Do you feel like a chef when you’re whipping up dinner every night for your family? Does your creativity flow when you’re adding a dash of this or that to your roast in the crock pot? You may not see yourself as a food critic, but every time you decide whether something tastes good or needs a little more salt, you are.

And when you scribble down a recipe that you copy from a magazine or from a dish you loved at your Sunday School potluck, you’re a food writer.

Here’s a book I recently enjoyed. I can even go so far as to say it’s changed my life — though that may sound a bit too spiritual. Ever since reading it, I’ve connected food with words in my mind, and it’s made cooking and describing food much more interesting. I read this book before I had my blog, so I reviewed it on Amazon — all by my lonesome. Now I can share it with you real people!

What is food writing? Before I read Jacob’s book, I thought I might learn a few techniques for writing restaurant reviews. Wow — I was wrong! This is a huge, magnificent field, of which I’ve merely sampled my first appetizer.

The author’s research in compiling this book is extensive. In presenting her ideas, she doesn’t limit readers to her own personal experience; she interviewed hundreds of successful food writers and asked them how they got started, what a typical day is like, and what advice they have to give.

Despite her years of industry experience, Jacob truly understands the heart of a beginner, and her voice is as far from snooty-hooty as one can be. Readers will feel encouraged and energized after reading chapters on the secrets of restaurant reviewing, cookbook compiling, recipe writing (yes, it is an art form!), memoir and nonfiction food writing, and food in fiction.

Jacob’s passion is so contagious, her words dance across the page. She seems especially interested in the trend of narrative food writing, and she gives you tips on how to make your writing full of jolt and flavor. What are the three laziest adjectives used to describe food? She says “nice,” “wonderful,” and “delicious.” She writes, “They are so vague that readers don’t know what you mean other than something positive.” Instead, she offers an extensive list of adjectives in chapter 5 that make it well worth the price of the book.

I’m only a simple home cook. My creativity usually involves whipping up kid-friendly favorites without having to dash off to the grocery store for exotic ingredients. Although I’ve written a few of my own recipes, I certainly didn’t realize what an exciting art form food writing can be.

While reading this book, we ate out at a new restaurant, and I imagined myself as one of those fancy New York Times reviewers in disguise (didn’t know they may actually wear wigs!). I had our waiter answering a myriad of questions, and even dashing back to speak with the chef. I brought home a menu and scribbled all over it my impressions.

She quotes experienced food critic Alan Richman who says he can’t wait to see what a restaurant has in store for him. He shares, “I get a hop in my step.”

I think some of you Mom 2 Mom readers out there are secretly gourmet cooks — I enjoy reading your recipes, especially the ones where you add in your stories. I’m crazy about recipe stories! I helped compile a cookbook last summer, and I loved hearing people tell me, “This is the one my great-aunt always made — it never fails to turn out delicious.”

After reading this book, I’ve had several ideas simmering in my mind, and one is to add better food descriptions to my writing — even when I’m adding recipes to my blog. So, if you’ve recently written about food in your blog, send me the link. Inspire me — in the slow month of January — help me put a hop in my step as I open my pantry and decide what to cook…over a thousand times this year.

P.S. I thought I should add that I picked this book out of the Writer’s Digest Book Club catalog, and I paid for it. Nobody asked me to review this book, and I don’t know the author — I just loved her book!

One of my favorite verses of poetry is from British poet William Blake. His awe of nature is revealed in these oft-quoted lines:

To see a world in a grain of sand
And heaven in a wild flower
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.
(from ‘Auguries of Innocence’)

There are many ways that parents can teach children about our God the Creator, but one of the best ways is through studying the natural world together. It’s not hard for me to have a child-like curiosity of the outdoors because I’m discovering everything fresh and new as an adult.

I was happy to receive Samuel Alibrando’s book, Nature Never Stops Talking, from Mind & Media. I love the colorful artwork on the cover, and I appreciate Mr. Alibrando’s fresh approach at discovering the natural world. He began his writing career as a father, while teaching his children. “I enjoyed pointing out certain things to my children (now fully grown),” he says in the introduction. “Most often I would pull a leaf off a tree and say, ‘This was an idea before it was created. We can physically touch what was once an idea.'”

Although Alibrando admits that he hasn’t finished college (remaining only a few credits shy of an AA degree), his hunger for understanding details about nature set him off on a quest of self-discovery in his 30s. He later became a columnist in a local newspaper, Mountain Press, where he has been writing for at least a decade. His book, Nature Never Stops Talking, is a compilation of 100 of his best short essays, celebrating Intelligent Design.

