Family Resources Books

...when I'm leading a new small group. No matter what kind of small group you have, this book is a "must-have!" It helps eliminate that awkward few moments at the beginning of your time together when everyone is a little unsure of what's next. WU&WU does a great job of making the activities easy to choose by dividing them by topic, when you want to do the activity (at the beginning or the end) and what you want to accomplish. I loved the fact that I could EASILY see if the activity needed supplies (sometimes a last-minute planning on my part required me to skip those!) Each idea is grounded in scripture...making it much more meaningful that your typical "ice-breaker" activities!

This was a very helpful resource for me in doing my first wedding. There were several sample weddings to choose from and I was able to pick key elements from several different ones. A really great resource.

Cliff Bajema writes with warmth and passion in this brief yet compelling book about ethics and values. I know Cliff well, as I am a member at the church he pastored for 16 years in the center of the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, having been mentored and discipled by him for the last three years. He is integral, committed to conscience, but above all he loves deeply. For me, recommending this book is no less than a recommendation of the life and thought from which it came. In the first chapter, Cliff discusses wisdom and our "big dreams" in life. As a student, I've found this incredibly helpful as I choose my own career and make plans for the future. And while this book is incredibly practical, you can't help but think that the person behind it writes with wisdom and intellectual depth. My words are inadequate to do this book justice.

This book consists of many short stories for the first half, and the other half is dedicated for Leo (the lion that they've raised at their park ranger's house).

Lots of fun and amazing stories of the wild visitors and temporarily adapted wild orphans while the author and her family lived in the park rangers houses in 10 years in south Africa.

The later half is about Leo - the cute and sweet lion. Some parts are heart aching but he'll eventually settle down fine in the comfortable environment.

The authors love of nature, love for her children, and great love and respect to the wild animals are beautifully written with lots of nice photograph inside.

One of my favorite books! I've read this book on the way to my safari trip in Africa.

The work and family challenge: rethinking employment is a welcome publication for anybody who is a researcher in the area of work-family. Edited by Suzan and Jermey Lewis, the book is spilt in 3 parts. Part 1 deals with the context for change and puts employment and work/family issues within a european perspective. Chapter 2 by Peter Moss (Reconciling Employment and Family Responsibilities: A European Perspective) is of particular note. Moss provides an interesting an analysis of the way in which the EU and European memeber stated has approached the problem of reconciling work and home. Part 2 deals with policy and practice and presents work on the implementation of work-home policies. Of particular interest to me was chapter 4 (The Family Friendly Employer in Europe) and chapter 8 (Developing and Implementing policies: Midland Bank's Experience). Part 3 concerns barriers to the effectiveness of policies and strategies

I read this book for the first time in 5th grade I think, and since then I've read it at least twice more. It's a great story about a boy who lives in Florida, with a brother who teases him and other cliche stuff that you wouldn't think makes a good book, but it does, because Bloor handles the subject wonderfully, intertwining all of the simple things that we all remember from our childhood into a great read that pulls you in and doesn't let go until you have finished it, swept up by the emotion that this man is able to leech out of you. Definitely recommended to children and adults alike, because it has themes that we all need to get in touch with.

My ten-year old son absolutely loved this book. It is full of teen angst, and sports-related action; however, the subject matter is very heavy and can be somewhat disturbing. The blurb on the back of the book gave me no indication that issues of violence and bullying in the book (and some uncomfortable language) were addressed within. The actual reading level is not difficult, but as thought-provoking as this book is, I recommend it for very mature kids or students in grades 7-12.

Through his computerized diary entries, Paul Fisher tells the story of his seventh-grade year. These entries not only let him describe what is happening, they give him the opportunity to reflect on his past.

At the beginning of the story, the Fisher family has just moved to Florida from Houston. The diary entries tell the story of how Paul's brother, Erik, has always bullied him. He even has his friends call Paul Eclipse boy because of a bad vision problem that was supposedly caused by Paul looking at an eclipse for too long. His parents virtually overlook Erik's digressions because they are focused on what Paul calls the 'Erik Fisher football dream.'

To make things worse, Paul gets kicked off of his new soccer team because his Mom had told the school that he has a visual 'handicap'. But Paul believes that his vision is much better and it is proven in his many observations chronicled in the diary.

When the portable school units had Paul's middle school are swallowed by a sinkhole, Paul is given a chance to go to another school and he takes it. Because he knows that at Tangerine Middle School he can play soccer. Paul's ability to 'see' people for who they are may be even more sharp than his ability to see. He doesn't see the class or racial barriers that separate him from the kids in this other school. His eagerness to play also earns him the respect of the other team members.

As the story unfolds, Paul sees snippets of his past and the history of his family comes clear to him. And he is the unlikely hero in this heartwarming tale.

Paul was endearing from the start. The writing in this novel is impeccable. The story is fantastic - a real page-turner. I read it all through in a day. There is a dark undertone to this book though so I would not recommend it for younger kids.

