June 2015 Faith Inspired Supplement

Faith-Inspired Books The Book Curator June 2015 » OUR REVIEW

SO TITLE

The Magpie's Tale: Jesus & Zaccheus

A very simplified re-telling about Zacchaeus, the tax collector’s, change of heart once he has met Jesus. Told from the point of view of a magpie who lives in the same tree that Zacchaeus climbs in order to get a better view. It’s an easy to follow tale, well laid out with simple to follow illustrations.

Recommended age: 3 to 5 years

Author: Nick Butterworth ISBN: 978-1781281734 Published: 01/04/2015 Publisher: Candle Books RRP: $10.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION A cheeky magpie is protecting his horde of sparkling treasure one hot afternoon when he sees a crowd begin to gather. As he watches with growing interest he sees fat little Zacchaeus trying to peep over the crowd - but he can't see, and he can't get through! Zacchaeus climbs the magpie's tree and together they watch as Jesus comes near - the magpie huddles over his treasure as Jesus calls up to Zacchaeus - does Jesus know the magpie's treasure is stolen? As Zacchaeus gives back the money he has cheated the people out of the magpie too starts to return his stolen goods - even the ring he took from Zacchaeus!

lost the stranger aboard comes to the rescue, calming the storm. As the relieved mouse settles down to sleep he hopes that this man will sail with them again. » OUR REVIEW By far the most gripping story in this series for young readers, due to the lively illustrations. Narrated by the fishing boats resident mouse, it tells the Bible story of how Jesus quelled the storm. It’s an easy to follow tale, which unambiguously shows how Jesus has dominion over the elements. Told through simple text and easy to understand illustrations.

Recommended age: 3 to 5 years

SO TITLE

The Tale: Jesus & the Storm Author: Nick Butterworth ISBN: 978-1781281758 Published: 01/04/2015 Publisher: Candle Books RRP: $10.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION A little mouse that lives on a fishing boat is minding his own business, nibbling fishing nets and scampering about, when he suddenly gets caught up in a big adventure! Sailing out to sea with a strange man on board the mouse and crew are soon caught in a huge and terrifying storm - who can help them now? Just as all seems

SO TITLE

The Cat's Tale: Jesus & the Wedding Author: Nick Butterworth ISBN: 978-1781281741 Published: 01/04/2015 Publisher: Candle Books RRP: $10.99

The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015 | 1

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION A sleepy cat up on the roof spies something interesting going on in the courtyard below - rushing around, guests... food! As the cat goes down to sneak scraps from the table he tells the story that he sees unfolding before him: Jesus turning water to wine. A famous Bible story, told and illustrated by two best-loved children's picture book creators.

known for his storytelling talents is tackling Bible stories again!

Following his popular Storyteller series and his Unauthorized Versions, Bob is retelling stories for a younger audience, but with the same mischievous slant that made the Unauthorized Versions so much fun.

Lesser known tales are collected together and packed with dialogue and funny details which are set off by Woody Fox's jaunty line illustrations.

» OUR REVIEW A very matter of fact re-telling of the well known Bible verse for young readers. The events are viewed and narrated upon by the household cat as the day of the wedding party dawns. From the preparations, arrival of the guests, through the initial celebrations, the discovery of a lack of wine to Jesus’s eventual miracle everything is laid out simply and in an easy to understand manner. The text is straightforward and the illustrations mirror it well. It’s a well composed companion book for helping young children better understand biblical events.

» OUR REVIEW A fun collection of Bible stories broken down into simple tales for easy digestion by young readers.

Each story has the main facts of the original verse, so lose none of their punch, but are presented in an easy to understand, concise way.

Accompanied by amusing line drawing throughout. It’s a simple introduction to Bible stories and could be used in RE classes outside of the usual Christian school sphere.

Author: Bob Hartman ISBN: 978-0745965567 Published: 01/04/2015 Publisher: Lion RRP: $9.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Bob Hartman tells tales like no other!

A collection of little-known and unusually told Bible stories for younger readers. Bob Hartman, well-

(book 1), Winner 2010 Australasian Caleb Prize for Best Children’s Book.

Where Arrows Fly (book 2), Winner 2011 Australasian Caleb Prize for Best Children’s Book Where the Crickets Sing (book 3), Winner 2012 CSP International Book Award – Children’s Category 8-12 years, Finalist 2012 Australasian Caleb Prize for Best Children’s Book.

Where the River Rises (book 4), Winner 2013 CSP International Book Award, Children’s Category 8-12 years. » OUR REVIEW

SO TITLE

Off the Wall Bible Tales

Awards: Where Lions Roar at Night

Recommended age: 5 to 7 years

Recommended age: 3 to 5 years

SO TITLE

They relate the dramas and adventures, mistakes, fun, laughter and tears. The books are written through the eyes of Milly, who was ten when she moved into the barn.

She is a feisty, plucky girl who loves adventures and animals. She has gathered an ever growing menagerie around her – chickens, Indian Runner ducks, a horse, a house cow … life is never dull with Milly around!

The Barn Chronicles (set of 4: unboxed) Author: Rosie Boom ISBN: BARN-SET Published: Various Publisher: Other RRP: $75 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION The Barn Chronicles is a multi-award winning series of four books that tell the story of the Boom family’s move to the country and attempt to simplify their lifestyle as they live in a 90year-old barn in rural Northland, New Zealand.

2 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

In the first two books of the Barn Chronicles, the ordinary wraps itself in shimmering enchantment. This real-life story set on the Boom’s farm in the far north of New Zealand is alight with a captivating glow. The land of Narnia seems to have mysteriously broken through from another dimension and touched the Boom’s fields and home with a bright, majestic dreaming.

In Where Lions Roar at Night, Milly comes to live in a ninety-year old barn with her parents, brothers and sisters. In the middle of the night, savage roars echo over the hill. So begins a time of settling into a farm where adventures are just waiting to happen.