The book is divided into easy-to-browse topics: earth and space, scientific properties, the small stuff, beginnings, plants and trees, insects, specific creatures, DNA, the human body, and another section of miscellaneous essays. The author says, “The articles are like friendly talks ‘on the porch’ with company visiting.” Interspersed throughout the book are also rules and laws that he calls “Alibrando’s Laws.” The book concludes with an appendix that summarizes these laws.

There are several articles in the book that I really enjoyed, taken in a stand-alone way. His essay on snowflakes is full of poetic wonder: “The acoustics of a sky filled with feathery flakes creates a sacred quiet.” Then he launches into a brief discussion of how snow is really composed of ice crystals, which are tiny, light-reactive prisms.

His column on pinecones was also interesting; I’ll never look at a pinecone the same way. Children will also enjoy hearing his descriptions of animals, such as his article on bats: “The smallest bat in the world is the bumblebee bat. It weighs less than a penny.”

I encourage you to visit the author’s website and blog for further discussion. He seems to be a very approachable person, interested in receiving feedback from his readers. And that’s the point of writing for many of us — we want to build a community of fellow readers.

Yet, I must be honest and say that there was an overall tone to the book which bothered me. In general, I feel that Alibrando has an “us against them” view of scientists, which I don’t understand. There are thousands of very intelligent people who further their educations into specialized fields of science, while remaining strong in their Christian faith. In fact, for many of these scientists, they develop an even more intense appreciation of God as they realize how magnificent and complex His designs are.

So it bothered me that Alibrando seemed to assume throughout the book that scientists and their so-called laws and theories are wrong; and those of us who believe in a Creator are right. On p. 51 of the book, he writes, “We start believing that scientists can do anything. But guess what? They can’t make a tree. They can’t make a flower. They can’t even make a single seed…and they can’t make stuff grow…And you thought they could do anything. Ha.”

And on p. 139, I was quite surprised this made it through editing: “If all the greatest scientific minds can’t answer these questions now, who or what put it together when it was invented, something without brains, a roll of the dice or somebody smart? You have a brain pick your favorite from those three.” (That last sentence cannot possibly have been seen by an editor.)

After a while, I found the tone of the book to be haughty — instead of inspiring me to a deeper love and appreciation for God, I felt like the author kept reminding me how smart he is — and how dumb the rest of the scientific community is. Yet children who excel in mathematics and science will someday become our future engineers, biologists, astronomers, zoologists, and physicians. To me, having a book like this discourages children from pursuing advanced degrees that would someday label them as “scientists.”

I have agonized for weeks over this review because I know the author worked hard writing his columns and compiling them into a book. He sent Mind & Media reviewers a nice letter along with his book, and I always want to encourage people who are writers to keep it up! I thought about focusing only on the positives in my review — but then I felt like I needed to be honest.

Our world is in desperate need of men and women who are well educated, passionate about their subject fields, and also strong in their Christian faith. They’ll be leading the way for the next century of discoveries. I thank God for the many scientists who labored years and years through school to acquire the credentials required to be “experts.”

(This book was given to me for review from Mind & Media as a gift from the publisher.)

If you or someone you know has ever gone through a rough time, sometimes nothing seems to help except words from someone who has also been through it. Often, the only way to access a person who has encountered a similar situation is through reading a book. In Jan Eckle’s book, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow, she shares with you her personal pain and triumph in order to help you learn how to overcome your own adversities.

Jan’s story begins at the age of twelve, as she moves from La Paz, Bolivia to the U.S. We enjoy reading the background of her life as we approach the defining moments that led her to write this book. She takes you briefly through her college years, shares how she met her husband, and how she at last fulfilled her dream of becoming a mother.

While Jan was still young in her early 30s, something tragic happened that would change her life forever. She began to lose her eyesight. In the chapter, “Living in Darkness,” she describes the shock she felt when her doctor first told her that she was going to gradually lose all ability to see. At the time, she was the mother of three active boys, and it was terrifying to not be able to see them anymore.

The day came when she realized it was too dangerous for her to drive her own car, and she mourned the loss of independence of being able to drive her sons to their sporting events and activities.

Yet because of her suffering, Jan realized that her physical lack of sight was nothing compared to her spiritual darkness. She shares her amazing testimony in the chapter, “Salvation.” Jan’s vision may have diminished, but her heart began to “see” things she’d never understood before. She writes, “Climbing slowly out of this dark and cold place, I began to walk with Him, warmed by the light of His Word. My heart began to fill with peace, a peace beyond what I could understand.” Her changed heart led her to a lifelong thirst for scripture — and instead of being able to read it, she listened to hours and hours of sermons on the radio.

