Youth Books

Warm and insightful story of a white boy growing up in a poor black/latino neighborhood in the 60s. Fascinating perspective on the experiences and perspectives of blacks, whites and latinos. Also, a touching story of a boy coming of age, dealing with a best friend who is gay. Open and honest -- addresses issues of drugs, alcohol, gangs, crime, violence and racism but recognizes the good too. He maintains a positive outlook (in the book and in life).

Flying over 96th Street encourages the reader to examine race and relationships. It challenges the reader to look beyond the color of one's skin and examine what happens when you allow yourself to trust and love others who neither look like you or who at first glance seem so different.

A must read for those yearning to explore their relationship with others - and a exceptional message for young people - encouraging them to reach beyond their small circle, embrace and take the risk to love others who "appear" so different.

Flying Over 96th Street is a great read. Tom Webber tells his story in with humor and remarkable powers of observation. As a New Yorker, I loved the details of "El Bario".. But you don't have to be a New Yorker to get into the experience of this young guy who goes "beyond the looking glass" of the white middle class world into another reality-- where HE is the minority...

Even though race and class is rarely (if ever) being discussed nationally, it is a core issue of who we are as Americans. And for those of us who talk about it, it is often just that-- talk. Kudos to the generations of the Webber family who put their neighborhood where their mouth is...

Webber's portrait of New York in the 1950s and 60s is full of vivid description. He captures the sounds and smells of his neighborhood and, more importantly, draws his characters with an empathetic brush. Yet the book is not just an elegy to a time past. Dr Webber deals deftly and incisevely with class, race and prejudice, while never preaching or teaching. Every page is full of delights. It is a deeply touching book that will rank as one of the great New York City memoirs.

Flying over 96th Street is the most moving memoir I have ever read. It tells the story of a white young boy growing up in Spanish Harlem durnig the 50s and early 60s and how he and his new black and Puerto Rican friends grow to appreciate, help, teach, and love each other. It is a totally absorbing account of coming of age and should be read by every high school student in america.

My teenage girl's youth group at church are reading this book and studying the Book of Esther. As their teacher, this book has been a wonderful learning tool and really opened the girls up to share their personal stories of what it's like to be a teenage girl in America today. They really enjoy Lisa's writing and have already asked to do another of her books in class. Thanks, Lisa for your book.

This book is written for the middle school ag.. hence the reason that the slang is so far off... (as noted in the previous reveiw) It is a great book about becoming a modern day Esther.

This was a great book!!! Even thought I am still reading it, It's already making me think about who I am and what I should be working on I love this book! It tottally makes Gods word fun!

This book covers a wide variety of topics, makes them relevant and understandable, and forces the reader to apply them to daily life. Great to use as a chapter-a-day devotional and encompasses everything a young girl should know!

Esther's story is my favorite story in the Bible. She was a very strong woman who was fearless (she was not afriad to be herself). Lisa Ryan has done a great job applying this fabulous story to life as a young woman today. I found that the writing was somewhat silly (Mrs. Ryan sometimes used slang never spoken by anyone outside of middle school), but the message was awesome. Every girl should read this book!

A MUST HAVE for people wanting to learn about "teenage" issues in America. This book and Mike Males other book "Scapegoat Generation" should be required reading for sociology and juvenile justice classes.

Males has done it again in Framing Youth, a book that utterly slams the 1990's American dogma that 17-year-old "kids" need to be curfewed, uniformed and monitored at all times lest they booze, dope and kill. This book should be required reading for every politician, social worker, teacher, parent and even student. Many youth rights groups like NYRA, ASFAR and Youthspeak have already flocked to this fine piece of literature as part of their arsenal in their battles against the special interest groups and politicians that would (and do) oppress them.

I used Mike Males in a college research paper that I recently wrote, "The Politics of Sex Education," and found him fascinating. Since teenagers can't vote, they can't defend themselves against the avalanche of claims that are made against them. Fortunately, however, Males comes to their aid, arguing on their behalf, as their biggest defender anywhere. His writings were the most direct arguments that I found anywhere on teenage sexuality. I plan to read more of Males, although I can already imagine what he will say. He will defend teens against all charges, whether they are high violence rates, high drug rates, "promiscuous" sex, or tobacco use. He will help set the record straight. Teenagers aren't behaving any differently than the rest of us. They are just being blamed of all of it.

