John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress

McCaughrean, Geraldine. 1999. John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. Illustrations by Jason Cockcroft.

John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is Geraldine McCaughrean’s adaptation of a true Christian classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress. McCaughrean does take certain liberties with the story. The age of the characters. The names of the characters. And in at least one instance, the gender of a character. But even when all that is taken into consideration, the story is still true to the heart of the story. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t have done things slightly differently, but this is still a good adaptation for presenting the story to a younger audience.

Pilgrim’s Progress has been done and redone so many times. It’s seen countless adaptations, revisions, novelizations, etc. And it is not safe to assume anymore that the original book will still be read and loved by adults and seen as “accessible” for today’s modern reader.

I had a dream last night. Like moonlight through the window of my cell it fell on me: not so big as to fill one night; large enough to fill the rest of my life. I dreamed that I saw myself–no, someone very like me–a man. He was standing at his garden gate, bent under the weight of a great knapsack, and in his hand was a guidebook. Had someone passing the gate thrust the book into his hand? I don’t know: dreams never start at the beginning. Plainly hae had never opened the book till now. (9)

This adaption is accessible, reader-friendly, and enjoyable for readers of all ages. It would work as a read-aloud for younger children, or could be read alone by those readers in upper elementary school and beyond.

I wish I had enjoyed the illustrations as much as I enjoyed the text. But, for me, they were lacking. I was slightly annoyed that Christian appeared to be a different age in every illustration. There were places he appeared to be ten, and other places where he might have been sixteen or seventeen.

 

Jars of Clay: Christmas Songs

It’s never easy to review a Jars of Clay CD. I’ve loved the band for years. Their first two CDs were incredible; they were part of the soundtrack of my life–my college life. Yet their releases are, for me, hit and miss. A few are great, a few are good, a few are okay, and one or two are bad. The problem? Assigning albums to those categories that all fans can agree to. While most fans will admit that some are way way better than others, and that a few are just awful. It’s never particularly easy to agree on which is which. Why? Because their style changes from CD to CD. Often even within one CD they display diverse styles and genres and moods. So depending on your personal taste, you might really really love an album that another Jarsy fan hates. And vice versa.

And Christmas CDs are not the easiest to review either. Taking into account that any time a band or artist ‘rearranges’ a Christmas song–carol, hymn, jingle, whatever–there are bound to be some that think it’s not so good. Why mess with a good thing after all? And there are those that will love the new twist on an old favorite. With the philosophy why not make it theirs?

There are fourteen songs on Jars of Clay’s Christmas album named Christmas Songs. Even if you think you recognize them as having been “sung” by the group before…believe me…these are new arrangements. (There was a beautiful, beautiful little single put out about a decade or so ago that had “Drummer Boy” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” on it.)

The songs range from enjoyable to annoying. That’s not to say that the annoying songs wouldn’t or couldn’t grow on you if you listened to the album at length. There are many albums that take time to appreciate. (I’ve only listened to the album twice.) But with Christmas albums overall consistency is almost more important than enjoying individual songs. After all, when it comes time to setting background music to cook to, to bake to, to wrap presents to, to open presents to, to eat dinner to, to drive around looking at Christmas lights to, etc. You want something that is pleasant through and through. Something not too distracting, something not annoying, something that you won’t have to be stopping so you can flip songs. There are a handful of genuinely pleasant songs on this CD, but a few are a bit too much for me personally.

You might want to preview this one before you buy it. Or you might want to take advantage of stores like iTunes and buy only a few songs from this album.