As a blind person, Jan had to learn how to run her household — she learned to find things and even cook in complete darkness! And she discovered a talent she didn’t know she had: the ability to interpret very quickly between the Spanish and English languages. She’s won many high awards in her career as an interpreter.

Her book gave me details into how a blind person uses a computer. If you have children who are studying blindness in school, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow will give them an in-depth glimpse into the tools of modern technology that enable a handicapped person to live and thrive like anyone else. They may even become interested in reading books out loud to record for the blind.

Beyond the tragedy of losing her sight, Jan continues her story, describing experiences that many of us go through. She and her husband underwent a financial crisis, where it looked like despair was around every corner. Yet her faith led her through, and she gives God the glory for the way things turned out. Another difficult experience was having to move from a place she was comfortable with to a new state, a new neighborhood, a new house. This is difficult for anyone, but especially for Jan, who wasn’t even able to see the house they bought. But she braved this trial once again with peace.

Then another tragedy struck her family on Sept. 7, 2002. Her precious college-age son, Joe, was killed in an accident. Jan’s sorrow over the death of her son and how she overcame this suffering are what led her to write this book. She was completely overwhelmed and had nowhere to turn but to God, the Giver of all Comfort. From the love and healing she received from her Savior, Jan now lives to offer a message of hope to other people who grieve.

I couldn’t put this book down. Jan’s faith inspired mine in so many ways. Her storytelling techniques drew me in completely, and she has the gift of telling truth in love that so many people need to hear. I would give this book to anyone who is going through a difficult transition or loss in life. The author shares how the truths in scripture set her free from a life of feeling sorry for herself. She relies on hope in God to give her an inward joy that is contagious.

I’ve enjoyed getting to know Jan a bit through email, and I somehow felt like God was leading me to connect her with another mom who is an editor of a newspaper and recently lost her 20-year-old son. She and Jan corresponded, and she asked Jan to write an article for her newspaper about the difficulty of getting through the holidays when you’re missing a loved one. I was blessed beyond words when Jan sent the article to me and asked me to “be her eyes” helping her with formatting.

I think of her often and hope many more people will be able to read her life story, full of hope and a deep abiding trust in God. She shares this verse:

Those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
~ Isaiah 40:31 NIV ~

You can learn more about Jan Eckles at her website, which was recently recognized as a top 10 Author’s website by Writer’s Digest Magazine. She also has an author interview in FaithWriters Magazine.

— Reviewed by Heather Lynn Ivester

Are you the mom of a teen daughter? Or do you know any teen girls? Then you’ve got to see this new comic book series.

I couldn’t believe it the first time I held it. A Christian manga! With top-of-the-line artwork in full color. This is the real deal. Barbour is calling Serenity “America’s Premier Inspirational Manga,” and it’s something you won’t want to miss.

OK — moving beyond the packaging on the outside, let’s talk about what’s on the inside. Here comes Serenity. She’s described as “one obnoxious little bundle of attitude.” If trouble comes in small packages, this 98-pound girl fits that description. When you start reading it, you think, “What’s her deal? What’s she so angry about?”

At first, I was a little squeamish — Serenity’s mouth is crude — though you don’t actually see the words (only symbols). She hates everything — her new school, the boring people around her. She’s way too cool for any of them.

But a group of Christian teens in a Prayer Club decide to take on Serenity Harper as a “project” of sorts. Meaning they’re going to reach out and love her no matter what. “If you need our help or somebody to talk to, we’ll be there,” they tell her. To which Serenity responds, “Why me? WHY ME? WHY ME?”

Tension increases in the book as nothing seems to break through to her. Then the action moves from school to her home — and we see the lousy situation she has to live in. A few things start to make sense. She slams the door on her mom one night and runs out into the streets barefoot — where she somehow ends up at a church youth group meeting. How will they reach out to her?

This comic book would be a great tool for church youth leaders to use with small groups. There are so many topics that can be brought up from what the characters are experiencing. And here’s a big topic: sexual purity. Serenity falls for one of the good-looking Christian guys and decides to invite him over while her mom isn’t home. It’s a tense scene. What will happen? She dolls herself up and says all the right things. Here’s a situation that takes place thousands of times a day all around the world.

Will this guy be able to say no and get away from her? I have to tell you, the author and illustrator handled the situation amazingly well. And it’s not at all the way it happens in those unrealistic teen TV shows and movies — more than anything I’ve seen lately, here is faith in action. A teenage guy with hormones raging full force — and what does he do? You gotta see this manga!