Where Arrows Fly continues the first year of adventures in the barn as building progresses on the family house. These books have been compared to Laura Ingall's Wilder’s classic Little House on the Prairie but that is to underestimate their sparkle, vivacity and contemporary relevance.

The third instalment, Where the Crickets Sing continues the adventures of the Boom family as they prepare to move into their house – just in time for Christmas. There are plenty of animal stories for lovers of nature, and the ongoing warmth of their family fellowship as they live this grand adventure together.

Where the River Rises wraps up The Barn Chronicles and as with the previous books, features many allusions to the land of Narnia.

A pervasive effervescent delight bubbles through this series, creating an atmosphere where simple pleasures become learning adventures and where accidents and disappointments are dealt with sensitively and so tend to have an air of mere light and momentary troubles.

Major themes: family, simplified lifestyle, farm life, animals, sibling relationships, adventure, Narnia, faith

Please be aware: There are no concerns with this book

Recommended age: 6 to 12 years Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: ★★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★★

A Horse for Kate: Horses and Friends Author: Miralee Ferrell ISBN: 978-0781411141 Published: 01/03/2015 Publisher: David C.Cook RRP: $16.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION A horse of her own would be awesome. But Kate figures that might be a long way away, especially since she had to give up riding lessons and move to her late grandfather’s farm. Besides, it would be a lot more fun to have a best friend to ride with.

When Kate discovers a barn on their new farm that’s perfect for a horse, and a dusty bridle too, she starts to think that her dream might come true. Then she meets Tori at school, who is totally the best.

So when they discover a thoroughbred that appears to be all alone, could it be the answer to her prayers? Maybe. If she can convince her dad ... and figure out what’s going on with that horse. » OUR REVIEW This is an easy-to-read story aimed at girls from about nine to thirteen. It tells the story of Kate and her family, who have moved to the country to live on her late grandfather’s farm.

She’s hopeful the barn on his property can be used to house the horse she so desperately wants, but her father’s only just started a new job and doesn’t have a lot of money to spare. What they do have they need to put into special care for Kate’s brother, Pete, who is autistic.

In spite of these setbacks, Kate makes a new friend at school, named Tori. She and Tori then go to a riding school and sign up for volunteer work, which gets them some free lessons, while they try and find out who owns the seemingly abandoned horse in a nearby field. Kate dreams of adopting it if its owner can’t be found. Eventually the owner is discovered. The horse, whose name is Capri, belongs to a man named Mr Miller and was his wife’s until she died. He is planning to sell Capri at an auction and Kate is worried the horse will end up going to a meat factory. However, when Capri disappears and Kate manages to find her, Mr Miller decides to give the horse to her.

A Horse for Kate is a nice and moral story that adheres to Christian principles. Kate and her family are clearly Christian and Kate prays for God’s help numerous times throughout the story which always results in the issues in her life being resolved in a positive way. Kate and her friend, Tori, present positive role models as they always try and do the right thing by each other and treat everyone in their lives with respect.

Kate does feel resentful of her brother a little at the start of the novel but soon realises that this kind of behavior isn’t fair on Pete or her parents.

Major themes: Family differences, autism, compassion for animals, horses, honesty, courage,

Please be aware: There are no concerns with this book.

Recommended age: 9 to 13 years Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: ★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★

aptschoolresources.com.au | 3

SO TITLE

Brave Girls Faithful Friends: A 90-Day Devotional

Brave Girls: Better Than Perfect: A 90Day Devotional

Author: Thomas Nelson ISBN: 978-0718030582 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Thomas Nelson RRP: $11.99

Author: Thomas Nelson ISBN: 978-0718030520 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Thomas Nelson RRP: $11.99

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

Faithful Friends, forever true ...hearts together, me and you! From the time they are babies, some little girls reach out to those around them, smiling, laughing, playing, and making friends. Others might find it a little tough. This new Brave Girls devotional features 90 devotions that will reinforce a young girl's desire to have friends, to BE a friend, and to help her share her faith with friends of all ages. Just as God is our "Forever Friend," faithful and true, the Brave Girls take readers through these pages, encouraging her to be best friend she can be! Each devotion will include: *A relevant opening scripture from the Bible *A thought-provoking devotion to encourage a faithful and friendly heart *An engaging closing prayer to help the reader become the ambassador of friendship God wants her to be!

Better than perfect: that's what every girl is in God's eyes. A young girl's doubt in her own self-worth starts from an early age. Am I pretty enough? Am I smart enough? Will I fit in? Do people like me? Am I worthy enough?

These aren't questions asked by teens, but from precious girls in grade school! Brave Girls Faith and Honor will help girls navigate these questions and learn just how wonderful they are!

In this Brave Girls devotional, 90 engaging devotions will help young girls find their place in the world and learn that the beauty of their imperfections is what makes them unique, loved, precious, and "better than perfect" in God's eyes.

Each devotion includes: *A relevant opening scripture from the Bible *A thought-provoking devotion to build a young girl's spirit *An engaging closing prayer to help the reader navigate her day!

MindWar: The MindWar Trilogy 1 Author: Andrew Klavan ISBN: 978-1401688943 Published: 17/03/2015 Publisher: Thomas Nelson RRP: $22.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION New High Score! New Record Time!

Rick nodded with grim satisfaction.

He laid the game controller aside on the sofa and reached for his crutches.

Rick Dial was the best quarterback Putnam Hills High School had ever seen. Unflappable. Unstoppable.

Number 12. But when a car accident left him crippled, Rick’s life as he knew it ended. He disavowed his triumphant past. He ignored his girlfriend. He disappeared into his bedroom—and into the glowing video screen.

But Rick’s uncanny gaming skills have attracted attention. Dangerous attention. Government agents have uncovered a potentially devastating cyber-threat: a Russian genius has created a digital reality called the Realm, from which he can enter, control, and disrupt American computer systems . . . from transportation to defense.

The agents want Rick, quick-thinking quarterback and gaming master, to enter the Realm and stop the madman—before he sends America into chaos. Entering the Realm will give Rick what he thought he’d never have again: a body as strong and fast as it was before the accident.

