Posts by emily
Bible Reading Challenge, Week 19
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Read MoreAmerican Girls: Meet Rebecca
Meet Rebecca (American Girls Collection: Rebecca 1914). by Jacqueline Green. American Girl, 2009. 96 pgs. Ages 8-up. Candlelight for Rebecca (American Girl) by Jacqueline Green. American Girl, 2009. 96 pgs. Ages 8-up. I had the great pleasure of discussing these two books with my six-year-old daughter yesterday. We both enjoyed them very much. As I’ve…
Read MoreMother’s Day: Our Interview with Susan Hunt
Last Thanksgiving, Janie and I had the privilege of speaking with Susan Hunt on the subject of encouraging thankfulness in kids…and in ourselves! We thought this Mother’s Day was a good time to reflect back on that conversation, since it touches on spiritual mothering. For those of you who don’t know Susan Hunt, you’re in…
Read MoreA Death Observed, Part Two
In April, I began this series of reflections on my mother’s death. A few weeks before she went to be with the Lord, I received a little blue booklet called Gone From My Sight: The Dying Experience (The Dying Experience) by Barbara Karness. I found it very helpful–brief and to the point, written with compassion–and…
Read MoreSummer Book Fun
Looking for fun, educational things to do with your kids this summer? Here are a few book-related ideas: Book Vacations Do It Yourself Book Tours: From Laura Ingalls Wilder’s homestead to New York City books like The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, this article in Family Fun magazine has some great ideas…
Read MoreInterview with Avengers Illustrator, Sergio Cariello
Who is Sergio Cariello? With The Avengers movie opening in theaters this weekend, I invited Sergio Cariello–a Marvel comics illustrator who worked on Avengers comics–to help whet our appetites. Sergio is one of the few creative types I’ve ever interviewed with his own Wikipedia page. If you want a taste of his work, though, skip…
Read MoreTo The Avengers…and Beyond!
COMICS: Guy Kryptonite? Why do guys like comics so much? Especially the super-hero variety? It’s an enigma I spent quite a lot of energy trying to unravel last week. Lord willing, I’ll polish off my World Magazine review of The Avengers tonight. (My guess is that it may appear online at worldmag.com before the weekend,…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 16
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Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 15
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Read MoreNot-So-Secret Gardens for Kids
This week kicks off a fun week here at Redeemedreader: Poetry Week. April is National Poetry Month, after all, and there are some great poetry books out there for kids. Before we get too lost in reverie, though, I want to use today’s post to finish up a few more gardening book recommendations. Also, be…
Read MorePodcast 14: American Girls, Dangers and Delights
What are the dangers and delights of the American Girls series of books? I gave you guys an intro to this subject in an American Girls post last week. Today, I discuss the Kirsten series with my oldest daughter. So far, we have read the first book in the series, Meet Kirsten, and a short…
Read MoreGraduation Gifts for Teens
We’re fast approaching graduation day at many schools, so I thought it might be worth tossing out a few books to brighten your celebrations. 1. Ryken, Leland, Editor. The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing. Shaw Books, 2002. 465 pgs. Ages 16-up. If you have a teen who is at all…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 14
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Read MoreAmerican Girls
The American Girls books are in some ways the premier girls’ reading series for girls who are emerging readers. Among conservative families, at least, they often enjoy pick of the litter status. One reason is because the series, begun in 1986 by Pleasant Company, focuses on female characters aged 9-11 in various eras in American…
Read MorePicture Books on Death (You’ll Never See)
I thought with a subject that is so dour today, I thought I could do a little inside-out reporting and tell you all about the books that AREN’T out there for your kids. But before I do, here is a link to the post of our favorite picture books on this subject: More Picture Books…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge: Happy Easter!
