Books for Youth

Reading Program 2000

Education for Mission

NAVAJO SUMMER

Boyds Mills Press, 1998
43 pages
Jennifer Owings Dewey Hardcover/#3079/$14.95

Told that her parents are divorcing, 12-year-old Jamie runs away to the place where she feels safe -- Navajo country. The summer she spends there brings healing and helps her develop courage to deal with her deep sadness. Based on the author’s own experience as a child, this is a moving novel.

WEST TO EAST: A YOUNG GIRL’S JOURNEY TO CHINA

China Books and Periodicals, 1996
179 pages
Qian Gao #3096/$12.95

Qian Gao, 11, writes of her trip to China, the country of her birth. Raised in Texas, she initially experiences culture shock but soon warms to the food, the intricate familial relationships and the joy of her native land. Her story gives an excellent introduction to another culture.

Nurturing for Community

THE FRIENDS

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1996
170 pages
Kazumi Yumoto
Hardcover/#3054/$15.00

Curious about death, three Japanese boys decide to observe an elderly man closely, hoping to witness death first hand. But as they watch the old man, he watches them and friendship develops. The friends learn -- and teach -- some valuable lessons about living.

SUGAR IN THE RAW: VOICES OF YOUNG BLACK GIRLS IN AMERICA

Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1997
144 pages
Rebecca Carroll #3091/$12.00

African-American girls ages 11-20 from Burlington, Vt., to Birmingham, Ala., tell their stories. They talk about ballet, their families, interracial dating, and what it means to be Black in today’s society. Warning: the book contains a few examples of mild profanity.

Social Action

THE LAST ALGONQUIN

Walker and Company, 1997
197 pages
Theodore Kazimiroff #3066/$12.95

Around 1924, a lone Algonquin Indian, Joe Two Trees, lived quietly in an isolated corner of New York City. This is the story of his bitter struggle, remarkable courage and constant quest for dignity and peace. As an old man, Mr. Two Trees told his story to a young Boy Scout whose son passes the story on to us.

Spiritual Growth

ATTITUDE IS YOUR PAINTBRUSH: IT COLORS EVERY SITUATION

(Study & discussion)
Dimensions for Living, 1998
152 pages
James W. Moore #3028/$12.00

In a book that youth and adults can appreciate, a pastor helps the reader cultivate the attitudes that color our lives. Among these are gratitude, compassion, joy and open-mindedness. The book is full of personal experiences and scriptural references. A study guide for individuals or groups is included.

YOUTH STUDY:

THE BIBLE: THE BOOK THAT BRIDGES THE MILLENNIA, Part 2: Interpretation and Authority

John O. Gooch #2815/$2.75

Selected periods and personalities from Western Christian history highlight issues of biblical interpretation and how Jesus is understood through the ages. Activities, worship and discussion questions encourage youth to look at the Bible in new ways. Each of six chapters includes a leader’s guide. A list of print and online resources encourages further study.