The back of the book contains a helpful section of Bible verses that go along with scenes from the story, such as the one I described above: “Abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” 1 Peter 2:11. (All scriptures are from the NIV.) These verses would be good lead-ins for group discussions.

Basically, this new series rocks! More books are coming in 2006: “Stepping Out” (January); “Basket Case” (March); “Rave and Rant” (May); “Snow Biz” ( July); and “You Shall Love” (September). The author of the series is Buzz Dixon, founder of Realbuzz Studios and a veteran of the comic and cartoon industry. The artist is Rutgers graduate, Min “Keiii” Kwon.

I’m going to pass my book along to a teen daughter of a friend to get her opinion, and I’ve already been telling youth leaders about it. I saw an ad for the series in a recent Christian bookstore catalog, so I’m glad to see Barbour is putting energy into marketing it. I hope it does well — it’s about the most exciting thing for teens I’ve seen in a long, long time.

If you want to hear what other people are saying about the series, Barbour’s got a great website set up at SerenityBuzz.com. You can meet the characters and see a free preview of several pages of the book. There are also reviews from other sites, like Anime News Network, Christian Comics International, Christian Fiction Review, Dynamic Animation, and plenty more.

Everybody’s talking about Serenity — don’t miss out!

Today I want to tell you about another great children’s fantasy book for all of you parents out there who are beyond the stage of being thrilled that your kids can read. Now what? You want something more — you want to know they’re filling their mind with “good things.” Well, the Landon Snow series is definitely one you’ll want to add to your bookshelf.

It’s written by R.K. Mortenson, a navy chaplain-dad-turned-author based in Jacksonville, Florida. I picked it up having no idea what it was about — but I knew it took place in an enchanted world. I wondered what my kids would be getting into if they started reading this series. What about all the magic? So, I questioned the author about it, and he wrote back to me (which I quote here with his permission):

As I was writing it I kept wondering, “Is it okay to do this? Can I use the Bible in the story and include fantasy?” My fears, I realized, were over what other people would think. When I looked to God and asked the same questions, the questions fairly evaporated. I felt reassured by a sense of God telling me: I gave you my Word; I gave you a vivid imagination; I gave you the talent to write. Use them.

I think the Bible today has lost its “magic.” I’m not talking about spells and such. I’m talking about its appearing special and unique as the Word of God: as a means–or window–into another world beyond our own. There is power in the Word of God and it does transport us to another place. It also ignites the imagination. I thought, if kids open their Bibles to find some of this “magic,” then that’s a very good thing. (If kids–and adults–open their Bibles at all, that’s a good thing.) I also thought, even if they don’t open their Bibles, at least they’ve read a few lines of Scripture in the novel itself.

Here’s an author who really cares — deep down — what his readers will experience spiritually as they read his books! I definitely have no reservations now about our family jumping into the Landon Snow series. It’s so exciting to me that Christian publishers have discovered the family fiction market — we want our kids to read high-quality literature that reinforces our values. I know there are some parents who think their children should only read the classics — books written before 1950 — but what does that teach? That God isn’t relevant today? That there are no talented authors writing great new books? No way! Let’s give them an up-to-date story that shows God is connected to His people yesterday, today, and forever!

So who is Landon Snow? When we meet him, he’s a kid living in Minnesota, on the way to see his grandparents to celebrate his 11th birthday. His two sisters beat him to the window seats, and since his mom’s SUV is in the shop, they’re crammed into his dad’s sedan with “no DVD movie to watch.” Landon would have preferred passing the time with a good book, but he gets a headache reading in the car. (Sound familiar?) You’re going to love his two sisters, Bridget and Holly. They’re smart and witty — and all the Snow kids are interested in math and foreign languages. The vocabulary is rich and stimulating for intelligent readers.

The back cover of the novel warns you: “Don’t fall in — this book may swallow.” Well, I can tell you — I fell in and couldn’t stop turning the pages. Landon gets two things for his birthday: a Dream-Stone and an old Bible that belonged to the founder of the town’s magnificent library. That night, when he goes to sleep on the couch in his grandfather’s study, a strange breeze flips the pages of his new Bible to the book of Joel, where Landon reads, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” Then the pages turn again to Acts, and Landon sees the same verse here, along with faint handwriting: “Acts 2:17 = the prophecy of Joel 2:28 — fulfilled.”

