Book Description

In a young-readers’ world dominated by Harry Potter and hobbits, parents and educators are looking for fantastic tales that nourish children’s spiritual development. Faerie Gold appeals to the imagination while directing hearts and minds toward truth and integrity. This collection of twenty-one stories is ideal for independent reading, family story hour, and classroom use.

The authors have included tales by George Macdonald, Louisa May Alcott, Christina Rossetti, Hans Christian Anderson, and others as well as a short introduction for young readers, an extended message to parents and teachers, a quotation collection, and biographies of authors featured in the book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Some originals of the earliest Chinese-Buddhist sutras still exist--printed in gold ink on deep indigo paper. To see one is to sink into it. Demi, devout Buddhist and illustrator of children's literature, recreates the stories in the form of a children's book with smooth writing and stunning brushwork. These moral tales, taken from Jataka literature of Buddhism, relate engaging incidents among humans and animals that highlight a valuable lesson, each complete with a final moral. Children are sure to fall in love with this masterful combination of art and moral education. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is a wonderful book
My five year old son loves listening to these stories. I have long been looking for books that help children understand moral values. This is my favorite Demi book.

Buddha Stories
An excellent book. Most of the stories have a theme of wonderful compassion and it is set out in such way that children are encouraged to think about what is really of value in life. We borrowed this book from the library many times.

Good collection but poor choice of colors for illustration.
This is an excellent collection of about 10 jataka tales of Buddha's past lifetime, in about one page per story. Younger children, however may not enjoy reading the book on their own because of the color illustration quality, i.e., light gold on black paper. ... Read more

Book Description

Many years ago in Poland, there lived a rabbi who had a wife and three daughters. One day, the rabbi asks his children a powerful question: "How much do you love me?" His older daughters profess their love in gold and diamonds, but his youngest daughter, Mireleh, declares she loves her father the way meat loves salt. For this remark, she is banished from her father's home.

In this flavorful Jewish Cinderella tale, Mireleh's courageous journey is peppered with a perfect blend of magic and romance, leading to a reconciliation with her beloved father. Lavishly illustrated in Louise August's bold linocuts, The Way Meat Loves Salt will make a wonderful gift for the Jewish holidays.
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Reviews (5)

A Cindrella tale and a love test from the Jewish Tradition
"The Way Meat Loves Salt" is subtitled "A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition," but older readers will recognize a bit of Shakespeare's "King Lear" in the beginning of this story told by Nina Jaffe. The setting is many years ago in Poland where a rabbi one day asks his three daughters "How much do you love me?" Reyzeleh, the oldest daughter, replies, "I love you as much as diamonds." Khaveleh, the middle child, answers, " I love you as much as gold and silver." However, Mireleh, the youngest daughter, replies "I love you the way meat loves salt," at which point her father banishes her from the home since she has compared him to lowly salt. As to the meaning of Mireleh's comment, that is not yet explained and the rabbi, despite being a student of the Talmud who ponders questions long and hard, spends no time trying to figure out the meaning of his daughter's words.

As for Mireleh, she encounters an old man with shining eyes who gives him a small wooden stick. He sends her off to the home of Rabbi Yitskhok ben Levi, the renown scholar of Lublin, who lives with his wife and son, and explains that the stick is magic: tap in on the ground three times and anything Mireleh wishes for will appear. The young girl is taken into Rabbi Yitskhok's home as a beggar girl and allowed to stay in the attic. When the family goes to Cracow for a wedding, Mireleh longs to attend and uses the magic stick to come up with a dress. At this point we are into the familiar territory of the Cinderella story. But there is still the question of the meaning of Mireleh's words to her father and their reconciliation.

Jaffe notes that the Cinderella tale has been found in countless cultures around the world, with the earliest version being recorded in China in the 9th century. The Jewish version of the tale comes from the story "How Much Do You Love Me?" from the classic collection "Yiddish Folktales," and was apparently sent down in Poland in the 1920s. Jaffe acknowledges that the framing device of "the love test," appears in both Shakespeare and folktales from around the world as well. In Jaffe's hands this becomes a "vunder-mayse" (a wonder tale) of the sort her grandmother might have heard as a child.

