Advent Books

Anybody who is interested in knowing more about the rapture, get this book. There is important knowledge in this book for everyone, but more so for those of you who do not read your bible in search for the truth.

Before God's Wrath by H.L. Nigro is one of the better books I've come across regarding the timing of the Rapture of the Church. Well-researched and documented, this study is not an emotional defense of a predisposed position; it is a thought-provoking overview supported solely and completely by Scripture. Wherever you fall in your theological stance regarding the Last Days, you would be hard pressed to debunk the author's strong position.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the endtimes, prophecy, and the rapture.

There are several things that help make this an outstanding book:

1. There book includes several charts and tables that make it much easier to compare Scripture passages from different parts of the Bible.
2. The book discusses many issues that I had questions on but that other books on the endtimes just didn't cover (easy to read but indepth treatment of the issues, theology, and Biblical texts!)
3.The author is fair and accurate when discussing other views of the endtimes with which she disagrees in her book. Some books written by Christians seem "unchristian" in how they treat others or develop "strawman" arguments. This book is fair in its treament of others!
4.It is easy to tell that the author spent ALOT of time researching and writing this book.

There are several other good books that deal with the endtimes (such as Marvin Rosenthal's book "The prewrath rapture of the church"), but this is the most up to date, thorough, and comprehensive on the rapture available.

I am new to the idea that the church will not be raptured out prior to the tribulation. I had my suspicions that we would, indeed, have to endure the Great Tribulation but not come under God's wrath (Read Matt 24). I began to do some online research and came across and purchased several books on the topic. Before God's Wrath is one of them. H.L Nigro contributes greatly to the topic, clearing up many areas of confusion. I can recommend this book highly to anyone who has questions about when the *Bible* says the Chruch will be raptured.

This book is one of the most helpful Bible study books on my shelf. I've read Rosenthal's and Van Kampen's also. I found each book to be unique and helpful. Although all three (and several other pre-wrath rapture books) are on the same topic, Nigro's book stands on its own for research and information. It is well thought out and helped me tremendously in my journey from pre-tribulation rapture to pre-wrath. Ultimately, it must always be God's word that grounds us, but He has certainly used Nigro to lead us to His word.

I really loved this book. I never really learned all the traditions associated with Catholicism and this book delivered on its promises. I look forward to incorporating some, maybe all, of the suggested activities in the book into our family's life. I know I would have loved to have had more home traditions mixed in with my family's life growing up, because it would have helped me to stay more connected with church rather than feeling like it was just a weekly obligation.

This is a very nice manual of catholic traditions that can be incorporated into everyday life. My husband and I were looking for something like this as we both weren't raised with any Catholic traditions and hope to raise our kids with a very Catholic home. This is a great starting point, and has a lot of interesting ideas that I had never heard of.

I ordered this for my sister as a gift. She suggested the book and I had no trouble finding it on Amazon. Thanks!

I love this book! I grew up in a Catholic family and in Catholic schools. However, that did not prepare me for passing along Catholic traditions to my own children and to my converted husband. The fear of offending anyone(especially my non-Catholic relatives) made me a little hesitant to "let religious identity permeate our home". Gould's book encourages and instructs on how to do so. She has specific ideas, traditions, and even recipes for living a richer life within the Church.

Meredith Gould has done a great job of bringing together traditions from all around the world, and offering these as ways to grow in true faith, not just more items on holiday to-do lists. Her suggestions for Lenten prayer are particularly valuable. Written in a clear, concise, and humorous style, this compact book has earned its place as a family reference.

This book is beautiful! The pictures are amazing and held my children (6 and 4) captive while I read to them. I would recommend reading this story every year at Christmastime as a family.

A Christmas Carol

It was my goal this December to read to my children, ages seven, nine and 14, the Christmas Carol story by Dickens so that they would know the original before seeing the movie. I also thought this would be an accessible way for them to get oriented to English literature and prepare them for further reading.

The requirements of the Christmas Carol book to be purchased were that a) it be new as opposed to a ragged used copy, b) it be unabridged, c) it have good drawings; and d) if possible it be inexpensive. I first looked in the library, but their book was checked out, and anyway I was looking to start a family tradition of reading the story every year with our own copy if possible. The Candlewick Press edition with illustrations by P.J. Lynch appeared to fill the bill; I bought it; and it delivered the goods. The book is nice and readable-sized, the illustrations good, the type pleasing. Thirteen bucks. I was immensely satisfied with the purchase.

