Does every book have to expressly mention Christ?

     Every day I strive to teach my children the Bible is a living and active, life-giving book that’s essential to prioritize. We delve into exciting stories of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Joshua watching the walls of Jericho crumble around him, and Daniel pacing a lion’s den unharmed. We learn that God is the one who parts the Red Sea, defeats the enemy, and seals the mouths of lions. We learn this same God will also deliver us.

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       Why do we work so hard to teach our children truths about God and then allow them to fill their minds with books that fall far short of God’s glory? We must not. The chief question I ask myself when evaluating books for my children is does the book exalt Christ? Would I be embarrassed to caught reading it if He walked into the room? While it’s easier for me to grab whatever secular book is available on the library shelf, it is worth me going to a little extra trouble to steer my children toward Christian books.

      Does every book have to explicitly mention Christ? Of course not! I regularly read all varieties of secular books. When we need to research an animal for a science project or study an autobiography of a children’s author, we typically turn to the library instead of the Christian bookstore. 

     We also let the kids read for plain old fun! Beautifully written fiction that is not expressly Christian still moves me to both laughter and tears. I love to share with my children powerfully written literature that resonates with the human soul. If we consistently teach our children, they will gradually learn to use a Christian worldview to evaluate the characters and plot in all books. As long as the book satisfies my criteria for moral appropriateness, we read it.

     Although we read anything appropriate, we seek Christian books, It's worth it to this mom to put in a little extra leg work providing my kids with plenty of Christian reading material.

     How do you guide your children into finding wholesome books? Please share in the comments.

I'm linking this post up at Grace & Truth.

Final Friday Family Faves June 2015 Edition

     Welcome to the first-ever edition of Final Friday Family Faves where I plan to feature the favorite book-of-the-month of each of my family members. This month the Greek Poet Homer and a book featuring the fearsome black mamba both make the list.

Daddy:

The Odyssey by Homer, Translated by Stephen Mitchell is my husband’s fave of the month. He loves the action packed adventures and finds the translation modern, fresh, and clear.

Mommy (That’s me!):

Blog Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to CreateCommunity by Joy Deangdeelert Cho earns top honors from me this month. This informational read is full of captivating case studies and sports an exceptional layout design.

Archie (7.5):

100 Most Feared Creatures by Anna Claybourne wins Archie’s vote this month. He loves the cool facts and fear rating scale for each creature. I love the vivid photos and appreciate how the author draws in the kids without being overly scary or gory. It also extends our National Aquarium adventures and learning as many sea creatures are featured.

Grace (5.5):

The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy is Grace’s choice. She loves how the brothers work together to solve a problem and ultimately save each other's lives.

Baby Grant (14 mo.):

He's going to wait a few more months before casting a vote. His preferred way to enjoy books is still by teething on them!

Do you have a favorite book you’ve read this month? Please share it in the comments.

Christian Summer Reading Programs with Prizes!

     Would your children love to earn a $10 gift certificate from a Christian bookstore? Mine would!

     For the first time this summer we are excited to try the summer reading program hosted by Family Christian Stores. Participants have to read six books and complete a three question report on each one to be eligible for a $10 gift certificate prize. If you don’t live near a Family Christian Stores location, you can submit reports electronically and still win a prize!

Book reports by Grace (5.5 years) on left and Archie (7.5) 

     Other fun reading programs we are participating in are hosted by Barnes & Noble (free book prize) and our local public library.

     What summer reading programs do you love?

Ten Questions I Ask Myself When Evaluating Books for My Children

     Every time I walk into our fabulous public library, I’m overwhelmed by a sea of choices. If I read with my children for hours every day, there wouldn’t be enough time to read a small fraction of the extensive collection. Add all the books that find their way into our home via a variety of other routes, and the options are staggering. How do I guide my children into selecting good reading materials? 

     Here’s a Top Ten list of qualities I’m looking for in a book. I’ll flesh some of these out in a future post.

1. Does the book exalt Christ? Would I be embarrassed to be reading it if He walked into the room?

2. Does it meet the Philippians 4:8* standard?

3. Does it have a positive portrayal of home and family life?

4. Is the plot conflict suitable for the target age group?

5. Do young characters have unnecessary angst?

6. Are the characters well developed?

7. Is the vocabulary enriching?

8. Are the details well described?

9. Is the plot either unique or explored in a fresh way?

10. Are there specific issues we will need to discuss after reading?

*Philipians 4:8 “…Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Be sure to share any questions you like to ask yourself when picking out books for your children in the comments section.