Book Review Blog

Have you ever hedgehogged a book? Put so many sticky notes and bookmarks in it that there are pieces of paper sticking out in every direction, akin to the quills on a hedgehog? That’s how my copy of The Purpose Gap; Empowering Communities of Color to Find Meaning and Thrive by Patrick Reyes looks. It…

I think it’s fair to say that everyone has a subtle rhythm to their households, myriad little practices that flow into one another that help us make room for what matters, equip us to get the small tasks that make up the flow of our lives completed. I am hearing over and over again from…

I am blessed to receive texts from friends and friends of friends who are looking for information to help the children in their lives. Sometimes the texts are simple, like what’s your favorite sneaker to get for my kid in leg braces. Sometimes the questions are more involved, like how can I help my child…

Jill J. Duffield When I begin working on a new concept with a class of learners, I like to spend time connecting what they already know about to what we are about to learn. Basically, using what one already knows and understands bolsters a person’s comprehension of a new topic. When Lent In Plain Sight;…

Alan Fadling If someone were collecting data on the most common answers to the question of how one is doing, certainly one of the top three answers would be busy. People, especially as they emerge from the pandemic with new responsibilities on their shoulders, have extra obligations as partners and caregivers, extra tasks at work,…

Growing in Grace My husband and I met due to a shared love of music. We invest a LOT of time and money each month in piano lessons for our children. We have a collection of over 40 different hymnals, hundreds of CDs, and playlists amassed on several different platforms. We are the family that…

Shani E. McIlwain I must admit that I have written and rewritten and rewritten the rewrites of this introductory paragraph at least a dozen times. I am not qualified to make analogies, discuss my experiences, or relate my own feelings on the sins of racism, injustice, prejudice, and chosen ignorance, as I am a middle…

Edited by John Roberto When March, 2020 rolled around, I had been in my current position (director of educational ministries for a small congregation) for five months. We had gone from an average of 1.2 kids to a steady attendance of 12. Then the world shut down. I clamored for ways to remain connected with…

Glenys Nellist When my husband and I got married a long time ago, the family of one of my students gave us a magnet for our refrigerator. It had 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 printed on it and it has moved with us from each home, hanging prominently among our collection of magnets. Our children have…

Linsey Davis I have heard some fabulous questions from children over the past 25 years; how old is the stuff in lava, will deer swim in a pool if no one is watching, can I harness the energy in lightning to make my mom’s car run? Often times, I get questions that I cannot possibly…

Sarah Cowan Johnson I will own the fact that I find human development and pedagogy fascinating. They are not your everyday interests, but I can find people that share them and have conversations about what we’ve noticed, what we’ve read, and what we’ve done in our professional lives. I also love discussing faith formation at…

Susan Eaddy My family has an affinity for the story of Jesus’s birth. My husband and I met while he was performing as one of the Three Kings in Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and The Night Visitors. (Side note: fabulous operetta; great for families of all ages; if you haven’t seen it, add it to…

Krin Van Tatenhove and Rob Mueller As we all process the lessons we have learned from the pandemic, one resounding cry we hear from people is that they only want to be part of what speaks to the truth of their values. People ache to be part of something that is bigger than themselves, that…

Justine Froelker Our children and youth have an unprecedented amount of stress in their day-to-day lives. Our culture has made it more difficult for them to find places of calm and peace, adding new layers of high expectations, distractions, and sometimes crushing challenges. When 100 Devotions for Kids Dealing with Anxiety by Justine Froelker landed…

Ruth Haley Barton Some days, for me, start at 11:43 pm the night before with one kid falling out of bed and needing a back rub to help them settle back in, continue at 2:13 am with the dog wanting to warn us about the car headlights three blocks over, and really get going at…

Irene Kraegel There is a handful of questions that I get time and again. It’s almost predictable at this point- very rarely does a week go by without one of them being asked. Towards the top of the list is, “What kids devotional do you recommend?” Almost two decades of parenting and over two decades…

Glenys Nellist I have mentioned that I am the mother of seven children and that my home is filled with books. We literally have floor to ceiling bookshelves in every room, on our staircase landing, in our basement, and even in our klivingchen (combination kitchen/living room where we eat, play games, do school work, and…

Glenys Nellist It’s a rare day that I find a devotional that works for my whole family. Two parents, three teens, a tween, two elementary school aged kids, and a toddler equal a wide range of interests and attention spans. For the seasons of Advent and Lent, we enjoy adding in an extra daily devotion…

Jill J. Duffield Whenever I begin introducing a new topic to a group of learners, I spend a significant amount of time activating everyone’s background knowledge. What experiences have we had with it? What do we wonder? What would life be without it? All sorts of questions, delivered with concrete examples (the more tangible, the…

Cheryl Minor Like many of you, I am in a special place with my work; processing the lessons I’ve learned through the pandemic, altering what faith formation looks like based upon those lessons, tinkering with favorite methods, and testing out new ways of going forth with an eye on the next three to five years.…

Donna Schaper Because of my work, my children have been brought to so many different churches that we really cannot count the number. They have honed a rating system of congregations, based on genuine friendliness, quality of food (good luck topping the congregation that put out a giant spread of Korean cuisine and taught them…

Les Carpenter Full disclosure: I absolutely love improv comedy. I have spent years of my life feeding my babies in the wee hours of the night while watching reruns of Whose Line Is It Anyway. When my babies became children that were interested in drama, I gleefully watched them work on their improv chops and…

Rebecca L. McClain I have been working in children’s ministries for over two decades and have definite favorites when it comes to pedagogy and faith formation. Godly Play has elements that I have loved and used, and when the title Graceful Nurture; Using Godly Play With Adults by Rebecca L. McClain arrived on my doorstep…

Talbot Davis My mornings begin at dark o’clock, eastern time, with a steaming cup of coffee and the only silence I will have all day. I learned quickly that if I didn’t steal away early each morning, I would never have time for my devotions and prayers before my seven kids stumble into the kitchen…

Open Waters Publishing Pandemic life has taught us many lessons; one of them being we stick with what matters most. One of the biggest comforts I have found for children and families is sinking into excellent children’s literature. Time spent in story, connected with the characters and those you are reading with, provide shalom to…

Stacy Johnson Myers If my husband and I ever had a competition (we’re not the competitive sort of couple), it would be over whether his hymnal collection is larger than my children’s and youth Bible collection. Considering we have moved two times in the last five months, this competition is not merely about bragging rights,…

by Jan and Mike Berenstain My parents made sure that my sister, Sarah, and I grew up surrounded by books. Part of our collection was Berenstain Bear titles. My sister, in particular, loved these books. I spent hours wishing for a pegboard like Brother and Sister got to help clean up their messy room (I…

Lee Strobel I live with seven children and youth, I work with even more children and youth, and one of the constants of my days is the peppering of questions at just about every waking moment. They need to know the basic shape of the day, pertinent information that helps them connect with others, and…

How To Fight Racism How To Fight Racism, Young Reader’s Edition Our toolboxes need all the quality tools we can get that equip us to effectively combat racism. Jemar Tisby has provided two wonderful resources, one for adults and one for youth, in his books How To Fight Racism and How To Fight Racism, Young…

Michael Adam Beck Are you looking for a book that clearly illustrates how God brings life out of death? That isn’t afraid to discuss gritty, raw, and unafraid to show authenticity, even when it’s not pretty? A book that allows mature readers to examine how far God will go to rescue a soul that is…