Resources Books

Frank Asch is on my entering kindergartener's Summer Reading List and I (we) can certainly understand why. His stories are gentle and cute and wonderfully illustrated.

In Moongame, Bear learns how to play hide and seek. And when Little Bird goes home, he continues playing with the moon. At first, the moon finds him hiding in a hollow tree trunk. The moon then 'hides' behind a cloud, and when Bear cannot find him, he asks for Little Birds and the forest creatures help.

They look everywhere but cannot find the moon! Perplexed and a little sad, Bear suddenly thinks to say, "Okay, Moon, I give up. You win!". At which point, a breeze blows the clouds away and there is the moon. Hurray!

Five Stars. A lovely book for toddlers on up.

Of all Frank Asch's books, this is our four year old daughter's favorite. She responds very well to the humor of the situation and loves the idea of playing with the moon.

Back when we first started reading to our daughter as a baby, she was very impatient and wouldn't sit for long stories. We were limited to board books that were very short and direct. Frank Asch's titles helped us show her that sitting for a whole story was worthwhile. Now she'll sit for much longer titles, but the whole Moon Bear series are still favorite re-reads!

Little Bird teaches Bear how to play "hide and seek," complete with covering his eyes, counting to ten, and, most importantly, taking turns. Later, when Little Bird is not around, Bear asks the moon to play. When it's Bear's turn to count, the moon "hides" behind a cloud. But when Bear can't find the moon, he first enlists the help of Little Bird, then all of the animals in the forest to help search for the moon.

This delightful book teaches toddlers and preschoolers several important lessons. First, they learn the rules of hide and seek, a quintessential childhood game. They can count to ten along with Bear and practice taking turns. And they learn the importance of cooperation and asking for help when you need it. Many books for children attempt to teach such life lessons in heavy-handed ways, but this one maintains its gentle tone throughout.

Moonbear and Little Bird spend a day playing hide and seek. When Little Bird leaves, Moonbear doesn't want to stop, so he asks the Moon to play with him. In a quiet, great-for-right-before-bed book, kids can learn about playing with friends, playing on their own and cooperation. This is a gentle book and thoroughly enjoyable for my whole family.

This book tells the story of a young bear who learns to play hide-and-seek from his friend the bird. He spends all day taking turns hiding or counting to 10 before searching for his friend. At night he decides to play the same game with the moon. The natural world of the moon and the clouds astounds him. The animals of the forest come out and help. The book is charming, and a good short read before bed, with about 700 words.

Move Over Alice by Margo Hill sparkles with laughter! This hilarious depiction of life under a "micromanaging superviser" is mnd-boggling if you have ever worked under such conditions. But, for anyone who has found himself or herself in such a "rabbit hole", this is sure to put a BIG smile on your face, even in your sleep! Give us more, Margo!

As a teacher of many years, I found this book to be right on target in its description of the Big Brother control that has taken over our public school system - from principals that treat their teachers as knowing nothing, to superintendents that let it happen, to state and federal governments who let poeple with little or no education experience control the curriculumn and destinies of students throughout the nation. I think this should be required reading for all teacher education programs and for all those in government.

Wow...what a fun read! This hard to put down book will keep all who indulge in a great mood. It's a light-hearted story for all who are married, parents, dreamers and kids who are trapped in a grown-ups body.

Margo's view of life, work and people are wonderfully blend together with just the right amount of sarcasm and humor that makes you want more!

Well done...very well done!

A comical look at the sad state our schools are in-The Good, the bad, and the ugly of being inside the walls of an elementary school. Take a genuine and brilliant teacher, add a self serving and deceiving boss, throw in a few neurotic parents and their kids and presto- You have what really goes on in schools all over our nation. Does your boss take all the credit(&glory) for the great work you do? if so.. read the book. This story is for parents, teachers, bosses, and any breathing human being who is interested in the human side of reality. The best book I have read in many years!

