Channing O'Banning and the Turquoise Trail

Channing O'Banning and the Turquoise Trail by Angela Spady is the second of the Channing O'Banning books.

Channing is a precocious 4th grader who becomes interested in dinosaur bones and rocks after being given an assignment from her history teacher. She gets to learn more than she bargained for when her family takes a trip out West to New Mexico.

Throughout the story, Channing learns that true friends never abandon you when you embarrass yourself, that it is always important to make restitution when you lose something that has been lent to you, and that God has created a lot of different but amazing people with their own traditions.

What I Like: As with the first book, I love the relationship Channing shares with her grandmother. Nana is her sounding board when, in her mind,  her nine year old world gets turned upside down.

What I Dislike: As with the first book, I don't particularly care for the relationship Channing and her sister Katie have. They are constantly picking on each other, saying things that are not kind, and always looking for ways to verbally cut each other. As a mother with two children, I realize that sibling relationships are not always sunny, but I prefer to surround my children with examples of how siblings are to treat each other well. As I read this book with my eight year old, we talked about the attitudes the sisters had towards each other.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 6-10-year-olds.

Publisher Info: Thomas Nelson, 2015; ISBN: 978-0718032364; paperback, 128 pps., $6.99.

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The Sheep That No One Could Find

The Sheep That No One Could Find by Anthony DeStefano is a charming recreation of the biblical parable of the Good Shepherd and the lost sheep.

The story follows the little lamb as he makes one wrong choice to leave the Shepherd and the consequences that follow.

The book is written as a lyrical poem, but is quite easy for children to understand and take to heart. As I read the lines, "But one of the sheep decided one day the words of the Shepherd were hard to obey. Instead he decided to do things his way," my six year old looked at me and thoughtfully said, "This book sounds like it is for me."

I realize that the Bible does not actually tell us what happened to the little lamb as he wandered away from the Shepherd. The parable is designed to show us the love that Jesus has for each and everyone of us individually. This book, however, does a fantastic job of showing children that when we choose to disobey or runaway from our authority, we will find ourselves in situations that could lead to sorrow, injury, and danger.


What I Like: Illustrations are so important in books designed for little eyes. Smaller children cannot read, so to keep them engaged, these books need great illustrations. Illustrator Richard Cowdrey, a New York Times Bestselling Artist, does a fantastic job filling the pages with color and pictures to bring the story to life for little (and big) eyes. My two and a half year old stayed engaged with the story the entire time because he was so mesmerized by the illustrations and talked about them throughout my reading of the story.

What I Dislike: I loved this book.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 2-8-year-olds

Publisher Info: Harvest House Publishers, 2014; ISBN: 978-0-7369-5611-6 ; hardcover, 32 pgs., $14.99


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Tuck-Me-In Talks with Your Little Ones

As a reviewer for Christian Children's Book Review, I have the opportunity to read many wonderful books with my children. Some have even become personal favorites. Tuck-Me-In Talks with Your Little Ones by Grace Fox is one that I will cherish for a long time to come.

It is a pocket sized book filled with hours of wonderful conversations for you and your little ones. Many times mothers will talk to each other about this conversation they had with their child or how they had just talked about that with their munchkin and some moms are left wondering, "Where do I even begin? I don't know how to talk to my little one or how to start a conversation with them."

This book is definitely the answer for that.

In the evening, after we have read from our children's Bible, we read one page, which has a mix of three to four questions and conversation starter statements, and I let my children (2.5 and 6 years old) talk. Questions like "What is your favorite ice cream flavor?" and "What's the best part about Christmas?" let you know what your child's opinion is about simple things that can get overlooked as we are running around keeping up with our schedules.

Other questions like "How is ice cream made?" and "Why are fire engines red?" can lead into a time of exploration. We have pulled out our tablet many times to find out the hows or whys.

Some statements such as "Tell me about a time you were not patient," cause children to think about their own interaction with others and creates a perfect teaching time for parents to address certain behaviors before they an issue.

What I Like: I absolutely love that my children ask for this book as we are getting ready for bed. They enjoy the just-us time it creates, and I love the interactions we have because of this book.

What I Dislike: I wish the cover were harder. With as much as we as a family use this book, the cover is beginning to show wear.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: Toddler- early elementary aged children

Publisher Info: Harvest House Publishers, 2014; ISBN: 978-0-7369-5640-6 ; paperback, 112 pgs., $5.99


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The Girl Who Saved Christmas

On Christmas Eve, when Santa checks his list of who’s “naughty” and who’s “nice,” he discovers that all the children in the world have been “naughty,” so none of them will get toys this year. Instead of toys, he loads his sleigh with lumps of coal.

It is a cold, windy, stormy, dreary night and the people around the world have shuttered their windows and doors and sealed up their chimneys with boulders and boards to keep out the cold. Santa, of course, can’t get down the chimneys.

But, there is one chimney open, so Santa lands on the roof and slides down the chimney where he lands in Molly’s fireplace. Molly greets him with a plate full of cookies. Santa rechecks his list and discovers Molly is the only child who has been good the past year. Somehow he had missed her name the first time around.

