Universal joy in sound and text

Every Valley: Advent with the Scriptures of Handel's Messiah 
Jessica Miller Kelley, Editor
(C) 2014 Westminster John Knox Press

Accompanying my reading of this book were the remembered sounds of of Messiah.  I was humming under my breath as I read the book's text tied to the selected movements and their librettos. This synergy of text, sound, and source Biblical passages ensured an emotional engagement.

What's different about this book
The strong ties we have to Handel's work anchors our pleasure in these directed thoughts and devotions.  Contrary to the author's comment that Christ's birth is "at most" a focus for just one month each year, those familiar with Messiah and its scriptural source will find inspiration for year-round worship and growth.

The book is divided into three parts that highlight the entire life of Christ: His birth and its foretelling; His passion and resurrection; and His eternal reign. The movements of Messiah are beautifully interwoven with devotional text excerpted from Bartlett and Taylor's Feasting on the Word.  This makes for a rich, rich experience -sound and word- during the Advent season's devotional focus.

What I'll do now that I've read it
I am targeting this book as a display and focus for my library patrons seeking inspiration during this global time of Christian worship and re-focus.  The Messiah parsed across the inspirational text will be a welcome read for many.

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A warm and literary read

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
by Katarina Bivald
SOURCEBOOKS Landmark
January 2016

To say this is a book about books doesn't do justice to the engaging story that Bivald offers about Sara and the small, really-small town of Broken Wheel, Iowa. This is a quiet but compelling read.

What's different about this book
The characters in Readers are well-developed and become people you care about.  The start was inauspicious for me, but after catching the rhythm of the narrative, the story became all-encompassing.  This was a book I was happy to return to, whenever I was able.  The references and allusions to so many well-known reads added to the pleasure:  Seeing Bivald's and Sara's take on books that I have read and loved took me back to moments of deep joy in reading.

What I'll do now that I've read it
Even before I finished, I was sharing this title with my reading friends.  As soon as the book is published, we will ensure that library patrons will be able access and enjoy the book as I did.  This is an intriguing book about books that will provide a warm and lovely read.

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Fun to read -- and a great lesson to boot

God's Servant Job: A Poem with a Promise
by Douglas Bond
Illustrated by Todd Shaffer
P & R Publishing
October 2015

The Biblical book of Job offers unsearchable truths - but how does one make this compelling and relevant for our children?  Author Douglas Bond collaborates with Todd Shaffer to make it so.

What's different about this book
What has been complex reading for me as an adult has in this book been made accessible and attractive both visually and audibly. Written in verse, the poem's verses don't always scan rhythmically, but the message in accessible words and rich illustrations help the reader grasp the story and understand the truths beyond the words.  This is an excellent rendering of God's truth in pictures and in words.

What I'll do now that I've read it
This rendition of the story of Job is an eminently shareable book, and I am delighted to see Presbyterian & Reformed including this gem along with its weightier tomes for adults.  We'll be adding this to both our parochial and school libraries where young readers (or listeners) can begin to grasp the meat of the Bible: the Lord God's sovereignty and care extends to all areas of our human experience. Enthusiastically recommended.

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