 

Informed Consent

Informed Consent by Sandra Glahn was a fast-paced medical thriller. Our hero, Jeremy Cramer, is a doctor who loves research. His dream–his goal–is to find a way to save those submersed in water. He finds that children are more resilient than adults in drowning accidents. Thus begins his long research journey that somewhere along the way gets focused onto finding the cure for AIDS. It wouldn’t be a medical thriller without some serious ethical issues or concerns taking place. There are many here. From the nurse who ‘accidentally’ dropped a used needle and was picking it up at the same time as Dr. Cramer was walking away and stumbled into her…leading her to a troubling diagnosis of a potentially deadly disease…to the infection his son comes down with months after an accident in the lab. Dr. Cramer is full of guilt, but also full of determination. This is an exciting read about a man dedicated to his job in researching infectious diseases.

How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific ‘what if’ moment?

The story had a thousand or more “what if” moments. I’m pursuing a PhD in Aesthetic Studies, and I worked on the setting, characters, a lot of the plot, as well as my narrative voice during three novel-writing classes taught by a novelist who writes fiction reviews for Publishers Weekly. And I got some great feedback from fellow students who don’t believe in Christ about ways to address faith issues more naturally. I also took a Dante class, which influenced my choice to give my characters five of the seven deadly sins. (I’m saving the other two for a future work.)

But the elements in the plot designed to keep readers up at night came through a brainstorming session with medical doctor, William Cutrer, with whom I’ve coauthored three medical novels.

What made you decide to write a book that deals with AIDS?

The church in Africa is doing a fantastic job dealing with HIV-AIDS. The North American church—not so much. So I wanted to tackle some of our misconceptions, challenge some of our stereotypes, and hopefully help readers consider their own involvement with AIDS patients.

How did you get started in the writing world?

After I graduated from college, I worked for a 700-employee financial services company where my boss thought I had some writing talent. I got my start twenty years ago working as the editor of employee publications. When the company sold, everybody got laid off. I mourned over leaving a job I loved, but it was the best thing ever for my career. Suddenly I had 700 business contacts all over Dallas .

I started a free-lance writing business, and one of my first clients was the music producer for Barney and Friends. Another client was Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). I edited (and still edit) their magazine, Kindred Spirit. I dabbled in some classes in DTS’s media arts program, and I learned about Joseph Campbell and myth and about Hebrew narrative and Gospel storytelling. I figured if I could tell better stories, I’d write more engaging non-fiction. I had no aspirations ever to write a book, certainly not a novel!

Do you ever struggle with writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it?

Never. I know…I almost feel guilty saying it. I attribute that to my second grade teacher, who had me write one story a day and raved about whatever I wrote. By the time I was old enough to realize nobody’s that good, it was too late. A brain has two sides, right? The creator and the editor. And she allowed the creator to run wild without introducing the editor. Ever. And as a result I have an extravagant sense of confidence about the first draft. Then I re-read it, and it stinks. Totally. But it’s too late. It’s already out there. And nobody ever complains about editor’s block. I’m not saying I recommend her style. Surely a second-grade teacher should help a student with grammar and spelling, right? But she never mentioned it. And that approach worked for me.

What is the most difficult part of writing for you or was when you first started on your writing journey?

I still struggle with expressing character emotion. I feel like I’ll insult the reader if I stop to say “the shock of the news hit like a two-by-four in the back of the head.” I figure if I tell the horrible circumstance, the reader has enough imagination to feel what any normal soul would feel. I want to say simply “His dad died in a plane crash,” and let the reader fill in the emotional blanks. Yet everybody experiences shock and grief differently. For some the room spins. For others it shrinks. For some it grabs in the pit of the stomach. Or it feels like a physical jolt. It’s part of my job as a developer of character to choose how this character will react and respond. When the emotions get intense, I need to slow down and let the reader enter the character’s head. But I’d rather get on with the plot.

 

CFBA: Illuminated

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Illuminated(Thomas Nelson August 7, 2007)by

Matt Bronleewe

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Matt Bronleewe is a recognized producer, songwriter and author. The former member of the band Jars of Clay, has earned numerous awards producing and co-writing albums that have sold a combined total of over 20 million copies. His songs have recently been recorded by Disney pop sensations Aly & AJ, American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke, and more. Bronleewe has worked with Grammy Award-winning artists such as Michael W. Smith, International pop singer Natalie Imbruglia and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere.

