Last week (December 6) Grace & Truth Books – a good Christian family book webstore came out with a BIG list of books as a guide for family gift-giving during the holiday season. This is how they introduced it:
Gift Ideas for the Entire Family – The BIG List!
When it comes to buying a gift for someone you love, a book is a good choice! Sharing a book you love is like sharing a little bit of your heart with someone else. And who doesn’t love help completing their personal library?
With these things in mind, we’ve put together some of our favorite volumes to help you take the guess work out of buying a book as a gift.
I will not produce the whole list here, but I will give you the first part, which is a great list of titles for the whole reading family.
17 Gift Ideas for the Christian Reading Family
The Rhyme and Reason Series – Author Catherine Zoller knows how to reach children with the message of the Bible! She understands the importance of reading aloud to children and filling their lives with the Word of God. Her Rhyme and Reason series does this very thing with beautiful and entertaining colorful illustrations as she retells the stories of books of the Bible, in rhyme!The Pilgrim’s Progress– The cloth cover is a beautiful work of art. Inside, the volume contains 171 well-crafted illustrations from an original 1891 edition. Share with your family the greatest allegory of the Christian life ever written.
The Holy War The story: Righteous and honorable King Shaddai and His Son Immanuel are the kind rulers the city of Mansoul, always directing the lives of the city with justice and equity. But the ruler of darkness – Prince Diabolus – has his own plans for the city. With the assistance of his evil captains, he plots the destruction of the once happy town. The first to fall to his deceptions is Captain Resistance, so that Mansoul is now open to Diabolus’ wicked lies about their king. Diabolus knows that he may only possess Mansoul if the people open the gates to him by their own choice; and soon, sadly, through the vantage point of Eargate, the inhabitants believe his lies and the city falls. So begins this story of treachery and deceit, foolishness and pride, but forgiveness and final redemption. The fact is, as Bunyan intended it, this is the story of a sinner saved by the grace of God.
Dangerous Journey– One of our best pictorial “gift” books for children 6 to 12 years of age. Beautifully illustrated with full color, artistic drawings on every page, most of them full page or even double-page spreads! The plot is faithfully preserved but the artwork makes this book a rare and special piece of work in itself, very detailed and full of action. This beautiful volume has long been a favorite, first introductory version of The Pilgrim’s Progress for parents to familiarize their young children with the story.
A Theology of the Family – This book presents a perspective on the family largely forgotten by the modern church. There are 56 authors featured in this volume, among whom are: John Bunyan, Jonathan Edwards, John Gill, William Gouge, Matthew Henry, Martin Luther, A.W. Pink, J. C. Ryle, R. C. Sproul, Charles Spurgeon and Thomas Watson. Each of them give a powerful testimony that the 21st century church needs to be reminded of what she used to believe about family life. These authors bring a measure of the correction and the balm necessary to heal our amnesia and return us to biblical order.
Building on the Rock Series– Full set of all 5 devotional books in the Building on the Rock series. Each contains a true story from history which is used to illustrate truths of Scripture. For children 8-12 to read, and makes great read-alouds for ages 4-7.
The Baker Family Adventures– Meet Mr. and Mrs. Baker and their four children: responsible Phil, sensible Abby, daring Andy, and inquisitive Tom. The Bakers are a Christian homeschooling family who love helping others, and they seem to have a knack for finding people who need help. In the seven (7) volumes of the Baker Family Adventures Series by C. R. Hedgcock.
Reformation ABCs – This informative book by historian Stephen J. Nichols offers kids of ages three to six an engaging way to learn about that pivotal era in church history – while they learn their ABCs! Featuring charming illustrations by Ned Bustard, this book introduces families to a host of important figures, locations, concepts, and events, including John Calvin, justification by faith alone, Heidelberg, Westminster, and more. Families will be able to see God’s hand in the Reformation and how he used it to shape his people’s understanding of his Word.
Barn Chronicles Series – Winner of the 2013 Christian Small Publisher’s International Book of the Year Award (Children’s Category, 8-12 years) | “The Barn Chronicles are the best books I have ever read! They are full of fun, adventures, celebrations, broken legs, and heaps more! I would love to live in a barn like that and live on that property with a river, animals, swings, eels and everything else!” — Maria (10)
Jack and Jenny Series – Full of adventure, suspense, and all while learning Biblical truth and applying the Word of God to daily life, the Jack and Jenny Mysteries are a new and exciting set of six (6) volumes for readers 8-12 years of age. Greatly reduced to a bargain price when bought as a set!
