The Broken Wheel: A Graphic Novel for a November Saint

Ancient Faith Publishing as just released Gabriel Wilson's latest graphic novel, THE BROKEN WHEEL, the Triumph of St. Katherine. 

Gabriel has done an excellent job of adapting the story of the Great and Holy Martyr Katherine (305-313) into a gorgeously illustrated graphic novel for ages 10 and up.  

What a role model we find in this saint, especially for girls! This young heroine loves learning.  A governor's daughter, she is intelligent, brave, and beautiful, but also very confident.  She tells her parents that she will enter into marriage only with someone who has surpassed her in nobility, wealth, beauty, and wisdom.   

With the help of her secretly Christian mother, an elder monk, and a miraculous dream, Katherine does find this Bridegroom, as she ultimately chooses a Prince (of Peace) and puts her trust and hope in Him.

Later, Katherine's city is visited by the emperor Maximian. He comes to Alexandria for a pagan festival and Katherine is horrified that Christians are being burned alive and sacrificed because of their refusal to deny Christ.  She is compelled to speak with the emperor and tell him about the True God, asking him to stop the human sacrifices.

Katherine is cast into the dungeon and is visited by St. Michael the Archangel. After the emperor sends 50 of his most renowned philosophers to debate Katherine, they not only believe in Christ, but bravely face death for their belief. 

Now comes the part of the story that really sounds like it was made for a graphic novel: The Wheel. Katherine, our brave heroine, will not deny Christ and voluntarily walks up to her declared method of cruel torture.  Suddenly, St. Michael appears and blows the dreaded wheel to smithereens! 

Witnessing Katherine's bravery and faith, Maximian's wife also comes to believe, along with the emperor's military commander and 200 soldiers, who are beheaded.

And that's not all...though St. Katherine herself is ultimately is beheaded, angels miraculously transport her body to Mt. Sinai, where it was discovered years later.  To this day, her relics are still on Mt. Sinai, at St. Katherine's Monastery. 

At the end of the book is a historical note, along with several icons and the Troparion and Kontakion to St. Katherine.

From Ancient Faith Publishing:

Young Katherine, born into noble wealth with an insatiable hunger for knowledge, surpasses even her tutors when it comes to learning. But her learning counts for nothing when she meets the only man worthy of her - her heavenly Bridegroom. Trading worldly knowledge for eternal wisdom, Katherine challenges even the emperor himself - and he prepares a cruel invention to break her. Meet this great bride of Christ in the second graphic novel in the Among the Saints series - written to inspire both children and adults.

About the Author: Gabriel Wilson lives near his childhood home in rural Indiana with his wife Emily and their three daughters. Their home is over 100 years old - a true fixer-upper - and the subject of many of his woodworking projects. In his free time, he pursues carpentry and music and enjoys making homemade tacos with his wife and sketching with his daughters. Graphic novels are his favorite form of artwork, and aside from his comics based on the lives of saints, he has other secular novels in the works. His first graphic novel was The Cross and the Stag. (read my review, here)

Blessed first day of Advent (if you're an Orthodox Christian). St. Katherine/Catherine is commemorated in the Orthodox Church on November 24 or 25, depending on the tradition. The Broken Wheel is a nice sized soft cover book, 7 x 10 inches, with 104 pages. It would make a wonderful gift for any Katherine/Catherine in your life.

ADVENT GIVEAWAY: A Beautiful Coloring Book

For Orthodox Christians, today - November 15 - marks the first day of Advent.  Our Metropolitan Joseph shared this thought as we focus on our spiritual health and begin this 40-day journey toward celebrating the birth of our Savior:

The Season of the Nativity is about nothing other than preparing a little room for the Lord Jesus Christ to come and shine in our souls.

And what better way to make this effort more tangible for our children than to hand them some crayons or colored pencils and let them spend time with the beautiful images of the incarnation found in this sweet new Orthodox coloring book, Beautiful Christmas.

Beautiful Christmas, illustrated by Megan Elizabeth Gilbert, is a 64-page coloring book for children aged 5-12. As they color Christ in the cave or the shepherds glorifying God with the angels, they are cultivating their own sensibility to beauty while learning to recognize some of the meaningful symbols, elements, and motifs of the Church.

Besides the coloring pages, there are several mazes to be completed and even a page of cookies to be decorated.  I like the fact that St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, a Jesse Tree, and Twelve Days of Christmas page are included among the many biblical scenes.

