My Big Book of Bible People, Places and Things: Almost Everything in the Bible from A to Z

My Big Book of Bible People, Places and Things: Almost Everything in the Bible from A to Z , written and illustrated by Phil A. Smouse is a great Bible reference dictionary for kids with over 750 definitions of Biblical words and phrases. Each word or phrase is used in one sentence and defined in another to give the reader a clearer understanding of the term. A Biblical reference is also given for each word or phrase.

For instance, the word “blind” is defined as follows:

Bartimaeus is blind. Bartimaeus is not able to see at all. The Biblical reference of Mark 10:46-52 is given for this entry.

The word “blind” is in bold-face type in the first sentence and then is defined in the second sentence with the definition also in bold-face type. This is so the reader can see the word being used in the first sentence and see its meaning clearly in the second. Depending on the complexity of the word or phrase, more sentences are used to convey meaning to the reader.

The illustrations are bright and colorful and very kid-friendly like the ones shown on the cover.

What I Like: Everything.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: Barbour Publishing, 2011; ISBN: 9781602608924; 256 pages, Paperback, $14.99.

Buy now at ChristianBook $9.99!
Or buy at Amazon.com $11.24.

Special Info: Read our reviews of other books written and/or illustrated by Phil A. Smouse.

Barney and the Runaway

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Age Appeal: 9 - 12

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

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

Lily's Passport to Paris

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 9 - 12

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

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $5.49
OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $6.99.

Special Info: We've reviewed other books by Nancy Rue, as well as others in The Lily Series.

The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd is a comforting book for young children, based on the parable Jesus tells about the shepherd who leaves 99 sheep safe in the fold, while He goes to look for the one who is lost. Eric Shouse wrote the book to accompany a song he wrote, of the same name.

I read the book on my Kindle, where the drawings appear grey and muted. I am sure they would look better in color. Also, the book is based on a song, but I was unable to download the song and hear it on my Kindle.

In the book, the Shepherd is portrayed as strong, wise and good. He is willing to brave the dark, storms and wolves, just to rescue his sheep. The lamb is shown praying, and we are told the Shepherd would lay down his life for his lamb. After the sheep has been found, he sings,

Baa baa baa baa, to the Good Shepherd
Baa baa baa, to the one who would save
Baa baa baa baa, to the Good Shepherd
We'll listen for your voice always, We'll follow You all of our days.

What I Like: The message is sweet and reassuring. I also like the pictures of Jesus holding the lamb, after he finds it.

What I Dislike: Some of the phrasing is awkward, and I am not sure if it would sound better in song. For instance, a secondary refrain reads, "Now the Shepherd was good/And was strong and was wise/From one hundred knew which lamb was gone." I kept feeling like I was missing a phrase or pronoun when I tried to read the last sentence aloud.

Overall Rating: Ho-Hum for Kindle, probably better as a print book.

Age Appeal: Preschool

Publisher Info: Everybody Run Music, 2009; ISBN: 978-0-578-04648-8; Kindle, 16 pages, $3.99

Special Note: Jesus is portrayed as a traditional shepherd, and is shown on several pages.

Buy it at Amazon.com for $3.99 (Kindle Edition).

Brave Boys of Derry or No Surrender!

Londonderry in Northern Ireland has a colorful past. One such illustration of its history is found in Brave Boys of Derry or No Surrender! by W.S. Martin.

It's 1689, and the battles between the Protestants and Catholics are on the upswing. Deposed King James II of England attempts a conquest through Ireland to uproot the Protestant ways of the island's people. All is going well... until he reaches the walls of Londonderry. As the town's leaders discuss what terms they should come to with James, thirteen young apprentices grab the city's keys and rush to the gates, locking them and yelling, "No surrender! No surrender!"

Their action embolden the townspeople, and the citizens insist on not surrendering to the former king. They close ranks. Those who support James either escape or are imprisoned--or simply keep their mouths shut. And the whole town depends on God to get them through. Daily prayers are led by town leader Rev. George Walker.

But the siege bleeds into weeks, then months. The townspeople begin dying from starvation and disease, and are unable to bury their dead since they can't leave the city for burial in the countryside. Many cellars are filled with the deceased, but the town is convinced that with God's help, they will make it through.

