That's Not Hay in My Hair

That’s Not Hay in My Hair,  by Juliette Turner, is the story of soon-to-be sixth-grader Juliette (Jules) O'Connor. After her end-of-the-year school party, she and her mother are leaving New York City to live on a cattle ranch in Texas. Her mother was born and raised in Texas, but left the state to live in New York City to work on her career as a writer. She bought a ranch in Texas, but never lived there, only going back to visit. Now, she and Jules will live there full time.

Jule's mother is familiar with life in Texas and life on a 300 acre cattle ranch. But, Jules has no clue what things will be like. She is terrified by stories of snakes and scorpions and coyotes. When the two arrive at the ranch, fully expecting to be looked after by long-time caretaker Beau-Dee, they are surprised to learn he will be leaving the ranch for good the very next day. How will the two survive on the ranch by themselves?

What I Like: I appreciated all this little "factoids" that were thrown into the storyline. The author did a good job of adding useful and interesting tidbits to the narrative, increasing my knowledge of cattle and horses.

What I Dislike: It was difficult for me to get into the story. I thought from the opening chapters, when Jules is preparing to move out of New York City and into a cattle ranch in the heart of Texas, there would be lots of conflicts between the city life and the country life. There wasn't. There was barely any mention of it at all.

I thought there would be a lot of problems that they would have to deal with on their own that they would normally have relied on Beau-Dee's help to figure out. Although there were a lot of problems to deal with, they didn't exactly have to do things by themselves. There was always someone who was just a phone call away. Turns out they really didn't need Beau-Dee, although the opening of the story made it sound like they would.

The author included a lot of things in the text that left me with more questions than answers. Here are just some of them (Unfortunately, there were many more.): How could a dog drag mud into the house when it hadn't rained? If Texas was so hot, why did Jules wait so long to react to the heat? Who actually set off the fireworks at their 4th of July party? What kind of vine has thorns in it?  If Maggie's left foot was so sore, why was that the one that she stamped the ground with? How come Jule's mother was caught totally off guard when Jules mentioned her first day of school was the next day?

There was also overuse of the actions of eye rolling, smirking and shoulder and head patting.

Although the book was published by Zonderkidz, Christianity seemed to be just an after-thought. Jules does superstitious things like crossing her fingers and her toes. Her mom kept using the phrase "Holy Moses." Prayer was offered before only one meal, by Jule's grandmother, at the end of which she crossed herself, even though Jules stated she wasn't Catholic. Early parts of the book mentioned they went to church in NYC, but there is no mention of them going to church in Texas.

Overall Rating: Ho hum.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2016; ISBN 9780310732440; Paperback, 240 pages, $8.99.

Buy now at ChristianBook $7.19!

Or buy at Amazon $8.99.

TheKindle edition is available for $5.99.

Special Info: Just for girls.

That's Not Hay in My Hair

That’s Not Hay in My Hair,  by Juliette Turner, is the story of soon-to-be sixth-grader Juliette (Jules) O'Connor. After her end-of-the-year school party, she and her mother are leaving New York City to live on a cattle ranch in Texas. Her mother was born and raised in Texas, but left the state to live in New York City to work on her career as a writer. She bought a ranch in Texas, but never lived there, only going back to visit. Now, she and Jules will live there full time.

Jule's mother is familiar with life in Texas and life on a 300 acre cattle ranch. But, Jules has no clue what things will be like. She is terrified by stories of snakes and scorpions and coyotes. When the two arrive at the ranch, fully expecting to be looked after by long-time caretaker Beau-Dee, they are surprised to learn he will be leaving the ranch for good the very next day. How will the two survive on the ranch by themselves?

What I Like: I appreciated all this little "factoids" that were thrown into the storyline. The author did a good job of adding useful and interesting tidbits to the narrative, increasing my knowledge of cattle and horses.

What I Dislike: It was difficult for me to get into the story. I thought from the opening chapters, when Jules is preparing to move out of New York City and into a cattle ranch in the heart of Texas, there would be lots of conflicts between the city life and the country life. There wasn't. There was barely any mention of it at all.

I thought there would be a lot of problems that they would have to deal with on their own that they would normally have relied on Beau-Dee's help to figure out. Although there were a lot of problems to deal with, they didn't exactly have to do things by themselves. There was always someone who was just a phone call away. Turns out they really didn't need Beau-Dee, although the opening of the story made it sound like they would.