When Santa asks her what she wants for Christmas, she asks Santa to forgive all the naughty boys and girls and give them presents, as usual.

The Girl Who Saved Christmas, written by William Thomas Thach, isn’t exactly a Christian book, but it is a book about forgiveness. Jesus is referred to as “a glorious child” who told us “it’s best if we learn to forgive.”

The text is written in rhyme, using the style and opening line from “Twas the night before Christmas…” Rhyming text is difficult to do and do well, but in this case, the author does a pretty good job of it with only a couple of places that could use a little extra work.

The illustrations by Richard Bernal are fabulous. They are bright and bold and simply beautiful. Some cover a two-page spread, with the text printed throughout; others cover a full page with the text at the bottom, and the rest have an illustration at the top of the page with the text at the bottom.

What I Like: Besides the fact I obviously LOVE the illustrations, the book itself is a treat for the senses. To start with, the book is covered in red velveteen, with the title and author’s name printed on it, along with a full-color picture of Molly. The book is held shut with a snap fastener, giving the impression of a photo album or a diary.

The end papers are covered with a beautiful gold print with snowflakes. There is even an attached gold ribbon to use as a bookmark. There is a place at the front for a child to write their name (This book belongs to…). And, on the back papers are a Glossary of terms used in the text (like “abode” and “nigh”), along with a place for a child to write a letter to Santa (Dear Santa, I’ve tried MY VERY BEST to be good all year long! For Christmas, may I please have:…).

If you take the time to read the copyright page, here’s a sample of what you will see there:

“You may savor this book, but you must not eat it. Consuming this book, in whole or in part, may lead to stomach ache, grumpiness, and other problems….Why in the world are you still reading the copyright page? Molly and Mr. Nibbles are waiting for you!”

As my husband said, the attention to detail throughout is amazing!

What I Dislike: Having said all that, there are a couple of things in the book that aren’t completely explained. First of all, it seems a bit convenient that none of the “naughty” children will be visited by Santa and get their lumps of coal because their fireplaces have been sealed up against the cold.

And  second [SPOILER ALERT], when Santa grants Molly’s wish and forgives the rest of the children, he lets Molly ride in the sleigh with him to deliver the presents. But, the sled is supposed to be loaded with lumps of coal, not presents, and no mention is made of Santa ever going back to the North Pole to get them. These aren’t major issues, but I thought I would point them out.

Also, the book is a bit pricey with a cost of $24.00. Granted, it’s a beautiful book, but that’s a lot to pay for a picture book.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: The author recommends 2-10.

Publisher Info: Global PSD; ISBN: 9780982566312; Hardcover, $24.00.

Buy now at Amazon.com $24.00!

In Front of God and Everybody: Confessions of April Grace

It's summer vacation, 1986 style, and April Grace Reilly's biggest problem is choosing which book to read - or so she thinks in In Front of God and Everybody by KD McCrite. But when Ian and Isabel St. James of San Francisco, California, show up on her dusty road in the Ozarks of Arkansas, things change.

First, she has to put up with them both looking down their noses at the "hillbillies" who live in April's little corner of the world. When the shack the St. James' have bought is deemed unlivable by April's mother, the snooty folks move into April's home - which means she has to share a room with her unbearable older sister, Myra Sue.

Then, Mama Grace, the grandmother April Grace adores, starts dating Ole Mr. Rance, and April's sure the man is up to no good - but who will listen to a kid?

One way or another, April Grace will dig up the truth, learn she has to accept the faults of others... and very possibly both.

What I Like: I fell in love with this character before I even opened the book. The description on the back cover did full justice to the April Grace I met in the book's pages. She is a spunky eleven year old who loves her parents and her grandmother, and merely puts up with her fourteen year old sister, Myra Sue. Her opinions about others are varied and colorful, usually with an Ozark twist... like the OLD hippies Temple and Forest who live nearby and their lack of showering.

"I like Temple just fine. She's real nice, and so is Forest, but they are strange and weird and they don't believe in things like deodorant and toothpaste or having regular jobs." (pg. 51)

It's obvious the family isn't overly preachy in their ways. However, when it is more than appropriate, discussions of what the Bible says are woven in brilliantly. For instance, April and her grandmother, Mama Grace, talk of the way April's parents treat others - like Ian and Isabel St. James - when the new people in town have done nothing to deserve the Reilly's kindness. Mama Grace points to 1 Corinthians 13, or the Love Chapter ("love is patient, love is kind...") to illustrate how April's parents take things to heart - and how April should do the same.

What I Dislike: This is a very minor thing. The book is set in 1986, but really, it could've been set in the present day. Other than a few references to Murder, She Wrote and terry cloth shorts (who remembers THOSE?), you wouldn't really know it's supposed to happen 25 years ago.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 9 and up (and I'd highly encourage you borrow it from your daughter's library!)

Publisher Info: Thomas Nelson, 2011; ISBN: 978-1-4003-1722-6; Paperback, 288 PGS., $9.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $8.19 or $7.19 as an e-book,
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Special Info: This is the first book in the "Confessions of April Grace" series by Ms. McCrite.