This novel is one of the funniest books I have ever read. It is perfect for any demographic, everyone will find something to love in this hilarious account of the backstage actions of your local elementary school. The story is entertaining and very well written- you won't be able to put this book down!

I really enjoyed this book. I help lead a multicultural church and it was a helpful reminder of many things. It was also helpful in evaluating the things we are doing. I would recommend it for anyone involved in multicultural ministry or for a ministry that is seeking to be multicultural.

Pastor David Anderson has "been there, done that." As a seasoned pastor of a multi-cultural church in a multi-cultural area, Pastor Anderson writes both with biblical insight and personal experience. A well-written, practical, and hopeful book, "Multicultural Ministry" is a must read for everyone interested in racial harmony and mutual ministry.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Soul Physicians.

Dr. Anderson's book is worth reviewing. If you enjoy reading this book then I encourage you to also read Racism@Work Among the LORD's People by Robert Upton.

If you want to begin a multicultural ministry, there is no better resource than this book. Unlike other books that deal with principles and theories about diversity, David Anderson lives it out both in his personal life and in his ministry. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book as a great tool to begin the process of breaking down the walls of seperation and segregation. Hopefully, a book like this would make "Eleven o'clock Sunday Morning" the most integrated hour.

This is a wonderful book to read about the multiculturalism concept in churches. It doesn't just talk about the reasons for advocating church diversity, it talks about why it doesn't happen in churches and the history behind it. The author gives excellent tools at the end of the book to help churches begin to explore racism and cultural diversity in their own facilities. Thumbs up! Dr. Anderson for the insight God has given you.

Took this book w/ me to Nigeria; it was so good that I gave it away to friend who lives there. Here are a couple of notable quotes that stuck with me (I literally left the book with a friend, so these quotes are coming from the 6 pages of notes that I took)...
1. (pg. 43) we are fixated on the harvest, but have forgotten how to water.
2. (pg. 123) mission of the church = mobilizing believers to serve every domain of society.
3. (pg. 129-ish) a feature of the global church is a long term commitment to a specific place in the world until it becomes a sending place...(YES YES YES!!)
4. (pg. 161) give time to what really matters.

Great book Bob...can't wait for #4, my co-workers are waiting on it!

scott b

Excellent resource for the church and all who want to see the church really impact the community and reach the world for Christ

This is a must read book for church planters. Bob Roberts writes in a very easy to read style but the content is deep. As I was preparing my own book on church planting, I felt compelled to read all the church planting books on the market. This book stood out. It's excellent--pure and simple. I found myself going back to it again and again. Not only is Bob Roberts a successful practioner (having planting approximately 100 churches), he's also a great teacher. His passion can be seen on every page. I also like the way the book is laid out. You won't be disappointed by this book.

I love how Leonard Sweet says that any book by Bob Roberts is an event. Well said! I have a feeling that knowing Bob Roberts is an event as well. I read many books and there is no author that I have come across who practices what he preaches more than Bob. When you read his words you know that you are hearing his heart and that you can trust what he says because he has lived it time and time again. I am a church planting wife who loved the book and I would recommend this book not only to pastors but to the entire church. It's not just enough for the pastor guy to get the vision. Get the book and pass it around!

For years I was searching for some sort of "Acts 2" movement. This book, along with Transformation & Glocalization gives me hope that others are not only thinking the same way as I am, but many are doing it.

Most books on church planting begin and end with a sort of organizational feel. Build a core, raise some money and do some marketing. These things aren't bad per se...But they don't necessarily change the world.

This book give me hope that the Kingdom can be real and tangible. We can make a "glocal" impact, become friends with others with whom we don't share the same theological beliefs and yet not compromise our own beliefs in the process.

So if you want to be convicted, challenged and inspired, do yourself a favor and pick up this book and start walking in the new "flat" world.