But this is no game, there are no extra lives, and what happens to Rick

4 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

in the Realm happens to Rick’s body in reality. Even after Rick agrees to help, he can’t shake the sense that he’s being kept in the dark. Why would a government agency act so aggressively? Can anyone inside the Realm be trusted? How many others have entered before him . . . and failed to return?

In the tradition of Ender’s Game and The Matrix, MindWar is a complex thriller about a seemingly ordinary teenager who discovers a hidden gift —a gift that could make him a hero...or cost him everything. » OUR REVIEW Rick Dial is a high school sporting ‘hero’ until a car accident leaves him crippled, dependent on crutches and in constant pain. His father left them shortly before he was injured, and Rick is bitter and self-focused, shutting out friends and family and spending all his time playing video games.

His mother wants him to go outside and get some exercise,and because he loves her he eventually gives in.

The walk is short lived. He is grabbed by the mysterious Miss Ferris and her gigantic sidekick Juliet Seven,who stabs him in the neck with a syringe. It’s the last thing Rick remembers for some time …

In London, an assassin called Reza has just killed a man.Where he used to fight with passion and ‘faith’, now it is just a job. His friend Ibrahim wants to introduce him to someone who will inspire that passion once again.

What he finds is a man that is almost more machine than human, a naked brain and torso connected to a computer. But this is not just any computer – it is a way for him to bring the United States to its knees.

Rick wakes to find himself in a secret government location.In front of him is a holograph of Commander Jonathan Mars, who tells him about the MindWar Project.

A man called Kurodar has found a way to connect his brain to technology. Instead of having to find

a direct path to hack into, he can imagine himself in any technology anywhere in the world.

He’s already proven it can work by derailing a train in Canada that killed 83 people. Now he’s seeking funding from the Axis Assembly, a collective of leaders from every tyranny on earth. His plan is to destroy the US within a year.

The government want Rick to stop him. They have been tracking him closely and he holds the highest score in the world on three top games. Their scientists have developed a way to put a digital version of Rick into the Realm. He has the skills they need to defeat Kurodar before he ends them all.

But nothing is quite as simple as it seems. Why does a devoted family man who has a vibrant relationship with God suddenly up and leave his loved ones – supposedly to take up with an old girlfriend? And if that is what he has done, why does he take a family photo with him? What does Rick’s father have to do with the MindWar? And who is the Traveler?

It is only when these questions are answered that Rick will discover the true meaning of faith …

Major themes: tragedy, broken families, grief, loss, bitterness, conspiracies, terrorism, computer games, virtual worlds, self sacrifice, faith, reconciliation, hope, good versus evil

Please be aware: 1. Reza the assassin shoots a man he has been contracted to kill (not graphic).

Chapter 4. 2. Infrequent non graphic violence, plus some computer game style monsters etc. (eg Chapter 11).

Nothing of concern.

Recommended age: 13 to 17 years Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: ★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★

SO TITLE

Dauntless: Valiant Hearts # 1 Author: Dina L Sleiman ISBN: 978-0764213120 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Other RRP: $16.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Born a barons daughter, Lady Merry Ellison is now an enemy of the throne after her fathers failed assassination attempt upon the king. Bold and uniquely skilled, she is willing to go to any lengths to protect the orphaned children of her former village--a group that becomes known as The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest.

Merry finds her charge more difficult as their growing notoriety brings increasing trouble their way. Timothy Grey, ninth child of the Baron of Greyham, longs to perform some feat so legendary that he will rise from obscurity and earn a title of his own.

When the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest are spotted in Wyndeshire, where he serves as assistant to the local earl, he might have found his chance. But when he comes face-toface with the leader of the thieves, he’s forced to re-examine everything he’s known. » OUR REVIEW In medieval England, Lord Ellison is found guilty of treason for rising up against King John, and his family and surrounding village are almost entirely wiped out. The only survivors are his teenage daughter, Lady Merry and a group of young children from the village.

Heartbroken at her losses but determined to protect the children at

aptschoolresources.com.au | 5

all costs, Merry becomes their leader, and establishes a life for them hidden in the depths of the forest. Two years later, they steal a chest of taxes headed to the king and the stories about the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest become wilder and wilder.

There is no suspicion that behind the myths is a band of enterprising children. Children who have become a family of sorts – the only family any of them have left.

Lord Wyndemere, best friend to the king, is determined to bring them to justice and enlists the help of his assistant Timothy Grey, younger son of a local landowner. Timothy has no idea that his search is going to bring him face to face with the girl he had long thought dead – the girl he had been betrothed to marry and whose death had not just lost him his wife, but also his best friend.

Timothy wants to protect Merry, but in order to keep his position with Wyndemere, he must bring the Ghosts to justice. As the truth is revealed and Merry’s position as leader becomes evident, Timothy must choose between what he has always believed – the right of king to rule and man to obey – and the very real injustices he sees happening before his eyes.

It’s a journey he will travel on the edge of danger, as an unknown enemy follows closely behind, determined to do anything and everything to bring him undone …

An enjoyable read with strong faith themes and plenty of romance.

Major themes: romance, medieval times, injustice, rebellion, survival, family, determination, courage, ingenuity, faith, love, self-sacrifice

Please be aware: 1. There are strong romantic themes and some kissing scenes but it is all very moderate. 2. Minor infrequent violence. 3. Merry is forced to shoot a man in the chest with her bow and arrow in order to protect the children.

He dies.

Recommended age: 14 to 17 years Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: ★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★

SO TITLE

Nowhere to Hide Author: Sigmund Brouwer ISBN: 978-0736917483 Published: 01/03/2015 Publisher: Other RRP: $19.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION William King and Blake Watt have just settled into their senior year of high school when they receive a call for help--the authorities need to use their computer skills to track down a father who has failed to make childsupport payments.

The invitation to become cyber bounty hunters is so tempting, they don’t stop to ask why they were chosen for this assignment.

As they learn more about the man they are searching for, they discover the true nature of their mission--to help the founder of a Seattle-based software company prove that he is innocent of a much different charge.

