Angels: A 90-Day Devotional about God's Messengers

Angels: A 90-Day Devotional About God’s Messengers, by Christa Kinde, is as the title implies, 90 days of devotions about angels. Each day's devotion starts with a Bible verse about an angel that is mentioned in the Bible (i.e, Gabriel), or answers a question about angels. Other Bible verses are scattered throughout the text. 

Each devotion also includes a discussion about the day's topic and ends with a section called "Dig a Little Deeper." this section contains questions that require discussion and/or future research about the topic.

What I Like: I like the thorough way the author has addressed the idea of angels. She discusses the subject from multiple angles, giving in-depth evidence for their existence.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Teens and up.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2015; ISBN: 9780310747659; Paperback, 192 pages, $9.99.

Buy now at ChristianBook $8.19!

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The Kindle edition is available for $5.99.

Special Info: Visit the author’s website.

The Plans I Have for You Devotional

The Plans I Have For You Devotional by Amy Parker is a book of 90 daily devotionals. The book is divided into six sections; each section has 15 devotions. Each section highlights a character of the Bible as well as a specific thought

Each section highlights a character of the Bible, providing Bible verses and stories to show how the section title relates to that particular character as well as to our individual lives. A couple of section titles are "There's Nothing You Can't Do" and "I've Given You a Purpose." Moses is highlighted in the section called "There's Nothing You Can't Do" and Mordecai in the other one. Each section is filled with poems, stories, quizzes, scriptures and other items of interest that relate to the topic of that section.

Black and white illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton are plentiful throughout and are multicultural in nature.

What I Like: Just about everything.

What I Dislike: Since the book is divided into 6 sections and each section has 15 devotions in it, and since the number "90" in printed in the upper left-hand corner of the cover, I thought each devotion would be numbered, i.e., #1 - #90. They are not. That's not really a problem; I just thought they would be.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: I'd say this book would be great for tweens and teens, so ages 9 and up would be about right.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2015; ISBN: 9780310725220; Paperback, , 160 pages, $14.99. 

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Amy Parker. Visit Amy Parker’s website.

101 Things Every Girl Should Know: Expert Advice on Stuff Big and Small

The editors of Faithgirlz and Girls’ Life magazine do it again with another installment in the hit Faithgirlz series. 101 Things Every Girl Should Know is chock full of advice for girls in their tweens. It offers a collection of suggestions on everything from success in the classroom (how to write an essay, ace a test, handle stress, remember anything, read aloud in class) to relationships (how to keep a secret, talk to any guy, be the star at the party) to health issues (busting a bad habit, curing acne, tasty recipes, boosting energy) and more!

The book has a magazine layout and appeal—tons of brightly colored photographs, concise “articles” ranging in length from a single paragraph to two pages, and relevant topics.  There is variety in the entries too. Some are quizzes, recipes, or even directions for how to do something. It is completely readable in small chunks or huge blocks of time! This book would make a great gift for any young teen/tween in your life.

If you like this book, you might want to check out other books in the Faithgirlz series, including Faithgirlz Handbook, Updated and Expanded: How to Let Your Faith Shine Through, Best Hair Book Ever!: Cute Cuts, Sweet Styles and Tons of Tress Tips (Faithgirlz), and Big Book of Quizzes: Fun, Quirky Questions for You and Your Friends (Faithgirlz).

What I Like: Everything. I wish I had a book like this when I was growing up. The tips are helpful and easy to use. I can see how reading this would help boost a girl’s confidence about handling the challenges they face daily. This book would even be appreciated by mainstream readers.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8-12 (Although I think it could go a bit older).

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2015; ISBN: 978-0310746195; Paperback, 128 pgs., $14.99.

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Kristina Gives Thanks for The Jesus Storybook Bible

The last few years haven't been the easiest for my family. We've struggled with health issues, money issues (paychecks don't go as far as they used to!), feelings of isolation from our family, and feelings of betrayal from people we thought were friends. But, boy, have we grown spiritually! I'm thankful for the fact that now, as a family, we are more focused than ever on God. I'm also thankful we are working toward a long time dream: To move away from the suburbs (and a city that seems less and less family friendly) and into a rural area. God willing, by next year we'll be living very near family, in the middle of God's beautiful forest.

But this a blog is about books. I am certainly thankful, as I pack the gazillion books we own, that we have such easy, ready access to books. And as I learn about people throughout the world whose governments make owning a Bible illegal, I'm thankful that I have multiple copies of the Bible. But the Bible I may be most thankful for is The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones (and illustrations by Jago). Not only has this children's Bible storybook been a huge blessing for my children - teaching them important, deep spiritual truths - but it's taught me a lot about the Bible, too. And I'm not the only adult who feels this way. In fact, so many adults wrote to Jones about The Jesus Storybook Bible, that she created a version just for adults, called The Story of God's Love For You.

What I Like: I absolutely love how Jones goes way beyond mere retelling of Bible stories in The Jesus Storybook Bible. She not only links all the stories included in the book to Jesus, but she manages to express spiritual truths in such a simple, easy to understand way. I cannot recommend this book enough.

What I Dislike: Nothing!

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: Toddlers through adults.