"The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition" is illustrated by Louise August, who worked with full-color oils on rice paper, providing a rather distinctive look quite compatible with the origins of this story. Teachers or parents will find this story a nice way of showing young readers how there are variations of a well-known theme to be found in literature. What I especially liked about this one is how the elements of a different story, "the love test," are combined in the telling of this particular tale. Consequently we not only have an example of comparative literature here but a look at a more complex form of such storytelling.

The Jewish Cinderella
This book is somewhat similar to the Cinderella that I know, but it has a different twist. It combines Cinderella and the Jewish culture. I will leave the rest for you, the reader, to find out what goes on the book.

A very interesting version of Cinderell
this is another interesting version of Cinderella, but it also plays off of Shakespeare's King Lear. Look for the reference, shakespeare buffs and I am sure that you will find it. I really think that this books opens up a non-western tale in a traditional way that children will understand.

salt =/ as money
Great cultural spin on "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach", and even a father's heart can be deceived by what his ears hear and his mind perceives.

cinderella rides again
Cinderella tales have been found from almost every land and culture. This Cinderella story is another treasure for those who enjoy fairy tales and studying cultural influence on them. ... Read more

Book Description

And don’t forget to stock up on the first book in this series, Inside Noah’s Ark, which has reprinted three times since its October 2002 publication and currently has 110,000 books in print! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful pictures and a great introduction to animals
I've just begun my four month-old's book collection, and this was one of the first books I purchased. The story is minimal, but the detail of the illustrations is wonderful. I notice a new animal every time I look at it!

My son stares in amazement at the pictures now and I'm sure he'll enjoy it more as he gets older. I think this book will really help him learn his animals; I can picture him when he's a toddler looking at the pictures and starting to point and name the animals.

My only comment is that, since the story is so minimal, the book needs a lot of parental contributions, especially to increase the Christian content.

Big Cardboard Ark
My little boy (2 years old) loves this book. He has for about a year and half. It has a wide variety of animals that are fun to look at. The pages are easy to turn because of the cut-out holes. I like the simple poem of Noah and God's blessing. I would say that for most books he will let me read it but this one, he woudl rather say the names of the animals and the sounds they make. ... Read more

Book Description

An unforgettable allegoryabout a great sacrificeintroduces children to God's unlimited love.

Raised on the starkly beautiful land of the North American plains, young Starlight spends her days beating dust out of blankets, caring for her family's ponies, and helping her mother pound grain for the tribe's meals. But during the evening, Starlight often gathers with her people to hear wonderful stories told by Laughing Bird - true tales about a loving God, including Starlight's favorite: the story of the white pony.

Skillfully weaving together the threads of time-honored storytelling with solid biblical truth, author Sandra Byrd and illustrator Sarah Waldron have created an unforgettable allegory about God's immense love - dramatically depicted by one loving brave's ultimate sacrifice. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The White Pony
This is a beautiful book of great love. In the context of a children's book, a great Indian warrior chooses for his bride a "plain" woman of good character...not considered beautiful nor bright by the other women of the tribe. The other women make fun of her behind her back. The warrior overhears this and offers the largest bride-price in the tribe's history which includes his beloved white pony. The story has a wonderful ending which speaks of Christ's love for us. I highly recommend it for young girls/women. Thank you. ... Read more

Book Description

An adorable Easter board book that will delight the hearts of small children. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

When young John of Wycliffe arrives at Oxford University, he finds it a fascinating and perilous place.With his friend, Sebastian Ayleton, John experiences the terrible plague called the "Pestilence" (the Black Death), and he becomes involved in clashes between university factions as well as riots among the townspeople. Whenever he can find time away from his studies, John's favorite place is the inn of the Kicking Pony.There he and his companions discuss the political and religious issues of the day, and it is with his friends that he first shares his growing vision of an English Bible for all Englishmen to read.In the darkness of medieval England, John's pursuit of truth gleams like a solitary star: the morning star that promises the sunrise to come.He paved the way for the theologians of the next century and opened hearts in preparation for the great Reformation itself. ... Read more