Born in Dallas, Texas, Bronleewe was raised on a farm in Kansas, where he lived until he left for college in 1992. At Greenville College in Illinois, Bronleewe formed the band Jars of Clay with his dorm roommate and two neighbors, and the group soon found success. Though Bronleewe opted to leave Jars of Clay early on to pursue an academic career, he soon found himself in Nashville, co-writing, producing, and playing music professionally.

To add to his list of accomplishments, Bronleewe has expanded his love of story telling beyond music into authorship. He is currently penning a 5 book series for Thomas Nelson Fiction. Illuminated, in stores now, begins the adventurous series about rare manuscripts and the mysteries within.

Bronleewe currently resides in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife and three children. He continues to write and produce music, and he also volunteers through his church to help disadvantaged youth in the community. Bronleewe enjoys reading, taste-testing good food and watching sports, as well as indulging his interests in art, architecture, design and science.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

IT’S BEEN 500 YEARS IN THE MAKING…PREPARE TO BE ILLUMINATED…
August Adams has failed his family before. He’s sacrificed relationships in pursuit of adventure, fame, and money. Now the very lives of those he loves depend on his ability to decipher a centuries-old puzzle encrypted in the colorful hand-painted illuminations that adorn three rare Gutenberg Bibles.

It’s a secret that could yield unimaginable wealth, undermine two major religions, and change the course of Western civilization. Two ruthless, ancient organizations are willing to do anything to get their hands on it. And August has the span of one transatlantic flight to figure it out.

If he fails, those he holds most dear will die. If he succeeds, he’ll destroy a national treasure.

The clock ticks, the suspense mounts, and the body count rises as August pits his knowledge and his love for his family against the clock, secret societies, and even Johannes Gutenberg himself.

“…this rare breed of suspense thriller combines mysterious hidden clues, secret societies, buried treasure, double agents, and the Knights Templar…if you turned National Treasure into international treasure, traded DaVinci codes for Gutenberg Bibles, married it to Indiana Jones, and added the pacing of 24 you’d be in the neighborhood of Illuminated…on a scale of one to 10, this one goes to 11.”
-Aspiring Retail Magazine

 

Winners Announced!!!!!

There are three books to give away of Amy Grant’s Mosaic

I used random.org to pick the winners.

The winners are:

Elizabeth,

Becky from In the Pages

Jenny from Life Is Not Cereal

Disappointed that you didn’t win? You still have until Monday night to enter a contest at Amanda’s site to win the book. So go there now and enter And you have until October 26th to enter in Book Splurge’s contest for this book.

 

99 Balloons

 

Make A Joyful Noise

Make a Joyful Noise! Music, Movement, and Creative Play to Teach Bible Stories. Kathryn Nider Wolf & Heather P. Robbins. New Day Publishing. 2007.

http://newdaypublishing.net/

This guide is for teachers working with preschoolers through kids in first grade. I got *help* reviewing this guide from two sources. The first, my sister, is a first grade teacher. On the weekends, she works with toddlers at her church. The second, my pastor, is a mom of six who while her kids are grown now has taught through the years Vacation Bible School (not to mention Sunday School) who knows how many times!

My sister wrote:

-The activities in this book are very appropriate for ages 2-6.
Children at this age learn best through song, movement, and play,
rather than just being “told” a story. Participating through song and
creative play help children to internalize and remember Bible stories
and attributes of God!
-Familiar songs are best! This is easier on the teacher, and the
children, so the focus can be on learning the content or story of the
song, rather than the actual tune.
-Speaking as a teacher, keeping students actively involved through
song and rhythm helps students to stay focused and listen.
-I would probably use this book in VBS or Sunday School setting rather
than at home.
-Again, speaking as a teacher, I would make charts of the songs, to
encourage children’s literacy learning whenever possible!
-I like the extension activities, especially making a craft or a
puppet to then go back and retell the story or song. Children can
take these home and retell to parents or siblings.
-Flannel patterns in the back are helpful – children can help the
teacher retell the story with these.
-Several songs are included for each story – I would probably focus on
just one per story, especially for ages 2-4. Five and six year olds
could handle more.

