Reviews (14)

A wonderful Reassurance
I am a 21 year old "princess" my Mother and Father gave me this book last Christmas. It is the best book I have ever read. I am 21 and I myself have never been kissed. I had formerly thought myself a freak of nature, or something, the opportuunity had just never been made to kiss someone, but after reading this book I am so happy that my parents helped to protect my kiss. It was a wonderful reminder int his day and age how special a kiss really is. wonderful book, I have one for my future daughter, and my soon to be born neice a great book every princess should own!

Every Mom and Daughter Should Share This Book!
My Sister-in-law sent this book to my daughter for her birthday, along with some similarly themed "princess" things. The first time we read it as a bedtime story, I had tears in my eyes. The beautiful illustrations and important message were perfectly interwoven. We will read this book many, many, times over the years, and as my four year-old becomes a young woman, it will be a wonderful tool to use to open discussion about love and the true meaning of purity. Thank you Jennie Bishop for sharing your Mother's heart with all of us!

Wonderful, and yet...
The concept of this book -- respecting yourself enough to value who you give your affection to -- is wonderful. Yet in reality, how many of us believe that our daughters or sons will wait until they get married to kiss? My six year old daughter loved this book, although it was also confusing to her since she sees so much kissing going on in the culture around her.

Virtuous Daughter! She worth far more than rubies!
Dear Parent!

HOW RARE!!!

We looked near and far for a book like this!

Christian parents are deeply concerned with raising their daughters to be pure for marriage. Where on earth can you find books or movies to help reinforce these beautiful ideals that the Lord has given us? How do you raise your precious daughter to be a Proverbs 31 woman... a virtuous woman?

This book was one of two we finally found. It focussed on the ages 3 to 12. Nice age range! Our girl is 9. How do you talk about sex without actually dealing with the complex things they are not ready for yet? A book like this gets to the -root- now... you deal with the nitty gritty later when they are better prepared to deal with it. The words used are not sexual in any form in this book.

We also recommend:

- The True Princess by A. Hunt

- Items from "Pearables" website. (also for boys!)

- Items from "Doorposts" website. (also for boys!)

- "Christian-courtship" website. (If your girl is older!)

Enjoy! And happy hunting for products that instill healthy modesty, christian etiquette, honor and such!!!

Every parent with young girls must have this book!
I found this book while searching for another book on Amazon and decided to buy it based on the comments about it. I was not disappointed! This is a beautiful book. The illustrations are captivating and the story is written very well. With three girls ages 2-6, I am always on the lookout for books that will inspire them to be lovely, pure and Godly. This one fits the bill 100%. My daughters ask me to read this book three or four times a day and like to pretend to be the princess waiting to give her kiss to a worthy man. A great book for girls of all ages inspiring them to keep their purity for the right man, one who is himself pure and chaste. If you have girls, you MUST get this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Our youth are bombarded by worldly messages about sex and love. Without God's help, remaining sexually pure is nearly impossible. Dannah Gresh's And the Bride Wore White exposes our culture's lies about sex, and prepares young women and girls for the world's pressures-giving them seven "secrets" of biblical purity. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

"And the Bride Wore White"--a must-read for teen girls!
I believe that the book "And the Bride Wore White" is one that would greatly benefit junior and senior high school girls today. Dannah speaks from the heart regarding relationships with "guys", your relationship with God, and how to keep them both where they belong. She clearly shares with her readers the benefits of staying both physically and emotionally pure. Her stories about her dating experiences are relevent today, giving girls solutions to problems that can be life changing when handled appropriately. It was a great book to read, easy to follow, and a blessing to me as a mom and former "teen girl".

And the Bride wore white
I have never been so inspired by a book such as this. I strongly advise all teenage girls to read this book,it could change their lives completely. Dannah is an inspiration to all who read this book and the honesty and sincerety of this story involving Dannah's teen years is heartwarming and a real tribute to her faith in God. Please do not miss the blessings you get from reading the trials and tribulations Dannah shares with her readers.I am very proud of my daughter-in-law and have learned a lot about her and love her even more.

BOOK GOOD ENOUGH FOR ADULTS
I am reading the book and I am single 38 years old. I find the book extremely helpful. I think if you want to have a pure life for God as a single woman I think this book would be a good one. I am ready to give the book to several of my friends. I find that it is a decision about being pure. I plan to also share the book with my church website and suggest the teen and possibly the preteen girls of the church read this book and the boys read "Who Moved the Goal Post?". The chapters are just right for the teenagers. I plan to get the leadership book so that I can lead a Bible Study group on this. Thanks so much Dannah and Bob.

A junior high youth leader's perspective
I bought this book to "skim" for information that I could use for my junior high youth group girls. I couldn't stop reading! I stayed up late to read to the very last page.

The nonfiction text is full of true accounts from all kinds of girls and women and that kept the pace of the book very readable. While some nonfiction can get bogged down in details and over-explaining, Dannah Gresh is a gifted storyteller and uses beautiful language with a gentle, encouraging style.

I found this book extremely helpful for use in our church's junior high youth group. Since that time, the author has put together a leader's guide, but I made my own lesson plans based on the book and it was a wonderful experience!

I did find, though, that the junior high girls didn't read it as voraciously as I had. Their older, high school sisters loved it, so I'd say the reading level is 9th or 10th grade.

I highly recommend this book!

Practical advice that's already been given.
There are scores of book on purity on the market today, and they're all starting to sound the same. The seven secrets don't feel like secrets after already being familiar with abstinence/purity. The author's intentions in writing this was that no one ever told her HOW to live chastely. One radical and increasingly unpopular idea about how to live is this: Read the Bible. There are many references and guidelines to help. 1 Corinthians 7:1 is a starting point.

The writing style felt awkward as though the conversational approach was forced in some places. The text is littered with way too many parenthetical phrases (which became annoying). Nevertheless, the reader will be able to see the author's desire for women to value themselves and have a strong relationship with God.

