CL winter 09-10 - Evangelical Church Library Association

among people who can understand
them. As the centuries roll on, people’s
skin grows darker in the sunny regions.
Different hunting and eating habits
cause some people to be lean and tall,
whereas others become short and
stout. And that is why, today, we are
all descended from Noah’s family, yet
around the world people look different.
The strength of this series is that it
answers deep theological questions on
a level children can relate to. However,
the problem is the books get silly sometimes,
such as having Noah’s family
take snapshots of everyone for a family
album and showing Jesus pointing
to an escalator that goes up to heaven.
Also, the artwork is rather primitive,
although functional enough to hold the
attention of young readers. Taken as a
somewhat comedic way of initiating a
family discussion on these topics, the
books can provide entertaining starting
points. DEH
FOOL MOON RISING
by Kristi & T. Lively Fluharty
Crossway, 978-1-4335-0682-6, HB, 34
pages, $14.99
This brightly colored, cleverly
drawn, and well-written book is a
simple, but wise allegory. In rhymed
verses, it tells of how arrogant and
proud the moon was of his power to
cause the tides to rise and fall, entertain
astronauts upon its surface, rise
higher than the highest kite, and shine
brighter than all the stars. Then one day
the sun revealed that the moon had no
light whatsoever and was, in fact, only
reflecting the powerful rays of light
sent out by the sun. This humbled the
moon and caused him to cry. Thereafter,
each night, he paid homage to the
sun, which was the true source of the
light of the universe.
By beginning the story with 1
Corinthians 4:7, “If everything you
have is from God, why do you boast?”
and closing with Genesis 1:16, “He
made the stars also,” it is obvious this
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is a story about the light of Christ and
how man is nothing but a reflection of
God’s love and graciousness. The
drawings are funny, and the story is
entertaining and insightful. DEH
GOD MADE YOUR BODY
978-0-7642-0211-7
HOW GOD MADE BABIES
978-0-7642-0210-0
Pure Foundations
by Jim Burns
Bethany, HB, 27 pages, $12.99
Written by the host of the radio
show Homeward, these books are targeted
at children ages 3-5 and 6-9 respectively
and are direct, graphic, and
mature. They use photographs to show
the differences among children and
adults (skin color, height, weight, hair
texture, eye color) and drawings to
show the genitalia of males and females
and to explain their functions.
Other photos show pregnant women’s
stomachs, newborn babies nursing at
a mother’s exposed breast, and infants
right after coming out of the womb.
The purpose of the books is to provide
sex education within the home
environment, as well as to make children
aware of what is proper and improper
touching of body parts. God is
given praise for creating humans with
great diversity, beauty, and functionality.
Nevertheless, speaking as a parent
and grandparent, I would not advise
leaving these books out on general
display in a church library, and I would
certainly suggest that parents cautiously
evaluate the maturity level of
their children before exposing them to
this much sexual content. DEH
JUST LIKE YOU
by Marla Stewart Konrad
Zonderkidz, 978-0-310-71478-1, HB,
20 pages, $15.99
Repetition shows youngsters that
although customs and geographical
landscapes may be different, there is a
commonality among all parents and
grandparents, who are excited when a
new baby joins the family.
Each double-page spread features
paintings so meticulous and detailed
they almost seem like photographs.
From the images of the frozen arctic regions
to the tropical rain forests, the
artwork is vivid and captivating. Each
passage begins with the phrase “On the
day you were born” and then talks
about a different baby in a unique land
and among distinctive people. It concludes
with “a beautiful baby just like
you.” The ultimate message as the
book ends is that God makes each child
“a special gift” to parents. It’s a touching
story that includes some great lessons
on geography and sociology. DEH
K IS FOR KITE: God’s Springtime Alphabet
by Kathy-jo Wargin
Zonderkidz, 978-0-310-71662-4, HB,
30 pages, $15.99
This A-Z rhyming book focuses specifically
on aspects of spring, such as
“A is for April,” “C is for caterpillars,”
and “E is for Easter.” Each page has a
rhymed couplet with a singsong
rhythm: “The tall sugar maples are
ready to tap; let’s make maple syrup
by boiling the sap.” A running theme
of God’s productivity in creating flowers,
wind, emerging insects, and soft
grass makes children aware of the
beauty of springtime and the vast
range of God’s imagination.
The artwork is colorful but not at all
sophisticated or three-dimensional. Visually,
this book is not special; but for
beginning readers, it will be helpful in
learning the alphabet while honoring
God. DEH
SLEEPY TIME BLESSINGS
by Sally Anne Conan
Eerdmans, 978-0-8028-5350-9, HB, 9
pages, $7.99
This thickly paged, durable book for
1- to 3-year-olds is visually appealing
to youngsters, in that it shows lots of
bunnies and features vivid colors.
However, theologically and artisti-