It's hard to believe, but Males has managed to follow up his acclaimed The Scapegoat Generation with another solid work. The only question left after reading Framing Youth is why hasn't the rest of the country caught on?

Framing Youth, author Mike Males' follow-up to The Scapegoat Generation, is simply the best book out there in regards to understanding our adolescents' "dreadful behavior". Politicians, the media, and even what we think of as "unimpeachable scientific agencies", have led us all, even us health professionals who work with adolescents on a daily basis, to believe such a distorted view of reality, in relation to our "problems with teens", that we routinely take what appear to be logically good decisions to benefit teens, then wonder why those kids "just don't get it". In reality, it's us adults who haven't yet "got it". Mike will take you through the Top Ten Reasons Why Kids Have a Bad Rep, and afterwards I guarantee you'll be a better health professional, community activist or politician in regards to understanding adolescent behavior. Just be sure you can handle the truth, because the enemy is us.

Zondervan has purchased "Gall" as part of a two-book deal! This version will be significantly overhauled for a broader audience (less profanity, no typos, stronger content, shorter total length) and will be killed off a few months from now (October?), with the revised book being released in February, 2008.

This self-published version - now referred to as "the underground version" - contains characters and stories that will not remain in the revised book, and while I think the revised product is significantly stronger, some people who will prefer the rawness of "Gall" over the revision, which is slated to be called "My Beautiful Idol."

"My Beautiful Idol" will hardly be a soft fuzzy Christian book, either - just so we're clear - but it is more careful about playing well with others. Obviously there's only one right choice for you to make: buy this version now and think of it as the "underground" or "collector's edition," and give it away for Christmas in preparation for the new version.

(and if you buy 2, Amazon offers some sort of shipping discount...so really the best thing is to buy 2 now, and 2 copies of "My Beautiful Idol" when it comes out.)

Peace.

Pete

Gall rambles at times and is certainly offending at times. But it is also refreshing, challenging, and honest.
The opening story - about him and his longtime girlfriend - is worth the cost of the book.

I feel like I know Pete. What a tremendous gift this book is - out on the edge of a tough, revealing, passionate, naked and brutally honest struggle with Christianity in our times. It is not a safe read - so if you are challenged by this sort of thing, be warned. There are no pulled punches. Gall takes the profane moments out of real life episodes - sometimes tragic, someimes exhilarating, sometimes mundane - and intersperses them with stunning spiritual insights. His book stands aside Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller, Jesus in the Margins by Rick McKinley and Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell as a refreshingly honest look at the struggles many go through as they experience this thing called faith.

pete's book was given to me at the end of the 2005, after nearly a year of personal-spiritual-desert-searching time (which still continues today). early in 2005, a friend gave me a copy of Blue Like Jazz that I promptly put on the shelf and didn't read because I didn't really like this "friend" and didn't trust his taste in books, especially God ones. but one day when I was desperate for immediate reading material (ok, I was dealing with a bout of constipation) I began reading it and it truly spurred me on to read anything I could get my hands on that could confirm some of the spiritual questions I was wrestling with. by the time I got Gall, I had read maybe 12 books that relate to a new kind of Christianity, comfortable with questions, unshackled to traditional religious understanding, free from crippling dogma. but in some ways, his book was like a series of daggers to my heart.

Gall offers a fresh approach, even in the midst of all the similarly themed books I've read this year. I was really challenged in my own faith and how I act it out by the stories pete tells. I was convicted by the fact that pete actually has done the stuff of ministry. he's rolled up his sleeves and willingly taken on the stink and unpleasantness of the marginalized in our society. while the rest of us talk about how we should do it, pete was out there doing it. he's one of the few people I know of that can actually say with any authority what the service component of faith is like. dagger #1.