I've read and re-read this book several times, and I still can't shake the sense of feeling just a little deceived. The fact that the author didn't marry as a virgin doesn't make her any better/worse than someone that did. I don't like her ambiguity about it throughout the book only to confirm it near the end in very certain terms. She does make reference to her "sexual sin" a few times, but that's such a subjective term that it's open to interpretation. I don't believe the author intended to deceive the anyone at all. However, the way she presents her story discredits her honest approach to some degree. Bringing everything out in the open in the beginning would make the book more effective.

Overall, it's not a bad book and it's not groundbreaking either. How much you enjoy it will depend more on what you already know about purity than on what the author has to say. Be sure to use the "Look Inside" feature before buying. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A changed teen
this devotional book is amazing! my youth group is currently working through this book. i can already see the amazing things God is doing. Being part of a youth group with out a youth pastor or youth leader is hard. When a young adult stepped up with this book i was hestitant, but i can see God working through this and in us.

Life Changing
This is one of the best devotinal books I ever read. It helped me to see what God wanted for me in my life. It really turned my life around.
I was so glad I bought it at my youth camp. That's where I met Stuart Hall himself (awesome goddly man to meet). He mentioned this book at the camp for those who wanted to learn more about what he talked about. (I surly did!)
This book covers everthing from the Basics to Moral Boundries, Friends, and Choices.
God really worked on me through this Book and his very own word.
I hope any and all who read this book will be abel to see God more clearly as I did.

A Volunteer Youth Sponsor looks at "The Seven Checkpoints"
I am a volunteer youth sponsor for our small church and youth group. Recently, and coincidentally, our full-time youth pastor and our only other youth resource person resigned. Without full time leadership we sponsors were feeling mighty inadequate. I heard Andy Stanley on a radio talk show doing a promotion for his new book. I bought the book and found it to be not only an easy read but clearly delineated and organized for even those of us in part-time volunteer ministry. Stanley and Hall offer some unorthodox but very sensible approaches to planning and maintaining a youth group over a long period of time with a specific goal in mind. The book is so easy to follow, we have decided to adapt our curriculum to their philosophy of these seven pivotal checkpoints. I recommend this book for any struggling youth volunteers like me and for any of those in full-time ministry.

A wise choice
Kids face so many difficult challenges in today's chaotic culture. Andy Stanley talks practically and from the heart to help teens to live victoriously in the middle of this generation. One especially helpful checkpoint is encouraging teens to make wise choices and showing them how. Rather than telling kids that they're making wrong choices, they can consider making the wisest choice in any situation. This builds them up rather than cutting them down. It nourishes the spirit rather than stifling them. ... Read more

Book Description

This Bible features colorful illustrations and over 400 easy to read words that will have youngsters saying "I Can Read It!" ... Read more

Reviews (8)

An outstanding achievement, buy this and not a "spin off"
As an early childhood program director for a large church and the parent of children who were reluctant readers, I was truly impressed with this outstaning children's bible. It proved to be a favorite devotional bible in our household from age 4 through age 9.

V. Gilbert Beers is an expert in christian education and understands children's developmental needs. When it first came out, this bible nicely filled the gap between publications for early childhood and the primary grades. Beers has created a text that builds word upon word, skill upon skill, just as a good school reading series does. The biblical text is accurate and engaging and is accompanied by wonderful colorful illustrations that enhance the stories with visual cues that aid reading comprehension. I also found this bible is a good choice for older children with reading delays. The pages are laid out with children's visual skills in mind and are easily "taken in" by children with visual/perceptual difficulties. Each chapter ends with an interactive section of things to think about and try. Children can act on what they've read immediately, and that's what children like! I've known 4 years olds who can begin to read words from this text on their own, and six year olds that can master it and read it to their friends. I have recommended this book to dozens of parents and Sunday school leaders looking for an appropriate bible for chidren ages 4 through 8.

Don't bother with the "knock offs" you'll find with similar titles; they don't hold a candle to this original and best of it's kind. There are, however, two other worthwhile and engaging bibles I've found that pay close attention to fun use of language or reading skills: The Rhyme Bible, and the Growing Reader's Phonics Bible. But, the Early Readers Bible remains my all around favorite for this developmental group. A great choice for cozy bedtime reading aloud to your two through 9 year olds, too.

An Excellent Gold'n' Honey Book.
This is the type of Bible that not only is awesome for little children, but it is also great for the young and older teenager, Along with the Mature Adult(man & woman) who really never learned anything in CCD due to those silly controlling instructors, etc. If you want a fun, loving, inspirational and motivating Bible to learn about Jesus Christ, then this Bible is for You! The cartoon illustrations along with the selected Biblical stories are simplified so you may understand the big picture(that everything in life is about caring and love)." The Early Reader's Bible; A Bible to Read All By Yourself" is recommended to all parents, kids, teenagers, and adults. This is fun reading and emotionally touching. Get it!

wonderful
I exchanged The Eager Reader's Bible by Daniel J. Hochstatter and Daryl J. Lucas for this book, and am glad I did.

The illustrations are far more serious and respectful of the text than are those in Eager Reader, and the authors have created a short series of questions to follow each story, such as "Why should you try to please God in all that you do?" or "How do you know when something is bad?" The questions allow a parent or a Sunday School teacher to help young children reflect upon and absorb the Bible story he's just read or heard.

When I asked my 6 year old why we try to please God he answered with a question, saying, "Because God is our boss?" Although that would be a good answer for some (I'm not suggesting it's wrong) in my faith we lean toward the notion that we aim to please God because He is the ultimate source of wisdom and goodness. God knows what is right and what is wrong, and we try to please him in order to do right.

My son and I were able to talk about this only because the questions were there. I wouldn't have thought of them on my own, and I think the questions are both profound and developmentally on-target. The authors have insights into children's understanding of God that probably few of us parents do.

