Teens and Faith: Three Final Reviews

These three short reviews by regular contributor Virginia Thomas mark the end of our 6 week series on books that reflect experiences of teens and faith.  We’d love to hear your suggestions about other books we didn’t review! Title:  Ordinary Miracles Author: Stephanie S. Tolan Publisher: Harper Trophy Book ISBN: 9780380733224 Audience: Ages 10 and [...]

Teens and Faith: Three Short Reviews

Regular contributor Virginia Thomas offers three shorter reviews of books related to ways that teens engage questions of faith. Title:  Preacher’s Boy Author:  Katherine Paterson Publisher: Harper Trophy ISBN: 0064472337 Audience: Ages 10 and up Summary: Robbie Hewitt decides to give up believing in God. He’s heard the visiting minister condemn wicked thoughts and deeds [...]

Teens and Faith: Marcelo in the Real World

Title:  Marcelo in the Real World Author:  Francisco X. Stork Illustrator: Publisher:  Arthur A. Levine Books ISBN: 139780545054744 Audience:  Ages 14 and up Summary: Marcelo Sandoval, an autistic seventeen-year old, has come to the end of his junior year at Patterson, the special education school he has attended since kindergarten. His autism has not been [...]

Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She was Extinct

Title:  Edwina,The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct Author:  Mo Willems Illustrator:  Mo Willems Publisher:  Hyperion Books ISBN:  978-0786837489 Audience: Ages 4-8 Summary: Who doesn’t love Edwina?  She feeds the birds, plays with children, helps little old ladies across the street, and bakes delicious chocolate chip cookies for everyone.  Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie  doesn’t love [...]

Hanne’s Quest

Name of Book: Hanne’s Quest Author: Olivier Dunrea Publisher: Philomel ISBN: 978-0399242168 Audience: Ages 7 to 10 Summary:  Mem lives on a farm with her beloved speckled hens. When she receives a bill for back taxes, she confides to the animals that she will lose the farm. The hens secretly confer and learn, to their [...]

Leap Back Home to Me

Name of Book: Leap Back Home to Me Author: Lauren Thompson Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry ISBN:978-1416906643 Audience: Ages 3-8 Summary: A little frog’s first leap out into the world is a big, scary thing. But luckily, mama is there to catch him when he comes home. As the leaps get bigger, frog gets braver—and before [...]

Dream: A Tale of Wonder, Wisdom, and Wishes

Name of Book: Dream: A Tale of Wonder, Wisdom, and Wishes Author: Susan Bosak Illustrators: Multiple Illustrators Publisher: TCP Press ISBN: 9781896232041 Audience: Written for grades 9 – 12 Summary: One of the most beautiful books that I’ve every seen.  The illustrations are breathtaking and lend a depth of character to the book that could [...]

Follow the Drinking Gourd

Title:  Follow the Drinking Gourd Author and Illustrator: Jeannette Winter Publisher: Dragonfly Books, (Division. of Random House) ISBN:  0-978-1-4420-1461-9 Audience: 5-9 years as an easy reader.  Also useful for an adult faith discussion on Liberation Theology. Summary: This is a story about the Underground Railroad in the pre-civil war days of 1840 when Africans began [...]

Faith

Name of Book: Faith Author: Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis, Cynthia Pon Illustrator: Various photographers Publisher: Charlesbridge; Global Fund for Children Audience: Ages 8 -12 Summary: A book of photographs of children from across the world, of various faiths, participating in elements of their particular faiths. The elements of faith included are: prayer, chanting and singing, [...]

Butterflies Under Our Hats

Name of Book:   Butterflies Under Our Hats Author:  Sandy Eisenberg Sasso Illustrator:  Joani Keller Rothenberg Publisher:  Paraclete Press Audience:  Ages 5-adult Summary:  The people of Chelm have no luck.  The roofs leaked, the sidewalks cracked, weeds grew in the gardens.  The people looked for luck everywhere.  But because they could not find any luck, they [...]