Book Description

This die-cut, padded board book and beautifully animated DVD come together to offer great family entertainment at an unbeatable value. Told simply, in a language even the youngest family members will understand, this story begins with three young trees who dream-as children do-of doing big deeds. Yet when the woodcutters come, the trees each find that the reality of their existence doesn't match their dreams. Vivid visual imagery brings this classic legend to life, sharing a simple lesson about God's plan for each of us. Share the book with a little one as a bedtime story or gather the whole family and pop in the DVD-either way, this set offers hours of rewarding family entertainment.

The DVD includes a fully animated 30-minute retelling of this classic folk tale. Narrated by Hal Halbrook, the touching story contains a simple lesson about God's plan for every life.

Book Description

From Robin Jones Gunn, bestselling author of The Christy Miller Series and the Sierra Jensen Series, and Wendy Lee Nentwig, author of the popular Unmistakably Cooper Ellis series, comes Departures-

In "Now Boarding at Gate 10," it's the summer after Christy Miller's high school graduation, and she's still hurting from Todd's recent departure. Her plans for a relaxing summer are interrupted when she and her family fly to Wisconsin for her grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary. But her time in the Midwest turns out to be more than she'd bargained for when someone from her past shows a romantic interest in her. Will her summer vacation change the course of her future forever?

Book Description

I saved my brother from the soldiers, but the princess says he is hers now. Abba and Ima will never trust me again.

Over three thousand years ago in ancient Egypt, there lived a girl, Almah, who adored her baby brother, Mosis. She would do virtually anything to ensure his safety and happiness, even if it meant shunning their birthparents…but now Mosis will not be satisfied until he knows who he truly is.

Reviews (38)

The Pharaoh's Daughter, a modern day soap oprea
The Pharaoh's Daughter, by Julius Lester, was over all, a well written novel. This story originating from The Bible in the Chapter of Exodus. Lester tells the fictional story of Mosis and his early years, growing up in the care of the pharaoh's (Ramesses The Great, at the time) daughter. Throughout this book their is an internal battle in Mosis, which carries on throughout the book. This at times made the book feel like it was dragging on. Sometimes, I myself, felt like screaming at Mosis, "Pick a religion already, your beating a dead horse!" However, I read on, and found the book to be quit intriguing almost like a modern day soap opera. This book includes many twists and turns and narrator changes. During this book, Mosis and his sister, Almah, switch off being the narrator and tell parts of the story from their own point of view. This may have been confusing to some people, but in my opinion it gave the novel a certain level of explanation, and showed how other people were viewing things in their eyes.
Throughout The Pharaoh's Daughter, Almah, the sister of Mosis, comes to grips with her new found freedom and religion. This book is about growth for a young woman and a complicated life of a soon-to-be hero. I, myself, enjoyed the book and thought of it was easy reading for children of most ages, though their are graphic depictions of priestesses dancing nude, I believe this novel may be read to children ages 12 and up. This book put a new twist on the version of Mosis and Ramsses The Great, and should be read for entertainment value, and also includes some historical content as well. Like West Side Story, which puts a new modern day twist on "Romeo and Juliet", The Pharaoh's Daughter puts a new twist on the story of Mosis and his amazing baby escape of persecution.

An easy but enjoyable read!
The Pharaoh's Daughter was an excellent book! It gave me a great picture on how Egyptian life really was. I loved how the author protrayed all the characters and I especially liked the relationship between Almah and Mosis. In the middle of the book. when it changes from Almah's point of view to Mosis's, at first it is a little hard to follow but i think it puts a cool twist to the story. This book is an easy but enjoyable read. Once you get into it you won't be able to put it down. I loved this book and recomend it to everyone!