The author included a lot of things in the text that left me with more questions than answers. Here are just some of them (Unfortunately, there were many more.): How could a dog drag mud into the house when it hadn't rained? If Texas was so hot, why did Jules wait so long to react to the heat? Who actually set off the fireworks at their 4th of July party? What kind of vine has thorns in it?  If Maggie's left foot was so sore, why was that the one that she stamped the ground with? How come Jule's mother was caught totally off guard when Jules mentioned her first day of school was the next day?

There was also overuse of the actions of eye rolling, smirking and shoulder and head patting.

Although the book was published by Zonderkidz, Christianity seemed to be just an after-thought. Jules does superstitious things like crossing her fingers and her toes. Her mom kept using the phrase "Holy Moses." Prayer was offered before only one meal, by Jule's grandmother, at the end of which she crossed herself, even though Jules stated she wasn't Catholic. Early parts of the book mentioned they went to church in NYC, but there is no mention of them going to church in Texas.

Overall Rating: Ho hum.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2016; ISBN 9780310732440; Paperback, 240 pages, $8.99.

Buy now at ChristianBook $7.19!

Or buy at Amazon $8.99.

TheKindle edition is available for $5.99.

Special Info: Just for girls.

Glimmer Girls: A Dolphin Wish

Glimmer Girls: A Dolphin Wish, by Christian Grammy winning artist Natalie Grant, is the second book in the FaithGirlz Glimmer Girls series.  Once again, Mia and Maddie are solving a mystery  again with their little sister Lulu!  Their mother is a famous singer so the entire family gets to travel with her around the world to her concerts. In the last book they traveled to London.  In this book they travel to the San Diego, California. While there, they visit an amusement park and encounter a mystery involving the animals.  The sisters also deal with feelings of jealousy between them while in San Diego.

What I Like: I appreciate that this book can stand alone from the first book in the series.   You will not be lost at all if you haven't read the first book and decide that you want to start with this one.

If you read my review of the first book, you will remember that I was concerned about  one of the characters sneaking out at night and not receiving consequences.  This disobedience was addressed more thoroughly in this second book.   I also appreciated the family discussions and their reliance on God throughout the book.

What I Dislike:  There was nothing I disliked about this book.

 
Overall Rating: Excellent.
 
Age Appeal: 8-12.
 
Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2016; ISBN:0310752531; Paperback, 144 pages, $8.99.

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $7.19
 
Or Buy it at Amazon.com for $7.11.

Special Info: You can read my review of the first book in the series, Glimmer Girls: London Art Chase by clicking here.

Glimmer Girls: London Art Chase

Glimmer Girls: London Art Chase, by Christian Grammy winning music artist Natalie Grant, is the first book in the Faithgirlz Glimmer Girls Series.  Mia and Maddie are 10-year-old twins who fly to London with their little sister Lulu to watch their famous mother Gloria Glimmer sing in concert. While there they encounter a mystery.  The girls and their nanny try to solve who stole art from the National Gallery.

What I Like: I liked the elements of faith that were written throughout the book.  The characters struggled with feelings of jealousy, not fitting in and fear.  These were all addressed with the characters being told to pray and trust in God.

What I Dislike: There is a part in the story where the 10-year-old main character sneaks out of her hotel room in London to try to solve the mystery on her own.  She ends up being okay but I was disappointed that she did not receive consequences for sneaking out and putting herself in danger.  I think this really would have been a good opportunity for a teaching point on honesty, obedience and safety.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2016; ISBN: 987-0-310-75265-3; Paperback, 208 pgs., $8.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $6.99
 
Or Buy it at Amazon.com for $7.32.

God's Special Forces: A Manual for Becoming a Young Woman of Quality

Gods Special Forces: A Manual for Becoming a Young Woman of Quality by Darlene Laney is a workbook for teaching preteens the basics of hygiene, self care, and etiquette is a way that reminds them they have been created by God for a purpose.

Each chapter gives a brief Bible stud/ devotion and then dives into the specifics of practical advice. The chapters are titled:

• A New Look
• The Beginning
• Face Facts
• Value of a Woman
• Standing, Sitting & Walking
• Care of Self
• Skin Care
• Body Care
• Etiquette 101
• Accentuate the Positive
• Putting It All Together
• Last Word
• I'm Committed

At the end of the workbook, girls are encouraged to sign a commitment that they are going to apply the lessons and principles they have learned in this book.

What I Like: Growing up, I had a little book that I read and reread about character and beauty. This book has the possibility of being that for my daughter. It teaches girls how to beautiful from the inside out. After teaching girls that God has created them for a special purpose, it shows them what hairstyle suits their facial structure best, how to eat specific foods when in a group setting, and how to greet people they are meeting for the first time.