Born to Be a Dragon and Blink of a Dragon

Thank you so much to the CCBR reader who suggested we review the beginning of Eisley Jacobs' new Dragons Forever series! Born to be a Dragon and Blink of a Dragon are unique and engaging reads for upper elementary readers (although I couldn't put them down, either).

Fourth-grader Meia has been shuffled from foster family to foster family her whole life. It doesn't take long for her eccentric obsession with dragons to become obvious, but when other children start having nightmares about dragons, she is always asked to leave. Her newest family, Mr. and Mrs. Bensen, seem different. When Meia tells them about her unusual dreams, Mr. Bensen listens and Mrs. Bensen passes the chocolate chip cookies.

When the Bensens get special permission to take Meia to the Cook Islands for summer vacation, Meia realizes what the Bensens only suspect. . . her dreams are based in reality!

Meia's story is intertwined with the story of Deglan, an enormous blue dragon, whose unusual birthmark makes him an outcast from his clan. Meia is thrilled to learn Deglan is real and wants to communicate with her. More importantly, Meia holds the link to uniting the three clans and restoring Deglan to his clan and harmony to all civilizations.

Plot Spoiler Ahead: Book Two, Blink of a Dragon, continues the story of Meia and Deglan. Now that Meia knows the Bensens are shape-shifting dragons who want to adopt her, she is free to be herself more often. However, fifth grade holds unexpected challenges when Deglan shows up as a boy in her class, and Patricia, her long-standing rival, turns out to be a dragon as well!

Soon, the three mismatched fifth-graders find themselves traveling to Black Hills National Forest, in an attempt to unite with another dragon clan. Unfortunately, they are betrayed and attacked by "Dark Dragons." The lives of the dragon children and those who love them depends on a daring rescue attempt by Meia and Deglan.

As Meia and Deglan search for a legendary phoenix who holds the firestone of life, they meet an unexpected foe. In the uplifting ending, Deglan and Meia learn the power of forgiveness to redeem and restore relationships and the land.

What I Like: Meia and Deglan are both endearing characters, and I like reading alternating chapters told from each of their point of view. Jacobs genuinely captures the dilemmas of not fitting in with your peers, whether in grade-school or dragon society. I also like having a male and female protagonist. Readers will relate to both Meia and Deglan, and the books would be perfect for grade school read-alouds.

I especially like the themes of forgiveness and redemption. The first book is more subtle than the second, but a Christian perspective on forgiveness and new life is evident without being heavy-handed. Plot Spoiler: Meia learns her rival is really just like her--an insecure girl with a sad past. Deglan learns he can forgive even the worst enemy.

I also liked reading about the Cook Islands and the Black Hills. Jacobs uses lots of detail, and the books would link well to social studies or geography lessons.

What I Dislike: Nothing major. There are a couple of phrases which sound specifically Christian. Jacobs mentions a "conversion experience" and being "redeemed," but readers have to figure out what this means from context clues. I realize many churchgoers will be familiar with this terminology, but it would be nice to have it explained more obviously for mainstream audiences.

Also, Jacobs switches between using italics or quotation marks for internal thoughts, which gets confusing.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 8 and up

Publisher Info: CreateSpace, 2011; ISBN: 1456360965; Paperback, 140 pages, $6.99

Buy Born to be a Dragon at Amazon.com for $6.99.

Buy Blink of a Dragon at Amazon.com for $6.99.

Special Info: There is minimal use of mechanical magic, primarily in the form of firestones, which allow dragons to transfer locations in the blink of an eye, and some dragons can shift between human form and dragon form.

The Awen: Book One of the Sacred Oak Series

For Ian’s whole life, his family has been employed as servants at Winter Haven. Though Ian is strong and capable, he does not enjoy the attention given to Reese, heir to the estate and son of Ian’s master. However, because of their close proximity in age, the two boys become playmates. They share lessons and a tenuous (albeit competitive) friendship.

Then, as The Awen: Book One of the Sacred Oak Series by A.R. Dunning continues, Ian begins having dreams…and, shockingly, his dreams come true. Little does he know, but his teacher, Mr. McBeetle, has been feeding him a treat from another world that gives Ian this prophetic gift. Mr. McBeetle has also been feeding Reese a treat that gives Reese an incredible ability in archery.

One day Reese takes the treat meant for Ian, and dreams of entering another world through an enchanted cairn located in a ring of stones. Mr. McBeetle’s plan was for Reese, Ian, and Reese’s cousin Elizabeth to enter the world together lead by Ian and his dream. Their entrance would mark the fulfillment of a prophecy, and the beginning of a journey to save not only Mr. McBeetle’s world, but Ian’s world as well. But Reese, under the influence of the treat, enters the cairn on his own.

Under the guidance of Mr. McBeetle, Ian and Elizabeth scramble after Reese, only to find him safe and sound in a beautiful city. In order to stay in the world and save its queen from death and darkness, the three must undergo a painful cleansing. After that, each is presented with a gift and given their mission: to find Ian’s long-lost relative and undo the damage done by Reese’s side of the family.

The story continues with battles, personal challenges, and betrayals. To find out whether or not the trio is successful, you will have to read the book.