My pastor wrote:

-very age appropriate movements & crafts
-good creative ideas
-fits well into Sunday School time frame
-songs use familiar tunes–good idea!
-very detailed instructions–anyone could use this

There is also a CD available to use with the book. I did not loan out this CD to my sister or pastor. I listened to this CD several times, and overall I think it would be useful to use alongside the book. There are a few songs where the timing is tricky and having a CD track can show you just how it goes. The CD is sold separately.

Generally speaking, I enjoyed this book. I thought some of the poems/songs/fingerplays/activities were really good. A few were just okay. But most were really on target. So I would definitely recommend this one to those that teach youngsters.

There are also picture books called “action rhyme” books that could be used for at home or in group use. Titles include

1. Come Into the Ark with Noah
   ISBN: 978-0-9789056-6-8; $5.99
2. Share Out the Food with Jesus
   ISBN: 978-0-9789056-1-3; $5.99
3. Sail On the Boat with Jesus
   ISBN: 978-0-9789056-0-6; $5.99
4. Stand Up and Walk with Jesus
   ISBN: 978-0-9789056-4-4; $5.99
5. Come to the Party with Jesus
   ISBN: 978-0-9789056-5-1; $5.99
6. Climb the Tree with Zacchaeus
   ISBN: 978-0-9789056-2-0; $5.99
7. March Round the Walls with Joshua
   ISBN: 978-0-97890567-5; $5.99
8. Follow the Star with the Wise Men
   ISBN: 978-0-9789056-3-7; $5.99

While some of these “action rhyme” books are good, there were a few I didn’t like. It’s not that they were bad. It’s just that they weren’t all of equal quality. Some stories lend to this kind of telling better than others. Some are more age appropriate than others.

The books do focus on ‘action’ but I think ‘rhyme’ is the wrong word. The books are rhythmic but they don’t rhyme. There is a difference. Dr. Seuss rhymes. Cat. Hat. Mat. Sat. Fat. These books don’t rhyme. But a book doesn’t have to rhyme to be a good story. Rhythm is important for books, and these books do have that. They also have repetition. And repetition is key to this age group. It is a good thing to have lots of repetition in books for this age group. It makes participation much more likely.

So while I didn’t *love* the picture books as much as the group activity book, I did like some of the titles and would certainly recommend them. (I think that Come To the Party With Jesus is the weakest title of the bunch.)

Conclusion: If you have limited funds go with MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE. It’s the strongest of the bunch and has many, many purposes. If you can afford it you should definitely get the CD that goes along with it. And the picture books are nice, but not necessarily essential.

 

A Brief Explanation

I am currently reading A Lady of High Regard by Tracie Peterson. The novel is set in 1852. It begins in June. I’m only about halfway through so I don’t know how many months it covers. But one of the *themes* of the book–if theme is the proper word which I’m almost sure it isn’t–is that the main character is a reporter/writer for Godey’s Ladies Book.

So I thought it would be fun to bring you various excerpts from Godey’s during that timeframe to show you a little insight into the main character. And then when I’m done with the book, I’ll be reviewing that as well.

 

To Dance in the Desert

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

TO DANCE IN THE DESERT
(RiverOak, May 1, 2007)
by

Kathleen Popa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Raised in the American Southwest, Kathleen began her love affair with the desert as a child. Before becoming a writer she, among other jobs, worked in both the juvenile facility fro incarcerated girls and a home for emotionally disturved children. Mother of two, sh lives in Northern California with her husband and youngest son. Visit her blog, Reading, Writing, and What Else is There? She is a member of the CFBA, too! Give her a holler!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

“Not a safe world.” How many times had she heard it over and over again? Well, it is not a safe world and Dara Murphy Brogan knew it better than most, which is exactly why she had tucked herself away on a desert mountaintop. Now it was just her, the voice inside her head and the boxes of hastily packed odds and ends—all that was left of her pathetic excuse of a life. Hadn’t she chosen the desert because it was barren and brown and dead looking and far, far away from anyone who may have seen the news?

