Knights of Arrethtrae Books 5&6

by Chuck Black
illustrated by

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Religious/Secular Content	:	- Christian
Adult Content	:	- None
Mature Topics	:	- None
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	- None
Magic/Witchcraft	:	- None
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	- None
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	- None
Violence/Abuse	:	- Just typical fighting as fitting middle ages theme with definite good versus evil
Educational Value	:	- reinforcement of Christian beliefs and values
Positive/Negative Message	:	-

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In recent years, there has been an explosion of Christian fiction for teens that provide an alternative to mainstream media with questionable content.  Authors like Chuck Black have written books that combine the Christian faith with fantasy, a genre very appealing to my own boys.

The Knights of Arrethtrae is a spin-off series from his Kingdom Series.  While we have only read the 5th and 6th book, this series is written to be stand alone stories of characters.

Book 5 is titled Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor and chronicles the journey Sir Quinlan must take to face both his past and decide how he will proceed with his life.  Specifically, he is charged with reassembling an elite group of knights, called the Swords of Valor, to face the threat The Dark Knight poses to the kingdom.

Book 6, titled Sir Rowan and the Camerian Quest, highlights another Knight from Arrethtrae.  Sir Rowan has to heal from wounds sustained in an attack after being left for dead.  He then has to decide where his destiny lies while others try to force their own agenda upon him.

Overall, these are great, quick reads for kids seeking reading in the fantasy genre.  As a parent, I felt comfortable allowing my teen to read other Chuck Black books without any pre-reading on my part.  

Through tomorrow October 28th, I am hosting a giveaway of these 2 books on my blog, Day by Day in Our World.  Feel free to drop by and leave a comment for the chance to win. 

Danny Orlis & Trouble on the Circle R Ranch

by Bernard Palmer

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Religious/Secular Content	:	- Both
Adult Content	:	- None
Mature Topics	:	- Adoption
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	- None
Magic/Witchcraft	:	- None
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	- Only in the fact that the children share their religious beliefs even though they were told not to
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	- None
Violence/Abuse	:	- Some hitting mentioned
Educational Value	:	- None (except there are important lessons about life in general)
Positive/Negative Message	:	- Positive messages about sharing your faith with others and how family means more than just those who were born into your family

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This is another AMAZING Danny Orlis book!  This one covers the story of "the triplets" life after the death of their mother and father.  They are initially sent to the house of one of their parents friends (the Orlis'), until their mothers sister (their aunt) and her family are able to come get them from Minnesota.  They have a concern about what kind of situation they will find themselves in at the ranch because their aunt is not a Christian and is more concerned with material things than anything else.

However, once at Circle R Ranch, the triplets find themselves greatly enjoying life on the ranch.  Their aunts two children are not Christians but are around their same age and are expert horse riders.  The triplets soon learn how to ride and are promised some excellent saddle horses once they are expert riders.

Despite all this, it soon becomes obvious that their aunt and uncle are not going to allow them to continue in their faith, at least not in any way shape or form in front of them or their children.  As a matter of fact, they are specifically instructed to stop praying and to NOT talk to their children about "their religion" - EVER.  However, the triplets decide to use a transmitter radio to listen to their favorite chrisitan radio show - and their two cousins listen in.  One day, their uncle finds them behind the barn...and is NOT happy.

Near the end, their uncle decides they can no longer live with them...will they go to an orphanage, or will they go to live with the Orlis'?

Overall rating of this book: 5

This is a wonderful family book and we highly recommend it if you have the chance to read it!

Keeping Our Children's Hearts

by Steven and Teri Maxwell
illustrated by

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Religious/Secular Content	:	- Christian
Adult Content	:	- Yes, in the matter of this is a book for adults on parenting, but nothing a child couldn't read.
Mature Topics	:	- No
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	- No
Magic/Witchcraft	:	- No
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	- No
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	- No
Violence/Abuse	:	- No
Educational Value	:	- ?
Positive/Negative Message	:	- Yes, very encouraging for parents.