It is also the best choice for a new reader. My son is a just-turned-six year old who learned to read about 6 months ago. The book is designed along the lines of an "I Can Read" book. Each story has a short list of new words on the first page, and at the back of the book the authors provide a "Basic Words List" and a "New Words List." The back cover says that the text features "250 basic words used in public school early reader books" as well as "200 new words including Bible vocabulary, with fewer than five new words introduced in each story." My son can read this Bible on his own whereas the Eager Reader Bible would have been too hard.

This is a wonderful book.

Great bedtime reading with my 2 year old
Initially we started reading this to my toddler because he loved his Noah's Ark board books, and I wanted to read him a more in-depth story. Then, we've expanded to all the stories of the Bible. He now finishes the sentances for me! This is the book I will give all my son's playgroup frineds, as it is colorful and simple, yet interesting for them. As my son grows, it will be a simple move to step him up to a complete Bible. Even at 2 years of age, we have been able to talk about things in our Christian walk thanks to the discussion started with one of these stories.

Great for beginner readers
I bought this for my daughter who can manage lots of small words. This book is constructed so that it gives the child confidence in reading without lots of help. Each chapter introduces a new set of vocabulary words. The part that I really like is the review pages at the end of each chapter that test the comprehension of what has been read and that invite the child to consider how the story applies to his life. These have lead to some pretty great discussions with my daughter that I doubt I would have had otherwise. My only complaint is that the stories lack so much detail that my daughter often says "But what happened in between?" and "It says that God punished them, but how?" Even with that, though, this book is still a winner! ... Read more

Book Description

After discovering that teens don’t read the Bible, Thomas Nelson found that teens do read magazines! Thus, the idea to put the Bible in a magazine format with the purpose of showing teens that the Bible could be relevant and understandable. Revolve – the complete New Testament for teen girls – became America's #1 selling Bible in less than 3 months after it was originally released. This phenomenon of a “Bible that looks like a magazine” surpassed all expectations but most importantly, teen girls love Revolve! Now, this best-selling Bible has been updated and revised with all new sidebars, features & images but the same Bible text! This is the perfect Bible for any teen girl who is trying to figure out what in the world the Bible has to do with her life today!

Book Description

Set in Galilee in the time of Jesus, this is the story of a young Jewish rebel who is won over to the gentle teachings of Jesus. ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Elizabeth George Speare Amazing as Usual!
Elizabeth George Speare only wrote four books that I'm aware of, and all but one were awarded a Newbery Award. (And the one that did not win an award, "Calico Captive," is one of my favorite books of all time!) Ms. Speare was quite simply a fantastic writer of historical fiction. Her books are written in a style suitable for young readers, but anybody who loves historical fiction will love her work regardless of age! It's such a shame that she did not write more books.

I admit that I had my reservations about "The Bronze Bow," since its setting in 1st century Judea seemed incongrous with Ms. Speare's other books which are all set in colonial New England. Also, although I'm a practicing Catholic, I was not keen on reading a fictional book with Jesus as a character fearing some very dry, preachy version of the most famous man in history would ruin the believability of the story. But my reservations were completly unfounded. Ms. Speare describes life in Roman occupied Judea with the same wonderful detail as she did colonial America. She ably describes the political/historical situation with great skill while weaving it into her fictional story of a young man deciding which path he will choose in life.

Daniel, the protagonist, is as three dimensional and believable as Kit Tyler in "The Witch of Blackbird Pond." In fact, all the characters are memorably brought to life especially Daniel's emotionally devastated, younger sister, Leah. However, the major surprise is Ms. Speare's portrayal of Jesus of Nazareth- what a wonderful depiction of that itinerate preacher. Jesus is a supporting but crucial character in the narrative, but Ms. Speare does not use him to preach to the reader. Instead, the reader, like Daniel, is left to decide who Jesus is- just a kind-hearted teacher? A miracle worker? Someone unwilling to take sides? The messiah? Daniel is puzzled by these questions because the Jesus he sees is just a human being and not a resurrected savior in glowing robes.

"The Bronze Bow" is arguably Ms. Speare's strongest novel, and that says alot considering her other work. It's historical fiction at its finest, and anyone who passes on it because of fears of it being "too religious" or "too preachy" are doing themselves a disservice. A great work of fiction is a great work fiction regardless if one of the characters happens to be Jesus of Nazareth.

Still powerful
I was first introduced to this book in my 8th grade English class. I enjoyed it so much then, I went out and read the author's other books. I recently picked this one up again and was amazed at how powerful it still was to me.

The story concerns Daniel, a young Jew at the time of Christ. He has an intense hatred of the Romans and lives with in an outlaw band in the hills. When his grandmother dies, he must move to the village to take care of his sister while trying to continue his life's mission of driving the Romans back to Rome. He is drawn to the miracle worker, but just doesn't know what he truly thinks about him. Is he the Messiah sent to free them from the Romans? And will his sister ever recover?

Ms. Speare was able to create a complex plot that is simple enough for her target age to understand, but still captivating to adults. I got so caught up in the events when I was rereading that I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this children's novel to readers of all ages.

Way better than The Witch of Blackbird Pond!
The author of this book, Elizabeth George Speare, also wrote The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Both of them won a Newberry Medal. This book is so much better than "Blackbird Pond". It kept my attention and I couldn't put it down! The book taught lessons of leadership, patience, care, and love. It wasn't a romantic book but it was more about loving the people that matter to you and also loving your enemies.

I have recently been reading Tom Clancy novels that teach nothing of the sort but I found this book at a bookstore warehouse that was going out of business and I decided to give it a chance even though I didn't like my previous experience with the author. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? I am very glad that I chose to read this book and I think that you are missing out if you don't read it.

Why Don't You Get It?
Those of you who are considering reading, or buying this book should get it from a library or a friend and try it out. You may not like it, but give it a shot first. Everyone has their own opinion or view on these type of books. If you do or don't like it, it doesn't matter. If you want to give your opinion, go ahead, but allow others to form their own and don't tell them whether they should read it or not.

