A superb introduction for children 4-8
By Travis Cottrell, worship leader for Living Proof Live!
Over four decades ago, a diving accident left Joni Eareckson Tada a quadriplegic. Since that time, she has become a beloved writer and speaker to millions. Today, Joni faces a new battle: chronic, unrelenting pain. In A Place of Healing, you will see that healing sometimes comes through answers – and sometimes through questions themselves.
Paradox, outrage, and vindication in the parables of Jesus
A classic VeggieTales, reissued in DVD.
This book is a series of short biograpical sketches.
Why does God allow terrible things to happen? From the beginning, Mary Beth Chapman’s life was not how she planned. All she wanted was a calm, peaceful life of stability and control. Instead, God gave her an award-winning singer/songwriter husband, crazy schedules, and a houseful of creatively rembunctious children. And then, she experienced the tragedy she never could have imagined. Mary Beth unveils her struggle to allow God to write the story of her life, both the happy chapters and the tragic ones. And as the story unfolds, Read more…
Written from 1876-1892
One of my favorite ways to discover a new book is when my book-loving friend says, “I am reading the best book!”
I always say, “Tell me about it,” because I know that if she loves it, I will, too.
This month, our library is featuring books about books – they’re like your own group of book-loving friends, saying, “I want to tell you about the best book . . .”
- For summer reading for the kids
- For relaxing vacation reading for yourself
- For a gift for a graduate
- For a family read-aloud for a range of ages
- For discovering the books that influenced well-known Christians
You can find these books in our library, except The Read-Aloud Handbook and How to Get Your Child to Love Reading, which are available at the public libraries.
Books for kids
First, two classic books I think of as kissin’ cousins:
In the first half of Honey for a Child’s Heart (4th edition) by Gladys Hunt, she discusses choosing and sharing books with children, including different genres. The second half contains hundreds of recommendations, arranged by age level.
The first half of The Read-Aloud Handbook (6th edition) by Jim Trelease discusses the benefits and how-tos of reading aloud, along with other reading topics. Trelease is enthusiastic and persuasive, and any reader at all susceptible to the magic of books will be eagerly diving into the book lists in the second half and looking around for a young person of any age to share books with. His recommendations are keyed to listening age and are longer and more detailed than Hunt’s.
When you’re looking for books for kids, both of these make wonderful companions to take to a public library.
One difference between the two is that Honey for a Child’s Heart is specifically Christian, while The Read-Aloud Handbook is not. I’m careful to preview the books I select from The Read-Aloud Handbook because I don’t always agree with Trelease’s opinions, but don’t let this keep you from the book. He has introduced me to many of my favorite children’s books.
How to Get Your Child to Love Reading is a joyous, overflowing compendium. Esme Codell lists books for all ages on every subject imaginable, but what sets this book apart is the everything-else-book-related that is wrapped around the lists – including ideas for activities, crafts, and parties. The book cover does not exaggerate when it says, “Activities, ideas and inspiration for exploring everything in the world through books.”
In addition to these books, an excellent online resource is Christian Children’s Book Review, written by a group of moms who test books with their kids and write detailed reviews. They cover age ranges through teens, and post new reviews frequently.
Books for all ages
Unlike the other books featured here, The Book Tree: A Christian Reference to Children’s Literature (2nd edition, 2008), contains only book reviews. The mother-daughter team of Elizabeth McCallum and Jane Scott provide detailed reviews of books for all ages from preschool through high school. The preschool section seems unremarkable, but the sections for elementary, middle school and high school give interesting suggestions, and many of the titles will appeal to adults as well.
Books for teens
Don’t be put off by the title of this book! I admit that the oh-so-sweet title of Honey for a Teen’s Heart led me to believe that it was going to recommend books that no real-life, current teen would want to read.
Wrong.
Although it inherited its title from Gladys Hunt’s excellent book for children, this book encourages mature readers to think and talk about complex ideas. Barbara Hampton collaborated with teens to select books in a number of genres, including sports, fantasy, science fiction, history and nonfiction.