No new material this week. We’re celebrating the risen Lord–in my case by worshiping and then taking a Sunday nap! If you don’t want to take a week off, you might want to use the links below to catch up on a week or two you might have missed. It’s not too late to join…
Read MoreA Death Observed, Part One
Today is Good Friday, so in meditating on the passion and redemption of Christ, I thought it a suitable time to begin a series on my mom’s death last December. No other event in my life has, so far, made me feel my need of Christ’s strength and grace so much. But I would also…
Read MoreR.C. Sproul’s New Picture Book: A Review by Desiring Virtue
Today’s post is by Jessalyn Hutto, a book reviewer and blogger at her lovely website, Desiring Virtue. Be sure to click on over to her homepage for her fantastic Easter Printables to complete your kids’ Easter baskets! Sproul, R.C. The Donkey Who Carried a King. Reformation Trust Publishing, 2012. 48 pgs. Ages 4-12. “Do nothing…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 13
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Read MoreRedeemedreader on World Magazine Radio… and Beyond!
On Your Radio This week Redeemedreader–as represented Janie, Caity Kullen (intern), Morgan Lee (friend of the blog), and me–virtually met with Nick Eicher of World Magazine’s radio program for a roundtable discussion of The Hunger Games. We had a blast, and I was so impressed with the insight put forth by three generations of Christians…
Read MoreKingstone Part 2: Interview and Babylon
By Redeemed Reader intern Jack Mertens Today I continue my series on Kingstone Comics, begun on Monday with reviews of two of Marvin Olasky’s graphic novels. This morning’s post includes an interview with author Art Ayris, as well as a review of his graphic novel, Babylon. Interview with Art Ayris This is my first interview,…
Read MoreRR Podcast 12: Simonetta Carr on Pinocchio and Christ in Italy
Introduction A few weeks ago, I posted a written interview with Simonetta Carr on her novel for young readers, The Weight of a Flame: The Passion of Olympia Morata. Which brought up the fact that Simonetta was, like Olympia, born and raised in Italy. So as part of our series on folktales from around the…
Read MoreKingstone Part 1: 2048 and Echoes of Eden
Today’s reviewer, Jack Mertens, is a 17 year old high school student living in Louisiana where he is, among other things, an avid reader and comic reviewer. Oh, and let’s not forget he’s one of our beloved interns! You can read his first reviews for us in our Presidents’ Day post, or find more of…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 12
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Read MoreReal or Not Real? The Hunger Games Movie is Good For Teens….
***SPOILER ALERT: SOME PARTS OF THE END OF THE STORY REVEALED BELOW To read Janie’s review of the book, see Hungry. Today, the much anticipated The Hunger Games movie hits theaters nationwide. If you or your kids didn’t attend a midnight run, you may be wondering–should we see this? As part of my job writing…
Read MoreA Children’s Guide to Pilgrim’s Progress
Last October, Janie and I celebrated Reformation Day with a read-along of Pilgrim’s Progress for families. Janie covered the original book for older kids, while I picked up Oliver Hunkin’s Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress. It would turn out to be more than just a good read or a vocabulary builder. My mom…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 11
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Read MoreSimonetta Carr on Reformer Olympia Morata
Simonetta Carr is one of my favorite authors writing about historical subjects today. Her care for historical detail shows in all her biographies for children, including her books on John Calvin, Augustine, and John Owen. I’ve also had the pleasure of interviewing Simonetta twice already and I always enjoy the thoughtfulness behind her work. One…
Read MoreOur Easter Basket
Rather than do a more traditional Easter post, I thought that this morning I’d create a small “bookstore” of some of my Easter favorites. Here is the link: https://redeemedreader.com/estore/. You can also just click on eStore in the black menu bar to get to the page. I’ve already written about many of them: Easter 101:…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 10
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Read MoreThe Lorax: A Book and Movie Meditation
“It is to be broken. It is to be torn open. It is not to be reached and come to rest in ever. I turn against you, I break from you, I turn to you. We hurt, and are hurt, and have each other for healing. It is healing. It is never whole.” Wendell Berry…