My Thoughts about Pharaoh's Daughter
This book was very interesting. I thought it explained a lot about some of the life styles of the Egypians. IT kinda of confused me when the main characters were switch, but it was also interesting because you got to see the book from two different characters views. It also explains about the culture of moses and how he was torn between them. I also liked how the story expressed more of the palace life that moses experianced and the people who raised him.

A Good Historical Fiction
I thought this book was very good. I thought that this book was very interesting and entertaining. The change between main characters made me lose interest until I began to understand the new character. This book had an interesting view into biblical times.

Pharaoh's Daughter
This was a good book. I liked how it was easy to read and that it was not very long. I would suggest this book to anyone who likes to learn about ancient Egypt. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Book six in the Left Behind: The Kids series, The Underground shares its title with the Young Trib Force's secret school newspaper, preaching the true story of the Rapture and the Tribulation to the left-behind students of Nicolae Carpathia High. Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan all pitch in to make the paper happen, despite pressure from Carpathia's faculty and even a mysterious, possibly demonic hard drive crash. But with high-tech help from new friends and the aid of prominent journalist and eyewitness to evil Bruce Williams, the growing group manages to deliver The Underground to almost every student in school. Everything's going well until Global Community heavies get involved--and one of the Trib Force members gets caught because she spread the word of God!

The Evangelical Christian science fiction series Left Behind: The Kids is a youth-oriented story line based on Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye's bestselling Left Behind. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Young Trib Force Fights Back
The Underground is yet another perfect continuation of the Left Behind Kids series. Logging in as book #6, The Underground finds our four teen post-Rapture heroes unleashing the power of the printed page by way of an underground newspaper that proclaims the message of God's Word to their peers at a high school named after the Antichrist, Nicolae High, which was established in book #5. The kids encounter trouble at every turn, and as schol authorities and social officers relentlessly hunt them down, they struggle to reveal the Truth of God's message and the Truth behind the global disappearances of millions worldwide in which event each one of the four kids were left orphans. They boldly face one close call after another until one of them is captured by the agents of the Antichrist's newly formed regime . . .

The Underground ends with a cliffhanger, making the reader want to read the next book to see what happens and how or if the characters survive. The story is continued in book #7, in which installment the reader discovers how the character who is caught in #6 fares.

Left Behind The Kids Is a good series for children who ...
Left Behid The Kids is a good series for children who are christians. The Underground ( Book 6 In the series) is an adventurous story abut 4 children who try to spread the truth about God in a newspaper (The Underground) to their school in a many different ways. Read this book and it might help you the truth about God.

Confusing but okay
The timeline between the "adult" series and the "kids" series is beginning to become confusing. In the "Adult" series the "Global Community" does not start taking over everything until after the treaty signing but within these books the timeline starts to become confused and hard to follow.

Still a good series with different perspectives to the "adult" series Still not a series I would recommend to younger readers but teens and above I think would enjoy it.

Very well done for younger readers...
This 6th book in the Left Behind Kids series proved, in my opinion, one of the best so far (seeming as I have not yet read the newer ones). What caught my interest the most would be how they start an underground newspaper that they pass out at school seeming as journalism would be one of my future goals. The kids have their disagreements among themselves, especially because Judd takes the credit for the idea of the paper when it was Vicki's.... they run into a lot of trouble with their paper, trying to find new ways to get it out. Knowing who to trust is equally baffling. Someone ends up getting caught in the end, leaving you dreadfully hanging wondering what's going to happen next. I mainly started reading the kids series out of curiousity after having read the adult series. These are not quite as explosive as those, so for the case that you're looking for a good read, I recommend the adult series, especially if you're an avid reader. This book is overall pretty well done. It's a good read for younger readers who have an interest in the End times. It's a good gift idea for anyone who has young children or grandchildren, or even unsaved friends.

