Camp Club Girls: Alexis and the Sacramento Surprise

The Camp Club Girls series is probably my favorite series to follow right now. My daughter and I are equally excited to get a new batch of these books. Written for tween girls, Camp Club Girls books follow six girls who met at Bible camp, and keep in touch via Internet. The girls always have a mystery to solve, and they rely on their wits, their friendship, and the Word of God to help. In Alexis and the Sacramento Surprise, Alexis and Kate spend a week trying to help save a down-and-out nature reserve from closing. The reserve is run by a friend from church, who hopes adding a display of mechanical dinosaurs will generate more interest and boost the reserve's funding.

When the dinosaurs keep migrating to new spots in the park with no sign of humans moving them, reporters and park patrons get curious. The park's owner, Miss Maria, is worried someone could get hurt, since the dinosaurs are heavy, fragile, and are powered by electrical generators or batteries. However, when Miss Maria throws her back out falling off of one of the dinosaurs, the girls are left to solve the mystery on their own.

A snoopy newspaper reporter and an overeager volunteer complicate matters, and soon the girls don't know who to trust. Kate loves technology and her dad is always bringing home experimental devices, so they use hidden cameras and an IPod prototype to take night pictures. They also use some active listening and even a camp-out, to assemble clues. Elizabeth, the oldest Camp Club Girl, encourages them with Bible verses, and the girls learn people are not always who they seem to be.

While the girls are trying to solve the mystery of the moving dinosaurs, they also are trying to come up with a plan to save the park. It looks hopeless when Miss Maria is denied funding based on her exhibit linking plants from biblical regions to Christianity. However, Miss Maria's determination to keep her plant exhibit open, even if it means the reserve may close, makes the snoopy reporter rethink his skepticism. In the end, the reporter is compelled to explore what he believes about God, and the overeager volunteer learns it is better to trust in God than in our own plans. The reserve is saved and the girls have solved another mystery.

What I Like: As I have said in past reviews, these girls are sweet, friendly, and brave, and they genuinely love God. They come from different types of families, and different parts of the country, but they have fun keeping in touch via online networks. They have unique personalities and strengths, as well as struggles. They are great role models for my daughter, even though they aren't perfect. The authors do a great job of incorporating Scripture and biblical truth into original mystery stories.

Mystery is a popular genre for girls this age, and I haven't come across many Christian mysteries for this audience. These books are fun and suspenseful, without being scary.

In Alexis and the Sacramento Surprise, I particularly like Miss Maria's strength of conviction. It is realistic for a public school board to reject funding school field trips due to a religious exhibit, but Miss Maria shows us trusting in God's provision is best, no matter how hopeless a situation seems.

What I Dislike: The plot was a little predictable. Also, the biblical content could be stronger. Each of the books is written by a different author, and it seems some authors find it easier to work prayer and Bible verses into their stories than others. However, Elizabeth, the oldest and most mature of the girls, wasn't in this book much and she definitely has the best grasp on the daily application of Scripture.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: 8-12

Publisher Info: Barbour Publishing, 2010; ISBN: 978-1-60260-270-0; Paperback, $5.97

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $4.79

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $5.99.

Special Info: Read our reviews of other Camp Club Girls books here.

Just in Time Esther

Just in Time Esther, written by Carol Wedeven and illustrated by Unada Gliewe, is the Old Testament book of Esther for children.

Using both rhyme and illustrations, the story of Esther's ascension to the position of Queen of Persia and later rescuer of the Jewish people from the hand of Haman's edict, are described.

The focus of Just in Time Esther seems to be on the battle between Haman and Mordecai. In comparison, very little is said about Esther, King Xerxes or the Jews.

What I Like: I LOVE that, as in the other books in the Arch Books Bible Story Series, a letter to parents from the editor is included. Found at the end of the book, the letter expresses the importance of teaching the story of Esther to children. Here is an excerpt of the encouraging words:

"There will be times when our children must place their trust in God so that they might stand up for their beliefs. Consider how you might model this type of trust for your children to see."

