

book itself is cloth bound and printed on high 

quality paper. 




Nellie Bly : Daredevil Reporter, by Charles 

Fredeen. (A Lerner Biography.) LCCN 

98050519. Minneapolis: Lerner 


$25.26. 

921 (070). Bly, Nellie, 1864-1922; Journalists; 

Women--Biography. 112 p. Gr. 6 - 8. 

At the end of the nineteenth century, when it was 

difficult for women to find work outside the 

home, Nellie Bly became a stunt reporter. Few 

women worked for newspapers and the ones 

who did reported on flower shows, fashions, and 

dinner parties. Nellie Bly was not content to 

report on such uninteresting things and worked 

to have more exciting stories. Her search for a 

story led her to Mexico where she wrote about 


YOUNG ADULT 

NONFICTION 

the life of the peasants and for the first time gave 

Americans a true picture of life in Mexico. A 

few years later she circled the globe in less time 

than Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne’s Around The 

World in Eighty Days. Charles Fredeen spins an 

interesting story as he tells how Bly changed the 

way news was reported. 

Nellie Bly: Daredevil Reporter explores not only 

the life of a turn of the century female reporter, 

but the legal and economic condition of women 

at that point in history. Laws favored the men. 

It was not uncommon for a woman to suffer 

unjustly when a man took advantage of a 

situation. Several times in her life Nellie Bly 

experienced economic hardship as a result of 

unfair laws or treatment by various men. As a 

result she used her journalistic talents to 

improve the life of poor women and orphan 

children. There is one mention of a man that 

Nellie Bly may have had a relationship with, but 

did not marry. 

Charles Fredeen used many photographs of 

Nellie Bly throughout the book. He also 

included very interesting photos of newspaper 

articles she wrote and places where she lived 

and worked. 



Olympia, Washington 


Biographical Dictionary of Christian 

Missions, edited by Gerald H. Andersen. 

LCCN 99028087. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. 

Eerdmans, 1999. ISBN 0802846807, PAP, 

$50.00. 

920 (266). Missionaries--Biography--Dictionaries. 

845 p. Gr. 9 - Adult. 

Editor Gerald H. Anderson, director of Overseas 

Ministries Study Center in New Haven, CT, and 

editor of International Bulletin of Missionary 

Research, has brought together 350 highly 

qualified contributors to create a marvelous 

reference work for any serious study of 

Christian missions. This edition follows the 

1998 Simon and Schuster hardbound edition. 

From Abdul Masih to Zwingli, from Origin 

(183-253) and Eusebius of Caesarea (260-339) 

to Mother Teresa and Billy Graham, the reader 

will find 2,400 entries representing every 

Christian era and perspective. In addition to the 

alphabetic listing, the volume is enhanced by a 

30-page index, which indicates not only the 

biographical entries but also places, missions, 

and contributors. Its fifty-page index 

categorizes entries by time period, region of 

service, agencies and orders, type of work, 

religious tradition, as well as biographies of 

women, of martyrs, of non-western persons and 

others. 

Anderson acknowledges his indebtedness to 

previous works (one page of “Standard 

Reference Works”), to his contributors and 

advisory board from around the world, (twelve 

pages of contributors, identified by position and 

location), and to assistant editor Robert T. Coote 

(also a contributor). He especially notes the 

dearth of material on non-western missionaries 

and women because of the lack of available 

documentation; therefore, those entries are only 

“representatives of a vastly larger number of 

outstanding persons in the history of Christian 

missions.” (p. vii) 

No library or researcher can go wrong with 

Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions. 

Jeanette Hardage 

Reviewer 

Sonora, California 

Sojourner Truth : American Abolitionist, by 

W. Terry Whalin. (Heroes of the Faith.) 

LCCN 98198051. Philadelphia: Chelsea 


HBB, $17.95. 

921 (305.5). Truth, Sojourner, d. 1883; Abolitionists; 

Reformers; Afro-Americans--Biography; Women-- 

Biography. 201 p. Gr. 6 - 12. 

Billy Graham : The Great Evangelist, by Sam 

Wellman. (Heroes of the Faith.) LCCN 

98007058. Philadelphia: Chelsea House 


$17.95. 

921 (269). Graham, Billy, 1918-; Evangelists. 208 p. 

Gr. 6 - 12. 

George Washington Carver : Inventor and 

Naturalist, by Sam Wellman. (Heroes of the 

Faith.) LCCN 98048085. Philadelphia: 

Chelsea House Publishers, 1998. ISBN 

0791050408, HBB, $17.95. 

921 (530). Carver, Geroge Washington, 1864?-1943; 

Agriculturists; Afro-Americans--Biography. 208 p. 

Gr. 6 - 12. 

Mother Teresa : Missionary of Charity, by 

Sam Wellman. (Heroes of the Faith.) LCCN 

98007057. Philadelphia: Chelsea House 


$17.95. 

921 (266). Teresa, Mother, 1910-1999; Missionaries 

of Charity--Biography; Nuns--India--Calcutta; 

Missionaries; Women--Biography. 207 p. Gr. 6 - 12. 

This series is written in a fictional narrative 

format. Told from the first person or omniscient 

view, the actual lives of the heroes are 

interspersed very creatively with realistic 

dialogue that should help the young adult reader 

not become bored while reading history. Almost 

every chapter ends with an exciting situation 

that will help the reader continue to the next 

chapter. Each story begins with the heroes at a 

young age. This should captivate the reader, as 

s/he may be approximately the same age as the 

hero in the book. The vocabulary used is 

middle/junior high school level. These stories 

are told from a Christian perspective. There is 

frequent quotation of Scripture in each book. 

All of the language used is non-derogatory nor 

racist. In the books discussing Sojourner Truth, 

Mother Teresa, and George Washington Carver 

there are brief descriptions of the violence in 

those times and locations. The violence is never 

graphic or candid. An example would be the 

reference to the whippings in Sojourner Truth’s 

period of history, a brief reference to a hanging 

in the book discussing George Washington 

Carver’s life, and the quick description of 

leprosy patients and rioting in India during the 

life of Mother Teresa. 

The books are hardbound and have a durable 

cover with a drawn likeness of the person 

discussed on the cover. The paper is heavy and 

the type, by and large, is easy to read and take 

notes. The indices are brief but helpful. There 

are further reading suggestions in the book 

about Mother Teresa. The book on George 

Washington Carver has endnotes and a 

bibliography. 

Bianca Elliott 

Educator 

Linwood, Kansas 

Madame Guyon, by Jan Johnson. (Women of 

Faith.) Minneapolis: Bethany House, 


0764221752, PAP, $4.99. 

921 (809). Guyon, Jeanne Marie; Women authors-- 

Biography; Authors, French. 144 p. Gr. 8 - 12. 

Catherine Marshall, by Kathy McReynolds. 

(Women of Faith.) Minneapolis: Bethany 


ISBN 0764221671, PAP, $4.99. 

921 (809). Marshall, Catherine; Women authors-- 

Biography; Authors, American. 157 p. Gr. 8 - 12. 

Fanny Crosby, by Bonnie C. Harvey. 

(Women of Faith.) Minneapolis: Bethany 


ISBN 0764221661, PAP, $4.99. 

921 (780.92). Crosby, Fanny; Composers; Physically 

handicapped--Biography; Blind--Biography. 157 p. 

Gr. 8 - 12. 

Madame Guyon 

Jan Johnson writes a condensed edition of 

Frenchwoman Jeanne-Marie Bouvier de la 

Mothe Guyon’s autobiography. Living in the 

17th and 18th centuries, Madame Guyon 

suffered persecutions, prison, and exile because 

she believed Christians could have constant 

communication with God. Madame Guyon 

emphasizes that she could never have carried 

her crosses of life without the abandonment of 

self and praying to God from her heart. 

Catherine Marshall 

Through extensive inclusion of entries from 

Marshall’s journals and passages from her 

books, Kathy McReynolds shows us Marshall’s 

journeys through grief. At the center of all 

Marshall’s endeavors, God was there. Realizing 

that understanding was not hers to have, the 

sovereignty of God became a major cornerstone 

of her faith. 


YOUNG ADULT 

NONFICTION 

Fanny Crosby 

Bonnie Harvey explores the motivations of 

hymn writer and evangelist, Fanny Crosby. 

Blind from infancy, Crosby is remembered for 

her many hymns, including “Blessed 

Assurance.” She memorized the Bible, so she 

could “read” Scripture whenever she desired. 

Crosby considered a hymn to be “a song of the 

heart addressed to God.” Her hymns spoke to 

the hearts of those who sang them. 

These books in Bethany’s Women of Faith 

series introduce or reacquaint the reader with 

women of intense faith and bold belief in prayer. 

Johnson, McReynolds, and Harvey write with 

clarity and evidence of research, bringing the 

legacies of these women of faith alive for the 

reader. This series offers adult and young adult 

readers an opportunity to identify with these 

women’s consequences and difficulties of life 

and gain encouragement and direction from how 

they found victory with God’s guidance. 

Jo Huddleston 

Freelance Writer, Author, Former Teacher 

Auburn, Alabama 

John Glenn, by Tom Streissguth. (A&E 

Biography.) LCCN 99010832. Minneapolis: 

Lerner Publications, 1999. ISBN 

0822549476, HBB, $18.95. 

921 (973.92). Glenn, John, 1921-; Legislators; 

Astronauts. 112 p. Gr. 6 - 12. 

Arthur Ashe, by Caroline Lazo. (A&E 



0822549328, HBB, $18.95. 

921 (796.342). Ashe, Arthur; Tennis players; Afro- 

Americans--Biography; Discrimination in sports. 128 

p. Gr. 6 - 12. 

Jesse Owens, by Tom Streissguth. (A&E 



0822549409, HBB, $18.95. 

921 (796.42). Owens, Jesse, 1913-; Track and field 

athletes; Afro-Americans--Biography. 112 p. Gr. 6 - 

12. 

The A&E Biography Series by Lerner 

Publications would be a definite addition to any 

school library. These informative volumes are 

filled with actual photographs of the individual 

being highlighted. Each volume ends with a list 

of sources that were quoted, a bibliography for 

further reading, and an index. The wide margins 

make this attractive to reluctant readers as well 

as fun reading for anyone interested in the 

person being spot lighted. Reading these books 

is an easy way to learn about history. 

Caroline Lazo tells about the challenges faced 

by Arthur Ashe as he tries to break into the white 

man’s game of tennis. Ashe came from 

ancestors who were slaves, and lived at a time 

when discrimination against blacks was a daily 

part of life. His determination to succeed and 

the positive attitude he was able to maintain 

despite the prejudice he faced make him an 

inspiration. He made a mark as the first African 

American male tennis player to be ranking 

number one in the world. 

Tom Streissguth’s story of John Glenn 

chronicles his personal experiences in the space 

program through his latest trip to space in 1998. 

It tells of his time with the Marines during World 

War II and his continued experiences during the 

Cold War. The chapters about his time in the 

space program give many personal details as 

well as giving an overview of the space race 

with the Soviets. The final chapters cover 

Glenn’s career in politics and end with his return 

to space in 1998. 

The Jesse Owens story by Tom Streissguth 

parallels the rise of his stardom with the growing 

Nazi regime. Growing up in Alabama as the son 

of a sharecropper, Owens became known as the 

“world’s fastest human” as he participated in the 

1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany. Streissguth 

tells of his personal and family struggles as well 

as the civil rights movement of the 60’s. While 

his personal life is not a great role model, the 

feats he accomplished and his determination to 

never quit make this an informative worthwhile 

book. 

Esther Knaupp 

Librarian 


★ 

Streets of Gold, by Rosemary Wells; pictures 

by Dan Andreasen. LCCN 97050377. New 

York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 


HBB, $15.99. 

921 (973). Antin, Mary, 1881-1949; Jews--United 

States--Biography; Jews--Soviet Union--Biography; 

Immigrants--United States. 39 p. Gr. 5 - 9. 

Twelve year old Mary Antin, along with her 

family, traveled from Russia hoping to begin a 

better life in the United States. The year was 

1894, and the Antins were Russian Jews who 

had escaped the hardships of religious 

persecution. 

As a young child, Mary wrote a long letter to 

relatives left behind in Russia, and shared details 

of their new life—the successes, the struggles, 

the joys and the tears. Years later, Mary 

enlarged on that first long letter to write a book 

of her experience as a young Russian girl, living 

under the hardships imposed upon Jews in 

Russia, to a young immigrant building a life in 

Boston. Her book, The Promised Land, serves 

as the basis for author Rosemary Wells’ book, 

Streets of Gold. Ms. Wells has taken Mary’s 

story and adapted it into a shorter version for 

today’s young readers. Streets of Gold is 

presented in an episode format, so each page 

represents snippets from Mary’s young life. At 

the same time, words from Mary’s original book 

are included on each page so readers have the 

opportunity to read Ms. Well’s adaptation while 

also reading Mary’s prose. 

The illustrations, by Dan Andreasen, are warm 

and engaging and provide a pictorial journal of 

Mary’s life. Streets of Gold is a must read for 

anyone who wants to understand religious 

persecution and immigration through a child’s 

eyes. 

Debby Willett 

Elementary Teacher 

Canyon, Texas 

William Bradford : Plymouth’s Faithful 

Pilgrim, by Gary D. Schmidt. LCCN 

97044477. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Books 

for Young Readers, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1999. 

ISBN 0802851517, HBB, $18.00. 

921 (974.4). Bradford, William, 1588-1657; Pilgrims 

(New Plymouth Colony)--Biography; Massachusetts-- 

History--New Plymouth, 1620-1691; Plymouth 

(Mass.)--Biography. 200 p. Gr. 7 - 10. 

Like most Americans, I thought I knew the story 

of the Pilgrims. They came to America on the 

Mayflower in search of religious freedom, 

landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, struggled 

through the winter, made friends with the 

Indians, and celebrated the first Thanksgiving. 

Reading William Bradford: Plymouth’s Faithful 

Pilgrim reminded me that the simplified 

summaries we learn may be essentially factual, 

but leave out most of the real truth of history. 

Gary D. Schmidt has written an insightful 

biography of William Bradford that looks for the 

reasons behind the historical events. In telling 

Bradford’s story, Schmidt quotes often from Of 

Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647, Bradford’s 

own record of the Plymouth settlement. The 

result is a historical account of the Pilgrims, 

primarily as seen through the eyes of William 

Bradford. Schmidt emphasizes the religious 

faith that drove Bradford and his fellow 

pilgrims, giving them strength to continue with 

unusual integrity through many difficult 

circumstances. 

This book is valuable as a balanced picture of a 

person who strove to live out his faith through 

difficult times. One senses the author is really 

trying to bring out the meaning of what 

happened. While Bradford emerges as an 

exemplary figure, he is neither idolized nor 

demonized. Bradford was a person who 

suffered many tragedies in his life. He was 

drawn to the radical faith of the Separatists early 

in life, and remained true. He became a highly 

respected man of good judgment, but Schmidt 

makes no attempt to make him into a superhero 

who always knew best. Bradford was a person 

who learned—who reevaluated and made 

changes, always seeking to follow God. The 

book is attractively illustrated with black and 

white photos, drawings, and maps. It includes a 

helpful annotated reading list and a complete 

index. 




YOUNG ADULT 

NONFICTION 


Princess Ka’iulani : Hope of a Nation, Heart 

of a People, by Sharon Linnéa. LCCN 

970014260. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Books 

for Young Readers, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1999. 

ISBN 0802851452, HBB, $18.00. 

921 (996.9). Kaiulani, Princess of Hawaii, 1875- 

1899; Princesses--Biography; Hawaii--History. 234 p. 

Gr. 5 - 9. 

Princess Ka’iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of 

a People takes a fascinating look at one of the 

most beloved figures in Hawaii’s history. 

Ka’iulani, the last crown princess of Hawaii, 

was a beautiful young woman who fought to 

save her homeland. Born in 1875 to Princess 

Likelike and her Scottish husband, Archibald 

Cleghorn, Ka’iulani’s early life was one of 

privilege and freedom. She counted Robert 

Louis Stevenson as one of her special friends. 

After her mother’s death in 1888, Ka’iulani was 

educated in England. Around this time United 

States advocates for expansionism began to 

express interest in the independent island nation. 

Ka’iulani’s life changed dramatically in 1892 

when the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown 

and an acting president appointed. She 

journeyed to the United States in hopes of 

persuading the government to allow her country 

to remain independent. While well-received, 

the actions of her aunt, Queen Lili’uokalani 

undermined much of the work she did. In 1898 

Hawaii was annexed by the United States, and 

less than a year later, at age twenty-three, 

Ka’iulani died of inflammatory rheumatism 

which attacked her heart. 

Sharon Linnea’s book gives an insight into 19th 

century politics and society, as well as the 

United States’ struggle to annex Hawaii. While 

written for younger readers, adults will find the 

book enjoyable, too. Newly translated journal 

entries and letters, as well as many black and 

white photos poignantly relate the life of this 

overlooked Christian heroine. 




The Double V Campaign : African Americans 

and World War II, by Michael L. Cooper. 

LCCN 97028229. New York: 

Lodestar/Dutton, Penguin Putnam, 1998. 

ISBN 0525675620, HBB, $16.99. 

940.54. World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Afro- 

American; United States--Armed Forces--Afro- 

Americans; Afro-Americans--Segregation; Racism; 

United States--Race relations. 86 p. Gr. 5 - 9. 

The “Double V” or double victory campaign 

was the label given by the Pittsburgh Courier to 

a fight for racial equality abroad and at home 

from 1940-1945. It refers to the African 

Americans who joined the armed forces to 

demonstrate they, too, were responsible as well 

as brave citizens. The volunteers fought for the 

ideals of freedom in Europe to which the 

country was committed, but they were also 

fighting for equal rights, responsibilities, and 

opportunities at home and on the battlefield. 

This volume centers on firsts related to equality 

issues achieved by blacks both places during 

World War II. It includes the issuing of 

Executive Order 8802 which established the 

Fair Employment Practices Commission, and 

highlights firsts throughout the war in the 

Pacific and in Europe including fights for officer 

equality on the battlefield, participation of black 

units in specific battles, and recently achieved 

recognition of seven black Medal of Honor 

recipients by President Clinton. A photo gallery 

of black participation during the war years, a 

significant events list, bibliography and index 

are included at he end of the text. 




Supervisor 


Africans in America : The Spread of People 

and Culture, by Catherine Reef. (Library of 

African-American History.) LCCN 

98011793. New York: Facts on File, 1999. 

ISBN 0816037728, HBB, $19.95. 

970. Africans--America--History; America-- 

Civilization--African influences; African diaspora; 

Africa--Emigration and immigration. 136 p. Gr. 8 - 

Adult. 

As part of the Library of African-American 

History series, Catherine Reef gives a detailed 

look at both the culture and the history of the 

African people, as they adapted to their New 

World surroundings. For a slim volume (a little 

over 130 pages), the subject is well-covered. 

The addition of illustrations, sidebars, 

photographs, and quotes give depth and fullness 

to the subject at hand. The book moves from the 

beginnings of the slave movement, touching 

briefly on other countries where slave-holding 

was practiced, and interjects cultural aspects 

along its progression to the present day. 

There is a diversity of subjects covered, such as 

How the Slave Trade Changed Africa; Slave 

Culture in the United States; and the African 

Burial Ground. There is some coverage of 

African influence in the arts from its continental 

roots to its place in modern society, and 

religious practices. There is mention of voodoo 

practices; however, the influence of Christianity 

is given greater coverage. 

This book makes for a good starting point for indepth 

study into any one of the given subject 

areas. There are numerous notes and an 

impressive section of suggested further 

readings. With a growing interest in multicultural 

backgrounds this is a welcome addition 

for middle school and high school students, 

although use in the upper elementary would also 

be beneficial for students. 

Pam Webb 




BOOK REVIEWS 

ADULT FICTION 

Sacred Trust, by Hannah Alexander. LCCN 



0764222422, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Emergency medicine--Fiction; Christian life-- 

Fiction. 345 p. Adult. 

Sacred Trust is a story abut a young Christian 

doctor, Dr. Lukas Bower, who often finds 

himself at odds with hospital administration 

because of his moral and ethical standards. 

After only his first week as the new full-time 

doctor in a small-town ER units, he has already 

made several enemies. The ER chief, Dr. 

George, doesn’t want a full time ER doctor on 

staff. He will do anything to get rid of him. Ivy 

Richmond, a wealthy supporter of the hospital, 

blames him for the death of her mother, a cancer 

patient who died in the ER. Dr. Bower makes an 

enemy of Dwayne Little when he refuses to 

provide medication for his drug habit. Mr. 

Little’s father is the most influential member of 

the hospital’s Board of Directors. Hospital staff 

members, afraid to lose their own jobs, have a 

difficult time supporting Dr. Bower’s medical 

decisions. His only ally seems to be Dr. Mercy 

Richmond—Ivy Richmond’s daughter. But she 

has her own problems. Struggling to rebuild her 

practice and her reputation after a bitter divorce 

five years ago, she now must find the courage to 

put herself and her daughter, Tedi, through 

another court battle to regain custody. Tedi’s 

father is an alcoholic whose problem is getting 

steadily worse. Mercy fears Tedi may be in 

danger. 

Sacred Trust is an exciting, suspenseful book 

that is difficult to put down. The fast-paced 

action of an ER, though difficult to describe in 

written form, is handled believably by the 

author. Hannah King creatively weaves 

together Dr. Bower’s story and the stories of his 

patients, many of whom are carried through to 

the end of the book. 

Robyn Wyatt 


Port Orchard, Washington 

★ 

Eve’s Daughters, by Lynn N. Austin. LCCN 



0764221957, PAP, $10.00. 

F. Christian fiction. 428 p. Adult. 

Eve’s Daughters in one of the best novels I’ve 

read this year. It is an excellent story about 

secrets, lies, and choices. It is also about the 

importance of Christian heritage. The story 

follows four generations and clearly shows how 

their personal decisions affects the generations 

that follow. Emma, the present grandmother, 

has carried a secret her entire life. This secret, 

which she so diligently has safeguarded, 

threatens to destroy her relationship with her 

daughter, Grace. But, only by revealing the 

truth, can her granddaughter Sue learn the 

importance of resolving the conflicts of her own 

marriage. Eve’s Daughters is a powerful story 

that speaks to a woman’s heart. It contains 

truths applicable to our lives and also grips the 

A Note from the Editor: by Mary McKinney 

“You can’t 

judge a book 

by its cover.” 

This cliché has 

challenged me of 

late through the inspiration of my husband, 

Jim. He works with junior high students, 

and encourages them not to go after a flashy 

cover or title, but to find the worth of a 

book in an interesting way. Each student 

has to find a quotable quote, or at least, a 

valuable and succinct lesson learned from 

the story line. 

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of 

times.” This familiar quote from A Tale of 

Two Cities has become its trademark. As 

we look back into history, we have to admit 

that timeless quotes have often come from 

the written word. “The rosy finger of dawn 

... ” has been with us in print since Homer’s 

classic, The Odyssey, was penned. 

I challenge you, as a reader, to view your 

next book as a possible source for imparting 

worthwhile information to others. Is there a 

phrase or idea that is worth quoting? Find 

something credible to discuss with a friend. 

An example of a timeless theme occurs in 

Frank Peretti’s books, This Present 

Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. A 

recurring phrase, maybe not earth shattering, 

but maybe so, is “Let’s pray ... ” I 

recommend these books because the main 

point I reaped was that there is power in 

prayer. This is certainly a worthy point to 

be made, and one, I’m sure, that has 

encouraged many readers to pass the novels 

on to others. The more recent Left Behind 

series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins 

alerts the reader to the critical subject of 

being spiritually ready to meet the Lord— 

another meritorious theme! 

Here’s an experiment—shut the book you’re 

reading, and see if you can find a concise 

way to express the value of its pages. The 

market is glutted with books, so let’s be 

encouraged to find those that can lift the 

imagination and the heart. This search for 

quotations has enhanced both the way I read 

a book, and my whole approach to writing. 

To end this with a bit of humor, here is a 

fairly unknown quote that lost something in 

the wording, although the meaning is clear 

enough. Completing the above quoted 

statement from Dickens’ ATale of Two 

Cities, it ends: “ ... we were all going direct 

to Heaven, we were all going direct the 

other way.” Not much punch, but the point 

is made! 


ADULT 

FICTION 

heart of any reader who happens to be an 

“incurable romantic,” such as myself. 

Lynn Austin does an excellent job in telling how 

our lives get busy and we lose focus on God and 

on what is really important. She also talks about 

compromise in marriage and open 

communication—even when it seems like it’s 

too late. Her characters are interesting and have 

depth. The novel contains material involving 

pre-marital sex and physical abuse. The only 

negative I found was that the book cover does 

not entice the reader, and in fact, I shied away 

from reading it because of it. 

Tammy D. Williams 



The Lazarus Project : A Novel, by John Bayer. 

LCCN 98049223. Nashville: Broadman & 

Holman, 1999. ISBN 0805401725, PAP, 

$12.99. 

F. Genetic engineering--Fiction; Nazis--Fiction. 353 

p. Adult. 

Forced to land a small Cessna 185 in the middle 

of a snow-covered pasture during a blizzard is 

heart-stopping to David Michaels, flight trainee 

and pastor of a local church. To add to the 

suspense, the “pasture” turns out to be a wellhidden 

airstrip that leads to a mysterious 

“hospital” performing illegal genetic 

engineering. Michaels discovers a devious plan 

to produce a genetically superior race which had 

once been thwarted when Hitler lost in World 

War II, but now has been resurrected in several 

discreet places within the United States. The 

project is known as “MOMS,” (Mid-south 

Obstetrical Management Systems). 

A young girl name Gaby, kidnapped and now 

used in experiments to produce top-caliber 

offspring, escapes the high-security complex by 

running for her life through the frozen terrain. 

She discovers the grounded plane and stows 

away in its belly. David Michaels, and his flight 

trainer, Dean Barber, discover the half-frozen 

girl, and find themselves caught in the middle of 

the dangerous, corrupt power players. Ethical 

choices must be made and a strong reliance on 

God becomes the critical factor in survival or 

annihilation. 

But what is behind the power and uncanny 

intelligence of this organization? David finds 

that his faith is being challenged as he faces a 

most devious, evil entity known only as Damon. 

Can the simple act of prayer undermine this evil 

being and the many pawns he uses to 

accomplish his depraved goals? 

John Bayer writes a chilling, action-packed 

adventure with a plausible storyline and 

characters that are appealing and enjoyable to 

follow. It is fast-paced and offers an excellent 

message, “Where evil does abound, grace does 

so much more abound,” if Christians are willing 

to listen and obey the Lord’s command to pray 

at all times. 

Mary McKinney 

Editor, Author, Teacher 


A Son Comes Home, by Joseph Bentz. LCCN 



0764222074, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Grief--Fiction; Family life--Fiction; Christian life-- 

Fiction. 319 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

This is a courageous story about a young college 

age man, Chris, who leaves home after his 

brother’s death. He leaves believing that he is 

somewhat responsible and believing that his 

father wishes that he would have died instead. 

This story is interesting in that it explores 

common reactions to death and mourning from 

a man’s perspective. It also is written in “first 

person” by a number of characters, so the reader 

can easily identify with each major character in 

the story. This is a story of reconciliation, strong 

family ties, and the power of love. 

Joseph Bentz tackles some very delicate topics 

that many writers might avoid. And, he does so 

in a very compelling manner, so that the reader 

eagerly awaits the coming reconciliation of the 

entire family. I found it interesting and realistic, 

and it contains good lessons for teens and adults 

alike. Pre-marital sex and teen pregnancy is in 

the story line, but presented in a discreet way 

that clearly show the consequences of such 

actions. 




Deep Harbor, by Lisa Tawn Bergren. 

(Northern Lights; 2.) Colorado Springs: 

WaterBrook Press, 1999. ISBN 1578560454, 

PAP, $10.95. 

F. Christian life--Fiction. 363 p. Adult. 

Deep Harbor, Book 2 of the Northern Lights 

series, chronicles the experiences of a group of 

Norwegian immigrants to the US. Peder and 

Elsa Ramstad own a logging company and a 

shipping line. Trent Storm builds a string of 

hotels and roadhouses across the West. Tora 

Anders manages them until she loses his trust. 

Kaatje Janssen struggles to raise her husband 

Soren’s two daughters and farm their land 

during Soren’s long absence. Karl Martens 

seeks direction in his life after his betrayal of his 

best friend, Peder Ramstad. 

Though many subplots intertwine, the story 

lacks depth and authenticity. For example, Elsa 

not only helps her husband run two very large 

and successful enterprises, she is also a 

newspaper columnist known as the Heroine of 

the Horn who thrills readers across America 

with tales of her adventures on the high seas. 

After her husband’s death and four weeks after 

the birth of their second child, she takes over as 

captain of a ship with barely a raised eyebrow 

from the crew—and this is 1887. It’s hard to 

suspend disbelief and be engaged in the story 

when it doesn’t ring true. 

Most of the book is taken up with characters 

thinking about their pasts or their feelings, or 

talking about their pasts or their feelings. Those 

parts plod along. However, when Ms. Bergren 

actually gets around to telling her story through 

action, such as the pirate Mason Dutton’s 

kidnapping of Elsa, words and pages disappear 

and the reader is drawn into the scene. 

Andrea R. Huelsenbeck 


Tempe, Arizona 

The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark, by Lawanna 

Blackwell. (The Gresham Chronicles; 3.) 



ISBN 0764221493, PAP, $11.99. 

F. . 398 p. Adult. 

Lydia Clark, a single teacher in the 19th century 

English village of Gresham, has resigned herself 

to a life without a mate, when to her surprise she 

suddenly has two men attempting to court her. 

Unfortunately, neither possess the qualities that 

she feels are important in a husband. She must 

turn aside, believing her opportunities for love 

and matrimony are negligible. Surprises and 

happiness do await her. Rebuffed in romance 

and life, Noelle Somerville finds refuge at 

Larkspur Inn. She discovers new values and 

purpose for living and a romance she never 

dreamed possible. God acts to change her life in 

wonderful ways. The lives of the villagers of 

this small town are woven together to draw one 

into this romantic tale. God and his servants act 

to bring meaning and richness to the drama 

played out here. 

The third book in this series by Lawanna 

Blackwell, this volume seemed to lack the 

clarity and focus of plot that the two previous 

books had. Blackwell does continue to present 

a clear Christian message in this chronicle of 

Gresham, but there is not the dynamic action 

and strong characters to keep the story moving 

forward as was evident in her earlier novels. 

Mary E. Jarvis 

Retired Teacher and Writer 

Pawhuska, Oklahoma 

Beneath a Dakota Cross, by Stephan Bly. 

(Fortunes of the Black Hills; 1.) LCCN 

99018878. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 

1999. ISBN 0805416595, PAP, $12.99. 

F. South Dakota--History--Fiction; Black Hills (S.D.)- 

-History--Fiction. 212 p. Adult. 

After his Texas ranch is illegally taken over by 

squatters during the Civil War, Brazos Fortune is 

unable to get justice served, so he leaves his 

daughter Dacee June with his sister-in-law and 


ADULT 

FICTION 

heads north to start a new life. After dreaming 

about a cross that he believes to be a sign from 

God, Brazos is confident that the Lord will 

guide him to a place to call home. Brazos joins 

three men headed to the Sioux Indian 

reservation in the Black Hills of Dakota, in 

search of gold. Coincidentally, one of the men 

has a map to a hidden gold strike marked by a 

cross. Brazos wonders if he will find both his 

fortune and his home under this cross. 