 
Publisher Info: Zondervan, 2007; ISBN: 978-0310708254; hardback, 352 pgs., $17.99

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40 Days, 40 Bites: A Family Guide to Pray For the World

In 40 Days, 40 Bites: A Family Guide to Pray for the World, author Trudi Parkes covers the needs of more than twenty different countries around the world. She talks about hunger, poverty, the need for clean water, and the need for Bible translators. As hard as it might be to believe, there are still millions of people around the world who have not yet heard about Jesus.

Each day’s devotion focuses on a different topic or a different part of the world. Each devotion has a Bible reference. The layout and info varies, but some day’s devotions have sections called “New Words,” “Did You Know?” and “Fact File.” Each of these includes additional information about the day’s topic. Each devotion also includes a sample prayer as well as a specific item to pray for.

What I Like: I like the format of the book, with 40 different ways to pray for people around the world, so you can learn about one person/one place each day for 40 days. You can do one chapter every day or break it down into whatever form works best for you.

What I Dislike: I’m puzzled as to why the title is 40 DAYS, 40 BITES, when this book does not deal with food in any particular way. Perhaps the author liked the way it sounded because it's almost like "40 days, 40 nights?" I think the title is a bit misleading as I was expecting a book that perhaps provided 40 different ways to eat healthier in 40 days or 40 ways to help stamp out hunger in 40 days.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: The way this book is written, it’s great for the whole family. Young children would need the book read/explained to them, while older ones could read for themselves. The targeted reading age would probably be 10 and up.

Publisher Info: CF4Kids, 2014; ISBN: 9781781914014; paperback, 96 pages, $7.99.

Buy now at ChristianBook $6.29!

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Special Info: Be aware the author spells many words the British way. For example, “organization” is spelled “organisation” and “labor” is spelled “labour.” This isn’t a problem, it’s just good to be aware of the different spellings so you don’t think the text is filled with typos.

 

Dare U 2 Open This Book

DareU 2 Open This Book, by Carol McAdams Moore, is a devotion book for guys. There are 90 two-page devotions. Each devotion includes a topic, quote, Scripture summary, plus some type of activity – doodles, journal prompts, quizzes, etc – that relate to that day’s devotion.

Topics include things like how to listen for God’s instructions, ways to praise God, ways to forgive people who hurt you, and ways to share your faith with others. As the book blurb says, this isn’t your typical devotion guide. “It’s an open space for you to explore and learn more about yourself and your faith. Prompts get your mind thinking and ideas flowing, helping turn your thoughts and emotions into dynamic doodles and more.”

What I Like: Just about everything.

What I Dislike: This is a great book for devotions and for generating ideas on how to implement the days’ lessons. However, the book is set up so you can not only write or doodle in it, but you’re supposed to be able to paint on the pages or glue things to them. This is just a paperback book. I think any painting or gluing would make the pages thick and make the book difficult to close.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Teens.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2014; ISBN: 9780310742975; paperback, 192 pages, $9.99.

Buy now at ChristianBook $7.49!

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Special Info: This book is intended for boys, but I think some girls would like it, too, if they can get past the “guy” language (words like “dude”). Visit the author’s website. Read our review of the girls’ companion book called Just Sayin.

FaithGirlz! NIV Bible

This special binding of the Faithgirlz! Bible, NIV offers a trendy and unique magnetic closure. Every girl wants to know she’s totally unique and special. This Bible says that with Faithgirlz! sparkle. Through the many in-text features found only in the Faithgirlz! Bible, NIV girls will grow closer to God as they discover the journey of a lifetime.

Features include:

• Book introductions—Read about the who, when, where, and what of each book.

• Dream Girl—Use your imagination to put yourself in the story.

• Bring It On!—Take quizzes to really get to know yourself.

• Is There a Little (Eve, Ruth, Isaiah) in You?—See for yourself what you have in common.

• Words to Live By—Check out these Bible verses that are great for memorizing.

• What Happens Next?—Create a list of events to tell a Bible story in your own words.

• Oh, I Get It!—Find answers to Bible questions you've wondered about.

• The complete New International Version (NIV).

• Features written by bestselling author and tween expert Nancy Rue.

What I Like: While we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, the cover to this FaithGirlz! Bible is really adorable. The purple polka-dotted area is actually a magnetic flap that help keeps the bible closed and keeps the usually exposed pages protected.  The text inside is purple and the extras are highlighted in pink. A true girly bible. However, this bible is more than just cute. It is very much a study bible for girls. I especially love the "Oh I Get It!" section where girls get a deeper understanding of scripture. My other favorite extra is "Is There A Little...In You?" in which readers are asked to relate to people in the bible. It is a great resource to help the readers understand the motives and feelings of those in bible. "Is There A Little...In You?" also helps teach girls about qualities that may not recognize in themselves; good and bad.  The "Treasure This" section highlights scripture girls can relate to and easily memorize.

What I Dislike: At full price, it's a bit steep for a tween bible.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 9-12 but I think girls aged 9-14 would like this bible.

Publisher Info: Zondervan, 2015; ISBN: 978-0310750079; Hardcover, 1504 pgs., $39.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $23.99

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