Noah by Mark Ludy

Handlebar Publishing: Review of Noah by Mark Ludy

The story of Noah and the Ark has been retold countless times, in varying media, and with an even greater variance in quality of telling. Authors, filmmakers, and artists have created their own interpretations and told the story of an eccentric man who, at nearly 500 years old, had an encounter with God and was instructed to build an Ark to save himself, his family, and the creatures of the earth from rain; something the world had never seen! Mark Ludy joins this group with his own description of this incredible Biblical account. This book presents an interesting concept in children’s books. It is a wordless picture book but not of the typical board book sort, rather, this is a full size hardcover book with glossy pages, vivid colors, and stunning imagery. The book tells the story of Noah, through pictures, from chapters 5-10 of the book of Genesis. Although this book does contain pictures depicting the darker parts of the story of Noah (including the drowning of those not aboard the Ark and Noah’s fear of God), it is faithful to the text of the Bible. The attention to some of the finer details of the pages is also of note. In the pages illustrating the birth of the sons of Noah, the artist has captured great joy on the faces of Noah and his wife. The author has also included dinosaurs in the pictures depicting the earth prior to the flood which is an interesting point of view for this story. The author also illustrates the timeline of the biblical narrative as he portrays the passage of time through the growth of Noah’s sons and the construction of the Ark. The author pays close attention to the details of the story and illustrates that God spoke to Noah and that construction of the Ark began prior to the birth of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These small details add to the value of this work because in the numerous retellings of this story these details are often excluded.

I was initially skeptical about the value of a book of this type because of its lack of text. However, as I have “read” through the book with my children I have found that the lack of words causes us to peruse the pages more slowly and with more interest. We have been able to tell the story in our own words as well as with the text of the Bible to guide us. The pictures have also allowed the opportunity for smaller children to tell the story from their memory, and in their own words. This book can be enjoyed by adults and children alike; the stunning artistic rendering of this story coupled with the overall quality of the book and attention to detail make this an excellent addition to personal libraries for any age. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Handlebar Marketing as part of their bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." Learn more about this book and the author here.

Blogging for Books Review: God Gave Us You

God Gave Us You
by Lisa Tawn Bergen
© 2000 by Lisa Tawn Bergen
Published by WaterBrook Press
Illustrations by Laura J. Bryant





One night at bedtime a sweet little polar bear poses the question "where did I come from" to her mother. As Mama Bear tucks her child into bed she lovingly assures Little Cub that both she and Papa wanted her very much and were overjoyed that "God gave us you".

This board book is about 20 pages from cover to cover. Each page includes text and beautiful illustrations. It is a cute story and imparts a moral that Christian parents wish to share with their children, that each child is desired and loved by both their parents and God.

Although this is a sweet story with a good message, it does have a few problems. The first is that it is inappropriately categorized for age. The book indicates that it is suitable for ages 0-3 but it is probably better suited for ages 3-5. The book has lengthy sentences and paragraph-long text on some pages which is far too much text for most children under 2 years old. The complex sentence structure is more appropriate for children in a slightly higher age group. The fact that it is a board book is the only quality that makes it appropriate for a younger age group.

This story is also somewhat restricted when describing the birth of Little Cub: "We raced to the hospital! And my how you screamed and yelled." In the years since the first publication of this book, the number of babies born outside of the hospital, in birth centers and at home, has increased dramatically. Publishers would be wise to consider this demographic trend when issuing books that involve such topics. Additionally, screaming and yelling are not positive words and seem to distract from the intended sweet nature of this book. Many parents are likely to be concerned with this poor choice of words and left to explain to their children that it was really alright that they screamed and cried (if, in fact, they did scream and cry).

Although this book offers a rather cute story it's illustrations are its champion quality. The book is not appropriate for the age group intended and the story leaves readers (and parents) feeling somewhat disappointed with poor word choice and descriptions.

To learn more about this book and the author check out these links:

Author's Site
More Info
Author Bio





I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this review.

Blogging for Books Review: As Silver Refined by Kay Arthur

By Kay Arthur
© 2011 by Kay Arthur
Published by Waterbrook Press

This book is comprised of 15 chapters in 276 pages and includes a 13 week study guide following the chapters of the book.