If you would like to enter my giveaway, please leave a comment and your email contact information at the end of this post by midnight PST on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.
*UPDATE:  If you are having trouble leaving a comment, please feel free to email me comments: wendyb[spam]1963@sbcglobal.net.

This book and many others are available from Ancient Faith Publishing.

Want to make an Advent Calendar of Books? Don't forget to check out my Advent Resource page for my Christmas book receommendations for kids. You can find it on the sidebar of my blog or go here.

UPDATE 11/21/19: Ileana won the giveaway.  Thanks so much to all who participated!

Make Room on Your Shelf for This Graphic Novel!

Today I'd like to introduce you to an inspiring new graphic novel for kids - The Cross and the Stag; the Incredible Adventures of Saint Eustathius, by Gabriel Wilson. 

It is Ancient Faith Publishing's inaugural book into the graphic novel format, the first in their new "Among the Saints" series written to inspire both children and adults.

I am so excited about this book! Gabriel Wilson's illustrations are striking, and graphic novels are a great way to introduce kids to stories of the saints!

For those unfamiliar with graphic novels, they are like comics, but the format is longer and the self-contained story has a definite beginning, middle, and end. 

Wondering if graphic novels are a good fit for your child?  Click on the link to explore this article from scholastic: A Guide to Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens.

Now, on to The Cross and the Stag...

This is one incredible adventure story, about a very godly man and his brave family.  Not all saint stories would work well as graphic novels, but this one was practically begging to for it! (As are many others - I can't wait to see what more will come from Ancient Faith Publishing). 

In art school, author/artist Gabriel Wilson became very interested in graphic design, animation, and comics and was inspired to switch out super heroes for saints in his comic-format stories! Drama, action, love, adventure, death, and hope - they are all in this heroic tale.

Book description from AFP:
He lost his wealth. 
He lost his family. 
He lost his station. 
He endured it all, to gain everything. 
Roman Commander Placidas was a man of great power and influence. He and his family wanted for little, yet he knew there had to be more to life. Once baptized into the Christian faith as Eustathius, he faced trials beyond anything he had ever experienced on the battlefield. His faith was challenged, but that same faith gained him eternal life. Meet this great man in Ancient Faith Publishing's first graphic novel.

• Age Range: 7 years and up 
• Author/Illustrator: Gabriel Wilson 
• Format: Paperback 
• Dimensions: 7 x 10 inches 
• Page Length: 56 pages 
• Publisher: Ancient Faith Publishing

Listen to Bobby Maddex interview the author here, on Ancient Faith's podcast Ex Libris.  And then order this book, available here.

Pregnancy Pilgrimage

Grandmother-ing, Mother-ing, and Godmother-ing are among my favorite callings/journeys EVER.  Being pregnant and giving birth? Not so much.

Today's book recommendation FERTILE GROUND, A Pilgrimage through Pregnancy by Laura S. Jansson will calm any negative or fearful perceptions you may have about pregnancy and childbirth. But it's not a typical "What to Expect When You're Expecting" handbook.  Thank goodness.

Fertile Ground explores the theology and mystery of pregnancy and birth, along with practical, thoughtful discussion on subjects such as ultrasounds, the umbilical cord, naming your child, having a birth plan, childbirth fears, nursing, and becoming a parent.

IF I HAD READ THIS BOOK when my first pregnancy pilgrimage began 35 years ago, my attitude and whole experience would have been different!  My heart, mind, and body would have been so much better prepared not only for that 9-month journey, but also the birth itself.

  

As Laura Jansson notes in her chapter "Self-Denial": 

Parenthood is a voyage into the deep sea of self-offering, and pregnancy is God's way of easing us in at the edge.

If you are on the voyage of pregnancy and parenthood, or know someone who is, I hope you will get this book!  It's new from Ancient Faith Publishing. (I'll be passing my copy on to my daughter, who is expecting her fourth child in December!!!!)

*Note - There are several Orthodox "Prayers of a Woman with Child" at the beginning of the book, as well as a gentle, but frank and personal discussion about miscarriage at the end, titled "Losing a Baby". 

Book summary: Pregnancy is not just a trek from one medical appointment to another but a journey of the heart. Here at last is a guidebook through its sacred terrain. For each week, Orthodox doula Laura Jansson provides a new reflection on a theme specific to the ground covered at that stage. From one milestone to the next, she helps us unearth the spiritual treasures buried within the physical experiences of childbearing. These are gifts of love from a merciful God who reaches out to us, making a perilous expedition into a path of salvation. 