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This is one of my favorite books. I actually just re-bought it!
I just finished reading it again, and it is so encouraging.
If you are looking for encouragement in raising your children up in Godly manner, and you seek to shelter your children from worldly influences, you must read this book. 
I may be a little more picky than some, but I know that I have always felt a little like an outcast by not allowing my kids to do a lot of things that other kids get to do, and this book lets me know that there are others out there like me, and gives biblical references for this type of sheltering. 
It will encourage and strengthen your resolve to keep your children out of the 'world" and in the Word. 
I highly recommend it. I don't think you would regret reading this book.

Upcoming Review

Update: if you want to read my review of the product I chose, you can find it here. (By the way, I chose a 20 drawer double wide mobile organizer, think workboxes.)

Hey guys, I know this may not be the typical review you see here, but I have had the opportunity to review a product from CSN stores. 

I thought you may be interested in hearing about this store as they have some of the best prices on things I have seen. 

They have items that range from toys, dining chairs, to cookware, etc. But I thought you might be interested in knowing that they have some really fabulous bookshelves, book carousels, rolling book carts, book ends, on and on. 

They also have cookbooks!


Anyhow, I have been offered a chance to review one of their products of my choice, in return for a review. 

I will look around and see if I can't find something 'bookish" to review. 
No promises, as I am not sure of all that they offer and the prices and all, but I will let you know. 

Thanks guys. Stay tuned to see what I found!

Dora Helps Diego

by Laura Driscoll
illustrated by Tom Mangano

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Religious/Secular Content	:	- Secular
Adult Content	:	- None
Mature Topics	:	- None
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	- None
Magic/Witchcraft	:	- None
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	- None
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	- None
Violence/Abuse	:	- None
Educational Value	:	- Teaches words to pictures
Positive/Negative Message	:	- Positive message about helping others

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Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon

February 2007
Trade Paperback, 24 pages

Price: $3.99
ISBN-10: 1416915095
ISBN-13: 9781416915096
Grades: P - 1
Ages: 4 - 6

This book is wonderful for young ones...it is suggested as "Level 1" which for Spotlight means "Starting to Read" therefore consists of simple stories, increased vocabulary and longer sentences.

Although my son is only 2, he greatly enjoys or time reading this together (I, of course, read it to him.)  One of the things I really like about this book is it has a picture and then has the words underneath...such a wonderful tool to help teach word recognition!

The story teaches lessons on helping others and has the children look and learn about the different parts of the body.

It is a wonderful story and captures my ds2 attention EVERY time we read it!

For more information, you can click HERE.

Overall book rating:  5

I highly recommend this book for simple, fun reading.  It is a very entertaining and educational book for a minimal price.

Secret Hide-Out

by Virginia Randall

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Religious/Secular Content	:	-  Religious
Adult Content	:	-  None
Mature Topics	:	-  None
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	-  None
Magic/Witchcraft	:	-  None
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	-  Minimal; only that which is within the story line on the way to a biblical perspective
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	-  None
Violence/Abuse	:	-  None
Educational Value	:	-  A little; this would be of biblical educational value on witnessing and possibly used to teach of the lives of those less fortunate than others
Positive/Negative Message	:	-  Positive Message; this book was written as a fiction book but was written with the purpose of helping the reader with effective witness

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This is an oldie but a goodie!  It was published in 1960 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago - but don't let this hold you back.  This is an INCREDIBLE read!  It is written in a casual manner using words that are easy to understand.  We read it as a family but if a child were to read it alone, they would need to be easily reading chapter books...this one has 23 chapters and is a total of 127 pages.  The type is pretty large too (12 or 14 pt?).

This book is about a small town church and a little boy named Toby.  The church is about to be taken over and changed into a sports club.  Toby is a child who lives in an orphanage.  Toby runs away to this small town and is found by two other boys.  Through a series of events, they figure out that Toby is the actual owner of the church - now they just need to figure out how to prove it!