After reading several of these reviews I've found that people who are forced to read something, have short attention spans, or prefer short or action-packed books should avoid this one. Make sure to look at this book and judge it by how well it fulfills it purpose: harmless ENTERTAINMENT. Look at it with a mature objective view.

I personally think its wonderful, but it depends on you. Bye!!

The Bronze Bow
Adventure, bloodshed, romance, love, and religion. The Award winning novel, The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare, combines all of these components. The story, which is set in Galilee in the year 31 A.D., tells of a boy named Daniel who is caught between fighting the Romans, whom he hates, and following the teaching of love from Jesus. Daniel is forced to choose and his decision will affect the rest of his life. The combination of historical accounts, biblical accounts, and the author's diction, creates a vivid picture, and a new mystery is unfolded with each turning of the page. ... Read more

Book Description

Teens have a lot of questions about God and faith, such as, Is God really there? Does He really care about my life? How should I pray? How can I know if God is listening or if He has anything to say to me? How do I know what plans He has for my life? This interactive journal is designed to help teens answer those questions and connect with our heavenly Father every day to gain a deeper understanding of what His Word says to them.

12 Months of Faith will teach teens these truths and more:

• How God's grace and promises apply to their lives 24/7
• How to make God-directed decisions
• How to recognize sin and its deception in their lives
• The power of repentance and forgiveness
• How to bring God into their relationships
• Why we must sometimes experience sorrow and suffering
• How to make a godly impact on the world

Based on twelve principles examined in each month of the year, 12 Months of Faith will guide teens through their own writing, daily prayer and scripture reflection, to a deeper relationship with God and discovery of who they really are.

Book Description

Family stories are so important, and stories from our Church-family may be even more so. In this collection of brief biographies, Hannula sketches the stirring trials and triumphs of many famous and lesser known fathers and mothers of our faith-including Augustine, Charlemagne, Anselm, Luther, Bunyan, and C.S. Lewis.Written for ages 5-12. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

What Christians Should Know
This is an awesome book! We studied it in our adult Sunday school class with extra readings on each chapter from other sources. It is information that every Christian should know because it is our history! Rather than obsess on (a) series which is information that is fiction, we should read about the facts of those that went before us, many who died standing up for their faith. It is written at a level that grade school children can understand. Most adult Christians know little of our own history!

Thank you to Richard Hannula and this important book!

Best principal there will ever be
If you want to read an excellent book about stalwart soldiers for Christ, written by a principled (no pun intended), committed, and passionate Christian, and if you want to be "spurred on toward love and good deeds" by the examples of these amazing and courageous believers, read Trial and Triumph! In his writing, Mr. Hannula makes Augustine, Ambrose, Polycarp, and all the others come alive--just as he makes history exciting and real for the students he teaches in his history classes. Do yourself a favor and read his book.

very unique book
I would recommend this for adults and older children. Most Protestants put so much focus on the Bible that they don't learn much about anything that happened in the Church after the book of Acts. This book will help fill in the gaps.

Brush up on church history
This is a great way to learn church history through fascinating biographical sketches. It's a children's book, and I have read it aloud to my six- and eight-year-olds, but I enjoyed it for my own reading first. It will make you appreciate your religious freedom in a new way, and inspire you to live a courageous Christian life.

Excellent stories of some of the King's most faithful
In the great traditions of Fair Sunshine and Foxe's Book ofMartyrs, Hannula has retold many beautiful stories of Christ'sservants. Its simplicity is ideal for children, while its depth is extraordinary for all. Perfect for devotional use as well as a teaching tool. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Take the Caucasian drawings with a grain of salt...
A few people have blasted this book for being inaccurate and racist. Granted, it IS visually biased for Northern Europeans. It was first written in the 1960s when multi-culturalism didn't exist. That's why Jesus and other important characters are blonde when of course in reality they couldn't have been. Children of color will have a harder time appreciating this Bible, but the stories really are excellent if they give them a try. If you can explain to your child why the pictures aren't quite right, the rest of this Children's Bible is a wonderful way to introduce the entire Bible to younger readers.
My grandmother explained to me that God appears as we expect Him to appear, and that's why some drawings of Jesus show Him blonde and others show Him dark. That explanation was enough to satisfy me and I loved this Bible when I was a child.
This Bible is so complete that I was able to blow my Pastor's own children away when it came to knowing what was in the Bible. The text is easy to understand for most 7 y/o or older kids and almost every important Bible story is in here.
Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. The stories in this book are good enough to that you should try to overlook its one major flaw.

Offensive, racist, inaccurate
I bought this because it was recommended in a Catholic homeschooling book. I was initially impressed by the beautiful art in the Old Testament section. Imagine my shock when I discovered Jesus, a middle Eastern man, depicted with blond hair and blue eyes! Of course, no one of us has actually seen Jesus, but since he was born a Jew, it is highly unlikely that he had this coloring. The text is nothing remarkable. It is not particularly friendly to very young children. I found Today's English version of the Bible (American Bible Society) to be much more suitable for a child without unnecessarily "dumbing down" the message. I have a feeling that I will be selling this book to a second hand store pretty soon.

Golden Children's Bible: by Joseph Miralles (Illustrator)
After reading the reviews and impressed with the front of the book cover, I decided to get this book as a gift for one of the children at the church.

The cover depicts people of ethnicity, however the pictures inside tell a different story. For example, Jesus, a Jew, is characterized by blond hair and blue eyes; the Queen of Sheba, a white woman, only to name a few. NOT SO!

If a writer is going to tell history, the words as well as the pictures should depict the truth!

I give this book a rating of 1 star based on the pictures, not the contents. I returned the book for that reason!

A great way to intoduce children to the bible
This is a beautiful children's bible,the pictures are very colorful and it is well illustrated.The reading is easy and clear,but you might have to help your child on some of the names in the old testament,Which we all know can be hard to pronounce.It really brings new meaning to the old testament having pictures because if you teach children anything about the bible they find it more interesting with pictures.Plus they are more likely to remember the stories better.I will be ordering another copy in a couple of years for my niece to introduce her to the bible.