About the Author: Laura S. Jansson is an Orthodox Christian doula, childbirth educator, and mother living and writing at the intersection of birth and faith. She earned her Masters degree in Theology and Philosophy from the University of Oxford, UK, and has also resided in the USA, Serbia, Germany, and Fiji. Since 2005 she has guided scores of expectant mothers on the path to parenthood, witnessing with wonder as bellies and souls grow along the way.

Visit a Monastery - in a Book!

Those of you who follow my blog regularly know that I am an Orthodox Christian. I like to share books and little tidbits about my faith when I can in my blog posts because there are lots of folks in America who don't know much about the Orthodox Church.

And this is one of those posts. I'm excited about a new children's book by Melinda Johnson, (the second in a series - hope there are more to come, Ancient Faith Publishing!) 

Melinda's newest book, The Barn & the Book again centers around characters from her first story Shepherding Sam: a dog named Saucer, who happens to live at a monastery, and a boy named Sam.

With Advent and Christmas fast approaching, The Barn & the Book is a perfect reading choice for ages 7-12. 

Sam wants to know if the monastery farm animals (especially Saucer!) will talk at midnight on Christmas Eve...should he spend the night in the barn?  And Sister Ana has been given the task of having her Sunday school students write a story about the monastery for a book that will soon be published for the anniversary of the monastic community.  Grace and Macrina volunteer right away. 

But doubts and insecurities, frustrations, and competitive spirits rise - and not just among the kids!

The Barn & the Book is a story about the traps we build when we try to see in the dark.  We tumble into trouble and confusion on our own, but God can steer us clear of our traps and shine His kindly light into our darkness.

Monasteries are great places for families to visit!  My daughter and her children just visited the Monastery of the Transfiguration (a women's monastery) in Ellwood City, PA on their drive back from New York to Michigan.  There was much to see and inspiration to be had (a new icon being installed!), services to attend, and walks to take.

If you saw my blog post about the book To Live Again, the memoirs of Mother Alexandra, a Romanian-Princess-turned-Nun, you'll be interested to know that the Monastery of the Transfiguration was founded by her in 1967!

The current Abbess is Mother Christophora.  In 2012 she celebrated her 25th year as Abbess.  She made some interesting observations about how the experience of visiting monasteries abroad affected her.  I wanted to include some of her thoughts...

In Europe, one of the refreshing things that we have noticed when we have traveled—we always travel two or three sisters at a time on a trip like that—they are just so natural. They are not so insecure, always looking at the neighbor. The nuns there are very simple, very happy in life. The monastic life is just life, and that is what we have to strive to find. If somebody comes here and says, “Oh, the nuns are so normal!” I always say, “That is the biggest compliment you can give us.” Jesus Christ, being truly human, was normal—in a healthy way. And that is how we would like to be. Emotionally and spiritually, we get a little “Oh, is this or that right? How many times do we have to do this? How far do you bow when you bow?” So it was refreshing to see their monastic life lived simply and so naturally. 

Mother Alexandra was a Romanian princess, part of a royal family that has a centuries-long history. After she had to leave her country, she raised her children and then got to fulfill her dream to become a nun. She was living in America but she went to France to become a nun. She saw our country was very rich materially but very poor spiritually, and she wanted America to have an Orthodox monastery. This was her gift; this was what she did. She gave America an Orthodox monastery, because she knew that it would add to life here. But she did not give America a Romanian Orthodox monastery or a Russian Orthodox monastery or a Greek Orthodox monastery. She gave America an Orthodox monastery for Americans. 

 In the 1960s when very little English was used in Orthodox churches, she was determined that everything would be in English from day one, that American women of all backgrounds would feel welcome here. I think her dream is being realized and has been realized. She saw that you do not have to be—and we all know this, but it still bears repeating—Greek or Russian or Ukrainian or Serbian to be Orthodox. America needs Orthodoxy. She knew that. We can also, as Americans, be comfortable in the Orthodox Church in our own way. Here we have enjoyed discovering that—like watching petals of a flower open as we live out our monastic life as Americans in this Orthodox monastery.

Want to visit an Orthodox Monastery?  Some, like The Monastery of the Transfiguration mentioned above, have guest quarters.  Here is a list of several Orthodox Monasteries in the U.S.

And stay tuned!  I'll be giving away The Barn & the Book and a new board book from Ancient Faith Publishing soon!

New Book: Everything Tells Us About God

But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; 

And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; 

And the fish of the sea will explain to you. 

Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this, 

In whose hand is the life of every living thing, 

And the breath of all mankind? 

~ Job 12:7-10

Sometimes I enjoy "virtual storytime" - as my daughter calls it - with my two young grandsons (ages two and five).  You should try it sometime!  Since they are far away from me, the boys just love Facetime-ing with their favorite books.  My trusty iPhone camera makes it easy to close in on the details of each page as I read aloud to them.

Today I was excited to share with them a brand new picture book from Ancient Faith Publishing:  Everything Tells Us about God, by Katherine Bolger Hyde.  It's so thoughtfully written, and Romanian illustrator Livia Coloji's colorfully fun, retro-feeling pictures really enhance the thought-provoking text. (It's sure to become a family favorite, which you'll soon discover, as you read along in my post)...

My ever enthusiastic five-year old grandson was especially all eyes and ears, since the inside cover and first page referred to the world as a GIANT puzzle. (He noticed there was one piece missing, but we had to wait until the end of the book to find out which one!)

One of my favorite lines in this book also really grabbed my grandson's attention (and I whispered it, of course)...

Every piece whispers one of His secrets -- all we need to do is listen.

Each page of the book reveals the puzzle pieces of creation and what they teach us about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The sun, wind, water, bread...

On the page following bread - referring to food - a little boy is shown picking a pear from a tree with his Daddy.  We zoomed in on the pear, and my grandson shouted, "Grandma! Like the fruits of the Spirit!"  (Yay! Somebody's been paying attention to his Bible lessons!)

Next we learned how rocks tell us

Christ is as strong as a boulder...

Then we moved on to hear how the ocean, seeds, stars and the universe ("it's outer space, Grandma!!"), animals (this was a favorite page too!), and even roads, playgrounds, and schools teach us about God.

I especially appreciated that Katherine included stories, and how they teach us "the One Eternal Story"...

Finally, we learned that all the people we meet help us understand that Jesus became human -- which brought us to one last piece of the puzzle.  Can you guess who that piece represents?

YOU!

As soon as we finished, my grandson happily declared, "Grandma, this is the BEST book I've ever heard!"  High praise indeed!

At the end of the book,  you'll find an author's note/tribute, in which Katherine Hyde explains how Fr. Thomas Hopko (of blessed memory) actually inspired this story!

Oh, and one last thing.
Any young red-heads out there will appreciate the auburn hues on heads, young and old, throughout the book!  I'm sure Mrs. KBHyde (a natural born redhead) had something to do with that?  I LOVE that fun detail!

Katherine Bolger Hyde, author.

Katherine, thank you for this lovely book!  It's a perfect read aloud for the 4-8 year old range.  (And it would make a great read for Earth Day, coming up in April.  But honestly, for those who love God everyday is Earth Day, right?!)

Thanks for the Memories, Dad...

It's finally here! My Dad's last book Memories of His Mercy, published five years posthumously, just arrived on my doorstep...

Memories of His Mercy, by Fr. Peter Gillquist, is available from Ancient Faith Publishing.

It's a true labor of love, and feels like a gift from him (and Ancient Faith Publishing) to our family.  But although it's a treasure for us, my father's motivation in writing it was "to share with other people the faithfulness of God in a way that I hope will motivate them to trust in Him more than they do now". 

Dad thought about doing this book for a long time.  Finally, early in 2012, he dictated most of the chapters in a recording session at his home with John Maddex, CEO of Ancient Faith Ministries.  

But in June of that same year, Dad was told by his doctors that (after thirteen years) his metastatic melanoma cancer had returned, was already in stage 4, and was untreatable.

My father had hoped finish work on the manuscript before his death, but his health declined too rapidly. After Dad's passing, John talked with my brother Greg about the recordings and Dad's wishes, saying we could proceed if and when we were ready. 

John sent us the audio files of Dad's dictation. How comforting our father's voice sounded to my mom, siblings, and me as we were able to listen to the recordings on our home computers!

Last Father's Day - it had been four years since Dad's death - we finally felt ready to begin the process of honoring Dad's wishes in getting his book published.  I called my mom and she said my brother, Fr. Peter Jon, just that morning, had mentioned the book too. 

We knew the project would bring emotions and require much attention: delving into the manuscript, organizing the chapters, and finding someone to help in compiling and doing the work of editing the material.  

God brought us the perfect person for the job: Ginny Nieuwsma, a sincere, tender-hearted woman and gifted editor who knew and loved my Dad.  We felt very confident in trusting her with his manuscript. 

