All posts tagged Book Review

Problems in Plymouth: Giveaway!

By | November 8, 2011 | Reviews | 6 Comments

There are problems at Plymouth rock, and Beth and Patrick are caught right in the middle of it all!  In this book, the sixth in “The Imagination Station” series, the cousins are in hot pursuit of a man named Hugh who has used a special ring to leave his time (medieval ages) and stir up trouble during the colonial times in North America.

After using the Imagination Station in Whit’s End, the cousins come face to face with Hugh and try to convince him to return to his time.  Fearing punishment, Hugh runs away and suddenly, Beth and Patrick are surrounded by a bunch of Native Americans, with arrows!

Through a series of events, Beth and Patrick find themselves among the crowd at the first Thanksgiving, but Hugh is stirring up trouble again and the celebration may be ruined!

Compared to Showdown with the Shepherd, this book lacks a bit when it comes to drama and a smooth plotline.  Though it’s still a good read, it seems like the authors are stretching a bit to develop a climax to the storyline.    However, it’s still great work and a worth taking a look at.  Why not buy all six books in the series for a Christmas gift?  At only $5 each, it’s something worth thinking about!

Want to Win a Copy?

Leave me a comment telling me your favorite part about Thanksgiving!

Grab an extra entry by liking Growing Kids Ministry on facebook and then leaving me a comment saying you did so.

Check out Other Books in this Series:

Voyage with the Vikings (Book #1)

Attack in the Arena (Book #2)

Peril in the Palace (Book #3)

Revenge of the Red Knight (Book #4)

 

 

Peril in the Palace and Revenge of the Red Knight: Book Reviews

By | August 15, 2011 | Reviews | 7 Comments
peril-in-the-palace1

I just finished reading books 3 and 4 in the Imagination Station series (Adventures in Odyssey).  Following the pattern of both Voyage with the Vikings (#1) and Attack in the Arena (#2), these two books were well-written, value-driven, and great for preteens.

In Peril in the Palace (book #3), the cousins Patrick and Beth are transported via the Imagination Station to China during Kublai Khan’s reign.  During their time there, they meet some famous travelers and engage in their share of danger, just like in the previous two books.  The authors fill the book with just enough suspense to keep the pages turning without being scary for young readers.  Beth and Patrick both show bravery in doing what’s right and standing up for what they believe in.  I thought it was interesting to introduce Mongol shamans and to expose their magic tricks for what they really were. However, I wonder if the book is making the matter of witchcraft and spells a little too harmless-looking.  In a time where the Wicca religion is rapidly growing, perhaps preteens need a stern warning about steering clear of this evil practice.

The length of the books is perfect for readers in the 6-10 range — providing lots of details and a rapid-pace plot.  I think both guys and girls would enjoy this series.  I was a little disappointed that book #3 ended in a “To Be Continued…” — seemed a little gimmicky to me, especially when book #4 didn’t seem to really live up to the hype Peril in the Palace seemed to promise.

In Revenge of the Red Knight (#4), the cousins find themselves in a cave after jumping in the Imagination Station, hoping to head back to Whit’s End.  Many of the mysteries from the first three books begin to work themselves loose as new details come to light in this book.  New mysteries emerge though with the discovery of a secret room and with the meeting of new characters.  Speaking of new characters, this book seemed to have a few too many characters to keep track of.  Between the knights, knaves, lords, ladies, and squires — it was hard to remember who was on what side (of course, this could be due to the fact that I’ve only been getting three hours of sleep with the additional of our new little one!).

This book was filled with it’s share of danger and suspense as well, though I don’t think it was as well written as the previous three books.  It didn’t seem to be as much as a page-turner as I was used to experiencing with the other books in this series.  Nonetheless, it certainly was worth the read and I would recommend it to any preteen or parent of preteen.  For under $5, it’s certainly worth buying for your kids!  Pick up your copy of Revenge of the Red Knight or Peril in the Palace today!

Want to to experience the books for yourself?  Leave a comment, telling me where you’d like to visit using the imagination station.  Contest will end Saturday, August 27th.  Sorry, we can only ship to USA residents.  Want more chances to win?  Leave a separate comment for each option you choose to do:

  1. Like “Growing Kids Ministry” on facebook
  2. Follow me (#lrwhitney) on twitter
  3. Like Tyndale House Publishers on facebook
  4. Retweet this contest using the button at the top of the post

Disclaimer: Tyndale House Publishers has provided you with a complimentary copy of these books.  The opinions expressed are my own.