What I Like: Dunning’s world is highly imaginative. Her main characters are likable and believable. I see great promise in Dunning’s series.

What I Dislike: The ideas were creative, interesting, and fresh, but I felt like they were not fully developed—like precious seeds that had sprouted but hadn’t reached maturity. The problems were solved too quickly, which undermined the build up of tension in the storyline. After a strong beginning, the later chapters did more telling than showing. To me, that made the book read more like an outline or synopsis. As a reader, I longed for Dunning to elaborate more. I know this is part of a series, but with more details, character development, and action, this book could have easily become a trilogy on its own with a potential richness to rival great fantasy favorites.

Overall Rating: Excellent in concept, good in execution gives it an overall VERY GOOD rating. Plus it's awfully hard to pass up with a mere $2.99 Kindle price!

Age Appeal: None is given, but I think it would appeal to the 10-14 age group.

Publisher Info: Awen Publishing House at Smashwords, 2011; ASIN: B006388XE8; available only in digital format, file size 338 KB (131 pgs.), $2.99.

This book is not available at Christianbook.com.
Buy the Kindle version at Amazon.com for $2.99.

Special Info: Though there is no reference to God or the church, this book refers to the Swift Sure Hand, a creator who sang the world into existence. In addition, there is an obvious battle between good and evil, and Christian readers will identify with the cleansing the main characters must undergo—a sort of “born again” experience. However, like J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, there doesn’t seem to be an explicit tie into faith or specific allegorical content. The reader should also be aware that the book contains fantastical creatures, such as fairies, fauns, and dryads, and makes use of objects with magical properties. It draws on Celtic folklore. You can visit this author's website.

Barney and the Runaway

If your kid has ever threatened to run away and join the circus, you may want to have them read Barney and the Runaway by Max Elliot Anderson.

Michael (Mike to his friends) Ellis has had it with his parents always telling him what to do, so he decides it's time to teach them a lesson. After one particular confrontation, Mike puts his plans into action, and decides to run away, along with his loyal dog, Barney.

His intention is simple: make his parents see they're wrong, then return after they've had a chance to miss him. But his plans are blown to smithereens when he falls asleep on a boxcar filled with hay and is transported from his home in Independence, Missouri, all the way to Georgia... with a traveling circus!

Once he's discovered, Mike is befriended by one of the lead clowns, Big Bob. The kind, older man lets Mike and Barney share his wagon, then eventually shares his own story: he was a runaway like Mike, only his story didn't end up very well. As a kid not much older than Mike, he joined another clown with the same circus, but the clown contacted Bob's parents. On the way to retrieve him, Bob's parents were killed in a car accident. Big Bob helps Mike see that his parents really do love him and are trying to look out for his best interest. Which is why Bob contacted Mike's parents, who are on their way to Georgia to retrieve him.

Mike and Barney are put to work while they wait, and Barney proves to be a great circus dog - so much so, they're asked to perform under the big top. But there's a problem with the circus: Sabotage has been happening, and unless it's stopped, the circus will be forced to close. Mike has spied two men in the circus who make him nervous, and they seem very interested in Barney's abilities. Then, the night before the first performance, Mike overhears the men making plans to steal Barney the next day. When Mike wakes up in the middle of the night, he discovers Barney is missing!

He races out and hears his little dog barking, buried in a crate in the back of a truck the two men are loading. Mike sneaks aboard just as the truck takes off, he releases his best friend, and when the truck slows down, the two jump off.

The next day, Mike tells Big Bob about the two men. He knows the men are trying to sabotage the circus, but no one knows how to stop them since they don't know where they are. The show must go on, and the first show of the day goes off without a hitch. During the second show - when Mike's parents are watching from the audience - the two men show up. Mike and Barney go outside and spot the men trying to set fire to the tent. All Mike can think about is that his parents are inside. The men must be stopped.

Big Bob and a bevy of clowns arrive just in time to help Mike stop the two men, and the security guard who had been assisting them. Finally Mike is reunited with his parents... and is invited to return to the circus anytime he wants.

What I Like: This is a very fast moving story, one I couldn't put down. I also liked the fact that Mike experienced natural consequences for his actions. As soon as the boxcar door was shut, he immediately regretted his decision to run away.

What I Dislike: There were several areas where the writing bothered me; for example, once the author stepped in and wrote:

"It was obvious that Mike hadn't paid much attention to the pictures of missing children on milk cartons. It was possible he didn't fully understand the seriousness of what he was doing."

Most of the story is shown entirely from Mike's perspective, so the brief instances like this threw me.

I also ran into many typos. This probably wouldn't bother a young reader like it bothers me, but if your kid struggles in English class, there are a lot of things here that won't reinforce accurate grammar and punctuation.

Overall Rating: Very Good, in spite of the technical glitches mentioned.

Age Appeal: 9 - 12

Publisher Info: Comfort Publishing, 2011; ISBN: 978-0984559848; Paperback, 130 pgs., $10.99

Buy it at Amazon.com for $9.34.
Also available as a Kindle download for $6.99.