pete's honesty with himself, his motives, and his true desires is like an unwanted mirror. he'll be telling a story about how he became a friend to a group of mentally challenged grown men, spending time with them, changing soiled underwear for them, teaching them how to cook simple dinners... and you're thinking, wow, what a guy. he really was jesus to these people. God must be so proud. then all of a sudden, he's talking about what he was really thinking and feeling at that time... lust for a female co-worker, intentions to snag food from the men's refrigerator, and you realize he's human. he just has the cojones to tell the truth about it. dagger #2.

pete's relationship with his parents, though troubled and difficult at times, was so honest it made my heart ache. you can see how they, as his parents, formed the complex and inspirational faith that pete has. his dad is a real jerk sometimes, his mom comes off as too passive sometimes, but by the end, you realize what awesome people they are, despite their faults. what more would I hope someone would say of me? I envied pete's relationship with his folks, especially the honesty. to have completely different opinions from one's parents on a subject, but be able to passionately debate it together, and be heard... that is an incredible gift. dagger #3.

the chapter on aidan. daggers #4 through #10.

Gall has given me tons to think about and pray about. it's likely to be a book I'll need to reread through the years, as my journey progresses. I think it has that kind of a timeless quality to it, where it will be meaningful for a long time to come. it's good to know I'm not alone on this journey to find a deeper, more meaningful and more relevant faith. and with pete gall, I'm in good company.

Pete Gall's vulnerability and startling honesty are quite messy and offbeat (He will ruffle your feathers). But more importantly, Gall paints a beautiful mural of one man's passionate faith, a mural that will challenge all of our black and white sketches. The most precious parts of this book are the times when Gall steps aside and allows God to reveal Himself as a creative, patient, emotional, hands-on Dreamer. Don't expect a feel-good, peachy book, but do expect God-the Dreamer-to show up between Pete's messy lines.
Gall combines J.D. Salinger's blunt self-awareness, Mike Yaconelli's (Messy Spirituality, Dangerous Wonder) madness, and Brennan Manning's (Ragamuffin Gospel, Ruthless Trust) sincere, curious descriptions of faith.

We recently bought this book for our daughter for her fifth birthday. She is just beginning to read and she is able to read most of these devotions herself. The devotions are very practical and easy for children to understand. My two year old also enjoys the book.

Andy Holmes' devotional book, "Growing with Jesus" has been such a blessing to our family! My 4 year old daughter runs down the hall each night and yells, "Devotion Time." My husband, 8 yr. old son, daughter, and I all pile on the bed and read a devotion together. The Bible Verse, Thoughts to Grow On, Daily Action, and Amazing Facts are interesting, helpful, and fun to read.
The book has helped us grow closer as a family and to Christ. We love our nightly devotion and prayer time. Thanks Andy for such a wonderful book! We are going to start this one all over again until you write another one! :)

The Johnson's
Midlothian, Virginia

This devotional is exactly what I had hoped it would be for our five year old. Each topic is a simple, two-page spread with easy to understand explanations. It even includes a "child-sized" application for each day. This is a very age-appropriate devotional for young children. The authors have helped me as a parent to bring simplified biblical truths to my young child in a way she can understand and relate to.

I have been reading this devotional with my 5 year old daughter every morning. It is wonderful for her. She understands it and it's not a lot for her to take in. Highly recommend this book. When we are done I will probably start over at the beginning again.

These devotionals make sense to kids, without talking down to them. They include a bible verse, a devotional message for the day, an affirmation/exercise, and a neat trivia fact. The topics are religious in nature, but very real world, day-to-day stuff... like being a good friend, taking care of yourself, being aware of your thoughts, managing your emotions, respecting other people... stuff even us adults could benefit from reading on a daily basis!

This book is fascinating! It has lots of information and will be a great resource as my children grow.

This has to be the best reference book I've come across, for finding quick references!
The information is organized and very easy to find, and was a pretty interesting read.
I do homeschool a 2nd grader, and I know this will be invaluable in our schooling future.
Every house with school-aged children should have a copy of this book!
If you get it, you won't be sorry!

I purchased this book as I homeschool my children. This is a very helpful book for quick reference on a large number of topics. I just purchased it about a month ago and have used it several times already. I see myself using this often.