During the story, Toby is witnessed to by his two friends that find him, and he becomes saved.  Additionally, the boys plot a way for Toby to be adopted by one of the local couples.  It is somewhat of a mystery story, along with drama and comedy.

In general, it is just a "feel good family book".  If you have the opportunity to read it, we highly suggest it.

Our First Giveaway!

(This giveaway is now closed. The winner is...Susan, with comment number 10!

I will be contacting you momentarily to get your address. Congratulations Susan! 

Thanks to everyone who participated. 

Be looking out for future giveaways from The Book Guardians!)

We are having our first giveaway! I hope you are as excited as I am! 

We are giving away two wonderful classics...

 

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 

"Family Life, Family Love! The warmhearted story of the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy growing up in 19th century America. Their happy family life is disturbed when their father leaves for the Civil War, and shaken further when mother must leave to nurse their wounded father back to health. But family love and loyalty keeps them together. As the years pass the girls become women and learn more about life and love. Louisa May Alcott's timeless classic shows the joys of growing up in a warm and loving family." AND...

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. 

"Spunk and Spirit! The farm couple wanted to take in an orphan boy - someone they could raise who will help with the chores. But by mistake, they were sent a girl, the lively independent red-headed Anne, who soon turned their lives and their world topsy-turvy with her way of doing things. . .ways very different than anyone in the sleepy country town had ever thought of! But as Anne goes from escapade to achievement, from problem to promise, everyone around her comes to realize what a very special girl they have in their midst. Come delight in Anne's story as friendship and duty turn to love."


These books are brand new, hard cover editions.
Any girl, young or old would love to have these in their collection!!!

So, how do you win these wonderful books?

Simple, just leave us a comment on this post, and you will be automatically entered in the giveaway.

If you would like more than one entry, there will be two optional entries, for a total of three entries.
The two optional entries are...

1. Follow our blog and leave us a comment letting us know you are following. If you are already following, just let us know.

2. Post about this giveaway on your blog, and leave us a comment with a link to your post about this giveaway, letting us know that you posted about it.

Rules of this giveaway...

All entries must be entered by Monday, October 4th at 12:00 noon.
The winner will be announced Monday, Oct. 4th!
The winner will be chosen randomly. 

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
No participants of The Book Guardians may participate.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy our first giveaway!( Let us know!)

The ABC Bunny

by Wanda Ga'g
hand lettered by Howard Ga'g

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Religious/Secular Content	:	- Secular
Adult Content	:	- None
Mature Topics	:	- None
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	- None
Magic/Witchcraft	:	- None
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	- None
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	- None
Violence/Abuse	:	- None
Educational Value	:	- A lot!  ABC, Rhyming
Positive/Negative Message	:	- Positive

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DS2 and I read this book today and thought is was absolutely wonderful!  It is a very quick read (GREAT for his short attention span) and actually...the words are a song...the song (with notes) are in the very beginning and the very end of the book.  After the song in the beginning of the book, each page takes you thru the song (and the alphabet).  The letters are large and red while the pictures and words are black - so it is very eye catching.  Many of the words rhyme so again, this just adds to the quick, fun of this book.

Each letter and page introduces you to a different animal in the woods so this book offers many items for learning for little ones.  Although ds2 and I were reading this in prep for ds2 starting Before Five in a Row (which we'll start as soon as our new book arrives from Rainbow Resources) this book is recommended for ages 4 - 7.

As a side note: we checked this book out from the library and the copy we received was hardback.

