FAVORITE BOOKS {by the girls}

We are often asked for book recommendations.  Recently the girls worked together to compile a list of their favorite books. This is certainly not an exhaustive book list, but a chance to highlight those they personally enjoy. We thought that would be a fun way to look at things. I hope you agree.




WHAT TO READ

As a simple introduction to the girl's "Current Favorites" book list, I wanted to share a quick comment about the types of books on our list. There are various schools of thought when it comes to book selection, and certainly there is plenty of room for Christian liberty, but so you know where we are coming from...

NOT "AS LONG AS THEY'RE READING!"    You have certainly heard someone comment at one time or another, "Well, as long as they are reading, I don't care what it is!" We are not of that school of thought. : ) Some books insert attitudes and examples that we do not want in our home.

NOT "IT'S A CLASSIC!"    Or maybe, it's been "Well, he must read this. It's a classic!" We are not of that school of thought either. : )

We have long been convinced that only God can determine what we we consider "classic" literature.

What could offer a better standard than the Bible, amen?

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8

If you are working through the "what to pick" issue. Keepers of the Faith has a position paper on their standard for book selection entitiled "What to Pick" that may give you some thoughts to chew on. While you may not line up completely (and who will agree with anyone 100 percent of the time?) you will certainly agree that they have some valid points.


An excerpt:

Does the author depict ordinary parents as insignificant in comparison with people of a higher status or with more well known achievements? Would the reader get the feeling that it is important to achieve something more significant in life than to walk in the shoes of godly, yet "ordinary" or otherwise mundane, parents? Are other roles depicted as more important than that of a parent?

Are children presented as capable of making their own decisions, almost as if they had equal decision-making ability with adults? Do we find child characters making decisions about what their parents should know and whether they should even be told about a situation in which the child should make a decision? In other words, does the story undermine the leadership of the parent?

Does the tone of the book give credence to the idea that problems between a parent and a child arise because the parent does not understand the child, rather than because children are often too blinded by their selfishness to understand the situation?...

Do passages or characters disparage the idea of a woman being a woman? If the reader identifies with such characters, will she feel less inclined to accept the role in life that God has given her? Many a "Christian" book portrays females doing "spiritual" things while pursuing the roles of boys and men.

Whatever, your specific personal convictions, I would encourage you to help your children to choose their friends wisely. And that would include books, which truly do become "friends" that influence our thinking.

"The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray." Proverbs 12:26
 

Books are friends.




OUR CURRENT FAVORITES
By Faith, age 11 and Michaela, age 9


Books I like to Read to Myself:

Farm Mystery Series (4 books)
Christian Liberty Nature Readers
Elsie Dinsmore Series (24 books)
Moody Books (4 books)
Pearables (3 books)
Caterpillar Green
Kitten in the Well
Coon Tree Summer
Ice Slide Winter
How do you lift a Lion?
You are Special

We are great fans of Lamplighter Books:

Jessica's First Prayer
Jessica's Mother comes Home
The Unexpected Guest
Sir Malcolm and the Missing Prince
The Little Lamb
The White Dove
Zuma and the secret of Peru
Titus: A Comrade of the Cross
Christie's Old Organ
Basket of Flowers
The Shepherd of Bethlehem
The Captive
The Birds Nest

Other Books I like Mama to read aloud:

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
Heidi
Lonia: A Conversion Story
The Child's Story Bible
Rain Forest Adventures
The Princess and the Kiss
Little House on the Prairie ( 9 Books )
The Wide, Wide World
Hans Brinker (requires quite a bit of editing)


And, not to leave anyone out, Sarah, age 7 enjoys:


I Wonder
Snow Bears
Kindness is a lot of Things
The World of Dick and Jane and Friends
Ducks don't get Wet
Pathway Readers
Miller Family Series
God's Little Girl
James Herriot's Treasury for Children
If you Give a Mouse a Cookie


LESS EXPENSIVE OPTIONS
One last note. I attempted to link to several of the books for ease of use. However, I wanted to mention that some of the books may be sold by less expensive book companies.

For example, some of the Lamplighter titles can also be found through Keepers of the Faith. For gift quality, the Lamplighter books are a lovely option, but if you're okay with paperback, you may save yourself quite a bit of money.

A case in point:

"Jessica's First Prayer" and it's sequel "Rescue of Jessica's Mother" or "Jessica's Mother" are stocked by both book sellers. Lamplighter sells the hardbound versions for a total of $28. while Keepers sells their paperback combo version for $7.95.

I would also note that most of these books begin as read aloud selections in our home, then often become options for free reading time for older girls.


Blessings as you lead little hearts home!

~Rebecca



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Also, would you please pray for our friend, Sarah Rose's baby? Eleonora is "Micropreemie." Thank you for your kindness.