Read MoreThe Poetry of Nature
Contest: Do you have a favorite kids’ poem? Would you or your kids like to write your own? Post your new or favorite poems in the comments, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of the poetry book of your choice, up to a $10 value. This might include the book pictured here OR …
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 9
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Read MoreParents’ Guide to Environmentalism in Kids’ Literature
What is Environmentalism? With the movie version of The Lorax hitting theaters this weekend, man’s role in shaping and caring for the environment is back in focus for parents and kids. The message that we ought to protect and nurture our environment is not a new one—it’s been around for decades now, and can be…
Read MoreThe Lorax: A Podcast with Dr. James Wanliss
This Friday, The Lorax opens in theaters nationwide. It’s a movie based on Dr. Suess’s book by the same name, and it deals with issues of the environment and man’s role in it. This post is only the beginning of our coverage–we will soon be releasing a parents’ guide to environmentalism in kids’ media, as…
Read MoreChrist in Literature: The Anansi Stories
We started our February series on African folktales with an interview with a Christian from the Congo and a stack of books. We followed that up with an interview with African-raised American Girl author, Jane Kurtz. She was kind enough to share some of her memories of growing up with missionary parents in Ethiopia and…
Read MoreInterview with Author Jane Kurtz on African Stories
More African stories! Today, we hear from Jane Kurtz, who was raised by missionary parents in Ethiopia. Since then, she’s come to live in the U.S. (though she travels frequently!) and she’s written scores of kids’ books. I haven’t read all of them, so I can’t give a blanket recommendation. However, her literary gift is…
Read MoreHappy Presidents’ Day! No, really…
Better Than Little Obama Debbie Cakes Let’s go ahead and admit it. Nobody really cares about Presidents’ Day. I mean, maybe a few history buffs, but does anybody ever make a Lincoln-shaped cake? Ever seen Washington-head Oreos or Little Obama Debbie Cakes on the junk food isle in the grocery store? If I had any…
Read MoreAfrica: A Literary Adventure and Podcast!
This month my local public library is offering a marionette show of African folktales starring Anansi the spider. It’s a unique way to celebrate Black History Month; what better way to introduce my kids to African influence on this country than getting to know of their stories? But of course, my focus won’t be the…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 5
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Read MoreInterview with Kevin Luthardt
I was introduced to Kevin Luthardt’s work many years ago, when I was but a mere Operations Assistant at Peachtree Publishers. I thought his work was quite good back then, but if I’m totally honest, as a fresh-from-college kid with a head still full of Flannery O’Conner and Francis Schaeffer, I wasn’t a groupie. However,…
Read MoreJapanese Literary Adventure: Study Notes
I hope you guys have enjoyed learning a little more about Japanese literature with our guests Roger Lowther and Dr. Mike Sugimoto this month. As a wrap-up, I’ve compiled a few notes from our discussions. Hopefully, you can put them with the resources listed below and you’ll have a fun, Christ-centered beginning experience about Japan…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 4
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Read MoreMike Sugimoto on Japanese Literature for Kids
In case you missed it, here is the Introduction post to our Japanese Literary Adventure. And here’s a link to our interview with Roger Lowther, a missionary to Japan through Mission to the World (and who also happens to be an exceptionally talented musician and graduate of Julliard). A few days ago, I invited Mike…
Read More50 Years of The Snowy Day
When The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats first came out in 1962, it broke the mold in a number of ways. Besides the charming storytelling (who doesn’t share Peter’s child-like joy of the first snow?), the illustrations were unique enough to win a Caldecott Medal. With the book’s 50th anniversary upon us, I invited…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week 3 (Jan. 22)
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Read MoreSo Your Kid Wants to Be a Writer?