Memories of His Mercy is really a framework to Dad's prior best-selling book, Becoming Orthodox - it's pretty much "the rest of the story": a remembrance of God's mercy throughout my father's life. 

Ginny seamlessly pieced together and edited the chapters, and we contributed clarification and family photos - starting with my father's earliest childhood memories, to meeting my mom, to their work in Campus Crusade for Christ, their first fixer-upper, and then Dad's years at Thomas Nelson (and meeting Johnny Cash), the Orthodox Study Bible, and Dad's fight with cancer.  

The chapters are book-ended by a gracious Foreward, written by one of my Dad's dearest friends, my father-in-law V. Rev Jon Braun, and an Epilogue, written by my mother, Marilyn. She reflects on their last move -  to Bloomington, IN - and recounts the weeks leading up to my father's repose.  

At the very end of the book you'll find several tributes (the first from Fr. Gordon Walker, of blessed memory), and an interview with my Dad, reprinted from AGAIN Magazine.

I hope you'll enjoy this labor of love from my Dad and all the people from Ancient Faith Publishing (with special thanks to John, Ginny, Katherine, Carla, Matt, and Melinda), who worked tirelessly to make this book available to you.

ORDER

Glowing Candles

Ancient Faith Publishing has just released a beautiful new picture book, In The Candle's Glow, by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson, illustrated by Amandine Wanert.  I can guarantee it will warm your heart...

Felicia will light her candle, pray, and watch as a breeze carries the wisp of smoke from her candle flame up to heaven along with her prayers.  But where did the candle come from?  The story begins with a breeze, some bees, and a beekeeper (who happens to be a singing nun!)

While preparing for this post, I began thinking about all the symbolism associated with lighted candles and why in the Orthodox Church our candles are made from pure beeswax. I came across from very enlightening information that I'd like to share with you.

Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica (15th century), a commentator on the Liturgy, wrote about six things that candles symbolize for us...
1. The pure wax (bees wax) of a candle reminds us that our hearts should be pure.

2. The softness and pliability of wax speaks of our readiness to obey God.

3. We are reminded of the sweet aroma of God's Divine Grace in our souls because the wax comes from fragrant flowers.

4.  The burning of the candle as it mixes with and feeds the flame represents man’s deification, his becoming a new creature through the fire of God’s love.

5. As the candle lights the darkness, so must the Light of Christ shine before men in our hearts.

6. Lastly, it symbolizes the love and peace that should characterize every Christian, because the wax that burns down when it illuminates, is like our love for our fellow man; but it also comforts man with its light in the darkness.

Today I'd like to dedicate my post to two gentle men whose lives glowed like bright candles, with the Light and Love of Christ for those around them.  Like wisps of smoke that rise after a candle is blown out, they left us this month (which ironically began with Candlemas on the 2nd) to move heavenward.

During an Orthodox funeral service, as well as at memorial services, the faithful stand with lit candles as a sign that the deceased's soul has left this world and entered the Kingdom of Heaven and the Unwaning Light of God.

Ray was 93 years young and lived a long life, taking tender loving care of his wife for many years before she died.  This precious man missed her dearly ever since, and finally went to join her a couple of weeks ago.  I enjoyed countless visits with both him and his wife.  He was our "bell-ringer" at church - letting us know each Sunday when our Priest was ready to give the blessing for our food at coffee hour!

I was not able to attend Ray's funeral, because the day before it I got the devastating news of a second death...

Kevin (who happens to be the brother-in-law of my sister) was 33 years too young to die, but left this earth last week after a brave fight with cancer. He and his wife Angel, in true warrior fashion, started "Packed Kits" after his wife's sister sent him an amazing care package to help get him through his hospital stays.  The kits are based on her original care package and contain everything a chemo patient could need during treatment.  Please visit their website, and consider "Giving Pack" to help fight cancer!

Packed Kits

Please light and candle and send up prayers for the souls of these two men - and for their families.  And share In The Candle's Glow with a child you love!

Resolve (Pray) To...

Be a good parent.  
Everyday.  
Not just for the New Year.

Looking for some inspirational reads as you journey with your children into 2017? I've got a great book stack for you! 
(all books available from Ancient Faith Publishing) 

I'm very excited about this book on parenting by Dr. Philip Mamalakis.  He spoke at our church a few years ago, and his talk was full of wisdom on the importance of careful child-rearing.