Burdened with the loss of his wife and two 

daughters to illness, and the loss of one of his 

sons to a renegade lifestyle, Brazos struggles to 

eke out an existence panning for gold along 

Lightning Creek. He and his friends are 

unsuccessful in their attempt to find the gold 

strike marked on the map. When the army 

clears the Black Hills of anyone mining in Sioux 

Indian territory, Brazos stays behind to care for 

Hook, fatally wounded by his old enemy Doc 

Kabos, who attempted to steal the gold map. 

Hook’s death takes longer than expected, and 

when Brazos doesn’t show up at a pre-arranged 

meeting point, his buddies come back for him. 

Together they wander the Black Hills, trying to 

avoid the angry Sioux, and find their way out of 

the mountains. They stumble onto another 

mining operation deep in the hills that the army 

doesn’t know about. They stake their claim in 

Deadwood Gulch and become quite successful 

in their operation. 

When Brazos makes a run to Bismark for winter 

supplies, he discovers that Dacee June has run 

away from her aunt, apparently in an attempt to 

find him in the Black Hills. Brazos is reunited 

with his military son, Robert; the two of them 

track down Dacee in the Black Hills, saving her 

and her companions from an Indian attack and a 

severe snowstorm. Brazos is reunited with 

another son, Todd, at Christmas, when they have 

a second run-in with Doc Kabos, who attempts 

to get the gold map once again. Finally, when 

Doc Kabos finds the gold strike without the map 

and holds Dacee June hostage until Brazos 

retrieves the gold for him, a friend gives his life 

to save Brazos and Dacee. 

Grateful for the strong friendships he’s forged, 

Brazos settles down more permanently in 

Deadwood, becoming a store owner, and 

watching the little mining town grow. Happily 

surrounded by all of his family except his 

renegade son Sam, Brazos begins to wonder 

where exactly the Lord planned for him to live. 

He has yet to find the “cross” that would mark 

his new ranch, and this mining town is not what 

he had in mind as a permanent home. Brazos 

finally comes to the realization that he can live 

anywhere. The cross of Jesus is the only cross 

that matters, and he already lives under it. 

Beneath a Dakota Cross, by Stephen Bly, is the 

first of six books in the Fortunes of the Black 

Hills series. This slim volume makes for a quick 

read, although the story tends to wander, as 

Brazos does in search of his land. The story is 

told primarily through Brazos’ eyes, and readers 

will relate to his spiritual search that parallels his 

physical search for a home. Although many of 

Bly’s stories tend to be rather humorous in 

nature, this book takes a more serious, 

introspective approach, which sets the tone for 

the struggles Brazos must face, and the 

challenges he must overcome internally, as well 

as externally. 

Sherri Beeler 

Teacher, Cascade Christian High School 

Medford, Oregon 

The Last Swan in Sacramento, by Stephen 

Bly. (Old California; 2.) LCCN 99021425. 

Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, Good News 


$10.99. 

F. California--History--Fiction. 221 p. Gr. 10 - 

Adult. 

The Last Swan in Sacramento is the second 

novel in Stephen Bly’s Old California series. 

This is the story of Martina Swan, the daughter 

of Wilson and Alena Merced. Martina married 

William Swan with the dream of wedded bliss 

and independence from her parents. Instead she 

is left with a baby to raise and a struggling store 

to run when her husband seeks prosperity in a 

Nevada silver mine. 

Martina must decide which is more important: 

her own pride or finding her husband and doing 

whatever she can to save her marriage. Martina 

shows determination and strength through one 

adventure after another. She is able to save her 

store from foreclosure, fight bank robbers, 

travel to Nevada by stagecoach, and rescue her 

husband from a dangerous Indian woman. In 

the end, she learns the value of obedience to 

God and faithfulness to her marriage. 




Synthesis, by C.A. Curtis. Mill Creek, 

Wash.: Reality Publishing, 2000. ISBN 

0967446104, PAP, $14.99. 

F. Science fiction. 353 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

Computerized surrogate parenting is the topic of 

C.A. Curtis’s new fiction novel Synthesis. 

Although comparable to Huxley’s classic, Brave 

New World, Curtis introduces God into the 

equation, calling him Maker. 

Synthesis’ locale, the Pacific Northwest, is 

described with picturesque descriptive phrases. 

The plot involves selected pre-screened children 

who are removed from their parents at age five 

and taken to the San Juan Academy. There, 

children soon forget their parents as they are 

taught oneness, unity over individuality, and 

meditation whenever they are troubled. 

David Winston, raised in the Academy, now 

prepares to graduate. Facilitator Hegelthor, 

mentor and father figure to all children in the 

Academy, has a particular interest in Winston. 

Hegelthor groomed Winston to become the 

Youth Facilitator who “will ensure the 

implementation of our programs in all learning 

centers.” 

Hegelthor developed the Profile Tracking 

System that embraces genetic determinism, 

spiritual essence, intellectuality capacity, and 

emotional integrity. It predetermines and 

designs, “Individualized Educational Tracks for 

students.” Each track reflects Synthesis’ goal for 

students and guides “the student to the most 

appropriate track.” 

Using philosophies of Freud, Skinner, and 

humanistic psychology, the novel leads to a 

surprising conclusion, while exposing that 

humans are still motivated by sins of greed, 

power and lust. 

Curtis has written an ambitious novel that 

parallels events and decisions within our current 

educational system. She illustrates sin can’t be 

meditated away, that truth is the way to God, 

while advocating freedom of choice. Curtis 

leaves the reader with hope for the future. 

Gail Welborn 



The Judas Tree, by D. J. Delffs. (Father Grif 

Mysteries; 2.) LCCN 99006402. 



PAP, $9.99. 

F. Mystery fiction; Amish--Fiction; Christian life-- 

Fiction. 319 p. Adult. 

This is the second book about Father Griffin 

Reed, the Episcopal priest at a large cathedrallike 

church on the campus of Avenell University 

nestled in the mountains of Tennessee. Father 

Griff’s friend, Dr. Simon Hosteller, a professor 

of cultural anthropology at Penn State 

University, is found hanging from an oak tree. 

The tree had a notorious past from the Civil War 

days when it was labeled the “Judas Tree.” 

Professor Hostettler had been researching a 

nearby Amish settlement. Hosteller’s 

connection to the Amish is ominous. Fr. Griff’s 

assistant priest is in love with an Amish girl. 

Neighbors of the Amish have designs on Amish 

land and the nearby Air Force base has wanted 

to expand its boundaries onto Amish lands. 

There are plenty of suspects to go around. 

Delffs once again spins a charming tale of 

Avenell and its denizens. His portrait of the 

Amish is sensitive and welcome. Father Griff 

and his parishioners are a wonderful 

conglomerate of faithful Christians. The story is 

suspensefully sinister and will hold the reader 

eagerly till the very last page. However, I found 

Delff’s plot concerning the military involvement 

somewhat improbable. Not that the military is 

at all free of intrigue, subterfuge, and personal 

self-aggrandizement, but that his knowledge of 

military life seemed a bit thin. 


ADULT 

FICTION 

The book as a whole is entertaining and opens a 

window upon the dynamic character of Amish 

life and the ever present danger of sin in all our 

lives. I enjoy D.J. Delffs’ books and hope to 

read many more about Father Griff in Avenell. 

Mike B. Jarvis 

Episcopal Priest 


Where Angels Dare, by Roger Elwood. 

(Angelwalk Series.) LCCN 98048385. 

Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999. 

ISBN 0805418776, PAP, $12.99. 

F. Angels--Fiction. 183 p. Adult. 

This fifth in the series of Angelwalk books takes 

the reader to one of the gambling capitols of 

America, Atlantic City. Where Angels Dare 

focuses on two “unfallen” angels, Darien and 

Stedfast. The bulk of the novel is told from the 

angels’ perspective, and much is told in 

flashback. The main thrust is to trace the history 

of gambling and the many ills it brings, as well 

as to follow the few people willing to resist and 

fight against the establishing of gambling in 

their area. 

This is a tell-not-show type of narrative, 

reflective and historical in its content. This style 

lends itself to a rather static story line; the reader 

is not given fleshed-out characters, but rather 

small glimpses of a few “victims” of the evil 

brought to Atlantic City. The main characters, 

the two angels, basically reminisce about the 

evils of gambling, abortion, and other human 

ills. The human characters, especially Brett and 

Molly Erlandson, also reflect on past decisions 

and life choices, pondering if they had made 

right choices that brought them to this point in 

time—to fight legalizing gambling in Atlantic 

City. Some action is taken in their stand against 

these evils, and they remain sensitive to the 

angels gentle suggestions directed by the Lord. 

There is value in understanding that the Lord 

can speak in a still, small voice and we must be 

listening and obedient to his promptings. The 

idea that sometimes we shouldn’t stay and fight 

a losing battle, but instead brush the dust off our 

feet and move on is a valuable lesson. 

Mary McKinney 



Passing by Samaria, by Sharon Ewell Foster. 

LCCN 99053211. Sisters, Ore.: Alabaster 

Books, Multnomah Publishers, 2000. ISBN 

1576736156, PAP, $11.99. 

F. Afro-American women--Illinois--Chicago--Fiction; 

Afro-Americans--Mississippi--Fiction; Chicago (Ill.)-- 

Fiction; Mississippi--Fiction. 382 p. Gr. 9 - Adult. 

The year is 1919 and at eighteen, Alena is 

content in her small-town Mississippi 

community, where she waits for her childhood 

friend, J.C., to return from fighting in World War 

I. Her life is shattered when she discovers J.C.’s 

body hanging from a tree, his war medals ripped 

off, and his body charred. When Alana’s rage 

prompts her to speak up at his funeral, her wise 

parents silence her. They know she must 

quickly leave town before she brings more 

trouble to herself and the community. Alena is 

angry, and she leaves in stony silence. Chicago 

brings Alena into the loving arms of her Aunt 

Patrice, who runs the Bread of Life Mission. 

Alena helps at the mission but still clings to her 

wall of anger. This anger colors her 

relationships with James, the wise and gentle 

young major who recently returned from the 

war, Dinah and Jonathan, who remind her of the 

blond-haired people who killed J.C., and Pearl, 

the wily dandy who tries to lure her away. 

Passing by Samaria is Sharon Ewell Foster’s 

first novel, and she writes with great warmth and 

insight. Although preachy at times, the book 

provides insight into the depth and power of the 

African-American Christian faith. Foster boldly 

exposes racial hatred in all its ugliness and 

shame. Yet she manages to do it with love and 

compassion. She shows how Christians have 

used the Bible to divide and justify racial hatred 

as well as how the Christian message teaches 

love that forgives all. Foster creates believable 

characters who must choose how to respond to 

the hatred and injustice that permeates their 

culture. Her insight into the hearts of people 

who have learned to forgive the unforgivable is 

powerful. Foster has a strong voice, and she 

makes an important contribution to Christian 

fiction. 




The Spring of Our Exile, by Robert 

Funderburk. (A Dylan St. John Novel.) 



PAP, $8.99. 

F. Louisiana--Fiction. Adult. 

The Spring of our Exile is a novel about how 

God can change a man’s life and give him a new 

purpose. Dylan St. John, a police officer, lives 

in Southern Louisiana with his wife, Susan, and 

their daughter, Erin. Having moved here from 

New Orleans, Dylan expects a quiet and 

peaceful environment in which to raise his 

family. He also left behind a much different life 

in New Orleans—one he has no desire to return 

to. But, he discovers that crime, betrayal, and 

deceit seems to be everywhere. After running 

into an old classmate, Becky, during a police 

call, Dylan finds that all that he holds dear is 

threatened. When he awakes in jail, charged 

with drug possession and having been found in 

Becky’s bed, his world seems to have fallen 

apart. Will Susan believe him, or think he has 

not truly changed? Will his boss Emile desert 

him too? 

This is a story about God’s changing power, 

temptation, and trust. It’s about a man whose 

reputation is seriously threatened, and about the 

family and friends who stand by him and believe 

in him. “A good name is more desirable than 

great riches.” Proverbs 22:1. The novel 

contains adult themes such as potential marital 

unfaithfulness, drug activity, etc. Even though 

The Spring of our Exile is number four in the 

series, it is not difficult to follow. But it would 

make the story more satisfying knowing further 

details contained in the rest of the series. 




Vanished, by Alton Gansky. (J.D. Stanton 

mysteries; 2.) LCCN 99039342. Grand 

Rapids: Zondervan, 2000. ISBN 

0310220033, PAP, $12.99. 

F. Mystery fiction; Christian fiction. 365 p. Adult. 

1500 people have disappeared from Roanoke II, 

a military installation conducting top secret 

research. J.D. Stanton, a retired navy captain, is 

called upon to solve the mystery and rectify the 

event, if possible. What he discovers is a 

research project tampering with opening doors 

to other dimensions that has gone awry—and 

worse yet, might eventually lead to opening the 

door to hell itself. 

This project is fiercely protected by the United 

States president, unbeknownst to his 

constituents. He initiates a “black operations” 

cover-up, which pits Stanton, a young boy, a 

crazy woman, and a handful of military men 

against these ruthless and highly trained killers. 

Stanton succeeds in destroying the project that 

would perhaps do untold damage to the world if 

it were pursued, while saving his small team 

through prayer and an incredible leap of faith 

that ultimately restores the 1500 scientists and 

their families who had disappeared. 

Just like the first book in the J.D. Stanton series, 

Alton Ganksy’s Vanished is a great science 

fiction adventure that is suspenseful, intriguing, 

and believable, even though it deals with other 

worlds and dimensions. The book is based on 

current scientific thought, which is explained in 

simple terms for the average reader. Gansky’s 

fascinating blend of science fiction and scripture 

makes for a mind-stretching book; one can no 

longer think of heaven and hell, or the beings 

that inhabit such places, in the same old way. 

Readers so familiar with the scriptures that the 

accounts of miracles, appearances of angels, and 

descriptions of heaven seem somewhat routine 

and old hat will find that Gansky’s books will 

cause them to read of these events with new 

eyes and fresh consideration. 

Sherri Beeler 


Medford Oregon 


ADULT 

FICTION 

Front Porch Tales : A Treasury of Stories 

Filled with Wit and Wisdom, by Philip Gulley. 

LCCN 96044879. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah 


1576731235, PAP, $12.99. 

242.2. Gulley, Philip--Anecdotes; Christian life-- 

Anecdotes; Christian life--Quaker authors. 174 p. 

Adult. 

Home Town Tales : Recollections of Kindness, 

Peace, and Joy, by Philip Gulley. LCCN 

97044685. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah Books, 

Multnomah Publishers, 1998. ISBN 

1576732762, PAP, $12.99. 



Adult. 

For Everything a Season : Simple Musings on 

Living Well, by Philip Gulley. LCCN 



1576734048, PAP, $12.99. 



Adult. 

If you enjoy A Prairie Home Companion, 

chances are you will like Philip Gulley’s 

Keilloresque essays. The author writes with 

humor and affection about his home town of 

Danville, Indiana, and the surrounding area—of 

places and people, and of the lessons he has 

learned along the way. He regales the reader 

with stories of such mundane things as 

clotheslines and sewing machines, a D in 

geometry and his teen girlfriend, lemonade, the 

Ferris wheel, good shoes, and wooden screen 

doors that close with a whap. He muses that 

Paul and Silas were lucky to be in jail so they 

had an excuse not to attend the church’s 

rummage sale. 

Gulley extols Hardware Heaven, where you can 

buy one bolt and experience trust and 

fellowship, too. He remembers 1968 as the year 

his admired teacher, Sister Rosalie, “the first 

saint I ever met,” babysat for his family, and the 

kitchen blew up. And when he and his wife 

were swamped with advice on how to deal with 

a crying baby, he recalled that small doses of 

whiskey might prove effective. “So I tried it,” 

he writes,“ but it only made me lightheaded and 

woozy.” 

His father was a Baptist, his mother a Roman 

Catholic, and he is a Quaker minister, but this 

pacifist confesses that there was a time when he 

wished he were Baptist so he could punch a boss 

in the nose. 

These small books are great gift-giving size, 

quick reads of lively essays, most of them under 

a thousand words. They celebrate simplicity 

and fundamental values, and they relate 

everyday living to lessons of faith without being 

preachy or maudlin. 

Jeanette Hardage 



Secrets, by Robin Gunn Jones. (The 

Glenbrooke Series; 1.) LCCN 94043679. 

Sisters, Ore.: Palisades, Multnomah 


$10.99. 

F. Romance fiction. 263 p. Gr. 9 - Adult. 

Whispers, by Robin Gunn Jones. (The 

Glenbrooke Series; 2.) Sisters, Ore.: 

Palisades, Multnomah Publishers, 1999. 

ISBN 1576733270, PAP, $10.99. 


Echoes, by Robin Gunn Jones. (The 




$10.99. 

F. Love stories; Christian fiction. 276 p. Gr. 9 - 

Adult. 

Secrets, Whispers, and Echoes begin Robin 

Jones Gunn’s Glenbrooke Series. Because her 

three heroines enter into each other’s books, and 

the setting, Glenbrooke, Oregon, presents a 

home nest, the books gain greatly by being read 

in order. They can also be enjoyably read 

separately. The main characters in Gunn’s 

romances are in their middle twenties. They 

recognize the value of friendship, helping each 

other without interfering, chaste dating 

situations, saving sex for marriage, and not 

rushing into marriage. Up to date language, 

situations and mannerisms add to the stories 

without confusing the reader who might not 

identify with these. Fellowship around food is 

important and each story ends with a relevant 

recipe. After this comes an address and 

invitation to the reader to connect in friendship 

with Gunn. Written in a genre described by P. 

G. Wodehouse as “rich goo for the female 

trade,” this series stands out because of its 

excellent presentation of the great riches found 

in Jesus Christ. 

In Secrets, newcomer to Glenbrooke, Oregon, 

Jessica Morgan, has a secret and a scar and 

means to cope with both all by herself—even 

when it means going hungry for two weeks. 

However she has not reckoned with the happily 

extroverted Teri Moreno, nor the kind, 

empathetic, handsome, gently macho Kyle who 

comes to the rescue when she crashes her car. 

Teaching English to some wonderfully weird 

Christian teens, listening to Teri’s strong, 

friendly witnessing, coping with her increasing 

admiration for a very human, Christ-like Kyle, 

Jessica faces many challenges to her chosen 

world and her determinations. Not the least of 

which is: did those Dove Bars really come from 

God? A mission trip to Mexico and a near 

kidnapping settles many questions as Jessica 

surrenders to Christ. But the further question 

remains: can Kyle, who several years earlier 

capably faced the AIDS death of his fiance, 

forgive Jessica for her secret? 

Gunn’s humorous, sympathetic portrayal of her 

protagonists draws the reader into Secrets. A 

strong story line includes real problems, 

sometimes faced fumblingly, yet ultimately 

solved capably through Christian precepts. 

Several of the characters face personal conflict 

as they cope with colliding lifestyles. Gunn 

handles this believably. Adults and teenagers, 

rich and poor, various ethnic groups find 

common ground for friendship without 

sacrificing their individuality. Secrets’ storyline 

flows smoothly from scene to scene, providing 

enough tension to encourage reading. 

In Whispers, love is once again coming to one of 

Glenbrooke’s denizens. Who wouldn’t want to 

be in school-teacher Teri’s shoes: two guys of 

possible husband material, both causing 

fireworks with her emotions. What’s more, it’s 

all happening in Hawaii, where Teri has gone to 

visit her sister and brother-in-law. All Teri has to 

do is sort the real from the bogus Christian. And 

so the problems begin. Actually, they began a 

long time ago when Teri realized her thighs were 

too big and that the Lord wasn’t going to change 

them; but she sets that problem aside to cope 

with the man problem. Mark is easy to sort out, 

he’s not interested anymore. Scott’s still really, 

really, interested. He can hardly keep his hands 

off her. However, he assures Teri he is thinking 

about beginning to maybe come back to the 

Lord. Then there is the dark horse Gordon, in 

her mind not even counting as a third possibility. 

Admittedly he’s a Christian, a student-pastor, 

but he has such a loud laugh, and he is forever 

falling over something; besides he’s too old for 

her. So Teri puts him out of her thoughts. But 

he keeps showing up, as the pizza man, as the 

waiter who gives her the flower she vainly 

hinted to Scott to give her, as a fellow hiker and 

nature lover. Worse yet her mama and aunt 

think he is God’s gift for Teri. 

This next book in Gunn’s series is a humorous 

blast from beginning to end. Where else can 

you read about communion being served with 

crackers and orange juice gleaned from the 

congregations’ pockets because the pastor flung 

the bread and wine far and wide as he tripped 

over his own feet? It is also a sympathetic, 

engaging study into the wooing of a woman who 

thinks she might be getting past the 

marriageable stage. Filled with human foibles 

and God’s answers to them, Whispers is a ‘don’t 

disturb me while I’m reading’ book. The 

protagonist’s personalities convincingly play off 

each other. From Teri’s thighs to Gordon’s 

stumblings we enjoyably learn that God doesn’t 

expect us to be any different than how He 

designed us. Teri and the reader find out that 

kindness, Christian love, and the fireworks God 

has planned makes the most wondrous romance. 

In Echoes, ultra-slim, long-haired, blonde 

Lauren has just experienced the perm disaster to 

end all perm disasters. The only solution is to 

cut off all that frizzy dry hair. Then her 

absolutely perfect, God given fiance finds New 


ADULT 

FICTION 

York more attractive than Lauren and the 

engagement is broken. The combined efforts of 

her best friend, Mindy, a kitten to cuddle while 

she eats comfort food, her computer-hacker 

brother, and a return to school to get her 

teacher’s degree start Lauren on the road to 

recovery and a closer walk with her Lord. An e- 

mail correspondence with a man known only as 

KC encourages Lauren further. This grows into 

a romantic correspondence similar to that 

enjoyed by the poets Elizabeth Barrett and 

Robert Browning. When Lauren and KC decide 

to meet at KC’s chosen spot (which just happens 

to be near Glenbrooke, Oregon) much happens. 

Mindy warns Lauren of the horrific things that 

could happen through such a meeting. Lauren 

gets cold feet. KC just gets left out in the cold. 

In a denouement that draws in all our old 

Glenbrooke friends, Lauren and KC embark on 

a face-to-face friendship and romance. 

Diet Cokes, e-mail, nation-wide commuter 

travel, and computer caused headaches help 

make Echoes a contemporary romance. With 

biblically based behavior, broken hearts, 

friends’ quarrels and doubt driven rifts are 

healed. Deliberately choosing or not choosing 

to grow in Christian maturity plays a big part in 

this story. Because Lauren’s original fiancé 

liked ultra-slim women, while with him she kept 

herself very thin. During this story Lauren gains 

weight. Gunn presents this as acceptable and 

improving. The love story of Elizabeth Barrett 

and Robert Browning is an integral part of 

Echoes. Several of their love poems are 

included. Robin Jones Gunn includes a warning 

at the end of this book: “ ... the newspapers are 

full of tragic ... accounts of ... people who have 

been taken advantage of through ... Internet ... 

Don’t try this at home!” The warning comes 

after other non-story items and could be easily 

missed. It would serve its purpose better at the 

beginning of the book. 




Woodlands, by Robin Jones Gunn. (The 


Sisters, Ore.: Alabaster Books, Multnomah 


$10.99. 

F. Love stories. 326 p. Gr. 11 - Adult. 

Leah Hudson is more average-looking, 

independent, and athletic than she thinks a 

woman ought to be to catch a man’s heart—and 

she’s given up most of her dreams to care for her 

ailing parents until their deaths. Now relatively 

free of responsibility, Leah wonders about 

pursuing her dreams of travel. When she meets 

Seth Edwards, who lived in Costa Rica for a few 

years, she can’t believe he’d willingly give up 

that life in exchange for being a UPS delivery 

man in small-town Glenbrooke. She also finds 

it difficult to believe that Seth could be attracted 

to her, in spite of his gentle attentiveness. But 

when she discovers that Seth is having surgery 

for possible skin cancer, she also discovers that 

her feelings for him have taken a decidedly 

more serious turn. 

Things get complicated when Seth’s uncle, an 

old friend of Leah’s, dies and leaves her fifty 

acres of woodlands—as long as she agrees to 

marry Seth within a year’s time. Leah, 

suspicious that Seth was only courting her to get 

his hands on the inheritance, flees Glenbrooke in 

anguish. Not until she discovers some 

deceptiveness in her lawyer does Leah realize 

that Seth had no idea about the contents of the 

will—and that he truly loves her after all. 

Although a little weak at the end with the 

inheritance subplot, Woodlands, book seven in 

the Glenbrooke series by Robin Jones Gunn, is 

a story with important lessons. Leah, who 

constantly gives others her time, energy, and 

provisions—often secretly—is forced to learn 

how to relax and allow others to minister to her. 

She also learns that there is nothing wrong with 

being “average;” the spirit of a godly woman is 

what is truly important—and through an 

important spiritual awakening she realizes that a 

relationship with God must be cultivated daily 

through prayer and time spent in the scriptures. 

Sherri Beeler 

Teacher, Cascade Christian High 


Mixed Blessings, by Rick Hamlin. LCCN 



0764223267, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Mothers and sons--Fiction. 299 p. Adult. 

For over twenty years Lurlene Scott has been 

secretary to Pastor Bob of First Church. A 

single mom, she envies the church members’ 

faith. She attends Sunday morning services 

occasionally but the Bible stories move her no 

more than a sentimental TV commercial. Until 

she involves herself with the church’s “upstairs 

room” intercessory prayer concerns. Prayer 

request letters cross Lurlene’s desk for her to 

respond with appropriate form letters, telling 

each one that they have been prayed for. When 

one request is for finding the right mate, Lurlene 

adds a personal note at the end of the form letter, 

offering to introduce the young female letterwriter 

to an appropriate young male who fits the 

letter’s description of the desired mate. She has 

in mind her twenty-something son who lives 

with her. Her matchmaking brings the two 

young people together as the church members 

honor Lurlene’s years of devotion to her job at 

the church. 

Lurlene is a skeptic who has raised her son alone 

after his dad left them. Amid the matchmaking 

and appreciation party for Lurlene, her wayward 

husband returns to town, a homeless person 

housed in First Church’s basement shelter. He 

has come back after believing in the Lord and 

now asks forgiveness from Lurlene and their 

son. 

In Mixed Blessings, Rick Hamlin depicts 

Lurlene as an unbeliever who cynically views 

the faith of church members. The way some 

members so easily say, “I’ll pray for you,” 

seems shallow to her. But when things wished 

for come about, Lurlene must ask if it was a 

God-thing instead of a coincidence. 

Hamlin provides just enough plot twists to keep 

the story unpredictable. His detailed 

descriptions and vivid characterizations are well 

done. The satisfying ending has potential as a 

springboard to a sequel. 

Jo Huddleston 



Whispers from Yesterday, by Robin Lee 

Hatcher. LCCN 99026347. Colorado 

Springs: WaterBrook Press, 1999. ISBN 

1578561515, PAP, $11.95. 

F. Sisters--Fiction. 405 p. Adult. 

After her failed attempt at suicide and no where 

else to turn, Karen reluctantly shows up at her 

grandmother’s ranch. It looks as wind-swept 

and forsaken as she feels. Grandmother Sophia 

along with her hired man, Dusty, run the 

threadbare ranch as a last resort for delinquent 

boys. Dusty is a burr under her skin with all of 

his godly ways and words, and she is unable to 

accept the fact that God cares for her and has a 

plan for her life. Sophia gives her an 

intimidating stack of journals to read from a 

long dead relative and is assured that many 

questions will be answered for Karen if she will 

persevere to their conclusion. Though high 

society born and raised with all the comforts life 

offers, Karen learns to treasure life in its 

simplest form as she unthaws in the warmth of 

her grandmother’s loving care and as Dusty’s 

encouraging words replay their tempo through 

her thoughts. 

Whispers from Yesterday by award winning 

author Robin Lee Hatcher is a modern romance 

novel that mines the depths of the lengths God 

will extend himself to show his love to the most 

hopeless searching soul. One cannot run away 

without encountering God in some form each 

step of the way. The grandmother patiently lives 

with the consequences of harboring petty 

jealousy and pride from bygone years and holds 

to the promise that God will restore the years the 

locusts have eaten. 

Excerpts from the journals that the main 

character reads are expertly interspersed 

throughout, which becomes two love stories 

packaged in one and wrapped with the greatest 

love story that comes from heaven. 

Debbie Lindsay 


Eatonville, Washington 


ADULT 

FICTION 

Honor’s Disguise, by Kristen Heitzmann. 

(Rocky Mountain Legacy; 4.) LCCN 



0764222031, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Frontier and pioneer life--Fiction; Rocky 

Mountains--Fiction. 283 p. Adult. 

Abbie Farrel, twenty-six and widowed, 

struggles with running the Lucky Star ranch. 

She allows Cole Jasper to return to her ranch as 

foreman, after having run him off the place four 

years ago. Cole promised Abbie’s late husband 

he would look after Abbie and he’s secretly sent 

money back to her headman to help with the 

financial burdens. Abbie tries to stifle her warm 

feelings for Cole in deference to the memory of 

her late husband. Cole has always loved Abbie 

but honors her efforts to hide her feelings toward 

him. 

Cole’s brother, Sam, comes to the ranch 

accusing Cole of murdering a woman in El 

Paso. Cole refuses to defend himself in their 

ensuing fight. Soon after Sam leaves, two 

bounty hunters arrive and take Cole hostage for 

his alleged crime. Abbie, together with a young 

ranch hand and a Comanche Indian follow and 

rescue Cole from the bounty hunters. Believing 

his brother is the murderer, Cole eludes Abbie, 

slips from their campsite, and starts toward El 

Paso alone to surrender to the sheriff. A 

preacher joins Cole on his journey and leads him 

to the Lord. Because of Abbie’s stubborn 

determination, Cole is eventually cleared, 

making way for the two of them to admit their 

love for one another. Abbie is able to feel peace 

about loving again. 

Kristen Heitzman weaves sufficient background 

into Honor’s Disguise so that readers can gather 

the plot of this series. Her characters in this 

historical novel are vivid and easily identified 

with. She writes strong descriptions of the lands 

surrounding Abbie and her companions as they 

travel for days on horseback. The story’s 

satisfying ending leaves the reader wanting to 

know more about life ahead for Abbie and Cole. 

Jo Huddleston 



Danger in the Shadows, by Dee Henderson. 

(Palisades Pure Romance.) LCCN 99027084. 



$6.99. 

F. Romance fiction. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

Danger in the Shadows is the story of Sara 

Walsh, a writer, who lives under FBI protection 

in the Witness Protection Program. Sara has 

lived in constant fear and turmoil since she was 

a young girl. The person who held her and her 

sister hostage, and caused her sister’s death is 

stalking her. She and her brother Dave, an FBI 

agent, have worked diligently to build her a 

secure world, free from danger. Then Sara 

meets Adam Black, a high profile ex-football 

star. Can she afford to let him in her life? What 

kind of a relationship can she share with a man 

when tomorrow it might be necessary for her to 

disappear? 

Dee Henderson writes an entertaining story that 

keeps the readers interest, but is somewhat 

unbelievable at times. The sources available to 

the heroine seem a bit far fetched—private 

planes, FBI personnel, etc. Nevertheless, it’s a 

suspenseful and quick read that proves 

enjoyable. 




Katrina’s Wings, by Patricia Hickman. 


ISBN 1578562937, PBB, $10.95. 