The Knight’s Map– In this allegorical tale, theologian, pastor, and author Dr. R.C. Sproul continues his life’s work of making deep biblical truths clear and understandable to children of all ages. The Knight’s Map is the story of a knight who undertakes a perilous journey, but his course is full of people who give him bad advice and send him on wrong turns. In the end, he must decide whether or not he will trust the map provided by the King. Beautiful, full color illustrations by Richard Lawnes reveal this rich, textured world and discussion questions with Scripture references help parents guide their children into the deeper meaning of the story.
The Priest With Dirty Clothes – In this new edition of his classic story, The Priest with Dirty Clothes, Dr. R.C. Sproul continues his project of illustrating theological concepts for children. In this book, he teaches the concept of imputation, which lies at the heart of the important biblical doctrine of justification.Using the story of Joshua the high priest (Zechariah 3:1–5) as his jumping-off point, Dr. Sproul weaves a classic tale about a young priest who is invited to preach his first sermon before the king and his court. But on his way to the palace, he falls from his horse, getting his clothes hopelessly muddy. Jonathan finds that he needs powerful help if he is to stand before the king. This edition of The Priest with Dirty Clothes includes all-new illustrations by Justin Gerard. Also includes a new “For the Parents” section to help them bring out the truths of the book for their children.
The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New – A Page-Turning Storybook of Theology for Kids In the cellar of the old stone cathedral, Carla and Timothy uncover a life-changing treasure, a carefully wrapped ancient book known as The Ology. What adults might describe as a beautifully illustrated storybook of systematic theology, the kids discover to be a story of adventure, mystery, and wonder that leads them to the truth about God, themselves, and the world around them. Truth is for kids, not just for adults! So The Ology gives kids of all ages a beginner’s theology book to help them understand who God is and how we, as his children, relate to him. Arranged within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth in The Ology is also connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are on display and easier to understand. Designed for six-year-olds through preteens, this flexible resource includes built-in adaptations for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy it together.
Christian Biographies for Young Readers (Simonetta Carr) – The Christian Biographies for Young Readers introduces children to important people in the Christian tradition. Parents and school teachers alike will welcome the excellent educational value it provides for students, while the quality of the publication and the artwork make each volume a keepsake for generations to come. Furthermore, the books in the series go beyond the simple story of someone’s life by teaching young readers the historical and theological relevance of each character.Kingdom Tales (David & Karen Mains)Like the Terrestria Chronicles, each Kingdom Tales from Terrestria book was written to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ as King and challenge the reader to love and serve Him. The stories are fast-paced and captivating, but each was written to deliver a powerful message and draw your heart to the King. Unlike the Chronicles, which are sequential and should be read chronologically, the Tales are stand-alone books and can be read in almost any order. Books 2 and 3 belong together, and Books 4 and 5 should be read together. It is our prayer that the Kingdom Tales from Terrestria will challenge your entire family to serve the King of kings.
The Jungle Doctor Series-Paul White was an Australian missionary doctor in Africa early in the 20th century, who gained great skill at teaching the Bible through creative stories based on his missions work. These tales have a timeless quality which has captivated readers for three generations now. When Dr. White returned home to Australia, his stories were discovered and published with an enthusiastic, world-wide reception. Children of all ages delight in the Jungle Doctor series, which are written for readers about ages 9-13, but adults love their creative stories, and they make superb read-aloud stories to children from 5-8, who will have no difficulty understanding them! The full collection is 19 volumes and we have compiled them into three collections for easy purchase: Volumes 1-6 as an introductory set. Volumes 7-12 for more. And Volumes 13-19 to complete your entire collection! The Jungle Doctor series are exceptional for family reading.
Great Composers Series: Complete set of 16 books! (Opal Wheeler)- For the first time in decades, a treasure is back in print: the complete set of all 16 Opal Wheeler volumes on The Great Composers — and now offered as a set for a terrific sale price! Each volume is an enlarged, lay-open, beautifully illustrated paperback. Each book also contains a skillful biography of the composer, which young people from 4-15 will enjoy. Illustrations are found on almost every page, and many of the compositions of the composer.
The list includes sections for your pastor, your boys, your girls, your wife, and your husband. I did not find the list on their website, but if you sign up for their newsletter, I am sure you can request this email newsletter. In any case, it will be for your profit to be on their email list.
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