King William the Third sends help in the form of thirty ships filled to the brim with food and armaments. But when they arrive, the bay at Lough Foyle has been foiled by a boom placed in the way of getting to Londonderry. The ships retreat, staying in sight of Londonderry, but out of reach to the townspeople.

Several weeks go by, the citizens of Londonderry becoming more desperate as rations dwindle. Finally, a message makes it way to the ships: The people on shore need help. The captains of the ships are galvanized--they will get the much-needed supplies through the blockade and to those who require it. A plan is forged, and two ships lead the way, fighting off James' troops until they make it to the town.

Resupplied, and with food in their bellies, those of Londonderry ramp up the fighting of James' troops. Three days go by, ramparts blaring and bells ringing. When dawn arises on the 1st of August, the citizens see a line of smoking ruins--the remnants of the huts occupied by the besiegers.

What I Like: Once I got into it, the book was captivating. I read it in one sitting. Having grown up at a time when the battles between Protestants and Catholics of Ireland was in the news nightly, this shed a lot of light on what is probably near the beginning of a centuries-old battle.

What I Dislike: This book was originally released around 1900--the information provided in the book didn't give an exact year. So, the stylistic choices are not ones we'd see in today's publishing industry. Rather than the short paragraphs and interaction between major players of the story, the reader is subjected to lengthy paragraphs that sometimes run several pages, with only a couple of people that remain constant throughout the entire book.

And although the thirteen apprentices are credited with the initial cry to not surrender, none of the thirteen are named, nor are they ever mentioned after their all-too brief scene near the beginning of the book. I find it a little funny to title a book after thirteen people who are such minor players in a much larger story.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 8 and up

Publisher Info: Nordskog Publishing Inc., 2010; ISBN: 978-0-9827074-0-1; Hardback, 69 PGS., $14.95

Buy it at Amazon.com for $14.95.

Mainstream Author Highlight: Kenneth Thomasma

Kenneth Thomasma's Amazing Indian Children series does a wonderful job presenting Native American life in the 1800s. The books are historical fiction, and reference well-known historical figures and events. Most of the books highlight a fictional main character, developed by Thomasma. Some of the books detail conflicts and battles, such as the Battle at Little Bighorn, or the surrender of Chief Joseph, but other books in the series simply tell of various children's adventures.

Naya Nuki: Shoshoni Girl Who Ran is an amazing survival story about a young girl who was captured with Sacajawea, but managed to escape.

Doe Sia: Bannock Girl and the Handcart Pioneers is an interesting story about a Doe Sia and Emma, a young Mormon settler, who strike up an unlikely friendship and must rely on each other to survive. Emma's faith is obvious, and her prayers and ideas do not differ at all from mainstream Christian views.

Takini: Lakota Boy Alerts Sitting Bull is the story of a remarkable boy who shares an almost spiritual connection to the animals around him. Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery, uses Takini to bless his tribe and help secure the victory at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Soun Tetoken: Nez Perce Boy Tames a Stallion, tells the tragic story of the Nez Perce War and the surrender of Chief Joseph from the point of view of Soun Tetoken, who has been mute since he was a toddler.

Each book features a map at the beginning, and pencil sketches to support the text throughout.

What I Like: Rarely have I read such fair books. Thomasma deals with the conflict between Native Americans and white settlers without bitterness and anger, and he makes a point to show the humanity of all races. Many Native Americans are portrayed as noble and good, but Thomasma doesn't hesitate to show flawed Native Americans who were capable of cruel or unwise choices. So, too, when Thomasma writes about the abuses Native Americans suffered at the hands of the U.S. Army, he always includes stories portraying white people in a positive light. In this way, he teaches young people about sad, unfortunate conflicts, but without the judgement and stereotypes present in so much literature.

What I Dislike: Nothing except the series title. My daughter kept saying, "Mom, Indians are from India! It should be Amazing Native American Children."

Special Info: Native American spirituality is portrayed as being important to the characters' daily lives. Many characters believe the Great Spirit communicates with them through dreams or animals. Also, characters speak to and honor the Great Spirit, and ask him for strength and guidance.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 8 and up

Publisher Info: Grandview Publishing Company, 1984-2007; ISBN: 1-880114-22-4; paperback, 180-260 pages, $7.99

Buy Naya Nuki at Amazon.com for $7.99.

Buy Doe Sia at Amazon.com for $5.00.

Buy Soun Tetoken at Amazon.com for $5.00.