Maybe your child realizes his aptitude in writing, or maybe he doesn’t–but you do. What are some things you can do to foster that talent and help open doors for him or her? 1. Fear the Lord. Probably the number one mistake I have seen in writers generally is a misjudgement that writing is either…
Read MoreA Dialogue on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
For a long time now, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has been more than just mere mortal in our culture. His courageous work against oppression and his death at the hands of a racist madman have made him a symbol of the triumph of love over hatred and violence. I once interviewed an elderly black…
Read MoreBible Reading Challenge, Week Two (Jan. 15)
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Read MoreRR Podcast 10: Roger Lowther on Japanese Literature
This interview is part of our Japan: Literary Adventure. See Part One for an introduction as well as links to the books we talk about today. Yesterday I had the great pleasure of sitting down via Skype with Roger Lowther to ask him a few questions about Japanese literature. Roger and his wife Abi are…
Read MoreJapan: A Literary Adventure
Little One-Inch and Other Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories. Compiled by Florence Sakade. Illustrated by Yoshisuke Kurosaki. Tuttle Publishing. Tokyo, 2008. 50 pgs. Ages 4-10. The Tale of Genji (Penguin Classics). By Murasaki Shikibu. Edited and translated by Royall Tyler. Penguin Classics, 2006. 352 pgs. Ages 16-up. Today marks the beginning of another series for this…
Read MoreReading Challenge, Week One
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Read MoreIntern-al Machinations
I’ll be honest, Janie and I didn’t really know what to expect when we decided to advertise for an intern. We hoped to rangle up a few hardworking young adults, preferably with something close to adequate writing skills. But we definitely didn’t suspect we would get the quantity and quality of applications we received over…
Read More2012 Reading Challenge and Bible Adventure
ONE STORY, ONE BIG ADVENTURE Judging by the success of Sally Lloyd Jones’ The Jesus Storybook Bible and R. C. Sproul’s new book, What’s in the Bible, as well as the many great and not-so-great knock-offs that have come along (i.e. The Story, a new kids’ Bible by Zondervan), there seems to be a new…
Read MoreTop 5 Posts of 2011
It’s been an exciting year. We launched Redeemedreader back in February of 2011, and since then we’ve been sprinting to keep up. So most of this week, Janie and I are convalescencing. In my case, I’m visiting with family and trying not to fall asleep on the couch. Not a bad way to spend a…
Read MoreDystopian Download
Yesterday on our site, we offered a review of both book and movie, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But of course, it’s not the first time Janie and I have written about dark fiction that appeals to teenagers. There is my review of A Clockwork Orange as part of my autobiography-in-books series, Janie’s post…
Read MoreMy Dragon Tattoo: A Book and Movie Review
Last Wednesday, I sat down with a friend at the Regal Cinema nearby to watch “the feel bad movie of Christmas.” For the uninitiated, that’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, an American film based on the international best-selling book by Stieg Larrson. Yes, I knew that the movie would be gritty. I read half…
Read MoreA Poem for Christmas Morning
ADVENT II The year the tree fell: Little bits of brittle angels all over the floor, bent up boxes, and torn paper. I cut myself a dozen times on sparkly slivers of broken balls. * * * The year the tree falls: No pastoral night nativities No gentle carpenter hung on boards. This…
Read MoreWinter Audiobooks (and More) for Kids
Ah, winter…Christmas parties, New Years resolutions, dashing through the snow to Grandma’s house with a minivan full of sugar-crazed kids. What better time for a family audio book?! Free Audiobooks Swan Lake by Storynory. Some odd titles and story versions on this site (their Nutcracker doesn’t even include the Land of Sweets, the only part…
Read MoreThe Word of God for Kids
ESV Seek and Find Bible. Crossway Bibles, 2010. 1, 888 pps. Ages 5-up. The Action Bible. David C. Cook, New edition 2010. Illustrated by Sergio Cariello. 752 pps. Ages 9-up. Some of you already know that my mother recently went to be with the Lord. It was a process that, though excruciating for her and…
Read MoreGive My Heart Finale: Crafts, Contest Winners, etc.
I had been praying about how to use my creative gifts and last Christmas instead of pulling our decorations out of storage I would try to make some with materials I already had. I grabbed an old hymnal and began cutting….and then moved on to create designs using my favorite books. As an avid reader,…
Read MoreHoliday Book Fair 2011
Janie and I have reviewed a lot of books this year. Thanks to the ingenuity of folks at Amazon.com, we can now offer them to you in an e-bookstore format! Just click on the link below…or “Holiday Book Fair” on the black menu, and you can scroll our top picks from the year all on…
Read MoreWhat Are Your Kids Getting Under the Tree?
