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I've come to understand why Laura Berquist recommends this bible for Kindergarten age children. It is quite faithful to the original stories and attempts nothing beyond telling the story. The colorful pictures are very intriguing to children and it provides a good means for familiarizing children with the Bible's basic stories. The full color pictures throughout are very nicely done and make it easier for young children to find particular stories on their own. Unfortunately, there are several important stories which are missing, including: Abraham sacrificing Isaac and the story of Tobias.

In his latest book, Dr. Ray Guarendi offers more of his time-tested advice (Discipline That Lasts a Lifetime 2003, You're a Better Parent Than You Think 1985, DVD 2006) on raising children, but this time with a focus entirely on the teenage years. In question and answer format, Dr. Ray discusses teens and jobs, driving, dating, disrespect, sibling struggles and more. He asserts early on that "[my] impression, becoming stronger the longer I am a psychologist, is that modern day teen turbulence is more cultural than developmental." He sees the typical "faced-paced go-go, get-get, do-do, have-have" lifestyle of today's teens as a "recipe for friction", and reminds parents that keeping their standards high will "not only make for great adults someday but also for more pleasant kids along the way."

Dr. Ray is the father of ten children, and includes family conversations in his book. (A personal favorite of mine is when he tells his teens, "Sixteen is the minimum age at which the state tells me I can think about you driving. It is not the age it must happen.") He also lightens up difficult topics with his trademark humor -- "A.J." wants to use the car and "Sting" asks to go to a rock concert -- giving parents a reason to smile when they may want to scream. Finally, he knows our struggles, as when he says,

Parents used to instinctively expect to be challenged by their kids, especially in judgments of how fast one should grow up. What is quite different these days is that you are almost as likely to be questioned by your peers.

This book is full of wisdom for those parents who want to continue helping their children to grow in virtue throughout their teen years. In the author's words:

It's up to us parents to have the strength to bring out our kids' natural best and not to permit the worst to rule. Then we can honestly say to the shock of others, "I really like these teen years."

All of Dr. Ray Guarendi's books, DVD, and tapes are available at his website.

"Grandpa Karm" has written a 20-page first level reader, illustrated with black and white clip art and holy card reproductions. The typeface is large and clear and easy for a new reader to follow. Self-published and bound with staples and binding tape, the book may not hold up well to repeated readings by boisterous young readers.

The story describes farm life in Australia, and the children have a kangaroo and a possum for pets. At the end of the story, the children learn the most simple truths of the Catholic faith. This is a basal reader, and includes vocabulary such as sheep, bear, tea, Friday, thank, rosary, and Mass.

Available from the author at www.ozemail.com.au/~karatt/index.htm

Nicely drawn images and fairly detailed text overview important inventions and their inventors from Gutenberg's Movable Type (1438) to the Laser (1960). Arranged in chronological order, the descriptions give some historical background and scientific details about each invention. There is a certain amount of typical problems in the text regarding the medieval era to be full of "darkness and superstition" and a rather incomplete and somewhat erroneous account of Galileo's run-in with the Catholic Church.

The inventions covered are: Movable Type, the Microscope, the Telescope, the Mechanical Calculator, the Steam Engine, the Power Loom, the Submarine, the Cotton Gin and Mass Production, the Steamboat, the Electric Battery, the Jacquard Automatic Loom, the Electric Motor and the Electric Dynamo, Photography, the Mechanical Reaper, the Revolver Pistol, the Telegraph, the Underwater Diving Apparatus, the Sewing Machine, the Internal Combustion Engine, the Machine Gun, Dynamite, the Typewriter, Telephone, Phonograph/gramophone, Electric Light Bulb, Electric Power Station, Kinetograph, Kinetoscope, the Automobile, Alternating Current, the Tesla Coil, Motion Pictures, Radio, Television, Iconoscope, Kinescope, Powered Aircraft, the Vacuum Cleaner, the Triode Radio Vacuum Tube, Mass Production and the Automobile, the Battle Tank, the Liquid-Fuel Rocket, the Jet Engine, Xerography, the Helicopter, the Scuba System, the First Electronic Computer, the Transistor and the Laser.