Within the pages of this book Kay Arthur tackles the struggles many Christians face when they are overcome by tragedy, complications, and trials in life. Arthur seeks to encourage Christians to look for God's true purpose in unavoidable tragic circumstances in life and when life simply does not turn out as planned.

The chapters in her work discuss the feelings of anger and resentment that Christians are often inclined to feel toward God when bitter circumstances strike, and how to avoid falling into despair and a life apart from God. Her chapters discuss how to resist feeling like a failure before God, coping with stress, accepting God's training in the trials he ordains, and seeking God's plan and resting in his peace. She also offers chapters of encouragement that seek to bolster the spirit and determination of her readers by providing spiritual tools for endurance, understanding God's sovereignty, and overcoming dejection and despair. Arthur provides Biblical truths to help readers find their way through the flames of the trials they face and relates them to the refiners fire, God's refining process, that will result in a beautiful reflection of Himself.

Within in this work, Arthur blends Biblical reference with personal stories of trial and hardship to encourage those facing difficulty in their lives as well as those who are seeking spiritual growth and understanding the purpose and plans of God. She uses the struggles of her own life and of those she has mentored and ministered to to convey that with God's guidance and direction, even the most nightmarish trials can be faced and overcome by Christians.

This book reads almost like a letter to readers, rather than just another book on spiritual growth. Arthur repeatedly refers to her readers as "beloved" and uses language that makes the book seem more like a conversation between author and readers, including her prayers within the chapters. Unfortunately, readers are likely to either genuinely appreciate or particularly disdain this writing style. Oftentimes this style can cause her sincerity to seem artificial.

Arthur beautifully intertwines scripture into her stories and lessons leaving readers with a sense of purpose and understanding of how the Bible applies to their lives and situations. Additionally, Arthur's extensive knowledge of scripture allows her to elaborate on passages and share a deeper understanding of Biblical passages and principles.

Overall this is a good book. It is suitable for teenage and adult readers, regardless of their spiritual maturity, who seek to understand God's purpose or who are struggling with their own trials and problems.



This is an updated version of Arthur's book of the same title published in 1998.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Book Crash Review: The Prodigy Project by Doug Flanders

by Doug Flanders
© 2010 by Douglas R. Flanders
Published by Prescott Publishing



Doug Flander's, The Prodigy Project , is a medical thriller crafted around the author's personal experiences and lifestyle. Flanders utilizes 15 years of experience as an Army reservist and almost two decades of medical practice to write an intriguing story with excellent, thorough, and believable detail.

The story captivates the imagination of readers with a plot centered around an operation to awaken dormant viruses within human DNA in effort to create a biological weapon powerful enough to give its master control of the globe and the future of humanity. The discovery of the operation by two young Chinese researchers leads them to contact the United States with information about the operation and attempt to flee China before their actions are realized. Jon Gunderson, a doctor and an expert in bio-weaponry, comes to their aid with his wife and nine children in unknowing accompaniment. When plans for rescue begin to go awry, Jon must face his family and admit his dishonesty about his work but his family must reconcile their anger and disappointment if they are to rescue the young informants and leave China with their family intact. As the large and closely-knit family seeks to leave China in safety, Jon must also be mindful of the earth shattering consequences of failure to remove the researchers and foil the virus-reviving operation.

The novel is 327 pages of exciting and realistic detail complemented by a thrilling storyline and the broad knowledge base of the author. Flanders clearly describes scenes with excellent detail of landscapes, physical and emotional conditions, relationships, and communication between characters. He develops his characters extensively allowing readers to feel as though they know them but not to the extent that their actions and decisions are predictable. Flanders' attention to detail and medical expertise also contribute to the quality of this novel as he is able to craft scenes of medical complexity that can be easily understood by lay readers. The author's love for family (and big ones!) is clearly communicated in this novel and he is able to draw from firsthand experience in organizing and portraying a large family within the pages of the work.

Although an excellent novel, the author is somewhat emotional in his descriptions at both the beginning and the end of the work. There are a few instances in which he seems to be writing scenes as he would like them to (or perhaps as they have) played out in his own family. Additionally the author seemed to be attempting to include every good idea he could conceptualize within his book and seems to rush to cram as many as possible into the story near the end. Although this makes the work seem somewhat over-dramatic in its final pages, it does not reduce the overall quality of the novel.