As to the fate of the reading, we handled one chapter per evening, there being five chapters; each took an hour or so to read. I found Dickens to be sometimes heavy going for the younger TV and video-generation kids to get a sense of what is going on. I did not recollect Dickens to be so when I read some of his works as a younger person, but apparently it's something you have to be exposed to and get to understand. Anyway I was happy to provide my children with the chance to get started. It gave me a measure of the gap between the reading preparation of today's youth versus my pre-Cambrian elementary and middle school days. On Christmas Day I showed them the George C. Scott version of the movie, and they all liked it. But all knew the basics from the book, which was my goal, even if the mid-1800s prose obscured many of the action points to the younger ones in their Sponge Bob and Hannah Montana mindsets.

So the effort was a success, and this edition of the book did what I had hoped by delivering up an excellent presentation at a very low cost.

Dan of Arlington

If you are looking to purchase a copy of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, then I believe that this would be a excellent choice for you. The book is very well bound and of excellent quality. The illustrations are wonderful and very well detailed. The pages are slightly thicker than normal so you are probably less likely to tear them. If you purchase this book, you will not be disappointed.

I purchased this book as a gift for myself so that I could enjoy this timeless Christmas tale over the holidays. This edition of A Christmas Carol was a wonderful purchase. The illustrations added to the enjoyment of the story and allowed me to visit another time and place while relaxing with this holiday classic.

I would highly recommend this book to young and old alike.

I think we have yet to experience the definitive film version of "A Christmas Carol", but we now have the definitive book version! Masterful illustrations complement the unedited text. Oh, and EVERYONE who purchases this book, PLEASE take off the dust cover and let this one age without it! WONDERFUL cover, perfect!

Jim Dale is a very fine oral interpreter, it is a skill to read some of the most beloved books and make people love them more and discover something new.

This is a 3 disc set of A Christmas Carol, audio version and Jim Dale gives each character its own unique voice and he is pleasant to listen to and he adds charm, warmth and humor to this very well known story.

Treat your self, treat your family. We will be listening to this during our holiday traveling.

This is a fabulous, UNabridged version of A Christmas Carol. Jim Dale does fabulous voice characterizations, and really captures the mood of each scene. Just love it.

This was a great way to share the beauty of Dickens with students that are not quite ready to read it on their own.

Fabulous from beginning to end. Jim Dale's performance makes the characters in the book come to life. I highly recommend it.

Wonderful! In this busy time of year it's hard to find time to sit down long enough to read through the printed Dickens. Having an unabridged copy of A Christmas Carol in an audio format is a great treat. I managed to listen to it twice, once on my own while wrapping gifts and baking, and once with my kids.
Jim Dale, as usual reads it beautifully, embuing each character with it's own personality.

My children and I have been going through the book in our homeschool and learning the Christmas carols. We have really enjoyed the little history and devotionals that go along with each one.
I do have to say though...I thought it was just a little odd that a children's book would use the phrase, "Mary hadn't slept with a man before"...to explain part of the virgin birth. I just skipped over that part and told my children she hadn't been married yet.

Not only is the book a great tool to teach children about God, but the included CD is wonderful for just listening

Hymns for a Kid's Heart, Volume One, by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada, Illustrations by Sergio Martinez, Includes music CD, Crossway Books, 2004, Hardcover,
Ages 4-8, 96 Pages, ISBN-13: 978-1581345827, $21.99

Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada collaborated to write the two-volume series, Hymns for a Kid's Heart. The books are illustrated by Sergio Martinez. Each hymn includes a short story about the song's author, and a full rendition of lyrical verses and music notes for piano or guitar accompaniment. A twelve track full-length CD of inspirational hymns, sung by a children's choir with orchestra accompaniment, is included to sing-a-long with.

Each song segment includes "From My Heart to You" written by Joni Eareckson Tada. She shares how particular hymns and singing have impacted her life. Sections conclude with Scripture to memorize in, A Verse for my Heart, and prayer, A Prayer for my Heart.

Volume one features twelve classic hymns that teach tenets of Christian faith, unlike much of contemporary Christian music that focuses on feelings. Fascinating personal stories of hymns' authors will educate and delight readers, young and old alike.

Wolgemuth believes there is a strong correlation between stories, music, and memory-making--
particularly for children. She uses what she calls "teachable moments," to teach hymns to her children and grandchildren. Moments found when a child is bored, or when the family works together in the kitchen, or nearly anywhere, because sing-a-longs are memorable and fun.

Four sections feature hymns about God, biblical truth, Christian living, and hymns of prayer for our country. Songs about God include Holy, Holy, Holy, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, and This Is My Father's World. Songs of biblical truth comprise O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, How Firm a Foundation, and Amazing Grace. Hymns for Christian living consist of The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want, Rejoice, Ye Pure I Heart and Take My Life and Let it Be.