Lily's Passport to Paris

In Lily's Passport to Paris, your pre-teen girl will journey to "gay Par-ee" with Lily Robbins. Whether it's putting up with fellow-Americans Dan and Betty Edwards, picking up the "details" of her pilgrimage, or learning about Lily's first crush, Christophe, Lily's Passport to Paris by Nancy Rue is sure to entertain. This is the 14th--and final--book in The Lily Series.

Along with her mom and siblings, Lily goes to Paris for a month where her mom will be helping in a mission for poor kids. She's understandably nervous about leaving Oxford, England, where she and her family have been for a while. She's just begun making friends, and she's afraid her new friends, Kimble and Ingram, will move on in the few weeks she's gone. However, she's willing to see what God has in store for her.

In Paris, Lily meets Christophe, a young orphan, and his older sister, Odette. Christophe is intriguing, but Odette is downright scary. As Lily begins making friends with Christophe, and after he shows her "his Par-ee," he and his sister abruptly leave, leaving Lily bewildered, and her older brother, Art, sure of the fact that young Lily has her first crush.

When Christophe returns in the middle of the night to tell Lily goodbye, she begs him to stay. He tells her he can't--that Odette wants to take them away from the mission so she can get a job to support them, rather than taking the charity of Pastor Renee. Lily, desperate to keep her new friend and share God with him, begs him to meet her in a few hours so she can talk to her mom. An arrangement is made where Christophe takes Lily and their chaperone, Art, out every afternoon.

The arrangement angers Odette, and she physically threatens Lily, then warns her to keep quiet or she'll harm Lily's younger brother and sister. To top it off, Lily's backpack goes missing briefly, which includes her all-important passport. Several days later, Christophe comes and confesses Odette has Lily's passport; he stole it for her.

So much for Lily's mission to show God to Christophe.

Christophe believes his sister has left France--after all, she has Lily's passport, and with a little hair dye, could pass herself off as Lily. But then he decides she may still be in Paris near Notre Dame Cathedral. As Art, Lily, and Christophe head for the Metro to take them to the famed cathedral, Art has a diabetic insulin attack and Christophe has a severe asthma attack, leaving Lily to try to save the day. After she calls her mom and Pastor Renee for help, Lily spots another redhead--something rare in Paris. She realizes it's Odette, and goes up to the woman and tells her Christophe is looking for her and that he's in trouble with his asthma. Odette doesn't seem to want to believe her, but eventually does.

After a scary night with Christophe in the hospital, Lily is finally able to see her new friend again. Pastor Renee agrees that he and his wife will take in Christophe, and Odette will go to a "special home" for young women like herself, at least for a while. And Lily's dad arrives with a surprise for her: Reni, a friend from back in New Jersey.

And while Lily will miss her friends in both Paris and Oxford, she's looking forward to returning home... and seeing what God has in store for her.

What I Like: Sometimes in books for this age, having God present throughout the day can come off as forced. But it doesn't with this book. Lily's relationship with God seemed very real, as were her quests to find the details of Him everywhere, everyday.

The story is very engaging, and I really like how Paris and a couple of other places in France are almost characters in the book. Whether it was Lily trying to decipher how to say French words, or the details in the famed Granier Opera House, Ms. Rue really helped the reader feel like she was right there with Lily.

What I Dislike: This is a real nit-picky thing on my part, but as an adult, it seemed at the end that Odette was probably prostituting herself. Ms. Rue knows her audience, so she didn't get into the details of it very heavily. Clues that lead me to believe this are things such as: Odette being tattooed in a manner that made Pastor Renee nervous, wearing killer heels, how she dressed, strutting around the Metro... all kind of put together a picture of a girl around 20 prostituting herself. I would have liked a note at the end for parents, so if there were questions from a child about Odette's behavior, it could be explained in an age-appropriate manner.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 9 - 12

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2008; ISBN: 978-0-310-70555-0; Paperback $6.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $5.49
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Special Info: We've reviewed other books by Nancy Rue, as well as others in The Lily Series.

Shattered: A Daughter's Regret

Even though it is the second book in the "Secrets" series, Shattered: A Daughter's Regret by prolific author Melody Carlson, reads very much like a stand-alone novel. It centers around Cleo, a high school senior who makes one seemingly innocent rebellion, the consequences of which change her life forever.

As an only child, Cleo is a bit spoiled by her over-protective mother, much in contrast to Lola, Cleo's best friend, who is the oldest of three raised by a single mom. When Lola wins tickets from a radio show to a Christian concert, it seems the perfect plan for their last night together before Lola moves to far away San Francisco with her family. Of course, Cleo's mom won't let her go; it's not safe for two teenagers to drive alone into the city at night. But Cleo can't accept this. After her mom leaves for a friend's bachelorette party, the girls take mass transit to get into the city and to the concert. Lola believes Cleo's mom "okay"ed it and Cleo's mom believes the girls are having a slumber party. Aside from a dead cell phone battery, everything seems to be fine until the next morning.

Lola wakes Cleo for an early morning "good-bye." Moments later policemen knock on Cleo's door with news that her mother's body had been found just blocks from the concert. When Cleo checks her cell phone messages, her suspicions are confirmed. Her mother was in the wrong place at the wrong time because of her. After discovering Cleo's deception, Cleo's mom drove into the city to protect her, but met the hands of a murderer instead.