But the scariest things they learn are why they were chosen and why they were supposed to remain in the background.

You’ll love following the surprising twists and turns in this fast-paced young-adult thriller from a gifted storyteller who has nearly three million books in print. » OUR REVIEW This book is the sequel to Dead Man’s Switch and begins with Williams character, known by his nickname, King, clearly exhibiting the

6 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

symptoms of PTSD related to that event. However, the story quickly moves away from too many references to the previous book and begins to develop its own unique story. Having used the excuse of the flu to avoid joining his friends, MJ and Blake, on this assignment, King is finally convinced to join them, only to discover that things are not what they seem. The CIA agent sent to collect him seems to be hunting the boys’ CIA agent friend, Evans. But is it Evans who is in the wrong? Is this other agent, Mundie, the one they should trust?

The lines between enemy and friend are soon blurred as the boys have to find out who has kidnapped a girl – the daughter of one of Evans friends – as the kidnapper has threatened to kill her. The clock is ticking, with her life in the balance.

However, even that is not as simple as it seems, as the web of intrigue and deceit plunges even deeper, with secret meetings being taped, fake agents sent to help them, and all the while, time is running out.

This is an intricate story, while also being engaging and intriguing. It constantly keeps readers on their toes as they try to figure out, along with the boys, exactly what is going on and who is telling the truth. Truth becomes the major theme of the book. Are any lies justified, like small ones? Or do even small lies turn into big ones? There’s no clear cut answer given but it is clear from the story that lies often lead to continued trouble for everyone.

Major themes: lies, betrayal, deceit, espionage, kidnapping, adventure, PTSD

Please be aware: The three boys attack and tie up two different agents, evasion of authorities, suggestion of possible murder by drowning, threats made with guns.

Recommended age: 13 and up Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: ★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★

marry her, but instead betrayed her love and abandoned her.

Dead Man’s Switch Author: Sigmund Brouwer ISBN: 978-0736917476 Published: 01/03/2014 Publisher: Other RRP: $19.99 **The review for this title can be found in the Member’s Database.

SO TITLE

The Tomb: A Novel of Martha Author: Stephanie Landsem ISBN: 978-1451689129 Published: 17/03/2015 Publisher: Other RRP: $19.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION In this captivating retelling of a classic biblical story, Jesus shocks the town of Bethany with Lazarus’s resurrection from the dead, leading Martha—a seemingly perfect woman trapped by the secrets of her past— to hope and a new life. Everyone in Bethany admires Martha—the perfect Jewish woman. She feeds and clothes her loved ones, looks after the family farm, and meticulously follows every precept of the Pharisees’ strict laws. But Martha is hiding a secret. At her sister’s marriage feast, she gave her heart and her innocence to a young musician who promised to return and

Seven years later, only two people in Bethany know of Martha’s secret sin: her brother, Lazarus, and Simon, the righteous Pharisee to whom Martha is betrothed. When Lazarus falls ill, Martha is faced with a choice: send for Jesus to save her dying brother— risking the wrath of Simon who threatens to betray her—or deny Jesus’ healing power and remain trapped in her tomb of secrecy and lies.

Meanwhile, on the shores of Galilee, Isa roams the wilderness, tortured by demons and knowing only that someone is waiting for him. When he is healed by Jesus, he finds that seven years have passed since his descent into madness. Isa journeys home to Bethany only to find he is too late to win back Martha’s love.

When Martha risks all to heal Lazarus, will Jesus arrive in time, or will he—like Isa—come too late? » OUR REVIEW Stephanie Landsem is an exceptionally gifted author with the ability to bring biblical times to life by re-imagining the human stories that lay behind the snippets we garner from the scriptures. In this latest story, she considers how Martha the woman who was anxious and worried about many things - may have been transformed into the faithfilled woman of John 11:22 who could say Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.

Martha is a woman highly valued in her family and community for her godliness. After her mother died, she raised Lazarus and Mary, and served her father to perfection. Her value has come from doing what is expected, when it is expected, to the best of her ability.

But there is one person who loves her just as she is - Isa, her childhood friend who has been apprenticed to an abusive travelling musician since he was a young boy. But Isa is a

pagan, and Martha would never be allowed to marry him. When she makes the decision to meet him in the orchard by her home, it is a choice that will change the course of her life.

Isa leaves the next morning, vowing to establish himself and then return and marry her.

When Martha finds out she is pregnant, she has no choice but to tell her father what has happened.

Her shame seems neverending, and she lives with her fathers disappointment, her sorrow and pain at Isa’s failure to return, and the constant reminders of her own failure every day of the years ahead.

To cope, she becomes even more upright (basically she is a performance addict - seeking to cover her own shame by doing everything right). Her joy is long gone.

After her fathers death, things become more dire. Her brother Lazarus is now head of the house, and determined to marry her off to Simon the Leper, a Pharisee who seeks to ward off his own shame at having been an outcast by marrying the most righteous woman he knows, thereby restoring his own reputation.

Martha has no option but to tell him the truth, given that the marriage agreement gives him the authority to have her stoned to death if proof of her virginity is not found. Simon is not a gracious or forgiving man - he is powerful and wealthy and while he agrees to still marry Martha, he has every intention of enforcing her good behaviour for the rest of her life.

Lazarus (who has known the truth about Martha and Isa since he stumbled on them in the orchard after that fateful night seven years before when he was just a boy), is just about to sign the amended agreement when he realises just how badly Simon is likely to treat Martha.

He refuses, but as he leaves Simons home, he collapses.

The ill health he has been hiding from his family now threatens to end

aptschoolresources.com.au | 7

his life. At the same time, a strange man has turned up in Bethany in need of help after being mugged and beaten on the road. It is Isa, and Martha is distraught at his refusal to tell her where he has been and why he has not returned to her before now. With Lazarus ill, their need of Jesus is dire and Isa knows where to find him. He knows because Jesus set him free after seven years tormented by demons (eg Isa is the possessed man from Matthew 8 whose legion of demons were cast

by Jesus into the pigs). Jesus doesn’t arrive when expected, but many days later, he doesn’t just deliver Lazarus from his tomb, but frees Martha from her shame, anxiety and guilt.