F. Adult. 

Growing up in a dysfunctional family in small 

town Mockingbird Valley, Arkansas, Katrina 

struggles desperately to discover her own selfidentity, 

and break free of the constraints the 

valley and her family seem to place on her. She 

longs to be an artist, and to experience the world 

beyond Mockingbird Valley. When Katrina 

comes to know the Lord, the closeness she and 

her sister Eden shared as children evaporates. 

When Eden finds herself unwed and pregnant, 

however, it is Katrina to whom she turns for 

strength. In order to help Eden care for her 

baby, Dreamy, Katrina sets aside her dreams of 

going to Bible college and, to please her father, 

she takes community college courses to be a 

teacher. When her mother is diagnosed with 

terminal breast cancer, and Eden finds herself in 

jail for supposedly shooting her husband, 

Katrina is once again the glue that holds the 

family together. 

The Lord unravels all these complications, 

however. Katrina’s adulterous father becomes 

attentive to his wife during her illness and sets 

his feet on the right path before her death. 

Eden’s law-breaking husband awakens from his 

coma, clears Eden of guilt from his shooting, 

and the two begin to live a more settled life. 

Prompted by her mother’s dying wish, Katrina 

pursues her dream of art school in New York and 

her passion to make a mark on the world for the 

Lord in some way, breaking the destructive 

behavioral cycle her family was trapped in. “I 

wanted what faith I had found to lift me above 

myself, to reach down into the darkest parts of 

me and root out the pieces that had grown bitter. 

. .God had set a fire inside of me, one that blazed 

enough to make me dissatisfied with sitting still 

while the rest of the world traipsed by in the 

dark” she says. 

Eloquently and sensitively written in first 

person, the prose in Katrina’s Wings is 

reminiscent of books such as Cold Sassy Tree or 

Dandelion Wine, and it has a deep sense of 

“memory,” much like Tennessee Williams’ The 

Glass Menagerie. Author Patricia Hickman 

does deal with subject matter for mature readers, 

handling it realistically, but tactfully. 

Sherri Beeler 



Mixed Signals, by Liz Curtis Higgs. LCCN 

98040625. Sisters, Ore.: Alabaster Books, 


1576734013, PAP, $12.99. 

F. Radio--Fiction. 370 p. Gr. 11 - Adult. 

When the radio station Belle O’Brian has 

worked at for ten years changes to an all sports 

format and requires her to play an air-headed 

“Betty Boop” radio personality, she decides it’s 

time to look for another job in radio. The call 

from her old friend and mentor, Patrick Reese, 

seems an answer to prayer. She eagerly accepts 

the opportunity to work with the man who 

launched her career on the path to success—and 

she hopes that perhaps now that she’s “grown 

up” she can see if there is any possibility of a 

relationship with this older man, whom she’s 

always had a crush on. 

However, just when Patrick seems to be 

showing interest in her romantically, Belle 

realizes that he’ll never be more to her than just 

a good friend. But Belle hopes to get Patrick 

interested in her wise, fifty-something landlady, 

Norah. Although Norah has been friends with 

Patrick for quite some time, and admires him 

romantically, she is reluctant to get involved in 

what would be her third serious relationship 

with a man—especially since Patrick is not a 

Christian. 

Meanwhile, David, the broadcast engineer, finds 

himself strongly attracted to Belle; he reveals 

none of his feelings, however, believing himself 

unworthy. He is a Cahill after all, who grew up 

on the wrong side of the tracks with an alcoholic 

father, and got himself in trouble with the 

banker’s daughter in high school. Pregnant and 

unwed, she fled to California with the son that 

David has never seen, but whom he has 

faithfully supported financially for years. 

As the Lord does his work in the lives of these 

people, Patrick realizes his need of a savior 

through Norah’s quiet witness; Belle realizes her 

growing love for David; and David learns the 

importance of forgiveness, as long-broken 

relationships are mended, and he learns that he 

is valuable in the eyes of God, regardless of the 

opinions of men. Mixed Signals, by Liz Curtis 

Higgs, is a satisfying story to read. It moves 

along quickly and is full of surprises and humor, 

with real characters and every-day struggles that 

readers can relate to. 

Sherri Beeler 




ADULT 

FICTION 

Bookends, by Liz Curtis Higgs. LCCN 

99057369. Sisters, Ore.: Alabaster Books, 


1576736113, PAP, $12.99 (157673689X, 

audiobook $15.99). 

F. Real estate developers--Fiction; Women historians- 

-Fiction. 335 p. Gr. 11 - Adult. 

While Emilie might possibly consider getting 

married one day, she has her work as a Ph.D. 

and a historian to keep her life busy—and she 

certainly would not consider getting involved 

with the likes of Jonas Fielding, who is far too 

loud, rugged, and earthy for her taste. But 

Emilie’s neat and orderly ways are turned upside 

down as Jonas, at the Lord’s behest, worms his 

way into her life to show her the meaning of true 

joy. 

Through Jonas’ bumbling attempts to break 

through Emilie’s tight reserve, she comes to 

know the Lord in a personal way, which 

transforms all her other relationships. Her newfound 

faith is put to the test, however, when she 

makes the academic discovery of her life-time in 

identifying the location of the first Moravian 

Gemeinhaus in Lititz. Unfortunately, her 

research reveals that the Gemeinhaus is located 

on the eighteenth hole of the city’s golf course 

Jonas is developing and managing. This conflict 

of interests brings Jonas and Emilie’s budding 

romance to a precarious position. But the Lord 

speaks to Emilie’s heart and asks her trust him 

and to let go of the Gemeinhaus—the one thing 

that will bring her esteem in the eyes of her 

colleagues. She yields—to Jonas’ obvious 

satisfaction—but later, the Lord deals similarly 

with him in a unexpected turn of events. In the 

end all is well; the Lord gives both Emilie and 

Jonas the desires of their hearts—and each other. 

Bookends, by Liz Curtis Higgs, is her second 

adult fiction book, and is just as enjoyable as the 

first, Mixed Signals. The story is full of laughaloud 

humor, but the characters are realistic and 

face difficulties everyone can relate to. As in her 

first book, Higgs’ story-line is fully developed. 

Although Emile and Jonas become romantically 

interested in each other, that’s not the end of the 

story; Higgs goes on to show the development 

of their relationship and their continuing 

spiritual growth in the face of some surprising 

challenges. 

Sherri Beeler 



The Truth Teller, by Angela Hunt. LCCN 



0764221558, PAP, $11.99. 

F. Genetic engineering--Fiction. Adult. 

In The Truth Teller, Lara Godfrey’s husband 

died of cancer six months ago. Lara wants to 

fulfill the dream she and her husband had to 

have a child, and decides to conceive through 

the use of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Lara, a 

Physicians Assistant, goes through this process 

with Doctor Braun. Little does Lara know that 

Dr. Braun has contracted with a multimillionaire, 

Devin Sloan, to fertilize her egg 

with the DNA of the “Ice Man” —a man frozen 

over five million years ago. With the help of her 

neighbor, Connor, Lara finds herself and her 

infant on the run. Will Devin, with his limitless 

resources track her down? Will Lara’s dream of 

motherhood end before it gets started? 

Angela Hunt has written an intriguing novel that 

addresses scenarios that seem impossible, but 

yet, perhaps frighteningly possible. It addresses 

man’s misguided attempt throughout history to 

“create the perfect human being,” and the 

destruction that results. The novel contains 

more than one murder as well as scientific 

jargon that is suited to the more mature reader. 




Triumph of the Soul, by Michael R. Joens. 

LCCN 99035161. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. 

Revell, Baker Books, 1999. ISBN 

0800757025, PAP, $11.99. 

F. World War, 1939-1945--Fiction. 425 p. Adult. 

Set during World War II, Triumph of the Soul 

tells the story of two men, both ace pilots, both 

devoted to their homelands, whose lives parallel 

each other in their journey towards God. 

American Billy Hochreiter and German Rolf 

Schiller engage briefly in air combat before Rolf 

sends Billy’s fighter crashing to the ground. 

Billy lands in a French forest and is rescued by 

members of the French Resistance. Here he 

meets Collette, a beautiful and intriguing 

woman whose influence upon him shakes his 

superficial faith to its core. Rolf, a handsome 

hero of the Reich, believes his heart died the day 

Katharina was killed. But the worst is yet to 

come for the German soldier as everything he 

thought was strong and righteous begins to 

crumble and he must face a bitter betrayal. 

During the darkest hours it is his relationships 

with two women, his devout younger sister and 

the beautiful, mysterious Olga, which spark a 

flicker of hope in the deadness of his spirit. The 

two men meet once again in aerial combat as the 

story draws to a close, but this time each now 

has a quiet voice of faith that speaks inside. 

Michael Joens produced the animation for the 

McGee and Me and Adventure In Odyssey 

series for Focus on the Family. The influence of 

his involvement with movies is clear in his 

writing. This is a novel that reads much like a 

film: the action is vivid, the dialogue as rapid as 

machine gun fire. While the character of Billy 

seems a bit superficial in contrast to Rolf’s, this 

is an intriguing read for lovers of Christian 

historical fiction. 




The Double Heart Diner, by Annie Jones. 

(Route 66 series; 1.) LCCN 00503121. 


ISBN 1578561337, PAP, $6.95. 

F. Diners (Restaurants)--Fiction; Texas Panhandle 

(Tex.)--Fiction; Love stories; Christian fiction. 249 p. 

Gr. 11 - Adult. 

Cupid’s Corner, by Annie Jones. LCCN 

99033691. Colorado Springs: WaterBrook 

Press, 1999. ISBN 1578561345, PAP, $6.95. 


Annie Jones has written two books (and a third 

is on the way) revolving around the old “Mother 

Road” Route 66, which meanders from Chicago 

to LA through small towns and truck stops now 

bypassed by the high-speed interstate freeways. 

Double Heart Diner describes the wild journey 

Georgia Darling takes down Route 66 with her 

nemesis, Jett Murphy, in order to convince him 

to preserve the Double Heart Diner, rather than 

purchase the land and sell it to developers. 

Georgia, a flamboyant red-head with inventive 

schemes patterned after her “hero,” Lucy 

Ricardo, grates harshly against Jett’s selfcontrolled 

and aloof personality. Through their 

various escapades, Georgia awakens more 

emotions in Jett than he knew he had—fear, 

anger, compassion, hope—and teaches him to 

really live again. Georgia in turn comes to 

realize that she can trust Jett as a man who keeps 

the promises he makes regarding the Double 

Heart Diner, and their relationship. 

Cupid’s Corner tells the tale of twentysomething 

Jenny Fox, the town’s youngest 

mayor. She desperately tries to revitalize the 

economy of Cupid’s Corner, drawing tourists to 

the area by attempting to break the town’s old 

record and holding sixty-six weddings in one 

summer. Complications arise when her exfiancé, 

a big city doctor, returns to town, 

determined to win back her heart. Equally 

determined, however, is newspaper editor Joe 

Avery, who pursues Jenny even though she 

continues to hold him at arm’s length. He is new 

to the area, and Jenny figures anyone as smart as 

he is will eventually leave Cupid’s Corner to 

make his way in the “big city.” Committed to 

small-town life, Jenny is determined not to get 

her heart broken again by someone who will 

love her and leave her. When she is betrayed 

once again by her ex-fiancé, she realizes that Joe 

is a man she can truly trust, and that it is God 

alone who holds her future. 

While both books carry the guarantee to make 

you giggle (or you can exchange the book for 

another in the Waterbrook romantic comedy 

line), Double Heart Diner provides the laughs— 

albeit with somewhat contrived scenarios and 

constant verbal sparring between the two 

characters that is almost too witty to be true. 

Cupid’s Corner provokes few giggles, but is by 

far the stronger book in terms of its more 

substantive plot and realistic character 

development. The humor is bittersweet, born 

out of Jenny’s confusion and exasperation over 


ADULT 

FICTION 

her two suitors, which readers can readily relate 

to. 

Sherri Beeler 



Where Yesterday Lives, by Karen Kingsbury. 



1576732851, PAP, $11.99. 

F. Women journalists--Fiction; Miami (Fla.)--Fiction; 

Michigan--Fiction; Christian fiction. 401 p. Adult. 

Where Yesterday Lives is the touching story of 

Ellen Barret and her family as they live through 

the week following her father’s death. She 

travels from Miami back to the small town 

where she was raised. Here she must face her 

sister, who has hated her for years, though she 

has never been able to figure out why. Her 

younger brother is filled with anger over the 

way his father treated him when he was alive. 

He lashes out at everyone around him. To make 

matters worse, Ellen feels herself drifting away 

from her husband. They have been struggling 

for months and he refuses to come to the funeral. 

Feeling hurt by his rejection, she fights the urge 

to call an old boyfriend. Yet she knows he will 

provide her the comfort she needs during this 

difficult time. 

The author, Karen Kingsbury, seems to have 

struggled with the dialogue during 

confrontations between family members. The 

rest of the book is written more professionally, 

though it is not always enjoyable to read. The 

reader is taken through a very difficult week in 

this family’s life. The characters tell their own 

stories, moving from dialogue to narrative in 

such a way that you hardly realize it is 

happening. Well told, the subject matter is 

heavy. The problems these people deal with are 

very true to life. This is definitely a book that 

will help you think and possibly help you to 

improve relationships in your own life. 

Robyn Wyatt 



Waiting for Morning, by Karen Kingsbury. 



1576734153, PAP, $11.99. 

F. Forgiveness-Ficton. 368 p. Adult. 

Hannah waits one evening for her family to 

return from a camping trip. A car finally pulls 

up, but instead of her husband and two girls, a 

policeman shows up at her door. There has been 

an accident, caused by a drunk driver. Her 

husband, Tom, and her oldest daughter Alicia 

have died before reaching the hospital. Jenny, 

her other daughter, suffers a broken arm and a 

severe concussion. Hannah and Jenny return 

home grief stricken and numb, unable to grasp 

what happened. Hannah cannot receive comfort 

from God as she realizes she no longer believes 

he exists. One man’s foolishness has shattered 

their lives forever. 

Hannah’s life becomes consumed with one 

purpose—to see the drunk driver convicted of 

first-degree murder. Her obsession with 

revenge causes her to forget the only important 

thing left in her life—Jenny. Left alone to deal 

with her grief, Jenny becomes more and more 

withdrawn. She wishes she had died in the 

accident with her sister and father. Convinced 

her mother doesn’t love her, she spends most of 

her time on the Internet, trying to find the 

quickest and surest way to commit suicide so 

she can be with them again. 

Karen Kingsbury writes about real people with 

real problems, who do not always respond to 

crises in the most positive manner. Through 

their trials and struggles we come to know and 

understand ourselves better. We feel their 

emotions. We identify with their struggles. And 

with them we learn that God is always there, 

even in our darkest moments. Waiting for 

Morning shows us how to forgive. This book is 

well worth the time for anyone wishing to 

challenge oneself to grow in God. 

Robyn Wyatt 

Freelance writer 


All Together in One Place : A Novel of 

Kinship, Courage, and Faith, by Jane 

Kirkpatrick. (Kinship and Courage 

Historical Series; 1.) LCCN 99054725. 


ISBN 1578562325, PAP, $11.95. 

F. Frontier and pioneer life--West (U.S.)--Fiction; 

Women pioneers--West (U.S.)--Fiction; Western 

stories. 406 p. Adult. 

“I’ve sold it. It’s done and I’m going,” Jeremy 

Bacon tells his wife, Mazy. Shocked and angry, 

she declares she’ll not leave Wisconsin. Seeing 

no other choice, Mazy reluctantly consents, and 

her mother, Elizabeth Mueller, goes along. 

The Bacons connect with others going west, 

making a wagon train full of hopes, plans, and 

cherished possessions. Sister Esther chaperones 

a group of young women with marriage 

contracts in the West. Tipton Wilson, a 

pampered teenager in love with Tyrell Jenkins, 

the wagon train’s farrier, travels with Jeremy 

and Mazy. Suzanne Cullver finds her sightless 

life on the trail difficult, in spite of husband 

Bryce’s tenderness. Ruth Martin, 

accompanying other family members, brings 

along a fearful past. 

Surprises catch up with this assortment of ideas 

and personalities before a tragedy leaves all the 

men dead. Shall they go on or return home? 

More disasters cause hopes, plans, and 

cherished possessions to dwindle. Hardships, 

thirst, dust, and fears accompany these grieving, 

tattered women and children until at last they 

face another big decision: Oregon or California. 

“We look so wretched,” Tipson says. By then 

their looks no longer matter. What does matter 

has already taken place deep inside. 

After reading one intriguing sentence in pioneer 

Ezra Meeker’s journal and working with this 

meager information, Kirkpatrick did extensive 

research. She then created the story, carefully 

and deliberately choosing words that place the 

reader in the minds and lives of these fictitious 

women. Throughout she successfully raises 

questions about them and their pasts, then 

allows the answers to flow out gradually. Some 

questions, however, remain unanswered, 

leaving the reader with hopes those revelations 

will come in the next books of the Kinship and 

Courage series. No Eyes Can See, Book 2, will 

appear in February 2001 and Book 3 later that 

year. 

Betty M. Hockett 

Writer, Speaker, Teacher 

Newberg, Oregon 

A Sacred Place, by Bonnie Leon. LCCN 

00037864. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 

2000. ISBN 0805421521, PAP, $12.00. 

F. Married women--Fiction; Alaska--Fiction; 

Historical fiction; Christian fiction; Love stories. 310 

p. Adult. 

Inspired by the life story of her own 

grandmother, Bonnie Leon tells of Mary, an 

Aleutian girl in love with a native man, Paul; her 

parents disapprove of him because he is not a 

Christian. Mary is not a Christian either, so this 

does not bother her, but although she has already 

agreed to marry Paul, her parents arrange for her 

to marry Sean, a godly Irishman. Mary fiercely 

resists, but when her parents reveal that Paul is 

an adulterer, she agrees to the arranged 

marriage, feeling she has no other choice. 

Mary is certain that she will never love Sean, 

despite his deep love for her. When the two of 

them take a job as caretakers of a fox preserve 

on a tiny, uninhabited Aleutian Island, they find 

themselves trapped there with Trent—an 

unexpectedly violent poacher—and not enough 

provisions to make it through the severe winter. 

As they struggle to survive, fend off hunger, and 

guard against Trent’s extreme outbursts, Mary is 

forced into a number of situations that cause her 

to look to the God of her husband and her 

parents—the God she has long resisted as 

having no part of the native ways. When she 

finally capitulates to the Lord’s call, Mary finds 

that she is able to let go of all remnants of her 

relationship with Paul, and truly love her 

husband, Sean. 

A Sacred Place, based on the lives of the 

author’s grandparents, shows the faithfulness of 

the Lord in circumstance after circumstance, 

and the salvation message is clearly presented. 

However, at times moral or spiritual allegories 

are presented too overtly to the reader, and seem 

rather contrived. Although the basic premise of 

the story is interesting, the characters and 


ADULT 

FICTION 

dialogue lack the depth and naturalness 

necessary to fully engage the reader. 

Sherri Beeler 

Teacher, Cascade Christian High 


Searching for Stardust, by Lorena 

McCourtney. (Palisades Pure Romance.) 

LCCN 99219907. Sisters, Ore.: Palisades, 


1576734145, PAP, $6.99. 

F. Romance fiction. Adult. 

Jan and Mark are seeking to find the truth. For 

the first time in years, they have a common 

goal—to discover what really happened to their 

son Tim. Although the pain of their divorce is 

still fresh, Jan puts her hurt aside to join forces 

with her ex-husband, Mark. The police report 

states that Tim’s death was the result of suicide. 

But even though neither Jan nor Mark have had 

a close relationship with their son in recent 

years, they find it had to believe. What they do 

discover is Tim’s diary in which he writes that 

his girlfriend “Stardust” is expecting his child. 

When a pregnant young girl shows up on Mark’s 

doorstep claiming she is “Stardust.” Jan looks to 

the unborn child as the healing for her grief. 

Can Mark reach Jan through his newfound faith 

in Jesus? Will Jan realize Mark has changed and 

forgive him? 

Lorena McCourtney writes a compelling novel 

about loss, forgiveness, and Christ’s ability to 

change the heart. Abortion, drug use, and premarital 

sex are mentioned throughout the novel, 

with biblically based responses. Stardust builds 

your faith and directs the reader to rely fully on 

Jesus. 

Tammy Williams 

Social Worker/Freelance Writer 


Code Name Antidote, by Paul T. McHenry, 

III. LCCN 99087462. Nashville: Broadman 

& Holman, 2000. ISBN 0805420835, PAP, 

$12.00. 

F. United States. Navy--Officers--Fiction; Biological 

weapons--Fiction; Adventure stories; Christian fiction. 

318 p. Adult. 

In Code Name: Antidote, by Paul T. McHenry 

III, the Russian mafia obtains an Ebola-like 

virus, intent on selling it to a Middle Eastern 

terrorist group to use as a biological weapon 

against the Jews. Supposedly the virus is 

controllable enough to infect and kill its 

intended object before swiftly dying out, thus 

avoiding a full-scale epidemic. The U.S. knows 

that this is untrue, and if the virus is released, 

with international air travel, it could be spread 

rapidly throughout the world, resulting in 

millions of deaths. Naval Commander David 

Egan and Dr. Catherine Evans team up with a 

special forces operation to track down the man 

transporting the virus, and destroy it. 

Code Name: Antidote is similar in style and 

approach to Tom Clancy’s books, however the 

plot is somewhat difficult to follow, and the 

motives of certain characters’ actions are 

unclear. Readers need to stay sharp to wade 

through all the military jargon (although a five 

page glossary of terms is provided) and keep 

track of special operations tactics, and the 

subterfuge of various characters. Along with a 

couple of embarrassing spelling errors, there are 

weaknesses in the plot. The love story between 

Dr. Evans and Commander Egan is not entirely 

convincing. An important minor character is 

introduced midway through the story, but there 

is no mention whatsoever of what happens to 

her in the end. People are killed or roughed up 

right and left in various hotels, or on the streets, 

but no bystanders ever seem to notice anything 

happening. The violence is a bit graphic in 

spots. The book includes disturbing images of 

people being tortured or killed, an attempted 

rape scene, a second implied rape scene, and the 

repeated presence of prostitutes and one 

character’s supposed pleasure in sexual 

perversion. The Lord’s name is casually used in 

a non-spiritual context a few times, though it is 

not used as a swear word. 

In spite of these concerns the story is interesting 

and action-packed with a little “philosophizing” 

thrown in. Two of the characters debate some 

significant spiritual issues relating to creation 

versus evolution, and various doctrinal views 

surrounding salvation. Ultimately, Dr. Evans 

returns to her childhood commitment to the 

Lord in a moment of desperation when she 

recognizes that she can do nothing in and of 

herself, but God can do anything through her. 

Likewise, Commander Egan is prompted to 

renew his spiritual search. However spiritual 

issues are not a significant part of the book 

overall. 

Sherri Beeler 



The Patmos Conspiracy, by Bruce E. Merritt. 

LCCN 90080821. Nappanee, Ind.: Evangel 

Publishing House, 1990. ISBN 0916035387, 

PAP, $9.95. 

F. End of the world--Fiction. Adult. 

The Patmos Conspiracy gives a rather detailed 

rendition of the last days. Throughout the rather 

convoluted storyline the reader finds an 

important message—Jesus is Lord! The author, 

Bruce Merritt, gives a credible, detailed account 

of how the final days will play out. His midtribulation 

rapture passes a thought-provoking 

question on to the reader—“Are you ready and 

willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel?” 

Whether the reader agrees with the timing of 

this event or not, the heart question remains 

valid, for who can know what may be required 

of each of us? 

There is an interesting reference to a large and 

effective religious organization with widespread 

publication coverage known as 

“Cornerstone.” This inference seems to be 

based quite closely on a real-life ministry 

bearing the same name. This organization’s 

willingness to print the truth about a 

conspiratorial take-over by the possible Anti- 

Christ’s new age center known as Interpax, 

gives the reader reason to check his own 

commitment level to Christ. Consequences are 

harsh, yet the reader is made to know that 

sacrifice on earth offers great reward eternally. 

This is an interesting and somewhat challenging 

read that end-time buffs will enjoy. 

Mary McKinney 



Ransomed Heart, by Sara Mitchell. LCCN 



1556614993, PAP, $9.99. 

F. Adventure fiction. 311 p. Adult. 

The beautiful setting of Denver, Colorado, and 

the ensuing area becomes an appropriate 

backdrop for this engaging romantic adventure, 

Ransomed Heart. The likable character of 

Rosalind Hayes, society misfit, pulls the reader 

into a most entertaining read. Rosalind, a 

beautiful young society lady, all but rebels 

against her upbringing as she inwardly despises 

the false front and snobbery of the social class. 

Handsome, yet controversial Adam Moreaux, 

enters the picture as the renowned Pinkerton 

operative, (detective), nicknamed the Panther, 

and sparks an idea in Rosalind to hire him to 

help her find her missing brother. 

When Rosalind has a run-in with the infamous 

jewel thief, the Catbird, she finds herself 

inadvertently caught up in the danger and 

intrigue of his perilous world. To add to the 

danger, it is soon discovered that there is a 

mysterious link between this devious thief and 

Rosalind’s brother, Isaac. Rosalind is the only 

person who can recognize the Catbird. For her 

own safety, and going against all protocol 

(which she inwardly welcomes), she 

accompanies Mr. Moreaux into the mining 

towns and mountainous terrain of the rough hill 

country. Amid great danger, tense drama, and 

some very tender moments, Rosalind and this 

most intriguing detective, Adam, discover an 

attraction for each other that they know would 

be frowned upon by her family and socialite 

friends. Do they dare become vulnerable to 

love, and if so, will they be able to find a 

lifestyle that somehow unites their two very 

different backgrounds? 

The author, Sara Mitchell, skillfully intertwines 

romance, mystery and a touch of humor into her 

colorful and enjoyable characters. She weaves a 

varied and interesting tapestry of old west, high 

society, and true faith in God that produces a 


ADULT 

FICTION 

most appealing scenario. The story line in 

Ransomed Heart has fascinating twists and 

plenty of action that should appeal to a broad 

spectrum of readers. 

Mary McKinney 



Daughter of Joy, by Kathleen Morgan. 

(Brides of Culdee Creek; 1.) LCCN 

99025264. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. 

Revell, Baker Books, 1999. ISBN 

0800757181, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Women pioneers--Fiction; Married women-- 

Fiction; Colorado--Fiction; Historical fiction; 

Christian fiction. 335 p. Adult. 

This tender and touching story, Daughter of Joy, 

speaks to the heart-rending grief of personal loss 

as well as restoration and healing. Abigail 

Stanton, the main character of the novel, has a 

solid and living faith in God that she is 

determined will enable her to survive the 

devastating loss of husband and young son. 

Abby takes on the job of cook, housekeeper, and 

teacher for a feisty nine-year-old girl and her 

embittered father, Conor MacKay, at a ranch 

outside of Colorado Springs. It is here that she 

hopes to be able to start fresh and remove any 

commitment to emotional demands on her life. 

However, by determining to follow the Lord and 

give love to those who are hurting, Abby finds 

herself becoming attracted to Conor, 

discovering a tenderness and sensitivity beneath 

his hard, demanding exterior. 

Just as Abby discovers that there might be hope 

and promise of life beyond despair, she senses 

that the Lord is telling her that she is to leave the 

ranch and her new position. Never did she 

realize how incomprehensible the Lord’s will 

can be—how unpredictable and difficult to 

understand. Loss and confusion once again 

threatens to overtake her until she discovers an 

inner peace and gentle whisper that promises, 

“Trust me, I’m still in control.” 

Kathleen Morgan, the author, brings out a 

beautiful theme, “For every joy that passes, 

something beautiful remains.” Her reflective 

novel is sensitively written. The author’s 

personal experience of losing her own son 

allows her to know the heartache and difficult 

road back to emotional stability. 

Mary McKinney 



Fallen Stars, Bitter Waters, by Gilbert, Lynn, 

and Alan Morris. (Omega Trilogy; 2.) 

Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Thomas Nelson 

Publishers, 2000. ISBN 0785270019, PBB, 

$12.99. 

F. Gr. 11 - Adult. 

Desperate to save America from the chaos of a 

long term, German-caused, nation-wide 

blackout, President Luca Therion swears his 

eternal devotion to German Count Tor von 

Eisenhalt. The evil and unearthly von Eisenhalt, 

the man who will never die, swiftly moves 

toward taking over the entire world by uniting 

the Eight Spheres of Influence (including 

America) economically and militarily, with 

himself as the head. When Arab nations rattle 

their sabers against Israel, von Eisenhalt sends 

troops into battle, crushing them utterly, and is 

hailed by the Israelis as the Messiah. 

Just as Nero blamed Christians for the burning 

of Rome, Tor von Eisenhalt likewise blames 

America’s blackout and ensuing chaos on the 

Christians. Determined to get rid of them, he 

begins rounding up Christians and putting them 

in isolation camps “for their own protection” 

from the angry American people. Small pockets 

of believers escape and remain hidden beyond 

his reach however, and as they minister 

faithfully to others who join their motley bands, 

the number of believers increases, as does their 

physical and spiritual battle against the 

supernatural evil perpetrated by von Eisenhalt. 

Fallen Stars, Bitter Waters, by Gilbert, Lynn, 

and Alan Morris, picks up immediately where 

the first book in the Omega Trilogy leaves off. 

Much background knowledge is assumed; 

readers will be thoroughly confused without 

having read book one. The book moves more 

slowly than The Beginning of Sorrows, and 

although it occasionally bogs down with rather 

complicated political and military discussions, 

titles, ranks, and personal connections, the 

storyline is held together by a unique group of 

characters who endear themselves to the 

readers. Fallen Stars is unique in that it does not 

portray a literal interpretation of the end times as 

described in Revelation. Instead, it challenges 

believers to consider the sincerity of their own 

faith, and the strength of their convictions 

through a portrayal of “rebel believers” engaged 

in heavy spiritual warfare. 

Sherri Beeler 



The White Hunter, by Gilbert Morris. (The 

House of Winslow; 22.) LCCN 00502455. 



PAP, $9.99. 

F. Titanic (Steamship)--Fiction; Winslow family 

(Fictitious characters)--Fiction; Americans--Africa-- 

Fiction; Hunting guides--Fiction; Historical fiction; 

Christian fiction. 317 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

Annie has a dream and a call of God. She wants 

to serve as a missionary to Africa. The 

problem? It’s 1911, she’s single, and suffers 

from a lung condition. But, believing God, 

Annie leaves her home and goes to New York, 

confident that God will open the door. Annie 

does not realize that getting to Africa will entail 

being employed as a personal assistant to a New 

York socialite and a trip aboard the Titanic. 

When she finally reaches Africa, she is 

reacquainted with her cousins, Jeb and John. 

She has had her eyes set on John since she was 

a young girl. Will all of her dreams finally come 

true on Africa’s soil? 

Gilbert Morris continues the Winslow saga in 

this story set in interesting locations such as 

England, aboard the Titanic, and Africa. In his 

writings, Mr. Morris shows how the power of 

God is directing our lives and is bringing about 

events to shape our character to make us more 

like Jesus. 




The Flying Cavalier, by Gilbert Morris. (The 

House of Winslow; 23.) LCCN 99006518. 



PAP, $9.99. 

F. World War, 1914-1919--Fiction. 318 p. Adult. 

The city of Paris makes a charming backdrop for 

this World War I romance. The story centers on 

Lance Winslow, a fighter pilot whose wife was 

recently killed during a German air raid. 