What a page turner! This engaging book is about a boy who has just moved to a new area, Tangerine County, Florida, with his family. He is a young man who is constantly outdone by his older star-football-player brother and is stuggling to find his place in life, in Tangerine county, and in his family. This book captures you into his world, taking you through the ups and down of the self-awarness and moral issues of middle school. This young man must ultimitly chose to do the right thing or to do what is expected of him. It deals with a question that every young person is asked, "What do you want to be?"
Relativly short and an easier read than some, this book is a good read for most middle schoolers and young adults alike. It is well written and engaging with many twists and turns (especialy the ending!!!).

I'm a 46 year-old Mom and I bought this book because of the great reviews, but I didn't know which son to give it to. My 4th grader falls into the age-range mentioned here at amazon, but based on the plot synopses here I felt it was more a book my 7th grader would like.

So I read it myself first. I LOVED it. What a great, moving, inspiring, different book. As stay-with-you as Hoot, or Terabithia, or Stargirl, or... to date myself ... as The Outsiders.

It's well-written, it's gripping, it's multi-layered, and it manages to keep track of multiple story arcs within itself without dropping any or using any sort of deux ex machina to get out of any. It presents it's villains without caricature, and it's heroes without pandering. It surprises you at nearly every turn - but not in a forced we-need-a-plot-twist way.

I won't describe the plot as it as been so well-described here. I'll just reiterate that this is an amazing young adult novel that I thoroughly enjoyed for myself as well.

And I personally would not give this to my 4th grader. Not that the reading level is too difficult, but I think the content is too dark and the layers perhaps too subtle for a 10 year-old. I'm giving this book to my 7th grader tomorrow (I just finished it tonight!) and I know he'll devour it.

This book is a must have for all women who want to build, strengthen, and lift up their marriage to God. He will heal, repair, and restore your marriage. This book opens your eyes and heart to allow Gods blessings to work through your powerful prayers, as a praying wife.

It is true that Stormie Omartian speaks from a lot of painful experiences that we may not all share. I have prayed some of these prayers during difficult times in my own marriage and seen results (not genie magic, but God-made change in me and my husband). But these prayers are not only for the tough times. Husbands can always benefit from prayers for their jobs, relationships with other family members, or handling of money. Don't be put off by "how can I pray for him if I don't even like him?" If you like your husband right now, that's great! It will be that much easier to pray for him. :-) But since the author has come from and THROUGH such difficult time in her marriage, she has a testimony of the power of prayer. I continue to find this book a wonderful blessing.

This book will begin to open your eyes. if your are not fully saved as i was when a friend gave me this book, your life will change forever.
i was given this book at a time when heavy issues came into my marriage.it showed me what kind of relationship i could have with my husband and mostly with GOD. it brought out a new woman, wife and mother. it showed me how to pray over my issues and my husband.which in turn, my feelings for him grew stronger and i fell in love all over again. we are still having issues but it released me into a woman of GOD and i have seen changes in my husband and my self. this book is one of the best things that i have in my possesion.

The Power of a Praying Wife - Book of Prayers by Stormie Omartian is an excellent book for wives. I believe that when a woman prays for her husband, the marriage will be blessed and so shall the two of them.

If you find yourself praying redundant prayers and want to expand your prayers to be specific to your marriage, husband, and self...then this is a must have book for you.

The author stays consistent to the outline of her other books by including awesome prayers, scripture to support the prayers, and space for personal prayer notes. I like the design of the book. It is one that you will be able to use over again and also encourage others by being able to minister on temptations, health, fears, finances, priorities, jobs, forgiveness, and love language for spouses.

Anyone that has been married for a number of years and have experienced the highs and lows of married life will benefit from this book. I love the book and give it 5 stars. I highly recommend it. Who would not want to expand on God's wisdom and blessings in their marriage?

Other product recommendations for those that have interest in this genre or book category:

Single Parent Support: A Collection of Inspirational Scriptures

The Power of a Praying® Parent Deluxe Edition

Reviewed by:
Pamela Jarmon-Wade

This book reallly jumps into what God intended us wives to be. If you look at marriage many years ago it was about commitment, it was about the wife being the heart of the home while her husband was the head of it. God made woman as a partner and a helper for man and Stormie really covers it in detail. Marriages need the basic principals that she lays out in order to survive.

It really goes into great detail on how you can change your marriage just by changing yourself. IF YOU ARE SELFISH NATURED then you will hate this book. This book is about giving your heart and soul over to God and changing yourself to benefit your marriage. If you are the type that "won't change until he does" then don't buy this book because you need a Bible. You have to be willing to be completely unselfish the way Jesus Christ was when he was on earth. God is not saying "let the husband walk all over his wife." Most marriages that you see that have lasted 25 years or more today have God as the center of their marriage. The divorce rate 53% today, that has to tell you something? Something is missing, and it's God. If you change yourself to be a wife after God's own heart, then through you, God will reach your husband. Giving up is not the answer.