Grief and guilt combine to send Cleo into a downward spiral. Seeking to dull the pain, she takes some of her mother's old prescription medications. It dulls the ache and so she takes more. Slowly her habit becomes an addiction and soon she finds herself at the park spending her college savings to get a baggie of unknown, colorful pills from a shady drug dealer.

In the meantime, Cleo's aunt Kellie moves in to help her and her dad manage. Cleo struggles to balance that new arrangement with her secret self-medication, maintaining the lead role in her ballet recital and a budding relationship with her long-time crush at school. All while knowing she can never reveal to anyone -- not even Lola -- what role she played in her mother's death.

How long can she keep her drug habit a secret? Will she be able to quit on her own? And what role does God play in all of this? Will her father ever forgive her? Will she ever forgive herself?

What I Like: This book covers really heavy topics without being preachy. It clearly emphasizes the value of honesty and friendship (including support groups), but also highlights a beautiful balance between personal responsibility and God's grace. Forgiveness, a topic not often covered in YA literature is a pervasive theme. I really liked that. I like that the characters are fully developed. The whole book is wonderfully realistic without going crazy with unsavory details. Nicely done.

What I Dislike: The text goes back and forth between first person present tense and first person past tense. I realize this is a storytelling tactic as old as the written word, but I found it annoying. More importantly, I wish the spiritual content had been stronger. It was there, but extremely subtle.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: Teen

Publisher Info: NavPress, 2011; ISBN: 1600069495; Paperback; 208 pages; $14.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $9.49!

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $10.94. This title is also available in Kindle format for $7.99.

Special Info: Parents should note that substance abuse is a main theme within this book. In addition to the illegal use of drugs, it also references the sale and purchase of illegal drugs. Themes discussed but not central include alcoholism, murder and suicide.

See our reviews of other books by this author.

Andrea Carter and the Family Secret

Andrea Carter and the Family Secret, written by Susan K. Marlow, is book number three in the publisher’s Circle C Adventures series. In this installment, Andrea learns she has an older sister, Katherine, whom she had never heard of. She has grown up with a large family of several siblings, all of whom are older than her, but when she finds out about Katherine she doesn’t welcome her with open arms.

Andrea feels she has been deceived by her family. All of them knew about Katherine except her. Andrea must deal with her resentment. In the process of doing so, she makes some bad decisions that almost end in disaster. But, she also finds an inner strength she never had. 

What I Like: Everything. 

What I Dislike: Nothing. 

Overall Rating: Excellent. 

Age Appeal: 8-12. 

Publisher Info: Kregel Publications, 2008; ISBN: 9780825433658; Paperback, 140 pages, $7.99. 

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books in the Circle C Adventures series.

The Pumpkin Gospel

If you're looking for a way to explain what Jesus does for us, The Pumpkin Gospel by Mary Manz Simon is a great place to start. In well-written rhyme, Simon uses a carved pumpkin to illustrate how God gives us a "clean heart," forgiving "our mess-ups" and offering us "a new start."

The illustrations my Matt Whitlock show a father and two children carving a pumpkin. First the kids notice the slimey, stringy goo inside the pumpkin. It reminds them of "my insides before God makes me new." Then they scoop out the glop and clean the inside of the pumpkin - just like God cleans them of sin. The kids carve a smiling pumpkin, then put a candle inside it.

"God's love is like a candle
that shines from inside out.
It's beaming deep within me,
and so I now can shout.
To glow like my big pumpkin
and have a nice clean heart,
ask God to please forgive you.
You'll have a brand new start."

What I Like: Both my toddler and my kindergartner like this book a lot, and so do I. Using a carved pumpkin to illustrate how God "cleans" us is a simple and effective way to make the concept really stick with kids. This is an ideal book to read before, after, or while you carve a pumpkin. In addition, I really appreciate that each page features an appropriate Bible verse at the bottom of the page. For example, the first page, which talks about how pumpkins can show us about God giving us clean hearts quotes Psalm 51:7: "Wash me...until I am clean and whiter than snow."

What I Dislike: This isn't really a dislike, but it's tough not to compare this book to Crystal Bowman's My Happy Pumpkin (read our review of that book here). As it happens, The Pumpkin Gospel was published first. I think Simon's book also explains the concept more clearly. The Pumpkin Gospel's illustrations aren't quite as nice, in my opinion, but while My Happy Pumpkin is really designed for kids under 4, The Pumpkin Gospel is best for kids 4 and up.

My only real complaints about The Pumpkin Gospel is that it never mentions Jesus ("just" God) and that the glow-in-the-dark features don't work well. To be able to actually read the book with the lights out, you have to charge each two page spread with a bright light, turn off the light, read, turn the page, turn on a bright light to charge the next two page spread, turn off the light, read, and so on. Rather than do this, I suggest parents read the book through with the lights on, then turn off the lights and give their child a flashlight to play with the glow-in-the-dark feature.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4 - 8.