What I Dislike: I loved everything about this book.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 8-14-year-olds

Publisher Info: Halo Publishing International, 2013; ISBN: 978-1-61244-126-9 ; paperback, 120 pgs., $16.95

Buy it at Amazon.com for $16.95!

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.

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $10.49.
 
OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $10.37.

Cynthia Gives Thanks for Its Great To Be A Girl

Another Thanksgiving is upon us and I am always in awe of how God blesses my family and I every year. Every year brings new challenges and experiences and God is always right there blessing me with opportunities to live and learn. I am thankful for my position here at CCBR and being a part of a group of women who care about feeding our children's spirits through literature. I am especially grateful for It's Great To Be A Girl by Dannah Gresh. My 11-year-old daughter and I love this book. It's a resource that continues to help my daughter through the challenges of adolescence in a practical and spiritual way. It also encourages her to share her journey with me as an ally.

Everywhere your daughter goes--online or in real life--our culture tells her lies about her body. That's why bestselling author Dannah Gresh, creator of the Secret Keeper Girl events has developed this resource that points tween girls like yours to the truth about God's design.

With stories and examples your daughter can relate to, this Girl's Guide takes her to the Bible as her resource, helping her meditate on its message and have fun while she does it. She'll explore questions such as What if my body is different from everyone else's? What does the Bible mean by "Honor God with your body"? What about makeup--should I wear it? If so, how much? Should I be afraid to grow up? What's the big deal with nutrition and exercise?

Here's solid guidance with biblical grounding that will help your daughter grow spiritually as she's maturing physically.

About this series: The Girl's Guide books in the Secret Keeper Girl Series have been created for tween girls to help them explore topics important to them and give them the opportunity to travel deeper into "God's diary"--the Bible--for truth and instruction. 

What I Like: This in-depth book for young girls about to or who are already experiencing puberty goes into what is happening to their bodies, the importance of the changes and why God is the author of the changes. From the very beginning, authors Dannah Gresh and Suzy Weibel offer opportunities for the young readers to take this journey with their parents and friends as a bible study and learning experience. They are teaching the readers prayers, the importance of meditating on God's word and confidence that puberty is positive and necessary. I found it refreshing that Dannah & Suzy made puberty a journey of growth to be proud of, not scary or disgusting. I love that they encourage bonding with moms and friends during the journey.

It is an interactive book where girls can do crossword puzzles, fill-in-the-blanks, doodling, prayers, word search and journaling. The book is meant to be a resource, not just a one time read. The book includes sections of bible study.

The book also includes practical information like photos of the female womb and its purpose, menstrual cycle info, along with hair style ideas, hygiene practices, staying active while having fun, the importance of healthy eating and even bra shopping.


What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 8-12 Years but I would say 10-14 due to reproduction discussion.

Publisher Info: Harvest House Publisher, 2015; ISBN: 978-0736960076; Paperback, 128 pgs., $11.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $8.99

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $9.21

Project Inspired: Review and Interview

Nicole Weider is on a mission: to help young girls avoid the traps that culture sets. The trap that baits you into thinking you must sacrifice your self-worth in order to be beautiful and popular. Nicole launched Project Inspired in 2010 (www.projectinspired.com), a website for teen girls that analyzes pop culture and explores ways girls can live in their authentic beauty.

In Project Inspired, Nicole shares tips for you to stay true to yourself—to how you were created to be—as well as how to dress modestly yet fashionably, how to make a positive difference in the world, and how to enjoy your teen years while standing firm in your faith. With photographs, real behind-the-scenes stories from inside the fashion world, and an honest look at living a life that looks great on the outside and feels great on the inside, Project Inspired is a book you’ll turn to time and time again.


What I Like: From the very beginning of the book Nicole Weider, tells her testimony of being a young model in Hollywood and the pitfalls she faced in the "glamour" of being famous. So from the start she lets us know that she can actually relate to young girls trying to fit a mold, be liked by her peers and the desire to pursue a life she wanted.

I was a little weary about a book that focused on appearance but the book delves into feeling good about yourself within in a simple and easy for girls to understand. Nicole offers scripture, fashion tips, and everything a teen girl talks about with her friends and thinks about when she is alone, but with a faith filled heart. It reminds me of a teen magazine with depth and scripture.

I teach high school bible studies and a recent lesson was all about personal appearance, so I took Nicole's book into class. The girls went wild for the book and I was pleasantly surprised.