We used Volume 1 last year and loved it. We have just started Volume 2 and have the same opinion. This volume has a little more "meat" to the reading---with more details and insight into various places/events. It also has highlighted words within the text and this helps my son (and me) find important information. We do not do all the activities listed as this would be too overwhelming. We also do our own version of the memory cards in addition to a timeline book. It is a very flexible curriculum and gives you a good starting point for digging deeper into various topics.

This is one of the best history books we have used in 6 years of home schooling. It is very thorough, well planned, covers information and activities appropriate to a variety of age levels. I wish I had used this text all along.

This is an impressive history book! It is a tome to be sure, even a bit intimidating for the younger grades, but it is easily adaptable to a wide range of age and ability levels. My 8-year-old son enjoys history, so he loves it, but I think the activities are interesting enough to engage less enthusiastic students, as well. It is also appropriate for much older students; the author, in fact, recommends going through the book in its entirety at different stages of a student's development. If you're looking for a great history series (this volume covers A.D. 29 through the Middle Ages)written from a Biblical worldview, you'd be hard-pressed to do better than this!

When I was looking for a history program to use with my son, I asked several families what program they used. Nine out of ten told me Mystery of History. When I asked why, I received a number of answers, but all said because it was so enjoyable and had such easy but interesting activities for elementary, middle school and high school students. My son never complains about history now. He looks forward to our daily reading and the easy activity that we do with it. We decided on making history cards rather than a timeline, which he can do on his own. He even looks forward to the tests and pretests at the end and beginning of each section. Everything that we need in one text, including maps.

I went through Volume I with my 7th & 4th graders and found it to be interesting, thorough enough without being overwhelming, and offering the opportunity to do as much or as little as you want on a daily basis with the addition of extra activities and projects. This volume surpasses the first volume, which was great.

My favorite aspect of her history courses are the pre- and post- tests scattered throughout the book. Never before have I seen a subject reviewed so constantly in such a fun way. My girls love to do the tests together as a form of competition to see who can remember the answer first in the post-tests and who can guess what the answer might be in the pre-tests. She whets their appetites for what is to come and keeps what has been fresh on their minds. In fact, the post-tests keep the subjects so fresh that by the end of the last topic in the book they still remember the first topic they studied. They are short and fun but require them to remember past lessons. What a joy!

My own complaint is that Volume 3 is not ready yet!! I will need it next year!!!

As both an instructor of adult learners and one of the interviewees in the work (who faced many stereotypical situations growing up in New Jersey...there are Cherokees in New Jersey?!! Amazing!), I can say that a book like this should be mandatory in the school systems of America. Without it, teachers proliferate the same unintentional prejudices they have, and kids receive that and pass it on as adults.

The book was clearly laid out, with seemingly much thought into how the information could be displayed in an informative and easy to understand fashion. As an educator, I rely on such layouts to make classes easier to design, and I appreciate the work the authors did in making my job of teaching adults how to teach to diverse groups a little easier.

To Yvonne and Arlene... wado! (thanks in Cherokee)

Donada!

As a teacher concerned with intercultural realations, I was so excited to find a book that would finally tell the truth about Indians. They exist today and are involved in all kinds of things from Tai Chi to engineering. As a social studies teacher, I am relieved to finally have a book that gives an accurate picture of Indians with easy activities that I can use with any age. Although this book is a teaching guide, grades 4 - 8, it can be used with all ages and in a variety of subjects from sports to science to career exploration to current events. Not only does this book celebrate Indian culture, but it compares similiarities with other groups, finding the strength in all.

There are web sites, resources on books, films, curriculum units in the appendices and at the end of each chapter. All of the chapter titles are interesting and witty like "Where We Live" which includes a brief history of how Indians were moved about and map exercises on identifying where Indians live today. Another chapter is "Paying the Bills" which has photos and mini-biographies on Indians in a variety of professions and activities on tribal businesses. Students can learn what is offensive to Indian people and what problems confront them today in "The STruggle Continues." Art projects, writing projects and even games for the classroom are all in here! This is a fantastic book! Every classroom needs it!

