Kids and families, get a head start on your VBS Rain Forest Adventure by checking out some intriguing books. These books highlight the beauty, mystery and wonder of exotic animals and plants that inhabit rain forests and jungles.
Over in the Jungle: A Rain Forest Rhyme by Marianne Berkes
Count, clap and sing to a favorite children’s rhyme while learning about jungle creatures. Delight in Jeanette Canyon’s polymer clay illustrations. No wonder this is an award winner!
The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry
A recipient of numerous book awards, this is the story of many different animals that live in a great kapok tree in the Brazilian rain forest and how they try to convince a man not to cut down their home.
God Made Creepy Crawlies: by Sally Anne Conan
With playful verse and vibrant illustrations, this book explores unique characteristics of a wide variety of animals.
Sharing Nature with Children: by Joseph Cornell
Parents and teachers have been using this classic for years to teach nature awareness and appreciation. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, discover why it has remained so popular.
P.B. Bear’s Jungle Adventure: by Lee Davis
A teddy bear, along with his buddies, a stuffed rabbit and dog, visit their monkey friend, Milly, in the jungle. Besides being a delightful tale, this is an excellent book for beginning readers.
This is the Earth God Made: by Lynn Downey
A rhyming text tells the story of the beautiful world that God made and includes creative activity suggestions.
When the World Was New: by Alicia Garcia de Lynam
This book gently explores the questions: When the world was new, what would have happened if God had not made the sun, stars, living creatures, etc? How would our world be different?
Rain Forest Open Your Eyes to a World of Discovery: by Elinor Greenwood
One of the Dorling Kindersley (DK) series of non-fiction books for children, this treasure presents amazing photographs and facts about each layer of the rain forest.
Owen and Mazee The Language of Friendship: by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu
An orphaned baby hippo and grumpy 103 year old tortoise form a lasting friendship. This true story tells of their first remarkable year and a half together.
Men, are you angling for a good book? Cast your bait and reel in one or more of these. You’re sure to find something that will hook you!
Fiction
Chicken Soup for the Little Soul: The Best Night Out With Dad by Jack Canfield
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
The Presence of Angels by Michael Sherer
The Twilight of Courage by Bodie and Brock Thoene
Non-Fiction
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonheoffer
The Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory A. Boyd
Love, Dad: Letters of Faith to my Children by Herbert Brokering
Love, Dad: A Father’s Daily Epistles to his Two Boys … Written on the Run and Left on the Breakfast Table by Patrick Connolly
Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker
Conversations With Poppi About God by Robert W. Jensen and Solveig Lucia Gold
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Truman by David McCullough
90 Minutes to Heaven by Don Piper
God’s Politics by Jim Wallis
All men who check out material during June are automatically entered to win the fishing gear on the display table.
Ladies, blossom this spring by reading one of these books that are “hand-picked” especially for you in honor of Mother’s Day by the members of the church library.
Non-Fiction
Love, From Grandma by Becky L. Amble
The Wisdom of Daughters by Reta Halteman Finger and Kari Sandhaas
Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs
Second Wife, Second Life By Marjorie Holmes
Where Does a Mother Go To Resign? by Barbara Johnson
Kindred Sisters by Dandi Daley Mackall
Prayers From a Mother’s Heart by Judith Mattison
The Life of Katie Luther, Vision Videos
Fiction
Hidden Places by Lynn Austin
Papa’s Wife by Thyra Ferre Bjorn
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Mary Called Magdalene by Margaret George
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingslover
City of Angels by Tracie Peterson
The Serpent Garden by Judith Merkle Riley
Talk of the Town by Lisa Wingate
All women who check-out a book during the month of May are automatically entered to win the lovely plant on display.
Men, don’t despair! June is your month!
Yes, we have magazines, too!
Please check out the library display table and find magazines for the entire family to enjoy. We currently subscribe to four periodicals:
- THE LUTHERAN MAGAZINE shares stories about God’s people and challenges Lutherans to nurture awareness of Christ’s presence in their own lives and in the world.
- THE LUTHERAN WOMAN TODAY provides inspirational articles that strengthen and expand faith. A highlight is the yearly Bible study that continues in each issue.