I had the pleasure of conductin an interview with author Nicole Weider and you can read it below!

What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: 12-18

Publisher Info: Zondervan; 2015; ISBN:978-0310749394; Paperback, 168 pgs., $17.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $11.49

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $11.99.

Nicole Weider Interview 

CCBR: Hi Nicole! Congratulations on your new book, Project Inspired! I had the pleasure of reading it and was pleasantly surprised. In the beginning of the book you give us your testimony. Could you tell the moms out there a very condensed version of who you are?

Nicole: My testimony is pretty crazy to say the least! I wasn't raised in a Christian home, and I didn't have faith in my life. My family and I lived in Salem, Oregon but I always wanted to move down to LA to pursue modeling more full time. I moved when I was 16, and my agency bluntly told me no matter how thin I got, my body type wasn't made for high fashion- but it was great for lingerie and swimsuit work. I was a lingerie model for several years, and I thought it would be a glamorous experience, however it was the opposite- it was destroying my self esteem and my self worth. After a series of coincidences and bad circumstances, I fell into depression and wanted to get out of the modeling industry. Thankfully, my best friend Christina is an on-fire Christian and she was the one who encouraged me to go to church with her. She prayed for me continually, and told me how God could use my experiences for His glory. I gave my life to Jesus when I was 23, and it was the best decision I've ever made. After I became a Christian, I knew I wanted to share my testimony with people to warn them about the dangers of Hollywood and the destruction it can be, along with the hope of Jesus Christ and how He saved my life.

CCBR: I also had the opportunity to visit your website (www.ProjectInspired.com) and really liked it. Could you tell us a little about the site and how the book and site differ?

My book is different from the site because I share my best fashion secrets and skin care advice, how I knew my husband was the one, and so much more. I also answered the top questions I get from girls on everything from depression, to bullying.

CCBR: Here at CCBR we love books that are not just "clean" books but also spiritually filled. While reading Project Inspired, you talk about turning to self help books when you were in need of comfort but never really find it that way. How important was it that you include scripture and biblical principles in your book? 

Before I became a Christian, I didn't know where to turn to find hope and inspiration. I thought turning to self help books would be what I needed, when in reality nothing I could read would satisfy my soul unless I turned to God. After I made the commitment to Jesus and I saw firsthand how he transformed my life, I knew only God could save people from their doubts of self-worth. It was incredibly important to me that the book was based on Biblical principles and scriptures, along with covering all of the issues that teen girls want to know about.

CCBR: You are also a contributor for the NIV Bible For Teen Girls (Read our review HERE). Tell us how that came about.

Nicole: It was an incredible honor and privilege that Zondervan wanted to use excerpts from my new book in the teen Bible. It was completely unexpected, and it is such a blessing! I also consider it a God-incidence (what I like to call a coincidence, but not really because God orchestrates everything) that a page from my book is across from my favorite scripture which is Matthew 7:7 "ask, seek, knock." God is so loving, and He amazes me every day.

CCBR: So I know you are busy and I am sure somewhere one of our reader's kid is yelling for Mom, so I have just one more question. Why is Project Inspired good for our teen girls?

Nicole: My book is a great resource for teen girls, because I feature almost every topic that the girls ask me. My book is unique, because it's a Christian book while still encompassing things not usually talked about in the Christian genre such as what everyday wardrobe basics, how to combat acne, finding the perfect jeans, and so much more. I also weave in my personal story, along with sharing the Biblical stories and how they relate to our modern day world.

CCBR: Thank you so much for spending some time with CCBR. 

NIV Bible For Teen Girls

The NIV Bible for Teen Girls, designed specifically for girls ages 13 to 18, is for real teenage girls with real lives. Packed with daily readings, highlighted promises of God, challenging insights, smart advice, and open discussion about the realities of life, this Bible is designed to help teen girls grow in faith, hope, and love. The NIV Bible for Teen Girls is as sincere about your walk with God as you are, helping you discover his will for all areas of your life, including relating to your family, dealing with friends, work, sports, guys, and so much more.

Features include:
Daily readings for teen girls by popular Christian female authors (Annie Downs, Bekah Hamrick Martin, Christine Caine, Crystal Kirgiss, Bethany Hamilton, Nicole Weider, Elsa Kok Colopy, Denise Van Eck and more)
Character profiles of women in the Bible
Book introductions for each book of the Bible
Highlighted promises of God: verses worth remembering
A concordance for help in finding verses
The complete text of the bestselling New International Version (NIV) of the Bible

What I Like: Everything. This a great bible for teen girls. While this study bible is packed with lots of great features I loved the highlighted promises of God (highlighted in pink) and the character profiles of women of the bible. My absolute favorite feature is the Daily Reading by influential Christian authors.  It's unique to teen bibles, but more than that, its like these influential women are talking directly to teen girls and offering them wisdom that's easy for them to comprehend when scripture may be unclear to them.