Devastated by his wife’s death, he hardens 

himself to a all others around him, including his 

five-year-old daughter. His sister-in-law, 

Danielle, was fourteen when he married her 

sister, and at the time she was infatuated with 

him. Now she struggles with her feelings of 

love for him and wishes she could break through 

his hard shell. 

Jo Herringer is a journalist who has come to 

France to cover the war. After meeting Lance 

and his family, she finds herself falling in love 

with this pilot whose only motivation in life 

seems to be to kill as many Germans as possible. 

Can she help him find God and learn to love 

again? 

Logan Smith came from America to join the 

Foreign Legion and fight with France against 

the Germans. After being wounded in battle he 

meets Danielle, who is a nurse at the hospital he 

is sent to. Soon he finds himself falling in love 

with her. But it is obvious to everyone that her 

heart belongs to Lance. 

Gilbert Morris does a wonderful job of painting 

the pictures of war, from the horrid conditions in 

the trenches to the intense battles in the sky. His 

account is historically accurate, and his 

characters bring this trying time to life. While 

realistic, the scenes of war are not 

overwhelming. The romance between the 

characters is the main focus, so it makes for an 

enjoyable, light read. 

Robyn Wyatt 




ADULT 

FICTION 

Through a Glass Darkly, by Gilbert Morris. 


House Publishers, Bethany House 


$10.99. 

F. Amnesia--Fiction; Psychological fiction; Christian 

fiction. 288 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

“‘I suppose it’s like whispering secrets down a 

well,’ I said softly, ‘to a man who has no past 

and no future.’” (p. 75) Gilbert Morris tells this 

fascinating episode in Through a Glass Darkly. 

Emiliano Zapata, a.k.a. Adam Smith, is this man 

with no yesterdays. The reader first meets him 

in a mental hospital in Louisiana with few 

indicators about his past. He can quote the 

Bible. He is a competent boxer. He likes Cajun 

food. These leads are followed, the path 

peopled with Dr. Kimpel, his mentor at the 

hospital; Perry Jester, an ex-boxer, Police 

Lieutenant Cossey from Missing Persons, New 

Orleans PD, D.K. Wolfe, PI, and the Majors 

family. The snatches of remembrance finally 

lead to the revelation of his identity. 

Gilbert Morris has a smooth, logical approach to 

this mystery, teasing with clues, using a surprise 

conclusion. Morris has penned over forty 

books. 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 


All That Glitters, by Gilbert Morris. LCCN 



1581341075, HBB, $19.99. 

F. Motion pictures--Fiction; Fathers and daughters-- 

Fiction. 367 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

Gilbert Morris is well known for his prolific 

writing of historic fiction. All That Glitters is 

Morris’ offering of a modern-day novel. Afton 

Burns has just lost her godly mother. When her 

estranged father calls to renew his relationship 

with her, Afton jumps at the chance for a visit to 

America. Having been raised in Scotland, 

working alongside her mother and grandfather 

in the Salvation Army, Afton sees a marked 

difference working alongside her father, a movie 

director in the shallow world of Hollywood. 

Spending time with her father, Kyle Patton, 

Afton notes his life of excess has not brought 

him happiness. Plagued with personal as well as 

business problems, Patton is still determined to 

run his own life. When things begin to fall apart 

with the filming, and strange delays come one 

right after the other, Afton and her father find 

help from a stand-offish recluse calling himself 

Peregrine. Feeling a true foreigner herself, 

Afton realizes she must continue to nurture her 

faith as she tries to shine amidst the darkness 

around her. 

Morris’ story is the contrast of the temporal 

versus the eternal, godliness versus ungodliness. 

Glitter can be deceptive. Lacking Morris’ usual 

historic drama, the superficial characterization 

does not draw the reader into this story. 

Jannet Hoeffner 


Prairie City, Oregon 

Tangled Vines, by Diane Noble. Sisters, Ore.: 

Alabaster Books, Multnomah Publishers, 

1998. ISBN 1576732193, PAP, $11.99. 

F. Cults--Fiction; Napa Valley (Calif.)--Fiction; 

Women novelists--Fiction; Mystery fiction. 335 p. 

Adult. 

Tangled Vines is a Christian novel about a 

contemporary subject. K.C. Flynn, newspaper 

publisher of Pelican Bay, California, risks 

everything to find a local author who has 

disappeared. But K.C. isn’t simply after a story: 

Theodora Wimple is her aunt and means 

everything to her. She joins forces rather 

reluctantly with her former beau, Sheriff Elliot 

Gavin to investigate a winery, covering for a 

growing cult. Amidst hooded robes and strange 

rites, K.C. and Gav risk their lives to find Aunt 

Theo and the secret behind this web of deceit. 

Parts of this book are predictable but certainly 

not all, and the Gospel message is clearly 

presented. It is a mixture of romance and 

mystery, a quick read yet very strong in its 

exposure of cults and the deadly power they 

represent. In addition, a few quirky characters 

give some comic relief to a serious subject. 

Altogether not a necessary purchase for every 

church library, but surely one that will be 

checked out and enjoyed, particularly by women 

and young adults. 

Ceil Carey 

Young Adult Librarian 


A Quiet Strength, by Janette Oke. (A Prairie 

Legacy; 3.) LCCN 99006539. Minneapolis: 


1999. ISBN 0764221566, PAP, $10.99; also 

available in hardcover and large print. 

F. Christian life--Fiction; Family life--Fiction. 254 p. 

Gr. 9 - Adult. 

Virginia waits anxiously for Jonathon to return 

from his trip west, hoping he will court and 

marry her. Married life doesn’t begin quite as 

Virginia expected. They live with Jonathon’s 

grandmother while he builds their farmhouse. 

Once they move to the farm, they are not on 

their own very long before Virginia’s childhood 

friend, Jenny, comes to visit. Jonathon and 

Virginia offer to take Jenny’s child in rather than 

see two-year-old Mindy go to a foster home. 

While Mindy is still adjusting to Virginia and 

Jonathon and their own new baby, Jonathon’s 

mother falls and comes to stay with them while 

her leg heals. Virginia feels overburdened at 

first, but gradually learns to find strength in God 

and to see her family as a blessing. 

The story revolves around the characters, their 

struggles and inter-personal relationships. 

Although the work is listed as historical fiction, 

events and the historical setting serve only as a 

backdrop for the human drama. Historical facts 

are not overly evident, nor is information about 

raising horses. Janette Oke portrays Virginia as 

a real person, with faults and selfish concerns, 

living in community with others who have 

strengths and weaknesses of their own. 

This third title in the Prairie Legacy series stands 

well on its own. The first book in the series 

gives additional insight into Jenny and her 

background, however. The series begins when 

Virginia is just thirteen; teens as well as adults 

will relate to Virginia’s struggles with life and 

those she loves. 


Teacher, Freelance Writer 


The Meeting Place, by Janette Oke and T. 

Davis Bunn. LCCN 99006376. Minneapolis: 


1999. ISBN 0764221779, PAP, $10.99; also 

available in hardcover, large print, and 

audio. 

F. Canada--History--To 1763 (New France)--Fiction; 

Acadia--History--Fiction. 282 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

The Meeting Place is an historical novel set in 

Acadia in the year 1753. Acadia, a colony of 

England, is unique in that it is inhabited by both 

English and French settlers. Living side-byside, 

these settlers remain isolated from each 

other. It is a dangerous time, a time of war 

between the English and French on the 

Continent, and the tensions run high in Acadia. 

Under these conditions, two women meet in a 

meadow, gathering flowers for their wedding 

bouquets. A secret friendship is formed between 

Catherine, an Englishwoman, and Louise, a 

Frenchwoman—as they share God’s word 

together, the struggles of winter, family, and 

motherhood. Through this relationship, 

Catherine’s husband, Andrew, who is in charge 

of the military in that area, reevaluates his 

position and his feelings about the impending 

military conflict that is soon to break out. When 

England orders all French residents to be 

evacuated, Catherine and Andrew lose more 

than a friend and the results are devastating. 

This is an interesting novel with surprising 

twists and turns. The characters are easy to 

identify with, and easy to love. Themes include 

the value of friendship, family relationships, as 

well as prejudices—themes that are as relevant 

today as they were in 1753. This story probes 

deeper and has stronger adult characters than 

other Janette Oke novels that I have read, 

making it a satisfying read. I am looking 

forward to the sequel. 

Tammy Williams 




ADULT 

FICTION 

The Ephesus Fragment, by Gary E. Parker. 



0764222562, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Bible--Antiquities--Fiction. 368 p. Adult. 

The Ephesus Fragment is a compelling 

mystery/adventure, much of which centers 

around the Vatican. The Pope is struggling with 

the decision of whether or not to declare Mary, 

the Mother of Jesus, Co-Redemptrix with 

Christ. Then, all on the same day, several events 

occur that have a major effect on this issue. The 

Pope has a stroke. A peasant woman in Mexico 

city is miraculously healed of a tumor after 

receiving a vision of Mary. An archaeologist 

finds an ancient scroll that appears to have been 

written by Jesus’ disciple, John. It is the story of 

Jesus’ life told from Mary’s perspective. This 

scroll could answer many questions about 

Mary—including whether or not she is worthy 

to be considered equal to Christ himself. A 

struggle begins to determine who will possess 

the scroll. Some are even willing to kill for it. 

Although the issue of Mary is never resolved, 

the author does seem to attribute more to Mary 

than just the honor due her as Christ’s mother. 

The reader is left mainly to his own conclusions, 

as the contents of the scroll are never fully 

revealed. Characters with several different 

faiths are equally and fairly represented, 

including those with no belief in God. 

The story takes off slowly, but after the first 

fifteen chapters it becomes difficult to put down. 

The large number of characters sometimes 

makes it difficult to follow. There are a few 

violent scenes. Much of the ending is 

predictable, but the author, Gary Parker, still 

manages to take the reader by surprise with 

some of the developments. He does an excellent 

job of wrapping up his story. He answers 

enough questions to bring the mystery about 

who is after the scroll to a close, but leaves the 

reader wondering about the scroll itself and also 

about how God moves in our lives. Entertaining 

and thought-provoking, The Ephesus Fragment 

challenges the reader to clarify his own beliefs 

regarding Mary, supernatural healing and faith 

in God. 

Robyn Wyatt 



Separate Roads, by Judith Pella and Tracie 

Peterson. (Ribbons West; 2.) LCCN 



0764220721, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Railroads--History--Fiction. Gr. 11 - Adult. 

Eighteen-year-old Jordana Baldwin lives with 

her brother, Brenton, and sister-in-law, Caitlan 

O’Connor in Omaha. Caitlan keeps her feelings 

for Brenton unknown to him because of her 

bitterness toward God. Damon Chittenden, a 

coworker with Jordana, is obsessed with her and 

relentlessly pursues her. Kiernan O’Connor and 

his wife Victoria, the Baldwin’s sister, live in 

California. When Kiernan is seriously injured in 

a railroad accident, Victoria’s faith in God helps 

the two of them through a difficult time in their 

life. Jordana, Brenton, and Caitlan travel to 

California after Kiernan’s accident. Damon 

follows Jordana to California and kidnaps her. 

But she escapes unscathed, and Damon is 

arrested. Victoria’s praying for Jordana’s safety 

is the catalyst for Caitlan committing her life to 

God, and this leads to Brenton and Caitlan’s 

engagement. 

Judith Pella and Tracie Peterson have written a 

story about two families’ whose faith in God 

enables them to handle personal difficulties. 

Jordana escapes sexual harm from Damon 

Chittenden, and Kiernan is emotionally 

recovered from his life threatening accident and 

nearly returned to physical health. 

Separate Roads is an eventful historical novel 

about the hardships faced by families trying to 

survive in the 1800’s during times of a civil war 

and expansion of the Central Pacific Railroad. 

Brenton’s signing of a paper to not fight the 

South puts him in an uncomfortable position 

when the Governor decides the Omaha citizens 

should train for the militia. Kiernan’s accident 

incapacitates him physically and only the 

railroad’s intervention keeps his family from 

starving. 




Texas Angel, by Judith Pella. LCCN 



0764222783, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Texas--History--Fiction. 350 p. Adult. 

On the morning of her marriage Elise receives 

the shocking news from her father that she is 

octoroon, her deceased mother having had one 

quarter Negro blood. Keeping this a secret, she 

weds Kendall and lives happily with him on his 

parent’s plantation. But one short year later 

after the birth of their baby daughter the 

harbored secret erupts. Elise and her baby are 

returned to the slave master who owned her 

mother, where she is forced to ply the trade of 

prostitution at his brothel or lose her baby 

forever. 

During this time Reverend Benjamin Sinclair, 

certain of God’s calling to evangelize the Texas 

territory, drags his unwilling wife and children 

away from civilization. His righteous 

fanaticism alienates his son and drives his wife 

to despair to the point of considering suicide to 

escape the drab existence of a circuit preacher’s 

wife. 

Judith Pella in Texas Angel shows how two 

extreme lifestyles come together and are 

drastically touched by God’s love. Descending 

into a living horror with no foreseeable hope of 

escape is contrasted with a religious commission 

gone awry. Ms. Pella demonstrates how doing 

God’s will can often become a self appointed 

life of hypocrisy and condemnation through 

twisting scripture outwardly rather than a 

balanced application to be directed within. 

There are a couple of instances when racial slurs 

and bigoted statements against Roman Catholics 

and Mormons are used that fit the scene and 

genre of that era in U.S. history. The scenes of 

the brothel are tastefully executed so the reader 

is aware of what is happening without all the 

lurid details. 

Texas Angel may evoke strong emotions 

creating introspection regarding the actions and 

relationships that affect the life of the Christian. 




A Veiled Reflection, by Tracie Peterson. 

(Westward Chronicles; 3.) LCCN 99006884. 



PAP, $9.99. 

F. Fred Harvey (Firm)--History--Fiction. Gr. 10 - 

Adult. 

In A Veiled Reflection, Peterson’s story of 

identical twins that exchange places for three 

months could have been cliché. Instead she 

instills irresistible charm and warmth into 

Jillian’s character, and the reader swiftly comes 

to care about and root for her. 

While twin Judith runs away to marry, Jillian 

travels to Arizona and fills Judith’s contract as a 

Harvey Girl, serving food and refreshments to 

travelers in a Harvey Hotel. Called by Judith’s 

name, most Harvey girls accept the deception, 

except for the town doctor who treated a serious 

burn on Judith’s arm just before she returned 

home. The burn, unknown to Jillian, is only the 

first of many unknowns Jillian has to deal with. 

Unable to continue the charade, Jillian confesses 

to the doctor why she’s in Arizona posing as her 

sister. While agreeing to conceal the deception, 

the doctor is intrigued. He is attracted to 

Jillian’s innocence, but guards a hurt and wary 

heart from the past. Furthermore he sees 

Jillian’s refinement and breeding and knows she 

will soon return home. A pregnant fifteen-yearold 

Navajo, racial prejudice and a growing 

attraction to Mac, the town doctor, lead to a 

dramatic scene that places Jillian’s position and 

possibly her life in jeopardy. 

Although fiction, Peterson characterizes Jillian’s 

personal growth with clarity and insight and 

draws the reader into the story with each new 

quandary Jillian faces. The salvation message is 

woven throughout the story as an outgrowth of 

character. An engrossing story showcasing 

morals and integrity while displaying human 


ADULT 

FICTION 

characteristics and the need for a personal 

relationship with Jesus. 

Gail Welborn 



Legend of the Celtic Stone, by Michael 

Phillips. (Caledonia; 1.) LCCN 99006432. 



PAP, $11.99. 

F. England--Fiction. Gr. 9 - Adult. 

The mythical Stone of Scone, symbolizing 

Scotland’s ties with ancient times and an 

intrinsic part of all coronations since the first 

king of Scotland was crowned, is stolen just 

before the coronation of Prince Charles of 

Wales. Shortly after the theft, Eagan Hamilton, 

leader of the Liberal Democratic party, is killed, 

and Andrew Trentham is elected the new leader. 

Pressure is expected to be put on Andrew from 

Dugald MacKinnon, the Scottish Nationalist 

MP and party leader, as the party continues to 

take steps leading up to Scotland’s bid for 

independence from the United Kingdom. As the 

new LD party leader, Andrew feels inadequate 

running the organization until ascertaining his 

own roots which he finds are of Scottish origin. 

Michael Phillips has written a story about a man 

searching for his roots who reads fascinating 

excerpts about the ancient land of Caledonia, 

later known as Scotland. Andrew learns about a 

race of people who treasure a stone that 

symbolizes freedom through the power of unity 

and kinship. 

Legend of the Celtic Stone is an engrossing 

novel of Scottish history. In the front of the 

book is a short introduction, brief history about 

the origin of the Celtic Stone, and a map 

depicting Westminster Abbey where the stone 

was stolen. More information is provided in the 

appendices. Appendix A is a record of Andrew 

Trentham’s early ancestors. Appendix B is a 

summation of the British Parliamentary System. 

Appendix C includes a fictional Party alignment 

and an actual Party Breakdown of MP’s in the 

House of Commons, and is followed by a Notes 

and Bibliography section. 




Bach’s Passion : The Life of Johann 

Sebastian Bach : a novel, by RuthAnn Ridley. 

LCCN 98089639. Enumclaw, WA: 

WinePress Pub., 1999. ISBN 1579211704, 

PAP, $12.99. 

F. Bach, Johann Sebastion, 1685-1750--Fiction; 

Composers--Fiction; Germany--Fiction; Biographical 

fiction; Musical fiction. 396 p. Adult. 

Set in 18th Century Germany, Bach’s Passion 

tells the story of composer Johann Sebastian 

Bach. It reveals the composer as a man whose 

faith burns strong in spite of difficulties. 

Because of his fighting, his employer Duke 

Wilhelm brands him a trouble maker. A friend, 

Prince Leopold, encourages him to broaden his 

horizons and to choose something other than 

writing church music as a career. Yet, writing 

liturgical music is Bach’s dream. He spends a 

lifetime attempting to fulfill that dream. From a 

teenager, through his two marriages and on to 

the time of his death his death, the composer 

lived a passionate life. 

RuthAnn Ridley has written a well researched 

historical novel that clearly shows the tension 

between Bach’s faith and his art. Once opened, 

her book was difficult to put down. It is obvious 

that she, too, is passionate about faith and art. 

She includes an eight page glossary and leaves 

the reader with the words of Charles Marie 

Widor, French organist who said, “What speaks 

through his (Bach’s) works is pure religious 

emotion ... For me, Bach is the greatest of 

preachers ... .” 

Dell Smith Klein 

Writer/ Teacher 

Catalina, Arizona 

Unveiled, by Francine Rivers. Tyndale 

House, 2000. ISBN 0842319476, HBB, 

$12.99. 

F. Biblical fiction. Adult. 

Unveiled, by Francine Rivers, is first in a series 

of novellas about five women God used in 

creating the lineage of Christ. Tamar married 

Judah’s oldest son, a man who was “wicked in 

the sight of the Lord”so “the Lord killed him” 

(Genesis 38). As was required, Judah requested 

his second-born, Onan to marry Tamar. Onan, 

unwilling to give an heir to his brother, emitted 

his seed on the ground. “And the thing which he 

did displeased the Lord; therefore he killed him 

also” (Genesis 38:10). 

Judah, fearing for the life of his third-born son, 

orders Tamar to return to her family, supposedly 

until Shelah is old enough to marry her. Years 

pass, but Judah does not keep his promise. 

According to Canaanite law, the only other way 

Tamar can beget an heir is by her father-in-law. 

Disguising herself as a harlot, Tamar persuades 

Judah to lie with her. Later, when Judah 

receives word that Tamar has become pregnant 

by harlotry, he orders her to be burned, but she 

sends Judah’s staff, cord, and seal to him and 

says “by the man to whom these belong, I am 

with child.” Judah, acknowledging that he 

failed to keep his promise to Tamar, declares her 

more righteous than himself; and the Lord 

poured out a double blessing on Tamar as she 

gave birth to twin boys. 

As Rivers indicates in her introduction, it is 

important to understand Tamar and her actions 

in the context of her own time period. Tamar’s 

extreme actions make sense in light of the fact 

that the only way a woman obtained honor was 

by bearing many sons to build up the household 

of her husband—and Tamar was determined to 

bring honor upon Judah’s house by begetting an 

heir. 

Unveiled is a relatively quick, yet insightful read 

that sticks amazingly close to the scriptures, 

merely fleshing out the conversations and 

thoughts of each character. Along with a 

genealogy, Rivers includes a lengthy, thoughprovoking 

Bible study of Tamar’s story, suitable 

for use personally, or in a small group. 

Sherri Beeler 



Romey’s Place, by James Calvin Schaap. 

LCCN 99040969. Grand Rapids: Baker 

Books, 1999. ISBN 080106001X, PAP, 

$12.99. 

F. Friendship--Fiction; Fathers and sons--Fiction. 288 

p. Adult. 

Lowell Prins helps his father go through family 

keepsakes which call to mind Romey Guttner, a 

friend of his adolescence. Lowell’s dad is a 

devoted Christian, and Romey’s father is an 

atheist. Throughout Lowell and Romey’s 

friendship, the two boys enjoy a number of risky 

adventures, such as stealing cigarettes, trying to 

make out with girls at a Christian Bible camp, 

and dumping water on a couple making out in a 

car. The friendship endures until the night 

Lowell teases Monty, the son of a man Cyril has 

been tormenting, to the point of hysterics. 

Monty’s father, Zoot, goes to the Guttner house 

and spanks Lowell. This sets off Cyril, and he 

tries to kill Zoot; Cyril’s wife, Hattie, shoots her 

husband to keep him from killing Zoot. In the 

aftermath, Romey feels guilty, believing Hattie 

would not have shot Cyril without his 

encouragement, and Romey’s anger at his 

father’s death and the Prins’ Christian beliefs 

break up the boys’ friendship. 

Romey’s Place, by James Calvin Schaap, is told 

through the remembrances of Lowell, now a 

man in his fifties, about his childhood friend and 

the difficulties he experienced growing up with 

a father everyone in town thought was a saint. 

As a grown man, Lowell understands that his 

father taught him to lead a virtuous life, and 

Romey taught him to love his father and not 

judge him because he is not perfect. 

Questions at the end of the book encourage 

discussionabout the characters and their actions 

and beliefs. 




Amethyst Heart, by Penelope J. Stokes. 

LCCN 00026888. Nashville: Word 

Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0849937213, HBB, 

$21.99. 

F. Christian fiction. 376 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 


ADULT 

FICTION 

Following classic traditions of unforgettable 

characters, like Scarlett and Rhett Butler, Dr. 

Penelope Stokes has created equally memorable 

characters in her fiction novel, Amethyst Heart. 

But most of Stokes’ characters are memorable 

for their virtues not vices, and for their 

selflessness instead of selfishness. Although the 

story begins in the pre-civil war South, it opens 

in 1993 with ninety-three-year-old Amethyst 

Noble preparing for a family meeting. Little 

Am, a rebellious teen and great granddaughter 

remains after the meeting, and is given a life 

changing choice. 

When Amethyst learns her son wants her 

declared incompetent for selfish reasons, Stokes 

sets the scene to travel back in time to 1853 to 

introduce readers to Amethyst’s father, Dr. Silas 

Noble and a rich cast of characters, family, and 

friends, both black and white. Noble’s 

grandmother gifted an amethyst brooch to him 

on her deathbed for his future wife, speaking 

these words: “as priceless to the one who wears 

it as it is to the one who gives it.” The heartshaped 

brooch, surrounded by small pearls, with 

“Sincerity, Purity, Nobility” engraved on its 

back, characterizes the Noble family and four 

generations, except for Amethyst’s son and 

grandson. 

The civil war era and succeeding years of racism 

in the south are vividly portrayed with 

believable scenes, dialogue, and 

characterization. Stokes handles the flashbacks 

from mid 1800’s to 1993 and the competency 

hearing with incredible style. The reader never 

gets lost, but is eager to learn more of this 

family. 

The characters created by Stokes bring 

Christianity alive as each generation lives out 

their faith in everyday life. The book ends with 

Little Am and her choices. Will she be 

transformed as Amethyst was at her age? Travel 

through time with Amethyst and find out. This 

compelling read leaves the reader wanting more. 

Gail Welborn 



Jerusalem Vigil, by Bodie & Brock Thoene. 

(Zion Legacy; 1.) LCCN 99054118. New 

York: Viking, Penguin Putnam, 2000. ISBN 

0670889113, HBB, $19.99. 

F. Israel-Arab War, 1948-1949--Fiction; Jews-- 

Palestine--Fiction. 332 p. Adult. 

The well-known authors of the popular Zion 

Chronicles, Bodie and Brock Thoene, have 

produced another exciting tale about the 

precious homeland of the Jews. Rich in 

historical content and colorful characters, 

Jerusalem Vigil paints a dramatic picture of the 

on-going struggle the Jews have to live in their 

beloved native land. Jerusalem represents the 

very heart throb of existence to the Jew and 

Muslim alike. It only takes a few hours after the 

withdrawal of the British soldiers to thrust 

Israel, newly reborn as a state, into the jaws of 

war with the radical Muslim factions. This ageold 

battle between Isaac and Ishmael continues 

to rage through time and will continue until the 

Messiah returns as King at the end of the age. 

Familiar characters emerge from the pages as 

they face the critical few days after the official 

announcement that Israel has achieved 

statehood in 1948. The battles are very precise 

in their presentation, not only sharing detailed 

strategies, but unveiling the human aspect of 

war in its personal and compassionate form. For 

fans of the previous Zion series, they will enjoy 

this “rebirth” about the center of God’s world, 

Jerusalem. Be aware that the reader is not 

spared the tragic aspects of war and its multifaced 

victims. 

The Thoenes, authors of thirty-two novels, both 

hold Ph.D’s in creative writing and history, and 

show their expertise in both fields as they 

present this first in the series. They intend to 

produce two new books for the series each year, 

keeping interested readers satisfied. 

Mary McKinney 



★ 

Fusion Fire, by Kathy Tyers. (Firebird; 2.) 



ISBN 0764222155, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Science ficiton. 319 p. Gr. 10 - Adult. 

According to an ancient messianic prophecy, 

Lady Firebird and Brennan Caldwell are part of 

the telepathic Sentinel line that will bring forth a 

child who will save the world from its darkness. 

The evil Shuhr will do whatever it takes to 

prevent this. Their tactics include attempting to 

wipe out the entire Caldwell family—or worse 

yet, kidnapping one of Firebird’s soon-to-beborn 

twins to use as part of their twisted genetic 

breeding program. Phoena, Firebird’s powerhungry 

sister, offers the Shuhr Firebird’s life in 

exchange for Phoena’s queenship on an 

independent Netaia, which is now under 

Federation control. The Shuhr, also telepaths, 

mentally manipulate Phoena for their own 

benefit. When her husband begs Brennan to 

rescue her, he agrees. Unfortunately, Brennan is 

captured and drugged so the Shuhr can access 

his mind to obtain important information about 

Federation. As a protective measure, Brennan is 

forced to induce a self-imposed amnesia. 

Grieving for the intensely painful separation 

from her husband, Firebird finally decides she 

must rescue Brennan herself. She is successful. 

However, because of his partial amnesia, 

Brennan at first does not even know Firebird as 

his bond mate. As he works with the healer, it 

becomes clear that much of his mind and skills 

may be restored, but it will take time and a great 

deal of effort on his part—and the telepathic 

skills that he so highly valued in himself will not 

come as easily as they used to. Brennan learns 

an important lesson in humility through his 

experiences, and Firebird comes to grips with 

the fact that even though she considers herself a 

“good person”—especially when compared to 

the evil Shuhr—sin is an innate part of her being 

that can only be covered by blood sacrifice and 

submission to the Eternal Speaker (God). 

Fusion Fire, by Kathy Tyers, is the exciting 

sequel to Firebird. The book moves along 

rapidly with a well-developed plot, and the 

relationship between Brennan and Firebird is 

more fully developed, showing their unique 

interconnectedness after undergoing pair 

bonding. The book deals with significant 

spiritual issues regarding man’s sin nature, 

pride, and the importance of submitting to Christ 

and his word. Tyers gives a two page synopsis 

of Firebird in Fusion Fire, which clarifies things 

for those who haven’t read book one. 

Sherri Beeler 


Medford Oregon 

★ 

Grace at Bender Springs : A Novel, by Vinita 

Hampton Wright. LCCN 97049700. 

Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999. 

ISBN 0805421270, PAP, $12.99. 

F. Christian fiction. 399 p. Gr. 11 - Adult. 

“This town is sort of a huge dysfunctional 

family, isn’t it?” observes Sarah Morgan near 

the end of both the 1997 summer and the revival 

meetings at Bender Springs, Kansas. Residents 

live through the drought, but everything turns on 

edge, one way or another, causing Sarah to make 

that accurate pronouncement. The story begins, 

however, in 1888, when Bender Springs, a small 

fictitious town, had another name. Vinita 

Hampton Wright turns back to that early day 

several times throughout the story. At last the 

connection between the old town and the present 

becomes clear. 

From Saturday, June 7 until Saturday, August 

16, readers live the days with an assortment of 

Bender Springs folks: Sarah, miserable, and her 

pastor husband, Jacob; Tony Gardino, a fearful 

and unhappy teenager; Dave Seaton, a young 

widower who dreams of roads that lead 

somewhere else; Randy Kluver, female teen 

who moves into Dave’s heart; Mamie Rupert, 

elderly widow with strange, haunting dreams; 

Iris Miracle, Pentecostal minister, and her 

brother Maxwell, called Ax for short. More 

people help round out that difficult summer, 

making change possible for some and not for 

others. 

Wright skillfully involves reader’s emotions as 

she alternates chapters between primary 

characters, also including secondary characters 

as important elements. Her descriptions of the 

oppressive heat feel authentic, and the way 


ADULT 

FICTION 

tempers flare, even to a rape sorely regretted 

afterward, ring true for a community suffering 

with high temperatures and dry ground. Lifechanges 

the characters experience happen in 

realistic ways. Wright does not offer pat answers 

for problems. 

The message of God’s love, salvation, and help 

for daily living springs through surprising 

sources, not from whom or where the reader 

might expect. It brings hope and faith into lives 

that had none. 

Betty M. Hockett 

Writer, Speaker, Teacher 

Newberg, Oregon 

In the Shadow of a Secret, by Lance Wubbels. 



ISBN 0764221833, PAP, $10.99. 

F. Mothers and daughters--Fiction; Romance fiction. 

286 p. Adult. 

Commissioned to paint portraits of some of 

Chicago’s upper crust while under the expert 

tutelage of a world renowned art instructor, 

Christina is soon propelled into a busy life away 

from the baggage of her years growing up in a 

small town where she and her mother are 

continual fodder for the gossip mill. While 

enjoying her anonymity, she soon smacks into 

skeletons from her past which bring up haunting 

questions that need answers. Christina sets out 

to unlock the mysteries which lead her back to 

her home town. 

Passing up a megacity pastorate, Andrew 

accepts a call to a small town church where his 

spinster aunt and disabled uncle live, determined 

to make a difference in the life of the 

congregation. Andrew is not long in realizing 

the disappointment that in spite of his godly 

preaching using the tool of God’s Word, the 

messages seem to fall on deaf ears. He resolves 

to pray without ceasing for the anointing of the 

Holy Spirit, bringing a miracle that changes a 

town. 