Children's joy-filled voices make each CD hymn my favorite. But, if I had to choose, the last part of the CD is what I played repeatedly. This segment includes hymns of prayer for our country and begins with America, the Beautiful, then Our God, Our Help in Ages Past, Eternal Father, Strong to Save, and Do You Know What it Means.

Wolgemuth, mother of two, and grandmother of five, joined with Eareckson, who she calls "soul sister," to write this two-volume series. Each author is passionate about hymns and they often encourage each other with hymn-singing by telephone. Since they live on the East and West coasts, they even carol together over the telephone lines at Christmas.

This musical CD and book will point little ones to the Lord and children will feel the love of parents and grandparents who read to and sing-a-long with them. Martinez' rich colorful illustrations enhance each hymn's depiction, and inspirational story. A glossary and pages for personal notes complete this classical offering. [..]

Children and I use this as a Music Curriculum of sorts & sometimes just listen to the CD to hear great hymns. Very Good for a gift, a must have in any home library.

Kids love this book. We use it for our music at Christmas time and for a little music lesson in our homeschool. Love it!

I bought this book because it has a basset hound as the main character. I love bassets and this book is really cute (even if you are not a basset hound fan). The nice tale of one generous dog sharing his gifts with a less fortunate dog sends a good message about sharing. If you like dogs or need a book to help encourage sharing, this is the one for you! Cute pictures also!

Loved the book. It's a very sweet story about a basset hound and his friend and sends a great message of sharing no matter what age you are.
I received the book in perfect condition and it was sent promptly by the vendor.

Our copy of Claude was torn and so well worn.
We were happy to have a new version! Even though my kids are 10 and 13, we still love this short story every year!

The message is fantastic, especially for a Christmas book. Claude the Dog shares his gifts with a less fortunate dog. But the writing is a bit short and the pictures aren't as colourful as they could be. All in all I'm glad I bought it but I would probably choose a different book to give away as a gift.

What a lovely way to teach children `tis better to give than receive.' With few words and no rhymes - except for the author/illustrator's name, of course, and delightful black/white/aqua pictures of Claude the Basset and his homeless friend Bummer, all ages can delight in the spirit of kindness and compassion at Christmastime. But am I the only one bummed because Bummer didn't get a home for Christmas?

/TundraVision, Amazon reviewer.

Wonderful is too weak a superlative to describe this book. Written in a factual style and incorporating historical events such as Peary's trek to the North Pole, it is one of the most delightful stories about Christmas ever written. There is also a detailed account of the land expedition by Will Steger, the only man to actually see Santa's village at the North Pole.
The chapters are:

*) The reindeer by the river: It was a wondrous thing. In which the author tells of his search for the true Santa Claus.
*) The echo of hooves: Searching for yesteryear's reindeer. In which Santa's history is detailed, past adventures are recounted.
*) The North Pole today: On the roof of the world. In which the kingdom is visited, the elfin life is described.
*) The miracle of reindeer flight: Mysteries explained, science revealed. In which the way he does things he does is discussed.
*) Eight tiny reindeer (Plus one): Santa's starting team and his helpers. In which a host of heroic animals and people are met.
*) Like down on a thistle, evermore: Work that never ends. In which the future of Santa Claus and his mission is pondered.

The spirit of Santa Claus within the concept of Christmas is a powerful one, in this book you can capture some of that spirit and appreciate the strength of the man and his mission.

I have this book, with some handwritten annotations. The author got a couple facts wrong, but then I used to be in the Air Force, worked in many. many different command posts and operational centers, and well somethings are still classified. Some good guessing and all!

Cute book, I love it, my husband, a "Santa Helper" loves it, our teens liked it (really!) and the few copies I have given as gifts were very well received.

If you have older kids this is a great book.

I have the movie with Bridges and Thomas and I love it. It is called "The Christmas Secret" it is suppose to be taken from part of the book "Flight of the Reindeer" I don't know if that is true or not. Because I did not buy the book yet.

There is a Santa Claus! This is an amazing book, written in documentary style about the existence of Santa and his reindeer. It is a delightful addition to anybody's coffee table at Christmas time or any time. I really love his description of how he found Rudolph, and how he guided the team that one year, a small reindeer with a big heart. The description of the reindeer's year is fascinating!

This book will warm the hearts of Virginias everywhere. Yes, there is a Santa Claus!

I found this a long time ago in a bargain bin for $2. I *love* this book--it's one of my all-time favorite books. Although I haven't put up a tree in years, it's now a tradition to read this book every year. It puts me in the Christmas spirit--and adds realism, proof and perspective to the Christmas mission.