An Awsome book!
This book is great! As the kids create this Underground newspaper to minister to fellow students. One of them is caught. Go with Judd, Vicki, Linoel, and Ryan as they go through the great Tribulation! ... Read more

Amazon.com

School's back in session, and evil is in the curriculum: Judd and Vicki's old school has just been renamed Nicolae Carpathia High after the UN's new secretary-general, whom scripture-guru Bruce declares is the Antichrist and who has already begun planning a one-world government, religion, and currency. Our four heroes, recovering from the chaos of the Rapture just weeks ago (starting with The Vanishings, the first book in the Left Behind: The Kids series), are brushing up on Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation, preparing to help in the last-minute "soul harvest" prophesied for the end-times. But it won't be easy, because the faculty is confiscating Bibles and citing separation of church and state to put a lid on the truth. The Young Tribulation Force has to get creative to spread the Good News.

The Evangelical Christian science fiction series Left Behind: The Kids is a youth-oriented story line based on Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye's bestselling Left Behind. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Worst of them all!
I am a big fan of the left behind series. But this book was a major disappointment. I think you should skip this book and read the rest.It just drags on and on and on.

School's back in Session!
With the antichrist reveiled, school's back in session, and the Young Trib Force discovers exactly how hard it is to be a Christian and live after the rapture!
Judd and Vicki start attending Nicolae High, and find allies in cousins Mark and John. Lionel and Ryan go back to Global Community Junior High, but still continue to fight! Can they ever be like brothers?
The four teens soak in as much information as they can to help them survive through these rough times. With the help of Pastor Bruce Barnes, the four learn more than they ever knew before.
The fifth installment of the LBTK books again delievers, and as always, I was left on the edge of my seat!

The Young Trib Force Goes Back to School
Nicolae High, the 5th installment in the Left Behind Kids series, finds our four teen heros facing a new challenge. Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan are the post-Rapture Christians who were left alone when the global vanishings occured. Now, in book 5, school is back in session, and our four teen heros take their newfound faith to the classrooms of Global Community Middle School and Nicolae High, both named after the Antichrist and his newly established regime.

Danger awaits them at every turn. The authorities outlaw carrying Bibles or talking about God. They risk everything in order to speak the Truth to their peers. The authorities hunt them down and attempt to persecute them. How long will they be able to avoid the authorities and share their faith with their peers? Read Nicolae High and find out!

More persecution fantasies from Jenkins and La Haye
"Nicolae High," by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, is number 5 in the "Left Behind: The Kids" series of short novels for young readers. "Nicolae" continues the overarching plot of the series, which is inspired by Christian fundamentalist theology. The book follows the adventures of a group of Christian teenagers during an age of apocalyptic mystery and horror. In "Nicolae," the kids' high school is renamed (as indicated by the title) after a powerful world leader, and the faculty begins to implement a new agenda.

Like the other books in the series, "Nicolae" features corny dialogue and ridiculously melodramatic scenes. The message of "Nicolae" seems to be that religious diversity is a bad thing; for the book's heroes, the only legitimate viewpoint is a Christian fundamentalist viewpoint. Further, the book seems to foster Christian fundamentalist fantasies of persecution (the "us against the world" mentality). The idea that American public schools oppress Christian fundamentalists is a key theme here.

Actually, I found the most interesting aspect of "Nicolae" to be a couple of brief references to "Star Trek." These references are ironic, considering the vast gulf between the vision of "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and the authors of the "Left Behind: The Kids" series. Approach the second of these two visions with caution.

A Warning to Parents. . .
I am a parent, a homeschooler, a conservative, and a committed Christian. I say all this up front so that my criticism of this series will be understood.

I believe in presenting the truth to my children to the best of my ability.

This means the truth of the Bible -- not the opinion of an extreme minority.

This means the truth of Church History -- warts and all.

This means the truth of Secular History.

This means the truth of what comprises good literature vs. poor literature -- and this series does not represent the quality of material I want my children to handle.

Truth is frequently painful and sometimes scary.

HOWEVER, I do NOT believe in deliberately frightening children into accepting or rejecting a particular opinion or viewpoint. It appears to this parent that such religious "scare tactics" are precisely what is being engaged in with these books.