The Thief

An Uncertain Choice

Author: Stephanie Landsem ISBN: 978-1451689105 Published: 1/4/2014 Publisher: Other RRP: $19.99

Author: Jody Hedlund ISBN: 978-0310749196 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Zondervan RRP: $22.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

A wonderful book that helps the reader understand how Jesus is truly the one who sets us free. We cannot recommend it - and Landsem’s previous books The Well and The Thief (see below) - highly enough.

Major themes: biblical stories, mistakes and consequences, shame, guilt, family, love, societal expectations, religious performance, grace, mercy, forgiveness, freedom, healing

Please be aware: 1. As noted in the review, Martha and Isa sleep together (no descriptions - page 22 & 23). Thus begins years of pain and regret. Her father sends her away, and during her absence, buys a slave who returns with Martha and they present Martha's son as hers.

The Well Author: Stephanie Landsem ISBN: 978-1451688856 Published: 2/12/2013 Publisher: Other RRP: $19.99 **Publisher’s descriptions and our review for these titles can be found in the Member’s Database.

Recommended age: 14 years to Adult Suitable class novel: YES Good read rating: ★★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★★

8 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

Due to her parents’ promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, shortly before her birthday, a friend of her father’s enters the kingdom and proclaims her parents’ will left a second choice--if Rosemarie can marry before the eve of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow. Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the knights arrival results in a series of attacks within her land, she begins to wonder if the convent is the best place after all. If only one of the knights - the one who appears the most guilty - had not already captured her heart. » OUR REVIEW Lady Rosemarie was orphaned at age 14, and since then has ruled her lands under the guardianship and guidance of the Abbot. Shortly after her mothers death, she discovered that her parents had taken the Vow of Hannah at her birth (in response to their prayers for a child being answered), meaning she was to be committed to the Lord’s service on her 18th birthday, a date that is fast approaching.One month prior to her birthday, the Duke of Rivinshire arrives unexpectedly. He had been one of her father’s closest friends and her godfather, but has been away at war for many years. He

wants her to know that his scribes have found one possible way out of her parent’s vow - if she falls in love and marries before her 18th birthday (as her parents did), then the vow is considered met given that marriage is also a holy covenant.

Rivinshire has brought with him his three best knights, and wants Rosemarie to agree to at least permit them to court her rather than just heading straight to the convent as she had planned. If by her birthday one of them doesn’t win her hand, they will take it as a sign from God that she is destined for the convent.

In the face of conflicting advice, she turns to God in prayer and that time helps her decide to do as the Earl has suggested. Two of the knights court her in every way possible - they brim over with compliments on her beauty, fill her hands with flowers and offer her gifts. But it is the third, Derrick, who helps uncover the plot that threatens her well-being and that of her people, and encourages her to be the best version of herself she can be.

This book is well and truly in the romance genre with plenty of courting/wooing and the like, while also having positive underlying messages about being careful who you trust, seeking God in prayer, caring for those less fortunate, and the value of a mate who shares your values rather than being focused on outward beauty/attraction.

A light, enjoyable read for those who are looking for a historical romance.

Major themes: history, romance, faith, courage, kindness, generosity, justice, deception, manipulation, power, hope

Please be aware: 1. There are a few fight scenes and references to torture (as per the era), but nothing graphic.

Recommended age: 14 years + Suitable class novel: NO Good read rating: ★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★

him, it’s clear that this book is going to be both engaging and confronting.

SO TITLE

No Heil Hitler Author: Paul Cieslar ISBN: 978-1925044102 Published: 01/01/2015 Publisher: Signs Publishing RRP: $24.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION September 1, 1939: The stillness of the morning was suddenly shattered when three German fighter planes appeared from behind the mountain of Kubalonka. They were in strict formation, one slightly in front of the other, as if taking part in a demonstration, barely aboveground level.

I could see the grey fuselage, the pilots in the cockpits and the ominous black crosses on the wings.

The noise alone felt like it would shake all my teeth out. I saw the flicker of flames as the first plane fired its guns, and heard the trees above my head splintering as the stream of bullets hit them.

Branches toppled down, cattle panicked. Leaves and twigs sprayed across the field. The ricocheting bullets whined around the valley.

War had come to Poland and 10year-old Paul’s life had suddenly changed. Forced to abandon any outward allegiance to their Polish heritage and Seventh-day Adventist faith, Paul’s family were determined to keep obedience to God foremost. » OUR REVIEW

Paul Cieslar has a great ability to make the reader feel like they’re there. That’s not always a pleasant experience, especially as Paul’s village in Poland becomes part of Nazi Germany. People are taken away. Others disappear. Propaganda becomes the norm and refusing to say Heil Hitler! can result in a oneway ticket to Auschwitz.

Paul and his family are Seventh Day Adventists and came under suspicion from the Nazis simply because they worshipped God on a Saturday. It was too reminiscent of the Jewish way of life for those who followed the Nazi cause.

Their Christian faith underpins their stoicism in refusing to give in to the Nazis and what they stood for, often causing the Cieslar family a great deal of trouble.

The book doesn’t pull any punches.

Although most descriptions are not graphic, Paul makes it clear the fate that many suffered for standing up to the Nazis. It is a powerful story of the price this family paid for holding on to their faith.

Please note: This story won the inaugural National Seniors Literary Prize for an unpublished manuscript

by Australians aged 50 or older in 2012.

Major themes: cultural divisions, racism, religious differences, totalitarian regimes, political intrigue, invasion, liberation, communism, nazism, fascism, propaganda, faith, standing up for what’s right,martyrdom, courage

Recommended age: 14 years to Adult Suitable class novel: YES Good read rating: ★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★

From the moment it starts, with a 10year-old boy peacefully looking after sheep, only to have that peace shattered when Germans fly overhead and start shooting around

aptschoolresources.com.au | 9

his successful career as an evangelist and the steps that led to the founding of the Methodist Church.