In the Shadow of a Secret by Lance Wubbles, 

author of The Gentle Hills series, is a serene 

romance set in the late thirties. An unwed 

mother living in a small community is 

continually reminded of her shame. The fact 

that most of the heartache comes via the so 

called Christians obscures her path to salvation. 

All the events lead to a boiling cauldron of evil. 

Then through the Holy Spirit’s patient 

intervention sins are confessed and the way is 

opened for forgiveness, reconciliation, and 

salvation. In the midst of turmoil a family 

separated by years of festering pain is brought 

together for healing. The conclusion is idealistic 

for a community of varied persons on a sinful 

planet, but with God all things are possible. 





BOOK REVIEWS 

ADULT NONFICTION 

100’s—Philosophy & Psyschology 

Christian Writers’ Market Guide 2000, by 

Sally E. Stuart. Wheaton, Ill.: Harold Shaw 


$21.99. 

070.5. Christian literature--Publication and 

distribution--United States--Directories; Theology-- 

Periodicals--Directories. 583 p. Adult. 

A current issue of Sally Stuart’s Christian 

Writers’ Market Guide is essential for anyone 

serious about writing for Christian publishers. 

This year’s volume includes more than 1,100 

writing markets with seventy-three new 

periodicals and fifty-six new book publishers 

added. The 583 pages are packed with valuable 

information to help beginning or seasoned 

writers find markets to publish their work and 

track editorial changes. 

The bulk of this comprehensive resource lists 

book and magazine publishers along with 

specific contact information, genres they accept, 

A Note from the Editor: by Ray Legg 

Beauty 

Out of 

Ashes 

I have been thinking of you, the 

readers of Christian Library Journal, 

quite frequently for the past several 

days. Part of it may have to do with 

getting the column in on time, but the 

events of the recent past are the 

primary cause. 

I was taking my son to work at the 

dining hall. As we pulled into the 

parking lot of the Student Life 

Center, we noticed smoke rising from 

the roof of the main administration 

building. I told him to go inside and 

make sure someone had called 911, 

while I drove to the back side of the 

building and entered the ground floor 

to see if there was anything I could 

do to help. The fumes were 

overpowering and I had to leave. 

The fire and rescue teams arrived and 

methodically and professionally 

began to ply their trades. Other fire 

and rescue teams from all over the 

region converged, but despite their 

efforts, they were powerless to stop 

the fire from consuming the entire 

third floor of the building - the 

classrooms, offices, natural history 

collection, technology center, and the 

library. As the fire spread along the 

length of the building, everyone 

prayed that it would stop before it 

reached the library. If it didn’t, it 

would destroy more than books; it 

would destroy a part of history—the 

rare book collection. 

And it did. While the fire was 

prevented from spreading to the 

lower floors of the library, the smoke 

and water caused incredible 

devastation. Everything in the library 

was affected. All that was left were 

row after row, shelf after shelf of 

charred remains. Thirty years of hard 

work and two to four million dollars 

of the school’s resources went up in 

smoke. 

But the process of rebuilding has 

already begun. Classes resumed two 

days after the fire. Even though all 

the essential college functions are 

being run from temporary modular 

buildings, we are pressing on. 

Colleges and universities from all 

over the nation and the world have 

pledged their support as we rebuild. 

Our plan is to be back in business in 

a newly renovated building by the 

beginning of the fall term. 

As all this activity has transpired, I 

have wondered about you, our 

readers. If something like this fire 

was to strike your library, what plans 

do you have in place to preserve your 

collection? Do you have any? How 

about using our disaster as your 

motivation to review your disaster 

plan in case the same thing happened 

to you? 


ADULT 

NONFICTION 

payment, and more. A detailed table of contents 

and general index help readers quickly find 

specific markets and information. 

Besides markets for periodicals and books, this 

necessary tool includes new online markets, 

greeting card and specialty markets, contests, 

plus markets for scriptwriting, song writing, and 

poetry. It also contains helpful information on 

Christian writers’ conferences, workshops, and 

organizations plus editorial services and agents. 

Useful indexes include a glossary of terms and 

denominational listings of book publishers and 

periodicals. 

To use this reference, study the periodical and 

book entries relating to your topics of interest 

and highlight possible markets. For example, if 

family life interests you, find this listing in the 

table of contents and read entries for this topic. 

Then follow instructions within each publication 

to request sample copies, writers’ guidelines, 

and theme lists. When materials arrive, examine 

each publication thoroughly before writing a 

query or piece for them. 

Stuart, widely known in Christian publishing as 

a marketing expert and conference speaker, has 

compiled this guide for fifteen years. With 

thirty-three years of writing experience, she has 

authored over twenty-five books and hundreds 

of articles. Her well-researched, up-to-date 

book is the best Christian marketing tool 

available. Stuart found her writing niche; now 

she helps others find theirs with this outstanding 

annual resource. 

Lydia E. Harris 

Freelance Writer & Former Teacher 

Seattle, Washington 

100’s—Philsophy & Psychology 

Pregnancy After a Loss : A Guide to 

Pregnancy After a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or 

Infant Death, by Carol Cirulli Lanham. New 

York: Berkley, Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 

0425170470, PAP, $14.95. 

155.9. Miscarriage. Adult. 

The author lost her first son, Patrick, to full term 

stillbirth, then had two healthy sons within three 

years. That experience makes this book 

credible, her profession as a journalist makes it 

thorough. Research for Pregnancy After a Loss 

became her healing quest. It is the single most 

comprehensive volume on this topic and covers 

emotional, physical, and spiritual elements of 

subsequent pregnancies. Organized by 

trimester, the book anticipates everything from 

telling people you are pregnant to taking home a 

healthy baby. Each chapter includes How You 

May Be Feeling, Prenatal Visits and Tests, 

Common Concerns, Tips for Easing Anxiety, 

and Home Monitoring of Your Pregnancy. 

Because of its broad range, there is some 

material that may not be applicable your 

situation, such as detailed descriptions of 

diseases/conditions that lead to pregnancy loss. 

For example, if your loss was the result of a late 

term cord accident, you can skip the selective 

abortion or early miscarriage sections. The 

index is specific, allowing you to read only what 

you need/want. Read selectively, this book will 

be a tremendous asset to anyone journeying 

through the unfamiliar and sometimes anxietyridden 

territory of subsequent pregnancy after 

loss. 

Anita Goldman Horning 


Lawrenceville, Georgia 

21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader : 

Becoming the Person That People Will Want 

to Follow, by John C. Maxwell. LCCN 

99031420. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 


0785274405, PAP, $14.99. 

158. Leadership. 156 p. Adult (HS). 

As a complementary companion to The 21 

Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, ex-pastor John 

Maxwell writes to support the leadership 

student. He helps readers recognize, develop, 

and refine personal characteristics needed to be 

an effective leader others will want to follow. 

Among his twenty-one leadership qualities, he 

identifies character, charisma, commitment, 

communication, generosity, listening, passion, 

responsibility, self-discipline, servanthood, and 

vision as a few chapter heads. Each section 

begins with succinct quotes to direct readers’ 

thinking, and step-by-step teaching and 

examples to illustrate his points. Chapters end 

with “Daily Take-Aways,” meaningful 

summaries or a challenge to apply the skill 

taught in the section. Many personal, believable 

anecdotes salt and pepper this self-help tool, 

easily read in one or two settings. 

Although Maxwell writes in an easy-to-readquick-style, 

his message runs deep, and the 

encouraging, empowering advice prompts 

readers to look down deep to discover qualities 

needed to live their dream. He advises students 

of influence to make leadership changes from 

the inside out and to absorb the book 

strategically and methodically, (not in one or 

two settings) perhaps its most acute benefit. 

Anyone desiring to be more effective with 

others will benefit by the skills Maxwell 

identifies. He does not use Scripture in his 

work, but his principles stem from biblical 

ideals throughout. His tools for teaching 

groups, the video and audio series, are also 

highlighted. Church and lay leaders praise this 

volume. 

Carolyn Hearing 


Winterville, North Carolina 


Intelligent Design : The Bridge Between 

Science and Theology, by William A. 

Dembski. LCCN 99037141. Downers Grove, 

Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1999. ISBN 

0830815813, HBB, $19.99. 

215. Religion and science; God--Proof, 

Cosmological; Naturalism; Intelligent design. 312 p. 

Adult. 

“Intelligent design,” writes William Dembski, 

“is three things: a scientific research program 

that investigates the effects of intelligent causes; 

an intellectual movement that challenges 

Darwinism and its naturalistic legacy; and a way 

of understanding divine action.” Dembski, a 

Ph.D. holder in the fields of mathematics and 

philosophy, proposes what he calls “specified 

complexity” as a criterion for detecting design 

in natural phenomena. This approach is thus 

different from “creation science” which has 

religious commitments, and “naturalism,” 

which denies the possibility of divine action in 

the universe. It is a scientific approach that 

acknowledges the possibility of divine action, 

but does not seek to define the Designer. 

Despite what might seem to be a deliberately 

agnostic approach to the nature of God, 

Dembski asserts that “any view of the sciences 

that leaves Christ out of the picture must be seen 

as fundamentally deficient.” In other words, 

first the evidence of design must be found, and 

only then can it be seen how this relates to a 

Christian worldview. Dembski is, in fact, 

concerned that any approach to science must be 

compatible with the Christian faith. 

The topics covered in the book range over 

approaches to divine action, natural theology, 

naturalism, information theory, design in nature, 

science and theology, and creation as divine gift 

and logos. Some of the chapters are fairly 

technical for the lay reader, involving exercises 

in the theory of logic. The book as a whole is 

probably more suitable for the serious student of 

science and theology. Dembski provides a 

helpful appendix countering objections to 

design theory. As books on intelligent design 

theory continue to proliferate, Dembski’s book 

should provide a worthwhile overview. 

Andrew M. Seddon 

Physician/Author 

Billings, Montana 

How to Study Your Bible : The Lasting 

Rewards of the Inductive Approach, by Kay 

Arthur. LCCN 93031606. Eugene, Ore.: 

Harvest House Publishers, 1994. ISBN 

1565071735, PAP, $9.99. 

220. Bible--Study and teaching. 176 p. Adult. 

Years ago people would read their Bibles and 

never mark in them. Later came Bibles that 

encouraged people to write notes to themselves 

in the margins. Later still came study Bibles that 

provided space and notes to the text so people 

could really learn and apply the Word of God 

into their lives. Many Bible studies series taught 

people how to study the Bible for all its worth. 

Kay Arthur, who has an excellent speaking 


ADULT 

NONFICTION 

ministry, has now defined a way to study the 

Bible that is easy to learn and takes a lifetime to 

perfect. 

Her inductive method is not unique, but her 

book carefully teaches one what it is and the 

advantages to using this method. With many 

examples, explanations, and helps, Arthur takes 

the Bible student through her process. Each 

chapter builds upon the preceding chapter with 

no assumptions made from the beginning. She 

begins with the rationale for using the inductive 

method and shows the flexibility of this method 

such as a topical study, book study, or a person 

study as well as many other studies. She teaches 

the use of questioning to arrive at the true, clear 

meaning of scripture without ever placing her 

theology in the balance. She has the student 

using the pencil constantly and she is aware that 

colors are a powerful way to learn and 

remember information. She is also cognizant of 

how people will connect with symbols or 

patterns, so she teaches how these are to be used 

in inductive Bible study. In many respects this 

is a mini course on biblical studies. 

The book is written well with many charts, 

maps, examples, and directions. The appendices 

are many and detailed. The topics covered in 

the appendices are a summary of the inductive 

process, worksheet examples, extensive “how 

to’s” regarding the usage of dictionaries and 

concordances, as well as recommendation pages 

for further studies and helps for verb tenses, 

moods, and voice. This would be a useful book 

for the person desiring to develop a life long 

habit of studying the Bible. 

Bianca L. Elliott 

Teacher 


The Covenant : A Bible Study, by James L. 

Garlow. LCCN 99015320. : Beacon Hill 

Press, 1999. ISBN 0834118149, PAP, $8.99. 

220.6. Covenants--Biblical teaching; Covenants-- 

Religious aspects--Christianity. 96 p. Adult. 

Mr. Garlow begins The Covenant by stating that 

the study of covenants will change one’s life. 

He supports this statement with a book that 

explains the history, main concepts (i.e. blood, 

purity, curses/blessings, etc.), symbolism (i.e. 

meal, name exchange, etc.), and use of 

covenants in the church today. Mr. Garlow sets 

an understandable background for the study of 

biblical covenants that makes the rest of the 

book easy to comprehend. The outline is simple 

and straightforward with a progression from the 

history of covenants in the two testaments 

through an interpretation of how one should use 

this information in their personal and corporate 

lives. He discusses briefly different covenants 

(Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, 

Davidic, and the new covenant), but emphasizes 

the Abrahamic and New Covenants. 

In chapter eight and following Mr. Garlow 

begins dealing with issues such as the suffering 

of Christians versus sickness, spiritual authority 

of believers according to covenant theology, and 

binding and loosening. Mr. Garlow believes in 

the present authority of covenants. He believes 

that by speaking the promises indicated in the 

covenants, we exercise the authority and power 

of the covenants. We may rebuke orally the 

spirit of bitterness for example. 

At the end of each chapter are study/discussion 

questions. There is a note section in the back of 

the book and within the text are numerous 

references to Scripture. 


Teacher 


Equality in Christ: Galatians 3:28 and the 

Gender Dispute, by Richard W. Hove. LCCN 



1581341032, PAP, $13.99. 

227. Bible. N.T. Galations III.28--Criticism, 

interpretation, etc.; Sex role--Bible teaching. 160 p. 

Adult. 

In this book Mr. Hove explores the gender 

controversy regarding the role of men and 

women in the church, using Galatians 3:28 as 

his base. The book is a reworking of his 

master’s thesis. As a result, this book is not for 

the general reader. The text is written in logical 

order starting with the historical interpretation of 

this passage of Scripture, an in-depth analysis of 

the Greek used in this and surrounding text, 

interpretation of this text with an emphasis on 

practical application, finishing with the stance of 

the author. 

After years of study, Mr. Hove’s stance 

regarding this text of Scripture, and more 

specifically the issue of roles within the church 

today, is a middle of the road approach. He 

admits that the egalitarian view has strong 

points such as the application of equality within 

society within reason, but he disagrees with the 

complete egalitarian view that all are equal now 

in Christ. He distinguishes between equality 

before Christ and equality in roles. His analysis 

of the other main position regarding Galatians 

3:28, complementarianism, is also thorough but 

he also disagrees with this as the complete 

interpretation of this verse. Complementarinists 

are concerned with the inclusion of all people 

into the Abrahamic covenant with all of its 

attending blessings. He cites authors 

representing each position at length as to 

accurately present their side. Mr. Hove 

examines both positions, blends them, and 

creates his own interpretation of Galatians 3:28. 

This book has extensive in-text notes, an 

appendix, detailed bibliography, general index, 

and Scripture index. Unless the reader has had 

courses of New Testament Greek, this book will 

get very complex quickly. Mr. Hove uses the 

Greek text (27th Ed. Nestle) and the nuances 

that are only found in the Greek to present his 

position. 


Teacher 


The Christian Message for Contemporary Life 

: The Gospel’s Power to Change Lives, by 

Stephen F. Olford. LCCN 99018856. Grand 

Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1999. ISBN 

0825433614, PAP, $7.99. 

227. Bible. N.T. 1 Corinthians--Commentaries. p. 

Adult. 

Stephen Olford asks what is the message in the 

first three chapters of 1 Corinthians in The 

Christian Message For Contemporary Life. 

Initial chapters cover what he calls “the 

contradiction of division” and how division 

weakens the witness of the church. For 

example, churches preach the message of 

reconciliation, yet experience divisiveness in 

their own church body. He covers the character 

of the Christian message and its relevancy for 

today, and discusses how religion has moved 

from God centered to self-centered. Olford 

writes, “Objective doctrines are replaced by 

subjective experience; worshipping a holy God 

gives way to entertaining the congregation.” He 

places great emphasis on the great commission 

and the importance of communicating Christ’s 

message to unbelievers today. The concluding 

chapters deal with understanding the Christian 

message through the Holy Spirit with His 

initiation, illumination, and spiritual 

interpretation. 

Olford elaborates on the challenge of the 

Christian message and compares lack of 

spiritual maturity to the degree of carnality in 

hearts. He defines spiritual maturity as 

willingness to accept spiritual truth, apply it, and 

then affirm it. Each chapter ends with an 

itemized passage description of where in I 

Corinthians his conclusions are drawn from. 

These, coupled with biblical end notes, 

encourage the reader to read God’s word. 

Olford describes issues that confront churches 

today with insight and honesty, while 

emphasizing our hope is in the Lord who will 

provide the answers if we only submit to Him 

and ask. A must read for serious-minded 

Christians. 

Gail Welborn 



Dear God, I’m Ticked Off : Answering the 

Spiritual Complaints and Concerns of Others, 

by R. Larry Moyer. LCCN 98053733. 

Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1999. 

ISBN 0825431751, PAP, $8.99. 

230. Christianity--Miscellanea; Spiritual life-- 

Christianity--Miscellanea. 144 p. Adult. 

Sometimes non-scholarly people do not know 

how to answer questions from non-Christians 

regarding their faith, the desire/need to 


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defend/explain their faith called apologetics. In 

this book Mr. Moyer addresses concerns and 

fears raised by non-Christians using a letter 

writing and answering format. The format is a 

brief description of the writer and their situation. 

Then follows the letter of the inquirer. There is 

a brief analysis of the writer’s salient points and 

then a letter is written to respond to the issue 

raised by the inquirer. The letters are nonoffensive 

and avoid overt confrontation. The 

language is easy to understand and logical to the 

situation. 

Mr. Moyer deals with many issues in this book 

such as the reliability of Scripture, the problem 

of pain, the deity of Christ, why do the righteous 

suffer, etc. All of the issues are dealt with in a 

gentle and conservative Christian manner. Mr. 

Moyer closes his book with three observations 

when working with people interested in 

Christianity. They are, “Concentrate on 

listening rather than responding. Keep the 

message of the gospel in the foreground, not the 

background. Don’t forget the value of a 

compliment.” The last page of the book is an 

invitation to accept Christ and a prayer for the 

reader to use in accepting Christ. 


Teacher 


Evangelical Truth : A Personal Plea for Unity, 

Integrity and Faithfulness, by John R. W. 

Stott. LCCN 99029791. Downers Grove, 


0830822224, PAP, $9.99. 

230. Evangelicalism; Theology, Doctrinal. 131 p. 

Adult. 

In our day of ever increasing numbers of 

denominations, we can perhaps be forgiven for 

wondering what, if anything, we have in 

common. We all claim the name of “Christian” 

but we differ in emphases, in points of doctrine, 

in styles of worship. Is there anything that binds 

us together, any foundation that can draw us 

away from our differences into one body of 

Christ? In this short book, John Stott, one of 

evangelicalism’s leading theologians and 

thinkers for many years, answers yes. For those 

members of any denomination who consider 

themselves ‘evangelical,’ the things that unite us 

are greater than those which divide us. 

Stott focuses on central tenets of the Christian 

faith—the revelation of God, the Cross of 

Christ, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

Cutting through the chaff of secondary issues, 

he addresses items on which Christians can and 

should agree. He calls us to live with each other 

in humility, to accept our differences but not let 

them divide us, to work together for the 

furtherance of God’s work on earth. Stott charts 

a moderate course through a sea of difficult 

issues. 

This book is not only a concise overview of 

Christian essentials, but, as the subtitle 

indicates, Stott’s personal plea for unity, 

integrity, and faithfulness. This little book 

should be a valuable resource for those 

interested in the commonalties which 

evangelical Christians share. 




Mysteries of Faith, by Mark Allen McIntosh. 

(The New Church’s Teaching Series; 8.) 

LCCN 99046467. Cambridge, Mass.: 

Cowley Publications, 2000. ISBN 

1561011754, PAP, $11.95. 

230.21. Theology, Doctrinal--Popular works. 185 p. 

Adult. 

While many aspects of our Christian faith are 

simple enough to be understood by everyone, 

even children, there are deeper layers of 

meaning to engage even the best minds in 

theological inquiry. This is what is meant by 

“mystery”—not puzzles or problems to be 

solved, but “the deep dimension of life where 

meaning dwells” (p. 2). For Mark McIntosh, 

professor of systematic theology and spirituality 

at Loyola University, theology involves 

seeking out these meanings ... God’s meanings. 

The mysteries of the Christian faith include the 

doctrines of creation, revelation, incarnation, 

salvation, eschatology and the Trinity. These are 

distinctive doctrines that bind us together in one 

Faith, and separate us from the multitude of the 

world’s other faiths. McIntosh asserts that we 

can’t escape from theology; rather, that 

“theology is taking place whenever your life is 

interpreted in the context of God’s life, when 

the mystery of God’s love begins to shine and 

radiate into your world ... ” (p.8). Theology is 

not academia, but part of life. McIntosh uses the 

language of friendship and family to explain the 

mysteries of faith and show how they relate to 

daily life. 

Although part of a series for Anglicans, 

Mysteries of Faith provides an engaging, lucid, 

and accessible examination of these central 

doctrines that should benefit members of other 

denominations as well. It would be hard to 

conceive of a better treatment written for 

laypersons, or one that makes the mysteries of 

faith more real and relevant. 




The Perfect Love, by Ruth Myers. Colorado 

Springs: WaterBrook Press, HBB. ISBN 

1578560020, 1998, $19.95. 

231.6. God--Love; God--Worship and love. 304 p. 

Adult. 

“It we want real love, ideal love, limitless love,” 

writes Ruth Myers, “God’s heart is where to find 

it. It’s the only love big enough to meet the 

God-sized needs of your life.” With this as a 

premise, Myers, a missionary for many years in 

Singapore and now on staff with the Navigators, 

explores the deceptively simple concept that 

God loves us. “All of us in some degree have 

false or incomplete notions about God and his 

love, and these wrong ideas about Him lie at the 

root of many of our problems.” Myers believes 

that there are three reasons that Christians often 

have trouble actively believing in God’s love: 

(1) they intuitively know they do not deserve his 

love, (2) they don’t see God meeting their 

expectations and desires, and (3), this being 

perhaps the most prevalent reason of all, they do 

not take the time to cultivate the depth of 

relationship with God that love requires. 

Having dealt with each of these issues in her 

own life, Myers challenges and encourages the 

reader join her in the ongoing process of 

becoming so grounded in the reality of God’s 

deep and passionate love that it becomes a 

constant influence in life rather than an abstract 

concept. 

This isn’t a book to be skimmed in an evening. 

It is one to savor prayerfully and thoughtfully. It 

is a delight to come upon the many excerpts of 

poetry, lines from hymns, and favorite quotes 

that Myers uses to illustrate her points. She 

concludes each chapter with a prayer and a 

challenge: “What Scripture or truth in this 

chapter do you feel the Lord is especially 

speaking to you about? What will you do to 

profit the most from this?” The Perfect Love is 

a call to action and an invitation to experience 

“the only love that truly satisfies—the only love 

you truly need.” 




The Challenge of Jesus : Rediscovering Who 

Jesus Was and Is, by N.T. Wright. LCCN 

99036481. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity 

Press, 1999. ISBN 0830822003, HBB, $14.99. 

232. Jesus Christ--Historicity; Christian life. 202 p. 

Adult. 

N. T. Wright, now Canon Theologian of 

Westminster Abbey, is well known for his 

contributions to the ongoing quest for the 

historical Jesus. Writing from a predominantly 

conservative position, Wright’s books have 

opposed those of the Jesus Seminar, but have 

provoked controversy in their own right. His 

major volumes, The New Testament and the 

People of God, and Jesus and the Victory of 

God, are written primarily for scholars; this new 

book, The Challenge of Jesus, provides an 

accessible overview of Wright’s studies 

focusing on the life of Jesus. 

Wright believes that there are still new things to 

be said and learned about the life of Jesus of 

Nazareth. It is an important part of discipleship 

to think clearly, accurately, and truthfully about 

Jesus Christ, because he has revealed God to us. 

Wright challenges common assumptions about 

Jesus; he attempts to present a picture of Jesus 


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that is grounded in the world of first century 

Palestine, but that also speaks to us today. He 

examines such topics as Jesus’s understanding 

of the Kingdom of God, his mission, and the 

crucifixion. He discusses the relationship of 

Jesus and God; the incarnation; and the 

resurrection. Lastly, he examines how a proper 

understanding of Jesus can affect our lives as 

Christians in today’s world. 

The Challenge of Jesus is written in a clear 

manner, and should provide a valuable resource 

for those interested in the historical Jesus. 




Genetic Engineering : A Christian Response : 

Crucial Considerations in Shaping Life, 

Timothy J. Demy and Gary P. Stewart, 

editors: foreword by Hessel Bouma. LCCN 

98459808. Grand Rapids: Kregel 


$18.99. 

241. Medical genetics--Religious aspects-- 

Christianity; Medical genetics--Moral and ethical 

aspects; Genetic engineering--Religious aspects-- 

Christianity; Genetic engineering--Moral and ethical 

aspects. 320 p. Adult. 

A single glance at the newspapers tells us that 

genetic engineering is here to stay. The Human 

Genome Project has successfully mapped out 

the human gene sequence, there is hope for 

treatment of various genetic diseases, animals 

have been cloned, and humans may be next. 

Genetic engineering can (and is) viewed both as 

a bright hope for the future and as a Pandora’s 

box of unmitigated evil. Where does the truth 

lie? How should a Christian respond? 

As with many technologies, genetic engineering 

lies in the gray zone between good and evil. It 

promises many benefits, yet troubling aspects 

should prevent uncritical acceptance. The issues 

involved are complicated and not easily 

resolved. Genetic Engineering: A Christian 

Response collects twenty essays from highly 

qualified sources to address some of the 

concerns. These are gathered into three groups 

relating to society, the family, and the individual. 

The diverse topics involve matters of justice, 

worldviews, the nature of humanity, and 

spirituality. Genetic engineering includes 

treatment of disease, but also the potential for 

eugenics (thereby bringing in the possibility of 

abortion for unwanted pregnancies), and human 

cloning. What costs will genetic engineering 

carry? Who benefits? Who suffers? 

Christians cannot and must not avoid these 

issues. They are not easy—just as many of the 

essays in this book are not easy—but Christians 

need to be informed and outspoken. Genetic 

Engineering: A Christian Response is not a 

textbook, and lays no claim to presenting a 

comprehensive picture of the current state of 

genetics. It presents an overview from a broadly 

Christian perspective and its authors are 

committed to evaluating and critiquing genetic 

engineering from a Christian standpoint. The 

book should be well worth the investment for 

those involved or interested in this area. 




A Christian View of Hospitality : Expecting 

Surprises, by Michele Hershberger. (The 

Giving Project Series.) LCCN 99022035. 

Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1999. ISBN 

0836191099, PAP, $12.99. 

241. Hospitality--Religious aspects--Christianity. 284 

p. Adult. 

What is biblical hospitality? Michele 

Hershberger, a Mennonite church worker and 

former youth pastor, presents a unique 

perspective that may push readers out of their 

comfort zones. Not a typical tea-and-cookies 

hospitality book, A Christian View of Hospitality 

addresses theological issues of hospitality in our 

post-modern culture. 

Hershberger stresses the need to see strangers 

through the eyes of Jesus and says they often 

bring the gift of hospitality. Their gifts may not 

be tangible or wrapped but rather something the 

host learns from the stranger or from giving. 

The author prayed daily for opportunities to be 

hospitable and was surprised by God’s answers 

and the many opportunities. She blends 

personal accounts from her life and others who 

participated in a forty day experiment with 

biblical teaching on hospitality. Fresh insights 

challenge readers with meaty concepts to chew 

on and digest. 

Appendices include ideas for encouraging 

hospitality and a discussion guide for individual 

or group study. Readers who want to move 

beyond the status quo in offering hospitality will 

find this thought-provoking resource valuable. 


Freelance Writer, Former Teacher 


Power Lines : Celtic Prayers About Work, by 

David Adam. LCCN 99087388. Harrisburg, 

Penn.: Morehouse Publishing, 2000. ISBN 

0819218383, PAP, $10.95. 

242. Employees--Prayer-books and devotions-- 

English; Work--Prayer-books and devotions--English; 

Celtic Church--Prayer-books and devotions--English. 

111 p. Adult. 

David Adam, vicar of Holy Island, Lindisfarne, 

was a coal miner before he attended Kelham 

Theological College, which may partly explain 

his keen interest in prayers for the working 

person. The title of this small book refers to the 

admonition in Ephesians 6:10 to “be strong in 

the Lord and in the power of his might.” 

We must, Adams declares, “make our own 

personal discovery” that all power comes from 

God and that his power is always available. He 

explains in his introduction that Celtic prayer 

did not divide life into sacred and secular niches 

but spoke simply, at any time or place. He 

presents prayers for work and city, morning and 

evening; prayers that deal with the often workrelated 

emotions of achievement or 

disappointment. The chapter, “Prayers by 

Others,” presents mostly familiar lines, from the 

medieval “God be in my head/And in my 

understanding…” to Reinhold Niebuhr’s 

serenity prayer. 

Prayers are brief and simple, often with 

repetitions, some in the form of litanies. Many 

are touching expressions that expose a yearning 

for “His Presence” and fit well with the author’s 

belief in “recital theology”—driving home again 

and again the reality of that presence. In 

“Revelations,” God is asked to act upon the 

prayer with these verbs: reveal, stir, open, work, 

show, renew, abide. (p. 42) A prayer for 

disappointment cries, “Lord, I am poured out 

like water,/Emptied like a hollow drum…./Now 

there is more room for you….” (p. 65) 

I especially enjoyed Adam’s introduction, his 

emphasis on the importance of God’s power in 

everyday life, and his anecdotes of living with 

and without (electrical and spiritual) power. 

Power Lines can be a beneficial tool for 

congregational use and for personal meditation. 

R. Jeanette Hardage 



Conversations at the Girlville Diner : Finding 

God in the Hairdos & the Hash Browns, 

written by Kim Boulton and Chris Wave. 

LCCN 99037033. Wheaton, Ill.: Harold 

Shaw Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0877881715, 

PAP, $11.99. 

242. Christian women--Religious life; Christian life. 

163 p. Adult. 

Author Chris Wave collaborates with singer 

Kim Bolton to write often humorous, sometimes 

impertinent, short stories that reveal God in 

ordinary life. Using the analogy of the 

American Diner of the fifties, with God as the 

Master Chef, their new book, Conversations at 

the Girlville Diner addresses facets of life 

common to women and mothers. Wave writes, 

“This is where the whole of community crosses 

paths. If diners are the meeting places for 

humanity, then that is where you will find God.” 

Broken into five sections, each segment focuses 

on different aspects of life, such as contentment, 

spiritual growth, love, children, and holidays. 

Stories are short, humorous, and to the point. 

God is the Master Chef who serves nutritious 

provisions through true-life examples by 

feeding the spirit of man, rather than the body, 

when they come to his diner. 

Wave’s prayer as a young, agitated mother, 

“Dear God, I want to be usable, but truthfully, 


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Lord, I’ve got no use left to put able on,” reveals 

her natural affinity and ability to write humor. 

However, Bolton carries the humor over the 

edge when she paraphrases the story of Sarah 

and Abraham. 

An attractive book in gray and red, with black 

highlights, it is a good read for those brief 

moments to refocus and reflect on the true 

meaning of life. 