The Homeschooler's Book of Lists is the most useful resource (next to the Bible) I have for my homeschool. Some of the lists I printed off for my 7th grader to memorize and many more will be just for reference. Just this week, my son was doing his geography and asked me what the 7 wonders of the world were. Not wanting to tell him I don't remember them all, I got the book of lists and sure enough, it was there! I was so pleased, we didn't have to go online to research. Every homeschooler should have this book on their shelf right next to the dictionary!

Sonya Haskin draws upon her experience and expertise as a mother who homeschools her five children in writing and compiling "The Homeschooler's Book Of Lists". Accessibly organized by academic areas and subjects, there are more than 250 lists that will enable the homeschooling parent to customize and enrich unit studies, encourage and facilitate memorization work, as well as enabling parents to readily answer questions asked by their children in the course of their studies. These 'user friendly' lists about people, dates, mathematical formulas, word origins, etc., will substantially assist the sparking of curiosity and a desire to learn in the student -- and so much more! Enhanced with the inclusion of an accompanying CD that will enable any list in being printed out, "The Homeschooler's Book Of Lists" can be confidently recommended as an invaluable curriculum development aid and supplement for all homeschooling parents.

Neil Perkins, a fifteen-year-old prankster from northern England, has few greater pleasures than harassing his eccentric Latin teacher, Miss Klitsa. But when an accident on his four-wheeler uncovers some ancient Latin tablets near the ruins of Hadrian's Wall, Neil is forced to cooperate with her in order to translate the tablets, which were written by a Roman centurion named Rusticus. Due to the mysterious illness of Legate Juius, Rusticus's commanding officer, the scheming Tribune Festus has taken charge of the Roman soldiers stationed at Hadrian's Wall. Festus orders Rusticus to lead his men on a so-called training march into Celt-held territory, and as a result, the entire group, save Rusticus and his staff officer Linus, are wiped out. Rusticus's survival is due to the quick thinking of Calum, an auxiliary officer of Celtic blood. Unofrtunately for Rusticus and Calum, Festus is unhappy with Rusticus's survival and sends them on a mission to gather intelligence about the warring Celtic tribes, taking Calum's close friend Iona as a hostage to see that the job gets done. However, they realize that even if they give Festus the information he desires, Festus will probably kill them because they are both too aware of his underhanded plottings. Rusticus must eventually find a way to save Iona as well as Calum, who puts himself in harm's way to look after her.

The frame story works well with the main one, and, although the transition between the two is a bit awkward, Rusticus's action-packed story more than makes up for it. Ancient times are a rare subject for historical fiction among American writers, but Douglas Bond brings out the humanity of his subjects while keeping true to their historical background. Parents should be aware that "Hostage Lands" is best suited for teenage readers due to limited harsh violence and several extremely vague references to women being abused in a particular way that most children would not catch on to. Bond's writing, while not inappropriate for teenagers, is too deep for most ten-year-olds.

Perhaps most interesting to parents who want to use "Hostage Lands" as a teaching tool is Rusticus's inward struggle. He has been taught to believe firmly in "eternal Rome" as the bastion of civilization and order. However, his misguided patriotism begins to flag due to both Festus's scheming and the influence of Calum, who began following "Christus" after seeing Christians cruely martyred in the Roman Colloseum. About his experience there, Calum says, "For me, the glory of Rome faded that day." And so Rome's glory fades for Rusticus as Calum's questions about true endurance and higher loyalties seem more and more logical in light of Festus's unbridled ambition. Without sounding moralistic, "Hostage Lands" serves as a sound lesson about the dangers of state worship. To his credit, however, Bond never loses sight of his story, which is one of his most engrossing so far.

Hostage Lands is a great read! Its one of those books that once started, you don't want to put down. Full of intrigue and suspense, this is a book that young and young at heart will enjoy. I appreciated Douglas Bond's ability to weave so much history of post Roman Britain into the book. I've read other books that speak to Rome's conquering Brittania, but this was a new era for me and filled in gaps that I wondered about. A definite must for students of world history, the Roman empire, or just "ancient" civilizations.

Officially listed as teen fiction, Hostage Lands has an appeal which reaches a larger audience, from approximately 10 years old through adult. Set in English farmlands near the remains of Hadrian's Wall, this historical adventure can be read for its entertainment value alone; but, the reader will also find out what it can cost to be a follower of our Lord, as well as gaining some fine Christian perspectives for living.