So, Landon begins to wonder — is this a coincidence? He likes to know a reason for everything. He soon discovers a secret doorway behind a bookcase in his grandfather’s study, and as he grasps tightly to his Dream-Stone, we go with him into an enchanting new world — where riddles abound. In fact, discovering the secret of the Auctor’s Riddle is what drives Landon’s quest:

Could it be chance, mere circumstance
That man eats cow eats grass eats soil
And then man dies, and when he lies
To soil he does return?

You’re going to love this book! The plot and characters are fascinating, and it’s so fun to read. Mortenson’s a master at his craft — the prose and dialogue are fresh and delightful. Kid readers will love phrases like, “He felt his mouth hanging open and his heart galloping like a hamster in a wheel.” Chess-playing readers will love it when Landon finds himself in the middle of a giant chess board with talking pieces. Everywhere, Landon is surrounded by surprise, mystery, and riddles. It’s such an engaging plot!

What I also like about this book is the packaging — everything is top quality — the cover, the illustrations, the thick, creamy pages with brown font. It’s a book that can withstand backpacks and road trips by many readers.

I highly recommend LANDON SNOW AND THE AUCTOR’S RIDDLE — and since there are still two more books in the trilogy, it looks like we’ll be seeing plenty more adventures from this author in the years ahead.

Click here to see what Christian Fiction Review has to say about it.

You may contact the author via Barbour Publishing.

P.S. [11/29] I just discovered some really cool pictures of the illustrator, Cory Godby of Portland Studios. Any aspiring artists and Landon Snow fans will be interested to see artwork on Book 2 in progress.

In a recent issue of ParentLife magazine, author Jonathan Rogers writes, “A virtuous life is a life of adventure: facing challenges, standing firm, rescuing the powerless, righting wrongs. A good children’s book dramatizes that adventure and makes it seem like the kind of life nobody would want to miss. It does not simply tell the reader what is right; it helps the reader to want what is right” (from the July 2005 article, “Read Me a Story”).

If you’ve entered into the kingdom of Corenwald through reading Book 1 of The Wilderking Trilogy, you’re ready for more fantastic adventures in the swamps in Book 2. Just be sure you clear out a few hours in your schedule once you pick this book up — because you’re NOT going to be able to put it down!

The Secret of the Swamp King begins in the court of King Darrow at Tambluff Castle. Aidan has lived here for three years, becoming best friends with the king’s only son, Prince Steren. The bond of loyalty between these two is as strong as if they were real brothers. Yet something evil begins to lurk in the heart of King Darrow — a flame of jealousy. He receives a mysterious message warning him, “Beware the youngest son of Errol. He has convinced himself that he is the Wilderking of ancient prophecy, and the rightful occupant of the throne at Tambluff.”

So, the king summons Aidan and sends him on an impossible quest — to go to the heart of the Feechiefen Swamp and bring him back something he desires — a secret orchid that may or may not even exist. The truth is, no one has ever returned from the swamp alive, so the king knows he’s sending Aidan to a certain death.

Or is he?

Hold on to your swamp rafts in this book — it’s action-packed. Every chapter is a cliffhanger, as Aidan returns to the wilds of the swamps and the world of the feechiefolk. Readers will recognize our much-loved feechie hero from Book 1, as Aidan does when he shouts, “Dobro Turtlebane! I’d know that smell anywhere!”

Before Aidan heads off to the edge of the eastern wilderness, he visits his father’s manor and refreshes his memory with the ancient lore of Corenwald. He must find “in deepest swamp, the house of bears.” Where is this place? The plot spirals around a mind-boggling mystery. Why has the wilderness become so dangerous? A new band of unfriendly feechies terrorizes the landscape. Where did they get their cold-shiny weapons of steel?

The peril of Aidan’s quest increases. Rattlesnakes, man-eating alligators, and kidnappers haunt the swamps. Will Aidan discover the source of the new evil and return alive from his journey?

Along the way, Rogers breaks up fast-paced action with scenes of hilarity that keep adult readers hooked. When Aidan encounters a band of rough-and-tough plume hunters who block his path, he writes, “But the really mesmerizing thing about the men was their enormous hair. It stood high on their heads and flipped back like great duck wings, plastered with potato starch on either side. It was the past year’s fashionable hairstyle at Tambluff.” (My husband and I just cracked up reading that, thinking of 80s band hairstyles like A Flock of Seagulls… Remember?)

And the feechiefolk dialogue is a constant source of entertainment. Here’s part of what you’ll hear as the feechies sing a love ballad:

My sweet feechie girl is the swamp’s finest pearl —
A treasure, and man, don’t I know it.
And I really do think that she loves me, too,
Though she don’t always know how to show it…

She smells just as sweet as a mud turtle’s feet
Her hair is as soft as a possum.
Once I walked by her side but she knocked me cross-eyed
It took me a week to uncross ’em.