Gail Welborn 



Quotes for the Journey, Wisdom for the Way, 

compiled by Gordon S. Jackson. LCCN 

99049533. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 

2000. ISBN 1576831523, HBB, $12.00. 

242.21. Christian life--Quotations, maxims, etc.. 191 

p. Adult. 

Gordon Jackson acknowledges that nothing can 

take the place of the Bible, but recognizes that 

Christians also find other sources helpful in their 

spiritual journey—“the local church, good 

pastoring, caring friends and family, personal 

devotion, and good books, among others.” (p. 5) 

He designed Quotes for the Journey to assist in 

this process. 

Jackson, who is associate dean for academic 

affairs at Whitworth College in Spokane, 

Washington, set four standards for choosing his 

entries: 1) They “flow from and are faithful to a 

Christian worldview. 2) They are “highly 

applicable to day-to-day discipleship and to 

practical Christian living.” 3) They are unique 

in “message, creativity, capacity to stretch our 

thinking.” 4) They are “highly readable, 

provocative and thoughtful, without being 

offensive….” 

The 1300 quotes are arranged at once topically 

and alphabetically; they range from a half dozen 

entries for “God’s Provision” to more than fifty 

for “Prayer.” Many quotes are one sentence; 

most are under twenty-five words. Sources 

range from ancient to modern, with a large 

number from that famous author Unknown. The 

work includes an author index. 

While Jackson is faithful to his last three 

standards, perhaps not all quotes are faithful to a 

Christian worldview. E.g., John Lennon’s 

statement: “We’re more popular than Jesus now; 

I don’t know which will go first—rock ‘n’ roll or 

Christianity;” (p. 97) or “They stopped me from 

swinging in church, so I had to swing outside,” 

by Fats Waller. (p. 38) On the other hand, 

perhaps the compiler simply needs to provide a 

clearer definition of his conception of a 

Christian worldview. 

Jackson admits the subjectiveness of his choices 

and realizes that the preponderance of quotes are 

from British and American sources and from 

males; he cites his indebtedness to many other 

anthologies, books, magazines, and individuals. 

This small volume does live up to it’s compiler’s 

hope that it may be useful for finding interesting 

quotes on a particular topic or simply for 

browsing. 




The Birds Our Teachers : Essays in Ornitheology, 

by John R.Stott. LCCN 99040976. 

Wheaton, Ill.: Harold Shaw Publishers, 

1999. ISBN 0877881545, HBB, $24.99. 

242.21. Birds--Religious aspects--Christianity; 

Christian life--Anglican authors. 96 p. Gr. 7—Adult. 

I suspect that many readers, like myself, will 

never have associated noted author and 

theologian John Stott with bird-watching. Yet 

this has been a life-long passion with him, and 

he estimates that he has seen 2,500 of the 

world’s 9,000 bird species. In The Birds Our 

Teachers Stott engages in what he wryly calls 

“orni-theology”—that is, extracting lessons in 

Christian life and belief from the lifestyles and 

habits of birds. 

In his typically literate and engaging style, Stott 

draws such comparisons as “The migration of 

storks—repentance,” “The drinking of 

pigeons—gratitude,” “The song of larks—joy,” 

and eight other parallels. He ranges across the 

spectrum of the bird world and the sweep of 

scripture, from psalm to parable. Stott has 

obviously done his homework, and his love of 

birds—and God’s creation in general—shines 

through. This is a lighthearted yet profound and 

deeply relevant book, with appeal and 

accessibility to a wide age-range. 

The Birds Our Teachers is illustrated with more 

than 150 color photographs taken by the author, 

and presented in a very attractive format. With 

fact, poetry, humor, theology, and a solid insight 

into the ways of both birds and humans, Stott 

has created a devotional that should have wide 

appeal to bird lovers and Christians in general. 




The Power of Praying Together : 

Experiencing Christ Actively in Charge, by 

Oliver W. Price. LCCN 99024711. Grand 

Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1999. ISBN 

0825435528, PAP, $10.99. 

248.3. Prayer groups--Christianity; Prayer-- 

Christianity. 187 p. Adult. 

“Prayer is much greater than bringing a list of 

requests to God,” writes Price, General Director 

of Bible Prayer Fellowship and long-time 

pastor. He challenges families and churches to 

discover the power and blessing of uniting in 

Christ-centered prayer. To do so, he teaches five 

keys: claim the power of Christ and expect his 

presence through his Spirit; pray in the power 

and real meaning of Jesus’ name; trust Christ to 

take charge; allow Christ to change you 

according to his will; and pray in harmony with 

God. Numerous encouraging illustrations and 

answered prayers are shared from church history 

to the present day. 

Written in an earnest, exhorting tone, Price’s 

biblical teaching will impact individuals, homes, 

fellowship groups, and churches if applied. 

Chapters end with discussion questions and 

application exercises. Endnotes and 

information about Bible Prayer Fellowship are 

also included. Pastors, ministry leaders, and all 

who want to grow in prayer will appreciate this 

new release. 




The Other Side of Love : Handling Anger in a 

Godly Way, by Gary Chapman. Chicago: 

Moody Press, 1999. ISBN 0802467776, PAP, 

$11.99. 

248.4. Anger; Christian life. 183 p. Adult. 

In The Other Side of Love, Gary Chapman 

presents scripture to support his belief that anger 

is not a sin. Chapman believes anger is a Godgiven 

response to the dishonesty and unfairness 

we believe we see or are experiencing. 

However, Chapman continues, anger becomes a 

sin when we do not see anger as a red light 

alerting us to take positive loving action to 

correct the problem, and lash out instead in 

hurtful words or actions. He discusses definitive 

(valid) and distorted anger and warns that anger 

can come out of our own compulsions and 

unresolved problems, not another person’s 

wrongdoing. Various methods of handling 

anger in a constructive rather than a destructive 

way are presented to encourage the reader to 

process anger in a godly fashion. Chapman 

includes chapters on long-term anger, anger and 

forgiveness, anger in marriage, and teaching 

children to handle anger. Three important 

chapters cover anger at God, anger at yourself, 

and what to do when you encounter an angry 

person. 

Chapman includes discussion questions at the 

end of each chapter that could be used by an 

individual or group. At the end of eleven of the 

chapters there is a page titled “From One Side to 

Another.” This page summarizes the previous 

chapter into easy to find lists. An easy to read 

book with helpful examples The Other Side of 

Love lovingly encourages those with hidden 

anger or obvious anger to find solutions that will 

improve the quality of their life and those 

around them. 




For the Family’s Sake : The Value of Home in 

Everyone’s Life, by Susan Schaeffer 

Macaulay. LCCN 99033107. Wheaton, Ill.: 


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Crossway Books, Good News Publishers, 

1999. ISBN 1581341113, PAP, $12.99. 

248.4. Home--Religious aspects--Christianity. 286 p. 

Adult. 

Macaulay, daughter of L’Abri Fellowship 

founders Francis and Edith Schaeffer, reflects 

her idyllic childhood environment and passion 

for home and family in these pages. She 

emphasizes the foundational place homes have 

in everyone’s lives. But primarily, she focuses 

on homes that nurture children. 

She shares principles from her experience of 

raising six children plus the educational 

philosophy of Charlotte Mason, an educator 

who lived a century ago. Macaulay stresses the 

importance of balance between leisure and 

work, allowing plenty of outdoor playtime, 

reading as a family, establishing routines such as 

mealtimes, and maintaining a cheerful, peaceful 

atmosphere. Her writing elevates the value and 

dignity of home life and shows the importance 

of homes to communities and society. 

Readers who prefer simpler lifestyles will 

appreciate her ideas; others may find some 

suggestions impractical for modern-day living. 

An appendix and extensive notes are included, 

but there are no subheads to divide lengthy 

chapters. Although the content is vital, the 

writing is wordy with frequent digressions from 

the topics. Those who persevere in reading it 

will find valuable information and inspiration. 




Still Waters : Finding the Place Where God 

Restores Your Soul, by Jane Rubietta. LCCN 



0764222007, PAP, $9.99. 

248.8. Christian women--Religious life. 187 p. 

Adult. 

We all hunger for God. We long for quality time 

with him, for meaningful communion where we 

can come close and rest a weary head on his 

chest. We want real quiet time in a place where 

we can hear his voice and build a loving 

relationship with him. But too often we fail to 

find the still waters of restoration and growth. 

In prose that shines with imaginative word use 

and apt analogies, author Jane Rubietta offers us 

help in her book Still Waters : Finding the Place 

Where God Restores Your Soul. It is a study of 

twelve “soul issues” that impact our lives, 

keeping us at arms length from our Creator. As 

we read, we not only discover the hang-ups that 

have delayed our spiritual growth, but find ways 

to build intimacy with God based on those 

discoveries. We unmask such culprits as 

weariness and worry (“we’re wired for worry,” 

says Rubietta), misplaced trusts and priorities, 

and the inability to let God steer. 

The author has written Still Waters in a readerfriendly 

format. She opens each chapter with a 

brief study of each “soul issue,” then follows it 

with a treasury of related quotes and scripture 

verses on the subject, with suggestions for 

prayer and journaling, thoughts on God’s 

creativity and the use of silence, and questions 

for reflection. Each chapter ends with a hymn of 

praise that brings us easily into worship. She’s 

designed the book for individual devotions or 

for use in group settings. 

This book is a “keeper.” You will return to it 

often for its reminders, insights and inspiration. 

Nancy B. Clarke 

Freelance Writer and Former Journalist 

Sun City, Arizona 

A Quiet Center : A Woman’s Guide to Resting 

in God’s Presence, by Susan Scott Sutton. 

LCCN 99034888. Grand Rapids: Kregel 

Publications, 1999. ISBN 0825436621, PAP, 

$9.99. 

248.8. Christian women--Religious life. p. Adult. 

Sutton, in A Quiet Center: A Woman’s Guide To 

Resting In God’s Presence shares how women 

can connect with God in an over-scheduled 

world that lacks personal peace. Ten easy-toread 

chapters give encouragement and direction 

on how to rest in God’s presence and maintain 

an intimate relationship with him. Her theme is 

that God extends an open invitation for us to rest 

in him and personally know him, not just know 

about him. Sutton contends that to develop 

intimacy with God we must make time for him. 

She advocates starting the day with God to 

provide a foundation for minute-to-minute 

fellowship throughout the day. 

Children are familiar with time-out, and Sutton 

writes mothers caring for children can say, “I 

need to spend time with Jesus in my time-out 

chair.” Those few minutes help to reconnect and 

refocus when situations seem out of control. 

Sutton believes God builds our faith and trust in 

him, as we become willing participants, and let 

him direct our lives and mold us into his image. 

Each chapter ends with scripture verses and 

suggestions for meditation. A listing of sources 

and end notes conclude the book. 

Sutton’s simple truths, in an easy to understand 

format, will enhance the reader’s quiet time with 

God and lead to greater intimacy with him. Well 

written with interesting anecdotes drawn from 

personal experience, her suggestions are 

practical and easy to implement, illustrating 

God’s grace and yearning for connection with 

his people. This is a wonderful resource to add 

depth to the readers’ relationship with God. 

Gail Welborn 



The Home Coming : Unconditional Love : 

Finding Your Place in the Father’s Heart, by 

Jack Winter; with Pamela Ferris. Seattle: 

WYAM Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1576580040, 

PAP, $8.99. 

248.8. Relationship; Christian life. 187 p. Adult. 

In 1977 Jack Winter received a revelation of the 

“Father Heart of God.” Since then he has 

traveled to more than thirty nations, ministering 

this revelation by using the biblical parable of 

the prodigal son. He and his wife founded 

Daystar Ministries in 1964, a network of healing 

communities that spanned the United States and 

was born out of the charismatic renewal. 

Winter illustrates the book with characters in the 

parable of the prodigal son, especially the two 

brothers. He likens the brothers’ father to our 

Heavenly Father who waits for us with open 

arms, accepting us just as we are. Winter claims 

only a child needs a father and challenges 

readers to humble themselves as little children 

and receive God’s healing. 

Each chapter begins with brief stories of 

individuals who had gone to “a far country” and 

returned to the Father’s arms. However, most of 

these anecdotal accounts are about adults who 

never experienced a good parenting situation as 

children, especially with their father. Winter 

urges readers to decide where they are today— 

in their Father’s house or separated from the 

Father—and admit a need to be fathered by 

God. Winter’s emphasis rests on relationship. 

The Home Coming is a look into understanding 

the two brothers in the parable of the prodigal 

son. Winter writes a systematic, clear, in-depth 

study of this parable. His insights will help 

readers to relate their circumstances to this 

parable, causing them to question whether they 

are like the younger or older son. 

Jo Huddleston 



Nativities and Passions : Words for 

Transformation, by Martin L. Smith. LCCN 

95035008. Cambridge, Mass.: Cowley 


$11.95. 

252. Sermons, American; Episcopal Church-- 

Sermons; Anglican Communion--Sermons. 191 p. 

Adult. 

Collections of sermons, unless unified by a 

common text or theme, can sometimes present a 

fragmented feel, written as they are at different 

times for different reasons. This collection by 

Martin Smith encompasses sermons written for 

professions of vows, seasons of the church year, 

and funeral occasions. Still, despite these 

disparate beginnings, there is an underlying 

connectedness, best exemplified by the terms of 

the book’s title—nativities and passions. 

Nativities suggests comings and birth, and 

passions suggests emotions and trials. The 

Christian life encompasses both. 

And so the book’s content is wide-ranging— 

from faith, hope, and love, to desire, anger, and 


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anxiety; from our relationship with God to our 

relationships with each other; from the 

mysteries of faith to the mundanities of daily 

life. This collection is also unified by Smith’s 

depth of spirituality and commitment to a 

Christian faith best expressed in community. 

Smith is Superior of the Society of Saint John 

the Evangelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 

and writes from an Anglican perspective. Some 

of the sermons are comforting and some 

challenging, but all are thought provoking. And 

yet not simply thought-provoking—there is a 

clear sense that Smith intends to draw each 

reader closer to Christ, and encourage them to 

live a more complete, practical Christian life 

each day. These are not easy sermons, but are 

rich and deep. 




Unholy Madness : The Church’s Surrender to 

Psychiatry, by Seth Farber. LCCN 99021613. 

Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1999. 

ISBN 0830819398, PAP, $12.00. 

261.5. Psychiatry and religion; Christianity-- 

Psychology. 162 p. Adult. 

Seth Farber is a past practicing psychotherapist 

whose views on psychiatry can be summarized 

as: ‘ ... the mental health system [is] a rival 

religion, a crude form of idolatry inimical to the 

dissemination of the Christian faith ... ;’ and: 

‘mental illnesses do not exist.’ He believes that 

psychiatry is a flawed, harmful system which 

exists solely to perpetuate itself and provide a 

living for its practitioners. Yet both society and 

the church have yielded control of mental health 

to it, and so mental patients have become 

relegated to the fringes of society, abandoned by 

a confused church. 

Farber raises serious issues, but creates 

controversial conclusions. He fails to 

demonstrate why the mind cannot have mental 

illness and doesn’t recognize the close (and 

mysterious) connection of the mind and the 

body. His distinction between ‘madness’ 

(schizophrenia) and other conditions associated 

with a physical basis (depression, Alzheimer’s 

dementia etc.) is unclear. Recent genetic studies 

of genes that may affect schizophrenia may 

undercut his argument. 

He appears to equate ‘madness’ with spiritual 

illness and reduces both to a difficulty dealing 

with relationships and problems of life—that is, 

‘madness’ may be normal, or an alternate 

normality, or even more sane than sanity; it may 

be a crisis point of personal growth conflicting 

with modern secular culture. 

While it would be hard to disagree with his 

conclusion that our world needs more active 

churches and Christians and fewer psychiatrists, 

he fails to prove his point (for a number of 

reasons) about ‘madness’ being a purely 

spiritual crisis. Many people may be 

uncomfortable with the idea that spiritual rebirth 

is an episode of madness. 

Farber provides an important critique of 

psychiatry and an urgent call to Christians to 

reach out to the mentally ill. Yet much work 

needs to be done on the basis of mental illness, 

and the view presented in this book cannot be 

accepted as a norm. 




God, Medicine & Miracles : The Spiritual 

Factor in Healing, by Daniel E. Fountain. 



PAP, $12.99. 

261.5. Medicine--Religious aspects--Christianity; 

Healing--Religious aspects--Christianity. 265 p. Gr. 

10—Adult. 

It is no secret that there’s a strong connection 

between the body and the spirit. Our spiritual 

and emotional health strongly impacts our 

physical health. While only recently have 

clinical studies begun to show a positive 

relationship between spiritual health and 

physical health, clergy, patients, and some 

physicians have known this for a long time. 

Still, particularly where physicians are 

concerned, much more emphasis is placed on 

the physical than the spiritual. This, Dr. 

Fountain asserts, is a grave oversight. 

Over decades on the mission field in Congo he 

has seen many instances of spiritual healing 

leading to physical improvement. Conversely, 

the effects of sin and a lifestyle that ignores God 

lead to a decline in physical well-being and 

failure of medical cures. God, Medicine & 

Miracles seeks to demonstrate this profound 

interaction, and to encourage people to seek 

complete healing—bodies, minds, emotions, 

and spirit. 

God, Medicine & Miracles is written at a basic 

lay level in an anecdotal style suitable for the 

average reader; the medically trained reader 

might want to supplement it with more rigorous 

or technical references. The Gospel 

presentation also is at a fairly straightforward 

level. Still, Fountain makes many valuable 

points, and it behooves all of us—since illness 

and injuries will strike every one of us at some 

point—to recognize our holistic nature and to 

realize that full healing (body and spirit) comes 

only through Jesus Christ. 




Science and Its Limits : The Natural Sciences 

in Christian Perspective, by Del Ratzsch. 

LCCN 00024681. Downers Grove, Ill.: 

InterVarsity Press, 2000. ISBN 0830815805, 

PAP, $12.00. 

261.5. Religion and science. Adult. 

There can be little doubt that we live in a society 

that is largely science-based. Almost daily we 

hear the latest “scientific” pronouncement on 

one issue or another. Each day treats us to 

another new advance. Yet if we were asked to 

define “science,” many of us would have 

difficulty in creating a definition that really fit 

the bill. And in its relationship to science our 

society vacillates between the extremes of 

uncritical acceptance and outright rejection. 

Our Christian faith interjects another element 

into this uneasy relationship. 

Del Ratzsch’s book was originally published in 

1986 under the title Philosophy of Science. In 

its somewhat technical pages Ratzsch discusses 

the nature of science, different approaches to the 

philosophy of science, what science can and 

cannot tell us, how science relates to the 

Christian faith, and (for this new edition) how 

the concept and movement of “Intelligent 

Design” fits into the picture. He does not 

discuss the usual creation-evolution arguments, 

but goes past them to the nature of science itself. 

Science and Its Limits could be a challenging 

read for those not conversant with the premises 

of science. But science is with us to stay; it 

influences many aspects of our daily lives; it 

impinges upon our beliefs and worldviews; it 

helps shape our society. As such, it is important 

that we be conversant with science’s limits, and 

see it neither as savior of humanity, nor as 

humanity’s nemesis. 




The Luminous Web : Essays on Science and 

Religion, by Barbara Brown Taylor. LCCN 


Publications, 2000. ISBN 156101169X, PAP, 

$10.95. 

261.5. Religion and science. 109 p. Adult. 

For those interested in science and religion, 

there’s no end of books available, written from 

every conceivable perspective. Many of these 

go into scientific or theological detail at levels 

which leave the lay reader gasping for air. Not 

so this new volume by Episcopal priest Barbara 

Brown Taylor. In these four short, readable 

essays, Taylor seeks to relate some of the 

insights she has gained as a Christian from the 

discoveries of modern science. She rejects the 

view that science and religion are unconnected; 

instead, both scientists and believers are 

engaged with the mystery and the wonder of the 

universe we inhabit. Sometimes we can express 

ourselves only in the words of science; 

sometimes in the words of poetry; sometimes in 

the words of faith; sometimes we need the 

words of all three. 

The “luminous web” represents the 


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interconnectedness of the entire created order. 

We live in a universe created by God, infused 

with his life and spirit; a universe where matter, 

life, and spirit are joined in ways we can’t fully 

explain or understand. The complexity and 

immensity of the universe reflects the 

awesomeness of its Creator. As spiritual beings, 

we have been given the privilege of relating to 

our Creator in ways that other parts of creation 

can’t. 

Written in an elegant, lyrical fashion, The 

Luminous Web provides an accessible and 

intriguing perspective on a sometimes abstruse 

subject. There are references to evolutionary 

theory and big bang cosmology. 




Reading with Deeper Eyes : The Love of 

Literature and the Life of Faith, by William 

H. Willimon. LCCN 97026043. Nashville: 

Upper Room Books, 1998. ISBN 

0835808475, PAP, $11.95. 

261.5. Christian life--Methodist authors; Christianity 

and literature. 125 p. Adult. 

How can we possibly learn and grow in our faith 

journey by reading literature? In Reading with 

Deeper Eyes, William Willimon skillfully 

explores the idea that God sometimes crops up 

in literature in ways we do not expect, 

sometimes in ways even the author did not 

expect. Each of ten chapters begins with a 

scripture verse that illuminates the chapter at 

hand, then proceeds to discuss a literary work, 

weaving stories from other works into the 

framework of the subject. 

In the chapter “The Way Back Home,” the 

author compares The Odyssey to the story of the 

prodigal son. He acknowledges that his “moral 

horizon tends to be myopic,” and that Job 

(subject of one chapter) “teases me toward a 

wider view. It enables me to see a great God of 

whom I had only previously heard” (p. 50). 

Willimon, Dean of the Chapel and Professor of 

Christian Ministry at Duke University, gives us 

ten great works to consider. Topics range from 

The Odyssey to Crime and Punishment to 

modern works by John Updike, Flannery 

O’Connor, and Ron Hansen. One discussion 

centers around the belief that we live in a twodimensional 

world, that we are “unable to grasp 

the possibility of a reality beyond that which we 

have experienced” (p.120). 

Chapters end with questions for reflection, 

usually centering on the reader’s spiritual life, 

not necessarily on the works discussed, though 

those are obviously intended to influence our 

thinking by the time we reach the questions. For 

example, he speaks of lessons learned from 

Oscar Hijuelos’ Mr. Ives’ Christmas; one of the 

reflection points is “Have you ever forgiven an 

enemy? What would it take for you to practice 

this sort of disciplined discipleship?” Not easy 

questions. 

Willimon’s obvious love of literature 

encourages me to read not just for story but for 

how I fit into the wider story. 




Human Rights and Wrongs : Major Issues for 

a New Century, by John R. W. Stott. LCCN 

99037517. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 

1999. ISBN 080106094X, PAP, $14.00. 

261.8. Church and social problems. 192 p. Adult. 

This book represents the third edition 

(1984/1990) of a book written, Stott says, as a 

contribution to the recovery of the social 

conscience of evangelical Christians. Stott, a 

well-known evangelical Anglican, intends both 

to encourage lay Christians and professionals to 

make contributions to social and ethical issues 

confronting the world. Stott has selected certain 

sections of the previous edition (Decisive Issues 

Facing Christians Today) and revised them for 

the current edition. (The other sections have 

been incorporated into a separate volume, Our 

Social and Sexual Revolution). 

Part One contains an overview of Christian 

social involvement through the centuries and 

presents a basis for Christian social 

responsibility. Many of the issues confronting 

us are complex, and Stott acknowledges the 

variety of opinions held by Christians. He 

discusses the issue of pluralism, and calls for 

Christians to be salt and light to society. 

Part Two details specific issues that face the 

Christian community including war, the 

environment, inequality between nations, and 

human rights. 

Stott’s intention is not to provide answers, but to 

encourage Christians with expertise in various 

fields to contribute their voices to the ongoing 

discussions and debates in the world’s arenas. 

This book is a useful primer for those interested 

in whether and how Christians should be 

involved in social issues. Perhaps because it 

was adapted from a larger work, Human Rights 

and Human Wrongs has an incomplete feel and 

lacks a concluding summary chapter. Although 

the book’s cover claims that a study guide (as in 

the prior edition) is included, it was apparently 

not inserted in this revision. 




Venite : A Book of Daily Prayer, by Robert 

Benson. LCCN 99046211. New York: J.P. 

Tarcher, Penguin Putnam, 2000. ISBN 

0158420131, HBB, $24.96. 

264. Divine office--Texts; Prayer. 271 p. Adult. 

Author Robert Benson presents Venite as an 

invitation to practice prayer in the liturgical 

tradition, to make one’s life ”become a prayer.“ 

Raised in an evangelical setting, he describes 

being drawn to the rhythms of the repetition of 

the Office. ”I am neither a holy man nor a 

saint,“ he states. ”I am not as faithful as I would 

like to be or as devout as this book implies. I am 

simply a man who wants to pray.“ 

The book is divided into six sections: The 

Offices, The Seasons, The Remembrances, The 

Canticles, The Psalter, and The Gospel. He 

encourages readers to begin with one of the 

Offices and add to the daily discipline as he or 

she is able. Each section begins with notes to 

aid those unfamiliar with the liturgical tradition, 

though explanations are not always as clear as 

the uninitiated would hope. 

Venite requires six bookmarks if one desires to 

follow through with all the readings. It does 

contain a liturgical calendar, a glossary, a 

bibliography, and an index. Benson uses 

footnotes to identify the sources of the 

Canticles, and the psalms are numbered; on the 

other hand, the Gospel readings are not 

identified. If readers feel inclined to find the 

reading in the Bible, they will need a 

concordance. Both the psalms and the Gospel 

readings are paraphrases. 




Opening the Prayer Book, by Jeffrey D. Lee. 

(The New Church’s Teaching Series; 7.) 

LCCN 99034805. Cambridge, Mass.: 

Cowley Publications, 1999. ISBN 

1561011665, PAP, $11.95. 

264. Episcopal church. Book of common prayer 

(1979); Episcopal Church--Liturgy. 195 p. Adult. 

The Book of Common Prayer has helped define 

Anglican worship since 1549. To many 

Episcopalians it is as familiar as an old friend, 

but to others—and to non-Episcopalians—it can 

seem formidable and confusing. What is The 

Book of Common Prayer all about? 

Lee first defines what ”common prayer“ means, 

then in a succinct and engaging chapter 

discusses Christian worship from earliest days 

to the Protestant Reformation. The Book of 

Common Prayer emerges from the English 

Reformation, is refined and revised, and 

undergoes further adaptations as America 

becomes independent and moves into the 

twentieth century. Two chapters look at the 

actual services in the prayer book before Lee 

considers what liturgy is all about. He 

concludes with a consideration of what the 

future might hold. 

While many books in this series can profitably 

be read by those in other traditions, this volume, 

by nature of its subject material, is of primary 

interest to those in the Anglican tradition. It 

provides a worthwhile and valuable introduction 


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to The Book of Common Prayer and its heritage 

in Anglican history, life, and worship. 




Eusebius, the Church History : A New 

Translation with Commentary, by Paul L. 

Maier. LCCN 98013442. Grand Rapids: 

Kregel Publications, 1999. ISBN 

0825433282, HBB, $24.99. 

270.1. Church history--Primitive and early church, ca. 

30-600. p. Adult. 

Eusebius : The Church History is a new and 

very valuable translation of the complete ten 

volume church history work of Eusebius who 

lived from about 260 AD to 339 AD. These 

books by Eusebius are one of the most 

important sources of early church history in 

existence. He traces Christianity from the life of 

Christ until the reign of the Roman emperor 

Constantine, who converted to Christianity and 

declared it the official religion of the empire, 

thereby ending the horrible persecutions and 

martyrdoms which had been occurring previous 

to his time. Maier has done an excellent job 

making Eusebius’ often difficult style very 

readable and accessible to the modern reader. 

One of the most helpful things in this text are the 

many colored photographs and maps which 

show the actual places Eusebius is talking about 

in his history. In addition, at the end of each 

book, Maier includes a helpful commentary on 

the text to make it more relevant and 

understandable, as well as a summary of Roman 

empire history relevant to each book of 

Eusebius. This material on the Roman empire 

of the time is very valuable and hard to find 

elsewhere. At the end of the text are appendices 

giving charts of Roman history and church 

history, particularly lists of church bishops in the 

main centers of Christianity during the early 

centuries—Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and 

Rome. The book ends with very good indices of 

persons and subjects referred to in the text. 

This is a very high quality translation of a very 

important work, and it will be useful for anyone 

studying history and particularly, the history of 

the early Christian church. Without Eusebius, 

we would have very little first-hand knowledge 

of the early centuries and the early struggles and 

triumphs of Christianity. 

Dr. Paul Boling 

Assoc. Prof. of Philosophy and Bible 

Bryan College 


Character Counts : Leadership Qualities in 

Washington, Wilberforce, Lincoln, and 

Solzhenitsyn, Os Guinness, editor. LCCN 

98044191. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 

1999. ISBN 801058244, PAP, $8.99. 

270.8. Christian biography; Washington, George, 

1732-1799; Wilberforce, William, 1759-1833; 

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865; Solzhenitsyn, 

Aleksandr Isayevich, 1918-; Character--Case studies. 

160 p. Adult. 

The theme of this book is ”the crisis of character 

in national leadership.” In the book’s 

introduction, Os Guinness poses these 

questions: What is character? Why is the 

character issue so confusing and uncertain 

today? Why does character matter? 

To answer these and other questions, Guinness 

combines a series of readings by and about four 

great leaders from history: George Washington, 

first President of the United States, a fervent 

champion of religious freedom for all; William 

Wilberforce, the 18th century reformer and 

abolisher of Britain’s slave trade who helped 

transform the civil and moral climate of his 

times; Abraham Lincoln, America’s President 

during the Civil War, who is remembered for his 

character, moral integrity, and faith in God; and 

Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn, a 20th century 

Russian who converted from Marxism to 

Christianity and whose writings about universal 

moral values garnered him the Nobel Prize for 

literature. 

Guinness suggests that reflections on these 

men’s lives reveal a leadership model to which 

we can each aspire and a gauge by which to hold 

present leaders accountable. These reflective 

biographical essays show how character played 

a role as these four survived obstacles to their 

greatness. Their lives impacted civil and 

religious liberty. Guinness cautions that 

character can include evil qualities as well as 

good ones and that whether good or evil, 

character always has consequences. 

Character Counts will appeal to America’s 

concerned citizens who yearn for the return of 

character in America’s leaders and want to 

combat the “growing vacuum in moral values 

among our people.” Through these essays the 

reader will gain encouragement and hope that 

individuals can collectively effect real change. 

Jo Huddleston 



Jesus Freaks : Stories of Those Who Stood for 

Jesus : The Ultimate Jesus Freaks, DC Talk 

and the Voice of the Martyrs. LCCN 

00688038. Tulsa, Okla.: Albury Publishing, 

1999. ISBN 1577780728, PAP, $16.00. 

272. DC Talk (Musical group); Voice of the Martyrs 

(Organization). 368 p. Adult. 

“Even the best of Christians are troubled by the 

question, ‘Why does an almighty God send, or 

at least allow, suffering?’ When you are nagged 

by thoughts like this, say to yourself, ‘I am still 

in elementary school. When I graduate from the 

university of Christian life, I will understand His 

ways better and doubts will cease.’” Richard 

Wurmbrand, imprisoned for a total of fourteen 

years in Romania, in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. 