In contemporary England, eccentric, extremely laughable Miss Klitsa's Latin class alternates between soporific trance and wild hilarity at the teacher's expense. The protagonist of this story, Neil Perkins, gets to drive his ATV to school everyday, and it isn't only teenage readers who grow green with envy. He often leads in the hilarity aimed at the redoubtable Miss Klitsa. Then one fateful day, Neil and his ATV hair-raisingly gouge a ditch near Hadrian's Wall and he finds an ancient manuscript. The only one who can help him is Miss Klitsa.

As Neil translates the manuscript, the reader falls headlong into a spine-tingling Roman/Celtic adventure of sword-play, treachery, fearful undertakings, wild men vs. civilized people, undying friendship, and impossible decisions. It's hard to put this book down and just as hard not to assimilate the lessons: true friendship; patriotism gone awry; willingness to die for another; various battle styles and the war equipment for each; uncivilized Christians vs. civilized pagans; some intriguing English archaeological lessons; accepting people as worthwhile even when you think them ridiculous; and a great deal more.

High school history and English teacher as well as author, Douglas Bond knows how to portray people of all ages. He is a rising star in the historical fiction genre for both older and younger people. Not satisfied with his own history background, Bond draws on the research of other historians. With a wide but understandable vocabulary, a talent for keeping the plot under control, a penchant for characterization, and a wonderful imagination, Bond presents a tale sure to engross any reader. A glossary of terms and a Roman timeline help keep the audience on track. As well as being a good read for the individual, Hostage Lands makes a fine read-aloud book. - Donna Eggett, Christian Book Previews.com

I've been learning alot about Roman history, lately, and I must admit I was getting tired of hearing about it. But this book is amazing. When I finished Hostage Lands, I wished there was more of it to read. Great book, from cover to cover.

Fifteen-year-old Neil Perkins lived a reasonably good life. He lived on Hostage Heath, a farm near Hadrian's Wall in northern England, and his parents let him go where he please on his four-wheeler, as long as he accomplished his chores. Yes, he had a good life, except for his Latin classes with the ridiculous Miss Klitsa. Perhaps she would have been better off teaching a drama class.

After wrecking his four-wheeler near the wall, Neil finds a packet of tablets in the hole he made in landing. The tablets were all written upon, and in Latin, no less! He took them to Miss Klitsa and asked what they said, but she was too much of a teacher to tell him.

All of this merely serves as the introduction to the tale which Neil laboriously translated. The epic tale of Celts and Romans scheming, spying, fighting and dying around Hadrian's Wall is reminiscent of the tales spun by Rosemary Sutcliff. We follow the centurion Rusticus, who must decide where his loyalties lay. The story is well told, and readers will hold their breath, instead of easily guessing the way everything will resolve itself. To make this drama even better than Sutcliff's, one of these characters, Calum, is a Christian, although he does not proclaim it to everyone he meets. When the Celts sit around the fire at night, and call on him for a story, he tells them, "My tale is of a great King," and gives the whole gospel. Calum's service to the Prince of Peace does not however, make him any less valiant a soldier.

The book concludes with Rusticas telling a story of "a great King." Neil wonders if the whole story is true, and asks questions. Will Neil, will the reader believe the story? What about the tale of "a great King"?

I have always loved Sutcliff's books, but Hostage Lands ranks even higher on my list. I wish I could give it more stars, and highly recommend it to those 13 and up. Travel back to the misty, dangerous Britain of the Celts, when Romans built their wall, and flaunted their standards. You will learn to think like a Celt, and step quietly behind a tree when you hear footsteps. And maybe you finish this book, and read it again, and give it a place with your favorite Celtic books.

Freedom to really live, that's the sum of the book's message. When you take away all the attachments that men are prone to hang on the Gospel, you find liberty. The author understands that having that personal relationship with the Lord, Himself, can't be improved upon by any attachments. This author shows how to get rid of the attachments, and that is the heart of Paul's message to the Roman believers.

I can hardly believe it. My copy of this book is dated from 1976 and has been in continued use since them. Come to think of it, that was the year I entered the ministry and this book has been a constant companion since.