The chapters in the first half of the book discuss subjects such as Christian worldview, using books to talk about values, Bible reading, and advice for the college-bound. The detailed book summaries in the second half are keyed to three age ranges from middle school through college. I found many books I’m looking forward to reading.
Look for this book in our featured book display this month. Despite the title – which I still have trouble warming up to – it’s an excellent resource for both parents and teens.
Books for adults
I found Honey for a Woman’s Heart by Gladys Hunt to be unusually wide-ranging in its recommendations. In addition to books in various fiction genres, there are detailed summaries of classics and nonfiction titles, as well as suggestions for Bible reading and spiritual growth books. The book is enriched with stories behind the stories, the kind of introductions that arouse curiosity about previously unexplored authors and books. The last section discusses sharing and giving books, and book groups. I think this book itself would be a welcome gift for any woman who enjoys reading.
The next two books are not new to our library collection, but have been moved to the
books about books section to increase their visibility. These are books that you can dip into again and again when you’re looking for something new to read.
Indelible Ink – The words that moved the movers! Explore the books that shaped the faith of 22 contemporary Christian leaders such as Charles Colson, Michael Card, Luci Shaw, Dallas Willard, Edith Schaeffer, and Phillip Johnson. Their elegant essays offer intriguing looks at their own spirituality – and a library of treasures for compiling your own “must-read” list.
In Take and Read, Eugene Peterson provides us with both a concise introduction to the practice of the spiritual discipline of Divine Reading and gives us a thorough list of literary, theological and devotional titles which will help us to dig the wells of our hearts just a bit deeper. This is an annotated list of the books that have stood the test of time and that, for Peterson, are spiritually formative for the Christian life.
During the month of June, look for the featured display of books about books. Later, you’ll find them at the beginning of nonfiction with call numbers starting with 028.
Happy reading – whether it’s an old-fashioned ink and paper book or your e-book reader!
-Pam Cadd, Librarian
If you’ve listened to audio books on CD – also known as books on tape – you know that they bring books to life and let you enjoy books even when your eyes are busy with something else.
Adults and kids listen to audio books at lots of places and times, while they are:
- Commuting, or on long car trips
- Cooking
- Exercising
- Sewing or scrapbooking
- Working outside
- Relaxing in bed before going to sleep
We’d like to hear about your audio book experiences. What have you listened to? Do you have tips or recommendations for others? Please add your comments below.
The audio books in our library include titles for adults and kids, and those that the whole family can enjoy together. Here are a few recent titles for adults:
Saturdays with Stella: How My Dog Taught Me to Sit, Stay, and Come When God Calls
Allison Pittman; read by the author
As could be expected, six weeks of obedience school covered the much-needed basics – sit, stay, come, and down. What Allison didn’t expect was the spiritual benefit she would receive as each Saturday lesson revealed a fascinating metaphor. Her slightly neurotic yet curiously adorable canine will not only capture your heart – she’ll show you how captivating you are to God.
Looking for God: An Unexpected Journey Through Tattoos, Tofu, And Pronouns
Nancy Ortberg; read by Rebecca Gallagher
Nancy Ortberg, former teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church and wife of author and pastor John Ortberg, presents a candid compilation of personal essays on finding God in the most unlikely times and places.
So Long Insecurity: You’ve Been a Bad Friend to Us
Beth Moore; read by the author
Beth Moore’s topic is insecurity, and the content, she admits, is close to an autobiography. Moore, always transparent with her own personal struggles, is refreshingly so throughout this text.
Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading
Eugene Peterson; read by Grover Gardner
Eugene Peterson is convinced that the way we read the Bible is as important as that we read it. With warmth and wisdom Peterson offers greatly needed, down-to-earth counsel on spiritual reading. Also included is the “inside story” behind Peterson’s own popular Bible translation, The Message.
For kids, or for families listening together (especially good for long car trips), the library has several volumes of Adventures in Odyssey and Focus on the Family Radio Theater productions, including Chronicles of Narnia, Bonhoeffer, The Secret Garden, and The Hiding Place.