Janie has offered lots of kids’ book gift suggestions on the site this week. And I’m hoping to chime in next week, too. For those of you who aren’t done buying gifts, you’ll want to check back next week (maybe Tuesday?) for our Holiday Book Fair….over thirty gift recommendations in one spot! In the meantime,…
Read MoreEreaders and ebooks: An Interview with Mike Sugimoto
Should your family purchase an ereader or ipad? What about your kids–should they be allowed to read book apps or ebooks? Tablets or ereaders are fast becoming a mainstay in American book publishing, but is there any compelling evidence that ereaders or ebooks could be damaging to kids? Earlier in the year, we addressed ereader…
Read MoreBible Gifts for Kids
We’ve written a number of articles about Bibles and Bible-related kids’ books over the past year. Here are a few that might make great Christmas gifts: Emily’s Top Story Bibles for Kids: Includes choices for ages 2-10 such as One Wintry Night by Ruth Graham, The Big Picture Storybible and The Jesus Story Bible. The…
Read MoreA Prayer of Thanks from the “Valley of Vision”
Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. Drawn from the writings of men like John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, and Charles Spurgeon, The Valley of Vision is a wonderful place to enrich your prayer life (and that of older children!) any time of year. How much more so at Thanksgiving, when we celebrate…
Read MoreRR Podcast 9: Susan Hunt on Raising Thankful Kids
Last week, Janie and I had the privilege of speaking with Susan Hunt…and happily for you, we managed to tape our conversation! For those of you who don’t know her, you’re in for a treat. For years she has been a staple at women’s ministry events, (In fact, she still is! Look for her at…
Read MoreMake-A-Book: Thanksgiving Edition
Readers, this is an older post that was affected in our hack. We have not recovered all the resources yet. Our apologies! While we’re on the subject of crafts and Thanksgiving, here is a book I put together for my girls about Thanksgiving. It’s a .pdf file right now, but you download it, print it out and have your own…
Read MoreGive My Heart: A Christmas Contest
GIVE MY HEART Christina Rosetti’s poem, In the Bleak Midwinter, isn’t my favorite Christmas poem–or hymn. But it does bring home one point that I find very relevant in our materialistic world and in my own life. What can I give Him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a…
Read MoreThanksgiving! Books For Kids 10 and Under
Books To Consider Buying We are participants in the Amazon LLC affiliate program; purchases you make through affiliate links like the one below earn us a commission. These books would be a spiritual investment. More than the facts of the story, they help kids see God at the center of Thanksgiving. 1. Thanksgiving: A Harvest…
Read More*The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
*The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press, 2001. 48 pps. Recommended for ages 7-up. When I first came across this book, it was long before Hugo Cabret and Mr. Selznick’s rise into the highest stratosphere of children’s publishing. As a good editor-wanna-be, I often checked award…
Read MoreKids’ Books & The Historicity of Adam
This week, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary will entertain a panel discussion on the historicity of Adam. I came across this tidbit of news recently through a blog post by Jim Hamilton, Professor of Biblical Theology there. The Southern Baptists aren’t the only ones grappling with this issue either. Another blog post from a PCA…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 8
Today’s Theme: Finishing Well From the clutches of Giant Despair, Christian and Hopeful escape into pleasant places of the Delectable Mountains. We see them refreshing themselves in a stream, quite unlike the dark river they will encounter at the end of the chapter. Soon they have their first glimpse of the Celestial City. And after…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 7
Today’s Theme: The Key of Promise After surviving Vanity Fair and the hill of Lucre, Christian and Hopeful “espied a stile which led into a meadow, and seemed to be a short-cut.” But of course, there are no short-cuts in a Christian’s path, and what first seemed a pleasant way soon turned into a terrible…
Read MoreRR Podcast 8: Interview with William Boekestein