In addition to offering readers excitement and great detail, Flanders also carefully weaves family values and the importance of faith, trust, and forgiveness into the pages of his novel. He easily integrates his faith and beliefs into the story and characters but also allows characters to make mistakes and experience failures in their own faith and family.

Overall this is an excellent novel. Readers will be easily caught up in the excellent story-telling and will experience difficulty setting the book aside. The work is well suited for both teenaged and adult readers.


I received this book from the publisher through the BookCrash program at no charge in exchange for this review.

Tyndale House Publishers Review: Oops! by Bill Myers

Oops!
by Bill Myers
© 2011 by Bill Myers
Published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc

Oops! is the third book in Bill Myers' newest series for kids, TJ and the Time Stumblers. TJ (also known as Thelma Jean Finkelstein) continues in her pursuit to fit in at her new school in Malibu, California while attempting to keep the pesky time stumblers from the 23rd century, Tuna and Herby, from completely ruining her life with their crazy antics. In Oops! TJ learns to appreciate the people around her, despite their rude behavior, oddity, and strange habits, as the individuals God created them to be. But thanks to the 23rd century invention of the thought-broadcaster pen (which makes the thoughts of anyone it hits audible), TJ finds herself in some precarious situations that only seen to get worse with her attempts to fix them. In addition to hampering her struggle to fit in at school, the pen also creates havoc in TJ's developing friendship with cute-boy, Chad Steele. In a conversation with her dad, TJ learns how her mother had handled problems and situations that she did not like and she realizes that it is best to try to see what God sees in others, not only what she sees. TJ also learns that regardless of an individual's behavior or attitude, each person in the world needs to be loved.

This book is written for ages 8 (3rd grade) and up. It is comprised of eleven chapters in 158 pages. The book offers a great deal of dramatic design in it's pages with regard to fonts and spacing for effect, and gives young readers the opportunity to use their imaginations when reading particular words from the pages. The author uses a great deal of contemporary humor and made-up words that will appeal to readers in the 8-12 year age group as well as captivate their imaginations and leave them wanting to read more about this sort-of-crazy girl and her almost-out-of-control life.


Check out this trailer for the series:




The author shares the story well and uses characters that young readers will find amusing and to whom they can most likely relate. He uses characters and situations that most readers will find relevant and easy to imagine as well. Myers blends these elements with biblical principles that urge readers to consider what God would want them to do in similar situations.

Although this book is part of a series readers do not need to have read the previous books to keep up with the characters or storyline. Myers masterfully conveys the events and character development in such a way that allows readers new to the series to effortlessly follow the story and want to read more.

The author uses a variety of interpersonal relationships to tell TJ's story, but some of the situations and the context of certain relationships may be slightly too mature for readers closer to 8 years old than 12 years. Parents who are concerned with early exposure to relationships with the opposite sex should be aware that there is a great deal of emphasis on boy-girl relationships and the terms boyfriend and girlfriend are used in a mature context.

Overall this book is enjoyable to read, entertaining, and promotes a biblical message to kids in a fun way. I recommend this book and the series for young readers ages 10-12 years.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Book Sneeze Review: Thank You, God, for Blessing Me by Max Lucado

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me
by Max Lucado
© 2011 by Max Lucado
Published by Thomas Nelson
Illustrations by Frank Endersby





Thank You, God, for Blessing Me is a charming and delightful book written for pre-school age children. The book is classified as a "Read 2 Me" book, intended to be read aloud to children who are not yet able to read. This is a board book with heavy cardboard pages that cannot be ripped or torn and is appropriate for small children who will want to reach out and touch the colorful illustrations in this book.

The book offers nine pages of sweet and playful rhyming text. It offers a lesson on gratitude and gives parents and other caregivers an opportunity for a teachable moment with their children, encouraging them to be thankful for every-day things. The book has beautiful color graphics that are fun to look at and make the story come to life. Parents and children alike will want to linger on the pages of this text as the illustrations are truly fantastic.

This book is part of the "Little Hermie" series and makes some references to characters who appear in other books in the series. This could create a small problem for children who are not familiar with the other books and characters. However, this would probably be a minor issue while reading, and possibly looked over by most younger children.