My children know about heaven and hell. They know what it requires to end up in either of those destinations. They understand that hell is a pretty scary place. But I choose to teach them in a positive, rather than in a negative vein. Being "scared straight" is imperfect contrition. Granted, it beats no contrition at all -- but it results in fear rather than love.

This is what this series appears to accomplish: salvation through fear, rather than salvation through acceptance of the love of the God of Love.

Parents, pay attention to what your children read. Teach them about the love of God, not only through your words but through the example of your life. But don't try to frighten them into the Kingdom.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." ... Read more

Book Description

Watch out! Hermie may be just another caterpillar, but his wormy style will win your heart. An adorable new character from renowned, best selling author and pastor Max Lucado, Hermie (and his best friend, Wormie) wonder why God—their close friend and Creator—chose to make them so common. After all, every other creature they encounter boasts something bold or beautiful that makes them unique. But Hermie and Wormie wriggle under the weight of comparison—coming up short every time.

But then comes the miracle. With an amazing transformation, they both learn the truth behind God’s impeccable timing. And purpose. And love. It’s a story that on a simple level will leave your kids spell-bound. But the biblical truths of trusting in God’s timing will deepen their own understanding of identity and the joy of embracing God’s incredible design in them.

Reviews (4)

So good.
This book is a great way to get a very important message to your children..without boring them. God's not finished with us yet! He began a good work in us and He will finish it!
I love this book, it even spoke to me, and My 5 yr old loved it so much we went out and bought the DVD. Lucado is so articulate in his "adult" books but he does the same with his children books, they are all wonderful and have a timeless message for our future generation, and for us as well! Now hurry up and add it to your cart! Trust me, the price can't be beat for such a great story.

small book, big message
The simple wording combined with the great illustration make this a book that attracts children from those able to read themselves to those who are only able to identify the pictures. The message is clearly stated. At this point in time, with all the gloom and doom on the news channels, a positive reinforcement that God is there and in control is needed. Any of Max's childrens book will help. (Parents can take heat from the messages as well.

Great for all ages!
I have 4 children, ages 2-7, and they all loved this book! The little ones enjoyed the uplifting story of the "common caterpillar", and my 7 year olds found it easy and fun to read. You can't go wrong with this one!!!! A must for all Christian families!

Very uplifting for children
From the moment my son heard this book read to him, he was hooked. He liked the book so much that we bought the video as well. Now he walks around telling us that God isn't finished with him yet. This is a great book for any family trying to get across that God loves everyone just they way they are and he's always working in our lives. I highly recommend this book to everyone!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Preview of the Summer Hill Secrets collection
These are exceptionally well written books! The story makes youfeel like you also have an Amish family as neighbors. You can learnabout a young girl's life and her many adventures with friends, school, and family. Although not everyone is facing the same dilemas as Merry ,the main character in these books, many can relate to having friendships that are worth a sacrafice. I recommend these books to everyone. It will keep you interested for hours. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Extinctions and evolution
This book is very interesting when it comes to tell your children about God, creation and fall. The Dinosaurs just became extinct, just like many other species, but that has nothing to do with particles to people evolution. My little daughter just loved it. I hope she will become a zealous creationist. Many people think that evolutionism is perfectly compatible with Bible teachings. The fact is that there are very good theological and scientific reasons that prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that evolution never happened and the whole concept in itself is incompatible with Bible teachings on topics such as creation, fall, curse, flood, Babel, dispersion, the emergence of civilitations, the alliance with Israel, the promise of a saviour, the life, death and ressurrection of Jesus Christ, redemption and restoration.

Dinosaurs Of Eden
An excellent comprehensive look at the Dinosaurs in the Garden of Eden. If reading alone, I recommend age 8 and up. But, if you intend to read it to your child, you can start as early as age 3 and simplify the information to customize to your childs age. An absolute MUST HAVE for a christian parent of a child who loves dinosaurs! ... Read more