SO TITLE

John Wesley: The Man, his Mission and his Message Author: David Malcolm Bennett ISBN: 978-1925139273 Published: 01/06/2015 Publisher: Rhiza Press RRP: $16.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a great evangelist.

He toured the British Isles for fifty years in the eighteenth century, preaching in churches, tiny chapels, village squares and in vast open areas, where he attracted enormous crowds.

By the 1770s he was probably the most recognisable man in Britain, so much did he travel. He was also a sensitive counsellor, a concerned pastor, a thoughtful theologian and a brilliant organiser.

There are some who believe that his influence was so great that he and his associates saved England from the ravages of a revolution similar to that which occurred in France at the end of that century.

Wesley is a man who argues with his brother, Charles, and with others; has deep and crushing doubts about his faith; and fails in his marriage. He also has a keen sense of humour.

The author hasn’t shied away from including any of these details and looks at who he is as a person as well as the speaking engagements that Wesley led before thousands and the many daring escapes he had from danger when overrun by his enemies.

All these stories make for a book that is fascinating and holds the reader’s interest. Whatever the emotion John Wesley: The Man, his Mission and his Message is invoking, it isn’t disinterest.

John Wesley’s life was face-paced and intriguing in its successes and failures and this book will be food for thought for those who have only known him by his ministry, as well as being a great introduction to those who know nothing about him at all.

Major themes: John Wesley, church history, Methodism

Please be aware: Not applicable.

Recommended age: 14 years to Adult Suitable class novel: YES Good read rating: ★★★★ Literary value rating: ★★★★

John Wesley: The Man, his Mission and his Message paints a picture of Wesley that is vivid and enduring. He appears in these pages as a real man, not a plastic saint, with all his astonishing talents, his clever sense of humour and his tragic weaknesses. » OUR REVIEW This new book by accomplished author David Malcolm Bennett, includes a lot of details about John Wesley’s everyday life, not just about

10 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

The Day I Met Jesus Author: Frank Viola & M Demuth ISBN: 978-0801016851 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Baker Publishing RRP: $19.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ met face-to-face with people just like you. Broken, imperfect, sometimes fearful and without hope.

"The Day I Met Jesus" is a beautifully crafted narrative that chronicles the remarkable encounters of five women in the Gospels who were desperate to find wholeness, security, and purpose.

Like all of us, these women struggled with the regrets of their pasts, the stresses of their presents, and the worries of their tomorrows.

Join Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth on a fascinating journey back in time as they retell the dramatic accounts of five women who met Jesus. Each narrative is told from each woman's unique perspective, yet tightly grounded in the Gospel accounts and faithful to first-century history.

Elegantly written and profoundly stirring, this book blends creative narrative with uncommon insight, spiritual depth, and practical application. If you are someone who seeks a renewal of hope, faith, and love, "The Day I Met Jesus" will make your Bible come to life and usher you into a fresh encounter with your Lord.

everyday reality for those who choose faith over survival in Syria, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, and other countries hostile to the Gospel of Christ.

You're Loved No Matter What

More Than Just The Talk

Author: Holley Gerth ISBN: 978-0800722906 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Fleming H. Revell RRP: $21.99

Author: Jonathan McKee ISBN: 978-0764212949 Published: 17/03/2015 Publisher: B&H Publishing Group RRP: $19.99

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

How would your life be different if you truly believed you're loved just as you are?" Holley Gerth poses this compelling question at the start of her latest book. As someone who has connected with thousands of women, Holley has seen the dangers of becoming trapped by impossible standards of beauty, achievement, and even spirituality. We believe if only we were "perfect" we could beat our depression, banish anxiety, and develop the relationships we long for most.

A youth expert reveals how to become your kids' key source of information about dating, temptation, purity, and sex by engaging them in open, ongoing conversations.

Holley shares how God wants to set the hearts of women free by revealing the lies we believe and the scandalous grace and acceptance offered to us instead.

When we know we're truly loved, the response is to love in return--and that changes everything.

Bestselling author and every woman's best friend, Holley Gerth helps women lay down their unrealistic expectations so they can embrace who God created them to be, pursue his purpose for their lives, and offer the love they've been freely given.

In Killing Christians, Tom Doyle takes readers to the secret meetings, the torture rooms, the grim prisons, and even the executions that are the "calling" of countless Muslimsturned-Christians.

Each survivor longs to share with brothers and sisters "on the outside" what Christ has taught them. Killing Christians is their message to readers who still enjoy freedom to practice their faith. None would wish their pain and suffering on those who do not have to brave such misery, but the richness gained through their remarkable trials are delivered-often in their own words-through this book.

The stories are breathtaking, the lessons soul-stirring and renewing.

Killing Christians presents the dead serious work of expanding and maintaining the Faith.

Killing Christians: Living the Faith Where it's Not Safe to Believe

A Warrior's Faith:

Author: Thomas Nelson ISBN: 978-0718030681 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Thomas Nelson RRP: $21.99

Navy Seal Ryan Job, a Life-Changing Firefight, and the Belief That Transformed His Life

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

Author: Thomas Nelson ISBN: 978-1400206780 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Thomas Nelson RRP: $31.99

Could you retain your faith even if it meant losing your life? Your family's lives? To many Christians in the Middle East today, a "momentary, light affliction" means enduring only torture instead of martyrdom. The depth of oppression Jesus followers suffer is unimaginable to most Western Christians. Yet, it is an

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION An exhilarating story of a young Navy SEAL whose relentless faith transformed his life and inspired

aptschoolresources.com.au | 11

everyone who knew his courageous story. In A Warrior's Faith, Ryan Job's close friend, Robert Vera, recounts how the highly decorated Navy SEAL's unstoppable sense of humor, positive attitude & fierce determination helped him survive after being shot in the face by an enemy sniper on a roof in Ramadi, Iraq.