How great is that? I love that the editor's heart is to uplift both the parent and the child!

What I Dislike: The book of Esther is a very complex book, full of twists and turns and complex personalities. In Just in Time Esther, the author attempts to capture it all. As a result I ended up feeling confused. Too much detailed information was given in the mere 14 pages. Even though I am very familiar with the story of Esther, I found myself re-reading Just in Time Esther three times just to understand what was going on in the story.

The illustrations are repetitive and provide little clarity to the plot. Unfortunately, the illustrations only added more confusion to the storyline.

Overall Rating: Ho-Hum

Age Appeal: 5-9 years.


Special Info: Just in Time Esther is part of the bestselling Arch Books Bible Story Series, which covers over 100 different themes from Genesis to Acts.

You may also be interested in other reviews on the Arch Book Series at the Christian Children's Book Review. Check out CCBR's reviews of: The Fruit of the Spirit, The Resurrection, Jesus Wakes the Little Girl, The Lost Coin, and Jesus Walks on the Water.

Learn more about the Arch Book Series on their website. Learn more about the author on her website. Learn more about the illustrator here.

Publisher Info: Concordia Publishing House, 1999; ISBN: 978-0-870-07558-5 ; Paperback $1.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $1.99

The Swiss Family Robinson

Even if you don't remember reading The Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann Wyss, you probably remember seeing the movie. My daughter and I recently read the Great Illustrated Classic version, adapted by Eliza Gatewood Warren, for our neighborhood book club, and I was surprised by how much the book focuses on God's provision.

When the Robinson family is shipwrecked on their way from Switzerland to New Guinea, they realize they must rely on God to save and sustain them. At the very beginning, their ship is in a fierce storm and the crew deserts them. Their father, a preacher, tells them "God will save us for nothing is impossible to him," and leads them in a prayer. He and his wife, Elizabeth, keep a prayerful watch through the night and wait for the storm to abate.

Before long, the family is on shore and exploring a deserted island full of amazing animals, charming locations, and hidden dangers. They tame and ride ostriches, donkeys, and buffalo. They train an eagle to hunt, and a monkey to collect figs, and they raise chickens, angora rabbits, a whole menagerie of livestock. They also build a summer home in a tree house, and a winter dwelling in a cave. Various family members survive encounters with quicksand, boa constrictors, and rough seas. Through all their adventures, the family never forgets to thank God for their safety and food.

After ten years, they find a shipwrecked girl disguising herself as a sailor on the other side of the island. Soon after Emily joins the family, a British ship, sent by Emily's father, arrives to bring her home. Some of the sailors decide to stay with the Robinsons and live on the island, and two of the Robinson boys return to England on the ship.

The book includes heavy ink drawings with captions from the text on the right side of every spread.

What I Like: I really enjoyed reading this book. The family has adventure after adventure, but God is always with them. I had forgotten how much I liked this book as a child. I remember pretending to catch turtle eggs, and dreaming of living in a giant tree house. My daughter's imagination was captivated by the book as well.

I also like how strong the father is. He is a great storyteller, a resourceful leader, and he acknowledges God throughout the book. On the two-year anniversary of the shipwreck, he organizes a holiday to celebrate "how good God has been to us."

I was impressed with the Great Illustrated Classic version. The original language is rather old-fashioned and difficult, but this adaptation is written in more simple English, with drawings to support the text. This makes it perfect to read aloud to younger children. It also would be an engaging read for older, reluctant readers.

What I Dislike: My daughter noted, and I agree, lots of animals die. The boys tend to shoot first and examine later, so many exotic creatures we would typically see in zoos get shot. (A kangaroo, tortoise, walrus, and flamingo, to name a few.)

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: Publisher lists 9-12, but I would say children as young as 5 would be interested, as well as high school students.

Publisher Info: ABDO Publishing Company, 2002; ISBN:1-57765-801-9 ; Hardcover, $21.35

Buy it at Amazon.com for $16.65.