Publishing Info: Standard Publishing, 2005; ISBN: 978-0784717585; board book, 12 pgs., $10.99

Buy now at ChristianBook.com for $8.99

Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by this author.

Mystery of the Silver Coins

Bree and Lil have escaped their Viking captors in Mystery of the Silver Coins, and Mikkel and his fellow Vikings are after them. Written by Lois Walfrid Johnson, this book shares ideas about courage, forgiveness, as well as trusting--and doubting--God. This is the second book in the Viking Quest series.

What Bree doesn't know when they hatch their escape is Mikkel has discovered a bag of coins missing--and he wants them back. With Bree and Lil missing, he presumes they've stolen the coins, as does his crew. And the Vikings aren't going anywhere until the coins--and the girls--are back on board their boat.

With the Vikings searching for them, the girls manage to stay hidden in the wilderness of Norway, even hiding in plain sight (with the use of disguises) in order to search for food. Bree constantly talks to Jesus, searching for direction, and when she loses the connection, she eventually realizes she needs to forgive Mikkel. When she and Lil are recaptured by Mikkel, Bree helps him hatch a plan to discover the true thief of the silver coins.

What I Like: Bree is a spunky heroine. She feels God has a purpose for her, and at thirteen, that's something that really makes an impression on me. She also shows great selflessness when she takes the younger Lil with her in her escape from Mikkel.

I really like the values that are taught in this book. I found Bree's reliance on God, even in the face of her doubts about His purpose for her, genuine and a great model for young adults.

The mystery part is intriguing to me, a mystery writer. The writer did a good job on dropping the right clues along the way about who the thief was.

I'm intrigued by the carefully crafted characters in this book and would like to read the remainder of the series for myself.

What I Dislike: This book is part of a series, and the writer seems to think that if you're reading this one, you've read the first one. This wasn't true in my case, so I would have appreciated more of a recap.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: Young adult

Publisher Info: Moody Publishers, 2003; ISBN: 978-0-8024-3113-4; Paperback $7.99

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Special Info: This is book two of the "Viking Quest" series. We've reviewed other books in the series here.

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God Loves You

Written by Carol Rubow, God Loves You is built upon four major faith foundations:

"God made you.
God takes care of you.
God forgives your sin because ...
God Loves You!"

The book begins by reminding children that many different kind of people live in the world and that some of these people -- Mother, Father, Grandmother, Grandfather -- love them very much. This segues into God's love for the people and how He created everything, including people. Only God could create all these things and "only God can see you all the time."

Because God loves us, He takes care of us and forgives us for sin. The text continues to explain that God sends angels to watch over those He loves, He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins, and He sends the Holy Spirit to help us love God and others the way God loves us.

The illustrations by Laura Freeman fully support the text. They offer saturated colors and soft edges. Combined these create sweet expressions and characters.

What I Like: It's so positive! This book offers a truthful message with good repetition, making it easy for children to remember. The repetition also makes this book a great choice for beginning readers. It covers a lot of information with ease: creation, God's love, Jesus' atoning sacrifice, the gift and role of the Holy Spirit, how children don't need to be afraid because God is always with them protecting and caring for them, how they should love others and more! The text flows very well. I also like the illustrations. They're not my favorite style, but they are rich in color and mesh well with the text.

What I Dislike: While the book emphasizes God's love and forgiveness, it makes absolutely no mention of personal responsibility. There is no inclusion of confession or repentance. Not once does the text encourage readers to ask for God's forgiveness; it just says He forgives. It also says "sin makes you do [bad things]." Sin doesn't make us do bad things; sin is the bad things we do. These may seem like nit-picky semantics, but the absence of these theological clarifications creates an incomplete representation of Scriptural truths. I find it confusing and misleading, especially for youngsters who are just beginning to understand God.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: Concordia Publishing House, 2010; ISBN: 0758618557; Hardback; $12.99

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Special Info: This book is also available in paperback as a "mini-book." You can buy it at Amazon.com for $2.49 or from Christianbook.com for $1.99. This would make a great gift for Sunday School classes!

Natalie and the Downside-Up Birthday

What happens if the mean girl in your kindergarten class does just about everything imaginable to ruin your birthday? That's what Dandi Daley Mackall's Natalie and the Downside-Up Birthday explores, much to the delight of preschoolers and kindergartens.

Natalie - spunky, lovable, and full of faults we can all relate to, is so excited her 6th birthday is coming up. Not only is she having a birthday party at home, but she gets to have a mini party in her kindergarten classroom. But then her teacher announces she has a "birthday buddy" - none other than "Sasha-the-not-so-nice," the brattiest kid in the classroom. Sasha seems to get everything a kid could want for her birthday: Her cupcakes for the class are bigger and better than Natalie's, and she also gives out huge napkins, toys, and cookies. Nobody wants Natalie's homemade cupcakes. And then Nat discovers Sasha's at-home birthday party is the same day and at the same time as her own. And everybody seems to want to go. There will be real ponies, a bouncy house, lunch at a pizza place with lots of games, and even bowling. Who'd want to go to Natalie's ordinary birthday party?

But in the end, Nat learns she has something Sasha doesn't have. Something much better than huge purple cupcakes or pony rides. She has friends and family - and a God - who loves her.