Buy Takini at Amazon.com for $15.13.

Do Angels Go Camping?

Angels are all around us. Teaching young children of this concept can be tricky, but in Do Angels Go Camping? by Donna Perugini, kids will see the evidence, even in the colorful pictures by Nancy Titolo.

Amelia Airheart Butterfly and Orville Wright Butterfly are going camping. Their tiny friend, Antrew Ant, wants to go, but Orville tells him he's not old enough. Despite this, Antrew sneaks into Orville's backpack and stows away.

As Orville and Amelia fly to their campsite, Antrew peeks out of the pack. The pack unbuckles and flies open, but an angel pushes Antrew back in and closes the flap.

When the butterflies reach their camp, they discover little Antrew, and chastise him for stowing away. Orville states they'll set up camp, but then he's taking Antrew back home.

Antrew has other plan and wanders into the forest. He nearly falls off a rock while crossing a river, but feels himself being pulled back onto the rock. Then he gets lost.

Amelia and Orville discover their friend is missing, and pray God will give them guidance to locate him in the vastness of the forest. They look around, and Amelia spots Antrew's "belly bear" across the river. They head that direction, then Orville hears the prompting of a messenger, sending them deeper into the forest.

They find their little friend and thank the Lord for the angels guiding them. And Antrew gets to spend the night camping.

What I Like: Angels can be a tough topic to explain to kids, but I felt this book did a good job showing how angels protect us. The illustrations show ghostly figures of angels doing various things--poking Antrew back into the backpack, putting him back on the rock, pointing Orville and Amelia in the right direction.

I also liked how the author let Antrew do things he knew were wrong--stowing away, wandering off--and showed how you could get into trouble by doing these things.

The fact the characters spent a lot of time in prayer throughout the day was also nice--it shows kids how to keep prayer a constant in their lives, even though it wasn't the heavy emphasis of the book.

What I Dislike: The only thing I really didn't like was how little Antrew's parents weren't shown. Surely, they would have been distressed when he didn't return home? Even though this is a young child's book, I think this could have added another layer to the story that would have shown a child how wandering off would affect others, and not just friends.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 4 - 8

Publisher Info: Donna Perugini Books, 1987; ISBN: 978-0-88144-536-7; Paperback, 32 pgs., $9.99

Buy it at Amazon.com for $9.99.

Special Info: We've also reviewed other books by Donna Perugini. You can find them here.

Our Kids Review: The Big Red Tractor and the Little Village

Ellie, a second-grader, dreams of one day being a mommy and a marine biologist. She loves fish, books (just like her mama) and playing with her younger brother. Here are her thoughts on The Big Red Tractor and the Little Village by Francis Chan.

This is a good book. There is a big tractor in it, and it's red. It lives in a little shed. Half of the village pulls it and half of the village pushes it, because they don't know it can move on its own. They haven't read the manual yet.

One night Farmer Dave finds the manual for the big red tractor. He reads it all night and the next morning he tells the villagers. They do not believe him. For many nights Farmer Dave fixes the big red tractor while the villagers are sleeping. Finally one night he plows the field by himself! Without anybody helping him!

The next morning the villagers awaken to find the field all plowed. One says: "It's a miracle!" The second one says: "Who did this for us?" The third one says: "Look! Over there!" Farmer Dave is sleeping on the tractor. They feed lots and lots of people with their leftovers and tell them about the tractor and the manual.

The big red tractor is like us, and God is like Farmer Dave. The Bible is like our user manual. There is a Bible verse in the back of the book: "When the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power." Acts 1:8

What I Like: I like that it reminds me of Thanksgiving because there's lots and lots of food (and sometimes I get hungry). I like the pictures and think it's funny that after they're done pushing and pulling the tractor, they sweat. I also like the sounds the tractor makes: "Putt-putt, ka-boom!" I like the memory verse in the back and I like to tell people about Jesus, so this is a good story for that.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4-8 (Ellie says "Any age, 'cause it's a good book!")

Publisher Info: David C. Cook, 2010; ISBN: 0781404193; Hardback; 36 pages; $12.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $8.99!

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $9.35
Also available in Kindle format for $8.88.

Special Info From Tanya: This contemporary parable for children relays the message of Francis Chan's book Forgotten God, a challenging reflection on the Holy Spirit. See our reviews of other books by this author.