Simply Wonderful
Of all the books I read as a child, few stand out in my mind as much as this wonderful edition of the Bible. The illustrations are realistic and fascinating to young minds. This Bible is a must have for families with young children who are just beginning to learn about Christianity. All in all, this book is worthy of family treasure status, to be loved by many generations to come. ... Read more

Book Description

Graduates are looking for a challenge. Filled with superb stories that are inspiring, funny, even sad, this passionate book issues such a challenge. Master-communicator Tony Campolo wants every young Christian to know, “You Can Make a Difference.” In four hard-hitting, humorous presentations he galvanizes high school and college students to live lives of total commitment to Christ, to move beyond warm fuzzies and good intentions, and to set a course for a lifetime of spiritual adventure. The perfect gift for any Christian who is finishing school. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book made a difference!
I am 13, and my father gave me this book, and asked me to read it. At first glance, I wasn't interested; it looked boaring, something for adults. I put it off for a couple of weeks, and then one day decided to give it a try. Starting on the first page, Tony Campolo, author of this book, put humor in. I loved it. I couldn't stop reading the book! I have now finished it, and definately recommend you reading it! It may look boaring, but just read the first few pages, and you will change your mind. On top of being funny, he also gets his point about dating, loving christ, and more. This is an A+++++++

Joel Holland ... Read more

Book Description

Max's best-seller Just In Case You Ever Wonder which tells of a father's love for his child, is now available in board book format.

Reviews (49)

Beautiful
I recieved this book at a baby shower for my second child. It was actually given to my 3 year old daughter by my grandmother who did not want her to feel left out of all of the excitement. When I finally sat down and read the book to her, I cried so hard that I had to stop several times. It is a beautiful story of the love only a parent can have for a child. I cherish this gift and so does my daughter.

If my child could only have one book, this would be it
Max Lucado brings his writing talents to a children's book! In a soothing way, this book will tell your child how special he/she is as he grows up, and how his parents and God will always love him. My favorite line is "I am on your side." How many of us think to tell our children that we are on their side and that our goal is to help them? This book is appropriate for adopted as well as biological children, and single parents whether male or female. If every child had this book read to them daily, the world would be a much better place in which to live. My daughter loves it, and I love reading it to her. In the future, it will be included in every shower/baby gift. You absolutely cannot go wrong with this book.

my son misses his daddy
I bought this book as an after thought. I have a running joke with my 3 year old son that his hinney is mine and he tells me "no mom God made me and it's mine" Well my husband recently deployed and my little boy really misses him and is having some concern over is daddy coming home. I got the book to support the family joke, but got much more than I expected. I can't tell you how nice it is to have a really up lifting way to explain Gods love and mommy and daddy's love and how some day we will all be together, but in the mean time "just in case you ever wonder"...I will always be here for you ( even if daddy can't be). He asks me to read it every night. I agree with one review about the monster. He really noticed that page too. I think every child can gather strength and and a stronger sence of self from this book. I am now looking at getting them all.

Frightening Illustrations for Children
I read this book to my 22 month old daughter last night. It started out fine with a nice message. Near the end of the book there is a picture of a monster that scared my daughter so badly that she wouldn't come near me for the rest of the night!

She knew what she thought she saw and when I turned the page, she got a look of intense concern on her face. She turned the page back, looked at the picture and scrambled backwards and hid her face in my husband's shirt! She started crying and saying that she was scared. I guarantee she will remember the monster picture in that book for a long time and will think of it every time she is in bed with us sitting where she was when we read it.

The story seemed to get morbid at the end to me. It may as well have told my daughter that she's going to die, so am I and we will meet in heaven. I think she is a little too young for that concept. Had I read to the end of this book before I bought it, I would have left it in the store. From now on, I will definitely read to the end of every book I pick up before I buy it!

She Read it Over and Over and Over
I don't know exactly where this book came from, but it was sitting on my kitchen table this morning. Emma had one more book to read for her monthly reading award so we plunked down and started reading.

This board book is deceptive... it is written for a child: starting as a small baby and up to a teen and yet it can also be very much for the adult reading to the small baby up to the teen.

It describes how the parent loves the child and how God loves the child, asking the child to accept and know the answer to the question of whether or not they are loved "Just in Case You Ever Wonder"... and who doesn't wonder, "Does my family love me?" or "Does God love me?" or "What is there about me to love?"

Lucado lays it out beautifully for the child in each of us to know and treasure.

You will want to have a copy of this one around "just in case" a child wanders by who you might have the chance to sit and read for a while. You could even sit out on your front steps and wait for your neighbors to come out and offer to read to them for a spell.

I read it to Emma who then read it to two-year-old Sam and then to herself again and then to Sam again and then to herself again.

She started the day cranky and ended up going to school with a big smile on her face.

See what I mean about this book?

Read it to all the "children" of every age you can. It will be good for YOUR soul as well as theirs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Within the pages of this plainspoken Bible, young readers will find a year's worth of teen-written devotionals, one for every day of the work week. For example, in the opening section on Genesis, teens will find a shaded box for Monday's devotional, asking the reader what it means to be made in God's image. "Do you ever put yourself down for the way you look? What are you saying to God when you put down what he made?" Little boxes of text are inserted throughout the Scripture, where teens either suggest devotionals or discuss themes in the Bible. In another box, teens comment on the relationship between Adam and Eve: "The 'two becoming one' thing involves a lot more than sex. It involves two lives becoming one--two stories becoming one."The language, graphics, and frank discussion in this teen-oriented Bible make it a great resource for youth groups. It also makes a loving gift for teenagers who need help understanding how the Bible translates into the stressful world of adolescence. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Excellent devotional bible
This is an excellent devotional Bible.The first reviewer who doesn't like the Bible because it condemns witchcraft is completely ignorant of New Testament Greek, and seems to dislike anything that cramps their lifestyle or beliefs.The NIV is an excellent translation based on the oldest and best manuscripts and translatedby people who actually know Greek, and don't use alternate definitions that don't reflect the true text in order to make things that are condemned by the Bible seem accaptable.If you want your kids to learn what the Bible says, and not what a Wiccan wants it to say, this is a great devotional Bible.