This beautifully bound and printed book is a 

compilation of stories about people who stood 

for Jesus, either through imprisonment or 

death—the ultimate “Jesus freaks.” Each story 

begins with a notation of the person’s name, 

country, and date of their martyrdom or 

imprisonment. The stories themselves are 

beautifully written and attention-keeping—not 

dry or biographical. Each story is a snippet of a 

dedicated life, often with dialogue, etc. to make 

it come alive. They are ideal for brief devotional 

thoughts. Most stories end with a Scripture 

passage. Between stories are beautiful quotes 

from some of those same martyrs. 

This book is coffee-table quality, but definitely 

not to be left unread! It includes stories about, 

or quotes from, the apostles Peter, John, Paul, 

Andrew, and James, as well as more currently— 

William Tyndale, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jim 

Elliot, Ignatius, Martin Luther, Polycarp, 

Richard Wurmbrand, and John Wesley. 

In the back of the book you’ll find: information 

about each story’s source, a listing of each 

country mentioned—with information about the 

Church in that country, alphabetical and 

chronological indexes, things the reader can do 

in response, and information about the Voice of 

the Martyrs and DC Talk. 

“Remember the Lord’s people who are in jail 

and be concerned for them. Don’t forget those 

who are suffering, but imagine that you are there 

with them.” Hebrews 13:3 (CEV) 

Barb Beyer 

ACSI Missions Project Coordinator 

Colorado Springs, Colorado 

An Island in the Lake of Fire : Bob Jones 

University, Fundamentalism, and the 

Separatist Movement, by Mark Taylor 

Dalhouse. LCCN 95041978. Athens, Ga.: U. 

of Georgia Press, 1996. ISBN 0820318159, 

HBB, $24.95. 

286. Bob Jones Univeristy--History; Jones, Bob, 

1883-1968; Evangelists--United States--Biography; 

Fundamentalism--United States--History. 211 p. 

Adult. 

In light of the 2000 firestorm of controversy that 

dragged Bob Jones University into the national 

media spotlight and into the middle of 

Republican Party politics, this book, written by 

a historian and dean at Washington and Lee 

University, certainly deserves renewed interest 

and attention. 

Mark Dalhouse has done a superb job of 

weaving never-before-available archival 

materials together with the memories and 

anecdotes of first-hand players into an 

incredibly appealing narrative. In researching 

this work, he enjoyed unlimited access to the 

late BJU chancellor, Bob Jones, Jr., and the 

university archives. By presenting his research, 

Dalhouse provides what is probably the most 

fair and balanced, independent account to be 

written about the self-proclaimed ‘World’s Most 

Unusual University.’ 


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Dalhouse positively addresses the competing 

visions of the university. With great tact, the 

author juxtapositions the notion that the school 

is a regional, isolated, Bible-thumping 

institution against evidence that demonstrate its 

faculty and alumni enjoy wide, even 

international, acceptance and influence in the 

arts, sciences, and professions. 

Of particular interest is the author’s account of 

the university’s public sparring with Billy 

Graham and his evangelistic team as they 

planned to bring a crusade to Greenville, South 

Carolina. Graham, a former BJU student 

himself, found that the university had no interest 

in supporting his brand of cooperation with 

‘unseparated Christians.’ Others who have felt 

the sting of the university include Christian 

leaders such as the late Theodore Mercer, the 

late John R. Rice, and Jerry Falwell, founder of 

the competing Liberty University. 

Even without a personal interest in the American 

fundamentalist movement, a reader might 

become spell-bound by the personalities and 

controversies that have turned a relatively small 

Christian university in South Carolina into a 

leading (perhaps even mythic) player in 

Christian education at the K-12 and postsecondary 

levels. Students of American history, 

religion, or education will be well served by 

reading this history. 

Dann Brown 

Assoc. Professor/Communications 

Indiana Wesleyan University 



My Unknown Child, by Noreen Riols. LCCN 



1576734668, PAP, $10.99. 

363.46. Abortion--France--Psychological aspects; 

Abortion--Religious aspects--Christianity; Pregnant 

women--France--Psychology. 208 p. Adult. 

This is an unusual book about a difficult subject. 

Noreen Roils quickly involves the reader in her 

story using vivid descriptions of family life, 

fears, and feelings. Suffering from a deep 

postpartum depression, advised by her trusted 

vicar as well as medical specialists to terminate 

the life of her sixth child, she pushed away 

doubts and allowed it to happen. Her 

subsequent depression and guilt led to a 

gripping miasma that threatened to destroy her. 

All the unexpected, unconditional love from 

compassionate friends couldn’t buffer the truth 

of what she had done. She knew that her rote 

prayers and committee work weren’t going to 

help her now. Seeds of scripture dropped into 

her life at God-incident moments and prayer on 

her behalf did bring Noreen to a new life with 

Jesus Christ. But she held on to a self-loathing 

that shadowed her life and robbed her of joy. 

Noreen shares how she found “the freedom that 

only absolute trust in a loving Savior can bring.” 

Her heart shares the depth of emotional and 

spiritual pain and the freshening of renewal. 

Readers are offered one woman’s road to peace 

and healing. For women who still suffer from 

guilt there is hope. That Noreen lives in Paris 

and traveled to England for the abortion reminds 

us that this life and death issue crosses 

boundaries of country and culture. Those who 

still believe that this is a “minor operation” will 

be challenged to discover God’s perspective. 

Judicious use of scripture and clear language 

carries the story quickly. No one is immune 

from its lessons. 

Carol B. Taylor 

Freelance writer 


A Simply Beautiful Wedding, by Eileen Silva 

Kindig. LCCN 99015063. Downers Grove, 


0830819231, PAP, $9.99. 

395.2. Weddings--United States--Planning; Stress 

(Psychology); Simplicity; Marriage--Religious 

aspects--Christianity. 149 p. Adult. 

In our culture, girls begin dreaming of storybook 

weddings during childhood. After the romantic 

proposal, the “Wedding Machine” whirs into 

action, and many couples begin elaborate plans 

for an expensive production. Is this necessary? 

From personal experience, Kindig says no. She 

believes weddings can be beautiful without 

overspending and helps readers rethink aspects 

of planning them. 

Instead of decorating and cost-saving ideas, this 

resource offers spiritual and relational guidance 

to make weddings more enjoyable and less 

stressful. Kindig encourages couples to reflect 

God’s love in decisions, avoid perfectionism, 

guard against greed, be hospitable towards 

wedding guests, and refocus from the wedding 

to the marriage afterwards. She includes an 

example of one couple who applied these 

principles and celebrated a “simply beautiful 

wedding.” Since Kindig’s views challenge 

society’s ingrained expectations, they may 

discomfort some but liberate others. Engaged 

couples, their families, and those who counsel 

them will find this book a thought-provoking, 

beneficial read. 




600’s—Technology (Applied Sciences) 

Do You Know What I Like About You? : Jump- 

Starting Virtues and Values in Your Child, by 

Cynthia Tobias. LCCN 97044060. Ann 

Arbor, Mich.: Vine Books, Servant 


$10.99. 

649.7. Child rearing--United States; Moral education- 

-United States; Children--United States; Conduct of 

life. 124 p. Adult. 

Here is a nice book to give as a gift to a friend, 

or to yourself, Do You Know What I Like About 

You? by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias. The volume 

contains sixteen brief chapters, each one 

embracing a biblical principle. The usual 

principles such as prayer, service, and kindness, 

as well as the unexpected principles like 

pursuing excellence, developing a sense of 

humor, and patriotism—all worthwhile efforts. 

Further, each principle is preceded with a 

scripture followed by an anecdote, a few ideas to 

“give it a try,” and a poignant poem. Judging by 

the vignettes the book is geared to parents of 

young children; however, these principles apply 

to people of all ages. They are God’s guidelines 

to a cheerful, healthful, and meaningful life. 

Tobias does a nice job presenting her ideas. Her 

Give it a Try ideas will motivate parents and her 

poems will inspire them. Keeping a joke file for 

a crabby day and playing the What I Know that 

You Probably Don’t game are especially 

creative ways to help parents and their kids 

stimulate humor as well as knowledge. 

Do You Know What I Like About You? is 

practical yet poetical—a delightful duo. 

Ginger McGrath 


McMinnville, Oregon 

700’s—The Arts and Recreation 

Chicago Stained Glass, by Erne R. and 

Florence Frueh; photography by Erne R. 

Frueh and George A. Lane. LCCN 

97031944. Chicago: Wild Onion Books, 

Loyola Press, 1998. ISBN 0829410309, HBB, 

$19.96. 

748.59173. Glass painting and staining--Illinois-- 

Chicago--History; Glass painting and staining-- 

History. 160 p. Adult. 

At first glance, I found this a disappointing 

book, an impression based on the fact that 

several of the photographs of stained glass 

windows are definitely out of focus. However, 

the text is very informative with its history of 

stained glass in general and Chicago stained 

glass in particular. 

The book is not intended to be an exhaustive 

study, but rather to present “as many styles and 

techniques as possible” found in Chicago’s 

stained glass windows. The bulk of the work is 

found in churches, although there are many 

instances of stained glass in secular buildings. 

The authors point out that since 1930 there have 

been at least 2,000 churches built in Chicago, 

and “virtually all of these churches have stained 

glass windows, many of them equal to the finest 

in Europe.” 

The authors discuss types and colors of glass 

used and developed down through history, 

architectural settings for stained glass, and an 

introduction to the many artists and studios 

whose works are found in Chicago. 


ADULT 

NONFICTION 

Approximately a third of the book includes a 

history of stained glass, an excellent 

bibliography, and a listing of studios and 

installations discussed in the book. The other 

two-thirds concern windows completed by local 

artists (75% of glassmen were local) and works 

done by out-of-area artists (eastern U.S. and 

Europe). 

Chicago Stained Glass presents a fine study for 

the stained glass enthusiast, regardless of its 

artistic shortcomings. 




800’s—Literature & Rhetoric 

A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, 

by Edward Quinn. LCCN 99021449. New 

York: Facts on File, 1999. ISBN 0816032327, 

HBB, $45.00. 

803. Criticism--Terminology; Literature-- 

Terminology; Literature--Themes, motives-- 

Terminology; English language--Terms and phrases. 

360 p. Gr. 10—Adult. 

As a teacher, I am always aware that many, if not 

most, of the students in any class lack even basic 

fluency in the terminology of literary study. 

That means one of the first tasks in every course 

is to create an environment in which the students 

can become familiar with the language of 

literary study. But that is no easy task because 

students, like readers in general, occupy various 

places along the continuum of comprehension 

when it comes to literary terms and concepts. 

The question is, then, how to help them develop 

a clear grasp of the terminology which will 

enable them to learn the subject. Understanding 

the vocabulary is crucial to understanding the 

concept regardless of the field. 

To that end, Edward Quinn’s Dictionary of 

Literary and Thematic Terms will be a great help 

to teachers and readers everywhere as they 

trudge through “the thicket of literary terms” 

(vii). In clear, unambiguous language, Quinn 

has successfully defined even the most complex 

concepts in the field of literary study. One 

aspect of the dictionary that is especially useful 

is that it includes themes that similar volumes do 

not. Often books of this type avoid attempting 

to define the abstract , like “love,” but Quinn’s 

treatment of the matter in terms of its use in 

literature is noteworthy. It is, after all, one of the 

most recurring themes in literature and poetry. 

Another aspect that makes this commendable is 

Quinn’s ability to make difficult concepts 

accessible to every reader. His treatment of 

“Deconstruction,” for example, is very readable 

and will provide readers with an essential 

understanding of a very complex literary theory. 

A final aspect of Quinn’s Dictionary which 

readers will find very useful is its inclusion of a 

short bibliography with certain entries-usually 

the more complex-that facilitates further reading 

on the subject. Along with samples from 

various readings, a helpful system of crossreferencing, 

and a readable style, Quinn’s 

Dictionary will be a welcome addition to any 

library in and useful tool for students of 

literature in general. 

Raymond Legg 

Assoc. Prof. of English, Bryan College 


Sally Stuart’s Guide to Getting Published, by 

Sally E. Stuart. LCCN 99034875. Wheaton, 

Ill.: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1999. ISBN 

0877883319, PAP, $17.99. 

808. Authorship--Marketing; Authors and publishers. 

298 p. Adult. 

Stuart, well-known marketing expert, 

conference speaker, and author of over twentyfive 

books, shares her expertise on business 

aspects of writing in Sally Stuart’s Guide to 

Getting Published. Beginning and seasoned 

writers will benefit from her experience and 

wisdom gathered during thirty-three years of 

writing and publishing. 

A “one-stop writing resource,” the volume 

brims with practical tips on marketing and 

getting published. Chapters cover getting 

started, time management, and setting up a 

home office. Especially helpful is the detailed 

information on how to write professional query 

letters and how to prepare fiction and nonfiction 

book proposals. Realistic advice concerning 

agents, contracts, self-publishing, collaboration 

(often more agony than ecstasy according to 

Stuart), and ghostwriting are included as well. 

Writers interested in specialty markets will find 

more than twenty opportunities listed including 

curriculum, fillers, greeting cards, reviews, 

poetry, and online publications. Although this 

guide emphasizes business aspects of writing, 

one chapter deals with writing topics such as 

leads, transitions, point of view, and self-editing. 

Stuart’s comprehensive, well-written reference 

can be read cover to cover or referred to as 

needed for specific topics. A thorough index, 

table of contents, and subheads make 

information easy to find. Useful appendices 

include a glossary of terms and an extensive 

resource list. Getting Published is a valuable 

addition to any writer’s library. 




Dismissing God : Modern Writers’ Struggle 

Against Religion, by D. Bruce Lockerbie. 

LCCN 98017390. Grand Rapids: Baker 

Books, 1998. ISBN 080105804X, PAP, 

$15.99. 

810.9. American literature--History and criticism; 

English literature--29th century--History and criticism; 

Belief and doubt in literature; Religion in literature; 

Atheism in literature; God in literature. 254 p. Adult. 

Bruce Lockerbie, the well-known and respected 

author, teacher, and long-time administrator of 

the Stony Brook School in New York, has, in 

this volume, written a most readable and 

accessible Christian critique of the modern 

canon of English-language fiction and poetry. 

The book grew from an invited series of lectures 

at Denver Seminary delivered in the mid-1970s. 

Lockerbie’s objective is to analyze the 

worldviews of fiction writers who are decidedly 

not Christian believers. These non-believing 

writers are compelled not only to challenge 

belief in the existence of God with hostility, but 

also to mock the choice of others to place their 

faith in Christianity. Very wisely, Lockerbie 

does not provide answers to the spiritual 

conflicts represented by the selected writers. 

This approach would have resulted in simplistic 

caricatures of the writers and their works. 

Rather, he examines the nature of their 

arguments with God and religion. He further 

explores the way those arguments impacted 

their lives and their art. 

One early chapter focuses on the writing of 

Matthew Arnold, and the survey of Arnold’s 

writing career highlights the clash of cultures 

that surfaced in the late-19th century. Lockerbie 

delineates the influence of Marx, Darwin, and 

Huxley on society and society’s popular writers. 

The lesson in worldviews provides the basis for 

analyses in the remainder of the book where the 

works of Stephen Crane, Thomas Hardy, 

William Butler Yeats, and Ernest Hemingway 

are among those discussed. 

Yet another issue that Christian readers must 

wrestle with in representative writing is the 

incongruity found in the arguments of those who 

profess love of the Holy Scripture and respect it 

as great literature yet find themselves opposed 

to its fundamental message: the Good News 

that Jesus is Lord. Lockerbie skillfully 

describes and dissects the worldview that fosters 

this dichotomy throughout Dismissing God. 

An extremely well written book, English 

literature departments should consider using it 

in their capstone course for majors. At the same 

time, the advanced high school student who has 

read the moderns that Lockerbie treats (Emily 

Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and James Joyce 

included) will find great benefit in 

understanding the times, issues, and themes of 

these great, non-Christian thinkers. 

Dann Brown 

Assoc. Professor/Communications 

Indiana Wesleyan University 


★ 

The Angles of Light : New and Selected 

Poems, by Luci Shaw. LCCN 99051752. 

Wheaton, Ill.: Harold Shaw Publishers, 

2000. ISBN 0877880212, PAP, $10.99. 

811. American poetry. 94 p. Adult. 

Words glittering on the page. Images dancing 


ADULT 

NONFICTION 

through my head. Bathed in a shower of new 

insights, I turn the pages of Luci Shaw’s small 

volume of poetry The Angles of Light. This 

gifted author-poet takes the everyday mundane 

activities of life and holds them up for a clear 

and magnified look. A small maple tree, a 

familiar passage of scripture, a snowy night; 

each comes under the scrutiny of the poet’s eye 

and we are refreshed and renewed. 

Her work is a long thirst-quenching drink for the 

parched soul. Luci Shaw’s words are spare and 

simple, shedding light in the dark corners of our 

life. She helps us to pause and reflect for a 

moment, to look and see with new eyes, to slow 

down and give thanks. Shaw speaks in clear, 

concise terms. Most of her poems are less than 

a page in length but they are definitely not 

insignificant. This is a book to be picked up 

again and again to bring faith and beauty into 

our lives. 

Mary Jarvis 

Retired Teacher and Writer 


Dancing to the Heartbeat of Redemption : The 

Creative Process of Spiritual Growth, by Joy 

Sawyer. LCCN 99053608. Downers Grove, 


0830822291, PAP, $10.99. 

811.009. Christian poetry, American--History and 

criticism; Christian poetry, English--History and 

criticism; Christian poetry--Authorship; Spiritual 

formation; Creative writing. 163 p. Adult. 

Spiritual growth, says Joy Sawyer, is not a rigid 

process of rules and formulas. Instead, it is a 

creative process more akin to poetry than a 

textbook. Using the metaphor of poetry she 

explores this idea of growth through creativity. 

We are God’s creation, and using our own 

creative abilities can bring us closer to him. 

Poetry is not simply another mental exercise, but 

involves the heart as well as the mind. It 

encompasses emotions, the appreciation of 

beauty, the acknowledgment of suffering; it is a 

living, holistic approach that sees our spiritual 

lives not as something added on to us, but as an 

integral, interconnected part of us. 

“We are Christ’s poem,” she writes, “an 

expression of his heart and mind, saved by grace 

from a destiny of disjointed ramblings.”(p.85) 

There are many such analogies between poetry 

and the Christian life. The poetical quotations 

Sawyer has chosen are primarily from 

contemporary poets. The language of poetry 

can at times be difficult, and require 

concentrated thought. It is not for everyone. 

But for those with an interest in, or affinity for 

poetry, Sawyer’s book provides a refreshing, 

joyful, and vital perspective on spirituality. 




★ 

★ 

Journey into Narnia, by Kathryn Lindskoog; 

illustrated by Tim Kirk. LCCN 97018312. 

Pasadena, Calif.: Hope Publishing, 1997. 

ISBN 0932727891, PAP, $15.95. 

823. Lewis, C. S. (Clive Staples), 1898-1963-- 

Chronicles of Narnia. Adult. 

Kathryn Lindskoog is a C.S. Lewis specialist 

and her book, Journey Into Narnia, is a prize for 

anyone interested in his writing, especially in his 

seven book series on the imaginary land of 

Narnia. Part 1, “The Lion of Judah in Never- 

Never Land,” was completed in 1957 and read 

by Lewis himself. Afterwards, in a letter to her, 

he said, “You are in the center of the target 

everywhere. For one thing, you know my work 

better than anyone else I’ve met ... ” and indeed, 

as you read on in Lindskoog’s book, that 

becomes very clear. 

Part 2, “Exploring the Narnian Chronicles,” is 

written not only for personal reading pleasure, 

but as a practical help for teachers, parents, and 

ministers as they use Narnia and its stories to 

teach the children in their charge. It covers all 

seven books and the section for each individual 

title includes the book’s main theme, 

background information, key symbols, and 

Biblical references, as well as vocabulary tests, 

quizzes, and even, in one, a recipe for Turkish 

Delight. 

The book also includes two appendices. 

Appendix One is “The Aunt and Amabel,” a 

story by Edith Nesbit, who first inspired Lewis 

to read fairy tales and then, later, to write them 

himself, while Appendix Two is an essay, 

“Narnia: The Domain of Lewis’s Beliefs,” 

written by M. A. Manzalaoui, a professor of 

English at the University of British Columbia 

and one-time student of Lewis himself at 

Oxford. If you can only buy one book about 

C.S. Lewis, this may be it! 

Betty Winslow 


Bowling Green Christian Academy Librarian 

Bowling Green, Ohio 


A Passion for the Impossible : the Life of 

Lilias Trotter, by Miriam Huffman Rockness. 



PAP, $14.99. 

921 (266). Trotter, I. Lillias (Isabella Lilias), 1853- 

1928; Missionaries--Algeria--Biography; 

Missionaries--England--Biography; Artists--England-- 

Biography. 317 p. Adult. 

With a graceful turn of phrase, the preface is an 

apt setting for a biographic gem, A Passion for 

the Impossible written by Miriam Huffman 

Rockness. Isabella Lilias “Lily” Trotter is born 

July 14, 1853, into a life of privilege in Victorian 

England. Although Lily is a talented artist, she 

chooses a life dedicated to the service of others 

as a missionary in North Africa. Through years 

of labor, there is little progress, yet Lily and her 

co-workers remain faithful. “Time is nothing to 

God-nor to His children.” p. 239. August 27, 

1928, Lilias Trotter went to her Eternal Reward. 

“God loves with a great love the man whose 

heart is bursting with a passion for the 

impossible.” (Wilhana Booth, p. 290) 

In A Passion for the Impossible, Rockness 

includes an index, poem quotations, a foreword 

by Lyle Dorsett of Wheaton College, a preface, 

drawings by Trotter, maps, photographs, 

appendices, notes, a bibliography, and 

acknowledgments. Although the story tends to 

bog down, its pace is true to the life of the 

courageous, steadfast Trotter. 

Su Hagerty 

Teacher 


The Road to Donaguile : A Celtic Spiritual 

Journey, by Herbert O’Driscoll. LCCN 



$9.95. 

921 (283). O’Driscoll, Herbert--Childhood and youth; 

Church of Ireland--Clergy--Biography; Anglican 

Communion--Clergy--Biography; Celts--Religion; 

Spiritual life. 114 p. Gr. 10—Adult. 

The Road to Donaguile is a memoir of Herbert 

O’Driscoll’s childhood in Ireland. In its gentle 

pages he introduces his readers to the farm of his 

early years and the people who inhabited it; to a 

way of life that has nearly vanished; to an age of 

simplicity that lies in marked contrast to our 

complex, high-speed world; and to attitudes and 

lifestyles very different from those of modern 

societies. 

The just-concluded 20th century perhaps 

witnessed more change than any previous 

century—and it is refreshing and rewarding to 

look back at earlier ages (even if colored by the 

eyes of childhood) and see how other people 

developed and were nurtured. But more than a 

quest of sociology, such retrospection can also 

be a spiritual quest. We can reflect on the 

experiences and conditions that affect our 

spiritual growth. And so Herbert O’Driscoll has 

subtitled his book “A Celtic Spiritual Journey.” 

In his hands this journey is more implicit than 

explicit. O’Driscoll is not attempting to preach, 

but (as in many of his other books) to stimulate 

thought and reflection, to plant a seed, to 

encourage us to ponder the events and attitudes 

that have shaped us. 

This is a memoir, not an in-depth autobiography, 

of a child growing up Church of Ireland in 

Roman Catholic Ireland. It can be read on this 

level, but also deeper, as in O’Driscoll’s hands 

moments of spiritual import are presented in a 

simple, understated manner. This small book is 

meant for reflection and contemplation. 





ADULT 

NONFICTION 

The Eyes of the Heart : A Memoir of the Lost 

and Found, by Frederick Buechner. LCCN 

99023089. San Francisco: Harper 

SanFrancisco, 1999. ISBN 0062516388, 

HBB, $18.00. 

921 (285). Buechner, Frederick, 1926- --Friends and 

associates; Presbyterian clergy--United States-- 

Biography. 183 p. Adult. 

The element of searching for home, of coming 

home, is a thread that runs through several of 

Frederick Buechner’s books. Author of over 

two dozen works of fiction and nonfiction, an 

aging Buechner senses that his journey toward 

home may be nearing its end. 

The book’s title comes from St. Paul’s prayer for 

the Ephesians, that “having the eyes of your 

heart enlightened, that you may know what is 

the hope to which he has called you.” Buechner 

declares that he has experienced this special way 

of seeing. Buechner’s “seeing with the eyes of 

the heart” lies in his bringing to life people from 

his past. He welcomes the ghost of Naya, his 

beloved maternal grandmother, as his guest on 

the journey. She lights her Chesterfield with her 

Zippo lighter and sits nearby responding to his 

questions and comments. He confesses to Naya 

that he has been thinking about dying and even 

wonders if anyone will show up at his funeral. 

As his musing continues, we learn of the 

suicides of both his alcoholic father (when 

Buechner was just ten) and his uncle; of his 

mother’s caustic criticism of his father, and her 

in-laws’ belief that her carting him and his 

brother off to Bermuda to start a new life after 

her husband’s death was proof of how spoiled 

and irresponsible she was. We meet, too, his 

boyhood friend, poet James Merrill, whose open 

homosexuality, when Buechner learns of it as an 

adult, he cannot understand, but whose 

friendship remained strong until Merrill’s death. 

A particularly hard blow is the death of his 

brother, which occurred during the writing of 

this memoir. 

Buechner describes in fascinating detail his 

Magic Kingdom—study, office, and library. He 

speaks of his childhood love of the Uncle 

Wiggily and Oz books and discusses various 

biographies, histories, theology books, and 

family archives that fill his own library. By the 

end of the book, Buechner has laid bare many of 

his lingering doubts, while still clinging to hope. 

He believes that nothing and no one is ever 

completely lost. On the wall opposite his desk, 

Buechner has a copy of Rembrandt’s etching, 

“The Return of the Prodigal Son.” “It hardly 

matters which is the father and which the son,” 

he writes. “They have both come home.” (p. 90) 




York: Pantheon Books, Random House, 

1999. ISBN 0679442405, HBB, $23.00. 

921 (813). Lamott, Anne--Religion; Novelists, 

American--20th century--Biography; Christian 

biography--United States; Mothers and sons--United 

States; Faith. 275 p. Adult. 

Anne Lamott doesn’t gussy up the truth for 

anybody. In Traveling Mercies, she tells all— 

the alcohol and drugs, lovers, abortion, a godless 

childhood—all the things a more inhibited 

writer might omit. Her writing is fresh: brash, 

poignant, witty, and often self-deprecating. 

Her father was her first god, she admits, one she 

had trouble letting go of for years after his death. 

“No one in our family believed in God,” she 

says. “It was like we’d all signed some loyalty 

oath early on in deference to the pain of my 

father’s cold Christian childhood.” Still, she 

secretly believed that someone was listening 

when she prayed. 

Lamott’s first glimpses of God came from 

families that seemed more intact than her own— 

Roman Catholic, Christian Scientist, and 

Jewish. Her first “lurch” of faith, as she calls it, 

came when she encountered Kierkegaard in 

college. Even after Lamott came to believe in 

God, she wanted nothing to do with Jesus. She 

describes with humor and candor his hounding 

until she finally said, “All right. You can come 

in.” (Her language includes more earthy 

comments.) On Sundays, she often went to the 

large flea market in Marin City, California. The 

gospel music from St. Andrew Presbyterian 

Church across the street drew her in long before 

she was willing to listen to a sermon. The 

welcoming people there kept her coming back. 

Lamott continues to travel the road to faith. Her 

Christianity still may be considered unorthodox, 

but she persists in the journey and shares her 

everyday trials and insights with exuberance and 

clarity. Readers will recognize the simplicity of 

her faith by her two favorite prayers—“Help! 

Help! Help!” and “Thank you! Thank you! 

Thank you!”—prayers many readers will react 

to with empathy. Her language and some topics 

may be objectionable to some. 




Traveling Mercies : Some Thoughts on Faith, 

by Anne Lamott. LCCN 98030487. New 


PUBLISHERS 

The following is a list of publishers whose titles are reviewed or discussed in this issue of CLJ. Use these addresses and phone 

numbers to order books reviewed in this and all past issues.. Any of them will be glad to send you catalogs and information 

about cataloging and discounts. “C” at the end of a listing indicates a publisher of primarily Christian materials. 

Alabaster Books See Multnomah, C 

Albert Whitman and Co., Order Dept., 6340 

Oakton St., Morton Grove, IL 60053-2723, 

800-255-7675. 

Albury Publishing, Publicity, PO Box 470406, 

Tulsa, OK 74147, 800-304-5327. C 

Arthur A. Levine See Scholastic, Inc., 

Baker Book House, Order Dept., P.O. Box 

6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49507, 800-877- 

2665. C 

Baker Books See Baker Book House, 

Bay Light Publishing, Order Dept., PO Box 

3032, Mooresville, NC 28117, 704-664-7541. 

C 

Beacon Hill Press, Order Dept., 2923 Troost 

Ave., P.O. Box 419527, Kansas City, MO 

64141-6527, 816-931-1900. C 

Benchmark Books See Marshall Cavendish, 

Berkley See Penguin Putnam 

Bethany Backyard See Bethany House, C 

Bethany House Publishers, Order Dept., 11400 

Hampshire Ave. S., Bloomington, MN 55438- 

2852, 800-328-6109. C 

Bob Jones University Press, Order Dept., 1700 

Wade Hampton Blvd, Greenville, SC 29614, 

800-845-5731. C 

Boyd Mills Press, Order Dept., 815 Church 

St., Honesdale, PA 18431, 800-949-7777. 

Broadman & Holman Publishers, Order Dept., 

127 9th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37234-0143, 

800-251-3225. C 

Carolrhoda Books See Lerner Publ. Group, 

Checkmark Books See Facts on File, 

Chelsea House, Order Dept., 1974 Sproul 

Road Suite 400, Broomall, PA 19008, 800- 

848-BOOK. 

Chronicle Books, Children's Books, Order 

Dept., 85 Second Street, 6th Fl., San 

Francisco, CA 94105, 415-777-7240. 

Clarion Books See Houghton Mifflin, 

Concordia Publishing House, Order Dept., 

3558 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO 

63118-3968, 800-325-3040. C 

Cowley Publications, Order Dept., 28 Temple 

Place, Boston, MA 02111, 800-225-1534. C 

Crossway Books See Good News 

Publishers, 

Dial Books for Young Readers See Penguin 

Putnma, 

DK Ink See Dorling Kindersley Inc., 

DK Publishing See Dorling Kindersley Inc., 

Dorling Kindersley Inc., Order Dept., 95 

Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, 212- 

213-4800. 

Down East Books, Order Dept., PO Box 679, 

Camden, ME 04843, 207-594-9544. 

Dutton See Penguin Putnam 

Eerdman's Books for Young Readers See 

Wm. B. Eerdman Publishing Co., 

Evangel Publishing House, Order Dept., 2000 

Evangel Way, PO Box 189, Nappanee, IN 

46550, 800-253-9315. 

Facts on File, Inc., Order Dept., 11 Penn Plz, 

New York, NY 10001-2006, 212-967-8800. 

Firefly Books, Order Dept., P.O. Box 1338, 

Ellicott Station, Buffalo, NY 14205, 800-387- 

5085. 

Fleming H. Revell See Baker Book House, 

C 

G. P. Putnam's Sons See Penguin Putnam 

Gold 'n' Honey See Multnomah Publishers 

Inc., 

Golden Anchor Press 

Good News Publishers, Order Dept., 1300 

Crescent St., Wheaton, IL 60187, 800-635- 

7993. C 

Harold Shaw Publishers, Order Dept., P.O. 

Box 567, Wheaton, IL 60189, 630-665-6700. 