This book was a great resource to providing information on how to have a healthy pregnancy with twins. I just wish my Doctor could have read it too!
One thing it didn't help with so much was the means by which to get the babies out in the safest way. I ended up with a c-section and after lots and lots of research have come to the conclusion that it was unnecessary, especially after having my first singleton all naturally.

This book was one of the keys to my healthy twin pregnancy. True, it's hard to follow the nutritional advice to the letter, but you just do the best you can. I promise that if you're not a big fan of meat, you will get used to it when you know that you're helping your babies grow. The book also contains nutritional advice for vegetarians. I started out at a BMI of 18 and carried my twins to 38 weeks (scheduled c-section, never went into labor) with no complications and no bedrest. Both were born at about 6.5 pounds each, spent no time in the NICU, roomed in with us at the hospital, and came home with us. Doctors, nurses, etc were impressed at their size and health. The advice in this book drove me to make sure that my workweek did not exceed 40 hours (with a note from the doctor and a desk job which made it possible), and my husband handled literally all household chores starting around 30 weeks when I really needed to have my feet up after work. Dr. Luke says not to expect to work past 28 weeks but I think it's possible if your managers are supportive, if you can stay off your feet, and if you can limit stress on the job. I worked up to 37.5 weeks. Drink water, water, water! My only trip to L&D due to having more than 6 contractions/hour were due purely to dehydration. If you're expecting twins or supertwins, get this book! I was reluctant to buy any book on multiples until I passed my 12th week (didn't want to jinx myself with all the scare on vanishing twin syndrome), but this book has lots of info on maximizing the outcome of your pregnancy as soon as you know you're pregnant with twins/multiples so if you're not afraid of buying before 12 weeks, then this is a must read. Also contains helpful advice on surviving the first few weeks at home with your new babies.

This is THE ultimate in navigating the waters of a triplet or higher pregnancy. There is so little information on higher order multiples and this it IT! An easy read and it gives you the information you need to have a successful higher order multiples pregnancy. SO informative. I followed her eating plan, not to the dot, but as best I could.... basically eating all day anything/everything I could stand/keep down. My triplets were born at full term all weighting over 5lbs and roomed in with me like a singleton and we all came home together!!!!! I honestly do not think my pregnancy would have been so successful without this book. I can not recommend it enough. I bought and read all the multiples books on the market to date and if you can only buy one
(even if you are just pregnant with twins) I would recommend it, but it is especially essential for triplet/quad and higher multiple order moms to be.

This book provides detailed information to any woman who is expecting super twins. The information available in this book is so unique that I could not find in any other general pregnancy book. I strongly recommend it for any woman expecting triplets or more!

I hated this book. While it did contain useful information, it also had a lot of stuff that I found offensive. Stuff saying how your triplets did not ask to be triplets (putting the blame on you) and how if something goes wrong its your fault. The section about how the woman treats the husband drove me crazy too. I felt like it was a throw back to the 60s.

I AM IN RCIA AND THIS BOOK MAKES UNDERSTANDING THE INFO I AM GETTING IN CLASS MUCH EASIER.

recommended to those learning the catholic faith. very good contents according to tradition and scriptures

I teach theology. In my experience, the large, green, second edition is worth buying even if you have another edition. It alone contains a glossary of terms that richly pulls together many pages of text into 20 words to give a deep, complete understanding at a quick glance. If you intend to use the book more than two or three times a month, I strongly recommend the hard cover edition because the paperback binding begins to fail under frequent usage.

Peace be with you!
A Sinner

This book is a must have in any Catholics home library. It is definitely reader friendly!

As a very minimum, this book should be in every Catholic home, next to the Holy Bible. No more questions concerning the Catholic Faith, it's foundation and beliefs. Excellent teaching tool, and great reference for non-Catholics interested in researching Catholic beliefs, and the Church's foundation.

I teach school and the students love Judy Bloom books. We read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing first and the kids couldn't wait to read Superfudge.

What's most pleasing about this book is how funny and true to life it is. Peter is a normal older brother suffering the mixed feelings of having an annoying little brother, and the chaos they all get into is hilarious! It's good for older siblings and little kids that just went to have a good laugh. It's a good-spirited book that actually covers many different and hilarious topics.

Still a classic after all these years - perfect for your tween-aged nieces, daughters, etc. Fun, light, clean, and easy reading for kids.

My kid's and I listened to this book on CD during our morning drive to school. I was shocked and disapointed that the author plainly tells children there is no Santa Clause (she's wrong of course). I found it reprehensible that she would take this position in a children's book.

'Superfudge' is the sequel to 'Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,' another classic children's story. This book would make a great gift for an older child. A funny and wierd book about two brothers. Peter the oldest brother does not get any attention, while his brother, Fudge, is wild and spoiled.

Twelve-year-old Peter Hatcher and his family are moving to Princeton for a year. Peter and his brother Fudge don't always get along. Their mother is going to have a baby soon, adding more uncertainty to their lives. Will the baby be like Fudge? What could be worse for Peter?

The story moves quickly, keeping the reader's attention, and is filled with humor. The reader will definitely appreciate Blume's talent for writing a good tale.