When will Bibles ever be translated with accuracy
Our world is so filled with miss and false information I am again shocked by the blatent false translations that show up for Christian readers.I was doing a research project on Witchcraft of which there is so much mis-information out there it is amazing. Amazon popped up a reference in this book to Gal 5:20 which inserts the word "Witchcraft", in a list of things that are bad.

If you take the time to look up in a Greek Interlinerary you'll find the greek word is "farmakeia", meaning in essence "neuter
"ass" or "donkey".Has nothing to do with witchcraft.

Just like good ol' King James - changing "suffer not a "poisoner" (aka assasin) to live, to "suffer not a witch to live" this one old testiment change was used to kill and torture people. (The Dark Ages people - Christianity spread by blood, fear and torture - both Catholics and Prodestant "inquisitors".A history that has yet to be owned by the religions of the world.

Translators and religions have "NO" authority to CHANGE the Holy Scriptures, and this kind of garbage is the root of racism, hatered, misunderstanding, and discrimination on our planet.

They've all done this and unless your reading from an interlinerary your "intepretation" is subject to false teachings and translations.

Teach your kids to understand world religions and their people, don't build in biases that cause fear, hatered and division.

This book gets a two thumbs down.

If your going to write to kids, at least have the courage to translate based on accuracy of "Gods Word", don't present propaganda embedded translations as "The Word of God".

We have enough war going on the planet to deal with.In America we are offended when foreign countries teach their children to "Hate" Americans, and Christians and Jews because they mis-translate their religious writings and teach it with auhtority to their children.Christians are and have been doing the same here in America and around the world.This kind of "command and control" manipulation and false teachings have to stop.

This translation as well as the bible you probably have read from all your live, does just that - embeds false teachings and doctrines to support religious views not "God's Word", it's blasphemy at it's ugliest and it has been such since the beginning.Do your own research, don't take my word for it, and quit being sheep, take responsibilty for "truth".Contextually a "sheep" can never become a Shepard.Your a "Child of God" - consider this context - your not to be a sheep, you are to "Grow up!". Next time someone wants to be your "Shepard" think about any sheep you know that can be promoted to that position...Don't be a sheep.It's time for that baloney and false teaching to also be recognized for what it is.

Don't bias your kids with false doctines, it just is not right.Take the time to get it right.

Most of you who may be reading this review may not see or understand this because you have been raised from birth with religious falsehoods and biases taught to you as "The Word of God", the cover of most Bibles say "King Jame's Version" or based there, read the cover, and you'll see who's it is.Besides, Jesus nor the Apostles were "Greek", dah, think about it.

Good stuff in the bible, Jesus's life amazing - he set a powerful example in his life - any scripture, doctrine, dogma or teaching that goes against his life example should be researched and viewed with a critical eye.

Learn the Divinity Filter from "The Church of What Works" to sort out Divine teachings from man made and inspired manipulations.

Teach your kids not to fear, teach them love, teach them their power as Christians - teach them to be healers - teach them Jesus' example.Do the same yourself :)

God bless you all, in Jesus' name or by whatever tradition you can relate too.

- David

w w w . t h e c h u r c h of w h a t w o r k s . c o m

This bible is so good, I just keep buying it
When my kids asked to buy their own bible five years ago I was so excited.We got right in the car and went to the Christian bookstore.My kids looked at several student and teen bibles, and this is the one they chose.It is an awesome blend of devotions, teen stories, neat information, and the Bible in contemporary english.They were immediately attracted to the bold colors and the layout.We purchased two.

Through the years we have had an opportunity to buy or suggest this bible to other teens, too.Cousins, friends, and youth at the church.I think I have personally purchased about 6 of them.Buy one for your teen!You won't be disappointed!

Excellent Study Bible geared toward today's teens
My teenage daughter got bored and frustrated with her King James study Bible; this Bible has been such a blessing to her because of it's readability and understandability.Let's face it...the KJV of the Bible is difficult and tedious even for the most scholarly person...what's important is that my daughter now immerses herself in the Word and reads it daily.I highly recommend this Bible as a gift to your favorite teeneager; It brings the Word alive and is geared especially toward teenagers.

Great!
The Bible part of this book is just like any other- and that is how it needs to be! On top of that though, this Bible contains devotionals, and a great index, and also a place where you can mark off the sectionsof the Bible once you've read them. I really recommend this one for any of you who are shopping for teenagers. ... Read more

Book Description

What happens when a small-town pastor and a handful of children choose to live the way Jesus would? Faced with difficult decisions, they learn to love, share, and forgive in ways that impact the entire community. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Timeless and Up-to-Date
A re-write of his great-Grandfather's timeless classic, "In His Steps" first published In 1896, this story stands solidly beside one of the simplest, yet most life-changing works of fiction ever written.

I dragged my heels for months before reading this, because I had the very intense feeling that nobody should tamper with the original. Yet this has brought the original home to new generations of readers, losing almost nothing in the transition -- a task I would have thought impossible.

The question posed in the original book has launched several generations of reechoing "What Would Jesus Do?" In this re-write by great-grandson, Garrett Sheldon, the story remains true to the original and just as life-changing.

The very simplicity of the story has blinded some to the depth of the message, but after more than 107 years and 50,000,000 copies of the original and now with updated examples and characters it continues to rank among the best books ever written.

Great book - very challenging
This is a great retelling - in a contemporary setting - of "In His Steps."This book helps you see the blessings and the sacrifices involved in truly following Jesus.This book challenges the reader to strive for a better walk with Christ - something all of us should hope for.

I have read this book in different settings a number of times in the past, but I am now going to have our church youth group read through it.I expect it will challenge each of them to not just be a Christian, but to "do" Christianity.