Her voice is as pleasin’ as swamp lily season
She talks kind of froggy and crickety.
Once I give her a rose, and she busted my nose.
My sweetie can be right persnickety.

The Secret of the Swamp King will keep Wilderking fans impatiently turning the pages. “Just one more chapter, please, please!” is what you’ll hear long into the night. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you.) But more than only bringing readers into a wild fantasy adventure, the author weaves in the source of Aidan’s character and strength — his hope and trust in the “one God.”

In an interview, Rogers says this: “It’s fine to tell our children that courage is good; it’s better to tell them a story that shows them that courage is beautiful and desirable; it’s better still to tell them a story that makes them feel courageous.”

The only trouble with finishing up Book 2 is that we’ve got to wait a few more months before Book 3 comes out!

Image source

I read this book when it first came out last fall, and now I’m pleased to find out that Mind & Media reviewers will soon be having a chance to read and review The Bark of the Bog Owl. Last summer, my son was in a Kids’ Book Club at a nearby bookstore, and the club read the first two books of The Wilderking Trilogy, this one and book two, The Secret of the Swamp King.

To coincide with the club’s reading, the bookstore scheduled the author to come hold discussion with the kids in the group. (He was also on his way through Georgia to visit family.) The kids loved it. One of the moms in the group told me her daughter has read Bog Owl four times! Rogers says his book is “a fantasy-adventure story told in an American accent.” Well, the accent is what makes these books hilarious — you’ve got to meet the Feechies!

The story takes place on the imaginary island of Corenwald, which is surrounded by wild, vine-tangled marshland and swamps. The River Tam runs through the center of the island, separating the world of “civilizers” who live in the established town of Tambluff (ruled by a monarch, King Darrow) from the less tame regions.

Our hero is Aidan Errolson, a 12-year-old boy who is stuck tending sheep in his father’s pasture at Longleaf Manor. He longs for adventure, yet the closest he gets to it is writing letters to the king on saw palmetto paper. “I specialize in dragon-slaying,” Aidan writes, “but would be happy to fight pirates or invading barbarians if circumstances require…I am at your service and eagerly await your reply.”

To pass the time, he composes lullabies to his lambs:

The gator glides along the Tam
Just thirty strides away.
But fear thee not, my little lamb,
Your shepherd’s here by night and day.

As soon as he finishes his song, the air is filled with the piercing call of the bog owl — a sound that “began as the sharp, short laugh of a monkey or hyena, then became a growling bark — almost as deep as a hound’s bay — and finally a wolfish howl. If the wilderness could speak with a single voice, it would sound like this. Ha-ha-ha-hrawffff-wooooooooo. . . Ha-ha-ha-hrawffff-wooooooooo.”

That sound — that calling — begins the great adventure that lies ahead for Aidan in all three books of The Wilderking Trilogy. And that sound is what makes kids love to hear these books read out loud as a family. It’s noisy reading. My husband has entertained everyone in our family with the bark of the bog owl.

Meanwhile, back at his father’s manor, a mysterious visitor arrives, Bayard the Truthspeaker. He summons the sons of Errol, and says the time has come for the Wilderking to arise and save the nation from destruction. He wants to see Aidan! (If you’re thinking of the prophet Samuel anointing the boy David, you’re close). When his brothers finally round up Aidan from the pasture, the old man sees him and speaks, “Hail to the Wilderking, Corenwald’s deliverer.”

Now, I can’t tell you what happens because you’ve got to read it — but there are parts that remind me of favorite books from my childhood — The Chronicles of Narnia, Tom Sawyer, and Robin Hood. All taking place in a south Georgia setting told by an author who knows and loves the Bible. No preaching going on here — just good solid character growth in all the right places.

Here’s an interview with Jonathan Rogers at Christianbook.com. When asked what his inspiration was for writing The Wilderking Trilogy, he answered:

I think I answer that question differently every time I’m asked it because there are so many things that inspire me or give me ideas. I read Wild at Heart right before I started writing these books, and that was an important influence. I was thinking about the role of wildness; I kept thinking, “I want my boys to know these things about authentic manhood.” But you can’t very well sit an eight-year-old down with Wild at Heart and tell him to start reading!

The swampy wilderness of South Georgia and Florida was definitely an inspiration. It’s not one of those settings you see all the time in adventure stories. I’ve always wanted to write something that was set in that world—as it turned out, it’s an imaginary world, but it still looks and sounds and smells like my native wilderness.