Mere Christianity

by C. S. Lewis
illustrated by NA

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Religious/Secular Content	: Christian	-
Adult Content	: Yes- the younger ones will not understand the ideals and concepts in this book, as well as the wording; and there are mature topics- see below	-
Mature Topics	: Yes, this is pertaining to some topics that are inappropriate for younger ages (there is mention more than once of infidelity); in the beginning chapters he states that "All we mean is that the occasions on which the fighting instinct or sexual desire need to be restrained..."; at least one chapter is on Sexual Morality and another on Christian Marriage	-
Strong/Inappropriate Language	: No, although the word 'hell' is used more than once in a slang way (in reference to what someone else might say)	-
Magic/Witchcraft	: No	-
Disrespect/Rebellion	: Yes, but it is respect to what not to do and it isn't strongly talked about in a way to be promoted; example- Lewis talks about men living only for themselves and not caring for the rules or lives of others and the havoc it can cause	-
Drug/Alcohol Use	: Vaguely mentioned- Temperance is discussed and therefore the mention of alcohol is also but not in depth (words used are 'drinking', 'drink', 'drunkenness', 'drunk', 'beer'), rather the idea of temperance.	-
Violence/Abuse	: Vaguely	-
Educational Value	: Yes, morals and values as a Christian	-
Positive/Negative Message	: Positive	-

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We love this book in our house. It really makes you think. My dd is 14 and we are using this as a devotional this year (and will with my ds when he is older). There are a few spots that I feel I must censor while reading (it is a read-aloud).

The style is not vulgar at all and it would be easy to be so when dealing with morals and values, in my opinion. Very much a Christian perspective yet it does not attack other views in a way that one feels defensive.

Would recommend for mature individuals ages 13+ up, but possibly even upwards of 15+.

Soldier Fritz and The Enemies He Fought

by Emma Leslie
illustrated by C.A. Ferrier

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Religious/Secular Content	:	- Christian
Adult Content	:	- No
Mature Topics	:	- No
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	- No
Magic/Witchcraft	:	- No
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	- Fritz struggles with obedience, but after he learns of the bible, he starts learning to control his temper.
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	- No, but beer was mentioned once, but not as in anyone actually drinking it.
Violence/Abuse	:	- Yes, Fritz hit his sister, and she fell down the stairs, and was really injured. This really turned hi life around however, and he never mistreated his sister again.
Educational Value	:	- Yes
Positive/Negative Message	:	- Yes, really builds your faith, and teaches your children how to learn self- control

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The reformation is my favorite time period in history, and this book was a very exciting to read.  
This book is about a family that all they have ever known is what the preists have taught them. 
One day a peddler comes to visit, and he has a bag of gifts, and Fritz chooses the Bible. 
He starts to read the Bible, and he hears of Luther and all that he is doing, and he want to be a good soldier like Luther. 
He learns from the scriptures, and what it takes to be a soldier of God. 
His mother notices a difference in Fritz's behavior, and she starts to read the Bible herself. She realizes that what the priests are teaching does not line up with Scripture, and vows, never to pray to anyone but the Lord himself again, and to put her faith in Christ only, and not a man.
As they learn more about Jesus, and how He died for them, they begin to separate themselves from the church. 
The priest is very upset about this, and actually tries to take them prisoner for their beliefs, so they have to flee to the forest to live. 
While there, they are able to teach the "Charcoal Burners" all about Jesus, and how He died for their sins too. 
This book is so amazing in the fact that it teaches the Gospel, and is not afraid to teach against the Roman Church. 
It is an inspiring book, that builds your faith and gives you an understanding of what others had to go through for their faith. 
This is now a household favorite in our home.

In Search of the Lost Mountains of Noah: The Discovery of the Real Mts. of Ararat

by Robert Cornuke and David Halbrook

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Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

While not a cultural icon of classical literature, this book now ranks among the must reads in our house for historical, cultural and biblical studies.