“Are you ready to begin your quest for comfort…?” So ends William Boekestein’s video of his newest book for kids, The Quest for Comfort: The Story of the Heidelberg Catechism. What a great book to introduce on Reformation Day, and a great question, since they take up many of the same concerns we’ve been addressing…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 6
Chapter 6: Vanity Fair Today’s Theme: Faithful to the End As our narrator says, “Most fairs are merry places. But not this one–not for our travellers. For here one of them was destined to die.” What ought to have been a place of vibrant cultural exchange and beauty–with a British Row and Italian…
Read MoreMartin Luther: Guest Review by Shanna Gonzalez
Today Janie and I have the opportunity to introduce you to two delightful resources: first, fellow Christian and kids’ book blogger Shanna Gonzalez, whose own blog covers a wide array of kids’ books in a thoughtful and disciplined way; and second, a particularly noteworthy kids’ book biography of Martin Luther. We felt sure you’d want…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 5
CHAPTER FIVE: The Valley of the Shadow Today’s Theme: God With Us Today, following on the heels of his fight with Apollyon and his healing through the leaves of a tree, Christian enters the Valley of the Shadow. In a reference to the 23rd Psalm, the chapter is aptly titled The Valley of the…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 4
This post is part of our Pilgrim’s Progress read along during our Reformation Month celebration. You can find an introduction and sign up for an eguide in Pilgrim’s Progress: Mission Adventure. I thought I would begin today with this clip from a video version. You can purchase the video of Dangerous Journey on Amazon for about…
Read MoreRR Podcast 7: Douglas Bond on Reformation Tours
THE PODCAST Plenty of Americans dream of taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe…to see the Eiffle Tower, hear the chiming of Big Ben, and float along the romantic canals of Venice. But for many devoted Christians, the idea of a Reformation Tour never crosses their minds. Today, Douglas Bond tells us about the Reformation Tours…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 3
Chapter 3: The Hill of Difficulty Today’s Theme: Lions on Chains Salvation is the beginning of the battle. In Chapter 3, Christian is now “free of his burden and light of foot,” yet suddenly two strangers appear to try him. And that’s only right, for Bunyan understood what C. H. Spurgeon so eloquently…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 2
Chapter Two: The Interpreter’s House Today’s Theme: A Burden Lost, Heaven Gained In this section, Christian comes into the Wicket Gate, is taught by the Interpreter (or the Holy Spirit) spiritual lessons, and he loses his burden at the Cross. He also begins his journey anew, this time without the weight of his sin.…
Read MoreDangerous Journey, Part 1
Welcome to our Pilgrim’s Progress Read Along, part Redeemedreader.com’s Reformation Month celebration! We’ll be pursuing two tracks over the month of October, 2011–this one for younger kids and Janie’s read along for older kids and adults. See Pilgrim’s Progress: Introduction to read her commentary. (how to) READ HARD BOOKS If this book looks like something…
Read MoreColumbus and the Founding of our Nation
COLUMBUS The first time I browsed through Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire’s biography, Columbus, I purchased it for my kids on the spot based largely on the art. The D’Aulaire’s books are old, and for that reason, I hoped it would present Christopher Columbus without some of our current culture’s antipathy for him. Their first…
Read MorePilgrim’s Progress: Mission Adventure
A REFORMATION CELEBRATION Reformation Day has been celebrated in Germany, Slovenia, and in many Protestant and Lutheran churches around the world for centuries. Though admittedly a minor holiday within those church calendars, it falls on the anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing of his 95 theses to the door of the cathedral of Wittenberg, Germany…
Read MoreAre You A ‘Book Whisperer’?
Our librarian is always reminding moms that it’s not enough to read TO your children. To raise readers, you also need to read in front of them. You have to model your value of reading for it to really stick. Now, to be fair, there are times in a mom’s career when extra reading just…
Read MoreLIGHT YOUR LIBRARY Finale!