I am a Cherokee New Yorker (Nuyagi Tsalagi) who volunteered for ten years working with the Native American Education Program for New York City as a member of the Parent's Committee. It was during this time that I met Yvonne Beamer and the other dedicated men and women who worked so hard to identify and help Native American children in the city. It was humbling to understand that every time we identified a new child for our program we found a damaged child, one who had been hurt by the mistaken stereotypes perpetuated in the larger population of the city. A large part of our struggle as an institution was to get appropriate information in the hands of teachers so they could be accurate and informative when they augmented their lessons with Native American materials. After too long, Yvonne and Arlene Hirschfelder have put together a book with many activities and resources for teachers grade 4-8 to use in their classrooms. The material is appropriate sociologically and pedagogically and fills a gaping void for teachers. It was always our experience that once we talked to teachers and showed them materials to use in their classrooms all their students become better, not simply the Native Americans in their midst. There is a deep hunger for accurate, relevant information about Native Americans in the youth of today. This book is a giant first step at feeding that hunger.

Native Americans Today is a sensitive comprehensive and imaginative education activity book that helps teachers and students dispel stereotypes and explore diverse realities of modern Native Americans. This book works nicely with multi-cultural studies and Native American studies for middleschoolers. Lessons are divided into 8 chapters/categories: Ground Rules, Where We Live, Growing Up, Growing Old, å Day In the Life, Communications, Arts (Walk In Beauty), Economics, and The Struggle Continues. Each lesson is carefully organized and clearly presented with grade level materials, time, objectives, activities, and enrichment/extensions plus reading and resources. The lessons on Native American terminology and stereotyping are particularly good. Field trips to the community and crafts and research projects flesh out the classroom discussion exercises. Students learn to define respect as well as racism. One of my favorite sections is the chapter on Indians in Careers/employment under Paying the Bills/Economics. There are 32 biographical sketches of Native American individuals and their employment along with black and white photos. Careers range from teaching/research, social work, casino poker dealer, computer instructor, and bank president to massage therapist, aeronautical engineer, repatriation director and osteopathic physician. The objective is that students will learn Native Americans are employed in many vocations and locations,become familiar with credentials required for certain careers, and use mapping skills. Another interesting lesson is Burial Ground Desecration and Repatriation. Students read "No Peace For Indian Burial Grounds" and discuss related issues. An energetic approach encompasses many ideas and stimulates the students. Also useful are the appendices on web sites, Native News Radio Stations, and other resources. As a teaching guide and multicultural studies resource, Native Americans Today is a rich resource, carefully and authentically created. But it is more than just effective. It is a clear labor of love.

Nancy Lorraine Reviewer

As a teacher concerned with intercultural realations, I was so excited to find a book that would finally tell the truth about Indians. They exist today and are involved in all kinds of things from Tai Chi to engineering. As a social studies teacher, I am relieved to finally have a book that gives an accurate picture of Indians with easy activities that I can use with any age. Although this book is a teaching guide, grades 4 - 8, it can be used with all ages and in a variety of subjects from sports to science to career exploration to current events. Not only does this book celebrate Indian culture, but it compares similiarities with other groups, finding the strength in all.

There are web sites, resources on books, films, curriculum units in the appendices and at the end of each chapter. All of the chapter titles are interesting and witty like "Where We Live" which includes a brief history of how Indians were moved about and map exercises on identifying where Indians live today. Another chapter is "Paying the Bills" which has photos and mini-biographies on Indians in a variety of professions and activities on tribal businesses. Students can learn what is offensive to Indian people and what problems confront them today in "The STruggle Continues." Art projects, writing projects and even games for the classroom are all in here! This is a fantastic book! Every classroom needs it!

I gave this book to my husband. He is a rangeland management major and he is in love with the book. I do not know anything about plants, but he seems to love it and find it extremely useful. Compare to the expensive "weeds of the west" this book is relatively cheap for the amount of plants it has.