- CLUBHOUSE MAGAZINE is aimed at kids ages 8-12. Spiritual values are presented in a contemporary, colorful format.
- THE LITTLE LUTHERAN is a durable magazine for children ages 6 and younger. Each issue includes stories, songs and activities intended for faith based adult and child interaction.
Checkout is easy. Just sign your name and the name of the borrowed magazine on the clipboard, located in the basket.
Magazines that have been suggested as possible future subscriptions include.
- WEAVINGS
- SOJOURNERS
- THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY
Please let us know if you have a suggestion for another periodical to include!
A Little Bird Told Me … These Books Are “Tweet!”
Check out the newest additions to our Gethsemane Library. These new books can be found on the second shelf immediately to the left as you enter the library.
Adult Non-Fiction
- Riches Stored in Secret Places by Verdell Davis
- Light In My Darkest Night by Catherine Marshall An intimate glimpse of her season of disappointment and anger with God, offering hope to anyone who has ever experienced spiritual silence and darkness.
- Second Wife, Second Life by Marjorie Holmes
- How To Survive the Loss of a Love by Melba Colgrove, PH. D., Harold Bloomfield, M.D., and Peter McWilliams
Adult Fiction
- Home To Holly Springs by Jan Karon The first of the Father Tim series by the popular author of the Mitford series.
- The Restorer by Sharon Hinck The first in the Sword of the Lyric trilogy
Children
- The Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen ages 4-8
- Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis ages 4-8
- Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Parks When her brother, Mick, is killed, Phoebe Harte’s world was turned upside down. Here is a very real look at a difficult subject by one of today’s most popular authors. ages 9-12
- Landon Snow and the Auctor’s Riddle and Landon Snow and the Shadows of Malus Quidan by R. K. Montgomery ages 9-12
Lenten Offerings in Library
Begin your Lenten journey with resources from our Gethsemane library. Browse our display and allow these inspiring materials deepen your reflection and renewal. May these suggestions enrich your experience of the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord.
Staff Picks:
- Walk With Jesus by Henri Nouwen
Discover the 15 Stations of the Cross, painted by Sister Helen David, with Henri Nouwen. Even as humanity is broken, the cross promises healing and hope.
- The Final Week of Jesus by Max Lucado
Max Lucado guides us on a journey from Jesus’ sacrifice to his ultimate victory.
- The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Heiggs
A farmer’s daughter receives a mysterious gift which she neglects and then discards only to find out on Easter morning how special it is.
- The Tale of the Three Trees retold by Angela Elwell Hunt
Three trees dream of grandeur and then discover the greatest recognition comes in humbleness.
Three Youth Join the Library Birthday Club
Best wishes and thank you to Jack, Sarah, Aliese, and their families for donating books in honor of their birthdays.
Jack’s books, Landon Snow and the Auctor’s Riddle and Landon Snow and the Shadows of Malus Quidam, begin a fantasy series about a boy who is swallowed into the pages of an ancient bible. Sarah’s donation, Butterflies Under Our Hats, a beautiful picture book, tells a folktale about how hope is discovered if we just look under our hats. Aliese’s choice, The Restorer, is the first in a fantasy series about a young mother who finds herself pulled through a portal into a foreign culture and reality. Look for a video of Jack, on the Gethsemane web page, receiving his birthday favor as a gift from the congregation. Please consider donating materials to our library in honor of a special young person.
Our Gethsemane library recently held a raffle for a keepsake Hallmark Christmas ornament honoring Charles Schulz and the Emmy-winning program, A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Year after year, millions of viewers are drawn to the simple story of Charlie Brown and his search for the meaning of Christmas. The ornament, “What Christmas Is All About,” is Linus reciting the biblical account of Jesus’ birth. When a button is pressed, a light is activated and an audio clip from the original program is heard.
All readers who checked out a book from the Gethsemane library through December 16 were entered in the raffle. The winner was announced Sunday, December 16 — Faith Lamser(daughter of Amy Furan.)
Everyone is a winner when you read a good book! Watch for our Advent display highlighting special holiday materials.