In his introduction, Dr. Mamalakis (a father of seven children) clearly communicates that there is no greater vocation than that of being a parent "...because nothing shapes the soul and the life of a person more than how he interacts with his parents or primary care providers."

Parenting Toward the Kingdom is organized into six Principles:
I: Always Parent with the End in Mind
II: Respond, Don't React
III: Understand Struggles in Terms of the Values and the Virtues of the Kingdom of God
IV: Separate Feelings from Behaviors
V: Teach the Joy of Obedience
VI: Teach the Joy of Repentance

The book ends with a helpful Appendix of Further Reading (more about this book here).

Go here to read my past post about the beautiful prayer book, The Ascetic Lives of Mothers by Annalisa Boyd...

If you are contemplating adoption, Children of my Heart: Finding Christ Through Adoption by Ashley Lackovich-Van Gorp, might be the read for you.

Ashley Lackovich-Van Gorp shares her inspiring journey as a young professional working in Jerusalem who struggled to embrace her Orthodox faith with all her heart. She never dreamed her search for an intimate relationship with Christ would lead her to Ethiopia and into the hearts and lives of two little orphan girls—now orphans no longer. (Go here for more information about this book.)

Lastly, in celebration of our journey into 2017, I'm offering a GIVEAWAY of the book Following a Sacred Path: Raising Godly Children by Elizabeth White.

Experienced educator Elizabeth White offers practical advice on raising children to understand and love their faith.

Focusing on the church year, she offers a new way to talk to children about the faith, along with activities the family can share that encourage children to discover spiritual truths for themselves and own them for life.

To enter my New Year Giveaway, please leave a comment with your first name and last initial here on this post before midnight on January 9, 2017.  Winner announced Tuesday, January 10, 2017 - be sure you check back! 

A New Chapter: Shepherding Stories

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me...

John 10:14

This past weekend began another chapter in our daughter's family's life journey. There is a lot going on for this little family as they follow God's call!  Just a couple of weeks ago her husband was sworn-in as an officer to the US Navy Chaplain Candidate Program, and on Sunday he was ordained as a deacon into the Orthodox Church. 

Our son-in-law will be ordained as a Priest when he finishes seminary.  I love the parallel foreshadowing seen in this photo - my youngest grandson, like a little sheep, is rushing up to hug and greet his newly ordained Deacon Daddy, while at the same time glancing tentatively towards one of the Priests. 

A Priest is a shepherd after all, called by God to encourage us in our lives. Today I'm doing a giveaway to celebrate shepherds and sheep: one about a rather unconventional shepherd, the second about sheep and other farm animals.

The first book I'm giving away is a brand new chapter book from Ancient Faith Publishing:  Shepherding Sam by Melinda Johnson.

Aimed at early elementary readers, this book will find a niche with 8-10 year olds (although it would make a good story for parents to read aloud to younger children as well).

The central characters in the story are a Corgi dog named Saucer and a hurting, troubled 10-year-old boy named Sam.

Have you ever had the chance to visit an Orthodox monastery?  I highly recommend it, and a monastery farm is the unique setting of this book! It is the happy home to some sweet nuns and their quirky animals, one of which is Saucer.  

Melinda Johnson's engaging storytelling - at once humorous and tender hearted - is just plain fun. I appreciate that the children in the story are typical kids, very relatable to young readers.

As the action moves through the chapters, Saucer is searching for a herd to shepherd, and a lonely and angry Sam is trying to push love (and anything that resembles it) away.  Tenacious Saucer won't give up on his herding or on Sam. In an exciting ending, Saucer takes charge and finally finds his purpose.

According to Melinda in this podcast interview, Saucer has a message for us: God will show you what he wants you to be, if you never give up.  And it can happen in unexpected ways (just ask my daughter and son-in-law)!

Now on to the second animal-themed book I have to giveaway today: a new offering from Animal Planet, Animal Bites: Farm Animals (for ages 4-8).

 This large format, soft cover book is full of stunning photographs of farm animals in the barnyard, coop, and pasture.
  

Your young children will have fun while they learn about how animals survive and thrive on busy farms.

In many ways, farm animals are just like us.  They need loving caregivers and shepherds.  But we need animals too - like Saucer, they can help us heal and feel loved!

To enter for a chance at this giveaway... 

• Please leave a comment with your first name and last initial.  
• Tell me who you'd like to share these books with, or how an animal has had a healing influence in your life.  
• Giveaway ends at midnight on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. Winner announced a week from today on Thursday, October 27, 2016.