For example, Bethany Hamilton (Soul Surfer Movie, Rise Above Book) sheds some light on Psalm 19:14 where she asks if we speak differently depending upon the crowd we are with (pastors, parents, friends). She goes on to say how God is always listening and that a mouth check-up may be in order. This teen bible is filled with these Growing in Faith, Hope and Love readings.

What I Dislike: The concordance text is very, very small.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 14-18

Publisher Info: Zondervan, 2015; ISBN: 978-0310749691; Hardcover, 1728 pgs., $29.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $18.99

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $22.66

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

OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $28.51

Its Great To Be A Girl

Everywhere your daughter goes--online or in real life--our culture tells her lies about her body. That's why bestselling author Dannah Gresh, creator of the Secret Keeper Girl events has developed this resource that points tween girls like yours to the truth about God's design.

With stories and examples your daughter can relate to, this Girl's Guide takes her to the Bible as her resource, helping her meditate on its message and have fun while she does it. She'll explore questions such as What if my body is different from everyone else's? What does the Bible mean by "Honor God with your body"? What about makeup--should I wear it? If so, how much? Should I be afraid to grow up? What's the big deal with nutrition and exercise?

Here's solid guidance with biblical grounding that will help your daughter grow spiritually as she's maturing physically.

About this series: The Girl's Guide books in the Secret Keeper Girl Series have been created for tween girls to help them explore topics important to them and give them the opportunity to travel deeper into "God's diary"--the Bible--for truth and instruction. 

What I Like: This in depth book for young girls about to or who are already experiencing puberty goes into what is happening to their bodies, the importance of the changes and why God is the author of the changes. From the very beginning, authors Dannah Greash and Suzy Weibel offer opportunities for the young readers to take this journey with their parents and friends as a bible study and learning experience. They are teaching the readers prayers, the importance of meditating on God's word and confidence that puberty is positive and necessary. I found it refreshing that Dannah & Suzy made puberty a journey of growth to be proud of, not scary or disgusting. I love that they encourage bonding with moms and friends during the journey.

It is an interactive book where girls can do crossword puzzles, fill-in-the-blanks, doodling, prayers, word searches and journaling. The book is meant to be a resource, not just a one time read. The book includes sections of bible study.

The book also includes practical information like photos of the female womb and its purpose, menstrual cycle info, along with hair style ideas, hygiene practices, staying active while having fun, importance of healthy eating and even bra shopping.


What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 8-12 Years but I would say 10-14 due to reproduction discussion.

Publisher Info: Harvest House Publisher, 2015; ISBN: 978-0736960076 ; Paperback, 128 pgs., $11.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $8.99
OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $8.93

Best Party Book Ever! From Invites to Overnights and Everything in Between

Need ideas for your next party? Check out Faithgirlz Best Party Book Ever! From Invites to Overnights and Everything in Between. 

This book is packed full of helpful tips and creative ideas for your child to plan her next (or first!) big bash. It starts with a short 3-question quiz to figure out what type of hostess you might be... Garden Party, Movie Night, Glamping Gal, or Dancy Party girl. Readers can find a planning checklist to help the hostess get everything ready on time, a list of "no fail food",  and hostess hints on how to help guest feel welcome and comfortable. 

After providing general party tips, the book gives details about themed and holiday party ideas. The magazine-style layout is visually appealing and easy to read. Each party theme is sectioned into small decorative islands of information in the following format: 

• A one page overview of the party theme/holiday, including location ideas, invitations, color scheme, and decoration style. 
• A craft or two that fits the theme along with clear and simple directions and a photograph of the craft. Some crafts include helpful tips, including websites where you can buy the materials. 
• A menu with snapshots of the food. (All recipes are collected at the back of the book for easy access.) 
• Numerous colorful photographs of girls from a variety of ethnic backgrounds modeling completed crafts or simple sharing a smile. Most of the models in the book wore dresses. (The book itself often encouraged the girls to wear dresses to their parties.)