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Religious/Secular Content	:	By its very subject matter it is religious throughout.  Though the lead author is a devout Christian in search of the biblical Noah's ark, legends and myths surrounding the great flood and its boat of survivors hail from every ancient civilization known to man. The search in this book spans a great swath of the Near East including Russia, Turkey, Iran and Iraq, and there is much in this book about Muslim/Islamic tradition and culture.
Adult Content	:	There are discussions of gender roles in Islamic culture.
Mature Topics	:	There is considerable discussion of politics, clashing cultures, and wars, including the Iran hostage crisis and continuing anti-American sentiments, and the Columbine shootings. There is a vivid (though reverent) description of a goat sacrifice.
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	There is one chapter in particular where the phrase "Oh my God" is repeated excessively.
Magic/Witchcraft	:	There are multiple mentions, though no actual descriptions, of one of the team members using slight-of-hand magic to gain rapport with the natives.
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	There are many examples of thwarting international rules, though it is balanced with the consequences of such actions and the obvious difference when the rules are followed. There are vivid descriptions of deep emotional reactions to circumstances and differing personalities among the team members, some of which struck me as "not very polite"
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	There is a scene where the team coming off the mountain is in a state of severe dehydration and the only thing there is to drink is hot, flat beer.  One of the men is a recovering alcoholic and refuses to drink the beer, choosing instead to risk his life in the wait for water; another team member out of compassion chooses to wait with him.
Violence/Abuse	:	This book touches on several violent instances throughout history, some of them quite descriptively.  There is a very vivid scene of a goat being killed for dinner.
Educational Value	:	This book has strong education value in several areas.  From an archeological standpoint, it tells a compelling story and leaves one with a sense of wanting to pick up where the author left off. From a historical standpoint, it lays out many facts and historical forays that help show why the search for all things ancient can be so convoluted and confusing, yet shows that perseverance, patience, and a non-biased approach to the evidence can often reveal obscured truths. It touches on political issues in a stark and truthful, yet compassionate and somehow gentle manner.  It reveals the human side of a culture so far removed from our own, causing one to assess preconceived notions, and fosters understanding between cultures.
Positive/Negative Message	:	Overall, this book has a positive message of truth, hope, and inner spiritual growth.

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Of the many books I have read on this subject, this volume stands alone and definitely ranks among the most compelling.  The book begins with such compelling prose that one questions its non-fictional status.  It draws you in from the first page and holds your attention throughout.


Bob Cornuke, founder of the The Bible Archeology Search & Exploration Institute (BASE), is a real life Indiana Jones. After many years of successfully searching for and finding biblical artifacts, he centers his sights on finding Noah's Ark.  He begins with a broad but detailed scoping of the traditional landing site...  Mt. Ararat in Turkey.  However, sensing that tradition is apparently failing the cause, he is drawn to reexamine assumptions long held and look at source evidence with new openness and reverent prayer.  The result is a vivid, page-turner account of the emotional search for one of the most prized biblical relics of all time.  The author not only recounts old evidence in a new light, but discovers much new evidence -- older evidence -- to support a new theory.  In the end, he still does not find Noah's ark, but presents a very compelling case for why the centuries old massive search for Noah's ark should shift to a new location... Mt. Sabalon in Iran.  I highly recommend this book.

Listen to Jesus! (God Rocks! Bibletoons)

by Bruce W. Stacey

illustrated by Phillip Williams

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Religious/Secular Content	:	Religious
Adult Content	:	No
Mature Topics	:	No
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	No
Magic/Witchcraft	:	No
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	No
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	No
Violence/Abuse	:	No
Educational Value	:	Yes your child will get educated in the Word of God
Positive/Negative Messages	:	Positive

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This book is based on the series that comes on Smile of A Child Network. Reading level for this book is ages 4-8. This book helps teach your children to walk in love at all times. Even when someone is not treating them right to always respond in love. My children love watching this show and now since I purchased the books they're enjoying reading the books as well!!

