Book Review - A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue

A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue by J.A. Myhre

Set in Africa, this fictional chapter book gives children a glimpse into the culture of another part of the world including topics such as poverty, gender treatment, education, and conflict.

While the book does not give an outright Christian message, it does weave in some biblical themes such as bravery.

One thing that would have been helpful to add is a pronunciation guide for all of the names. Some of the names may be hard to pronounce consistently if reading aloud, such as "Mbega" or "Njili."

This book will lead readers on an intriguing adventure that will have both children and adults eager to know what happens next.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Cross Focused Reviews.

Review: His Kids United Christmas Vol. 1

The “His Kids United Christmas” album contains 12 Christmas songs featuring the voices of children. I consider this CD a blend of traditional and contemporary music. The CD includes some traditional Christmas carols with traditional sounds that will bring back memories of Christmases past, as well as some new songs with lyrics about today’s Christmas traditions, all while still pointing to the same ancient true meaning of Christmas – the Savior born in Bethlehem. While some songs are slower paced, many of the songs have a nice upbeat sound that makes you want to move, dance, and tap along to the music. After the tracks were finished playing, I wanted to turn the CD on again to listen to it some more. The lyrics are powerful and will inspire listeners to let their light shine and share the true light and love we celebrate at Christmas.

Click here for a free download of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” 

Disclosure: I received a free digital download of this album as part of the His Kids United Christmas Vol. 1 blog tour with Cross Focused Reviews.

Book Review: Awakening Faith

Awakening Faith contains 366 daily devotional readings on various topics. Each day’s reading contains a Bible verse along with a one-page passage taken from the writing of an early church leader. I really like the short and manageable length of each day’s passage, allowing even busy readers to easily keep up with the daily readings and gain exposure to the thoughts of these Church leaders from history. In this collection, you will find writings from Ambrose, Augustine, John Chrysotom, and other Christian thinkers and Church leaders from the first eight centuries (0-800 A.D.). The back of the book includes a section containing short biographies of each writer, which I really like, telling who they are, what they are known for, and when they lived. The short passages along with the brief biographies provide a good and digestible introduction to the early church leaders and their writings, giving us a glimpse at how our brothers understood the Scriptures in ages past. God’s Word truly stands firm throughout the ages, and this book is a great reminder of that.

The hardcover book is very attractive in subtle earth-tone colors and contains an attached brown ribbon bookmark. This would make an excellent gift for anyone interested in learning more about our Christian heritage and the legacy left by these early Church leaders.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as part of the Awakening Faith blog tour with Cross Focused Reviews.

Book Review: Christmas Uncut

Christmas Uncut: What Really Happened and Why it Matters was written by Carl Laferton. According to the publisher’s website, the book would make a good gift. The book is less than 70 pages long and available for under $5. I feel that it would be best suited for the young adult crowd, both Christians and non-Christians alike.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I like the author’s intention to focus on the details of the authentic Christmas story as described in the pages of Scripture. However, his way of going about it bothered me a little. Throughout the book, he mocks the traditional children’s nativity play, beginning each chapter with a story of an acting scene gone wrong. He then continues each chapter by relating the true historical events of the Christmas story and their importance. I agree that some Christmas performances may not always be entirely faithful to the biblical text, but I do not think they are all bad either. I believe they can be a great way to introduce children to the true story of Christmas. As a children’s ministry leader, I couldn’t help but take offense.

With that aside, the book does help to correct false ideas that have become part of the Christmas story as it has been idealized over time in our culture. The author seeks to reveal truth and help readers look at the Christmas story in a new way, thinking on details often overlooked. Near the end of the book, readers are given ideas of ways they can explore more, and the closing sections seek to provide a rebuttal to some objections readers may raise. I appreciate the author’s desire to point people to the true hope, joy, and love found in the real Christ of the Christmas story.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book from the Good Book Company as part of Cross Focused Reviews’ Christmas Uncut blog tour.