The overall effect of the picture selection was to give it a clean, magazine-style feel. The crafts are very appropriate for the target audience. They are sophisticated enough to feel trendy but simple enough for anyone to do. For example, there are directions to create an avocado face mask, lip balm (very cool!), stylish sunglasses, origami hearts, collage chalkboards, and more. The recipes are likewise sophisticated in look, but simple to create. They mainly use healthier, made-from-scratch ideas instead of prepacked fare. The book did not include many game ideas, although there were a few with directions for play. Instead it focused more on social interaction/friendship in the planning and execution of creating crafts, watching movies, baking cookies, or doing other activities as a group.

What I Like: This book is well put together. It’s easy to use, the craft and food ideas are outstanding (I want to make my own lip-balm, party or not!) and the photographs to an outstanding job of highlighting the finished product. Suggestions on how to reach out to guests also pleasantly surprised me. In today’s technology influenced world, the art of conversation can sometimes be overlooked, so I appreciated that aspect. I think young teens and preteens who love planning parties will simply adore this book.

What I Dislike: There is nothing major I dislike, just a few minor notes that may pertain to some readers. First, the editors use some slang (like “fave” instead of “favorite”) in the text. To me, slang feels dated and patronizing. I think the book would be stronger without it. Another note is that the book has a very feminine feel to it. Since I raised a tomboy, the cover and many of the photographs probably wouldn’t appeal to her. She would still enjoy the party ideas… but she’d probably take a more casual approach. And finally, although it is wonderful to have all these great ideas in a book at your fingertips (with top-rate photographs to help the reader visualize final products), you could likewise easily find ideas and many more just like this on the internet.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8-12

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2014; ISBN:9780310746003; Paperback, 128 pgs., $12.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $9.99
OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $11.09.

Special Info: Party planning girls might enjoy having another book in the Faithgirlz series on hand: Big Book of Quizzes: Fun, Quirky Questions for You and Your Friends (Faithgirlz).

The Beauty of Believing

The Faithgirlz series has a new devotional called The Beauty of Believing. Geared for girls ages 8-12, this 365-day devotional is a collection of stand-out entries pulled from several devotional books. Contributing Faithgirlz authors include Tasha K. Douglas, Mona Hodgson, Kristi Holl, Lois Walfred Johnson, Allia Zobel Nolan, and Nancy Rue.

The book is divided into six sections, each introduced by one of the contributing authors. They are: 

• Growing Seeds of Faith—(having the right focus) 
• God's Promises—(inner beauty) 
• Finding Strength in Hard Times—(faith during trials) 
• God Speaks to Us—(making Godly choices) 
• The Helping Body of Believers 
• The Beauty of Believing 

Each devotional short; most consist of only one page, although a few spill over into a second page. They are structured with a Bible verse listed at top followed by a short story or narrative addressing issues, questions, and conflicts appropriate for this age level. The bottom of the page has a gray box with an additional Scripture reference to look up, “Girl Talk”—a few personal questions that give the reader something to think about—and “God Talk”—a brief prayer. A byline marks the end of each devotion, letting the reader know the author and from what book the devotion originated. 

 Since several authors contribute to the book, the writing style itself varies a little bit. Some use more slang and a more conversational tone. Others focus on stories first with applications and insights that can be pulled from a situation, while still other devotionals start off with a more direct tone, highlighting a problem faced by preteens and going from there. While the overall theme is beauty, within that context readers address how to be a friend, loneliness, strengthening your faith, making good choices, how to deal with anger, self-discipline, and more.

What I Like: For busy teens, the structure of the book makes it easy to establish it as a quiet-time staple; in addition, the lessons are quick and easy to apply. As mentioned above, the topics are age-appropriate, which means most girls will be able to see themselves in the pages.

What I Dislike: If you’ve read other reviews by me, you know I don’t care for slang, which slips into some of the devotions. Slang can make a book feel outdated.  I believe using consistent quality vocabulary would have broadened the target audience by giving it a more mature, timeless feel.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2014; ISBN: 978-0310736172; Paperback, ebook, Kindle, 432 pgs., $12.99

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Special Info: Devotions are taken from some of the following books:

That Is SO Me: 365 Days of Devotions: Flip-Flops, Faith, and Friends (Or try the Kindle version)
Girlz Rock: Devotions for Girls (Or try the Kindle version)
Girl Talk: 52 Weekly Devotions (Or try the Kindle version)
Chick Chat: 90-Day Devotional (Or try the Kindle version )
Shine On, Girl!: 90-Day Devotional (Or try the Kindle version .)

FaithGirlz Big Book of Quizzes: Fun, Quirky Questions for You and Your Friends

If you’re a teenage girl and you like to take those quizzes you often find in teen magazines, then this is just the book for you. The editors of FaithGirlz have created FaithGirlz Big Book of Quizzes: Fun, Quirky Questions for You and Your Friends.