So what was this, this trespasser, this interloper, this wacked out earth mother doing dancing outside her window? Celebrating life and the Spirit in a way Dara never could have dreamed. Until she opened her door and met Jane Cameron.

A book that makes me laugh is a joy, a book that makes me cry is a rarity. But a book that moves me to dance is sublime. To Dance in the Desert is a spectacular experience. Beautifully written, deeply moving, and warmly engaging—that this is Kathleen Popa’s first novel astounds me. That she will quickly be counted among the top caliber of Christian novelists delights me. I simply loved this book.

~Kathryn Mackel, Author of The Hidden

Kathleen Popa creates a compelling vision of a small community’s power to coax waning spirits back toward life. This gem of a novel worked on me like a dream. Popa’s evocative prose captured the nuance and complexity of transformation with equal parts mystery and truth. She conjures the deserts of Dara Brogan’s life with intimate clarity, reminding us along the way of the profound strength of what we take far too much for granted—the deep friendship of kindred spirits. This is a journey worth taking.

~Jeff Berryman, Author of Leaving Ruin

 

It’s a God Thing.

Today’s post isn’t a review of anything. Other than perhaps a review of my sanity/insanity. Depending on who you talk to.

First of all, Amanda from A Patchwork of Books has honored me with a nomination/recognition: Rockin’ Girl Blogger.

Amanda, know this. You have brightened up a very gloomy day. It is nice to be appreciated and recognized. And it couldn’t have come at a better time. Hence just one of the many reasons this post is called “It’s a God Thing.”

There have been three books that have been instrumental in my life the past week or so.

Gods & Kings by Lynn Austin has fueled me with a fiery righteous indignation of the church at large–and its increasing tolerance to change the gospel message to suit these new so-called “postmodern” times. Its willingness to tolerate anything and everything in the hopes that by not preaching biblically (in a clear manner) that they will appeal to a new crowd and have more and more people filling the pews and contributing to the offering plate. The disregard for the Bible’s clear teachings and a need to make everything “relevant” and “new” for this generation. If you’ve read the book, you know Uriah and Ahaz are the bad guys. And I see a lot of modern-day Uriah’s around. Some of them even in pulpits of large churches.

The second book that has impacted me has been Taking Back The Good Book by Woodrow Kroll. There are not enough words to say how much I love this book. It is so a God Thing. He again has fueled with me righteous indignation at the church’s complacency and tolerance with complete and total ignorance when it comes to the Bible. The book shows how both inside and outside of churches–in all denominations–God’s Word is being ignored and no one cares. No one. Preachers have stopped preaching the Bible. Members have stopped reading the Bible. Gospel truths are either unknown or unproclaimed. It’s sad. Really sad to see how large a problem this is. It’s sadder still to see that very few actually care enough to do anything about it. I’ve read this book. I’ve marked it up. I’ve shared passages with my sister. And of course my mother read it word for word. I wish EVERY SINGLE person would read this book. It could make a HUGE impact on the christian community if people started to take a stand as individuals.

The third book that has strengthened and enlightened me is R.C. Sproul’s A Taste of Heaven. Really few books could have been more timely in my life. I read this book yesterday afternoon. In a single sitting. I learned new things. I felt convicted of certain things. But more importantly I realized just how crucial biblical worship is for the church. And how more often than not, we are getting it wrong. And again, not caring that we’re getting it wrong. I feel I have learned so much from this book (and the Taking Back the Good Book) that it is immeasurable.