Though blinded, the irrepressible Job recovered from his wounds and began facing a new set of obstacles with his characteristic humor and resolve. He married the girl of his dreams, hunted elk, climbed Mt. Rainier, graduated college with honors, influenced countless people around him, and was looking forward to being a father-before his life was tragically cut short by a hospital medical error. Vera's raw, often funny, and heartfelt account of his friend's life offers readers a way to find hope in the middle of life's raging storms.

values and gospel messages in today's movies, music, popular TV shows, and much more! When you look closely, past the outrageous outfits and the antics of teen popsensations, it's easy to see that from the big screen to the small screen and right down to the radio waves, God and His stories are still prevalent in pop culture today. There are movies and television shows that speak eternal truth, reality show families who represent believers well, even fictional Christians portrayed in a positive light. And if you listen closely, musicians are still conversing with God as the original songwriters of the Bible did. For the reader searching for meaning in media today, All You Want to Know About the Bible in Pop Culture is the perfect choice. Features include: Fun Bible-based facts and trivia questions, Examples of biblical messages from current TV shows, films, and pop songs, A casual and engaging resource.

worldwide movement. What happened? Follow the action with this collection of the highs and lows of the people of God. Its twenty informative and fast-paced chapters are arranged by centuries. Each one begins with a summary of the most important statistics and influential Christians at that time. In the rest of each chapter, you'll find concise notes about the history of Christianity, including its: practices and beliefs; denominations and movements; institutions and traditions; evangelism and persecution; and, literature, art, and architecture. You can also use the helpful index to read topically rather than chronologically. You can follow the explosive spread of the gospel and discover your amazing heritage as a member of God's family.

What If? Dealing with Doubts All you Want to Know About the Bible in Pop Culture Author: Kevin Harvey ISBN: 978-0718005511 Published: 24/03/2015 Publisher: Thomas Nelson RRP: $27.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Somehow, it's hard to picture pop culture and Christianity going handin-hand, but maybe we simply aren't looking at things the right way. All You Want to Know About the Bible in Pop Culture reveals places where readers may be surprised to find redeeming

A Quick Look at Christian History: A Chronological Timeline Through the Centuries Author: George Thomas Kurian ISBN: 978-0736953788 Published: 01/04/2015 Publisher: Harvest House Publishers,U.S. RRP: $21.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION A few weeks after Easter AD 33, the entire church fit in one upstairs room.

In just decades, it exploded into a

12 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

Author: Kristen Young ISBN: 978-1925041460 Published: 01/10/2014 Publisher: CEP RRP: $14.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION This easy-to-read book gives the beginnings of answers to some of life’s biggest questions, about God, Jesus, the Bible and you. Some of the questions featured include ‘What if science gets rid of God?’, ‘What if we can trust the Bible?’ and ‘What if I don’t feel like a Christian?’.

Whether they flip through it to read about their most burning questions, or read it cover to cover, this book will help teens on their journey to finding the answers!

insights that I hope will help you move forward.

As you read it, my prayer is that you will come to see that forgiveness is not only possible, but also necessary to your well-being, in every area of your life.

Many of us find the concept of forgiveness incredibly difficult. The problem is, while we continue to hold on to our hurts we will never be free of them, and they affect our lives and our health in ways we often don’t understand.

I have had to walk the paths of forgiveness myself, and that hasn’t always been an easy journey.

However, it’s only during these last 10 years, as I’ve travelled the world praying for the sick, that I’ve realised how strong the connection between unforgiveness and illness and disease is.

The bitterness caused by refusing to forgive (or not knowing how to forgive) causes incredible stress to our body, soul and spirit, and can block the healing and abundant life that God offers to us.

Importantly, forgiveness isn’t just a spiritual issue. During a recent five year period, more than 1000 scientific studies (worldwide) looked specifically at the links between unforgiveness, and physical and mental health. In this book I share some of my journey, including how God transformed my relationship with my father, address some of the common misconceptions around forgiveness, and provide some

ALSO AVAILABLE SEPARATELY

Study Guide: 978-0718030711 RRP: $14.99

How Choosing to Forgive Can Set You Free

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

ISBN: 978-0718030704 RRP: $41.99

DVD: 978-0718030735 RRP: $35.99

Releasing Healing:

Author: John Mellor ISBN: 978-0977553822 Published: 01/08/2010 Publisher: Other RRP: $21.99

Life is - Study Guide with DVD

Limited Stock

Life Is Author: Jundah Smith ISBN: 978-1400204779 Published: 03/03/2015 Publisher: Thomas Nelson RRP: $21.99 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Life is ____. How would you finish that sentence?

Judah Smith believes Jesus shows us how to live life to the fullest. In this follow-up to his New York Times and USA Today bestseller Jesus Is ____, Judah completes the new sentence again and again, revealing how * Life is to be loved and to love. * Life is to trust God in every moment. * Life is to be at peace with God and yourself. * Life is to enjoy God. Judah writes as a friend, welcoming new believers, lifelong followers of Jesus, and even the merely curious.

He shows us the love of God that defies human logic and the life that God intends for us to have in the here and now. With excitement and humor, Judah looks at the stories in the Bible from his unique angle and shows how life is all about loving God and loving others.

Life Skills: Try a Little Kindness Author: Col Stringer and Simon Gribben ISBN: 978-0957759824 Published: 01/05/2002 Publisher: Other RRP: $16.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Kindness is a virture often sadly missing from today's world. In the book's introduction, the authors share the true story of a teacher that asked her bickering students to write a note to one of their classmates, stressing the virtues and qualities of what they admired most about them.

Years later the teacher was invited to attend the funeral of a student killed in the Vietnam war. The parents showed her a wrinkled note, the same note another student had written for him. A group of young adults attending the funeral produced their own notes. They too had kept and cherished their notes. Be moved and inspired as Col helps us remember the forgotten blessing.

aptschoolresources.com.au | 13

Limited Stock

Cutting Edge:

Getting Real:

Overcoming Self Harm

Challenging The Sexualisation of Girls

Author: Helen Bardell ISBN: 978-0980452365 Published: 01/08/2008 Publisher: Arkhouse RRP: $19.95

Author: Melinda Tankard-Reist ISBN: 978-1876756758 Published: 01/09/2009 Publisher: Spinifex Press RRP: $34.95

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Deliberate self-harm is an issue that evokes a lot of misunderstanding. It’s an issue that raises fear and suspicion even in Christian circles.