Little Scraggly Hair: A Dog on Noah's Ark

by Lynn Cullen

illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

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Religious/Secular Content	:	Yes. The Noah's Ark theme is common to nearly all cultures on earth including Christianity, Judaism and Moslem. However, this is a fantastical, fictional tale with little regard for historical accuracy.
Adult Content	:	No; unless you count the implied reference to all life drowning in the flood waters.
Mature Topics	:	Rejection. The dog is an outcast among outcasts. Noah's neighbors ridicule him for building a boat and for keeping a dog.
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	No
Magic/Witchcraft	:	No
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	Noah's children are ashamed of him and lazy, refusing to do the work assigned to them. Noah's wife is angry with him. All of them are disrespectful complainers. Even Noah guiltily takes the dog in the house when he knows his wife will not like it and pacifies her objections with a false promise.
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	No
Violence/Abuse	:	Reference to people being mean to each other, but no specifics. And again, the implied notion that all people on earth parish by the flood.
Educational Value	:	An excellent example of a tall tale; would fit well into a literary study of this genre. The hick accent in which it is told is quite well written.  There are many opportunities for discussing the fruits of the spirit, how they are violated and how they could be applied.
Positive/Negative Messages	:	The lonely, rejected dog endears itself to Noah and eventually to his daughter, where he finds a family to love him and a forever home.

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In the spirit of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories comes this delightful, fantastical tale of how dogs got wet noses.

If you can stand the melding of a true story with the inaccuracies of a tall tale, this is a darling story that I would recommend for all ages. If you are sensitive to your children getting inaccurate ideas in their heads about biblical stories, this is one to avoid, for there are many biblical inaccuracies.

BIBLICAL INACCURACIES

1. The bible says Noah had three sons and no daughters who board the ark as adults who are already married. In this book, Noah has two sons and two daughters who board the ark as children.
   
   
2. The bible says Noah took 2 or 7 pairs of each kind of animal, depending on the type of animal. The book says Noah took two of every critter, plus the dog, who did not have a mate when he got on the ark.
   
   
3. The bible says that when the ark was completely loaded and Noah was on board, the LORD shut the door and THEN it began to rain. In the book, it starts to rain before everyone is on the ark and the dog keeps working in the rain.
   
   
4. In the biblical account, the ark is well prepared to meet the needs of its inhabitants. In this book, there is insufficient space and insufficient food.
   
   
5. In the biblical account, Noah sends the dove out after 150 days and watches for its return. In this story, Noah's daughter discovers the dove on the dog's nose on the 40th day.

Ginger Pye

Written and Illustrated by Eleanor Estes

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Religious/Secular Content	:	Secular
Adult Content	:	No
Mature Topics	:	No
Strong/Inappropriate Language	:	No
Magic/Witchcraft	:	No
Disrespect/Rebellion	:	No
Drug/Alcohol Use	:	No
Violence/Abuse	:	No
Educational Value	:	Great read aloud for all ages, great mystery that creates many opportunities for critical thinking.
Positive/Negative Message	:	No

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Can I tell you that we have been reading this book FOREVER!! I think it's because of the author's writing style. Let me explain.

This is a very child friendly book. A great read-aloud for all ages. All three of my older children ages 5, 6 and 8 have enjoyed this book. Even hubby enjoyed it when he sat in on it a few times. The author is funny and engaging. However, she does seem to go off on rabbit trails all the time.

The story is about a young boy named Jerry who works hard to earn the money to purchase a dog (Ginger) of his own only to have him stolen on Thanksgiving Day. He and his sister Rachel work tirelessly to try and find the dog and the "Unsavory Character" whom they believe to have stolen Ginger.I will leave it at that so as not to ruin the climax but I feel that Mrs. Estes could've said in maybe 150 pages what she actually said in over 300. Yeah, it's a big book.

One of our favorite characters was Rachel and Jerry's 3 year old uncle, Uncle Benny. So cute and funny! The Pye parents are sweet but the father is quite absent from the story and the Mom appears, but in short instances here and there.


The children enjoyed this book greatly and there was nothing that I was alarmed at while reading it and I'm pretty picky about what we read over here. However she is very wordy as I stated above so that might make it harder for the reader to want to keep up with this book. I know that I wanted to just stop a few times but the children wouldn't let me-they really, really liked it.