This Little Prayer of Mine

This Little Prayer of Mine, written by award-winning author Anthony De Stefano, is endorsed by The National Day of Prayer. It presents a child's prayer, including all sorts of fears and concerns, all offered up to God in sweet trust. The child asks God to help when he or she is afraid, hurt or confused. It prays for forgiveness when mistakes are made and asks for help to be good. The child prays for specific things encountered throughout the day, then imagines what the future might hold, always seeking God's will in each imagined scenario. Told in rhyming verse, the text reveals a tender child's faith.

"When I trust in you, my God,
and in your plan for me,
I know there's nothing in the world
that I can't do or be."

The illustrations by Mark Elliot feature realistic images of children in many different scenes. While the some illustrations include muted colors, they are filled with warm emotion and invite interaction.

What I Like: The illustrations are wonderful. My kids (ages 6 and 4) enjoy looking at them and talking about the children on each page and what they're doing. The book is very attractive; it offers diversity in characters and lovely details of action and expression. I like that the book encourages a natural prayer rather than rote memorization. This endorses the belief that we can have a personal relationship with God and that we can talk to Him about anything.

What I Dislike: There are no answers in this book. Written from a child’s perspective, I understand why, but I wish some assurances were offered. The last page reads “Please, God, love me forever. That’s all I want. Amen.” It sounds as if God could stop loving us. Because the text already touches on fears and insecurities, I wish it ended with a positive, encouraging affirmation. Also, some of the language seems simplistic for the suggested age range.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: 4-8, but I recommend 3-6.

Publisher Info: Waterbrook Press, 2010; ISBN: 0307458040; Hardback; $12.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $9.99!

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $9.35.

Pet Parables (Vol. 1)

Kids love animals, so what better format to teach kids about biblical behavior than a book of animal stories? That's the premise behind Neta Jackson's Pet Parables (Vol. 1).

This volume contains two stories: "The Cat Who Smelled Like Cabbage" and "The Duck Who Quacked Bubbles." The first begins by quoting Philippians 2:3 ("Be humble and consider other smore important than yourselves..."), then Jackson weaves a surprisingly down to earth and deep story. In it, snobby Siamese Cat and her good natured friend Black Cat chat about the neighborhood. Siamese Cat turns her nose up at the ugly, homeless Alley Cat who tends to linger across the street. She has no real family and no good breeding. But when one of Black Cat's kittens wanders into the street, Alley Cat saves the baby from being run over by a vehicle. Black Cat couldn't be more thankful - and surprised. As she talks with Alley Cat, she find her kind and friendly. And she learns there are good reasons for Alley Cat's mysterious ways. In the end, rather than go for a walk with Siamese Cat, Black Cat shows Alley Cat a better place to keep her own babies, and a new friendship is formed.

The second story begins by quoting Philippians 2:14 - 15 ("Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless den pure..."). Grumble, a very grumpy duckling, complains about everything. Her siblings crowd her in the nest, splash her in the pond, bump into her when they walk, and make her late for everything. When the other ducklings finally tire of Grumble's grumblings, they leave her to play by herself. To "show them," Grumble wanders into a box, thinking to hide until her family gets worried. But the box turns out to be a trailer that gets pulled away by a car. Fortunately, the family in the car hear Grumbles quakes and bring her back home. Grumble discovers her family really did miss her, and she's so thankful to be back home, she vows never to grumble again. Instead, whenever she feels the urge to grumble, she sticks her head under the water and quacks, producing bubbles. Soon, her family renames her Bubbles.

Both stories end with a parental note and questions for discussion, always bringing up God. For example, in the questions for "The Duck," the author writes: "What do you think God wants us to do when we feel like complaining? The next time you feel like complaining, what could you do instead?"

What I Like: Jackson is a strong writer. My 4 year old loves her stories and I find them pleasing to read. "The Cat" struck me as particularly well written for a book targeting this age group. The illustrations by Anne Gavitt are also lovely. Even my 18 month old loves them (he is, admittedly, a huge fan of cats). The cat drawings are realistic and expressive, while the duck pictures have a vintage storybook charm.

What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4 -8.