What I Like: My daughter, who is about to turn 5, loves the Natalie books, and with her birthday coming up, she could really relate to this tale. She felt sorry for Nat, cheered Nat on, and felt happy for her in the end. Mackall really has a lovable character here, and she does a terrific job covering topics young kids relate to.

My daughter and I also appreciate that these short chapter books (this one is 95 pages) are lightly illustrated throughout with black and white drawings by Lys Blakeslee.
What I Dislike: As with all the Natalie books, sometimes in an effort to capture the voice of the young heroine, the author uses poor grammar. This is a real pet peeve for me, and I correct it as I real aloud. For example, throughout, Nat calls another character her "bestest friend" and it's not uncommon to encounter sentences like this: "I wait for them to be waked up more." I do understand that kids in this age group often speak like this, but having poor grammar in a book only encourages them to continue speaking incorrectly.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 3 - 8, but I doubt many 8 year olds would want to read about kindergarteners.

Publishing Info: Zonderkidz, 2009; ISBN: 978-0310715696; paperback, $4.99

Buy Now at Amazon.com for $4.99. Or buy as a Kindle edition from Amazon for $3.99.

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Special Info: Check out our reviews of other books in this series. See also our reviews of other books by Dandi Daley Mackall.

Walking with Jesus

Walking With Jesus is a sweet book that includes twenty true stories about people who have had evil done to them, but return it with good. Written by Mary Clemens Meyer and illustrated by Harriet Miller, this book stresses the importance of being a peacemaker.

The storylines covered in these short stories include the ideas of: refusing to fight with others when antagonized, being kind to strangers, forgiveness, courage and trust in God, honesty and self-control, selfless love, prejudice, generosity, bravery, faith, kindness, and patience.

What I Like: These stories are pointed, but simple. The message of the stories stand out because of their brevity. Reading this book will definitely teach children important character qualities.

What I Dislike: I don't dislike anything about this book. I would love to see more colorful illustrations, but my three and a half year old daughter didn't seem to mind!

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: 4-10

Publisher Info: Herald Press, 1992; ISBN:0836135741 ; Paperback $11.99

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Special Info: Some of the characters in this book are Amish and Mennonite.

Am I Forgiving?

Written and illustrated by Jeannie St. John Taylor, Am I Forgiving? is a story about two good friends, Erik and Chuck. The two of them usually play and have fun together. But, one day when there is snow on the ground and school has been called off, Chuck ignores Erik and spends the day playing with another friend, Todd who has spent the night at Chuck’s house. They don’t invite Erik to play with them.

Erik feels a bit lonely because his best friend isn’t spending the day with him, but he doesn’t want to hold a grudge against Chuck, so Erik says to himself, “That’s forgiving, isn’t it?” When he sees Chuck and Todd together, and he’s ignored, he decides to shrug it off and not be mad at Chuck. Again, he says to himself, “That’s forgiving, isn’t it?”

Todd and Chuck play a prank on Erik while Erik is sledding down a hill. This causes Erik to ride his sled into a tree, resulting in a broken arm. Chuck and Todd laugh and run away while Erik is in pain. Erik asks God to help him to forgive Chuck and Todd for laughing at him. Then, when Todd calls Erik a baby, and Chuck doesn’t say anything, Erik says, “I don’t have time to stop crying and forgive anyone.”

A couple of kids who are also out playing help Erik get home. On the way to the doctor’s office, Erik sees Chuck and Todd having fun together in the snow. Erik ignores them and says to himself, “I’ll make them sorry. I’ll never let Chuck be my best friend again.”

When he gets home and is watching TV, Erik thinks of many ways he can get even with his “friends.” But then he realizes that if he doesn’t forgive Chuck and Todd, the Bible says God won’t forgive him. So, he prays the prayer “…I don’t want to forgive them, Jesus, but I will if you help me. I can’t do it if you don’t.” Praying makes Erik feel better although he is still upset.

Chuck shows up at Erik’s house and says he’s sorry. He wants to be friends again. For a moment, Erik hesitates, but he says simply, “I forgive you.”

The illustrations are very kid-friendly: They’re bold, bright, expressive and somewhat cartoonish – and sure to please.

A note “For Parents” is included at the end of the book with ideas and instructions for reading the book and doing some activities together to help kids understand the concept of forgiveness. Some Bible verses are given for reference to the story.

What I Like: This is a good lesson for kids (as well as adults) to learn about forgiving and forgiveness. Even though the Bible tells us we must forgive one another, it’s not always an easy thing to do (it’s not usually an easy thing to do). And, sometimes when we forgive someone who has hurt us, we don’t always feel better right away. We don’t want to say that “It’s okay” or “I know you didn’t mean it” because our hearts are still hurting. Forgiveness is a continuing thing, something that doesn’t just happen once and then is finished or forgotten. The Bible tells us to forgive “seventy times seven.” That’s what this story is about.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: Preschool – third grade.

Publisher Info: Kregel Kidzone,2007;ISBN: 9780825436598; Hardcover, $12.99.

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Special Info: Visit the author/illustrator’s website.