As a Range Conservationist in WA State a great book for all range mgrs, range techs., however, I was surprised to see Thurber needlegrass taken out of the most recent issue.

This is a great reference book for North American Range plants. It includes a detailed description of each plant along with sketchs and a maps to show distribution. Grasses, forbs and shrubs are included. This book also closely follows the lists for university range plant identification team contests. An excellent reference or study book for North American plants.

This book contains 200 of the most common range plants in North America. Each entry contains a detailed illustration, range maps, scientific and common names, complete written description, growth habit, origin, livestock value, and medicinal uses of the plant. I found the illustrations to be the best I've ever seen, especially the detail included in the grass spikelets. This is an excellent reference for anyone trying to familiarize themselves with common range plants.

North American Range Plants is a great book for any beginer, taxonomy student, layman, and expert alike. It is easy for the novice, because it's not in a key format, which may disappoint some more serious plant collectors. It contains 200 of the most common, and important plants found in the United States, Canada and Mexico. I have had this book for sometime now, and it has become an invaluable resource in my studies at Texas A&M University, where I have come to know one of the co-authors, Stephan Hatch. He has an unparralled knowledge of plants and a dedication like no other to put forth a good product, so i know from experience that this book was written by folks who are the top in their field of study. Being from Texas, i have worked internships in the plains of central North Dakota and the desert "outback" of eastern Oregon and have found the book to most useful, oftentimes referring to it before trying to "key out" a plant in a more technical publication. It just doesn't get any better than this.

From advice on leaving a ministry to encouragement to those entering the ministry, this book provides helpful advice for the pastor. Even the layman who seeks involvement in the church will learn powerful lessons from this book. This book is a "must read" for every pastor or Christian worker.

As an experienced Minister, Warren Wiersbe shares the true significance of this greatest of all callings. The 30 "chats" are a must read for all who would seek to serve God.

This book is ideally suited for younger ministers or more experienced pastors who recognize their limits and their need for wisdom. I can hardly imagine any preacher, young or old, who would not benefit from reading this short book. Dr. Wiersbe gives us "down-to-earth" nuts and bolts type teaching here rather than the obscure ramblings so common in many handbooks and textbooks. While reading this book, I felt like I was "sitting down across a log" with a seasoned pastor, who gave me advice on everything from humor to finances to facing opposition. I kept my highlighter handy so I can refer back to this volume frequently. This is the type resource I NEED!

Wiersbe's book is a gem for the pastor and layperson. As mentioned in an earlier review, you will feel as if Wiersbe is right there beside you when reading the book. The conversational tone of the book makes it enjoyable to read.

Wiersbe also presents many excellent points, some of which are:

1. A sense of humor is necessary for the ministry.
2. Let books enrich your life and ministry.
3. The joy and fear of the Lord frees us from the fear of
people.
4. Our loyaly to the Lord is reflected in how we treat
others.
5. Do not fret about the future, for it belongs to God!
6. Do not let the devil get a stronghold in your life.
7. Our service should be based on obedience, not feelings.

All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read!

I was doing some research for a book project and found that this book by Wiersbe was often quoted. So, I picked up the book for myself and soon found out why it was so popular among pastors and lay leaders.

Weirsbe delivers a warm, easy-to-read primer on following God. The Christian life is really about sacrifice and service. Why are we here? For ourselves or to glorify our God?

Whether you're a pastor or a plumber, a songleader or a salesman, this is a great book to read if you're heart's desire is to be a servant of God.

This book is a tremendous help to Pastor's wives! Practical, scriptural, and encouraging -- I've purchased many copies and given them as gifts to other ministry wives.

This book was truly written by a lady who has "been there - done that". I also am married to a pastor and I couldn't have said it better than her. She covered all the bases and did it with scripture and personal experience. I can highly recommend this book!