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me is a wonderful addition to the collection of Christian books for pre-school age children and gives parents the opportunity to enjoy reading to and sharing their faith with their young children.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. I was not required to post a positive review.

BookCrash Review: Deliver Me Edited by Dianne E. Butts

Deliver Me: Hope, Help, and Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy
Compiled and edited by Dianne E. Butts
© 2011 by Dianne E. Butts
Published by Connections Press Pueblo, Colorado

Deliver Me is a compilation of short stories and essays in 235 pages and nine chapters. The book explores the decisions and choices of real women who faced unplanned pregnancies. It offers over 50 stories from women and men who faced questions concerning abortion, adoption, keeping their baby, facing family and society, as well as letters and essays written by husbands, partners, and family members affected by unplanned pregnancy. The work offers hope and encouragement to women (and men) who are struggling with unplanned pregnancy as well as healing and encouragement to readers whose experience is in the past.



The chapters in this book cover questions including who faces unplanned pregnancy, the concerns of her family, and who can help these women find options. The book also discusses issues including abortion, adoption, how to help women who choose to keep their baby, the affect of abortion on men, learning from women and families who have experienced abortion, and how to reach out to those in need.

Deliver Me is a relevant work that offers personal and real stories of women and men struggling with the choices surrounding unplanned pregnancy. The work offers current data and statistics surrounding the topics addressed and conveniently organizes the statistics within the appropriate chapters. The end of each chapter offers resources for readers who wish to follow up or learn more about particular topics or find solutions and help in their own situation.

The work offers a valuable and legitimate chapter concerning men and their role in the issues considered in this book. The essays are written by men who supported the choice of abortion, those who said they would support any decision made by their partner (thereby relinquishing themselves from the responsibility of choosing), and men who opposed the option of abortion. One contributor observes that while statistics indicate that one in three women in the church has had an abortion "women didn't do this all by themselves [and] one in three men in the church are post-abortive as well." He writes that "men seem invisible in this issue" and indicates that while the emphasis is usually on "getting to the women to save he babies" there should also be focus toward saving men and women from the regret that often follows abortion (p.96).

In addition to chapters devoted to relevant information, resources, and statistics, the work also offers several pages of notes and sources as well as brief biographies of individual contributors. These two sections lend credibility to the work and extinguish any skepticism regarding the validity and authenticity of the stories within the book. A unique feature of this book is a chapter specifically dedicated to educating readers about the role of crisis pregnancy centers. The chapter goes beyond describing the pregnancy-related work of these centers and illustrates that they also assist women who are struggling with abusive relationships, parenting issues, post-abortion recovery, and sexual abuse recovery.

Although this book has a great deal to offer readers, it falls short in a few areas. One of it's most glaring shortcomings is its relatively narrow target audience. A story about a grandmother struggling with her daughter's pregnancy with a biracial child could have been edited for content to appeal to a wider range of readers. While the story illustrates God's love, forgiveness, and power to change hearts, readers who are new in their faith, or who do not share the editor's faith, may find the story distasteful and offensive rather than heartwarming.

Some further editing would have helped to clarify a few of the stories in the book as some contributors seem to drift from their topics while sharing their experiences. Other contributors use rather dated lingo including words such as "cyberspace" (p.168) within their narratives that could probably be edited as well.

Additionally, the book's format lacks aesthetic value. The individual stories within the chapters do not flow well from page to page and would be more pleasing to look at if they were spaced out a little bit differently rather than just continuing from one page onto the next. The cover and graphics also appear to be somewhat dated and this looks more like a paperback from the 1990s than a recently published book.

This book would be complimented by a corresponding website that offers up-to-date links to the resources listed in the book. A website offering this type of information would be more user friendly, save readers from typing in long and cumbersome web addresses and would also keep the book current and allow for updates to resource information.

Overall this book is an excellent resource for anyone involved in an unplanned pregnancy including pregnant women, their partners, parents, grandparents, friends, family, and those involved in the work of crisis pregnancy centers. It allows readers to explore the experiences of others who have faced unplanned pregnancy and offers resources for those searching for answers to their questions. This book would also be an excellent piece of literature for those who are undecided on their position on abortion as it speaks to the human impact of the issue rather than just the political.

I received this book from the publisher through the BookCrash program at no charge in exchange for this review.