Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Book 32 and 33

Kings of Clonmel by John Flangan
Halt's Peril by John Flanagan

Books 8 and 9 in the Ranger's Apprentice series. This book starts with Will and Halt in separate places but brings them together soon in time but not in pages of the book. They are going to try and eradicate a cult trying to make inroads into Araluen. But right "now" the cult is in a neighboring kingdom of Clonmel. We learn many things about Halt in Clonmel and the cult is sort of taken care of. At least the leaders have left Clonmel.

Book 9 continues the journey to eradicate the cult as Will, Halt and Horace follow the leaders of the cult through Clonmel, into Picta and then into Araluen. Halt is shot with an arrow and the story tells what happens from there. We see old friends from Macindaw.

Of course they have many adventures in all these various countries. There were curse words in Kings of Clonmel but surprisingly, none in Halt's Peril. (Unless I read too fast and for my pleasure instead of reading to edit for ds, which is entirely possible!) There was a scene in Halt's Peril that is questionable. It is how Horace and to a small part Will find out what poison is used on Halt. It gives me pause enough to wonder about letting ds read it. But I htink what I will do is write a note in the book saying "see me" or some such so it gets discussed right away.

Recommended - yes.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Book 31

Hotness by Hayley DiMarco

This is the second book I went through for a summer teen girl Bible study. I don't know which one to focus on. They are both so good! The book - Sexy Girls (see book 29) - is more a practical application of the issue of modesty. This book is a why it's important to be modest. This book is a Bible study. This one goes directly to God's Word and says do it because God says. Sexy Girls has Bible verses in it and uses God's Word to support what she says but it feels like it says do it because you don't want men looking at you.

This is an oversimplification of both books. I need to incorporate them both. I love using God's Word to find out what you should do. But girls today really need to know what it is men see when they see skin. I can't do one alone. I need to do them both.

For you, yes this is a recommended book. What will your teens respond to better? Direct reading and study of God's Word? Or an application with scripture for support?

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Book 30

Teen People of the Bible by Daniel Darling

Another book I'm previewing before using it to lead teens. :-) This is actually a devotional for teens - 100 days worth. Each day has the same basic format a question that plagues teens, today's teen, today's action verse, storyline, today's teen speaks, digging deeper, just like you, did you know?, today's prayer, journal question.

Some of the Bible people chose surprised me, like Jeremiah. I didn't think they were teens during their ministry years. Others were more obvious like Josiah who became king when he was only 8. It's a good book. If I wasn't using it for a light summer Sunday school, I'd be passing it to my girls with the admonition not to write in it so they can both use it. For Sunday school, I'm either going to need to skip some days or I'm going to have to change the journal question. (I'm going to use the question as a discussion topic.) Some of the questions, I just don't think they'll be comfortable discussing in a group. I figure I'm going to need to do more than one "day" each Sunday depending on how chatty they are each week.

Recommended: yes!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Book 29

Sexy Girls bu Hayley DiMarco

I read this book to prepare for a Bible study for teen girls this summer that I want to host. I wanted to make sure it said what I wanted it to say. :-) It does and it doesn't. It doesn't say your tops should be up to here and your bottoms should cover at least this much of you leg. The author lets you come to your own conclusion. BUT she does point out why you should cover up. She uses Bible verses to support her main points.

After reading this book, I feel every teenage girl should read. EVERY teenage girl. Even if she's not a Christian. If she thinks she's a "good girl" she should read this book. If she wonders why she gets the attention she gets from boys, she should read this book. DiMarco doesn't hide that she's a Christian and that's the why we should care, but I think girls should know what their clothes do to the boys around them.

Recommended: YES! There is language in the book that would cause me not to give it to a pre-teen, not to even go over the book with a pre-teen. But maybe I'm a little more sheltering of my girls and not talking about sex too early. I can't wait for the summer and the Bible study with this book. I hope there are a lot of girls who come! There are a few that I think need it.

Book 28

Erak's Ransom by John Flanagan

I didn't realize that I hadn't posted on this book. It's book 7 in the Ranger's Apprentice series, but chronologically it should go between 4 and 5. The author wrote 5 and 6 and then realized there were issues he hadn't dealt with and so went back in time so to speak.

In book 7, Will is still an apprentice and follows Halt to yet another new land to ransom Erak, the oberjarl of the Skandians. The issues the author is trying to deal with are the feelings that Will has that he's not ready to become a full ranger, to be on his own without Halt there to help him.

The fighting in this book is more graphic than in previous books. I almost did not want to give it to my son. Then I thought, he's seen stuff like this in movies.

Recommended: yes. Matthew has read it and we've already passed it on to a friend to borrow or I could tell you more. It almost seems that since we've gone back in time, there were fewer words to white out in this book.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Book 27

Adventuring through Paul's Epistles by Ray C Stedman

I got this book because I'm going to be teaching the youth Sunday school class in a few more weeks. I'm teaching on Paul and his letters. When I bought the book I was still trying to figure out which of Paul's letters to do. This book gives a brief (usually 10 pages) overview on the main points of each of Paul's letters. It was a good summary with some points covered very well. It was a good review but not anything near a study level. I did enjoy the book and I do recommend it. I hope to buy Stedman's other books - one on the gospels and another on Hebrews through Revelation.

And by the way, I'm teaching on Thessalonians.