The book contains more than twenty quizzes divided into four categories: All About You; School Sitches and Stuff; Besties, Boys and Other Bafflers; and Faith and Family. You can explore how you feel about all these topics. Take the quizzes by yourself or do them with your friends.

In addition to the quizzes, there are some topics of interest with good advice for girls such as 7 Ways to Succeed in School and 6 Great Ways to Stay Cool in the Pressure Cooker. This is a great interactive book for girls ages eight to twelve.

What I Like: Everything.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2014; ISBN: 9780310746041; paperback, 128 pages, $12.99.

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books in the FaithGirlz series. This book is intended for girls.

Whatever: A 90-Day Devotional for Livin' the True, Noble, and Totally Excellent Life

Whatever: A 90-Day Devotional for Livin’ the True, Noble,and Totally Excellent Life, written by Allia Zobel Nolan, is as the title implies, a devotional with 90 days worth of readings. Also, you can probably tell by the title that it is written for teens, and in this case, specifically for girls.

The devotions are divided into 10 separate headings: eight of them relate to the eight virtues mentioned in Philippians 4:8 – “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,” etc. The first one is entitled “You and Your Thoughts” and the last one is called “Perfect Peace.” Each devotion starts with a Bible verse and includes sections called  “Food for Thought,” “Second Thoughts” and “Divine Thoughts”. By the time the reader has gone through all 90 devotions, they will have a clear idea of how to direct their thoughts to make themselves, true, noble, right, etc., and end with a life of “perfect peace”.

What I Like: Just about everything.

What I Dislike: Although the devotions are easy-to-follow and relevant to a teen girls’ life, I thought it was a bit unusual that the author did not include any type of introduction about the book. There is a short blurb on the back cover that says all 90 of the devotionals will show girls how to fill their heads and hearts with “virtues taken straight from Philippians 4:8.” They will then become more “…lovely, praiseworthy and excellent…”

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: I didn’t find an age rating, but I’d say ages 12 and up.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2012; ISBN: 9780310725343; Paperback, 294 pages, $9.99.

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Special Info: This book is part of the publisher’s FaithGirlz series. Read our reviews of other books in the series. Visit the author’s website. 

The God Squad in an Episode of Mission Him-Possible: The Distorted Mirror

The book The God Squad in an Episode of Mission Him-Possible the Distorted Mirror by Darlene Laney features six teenage girls (ages 12-15) of varying ethnic backgrounds that all attend  Carver Preparatory School. These once rough-edged girls have all bonded together as friends through their faith and desire to share their faith with others. They even came up with a name for their group: the God Squad. (The God Squad gives a nod to the inspiration for its name, The Mod Squad, a 1960-70s iconic counter culture television series about hippie undercover cops.)

As the girls' mentor, Ms. Foster not only counsels and guides them, she also gives them missions. In this book, the mission is to befriend a new student named Kelsey who has two issues to deal with. First, she is obsessively focused on looks and struggling with her self image. Second, she is making poor choices in order to fit in with the "popular" crowd. The girls aim to help her accept who she is in Christ.

The book begins with a short introduction from one of the characters, a girl named Mia, who says she will be the narrator for this episode. (Note: In actuality, she only narrates between chapters of the books, and not the actual story itself, which is told in third person.) In between chapters, Mia "converses" with you, the reader. On the about three-quarter length page, Mia invites you to reflect on times you have faced a similar situation, how you felt about it, and encourages you to visit the website and post your thoughts. These short interludes are very much like the commentary from a character following an Adventures in Odyssey program.

After that brief introduction, the reader meets all the six main characters-- seven if you count Ms. Foster-- and is given a glimpse at their meeting place (called the sanctuary) and their mission. We then meet Kelsey and see some of her inner struggle. From then on, the story follows the girls attempts to welcome Kelsey. Kelsey finds herself drawn to the friendship they offer, but at the same time not wanting to associate with them because she wants to hang with the "popular" crowd.

Things come to a crisis in the middle of the night, with Kelsey feeling cornered at a drunken Frat party and wanting a way out. In desperation, she calls Mia.

Mia and her friends come to the rescue, putting on their armor to go to battle for their lost pal. Each God Squad member goes into action. Mia uses the Sword of the Spirit to cut through the darkness (the frat halls) to get to Kelsey. Eve puts on the Shield of Faith to put out fiery darts of doubt and despair. Jade puts on the Hemet of Salvation to block their minds from fear and lies. Angel, Chris, and Sadie wear the Shoes of Peace, the Belt of Truth, and the Breastplate of Righteousness to go with Mia into the frat house to retrieve Kelsey.

