The Time Keeper

by Mitch Albom, 240 pages.


This is a great story. Very captivating from the beginning. It has a surprise ending in that you can't imagine how the story will turn out. Three lives intertwine and all three have a different angle at learning the same lesson. Albom really paints a picture at how God patterns our lives for a purpose. This book is a great example of Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom." It's a great lesson for us all. Perfect book for teens and adults. Definitely a must-read. A+

The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah

by Leslie Kimmelman, 32 pages.

This is the cutest rendition of an old favorite! I just love it and so do my boys! From the beautifully vibrant illustrations, to the funny "kvetching" of the hen in the occassional Yiddish, to the teaching about the Passover traditions, to the lesson of being kind, it is a great story! One that I actually don't mind reading even when it's not the Passover season. This a a great gift and perfect for all children, even babies and toddlers, again because of the wonderful wording and pictures. There are also instructions in the end about how to make your own homemade matzah for the older children. A+++

Order in the Courts

Bringing Balance & Understanding in Expressive Praise & Worship

By Paul Wilbur, 82 pages.

This was a great read. If you want to learn how to begin to or expand your worship of the Lord, this is the book for you.  If you want to know the difference between personal worship and corporate worship, this is the book for you. If you lead Praise & Worship, this is the book for you. If you want to know how to incorporate the biblical principles of worship such as dancing, shofars, banners, flags, tambourines, spiritual gifts and the prophetic into your church, congregation or synagogue, this is the book for you. If you want to know how to include children into worship, this is the book for you. If you want to know how to address disruptive worshipers among you, this is the book for you. Paul Wilbur has had over 30 years experience leading worship. He lays out what has worked for him and what he has learned and gives great insight and suggestions on how to lead people into worship. This book among others as well as many great music CDs are available from his website at: https://store.wilburministries.com/

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

by Mitch Albom, 198 Pages.

Although the book was small, I had a hard time getting through it. The protagonist is a great character and his story is interesting, but I got hung up on the author's depiction of heaven. My advise would be to read the book knowing that the picture of heaven portrayed is simply an avenue to lead you to the five important life lessons you can glean from the story. I'd say this is a great book for anyone who seems to have regrets about past choices, and it is definitely an important read for teenagers. The author leads you through a man's life, Eddie, who has gone through many trials, blaming others, or focusing on the bad events, and not realizing the hidden blessings that followed him. Reading the story reminded me that our lives effect others and vice versa. For most, this is a fast read, but it leaves a lasting impression.

Spin the Dreidel!

By Alexandra Cooper, 15 pages, board book.

This board book was one of the first books I bought for my son and it has not gone out of style! It comes with a built in dreidel that the child can spin whenever he/she wants! We like to spin it after reading each page. The book has clever rhymes that teach children about the dreidel game. It also explains what each Hebrew letter on a dreidel represent and their meaning. There is a short history of Chanukah at the end of the book for parent/child discussion. Overall this is a book I'm sure your child will bring to you to read over and over during story time...even when it's not Hanukkah!

On the First Night of CHANUKAH

By Cecily Kaiser, 24 pages.

Not only do my children love this book, but I don't mind reading it over and over again. That may be because I actually get to sing it to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." It is wonderfully written with lively pictures that you can use over and over again for your "picture walks." You can even use them to play "I Spy" to point out the Chanukah items the book highlights such as a menorah, candles, doughnuts, gelt, dreidels, Stars of David, and latkes. This is definitely a great addition to the toddler library.

Hoppy Hanukkah

By Linda Glaser, 24 pages.

This book is so cute. It is a great way to introduce the idea of Hanukkah to a toddler. Two bunnies burst with excitement as they learn about lighting the candles on the Hanukkah menorah every night, playing the dreidel game and eating latkes. Great pick if you can find it at your local library because your toddler may outgrow this one fast.