Daddy Dates: Book Review

By | July 5, 2011 | Elementary Age, Parents, Preteens, Resources | Comments Off
dates

For this book, my husband did the honor of reading and reviewing the book Daddy Dates by Greg Wright.  Here’s what he said:

When my wife and I started to consider kids, we were generally told that boys were great and girls were…well the only advice we got was “LOOK OUT”.  After recently having a daughter myself, I was eager to find a book that could provide some practical insights into being an effective dad.    From the start, Greg used the book Daddy Dates as an effective medium to touch on all the issues that I as a new dad started to fret over.   Girls face tremendous pressure from media, the social scene, as well as at home, and all I wanted was to be a guide through this rough passage.   Even though the idea is simple and spawned from common sense, it is often those small ideas that are overlooked while we search for the great solution.   I am grateful that I came across Daddy Dates as it has given me a new outlook on fatherhood.   It has also given me the courage to have a real and hopefully impactful relationship with my own daughter.    I recommend this book to any struggling or overwhelmed father of girls.

Pick your copy of Daddy Dates up at Amazon today!

Also, check out the official Daddy Dates website!

 

As For Me And My House: Book Review

By | May 13, 2011 | Ministry Ideas: Lessons and Programs, Parents, Preteens, Reviews | Comments Off
my and my house

Sometimes it’s tough to get family devotions (or family faith talks) started in your home, especially if your children are now in the preteen or teen age range (hang in there!).  The book, As for Me and My House-Volume 2, written by Tom and Lori Ziegler, just may be the tool you need to get a jump-start on this rewarding family tradition.

The introduction does a great job setting the stage for a productive and enjoyable time with suggestions such as:

  • Have fun!  Family devotions should not be consistently full of correction.
  • Talk as a family.  Ask your children’s opinions on topics before sharing your own opinions.
  • Let your children take turns leading the family devotions once in awhile.

Each family devotion (there are 50 in all) contains a Scripture passage to focus on (usually 5-10 verses), an objective, and activity/discussion guide, and a commitment or follow-up section.  There’s also a verse (or sometimes two) at the end of each devotional to memorize or use for further study.

Each devotional is filled with many conversation starters and discussion questions.   If families are consistent with using this book, I can see them growing closer fairly quickly.  Some of the devotionals seem a little young for teens, but parents could probably adapt the discussion questions easily.

Families will have to be very diligent about spending time in the Word when using this book.  Besides the reference to Scripture at the beginning and end of each chapter/devotional, there is little actual discussion of the Bible.  Some hardly mention the concepts in Scripture at all.  Others seem like a cursory or shallow mention of the events in the passage.  A few do a great job comparing Scriptures and drawing some important application conclusions, but not too many.

As long as families remember this book is a tool in family devotional and not a “all-in-one” product, they should be in good shape.  Make sure to read the Bible passage aloud to the family and spend some time talking about it before diving into the questions in the book in order to keep the focus on God.   With this in mind, I would recommend this book for anyone who’s just getting started with Family Faith Talks or family devotional time.    Though the book is aimed at preteens, I think it would be suitable for anyone in the ages of 8-15.  For about $12.00 your can pick up your copy on Amazon or the DPI website.

Disclosure: I received this book free of charge from DPI Publishing in exchange for a review on this blog.

Attack in the Arena: Adventure for preteens

By | March 9, 2011 | Preteens, Reviews | Comments Off
attack

Book #2 of The Imagination Station series, Attack at the Arena, is a adventure-packed hit as well.  This time-traveling book, based on the Adventures in Odyssey radio series, is aimed at the 8-12 crowd, both guys and gals.   Though the preteens will enjoy reading it on their own, I recommend parents reading this out loud to their kids as a way to reconnect and discuss some great talking points such as standing up for your faith, first impressions, and seeking wisdom from elders.

This book doesn’t waste anytime putting the reader in suspense.  Immediately upon entering the imagination station, cousins Patrick and Beth find themselves right in the middle of an ancient Roman arena, with a hungry tiger on the loose!   The action doesn’t stop there as the cousins get separated and find themselves in very different circumstances: one in the emperor’s courtyard and another in a cave with a monk and an angry barbarian visitor! They’ve got some important choices to make (and quick!) as they try to find both each other and the mysterious chalice that Whit needs in order to save his friend, Albert.

Pick up your copy today and find out what Beth and Patrick will do in this adventure!