C 

HarperCollins Publishers, Order Dept., 10 E. 

53rd St., New York, NY 10022, 212-207- 

7000. 

HarperSanFrancisco See HarperCollins, 

Harvest House Publishers, Order Dept., 1075 

Arrowsmith, Eugene, OR 97402, 800-547- 

8979. C 

Herald Press, Order Dept., 616 Walnut Ave., 

Scottdale, PA 15683-1999, 800-245-7894. C 

Hope Publishing House, Order Dept., PO Box 

60008, Pasadena, CA 91116, 

Houghton Mifflin, Order Dept., Children's 

Trade Books, 222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 

02116-3764, 800-225-3362. 

InterVarsity Press, Order Dept., P.O. Box 

1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, 630-887- 

2500. C 

J.P. Tarcher See Penguin Putnam 

Journey Books for Young Readers See Bob 

Jones University Press, C 

Kids Can Press, Great Lakes Customs, 4500 

Witmer Industrial East, Niagara Falls, NY 

14305-1386, 

Kregel Publications, Order Dept., P.O. Box 

2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2607, 800- 

733-2607. C 

Lerner Publications, Order Dept., 241 First 

Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55401, 800- 

328-4929, x366. 

Lodestar See Penguin Putnam 

Lothrop, Lee & Shepard See Wm. Morrow, 

Loyola Press, Order Dept., 3441 N. Ashland 

Ave., Chicago, IL 60657, 800-256-0589. C 

Marshall Cavendish, Order Dept., 99 White 

Plains Road, PO Box 2001, Tarrytown, NY 

10591, 800-821-9881. 

Mikaya Press See Firefly Books, 

Milkweed Editions, Order Dept., Suite 400, 

430 First Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55401- 

1743, 612-332-3192. 

Moody Press, Order Dept., 820 N. LaSalle 

Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610, 312-329-2108. C 

Morehouse Publishing Co., Order Dept., 4775 

Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112, 

717-541-8130. C 

Morrow Junior Books See Wm. Morrow, 

Multnomah Publishers Inc., Order Dept., P.O. 

Box 1720, Sisters, OR 97759, 800-929-0910. 

C 

NavPress, Order Dept., P.O. Box 35001, 

Colorado Springs, CO 80935, 800-955-3324. 

C 

New Kids Media See Baker Book House, C 

Northland Publishing, Order Dept., P.O. Box 

1389, Flagstaff, AZ 86002-1389, 800-346- 

3257. 

Orca Book Publishers, Order Dept., P.O. Box 

468, Custer, WA 98240-0468, 800-210-5277. 

Palisades See Multnomah Publishers, C 

Pantheon See Random House, 

Peachtree Publishers, Ltd., Order Dept., 494 

Armour Circle N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324- 

4088, 800-241-0113. 

Penguin Putnam Inc., Order Dept., 375 

Hudson St., New York, NY 10014-3657, 212- 

366-2000. 

Philomel See Penguin Putnam 

Phyllis Fogelman Books See Dial Books 

for Young Readers, 

Random House, Order Dept., 11th Floor, 201 

E. 50th, New York, NY 10022, 212-751- 

2600. 

RDR See Orca, 

Reality Publishing, Order Dept., PO Box 

13576, Mill Creek, WA 98082-1576, 877- 

639-3999. C 

Rising Moon See Northland Publishing, 

Sasquatch Books, Order Dept., 615 Second 

Avenue, Suite 260, Seattle, WA 98104-2200, 

800-775-0817. 

Scholastic, Inc., Order Dept., 555 Broadway, 

New York, NY 10012-3999, 212-343-6100. 

Servant Publications, Order Dept., 1143 

Highland Dr., Suite E, Ann Arbor, MI 48107, 

313-677-6490. C 

Smithsonian Institution Press, Publicity, 470 

L'Enfant Plaza, MRC 950, Washington, DC 

20560, 202-287-3738. 

Spring House Books, Order Dept., PO Box 

129, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487, 

Sterling Publishing, Order Dept., 387 Park 

Ave. S., New York, NY 10016, 212-532- 

7160. 

Stoddart Kids, Great Lakes Customs, 4500 

Witmer Industrial East, Niagara Falls, NY 

14305-1386, 

That's Life Communications, Order Dept., PO 

Box 487, Markham, ON L3P 3R1, Canada. 

877-THATSLI(FE). C 

Thomas Nelson Publishers, Order Dept., 506 

Nelson Pl., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 

37214, 615-889-9000. C 

Tommy Nelson, Order Dept., 404 BNA Dr., 

Bldg. 200, Ste. 508, Nashville, TN 37217, 

615-902-2314. C 

Trinity Press International See Morehouse 

Publishing Co., C 

Tyndale House Publishers, Order Dept., 351 

Executive Dr., P.O. Box 80, Wheaton, IL 

60189, 630-668-8300. C 

University of Georgia Press, Order Dept., 330 

Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901, 

800-266-5842. 

Upper Room Books, Order Dept., P.O. Box 

340004, Nashville, TN 37203-0004, 615-340- 

7200. C 

Viking See Penguin Putnam 

Vine Books See Servant Publications, C 

Waterbrook Press, Order Dept., 5446 North 

Academy Blvd., Suite 200, Colorade Springs, 

CO 80918, 

Wetlands Press See Orca, 

Wild Onion See Loyola Press, 

William Morrow and Co., Order Dept., 1350 

Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, 

212-261-6500. 

WinePress, Order Dept., PO Box 4888, 

Seattle, WA 98104, 800-917-2005. C 

Wm. B. Eerdman Publishing Co., Order 

Dept., 255 Jefferson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, 

MI 49506, 800-253-7521. C 

Word Publishing, Order Dept., PO Box 

141000, Nashville, TN 37214, 615-902-3400. 

C 

Wordsong See Boyds Mills Press, 

YWAM Publishing, Order Dept., P.O. Box 

55787, Seattle, WA 98155, C 

Zondervan Publishing House, Attn: Zondervan 

Church Source, 5300 Patterson Ave. S.E., 

Grand Rapids, MI 49530, 800-727-3480. C 

Zondervankidz, Order Dept., 5300 Patterson 

Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530, 616-732- 

8013. C 


INDEX 

100 First-Prize Make-It- 54 

21 Indispensable Qualities 76 

23rd Psalm 26 

A&E Biography 57 

Abandoned 53 

Adam, David 79 

Adams, Anne 38 

Addy, Sharon Hart 20 

Adventures Down Under 48 

Adventures in Odyssey 24 

Africans in America 58 

Alcorn, Stephen 55 

Alexander, Hannah 59 

All That Glitters 70 

All Together in One Place 67 

Allan-Meyer, Kathleen 20 

Allen, Joy 23 

Allen, Kimball 42 

Amber Brown Is Feeling 29 

Ambushed in Jaguar 31 

Amelia and Eleanor Go 37 

Amelia's War 52 

Am. Soc. of Mammalogists 55 

Amethyst Heart 72 

Amphibians 55 

Andersen, Gerald H. 56 

Andersen, Hans Christian 21 

Andreasen, Dan 57 

Angelwalk Series 62 

Angles of Light 86 

Annison's Risk 34 

Answers to Prayer 11 

Arin's Judgment 33 

Arkins, Anne 8 

Armed and Dangerous 10 

Arnold, Tedd 27 

Arthur Ashe 57 

Arthur, Kay 11, 76 

Ashwater Experiment 51 

Assassins in the Cathedral 50 

Aunt Pitty Patty's Piggy 21 

Austin, Lynn N. 59 

Axle Annie 27 

Aylesworth, Jim 21 

Babe Didrikson Zaharias 43 

Baby Whale's Journey 24 

Bach's Passion 72 

Baer, Judy 45 

Baker Book of Bible Trav 38 

Baker, Barbara 21 

Barnyard Bestiary 42 

Bayer, John 60 

Beatitudes 26 

Becoming a Man of Prayer 9 

Becoming a Woman of 11 

Bell, Mary Reeves 45 

Beltz, Bob 9 

Bender, Carrie 45 

Beneath a Dakota Cross 60 

Benson, Robert 83 

Bentz, Joseph 60 

Berg, Johanna 32 

Bergren, Lisa Tawn 60 

Bernardin, James 30 

Best of Friends 51 

Between Two Flags 52 

Beyond Mayfield 36 

Beyond Science 17 

Bial, Raymond 54 

Bickel, Bruce 38 

Big Book of Games 42 

Billy Graham 56 

Biog. Dict./Chr. Missions 56 

Birch Hollow Schoolmarm 45 

Birds Our Teachers 80 

Bishop, Rudine Sims 42 

Björkman, Steve 21, 39 

Blackwell, Lawanna 60 

Bladholm, Cheri 26 

Blankenship, Leroy 21 

Blue Willow 29 

Bluthenthal, Diana Cain 32 

Bly, Stephen 60, 61 

Bookends 66 

Bouchard, David 42 

Boulton, Kim 79 

Bounds, Edward McKendree 9 

Bowler, K. Christie 8, 39 

Boy Who Loved to Draw 43 

Brantley, Judi 21, 45 

Brantley, Steven 21 

Brenner, Barbara 43 

Brett, Jan 22 

Brides of Culdee Creek 69 

Bridge 6 34 

Broeck, Fabricio Vanden 42 

Brooks, Donna 23, 27 

Brooks, Sandra 8 

Brouwer, Sigmund 47 

Brown, Don 42 

Brownridge, William Roy 22 

Buechner, Frederick 88 

Bunn, T. Davis 70 

Burden of Honor 52 

Burke, Kevin 31 

But What If I Don't Want 54 

Butler, John 22 

Butler, Susan 47 

Caldwell, V. M. 28 

Caledonia 72 

Camille's Crossroad 45 

Can You Whistle, Johanna? 37 

Capture 36 

Carle, Eric 22 

Carlson, Melody 39 

Carmichael, Nancie 9 

Carmichael, William 9 

Carter, Abby 32 

Case of the Measled 30 

Case of the Vanishing 30 

Casey Jones's Fireman 30 

Cassie, Brian 55 

Casson, C. J. 41 

Catherine Marshall 56 

Cedar River Daydreams 45 

Cello of Mr. O 22 

Century Farm 41 

Cerullo, Mary M. 41 

Challenge of Jesus 78 

Chapman, Gary 80 

Character Counts 84 

Chase 36 

Chesworth, Michael 32 

Chicago Stained Glass 85 

Chicago Years 36 

Child Bride 36 

Child's Garden of Prayer 8 

Christenson, Evelyn 8, 9, 10 

Christian Heritage Series 36 

Christian Message for 77 

Christian View of Hosp. 79 

Christian Writers' Market 75 

Clapp, John 20 

Claverie, Jean 25 

Cleopatra VII 49 

Clinton, Catherine 55 

Closer Than Ever 49 

Cobra Threat 47 

Code Name Antidote 68 

Cohen, Barbara 28 

Coleman, Evelyn 28 

Comfort for a Child's Heart 38 

Complete Works of E.M. 9 

Connelly, Gwen 8 

Conrad, Pam 29 

Conversations at the 79 

Cooper, Floyd 24 

Cooper, Michael L. 58 

Couch, Greg 22 

Couser, Thomas 9 

Covenant A Bible Study 77 

Cupid's Corner 66 

Curtis, C. A. 61 

Cutler, Jane 22 

Cymbala, Jim 10 

Dalhouse, Mark Taylor 84 

Dancing to the Heartbeat of 87 

Danger in the Shadows 65 

Danziger, Paula 29 

Darien's Rise 33 

Daughter of Joy 69 

Day-Bivins, Pat 23 

De Groat, Diane 33 

De Paola, Tomie 43 

Dean, Jennifer Kennedy 10 

Dear America 50 

Dear God, I'm Ticked Off 77 

Dear Juno 26 

Deep Harbor 60 

Delffs, D. J. 61 

Dembski, William A. 76 

Demy, Timothy J. 79 

Denenberg, Barry 48 

Departures 49 

Desperate for God 9 

Diamond, Donna 37 

Dict. of Literary & Thematic86 

Difficult Day 23 

Dinosaur Days 40 

DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne 40 

Disciple's Prayer Life 11 

Dismissing God 86 

Do You Know What I Like 85 

Dodd, Anne Wescott 29 

Dolphins 41 

Don't Just Stand there, Pray 10 

Donihue, Anita Corrine 10 

Dora's Diary 45 

Double Heart Diner 66 

Double V Campaign 58 

Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark 60 

Draven's Defiance 34 

DRi Artworks 24 

Duffy, Daniel Mark 28 

Duke, Kate 21 

Dunn, Joy 8 

Dunn, Ronald 10 

Dunrea, Olivier 43 

Durbin, William 48 

Dutton Easy Reader 21 

Dylan St. John Novel 62 

Echoes 63 

Edwards, Richard 23 

Elizabeth I 51 

Elmer, Robert 48 

Elwood, Roger 62 

Ephesus Fragment 71 

Equality in Christ 77 

Erickson, John R. 30 

Eusebius, the Church Hist. 84 

Evangelical Truth 78 

Eve's Daughters 59 

Exodus 38 

Eyes of the Heart 88 

Faith of a Physicist 17 

Fallen Stars, Bitter Waters 69 

Fanny Crosby 56 

Farber, Seth 82 

Farmer Brown Goes Round 27 

Farmer, Nancy 30 

Father Grif Mysteries 61 

Fendar's Legacy 34 

Ferguson, Martha-Elizabeth 45 

Fernandes, Eugenie 23 

Ferris, Pamela 81 

Final Game 22 

Fincher, Kathryn Andrews 8 

Firebird 73 

Firestorm at Kookaburra 48 

First Corinthians 13 26 

Fishing for a Dream 41 

Flags 37 

Flying Cavalier 69 

Fog Cat 24 

For Everything a Season 63 

For the Family's Sake 80 

Forever Friends 45 

Fortunes of the Black Hills 60 

Foster, Sharon Ewell 62 

Fountain, Daniel E. 82 

Fredeen, Charles 55 

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire 10 

Friends Like These 51 

Frightful's Mountain 30 

Fritz, Jean 44 

From the Secret Place in My50 

Front Porch Tales 63 

Frueh, Erne R. 85 

Frueh, Florence 85 

Fryar, Jane L. 10 

Fuller, Cheri 9 

Funderburk, Robert 62 

Fusion Fire 73 

Galindo, Israel 10 

Gallagher, S. Saelig 29 

Gamble, Jeremiah 23 

Gansky, Alton 62 

Garbage Monster from Outer30 

Garlow, James L. 77 

Garvin, Elaine 20 

Gauch, Patricia Lee 23 

Genetic Engineering 79 

George Washington Carver 56 

George, Jean Craighead 30 

Geter, Tyrone 28 

Gilliland, Glaphre 11 

Gingerbread Baby 22 

Girls Only (GO) 32 

Giving Project Series 79 

Glaspey, Terry W. 10 


INDEX 

Glenbrooke Series 63 

Glennall's Betrayal 34 

God Be in My Heart 8 

God of the Sparrow 39 

God, Medicine & Miracles 82 

Goffe, Toni 39 

Goll, Jim W. 10 

Good Night, Little One 21 

Gourbault, Martine 24, 26 

Grace at Bender Springs 73 

Grannyman 27 

Grassy, John 55 

Greene, Stephanie 30 

Gregory, Kristiana 49 

Gresham Chronicles 60 

Grigg, Carol 31 

Guinness, Os 84 

Gulley, Philip 63 

Gunn, Robin J. 49, 50, 63, 64 

Haan, Cornell 10 

Haidle, David 38 

Haidle, Elizabeth 8 

Haidle, Helen 8, 38 

Hall, Monica 31 

Hamlin, Rick 64 

Hank the Cowdog 30 

Hannah of Fairfield 37 

Harrell, Gary 8 

Hartung, Susan Kathleen 26 

Harvey, Bonnie C. 56 

Hatcher, Robin Lee 64 

Hauerwas, Stanley 10 

Heald, Cynthia 11 

Heather Claremont 25 

Heitzmann, Kristen 65 

Helmer, Marilyn 24 

Henderson, Dee 65 

Henry, Kim M. 39 

Hermit Thrush Sings 47 

Hero Tales, Vol.3 40 

Heroes of the Faith 56 

Hershberger, Michele 79 

Hesse, Karen 50 

Hickman, Patricia 65 

Higgs, Liz Curtis 65, 66 

High Hurdles 53 

Himler, Ronald 44 

Höglund, Anna 37 

Hold the Boat 23 

Holmes, Gerald L. 30 

Holt, Del 21 

Home Coming 81 

Home Town Tales 63 

Honor's Disguise 65 

House of Winslow 69 

Houston, James 10 

Hove, Richard W. 77 

How to Sharpen Your 

Listening-to-God Skills 11 

How to Study Your Bible 76 

Human Rights and Wrongs 83 

Hunt, Angela 66 

Hunt, T.W. 11 

Hurricane Power 47 

I Can Pray to God 8 

I Want to Know 39 

I Want to Know About 8 

I, Amber Brown 29 

I, Patrick, a Sinner... 18 

I, Too, Sing America 55 

Ichikawa, Satomi 23 

If I Were President 40 

In the Shadow of a Secret 74 

Incredible Worlds of Wally 35 

Intelligent Design 76 

Invisible Harry 32 

Island in the Lake of Fire 84 

J.D. Stanton Mysteries 62 

Jackson, Dave 31, 40, 50 

Jackson, Gordon S. 80 

Jackson, Julian 31 




Jackson, Neta 31 

Jackson, Neta 31, 40, 50 

Jacobs, Kathleen L. 50 

James, Margaret Ray 25 

Jantz, Stan 38 

Jennie McGrady Mystery 53 

Jeremiah, David 10 

Jerusalem Vigil 73 

Jesse Owens 57 

Jesus 39 

Jesus Freaks 84 

Jocelyn, Martha 32 

Joens, Michael R. 66 

John Glenn 57 

Johnson, Jan 56 

Johnson, Kevin 54 

Johnson, Lois Walfrid 41 

Jones, Annie 66 

Jones, Lois Mailou 42 

Journal of Ben Uchida 48 

Journal of Scott Pendleton 52 

Journal of Sean Sullivan 48 

Journey into Narnia 87 

Judas Tree 61 

Just the Way You Are 25 

Katrina's Wings 65 

Keene, Chuck 55 

Kelley, Gary 43 

Kiesler, Kate 41 

Kindig, Eileen Silva 85 

Kingsbury, Karen 67 

Kinship and Courage Hist. 67 

Kirk, Tim 87 

Kirkpatrick, Jane 67 

Kline, Suzy 32 

Kneeling on the Promises 10 

Knowlton, Laurie Lazzaro 8 

Kopp, David 10 

Koss, Amy Goldman 51 

Lamott, Anne 88 

Lane, George A. 85 

Lanham, Carol Cirulli 76 

Lard, Mary Anne 39 

Larsen, Carolyn 8 

Lasky, Kathryn 51 

Last Swan in Sacramento 61 

Lawrence, Susan 40 

Lazarus Project 60 

Lazo, Caroline 57 

Lee, Jeffrey D. 83 

Legend of the Celtic Stone 72 

Leon, Bonnie 67 

Lerner Biography 55 

Let Us Pray 10 

Let's Talk About It 41 

Letting Go 53 

Lewis, Beverly 32 

Lewis, E. B. 27 

Lewis, Maggie 32 

Library of African-American58 

Light in the Storm 50 

Lighthouse Movement 10 

Linamen, Karen 9 

Lindquist, Nancy J. 51 

Lingskoog, Kathryn 87 

Linnéa, Sharon 58 

Listening Prayer 11 

Little Bear's Surprise 20 

Little Cliff and the Porch 27 

Little Girls Book of Prayers 8 

Little Match Girl 21 

Littlesugar, Amy 24 

Lockerbie, D. Bruce 86 

Lohr, Nancy 32 

Lollar, Phil 24 

London, Jonathan 24 

Lootas, Little Wave Eater 41 

Lord's Prayer 26 

Lord, Bless My Child 9 

Lord, Teach Me to Pray 11 

Lowry, Lois 33 

Lucado, Max 25 

Luminous Web 82 

Lundy, Charlotte 25 

Macaulay, Susan Schaeffer 80 

Machlin, Mikki 33 

Madame Guyon 56 

Magnus, Erica 28 

Maier, Paul L. 84 

Making Memories 26 

Mammals 55 

Mann, Elizabeth 44 

Marsh, T.J. 28 

Martinez, Sergio 25 

Mask of the Wolf Boy 50 

Maverick Mania 47 

Maxwell, John 10 

Maxwell, John C. 76 

McClintock, Barbara 21 

McCourtney, Lorena 68 

McCusker, Paul 33, 34 

McDaniels, Preston 39 

McGugan, Jim 34 

McHenry, Paul T., III 68 

McIntosh, Mark Allen 78 

McReynolds, Kathy 56 

Mechler, Gary 55 

Medina, Jane 42 

Meeker, Clare Hodgson 41 

Meeting Place 70 

Merrill, Dean 10 

Merritt, Bruce E. 68 

Metaxas, Eric 44 

Miller, Becky 8 

Miller, Steve 8 

Mills, Judith Christine 34 

Mitchell, Sara 68 

Mixed Blessings 64 

Mixed Signals 65 

Molly's in a Mess 32 

Molly's Pilgrim 28 

Mombourquette, Paul 24 

Moore, Carey 11 

Moore, Pamela Rosewell 11 

Mora, Pat 25 

Morgan, Kathleen 69 

Morgenstern, Susie 34 

Morgy Makes His Move 32 

Morin, Paul 37 

Morris, Alan 69 

Morris, Fred Parks 11 

Morris, Gerald 35, 68, 69, 70 

Morris, Lynn 69 

Mother Teresa 56 

Moyer, R. Larry 77 

Mr. McGratt and the Ornery 

Cat 24 

Mueller, George 11 

Murphy, Elspeth Campbell 35 

Muscles 41 

My Life as a Mixed-up 35 

My Name Is America 48 

My Name Is Jorge on Both 42 

My Name Is Not Gussie 33 

My Unknown Child 85 

Myers, Bill 35 

Myers, Ruth 78 

Myers, Walter Dean 52 

Mysteries of Faith 78 

Mystery of the Book Fair 35 

Mystery of the Butterfly 35 

Mystery of the Coon Cat 35 

Mystery of the Runaway 35 

Nativities and Passions 81 

Naturalist's Apprentice 43 

Nature Art with Chiura 43 

Nellie Bly 55 

Nelson, Vaunda Michaeux 36 

Nentwig, Wendy Lee 49 

Never Forsaken 50 

New Church's Teaching 83 

Newsome, Effie Lee 42 

Night Sky 55 

Nikly, Michelle 25 

No Dragons for Tea 26 

Noble, Diane 70 

Nordstrom, Joe 35 

Northern Lights 60 

O'Driscoll, Herbert 87 

Ocean Within 28 

Oke, Janette 26, 70 

Old California 61 

Olford, Stephen F. 77 

Omartian, Stormie 9, 11 

Omega Trilogy 69 

On My Own Biography 43 

One Saturday Afternoon 21 

One World 16 

One-Room School 54 

Opening the Prayer Book 83 

Osborne, Rick 8, 9, 39 

Other Brother 39 

Other Side of Love 80 

Over Is Not Up! 27 

Owen Foote, Frontiersman 30 

Owens, Mary Beth 29 

Pak, Soyung 26 

Palisades Pure Romance 65 

Panic at Emu Flat 48 

Parent Warrior 9 

Parker, Gary E. 71 

Parry, Linda 26 

Partners in Prayer 10 

Passages 33 

Passing by Samaria 62 

Passion for the Impossible 87 


INDEX 

Passport to Danger 45 

Pathway to the Heart of God10 

Patmos Conspiracy 68 

Payne, Leanne 11 

Pella, Judith 71 

Pendziwol, Jean 26 

Perfect Love 78 

Perfect Match 32 

Perfume of Memory 25 

Perry, Alan 26 

Peterson, Cris 41 

Peterson, Tracie 71 

Phillips, Michael R. 72 

Pinkney, Jerry 21 

Pioneer Daughters 37 

Pocket Full of Prayers 8 

Polkinghorne, John 15, 16, 17 

Power Lines 79 

Power of a Praying Parent 9 

Power of a Praying Wife 11 

Power of Family Prayer 9 

Power of Praying Together 11 

Power of Praying Together 80 

Power Praying 10 

Prairie Legacy 70 

Praise Prayers 8 

Prayer: Conversing with God11 

Prayer: The Great Adventure10 

Prayers on My Pillow 12 

Prayers Plainly Spoken 10 

Prayers with Bears 26 

Praying for the World's 364 10 

Pregnancy After a Loss 76 

Presenting Tanya, the Ugly 23 

Price, Oliver W. 11, 80 

Prince of Egypt 38 

Princess Ka'iulani 58 

Pulver, Robin 27 

Quarks, Chaos, and 17 

Quiet Center 81 

Quiet Strength 70 

Quinn, Edward 86 

Quotes for the Journey 80 

Rabbit and the Promise Sign23 

Race for the Record 31 

Racz, Michael 44 

Rainbow Tulip 25 

Ransomed Heart 68 

Rare Treasure 42 

Ratzsch, Delvin Lee 82 

Reading with Deeper Eyes 83 

Real Men Pray 9 

Reef, Catherine 58 

Reeves, Jeni 43 

Rhyme Bible Story Book 39 

Ribbons West 71 

Ridley, RuthAnn 72 

Riehecky, Janet 40 

Right Here on This Spot 20 

Rinaldi, Ann 52 

Rinker, Rosalind 11 

Riols, Noreen 85 

Rivers, Francine 72 

Road to Donaguile 87 

Road to Freedom 52 

Robb, Andy 8 

Rockness, Miriam Huffman 87 

Rocky Mountain Legacy 65 

Roddy, Lee 52 

Roman Colosseum 44 

Romey's Place 72 

Rosner, Gill 34 

Ross, Michael Elsohn 43 

Ross, Tony 29 

Rotman, Jeffrey L. 41 

Route 65 series 66 

Royal Diaries 49 

Rubietta, Jane 81 

Rue, Nancy 36 

Ruff, Sue 55 

Rushford, Patricia H. 53 

Russell, Ching Yeung 36 

Russell, Jonathan T. 36 

Ryan, Pam Nuñoz 37 

Sacred Place 67 

Sacred Trust 59 

Sagebrush Rebellion 45 

Sally Stuart's Guide 86 

Sanders, Oswald 11 

Sattgast, L. J. 39 

Sawyer, Joy 87 

Sayles, Elizabeth 25 

Scarlet Thunder 47 

Schaap, James Calvin 72 

Schachner, Judith Byron 27 

Schmidt, Gary D. 58 

Scholastic Kid's Almanac 38 

Science and Creation 16 

Science and Its Limits 82 

Science and Providence 16 

Searching for Stardust 68 

Searching for Truth 17 

Secret Letters from 0 to 10 34 

Secrets 63 

Seeds of Heaven 39 

Segerberg, Ebba. 37 

Selznick, Brian 37 

Separate Roads 71 

Serious Talk 17 

Sharratt, Nick 37 

Shaw, Luci 86 

Sierra Jensen Series 49 

Simon, Seymour 41 

Simply Beautiful Wedding 85 

Singing Snowbear 31 

Sloat, Teri 27 

Smith, Dale 27 

Smith, Martin Lee 81 

Smith, Philip Dale 23 

Smith, Wendy 43 

Smithsonian Book of North 55 

Snelling, Lauraine 53 

Sojourner Truth 56 

Somebody Bigger Than I 21 

Somewhere in the Ocean 28 

Son Comes Home 60 

Songbird 32 

Spengler, Kenneth J. 28 

Spider Storch's Desperate 37 

Sports Mystery Series 47 

Spring of Our Exile 62 

Squanto and the Miracle of 44 

Squire's Tale 35 

Stark, Ulf 37 

Stegosaurus 40 

Stewart, Gary P. 79 

Stier, Catherine 40 

Still Waters 81 

Stirnweis, Shannon 44 

Stokes, Penelope J. 72 

Story of the Sea Glass 29 

Stott, Dorothy 42 

Stott, John 78, 80, 83 

Straus, Celia 12 

Streets of Gold 57 

Streissguth, Tom 57 

Stuart, Sally E. 75, 86 

Stunt 36 

Sutcliffe, Jane 43 

Sutton, Susan Scott 81 

Swindoll, Charles 38 

Swinnea, Stephanie Lavenia18 

Synthesis 61 

Tagel, Peggy 21 

Talking with God 11 

Tallchief 43 

Tallchief, Maria 43 

Tangled Vines 70 

Taulbert, Clifton L. 27 

Taylor, Barbara Brown 82 

Teaching Children to Pray 9 

Teaching Your Child How to 9 

Texas Angel 71 

Thank You, Moses 25 

Thank You, Noah 25 

Thoene, Bodie 73 

Thoene, Brock 73 

Three Cousins Detective 35 

Through a Glass Darkly 70 

Throwaway Cat 21 

Tiger Heat 47 

Time to Pray God's Way 9 

Tirion, Wil 55 

Titan Clash 47 

Tobias, Cynthia 85 

Tolonen, Susan 40 

Touched by an Angel 31 

Trailblazer Books 50 

Transforming Power of 10 

Traveling Mercies 88 

Tree of Hope 24 

Triceratops 40 

Trick 36 

Triumph of the Soul 66 

Trottier, Maxine 37 

Truth Teller 66 

Turk, Caron 8 

Twenty-six Fairmount Ave. 43 

Tyers, Kathy 73 

Tyrannosaurus 40 

Unger, Harlow G. 54 

Unholy Madness 82 

Unlikely Friends 31 

Unveiled 72 

Upitis, Alvis 41 

Vajda, Jaroslav J. 39 

Van Leeuwen, Jean 37 

Van Zyle, Jon 24 

Vanished 62 

Vecchione, Glen 54 

Veiled Reflection 71 

Velociraptor 40 

Venite 83 

Very Clumsy Click Beetle 22 

Waiting for Morning 67 

Walker, Catherine 11 

Ward, Jennifer 28 

Watchmen on the Walls 8 

Wave, Chris 79 

Way the World Is 15, 17 

Welcome to Odyssey 24 

Wellman, Sam 56 

Wells, Rosemary 43, 57 

Westcott, Nadine Bernard 27 

Weston, Martha 30 

Westward Chronicles 71 

Whalin, W. Terry 56 

What Happens When C 8 

What Happens When Hus 11 

What Happens When We 9 

What Happens When W 10 

What Shall We Pray About? 8 

What's With the Mutant 54 

When Children Pray 9 

When Families Pray 9 

When I'm on My Knees 10 

When Mothers Pray 9 

Where Angels Dare 62 

Where Yesterday Lives 67 

While You Were Sleeping 22 

Whispers 63 

Whispers from Yesterday 64 

White Hunter 69 

White Socks Only 28 

White, James 54 

Why Not, Lafayette? 44 

William Bradford 58 

Williams, Sophy 23 

Willimon, William H. 83 

Willner-Pardo, Gina 37 

Wilson, Don E. 55 

Winter, Jack 81 

Women of Faith 56 

Wonders 42 

Wonders of the World Book 44 

Wooden, Keith 9 

Woodlands 64 

World Prayer 11 

Wright, N.T. 78 

Wright, Vinita Hampton 73 

Wubbels, Lance 74 

Yagow, James S. 8 

You Are Wonderfully Made!41 

You're Safe Now, Waterdog 23 

Young Child's Garden of 40 

Zion Legacy 73 

Zooman Sam 33 


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