Fritz Ridenour writes for youth, but this commentary on Romans transcends youth and ought to be read by every new Christian. It is simply the best. The genius of Fidenour is that he has the ability to take a very complicated document (Paul's epistle to the Romans) and explain it completely in simple language.

This book has had a profound impact on my understanding of Romans. Twenty years and many Bibles later, I still write in Ridenour's insights in the margin of Romans. This is a great book and must reading for every Christian.

I have had my copy for over 15 years and I find it good to pull this book out and reread it every few years.
The book is a commentary that follows The Book of Romans. The heart of the message is salvation through faith in Jesus Christ - God accepting us, and not earning our salvation through our own works. The book is very well written, very easy to read (I usually reread it in a day or two), and the writing is very down to earth and on the level of the common person.
I first saw this book when I was young in the early 70's - this book has stood a time test, and the writing is still so current today. I reread the book yesterday and it reads like it could have been first published today even though it came out in 1967.
Christianity is a path more than a destination (a way of life in fellowship with God being led by his Holy Spirit). Sometimes you can stray off course, even a little, and start to loose your peace and joy. This book helps me to remember the basics of my salvation and set my heart in the right direction. The beautiful part is this book is so easy to read; no big language, you are not being talked down to, no from another world type of writing - just on your level.
Please read this book. Save a copy, and pull it out every few years. You will be glad you did.

background. I read a copy that was printed in the mid-60's a few years ago. I was a brand new born-again christian coming out of a Roman Catholic background. I understand that things are changing in the catholic church, praise God, but at the time,not much was said about God's grace, and this book helped me out of the religious baggage I had brought with me.Don't get me wrong, I am a bible believing christian, a former youth leader for a Foursquare denomination church, and I plan to do missionary work.This book is not about just doing whatever you feel like, but it is a rich, easy to read explanation of the Book of Romans that examines all the religious things that we do to try to please God so he gets off our backs, or so that we can feel superior to others. This book does a great job of going through Romans and examining our relationship with Christ. It is engaging for the intelligent as it covers the concepts in Romans which are God-breathed, and it is written in an easy to read manner. I have lent this book to many different kinds of people and they were all able to receive from it.It is wonderful for those who came from a legalistic christian background who are just begining to know Christ, so that they can know the freedom that is in Christ.

This is a GREAT book, and fun to read!

It's no wonder it continues to stay in print. I first read the book as a teen. Now more than 30 years later, I just re-read it and I loved it as much as I did the first time!

If anyone were to ask me what a Christian is,why I am one, and how they can become one, this book is one of the greatest resources I could point them to.

From Basic Fundamentals to building useable skills, this book outlines in a simple constructive fashion "how to make youngsters better ballplayers". The drill sections provide practice methods to teach budding little leaguers the foundations for future success.

There have been many books that have attempted to simplify teaching this wonderful game, but this book is the first one that actually accomplishes the task, and puts it in a repeatable, useable format.

Thank you for making my job as a coach and instructor easier!

This is a great book for a complete step by step approach to coaching baseball! Very useful for coaches and parents!!

I bought this book after the youth baseball season started as a way to help my son improve his skills. I wish I would've bought it sooner. However, I will continue using these drills to help him improve his game before next season starts. The drills are formatted in a way that anyone can understand and follow. It is obviously that the authors know the sport and know children well. I highly recommend this book.

This book is very detailed and organized yet easy to follow. You could have never coached baseball before and be prepared by the time you finish this book.

There certainly is a need for GOOD how-to youth coaching books, and this is one of them. The book is well written and organized with an easy-to-follow format and lots of photos and diagrams. A new coach can't go wrong in following the user-friendly book to cover all the basics of baseball.

But perhaps more important is the emphasis on YOUTH and dealing with kids, a skill that does not come automatically to everyone involved with youth sports. In other words, the book helps to shape a coach's attitude as much as how to improve skills in young players. Ideally, the coach learns and grows throughout the season as well as the kids.

It seems to me that this book is equally valuable to experienced coaches, in helping them to get the most out of all their players, not just the most talented. Many coaches come to youth sports as successful athletes themselves, and sometimes do not recognize what it takes to bring along kids who may be having difficulties. If the point is to keep more players playing, improving, and having a good time, here's a way to strengthen a team as well as individual players.