Publishing Info: Kregel, 2004; ISBN: 978-0825429385; hard back, $12.99

Buy Now at ChristianBook.com for $9.99

OR buy at Amazon.com for $12.99

Special Info: Read our reviews of books by Neta Jackson.

The Lion Book of Prayers to Read and Know

The Lion Book of Prayers to Read and Know is a brightly illustrated volume of simple prayers for various occasions. The book includes prayers of praise, thanksgiving, and forgiveness, as well as sections on "choosing the right way," "praying for one another," "praying for the world," "praying as Jesus taught," and "blessings." The prayers are a mix of biblical paraphrases, original prayers by the author, Sophie Piper, and traditional prayers (primarily Anglican).

Each section of the book is introduced by a two-page spread offering tips and wisdom about the topic. For example, in the "Forgiving and forgiven" section, we read, "Not hitting back can end a fight," "To forgive is to begin to put things right," "Gentle words can end a quarrel," and "People who are kind and friendly make the world more fun." Each statement appears next to a text-specific illustration, featuring modern children enacting the theme of the statement.

Each section is an inclusive blend of original prayers, prayers based on biblical passages, and simplified traditional prayers. The illustrations are bright, multicultural, and engaging. Children from all over the world are shown in many aspects of daily life. (For example, walking the dog, fishing, at a picnic, in bed, etc. . . .) Children with disabilities are also included.

What I Like: I love the illustrations. They immediately caught my eye, and interested both my two-year-old and my six-year-old. They are colorful, and do a good job of illustrating the prayers. This makes it easier for younger children to grasp the place prayer has in our lives.

I also like the way the biblical passages are paraphrased. A thanksgiving prayer based on Job says,

"Dear God,
When everything is going wrong, I sometimes wonder why you let bad things happen.
But then you open my eyes to the majesty of your world, and I know once more that you are far greater than I can imagine, and I believe once more that your love and goodness will not be overcome."

I especially appreciate the theology in this book. The sections on "forgiving and being forgiven" and "choosing the right way" explain the way Jesus works in our lives is such a simple manner, but the truths Piper explains are profound. I was touched by these prayers, even though children will easily be able to apply the prayers to their own situations. Also, the prayers for others include meaningful prayers "for those who are sad and . . . grieving." The section on praying for the world gently teaches children how to pray about injustice, poverty, war and violence.

What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: Publisher lists 5-7, but all of my children like it (ages 2-9)

Publisher Info: Lion Children's, 2010; ISBN:978-0-8254-7898-7 ; Hardcover, $12.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $9.99

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $11.04.

Special Info: Jesus is pictured a couple of times, with a white robe and blue sash, looking mostly Caucasian.

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Benjamin and the Silver Goblet

Benjamin and the Silver Goblet, written by Jacqueline Jules, is the story of Joseph revealing himself to his brothers after being sold into slavery. The story is told from the younger brother Benjamin’s perspective, hence the title of the book.

After Joseph was sold into slavery, a famine spread across the land. Joseph’s older brothers traveled to Egypt to find food. They left Benjamin, the youngest, behind. When they returned, Simeon did not come with them. They told their father the governor of Egypt had accused them of being spies. When they tried to explain they had come to Egypt to get food for their father and younger brother at home, the governor said he didn’t believe them. He forced Simeon to stay behind until the rest returned with Benjamin.

On the return journey to Egypt, they took Benjamin with them. He overheard a conversation between his older brothers while they were talking about what they did to Joseph, how they sold him into slavery and then told their father he died after being attacked by a wild animal. When Benjamin heard the truth, he was afraid his brothers might do the same to him.

But, when they reached the city, they found their brother Simeon waiting for them. He had been well taken care of in their absence. The governor invited the brothers to a feast. During the meal, Benjamin got extra attention and extra food. After the meal, the governor told the brothers their bags would be filled with grain and they could return to their home the next day.

But after the brothers left the city, they were stopped by the governor’s men. The governor’s silver goblet had been stolen and everyone’s bags had to be searched. The silver goblet was found in Benjamin’s bag. All the brothers were arrested, including Benjamin, and taken back to the city.