We are called to not just be hearers of the word, but doers.(James 1)This book helps challenge you to be a doer.

Read the Classic
I'd recommend reading Charles Sheldon's "In His Steps" before reading this. Then you decide who is the better writer and has a real handle on the concept.

Not the historic presentation of ethics
The current "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do") phenomenon is not the Biblical understanding of how we are to determine right and wrong.While this book did not start that pop phenomenon, some may read this mistakenly. What Jesus would do would be different that you or I because He was fully man AND fully God, second Person of the Trinity.He was sinless, and although tempted in every way as we are, He did not sin.His purpose was to fulfill the Law in order to be the spotless sacrificial lamb of God, the atonement and substitute for our sins.He was the omniscient God incarnate, so He knew what was in each heart and what was the perfectly appropriate thing to say and do in each situation in order to accomplish His mission.In that sense, what He would do in a situation as God is a hypothetical we cannot know as finite creatures.What He might have done is a speculation.We are, however, TOLD in Scripture what we are to do, how as Christians we are to act and live.

A Life Altering Look at Ourselves!
I read this book with alot of hesitancy, being that it was loaned to me from one of our deacons, but I read it and once I got started, I couldn't stop!This book changed my outlook on life and how I should treat others.I loved this book and it's message so much that I bought 8 of them and gave them out to my co-workers.It has truely been an eye opener!Every Christian should read this book!If you didn't fully understand Jesus before, you will once you read this book. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Young Woman" a Great Book, But Slightly Dissapointing
This is a great book for any Christian teen girl to work throgh. It is divided up into different sections that focus on purity, serving, etc. Each gives real life examples and discusses how teens can make a difference at school, home and church with their faith. George provides lots of information and helps teens to easily apply these concepts to their life. A lot of girls would benefit from this book! I have learned more from this devotional from any other I've read.
However, some of the "work" in this book seemed like school. Readers look up a lot of scriptures and write a lot, and it's a bit irritating. I'm also surprised that George is writing a book for teen girls when she is much older. Sometimes I felt like she had unreasonable standards, was a bit old fashioned and was talking down to readers. (EX: She was telling readers to keept their rooms clean.) This is a better devotional for girls than most others out there, but still has its down points. Overall, though, girls will benefit from George's insights.

Great Lessons, but we're teenagers
This was a great book except Elizabeth George talks to you as if you're in kindergarten. It bothered me when she would say things like "precious one", "dear friend", etc. But other than this I learned a lot from the book and have grown closer to God. I disagreed with some things she said, but it made think and figure out my beliefs.

Every young woman should read this!!!!
I think every young woman should read this. Great readability-you get the feeling the author is speaking right to you-on subjects any young woman could use input on. Any parent would want their daughter to know about, and take to heart, the contents of this book.

A Young Woman After God's Own Heart
This book is brilliant with loads of insight to help teens develop their own personal walk with God.
George writes in a warm engaging manner encouraging the reader to be proactive in their pursuit of a heart that marches to the beat of Gods drum!
Each chapter is filled with helpful suggestions rounded off with with a challenging heart response, a practical "to Do List" to help motivate & a short bible study.
I am presently working through this book with my 11 year old daughter & it's providing her with the tools to move on in her christian walk without me being there. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Great MUST HAVE for your child's library!
We began reading this book to our son the day he arrived home from the hospital. He seemed to notice the bright contrasts of colors very early on. The rhyming text was also very appealing to him as he got a little older. Now that he is 17 months, it is one of the books that he faithfully bring to us to have read to him. He also enjoys pointing to all the pictures and naming them. I look forward to the next phase of the book for him, where he is able to truly understand the content. It is one of my most given gifts to friends with new babies.

"DEDICATED TO ALL GOD'S HANDCRAFTED GIFTS... HIS CHILDREN"
DESIGNED BY GOD SO I MUST BE SPECIAL is a colorful, positive book that will truly make your child feel special and build his/her self confidence.

My daughter really loves the pictures and hearing about how God blessed her with so many gifts that we as adults may sometimes take for granted (our sense of sight, hearing, touching and smelling [taste was not included] and more.) This is really a 4 1/2 star book only because God's name is mentioned only on the cover, dedication page (above title) and the first page of the book. The rest of the pages start with "HE", however, this is easily remedied. When I read it to my daughter I just add "GOD" to each page and it works perfectly. In my opinion that is the only flaw in the book.

If I am running late putting my daughter to bed, I've found that the story is just as charming if I read only the first paragraph on each page (it has 3.) Also DESIGNED BY GOD SO I MUST BE SPECIAL is a great training tool to teach your child objects from the book. I say "where's the: flower, butterfly, cloud, dog, cat, bunny, frog, fish, rainbow, bird, bees, bed, bathtub, sun, tree," etc. and my daughter will search for the object and point to it.

I must include the last page of the book for you so you'll know what you are missing if you don't own this:

"HE GAVE ME MY SPIRIT SO THAT I COULD KNOW THAT HE'S ALWAYS BESIDE ME EVERY PLACE THAT I GO.

TO LOVE ME, PROTECT ME, TO SHOW ME THE WAY, TO BE THERE IN HARD TIMES AS WELL AS EACH DAY.

HE DESIGNED ME WITH SPECIAL TALENTS, GIFTS AND ABILITIES YOU SEE, WHICH LET ME KNOW THAT HE HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL IN MIND FOR ME."

I highly recommend this VERY SPECIAL book for home and the church library. You won't be disapppointed.

I don't think that there are TWO Gods!!!
My two-year-old nephew wanted me to read this wonderful book for the umpteenth time. I just happened to notice the copyright page that stated that the book came in two versions: a "Caucasian" one and an "Afro-American" one. When I bought this copy two years ago at my school's book sale, it never crossed my mind that there would be an edition different from the one that I purchased. I just fell in love with the storytelling.

The inspired poetry and vivid illustrations are so engaging that the book would appeal to ANY child, regardless of his/her ethnicity.

The only "need" for the different "interpretations" may be to satisfy an adult's narrow focus of the world.