Buy it and make your own family tradition.

Each year I add a Christmas book to each of my grandchildren's collections. This book is right at the top of my list of fine collectible childrens books.
Not only did Grandma enjoy the incredible art work and stories but so did each of our five grandchildren and their parents. The book was read repeatedly throughout the holiday season. I know this book will be treasured and brought out every Christmas for many years in our family.

Alice Topp

Wonderful detailed illustrations that children as well as adults love. We already were familiar with some of the stories by her that appear in the Treasury, are thrilled that she compiled them all into one book!

Every Christmas Eve, I started a tradition of giving my son a new keepsake hard cover picture book that we can share and read together every Christmas thereafter. After searching for this year's special book, I found this treasure..the artwork is beautifully illustrated and the stories are wonderful and make for a good cozy night cuddling up with my son and a hot cup of cocoa and sharing the magic inside the book's cover. Would very highly recommend this book as a keepsake for Christmas' to come.

We Love this book. The stories are lovely. The art work is amazing. My daughter loves how it shows what will happen next in the little circles on the side of the page. This is a large book but I love having the collection in one place. It makes it a special read together book.

great illustrations. But the content has very little with Christmas as christians understand it. It is just a usual secular staff about Santa and joys of winter.

Mortimer is a mouse, living in a dark hole under the stairs. In his opinion, his hole is "too cold, too cramped, too creepy." One night, as he's sneaking around the big house looking for crumbs that the human family may have left behind, Mortimer finds what he thinks will be a perfect new home for him -- the stable in a Nativity scene. The excited mouse struggles to drag all the Nativity figures out of this stable, and he nestles himself down in the manger. The next day, as he's out prowling for crumbs, he comes back to find that someone has put the figures back into the stable! Annoyed, he drags them out again, and so it goes for several days, until one evening, Mortimer overhears the human father reading the Christmas story to his children, about how there was no room for them in the inn. The little Mouse realizes that the statue he has been dragging out of the manger each day is a statue of baby Jesus. Touched by the story, Mortimer decides that he wants to make room for the baby Jesus, and carefully puts all the figures back in their places. And in the end, Mortimer own prayer is granted. He finds a home that is just right for him!

So cute!!!! The story is so fun to read and my twin girls age 6 loved to listen to it. We all loved the pictures. This will be a favorite Christmas treasure for years!!

Mortimer's Christmas is a wonderful story about giving unselfishly and the birth of Jesus and it is told in a way even the younger children can enjoy. I read this during a Preschool Story Time at our library and several parents and grandparents asked where they could get copies. The illustations were great and the story moved along quickly. Karma Wilson has found a way to share the true meaning Christmas with the little ones.

My preschoolers sat quietly and eagerly waited to hear the whole story. An awesome story that brings in the real meaning of Christmas.

This is perhaps the most powerful story about the Nativity outside of the New Testament. Kudos to Karma for the way she crafted a simple yet elegant story about one of the most important events in history. And the art? Jane is splendid. This is an all-star team who have created one of the most wonderful children's books I've ever come across. I now have a gift for everyone I know with small children. Keep 'em coming!

Three generations have loved The Animals' Merry Christmas by Richard Scary. For a while, it seemed to have disappeared from the shops. Now it's back in all its glory, ready for a new generation of young readers to love!

There are lots of great memories here with wonderful illustrations to bring them back to life for you!

My sister and I had this book when we were kids in the '80s. We broke it out every Christmas and read the delightful stories of "The Naughty Teddy Bear" and "The Snow Shoe Rabbits" until the insomnia of Christmas Eve gave in to sleep. The illustrations really make the book for me. I'm so glad this book is back in production. This year I bought a copy for my nieces and nephew and they love it too.

Four stars because this book is so wonderful, but Golden Books has a nasty habit of making some deletions when reprinting their classics. There are also a few pages missing from the reprinted "Santa's Toy Shop," another Christmas favorite.

Four stars anyway because the deleted stories were not particular favorites of mine, but people who remember the original will be disappointed. Better this, however, than no Richard Scarry, and I do not want to discourage anyone from purchasing this marvelous book and reading it to the current generation of children. This is my 60th Christmas, and few of my Christmas memories are more precious than those wrapped up with this book.

My three year old twins are enjoying this new book. So far their favorite stories are "The Naughty Reindeer" and "Terrible Teddy Bear". I can see that this will book will be read during the Christmas season for many years to come!

My husband and I love this book for the old illustrations from when we were kids. The colors and pictures are vibrant and captures the eyes of even our 2 year old. Lots of fun poems and short stories. This is such a cozy book that brings back old fond memories.