Books for Children and Children's Workers.

The Family Activity Organiser 2008 is a colourful organiser aimed to help families plan their diaries, but also offers a number of activities to help them explore God together.
Activities include Bible reading, prayer, puzzles, things to do in church and Learn and Remember verses. Each week the Organiser contains an activity provided by Tearfund that looks at a third world issue.
ISBN: 978 184427 268 6 price £9.99 available from Scripture Union www.scriptureunion.org.uk

The Little Storybook
Under 6yrs
This is a great gift
The Little Bible Storybook  is full of beautifully illustrated short stories to help young children learn about key Bible characters and events. Featuring 24 Bible stories from the Old and New Testaments and Bible Friends characters on every page, this is a chunky multi-page board book
Scripture Union ISBN: 978 1 84427 318 8
£5.99 www.scriptureunion.org.uk

LIGHT - The All Age Service Annual
This is a beautiful bound book and easy to negotiate.
This is an the all-age worship resource It includes 15 complete and creative all-age service outlines, which are more than enough to see you right through the year.
The services cover all the major Christian festivals, along with other significant occasions that you'll want to celebrate together as an all-age congregation (for example: Mothering Sunday, Father's Day, Harvest, Halloween alternative, Remembrance Sunday each outline is biblically based and encourages the public reading of the Bible during your all-age service. Each outline also provides an opportunity to introduce your all-age congregation to some of the themes being explored by children and young people using the Light age-group resources, with some outlines based on the relevant part of the Light Sc
Scripture Union £12.99 ISBN: 978 1 84427 316 4 www.scriptureunion.org.uk

Parable Fun For Little Ones

10 sessions of pick-and-mix stories and activities for under-fives
A flexible and fun-filled exploration of Jesus' parables for use with under fives at toddler groups, playschool and preschool classes. The book contains a wealth of teaching ideas using a relational and playful approach.

Each of the session has ideas for:

- stories (and how to tell them)
- songs and finger rhymes
- crafts and games
- role play
- snack ideas
- prayer activities
- Bible verses with actions

For continuity, there are also family fun activities to do at home.
ISBN 9781841014913
www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk
£11.99

New from Scripture Union comes So who is God?. A fresh look at the questions children can often ask about God. SU say ' Using the Bible with integrity to point the way to God and helping readers understand what he means to them, this brilliantly illustrated book contains witty but sensitive cartoons and real-life photos. Containing brain-teasers, memory verses, and fascinating facts this is not just another Bible information book.' Price £9.99 www.scriptureunion.org.uk

 

From Barnabas at BRF comes Where do babies come from? This is a delightfully illustrated hardback book designed for using with young children asking questions about the birth of children, perhaps a new arrival into the family. It explains the basics in an accessible and informative manner. In the same series of illustrated books to help children grow is Where did Grandad go? looking at issues around death and heaven. Both books prices £5.99 from www.brf.org.uk

The Strong Tower by Robert Harrison and Roger Langton, Scripture Union
This is a fantastic book and something really different from the SU stable. Foucussing on bible stories that tell of young people facing hard times it retells them in a fresh and engaging way with fantastic artwork to accompany them. Added to that there are notes for parents/carers/workers to help them utilise the stories and discuss them with children. And not only that but you can download songs to go with them from the web! A real investment.
Available from www.scriptureunion.org.uk

View a pdf extract of the book (requires Adobe Acrobat)

Story of Jesus by Christopher Doyle and Gillian Chapman £5.99
33 seperate stories from the Gospels which all together tell many of the wonderful events in the life of Jesus. The illustraions are perfect and will inspire comment and fascination from younger children. The text retells the story in a simple but informative way.
Available from www.brf.org.uk



The Life of Jesus by Leena Lane and Gillian Chapman £2.99
One in the set of 'Bible Explorers' these bright and colourful books contain stories, activities, prayers, and thought provokers that will interest children in the early stages of school. Billed as a 'new way to read the bible and learn about Jesus' it certainly offers that and more. Available from www.brf.org.uk

Recommended -

Special Children Special Needs

Simon Bass www.chpublishing.co.uk

This guide gives churches advice on integrating children with disabilities and special needs into the life of the church. By implementing the practical advice
Churches will bring new benefits to disabled children, their parents and siblings and to the rest of the church.

Top Tips - a  set of books containing practical and creative ideas

Reaching Unchurched Children by Helen Franklin

All Age Worship by Nick Harding

Handling Difficult Behaviour by Graham Finch

Welcoming Special Children by Denise Abrahall

All £2.99 or available as a set for £10. Available from www.scriptureunion.org.uk

In the series 'Pretty much everything you need to know about.' £8.99

Working with under 5s by Judith Wigley

Working with 8-10s by Claire Saunders and Hilary Porritt

Working with 11-14s by Tricia Williams and John Stephenson

A great series of books that are well-written enough for you to sit down and read it through from beginning to end but challenging and structured enough for you to work through it with a colleague or group who are committed to the same age group that you are. Each book offers text on the left-hand page and practical information, contacts and activities on the right-hand, perfect for dipping in to particular topics. Available from www.scriptureunion.org.uk

From the Ground Up by Kathryn Copsey £6.99

This is one of those 'Everyone who works with children ought to read this,' books.

Kathryn is someone who has a wide experience of being a child, being with children and being an adult who wants to 'become like a child'. She offers here a 150-page description of where she has got to on the journey towards understanding why Jesus so strikingly challenges his followers to become as children, and then outlines her approach to working with children in urban communities. The way she has reflected on so many strands and insights and drawn them together within a Christian understanding will be enormously helpful to many who work with children and to many churches seeking to be a community where children can be valued and discover that 'their lives are shot through with God'. Available from www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk

Rosie By Stephanie Jeffs and Jacqui Thomas £5.99

A sensitive storybook about a girl who has to see her sister, Rosie, get ill and then die. The reader journeys with Jenny as the lively sister she once had is replaced by a tired and then bed-ridden one, and as she realises that Rosie will not get better. Prayer and acceptance gently enter the story as Jenny comes to terms with her sister's death.

A recent report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation pointed out that 20,000 children are bereaved every year, up to 7 per cent of young people lose a parent before the age of 16, with a similar number losing a brother or sister, and many receive little support. This book should be available in your church's children's book corner and someone should be ready to do some listening. Available from www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk

Building Family Friendly Churches by Mike Bossingham £12.99

Questions on how to include all ages in worship are rife in the Church today and this book tackles those questions by offering some very practical advice on ways to change the worshipping community. Looking specifically at existing models of worship, asking how to change that, examining how to use technology in worship, and addressing the rural question - this book and accompanying CD are well worth the read. Available from MPH www.mph.org.uk