A great investment toward a good season.

Wonderful conversion stories from the heart of teens and how being Catholic has fulfilled their life. Short, readable, strong stories.

After ordering "I Choose God", I was so impressed with the quick and easy reading style, the diversity of conversion experiences found in the book, and the consistent message found in every story, I knew my teens would be hooked. I ordered over a hundred to distribute freely to all my teens.

Each story only takes about five minutes to read and if you but open to the first page, you may not put it down for hours. This book, in one way or another, resonates with every Catholic teen, regardless if they have yet to, are in the midst of, or have long ago embraced their Catholic faith.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone and everyone looking to ignite, (or return to), zeal for their Catholic faith.

This quick read provides a touching peek into the personal space of Catholic Christians with real lives and real problems who still chose God. Not a deep theological discussion, but a collection of personal testimonies and glimpses into the variety of ways we can respond when God chooses us--when he "loves on us" in ways that help us see Him. Inspiring and uplifting, this books is great for young converts or those still considering the Catholic Church.

The common theme in most of these stories led me to the term "hybrid Catholics." As hybrid cars are powered by gasoline and electricity, these individuals are powered by two different and equally important sources: evangelical Christian roots and traditional Catholic teaching. The authors' stories are typical. Ericksen was a cradle Catholic who began questioning his faith in elementary school when his best friend had an accident that left him comatose. Like many of the others represented here, Erickson found his way to a Protestant summer camp leading to six years as "a fired-up, nondenominational, evangelical Christian." He continued his involvement in Protestant youth organizations on the campus of his Catholic college, but came to rethink his "biblical position" during a theology course. Co-author Chris Cuddy started out as a "Catholic-hating evangelical Protestant." During college, he turned to the Catholicism after a crisis of faith during which he met Scott Hahn, Ph.D., a former Protestant minister who is now a Catholic theologian.

The remaining 19 stories often include conversion experiences involving death of someone close or personal crisis such as abortion, addiction, and questions of sexual identity. Christian camps and youth groups figure heavily in many stories, as does influence from Catholic friends. All of the writers express their conversion and commitment to Jesus with evangelical zeal, and many tell of dedication to spreading the word and serving others. As Dr. Hahn says in his foreword, these young people and others like them "give us a personal glimpse into the vibrant faith, hope and love of today's Catholic youth."

As the mother of three teenagers and a Catholic youth group leader in my parish, I loved the powerful message of Chris Cuddy's and Peter Ericksen's book! Since reading it myself, I have highly recommended this book to many parents of teenagers and to teens themselves. Growing up in a religious household or not, there comes a time in each person's life where they have to decide to follow Jesus or not. They have to choose for themselves. For this reason, the stories contained in this book are like a valuable treasure that I love to share with others, just as the authors so effectively have done.

The twenty one stories (each on a different chapter in the book), show the universal search for truth and meaning in life that each one of us undergoes. The problems experienced by these young people are things that we can identify with that have happened to us or people that we know.
Although this book has been written for people aged 18 to 34 years of age, as a parent I was shocked to read the last chapter and learn of the dangers of pornography when the author admitted to being exposed to it at age eleven and hooked on it by age fourteen. It taught me that we can never begin too young to speak to our children about the love of God and the dangerous lies of the world.

Thankfully, the young adults here have all come to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ and have discovered on their journey the beauty of faith and the fullness of truth lived out in and through the Catholic Church. At the conclusion of each story, each person's love for God and their joy is evident and is something that we are happy to share with them! The book is an eye-opening experience for all of us whether you are someone who was baptized a Catholic, or not. God calls each one us to holiness. We need only to put some thought and effort into examining who we truly believe Jesus Christ is and how this knowledge can effect our lives. As Andy Swafford in chapter twenty of the book says after spending time in prayer and reading all four of the gospels over Christmas break from college, "The Holy Spirit poured a fervor into me that burned deep within my bones. Finally, for the first time in my life, I had found something that was truly worth living for-indeed, something even worth dying for." You can't ask for anything more honest than that!