We started our LIGHT YOUR LIBRARY campaign nearly two weeks ago, but Janie and I had been planning it since at least the summer. So much to say and so little time! It’s been fun if challenging, and we’re happy to have been able to think along with our readers about how Christians can support…
Read MoreAuthor Interview: Simonetta Carr on Athanasius
Athanasius. By Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage Press, sale 2011. 66 pp. Ages 9-12. What makes a good children’s book? We’ve talked a lot the past few days about what doesn’t make them. But last week, I had the opportunity to interview author Simonetta Carr about her experience as a Christian writer as well as her…
Read MorePodcast 6: Janie and Emily, and a Prayer for Banned Books Week
Over at BannedBooksWeek.org, the celebration has begun. And while Janie and I made our objections to Banned Books Week clear last week, we are happy to join with our fellow book and library lovers in celebrating the freedom of the press we DO have in this country. We don’t believe that YA Saves, but we…
Read MoreThe Lord Saves
The Lord Saves: A Reflection on “YA Saves” Francis Schaeffer’s Insight Francis Schaeffer once wrote that in his generation, serious art required someone standing on a mountaintop, ripping out his entrails. I wish I could remember in which book of his I read the quote. (I’ll give an invisible cupcake to anyone who can remember!)…
Read MoreLIGHT YOUR LIBRARY! Win Stuff, Love People, and Think Deeply
ME & MY LIBRARY I am not ashamed to say I love my local library. As a conservative, I wish that it could be funded some other way than government plunder, but it’s not a perfect world, is it? And as a classical homeschooler, the books we get there play a huge role in our…
Read MoreRabbit Ears Audiobooks for Kids
A while back, I recommended to you The Jesus Storybook Bible in audiobook format. Today, I would like to add one more Bible story to my short list, and in so doing, introduce you to an audiobook source worthy of note: Rabbit Ears Cherished Bible Stories: Parables that Jesus Told, The Savior is Born. Read…
Read MoreA Prayer on 9/11
Found this prayer/poem, Praying on 9/11, by Mike Cosper tonight on The Gospel Coalition site. Thought I would share it not only for our adult readers, but for those who might like to share it with their families.
Read MoreLabor Day: Books to Get Your Kids Working!
“Of course ‘successful careers’ are important, but I would suggest thinking of them in the very different Christian paradigm of vocation. Not, what career should I choose that will make me successful in the sense of making a lot of money, but what has God equipped me to do best and what is He calling…
Read MoreBooks-to-Movies Contest: We Have a Winner!
When we teamed up with Reelthinking.wordpress.com, Janie and I hoped there would be a little interest in the subject. Little did we know that in response to our contest, our guest and readers combined would produce over 50 suggestions of good books made into movies, all excellent for family viewing! I am so grateful to…
Read MoreTed Tripp’s Worship Principle
The basic premise of Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Ted Tripp is this: “Behavior is heart-driven, therefore, correction, discipline, and training—all parenting—must be addressed to the heart. The fundamental task of parenting is shepherding the hearts of your children.” And that, he goes on to say in Chapter 3, is essentially an issue of worship.…
Read MoreBooks-to-Movies: Training “Reel Thinkers”
Back-to-school time means hitting the books and living more structured days. All the more reason to look forward to a good, family movie at the end of the week! We’ve been living in The Secret Garden at my house for sometime, an experience which includes an abridged version of the book, an audiobook we’ve just…
Read MoreHelp For Struggling Readers: Dyslexia and Beyond
For several years before I became a parent, I worked part-time in The Literacy Council of Sumner County (LCSC). Like most non-profit organizations, it was cash-strapped, barely-staffed, and run by folks who were absolutely devoted to the cause of helping their neighbor. When I first showed up as a volunteer, I made my way to…
Read MoreNational Poem in My Pocket Day
Yesterday as I was emptying the contents of my husbands’ pockets and my own, preparing our clothes for the Great Machinated Flume Ride that is our washing machine, I found some unusual pocketry. I’m used to finding hairbands and pennies and small toys, but yesterday’s find caused me to pause and reflect. And no, I…
Read MoreBack-to-School Backpack
I’ll admit it. Janie and I like abstract thinking–cultural analysis and big picture type stuff. But occasionally we try to offer practical help for parents and educators. Here are a few of those posts I thought might helpful for kids, parents, and teachers headed back-to-school. RESOURCES 10 Audiobooks for the Whole Family: Originally for…
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