You can learn more in the rest of the interview or on the author’s Wilderking website. In the June 15 issue of Heads-Up newsletter at homeschoolblogger.com, Wayne S. Walker’s article, Now Choose a Good Book, Relax, and Read Away, lists what he feels are the best 120 children’s books, all of which he’s read to his family. Not surprisingly, Jonathan Rogers’ The Bark of the Bog Owl made the cut. See for yourself here — you’ll have to scroll down a bit.

Enjoy this new children’s classic! And if you like it, write to the author at his website. Or you can write to his publisher, Broadman & Holman. I’ll tell you my thoughts on Book 2 tomorrow, and rumor has it that Book 3 will be out in spring 2006.

P.S. I just discovered another review that is 50,000 times better than mine. It’s so beautifully written, she makes me want to read the book again! You can read it here at Children’s Publishing News.

In the first month of release, box office sales of Narnia’s high-budget debut have topped the $530 million mark. With the much-anticipated success of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the news is official: we’ve entered the Age of Narnia.

Movie-goers and casual readers can’t help but want more. Some of us are encountering the wardrobe for the first time — and we’re as astonished as the four Pevensie children. But we need a guidebook, someone to whisper those behind-the-scenes details that will enrich our present and future journeys, and Jonathan Rogers’ The World According to Narnia is the perfect companion.

What was author C.S. Lewis thinking when he and J.R.R. Tolkien met to discuss characters and settings? From their years of friendly chats in the Inklings, Tolkien wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings; Lewis led a foursome of children through a wardrobe into Narnia.

While Lewis wrote his fiction, he simultaneously penned powerful non-fiction books and essays. Rogers has explored both in great detail. A former English professor himself, Rogers has written his own fantasy-adventure series, the Wilderking Trilogy. From this platform, he differentiates his book from the numerous other Narnia spinoffs out there.

Rogers says, “Lewis uses fantasy to talk about the real world because it takes imagination to see what’s true and real in this world too…From where we sit, the things of earth look so real and solid that it’s hard to believe there’s something more real and more solid…It takes a certain amount of imagination to see that God imbues every blade of grass, every conversation, every relationship with eternal meaning.”

Each chapter focuses on one of the seven Chronicles of Narnia, and Rogers leads you into a deeper awareness and appreciation of the symbolism. Here are some non-fiction books written by C.S. Lewis that you’ll see cited in The World According to Narnia:

–Mere Christianity
–Miracles
–A Preface to Paradise Lost
–The Screwtape Letters
–Of Other Worlds
–God in the Dock
–Surprised by Joy
–The Abolition of Man
–Pilgrim’s Regress
–The Four Loves
–They Asked for a Paper
–The Great Divorce
–The Weight of Glory

This is not a book to be read through once, then put on your shelf. It’s a reference guide that you’ll appreciate, every time you need a fresh reminder of what lies beyond the wardrobe door. (Which will come in handy, as the next film, Prince Caspian, is already in the works.)

Here’s an excerpt from chapter one. And here’s a review from BookPage and In the Library. If you want to know even more details about the author, you can go to his personal website or his Wilderking site.

What I take away most of all from reading The World According to Narnia is a deepening of my faith, an awareness of things that are real that I can’t see. This is the kind of faith I want to pass along to my children. I want to point them to the right books because as Rogers explains about Narnia, “the children know what to do because they have read the right imaginative stories.”

To step through the wardrobe is not only to see Narnia, but to get a glimpse of the mind of the Maker, which exists beyond this and all other worlds, and out of which they all derive.
Jonathan Rogers

Note: This post was edited 1/10/06 and appears published in the Blogcritics book review archives.

I love reading stories about other moms — how they discipline, how they love, how they strengthen their children’s faith. It’s almost like the urge our generation has to watch reality TV. When I see how other moms handle issues similar to what I’m going through, I’m encouraged to try something new in our home.

That’s why I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading The Heart of a Mother, a book of stories compiled by Wayne Holmes. It’s given me the chance to glimpse into the homes and relationships of 60 different mothers. And I’ve seen myself and my family many times between the covers — with a fresh dose of encouraging ideas.

The book is not a hodge-podge of “what I love about my mom” stories; it’s deliberately organized into ten sections. The topics include: a mother’s wisdom, prayers, example, grace, comfort, strength, lessons, provision, presence, and unconditional love. Holmes has done a magnificent job of weaving the stories together — as soon as I weep through a sweet, sentimental memory, I’m bursting out laughing through the next. Together, they form a masterpiece, one I’ll treasure and reread for many years to come.