One with a Shepherd: The Tears and Triumphs of a Ministry Marriage by Mary Somerville is one of the more helpful books on what it means to be the wife of a man in ministry. Coming from an evangelical and conservative Christian perspective Mrs. Somerville speaks directly and honestly about life in the parsonage, vicarage or manse. Having been in this place myself I have been encouraged by reading this book and I use it when working with wives of men in seminary as well as wives of men in their first full-time church setting. No book is perfect but of the hundreds out there, many of which I have read or skimmed addressing this topic I would highly recommend this book. A great companion read would be Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome

Excellent, insightful....the best book for christian women written!

If you are considering a life of ministry, or if you are married to a pastor and would like to have ready access to the wisdom of a woman who has spent many years in ministry, Mary Somerville's book, One with a Shepherd: The Tears and Triumphs of a Ministry Wife, is a very helpful and encouraging work. The 304 pages that make it up are worth their weight in gold. She has served as a pastor's wife for over three decades. Her and her husband, Bob, have led two churches, one in New Jersey, the other in California.

Covering just about every major aspect of ministry, One with a Shepherd is broken up into sixteen chapters, along with four appendices. Toward the end the author provides a valuable reading list on "Spiritual Growth," "Marriage," "Childrearing," "Home Management," "Discipling/Counseling," and every list is filled with very trustworthy authors. Mary writes on such subjects as the importance for pastors' wives to understand their role in ministry (Chapter 1), coping with loneliness (Chapter 6), how to deal with rebellious children (Chapter 10), and the importance of discipling other women (Chapter 14).

One of the topics that grabbed my attention most was what she wrote about pastors' wives defining their role in the church, so as not to fall into the trap of having to live up to the unbiblical expectations of others (a notorious problem in churches). For example, she writes, "If you want to be free from the burden of false guilt, you should first determine if you have yielded to non-biblical expectations." And further, "Realize too that we do not answer to everyone else; we answer to God alone for our actions...This means turning a deaf ear to the complaints and criticisms that are ungrounded" (p. 3). Another area Mary deals with that caught my attention is an issue that is seldom treated in books on ministry: the pain inflicted by members of the church. She says: "We suffer from people deserting us by changing churches. At other times they hurt us by staying in the church and attacking us with criticism, complaints, and gossip. Finally they may completely reject our ministry and us. We are tempted to give up in despair, but God actually wants to use these hurts that people inflict to strengthen us" (p. 64).

The wisdom, insight, and experience of the author make this a valuable resource for any pastor's wife, and any woman whose husband is preparing for ministry. Discussing the trials and tribulations of leading a church while in seminary would have better prepared me for ministry. And my wife would have been better prepared for our work if she'd had a book like this early on. This really is a tremendous work. Every pastor's wife--and every woman who is planning on becoming a pastor's wife--should read it. While many people may want to write a book, there are some that can only be written through experience. This is that type of book. Mary Somerville has so much to offer that any reader can quickly tell she is not simply passing on information, but passing on her life experiences, those that are common to the wife of any pastor. I wish there was a similar work for pastors. - Ray Hammond, Christian Book Previews.com

This book was informative,and the photographs were great. Having passed several one-room schoolhouses on my travels and heard many stories from people who attended one-room schoolhouses, I found this refreshing and easy to read.

(...) Their are nice pictures of schools, children, and teachers. There is a list of books for "Further Reading."

Beautiful photographs and simple evocative text. I enjoyed the book and it is a valued part of my growing collection on this subject.

Nice pictures. Great gift for an educator. Includes plenty of historical information.

For those nostalgic people like myself who look back to the "good ol' Days", this book provides a visual and textual glimpse into that simpler period. It has beautiful pictures of all sorts of unique one-room schools across our country. In addition, the author backs these photos with accurate, informative, and interesting text. Kids should love this book so they can observe what life was like for "grandma and grandpa" while they went to school.