Self-harm is more widely spread than you might realise - affecting men and women, all ages and from all backgrounds. Several years ago I began to address my own compulsion of self-harm. A mammoth journey that took me through depths of fear, anxiety and testing that I did not imagine could exist. As a Christian I was shocked to realise there were no resources to help myself, or those who wished to support me. The world offers management of behaviour; God graciously pours healing into lives.

The world robs people of hope because management is the goal not freedom. God has placed me in a privileged place where I can bring tangible hope and “insider” resources out into the open in order to empower others to be set free. This book is for anyone seeking to break the cycle of self-harm in his or her own life. It’s also for anyone in a relationship or support role with an individual who self-harms. It’s the book I wished I’d had some years ago.

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION From advertising and merchandising to Bratz and Voodoo Dolls to the Henson affair, GETTING REAL puts the spotlight on the sexualisation and objectification of girls and women in the media, popular culture and society. Girls are portrayed as sexual at younger ages, pressured to conform to a 'thin, hot, sexy' norm.

Clothing, music, magazines, toys and games send girls the message that they are merely the sum of their body parts. The effects of prematurely sexualising girls are borne out in their bodies and minds, with a rise in selfdestructive behaviours such as eating disorders and self-harm, along with anxiety, depression and low selfesteem. GETTING REAL brings together writers, advocates and academics including some of the most vocal critics of the widespread pornification of culture. They call corporations, the media and the sex industry to account for creating this toxic environment. Lively and engaging, this collection is of interest to anyone troubled by what's happening today and those seeking ideas to address and mobilise against the sexualisation of girls.

Edited by author, advocate and commentator Melinda Tankard Reist, this is a book for anyone wanting to see a better world for the next generation.

14 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

Grace Roots Author: Ken Legg ISBN: 978-0957751477 Published: 01/11/2012 Publisher: Set Free Ministries RRP: $16.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Are you exhausted trying to live the Christian life, and wonder about that ‘easy yoke’ and ‘light burden’ Jesus spoke of? Grace Roots will take you on a 40 day journey, designed to give you a legalism-detox and soak you in the grace of God.

Grace: The Power to Reign Author: Ken Legg ISBN: 978-0957751491 Published: 01/11/2013 Publisher: Set Free Ministries RRP: $16.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION In Grace: The Power to Reign, Ken Legg expounds grace in its Biblical setting. He shows that far from it being a licence to sin or an excuse for laziness, grace is our power to reign in life – both in the midst of our circumstances and over the power of sin...

» PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

This Is The Life Author: Ken Legg ISBN: 978-0957751443 Published: 01/01/2003 Publisher: Set Free Ministries RRP: $14.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION This Is The Life! is all about establishing your heart upon the foundations of God's grace. Many Christians are frustrated, confused and defeated because they have learned erroneous things about God, themselves and the Christian life.

This Is The Life! seeks to replace some of those faulty foundations with the truths of authentic, life transforming Christianity.

During his many years in the Middle East, Kenneth Bailey often lived in villages, thus experiencing peasant life first hand. In getting to know the local people, his understanding of the original meaning of the parables of Christ was greatly enriched. In The Cross and the Prodigal, Kenneth Bailey draws on these insights to bring out not only the literary meaning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but also its emotional impact on the original hearers. In the one-act play, ‘Two Sons Have I Not’, contained in the second part of the book, the author brings into the open the parable’s underlying conflicts: Law versus love, servanthood versus sonship, preservation of family honour versus restoration of family fellowship. These conflicts are brought to a climax in the banquet scene that ends the parable. With this reprint, the author’s insights into the Parable of the Prodigal Son are made available to a new generation.

Kenneth Bailey’s writings on the parables of Jesus continue to be brilliantly illuminating.

Limited Stock

Limited Stock

The Cross and the Prodigal: A Commentary and Play on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Author: Kenneth Bailey ISBN: 978-0908284436 Published: 01/01/2000 Publisher: Acorn Press RRP: $19.95

Paul the Man:

marriage – or as a stern, demanding saint lacking in compassion or tolerance, and are wary of studying him deeply. For those wanting to get to know and understand Paul more, there are many surprises in store here as we get to know Paul the man through reading his letters and the history of his life in The Acts of the Apostles.

800 Horsemen Author: Col Stringer ISBN: 978-0646371955 Published: 01/03/2013 Publisher: Other RRP: $26.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Many are unaware that it was the Australian Light Horsemen who opened the doorway for the liberation of Jerusalem from centuries of Turkish rule - and for the founding of the modern nation of Israel. These "Aussies" achieved what no other nation could, including the Crusaders and Napoleon. Smith Wigglesworth prophesied that Australia and New Zealand would see the last great move of the Holy Spirit. Why should that be? God judges nations on the basis of the way they treated Israel.

A Bible Study for Groups or Individuals Author: Lois C Anderson ISBN: 978-0908284443 Published: 01/11/2002 Publisher: Acorn Press RRP: $9.95 » PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION Many people think of Paul the Apostle as a male chauvinist – against sex, against women, against

aptschoolresources.com.au | 15

FAITH INSPIRED BOOKS - ORDER FORM The Book Curator Special Supplement : June 2015 School Name

Date

Contact for this order

Member No.

Contact email address

Purchase Order No.

Book Title

ISBN

RRP

Qty

Sub Total LESS 10% Member Discount **A $9.90 shipping fee may apply to orders under $200

Apt School Resources ABN 57 897 905 170 | Ph 02 8985 9435 Fax 02 8007 0510 | admin@aptschoolresources.com.au PO Box 2707 Mansfield Q 4122

16 | The Book Curator Faith-Inspired Supplement: June 2015

**TOTAL

Line Total