After that incident, Kelsey realizes the follies of her choices and finally takes her life in the right direction.

What I Like: I appreciate how this book is supported by outside perks. First, readers are encouraged to become members of the God Squad. They can write via snail mail (an address is provided in the book). It also has a website. Finally, readers can visit the Facebook page to get daily G.E.M.S (God's Empowering Moments). I think that's a great way to connect with the reader and encourage them in their faith.

I also thought some of the questions Mia asked at the end of each chapter would make great talking points for a small group of readers or thinking points for a single reader to reflect on. The author seemed to have a good understanding of some of the conflicts and issues teen girls face. Plus, the overall idea of finding our worth in God and accepting ourselves for the way He made us is clear.

Finally, I appreciated how often the girls cooperated, supported each other, encouraged each other, and turned to the power of prayer. What great messages for teens!

What I Dislike: For me, there are a few minor dislikes I feel I should mention. First, the pictures are cute, but cartoonish, and a bit like a clean version of the Bratz dolls. I feel like they are a little immature for the teen target audience.

It's a little pricey for a paperback.

There are also at least Four catch-phrases in the book. Mission Impossible. SGF (Special God Force). God Squad. Prayer Power. I would have preferred the author pick one and stick with it.

Technically, I found several punctuation errors in the second half of the book.

UPDATE: Since publishing this review, CCBR heard from the author, who stated that the punctuation errors had been corrected in the latest version of the book. Yay!

Finally, much of the story structure is spent in a tedious cycle:  An event would happen that involved one or a few of the main six girls... and then all the girls would get together, and the event would be retold again. So you get a little bit of action and then a rehashing of all the action you just read about. Sometimes during these discussion sessions, a verbal response was given from each character. Here is a sample of what I am talking about from the epilogue (in response to a question from Ms. Foster asking how the girls were doing):
"Great," Mia chirped. /"Good," Eva added. /"Fine," Sadie supplied. /"Fantastic," Angel replied./ "Okay," Chris supplied. /"So-so," Jade replied.)

For me, that made the story stagnate.

Overall Rating: Good.  However, to be fair, I can envision some readers giving it a "very good" rating because of the opportunity to interact with the characters and the author online. That's a big bonus!

Age Appeal: None listed, but I recommend ages 8-12.

Publisher Info: Halo Publishing International, 2014; ISBN: 978-1612442976; Paperback and Kindle, 134 pgs., $13.95

This book is not available at Christianbook.com.
Buy the paperback from Amazon.com for $12.56 or the Kindle version for $6.95.

Special Info:  Laney also offers a book called God's Special Forces: A Manuel for Becoming a Young Woman of Quality.

Bible Stories for Boys/Bible Stories for Girls

Bible Stories for Boys (written by Peter Martin) and Bible Stories for Girls (by Christian Goodings) are a beautiful set, nicely illustrated by Simona Bursi. Each tells a handful of Bible stories, re-written for children and punctuated with lots of illustrations to help hold their interest.

Bible Stories for Boys includes the story of Old Testament Joseph and his difficult relationship with his brothers; Gideon, the reluctant solider; David and Goliath; Jonah; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; the parable of the rich and poor man from Luke 16; Zacchaeus; and Paul in prison.

Bible Stories for Girls includes the story of young Miriam; Deborah and Jael; Naomi and Ruth; Esther; Mary and Martha; the parable of the widow and the judge from Luke 18; the parable of the foolish bridesmaids from Matthew 25; and Lydia.

What I Like: The illustrations are appealing, and I love the fact that Bible Stories for Girls includes some stories my daughter - who is intimately familiar with a wide range of Bible storybooks - didn't know, like the story of Jael. (Which, admittedly, is pretty violent, although the author doesn't go into grotesque details.)

What I Dislike: My children are really familiar with Bible stories typically told to children, and as I read these books, they were constantly asking, "Does the Bible really say that?" Most of the time, my answer was "no," because these books are so full of extra-biblical information. That is to say, they take creative license and tack on information about what people were thinking or what they said that simply isn't in the Bible.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 5 - 9.


Publishing Info: Lion Hudson, 2014; ISBN:  978-0745963709 (boy's), 978-0745963716 (girl's); hardback, 48 pgs., $13.28

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Buy Bible Stories for Girls at Amazon for $13.49
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