When they returned to the city and were taken before the governor, Joseph told them they could all return home - - all of them except the one who had the silver goblet. That person was Benjamin. The brothers refused to leave Benjamin behind. It was then that Joseph finally revealed himself as being the governor. He recognized his brothers but they didn’t recognize him. He told them he was testing them to see if they were willing to betray another brother like they had betrayed him. When he found out their hearts had changed, he welcomed them with open arms. The brothers were very glad to learn Joseph was still alive.

The painted illustrations by Natascia Ugliano are vivid and expressive and done in muted colors that are appropriate for a book of this nature.

What I Like: I like having the story told from a different Benjamin’s perspective. It gives the story a different and interesting slant.

What I Dislike: Nothing, really. I just feel like I must point out that because the story is told from Benjamin’s point of view, the author took some poetic license with the details from the Biblical story. However, I think the story is enhanced with this retelling.

Also, there are no Biblical references for the story, as the story is slanted towards a Jewish audience (please see “Special Info”).

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 4-8.

Publisher Info: Kar-ben Publishing, 2009; ISBN: 9780822587583; Paperback, $8.95.

Buy now at Amazon.com $8.95.

Special Info: This book was published by Kar-ben Publishing, a publisher who specializes in Jewish picture books. The only reference to Judaism is in the Author’s Note at the end of the book where he cites some Jewish texts for his story (the Bible is not mentioned).

Visit the author’s website. Read our reviews of other books written by Jacqueline Jules. Read our reviews of other books illustrated by Natascia Ugliano.

Natalie and the Bestest Friend Race

It's difficult to find read-to-me or beginning reader chapter books for Christian kids, so Dandi Daley Mackall's Natalie series is most welcome in our household.

In Natalie and the Bestest Friend Race, our impish protagonist Nat tells the story of how she accidentally told her best friend Laurie's secret. In their kindergarten class, Laurie goes into what nasty Peter-the-Not-So-Great calls the "dumb" reading group. Nat tries to defend her friend, blurting out that she has dyslexia - a secret Laurie wanted kept. When Laurie learns everyone in their class knows of her reading difficulty, she's deeply hurt to find out Nat is the source of it all.

So when it comes time to pick teams for the Kindergarten Olympics, Laurie doesn't chose Nat. Instead, they end up on opposing teams. Worse, Laurie starts hanging out with Not-So-Nice Sasha.

As Nat tries to work out her feelings of guilt, sadness, and anger over her best friend no longer being her best friend, she learns she's pretty good at jumping hurdles - her sport in the Kindergarten Olympics. In fact, she's almost sure to win the hurdling competition - until Laurie falls and Nat rushes to help her. Nat blurts out a heartfelt apology, and Laurie forgives her. Nat looses the race, but she and Laurie hold hands and cross the finish line together.

Throughout, black and white illustrations by Lys Blakeslee add interest.

What I Like: Mackall is good at getting into the head of Nat; the first person prose certainly rings true. The story also gives parents and young children an excellent opportunity to talk about good sportsmanship, loyalty, and the ups and downs of friendship. And while Nat admits she doesn't understand why God would allow Laurie to have dyslexia ("This does not seem like a fair thing. And right then, right there, I whisper this to God. I hope it doesn't hurt God's feelings, but I tell him I don't like that he let Laurie have 'slexia...And I wish he hadn't made that mistake with my friend. That's what."), she also learns God never makes mistakes.

What I Dislike: I really dislike children's books that use incorrect English. Throughout, Mackall's Nat calls Laurie her "bestest friend" and at one point, Nat states that something "works pretty good."

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 4 - 8, but most kids don't want to read about "little kids" who are younger than they are.

Publishing Info: Zonderkidz, 2009; ISBN: 978-0310715702; paperback, $4.99

Buy Now at ChristianBook.com for $3.99

OR buy at Amazon.com for $4.99

Special Info: Read our reviews of other Natalie books. Also check out our reviews of other books by Dandi Daley Mackall.