My son loves it!
My son is 2 and he loves all of the pictures and chooses it often for his bedtime story.

Great Christening Gift, too!
The colors, pictures and text in this book are awesome. It's easy for kids to understand and my daughter loves the colors! This is my traditional Christening gift and all of my friends have loved it! ... Read more

Book Description

Checklist for Life is the ultimate handbook for living a successful, joy-filled life. This follow-up title, Checklist for Life for Teens, offers insight into topics and issues that are specific to teens’ interests. In addition to a brief narrative, each interactive chapter of the handbook contains:

• An “I Will” checklist of heart and attitude reinforcements.
• A “Things to Do” checklist of action points.
• A “Things to Remember” section of Scripture verses and applicable quotes from famous and not-so-famous people.

Reviews (1)

Great for Teens and their Parents!
Having the opportunity to teach the "after school Bible study" for pre-teens, some of which have had no interaction with the Bible, I searched and found this 'Ultimate Handbook'. I showed it to several of the parents of the children involved, and the parents are picking out which lessons I should teach next with great excitment!

This book shows these pre-teens how the Bible relates to their lives, wheather it is "over-reacting" (teens don't do that!), "self acceptance", or dealing with rumors, cliques or gossip. These topics can all be found in the Bible, but the Bible is a big book, and this handbook not only covers it, but shows kids where in the Bible to find the answers.

In addition, it talks to the kids using the "proper lingo". Some of the chapter titles are "Dissed" (dealing with respect), "Let's get Real" (dealing with honesty), and "Totally Awesome" (Maintaining a Sense of Wonder).

There are also chapters that are more suited for the high school students such as "Weight of the Wait" (Sex and Intimacy), "The Ex-Files" (Handling breakups), and "Endless Possibilities" (Planning for the Future).

The basketball coaches are so excited about the values and life-coping lessons in this book - those that they are unable to teach at the public school, that they are cancelling basketball practice (one day a week) so the children can attend the study!

My turnout for the study has been about 98% of the 5th thru 8th graders in the whole school................... What else can I say.............. if the kids come to listen, it must be worthwhile! ... Read more

Amazon.com

One couldn't select a more delightful and exciting premise for a children's book than the tale of a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve only to have Santa Claus sweep by and take him on a trip with other children to the North Pole. And one couldn't ask for a more talented artist and writer to tell the story than Chris Van Allsburg. Allsburg, a sculptor who entered the genre nonchalantly when he created a children's book as a diversion from his sculpting, won the 1986 Caldecott Medal for this book, one of several award winners he's produced. The Polar Express rings with vitality and wonder. ... Read more

Reviews (102)

An Absolute Necessity For Anyone's Personal Library
Oh, what a beautiful book this is! I've owned this book for over fifteen years, and every year during the holiday season I take it down from the shelf and read it, and I am immediately taken back into time. For the few minutes that it takes me to read this book I once again become a child full of wonder and innocence. I begin to believe in the magic of the holiday season, and yes, for a moment I even believe in Santa Claus again.

This is the story of a boy lucky enough to ride The Polar Express to the North Pole on one magical night to see Santa Claus and his elves. While the destination is exciting, the real fun is riding in this train full of children, all dressed in their pajamas and snacking on cookies and milk. The story is beautifully told by Chris Van Allsburg, but the real reason why reading this book is an annual tradition for me is the brilliance of the illustrations. The pictures are painstakingly detailed, especially the beautiful images of the train, the light from the stars in the sky, and the fallen snow.

While Santa Claus is incorporated into the story and the illustrations, he is not the focal point. The crux of this book centers around this train, the wintery environment, and the youthful magic that makes it all so special.

I am now 22-years-old, and this book is just as compelling for me today as it was when I was 5. I look forward to the day when I will have children of my own and will be able to make it an annual tradition to read this book to them. This book is a must-have for anyone's personal library, especially if you are a parent, a child, or a child-at-heart like me. I give this book the highest of recommendations.

Sorry, the movie can not be as wonderful as this book
Chris Van Allsburg's "The Polar Express" tells the simple tale of boy who has been told by a friend "There's no Santa." However, the boy knows this is wrong, which may explain why the Polar Express shows up outside his house that night to take him to the North Pole. In the giant factory city where all the toys are made for Christmas, the elves will all gather and Santa will give to one of the children on the train the first gift of the Christmas season.

"The Polar Express" is a simple tale of the power of belief, told through exquisite pastel drawings that make a steam locomotive seem a soft vision of light in the gently falling snow. The story being told is almost as good as the illustrations. This is a modern Yule time classic, which teaches a simple lesson: always fix a hole in your pocket.

I find it hard to believe that this beloved children's book is coming to the silver screen through full CG animation, even if it is Imageworks' next-generation motion capture process that the digital characters to be modeled on live-action performances. But if the movie leads new readers, both young and old, to discover Van Allsburg's original book, then we can think of it as being the world's longest commercial and not a inadequate substitute for one of the great picture books of all time.

Wintery Exploration
I have loved this book since I first heard it in second grade. That little boy reminds me of how I used to stay awake all night Christmas Eve and then sneak downstairs when I heard the first little noise. The artwork is wonderfull, I would just sit there and imagine I was part of the book. I am diffently going to get this book for my children.

Can't you hear the whistle blowing?
It must be nice to have written a real holiday classic. I imagine that author Chris Van Allsburg must be tickled pink by way his book, "The Polar Express" has slowly gained increasing attention and praise as the years have gone by. Though not my favorite Van Allsburg (a tip of the hat grants his miraculous "The Stranger" that honor) this book is perhaps more perfectly his style than any of his other texts. And in that way, it is truly wondrous.

In this story, a young boy travels at night by a train bearing the book's title to the North Pole with a host of other antsy children. This combines the dual pleasure kids would feel in getting to staying up late AND taking a train all by themselves. Once at the North Pole, our hero asks Santa only for a silver bell from his reindeer's sleig