Where was this book when I needed it a few months ago? I was working on a manuscript about mothers and daughters, a book which will be released in February. I didn’t want to simply write about me and my mom because I wanted my book, From a Daughter’s Heart to Her Mom: 50 Reflections on Living Well, to have universal appeal — for any daughter who wants to tell her mom how much she loves her — but maybe can’t find the exact words or time. So, while I was writing, I interviewed as many women as I could, asking them, “Tell me what you love about your mom.”

But The Heart of a Mother is full of what I was looking for! I love reading how Chonda Pierce’s mom helped her family thrive on a tight budget in “The Lemonade Stand.” Lanita Bradley Boyd’s story of forgiveness in “Waving at Miss Velma” is one I’ll read again and again to my kids as I teach them why we must love people we don’t feel like loving. I loved reading how Kay Shostak’s mom set aside her housework to play games with her kids in “Time For One More Hand?” and I cried through Birdie Etchison’s “A Mother’s Discipline.” In fact, that story describes me and one of my daughters exactly! But Birdie’s daughter grew up and at the age of 25 realized how much she appreciated her mom’s discipline. I’m not there yet — but this story gives me hope that one day she’ll understand my love for her.

Birdie ends her story by writing, “I wondered later how God must feel when his children don’t listen, don’t obey. He hangs in there with us anyway. His love and coaxing never stops. He doesn’t give up, nor can we mothers give up on our children. The task was rough, but it was worth every tear, every prayer, every hope I had.”

I highly recommend this book to any mom who needs a dose of grace and encouragement — or if you’re looking for a gift idea this Christmas to show your mom how much you appreciate her — buy this book and read it first! (I do that, sometimes. Do you?) Then you can say to your mom which story reminds you of her.

This book would also be a great tool for women who lead Bible studies or devotionals — or who organize women’s retreats or mother/daughter banquets. You can pick a story that will teach your group of women just how important their roles are as mothers and daughters.

Here’s a book that’s funny; I mean REALLY funny. Award-winning humor columnist Tim Bete is the Dave Barry for parents of young kids, so if you like to laugh, then you’ll love reading this one.

In fact, my family could tell whenever I was reading it because they’d hear my annoying, “HA! HA! HA!” from every room of the house. I couldn’t put it down because it felt so great to laugh. I’ve decided it’s a much easier route to toning than sit-ups. Just read this book and you’ll get a major abdominal workout!

The book is divided into 19 short chapters, each focusing on one area of parenting young children. With titles such as “Five Loaves, Two Fish — What, No Tarter Sauce?” “Daddy’s NOT going to Buy You a Mockingbird,” and “In the Beginning, There Was No Duct Tape,” you can get an idea of how funny Bete is.

Laughter is important for stressed-out parents. We may feel like we’re the only one dealing with certain behavior issues — single parents, especially, may have no one who can share the burden. But a book like this one helps fill in the gaps.

This would make a great gift for any dad – but I know moms will love it too. Bete lets you peek into his house and show you how he turns those moments of “Uh-oh” (the tooth fairy forgot to visit…) into moments of “Ah-ha! Close your eyes and she’ll leave you a surprise.” (It may even be money…or other unknown contents from a rapidly emptied pocket!)

I can’t tell you how hard I laughed when the author described what it’s like to change a baby’s diaper in an airplane bathroom. Yes, I’ve done it! Most parents can relate to the strange places you’re forced to do such a chore.

And how insane we feel when we have to read the same book over and over (AND OVER) again. “I tried sliding it under a chair cushion,” he writes about his son wanting to hear The Lion King every time his wife had a prenatal visit. “But no matter where I hid it, it always appeared at the top of the book pile at our next visit.” To this day, “Hakuna Matata” sends shivers up his spine “as if I heard the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard.”

If you’re a group leader for any kind of parent organization, this book would be great to have for a break-the-ice reading or gift for new members. You’ll unite every listener who has been there, done that…or is in the midst of being there, doing that.

Although each chapter focuses on a modern parenting miracle, the biggest miracle of all will be how you can put this book down!

Take a peek at Tim Bete’s site. He recently won the 2005 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Web Site Award, along with some other nice honors (such as being a top 10 bestseller in Amazon.com’s parenting humor category.) He’s currently the director of the University of Dayton’s Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. See, I told you this guy is funny!

Tim Bete is also a member of the Christian Humor Writers’ group. You can read what others are saying about his book here.

[Disclosure: I received this book from Mind & Media as a gift from the publisher.]