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New Books to Entertain and Educate

New Books to Entertain and Educate

ChildrenIntroductory

Sometimes it seems so challenging to keep up to date with new titles which present the creation in an interesting fashion. This was not always the case. Thirty years ago, there were few such books.

Now, there is an opposite problem. How does one make a selection from the wide variety of new material which appears each year? One has to admit however that this is a happy problem. Some new books are fancier editions of previously covered material. However, in many cases, the new books are entirely new works that will be of interest to many.

Among books for youngsters there is one title that is definitely a gift item. Consider this book for a birthday or another significant day present. This is the Tower of Babel “Pop-Up” by Jon Taylor ($12.00, 22 pages). The large cover opens to reveal a Babylonian ziggurat, or ancient style tower from that part of the world. As the 3-D tower looms over the full colour pages below, the youngster turns pages which discuss the events of Babel and the significance of the appearance of new languages among the people. This is a fun book for early elementary age readers.

Another book guaranteed to be a hit with families with elementary age children, is the Complete Zoo Adventure by Mary and Gary Parker ($15.00, 155 pages plus cards). Anyone who has participated over the years in science workshops for children conducted by Mary Parker, will realize what an exciting project the zoo adventure represents. This book provides opportunities to learn about animal biology in terms of Scripture, animal design and lifestyle preferences. The book includes word games for duplication, and colourful cards to reinforce concepts. There is also excellent advice on how to make a trip to the zoo into a wonderful learning experience.

Also by Gary Parker is a new book called Building Blocks in Science ($12.00, 160 pages). This book, with black and white illustrations, is similar to the ‘Exploring’ series in that it includes questions at the end of each chapter and answers in the back of the book. Written at the junior high level, it introduces junior high readers to dinosaur, other reptile, bird and human fossils. The impact of the fall and the flood are important components of the discussion.

Of course not everyone is excited about science. For the people who enjoy history, the new book Amazing Grace of Freedom ($15.00, 140 pages) is an excellent choice. British aristocrat and Christian idealist William Wilberforce spent his career fighting slavery in the British empire. His victories in 1807 and 1833 demonstrated how one person can make a difference in world history. Beautifully illustrated, half the book presents the story of the making of the film Amazing Grace (which depicts these events) and half the book presents the history itself. Nobody can say history is uninteresting when it is presented like this!

Then for those of you who like Egyptian artifacts and Egyptian history, the book Unwrapping the Pharaohs (John Ashton and David Down, $30.00, 221 pages) is certain to excite your interest. This is a large heavy book with beautiful illustrations and clear discussion. It presents the argument that Egyptian history actually agrees with Scripture when errors and inconsistencies in the popular interpretation are eliminated. For those of you who like to dream of foreign travel, this book is almost as good as going there!

Obviously among our new titles there is something for every taste. It is always good to expand one’s interests. That is what books are for. Enjoy!



June 2008

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