Christian Book Award
For Youth
2006 - 2007
2007 Children &Youth
Winner
Sexy Girls YA 248.8 DIM
Every teenage girl wants to be sexy--she wants to be noticed, to be attractive.
But what is ''sexy,'' really? Do teen girls know what they are saying about
themselves by the way they dress? Popular author Hayley DiMarco wants to help
them figure it out. Sexy Girls is an honest and provocative look at everything
sexy--from clothes and self-presentation to body image. With her approachable
style and wit, Hayley shows teen girls: why little things called hormones affect
the way guys look at girls; what girls are really saying by the way they dress;
what God thinks about teens trying to be sexy. With quizzes, sidebars, and
questions for reflection, Sexy Girls is the perfect opportunity for girls to
figure out who they are and how they are going to present that image to their
peers.
2007 Children and Youth Nominees
A Young Woman’s Walk with God
by Elizabeth George YA 248.8 GEO
Christian teens long to please God, but peer pressure, school activities, and
physical changes make godly qualities such as patience, kindness, and
self–control hard to develop. The good news is that by focusing on God, girls
can live the fruit of the Spirit. Then they’ll be able to—
• put on a positive attitude daily
• have peace regardless of circumstances
• experience joy even during difficulties
Faithfulness and gentleness come as teens walk with Jesus and express His love
to those around them.
Heaven for Kids by
Randy Alcorn YA 236 ALC
In a language kids can understand, Randy Alcorn explores Biblical answers to the
questions kids often have about heaven. As in the adult title, Heaven, he
addresses the difference between the present Heaven, where we go when we die,
and the New Earth, where we will live forever with Jesus after he returns.
Intended for kids age 8-12, Heaven for Kids is sure to be an excellent resource
for families,`especially those in which the parents have read the adult title
and wish to pass on that same level of understanding to their children. The book
features ten chapters of questions, and answers based on scripture and written
in a style relevant to today's kids. The book also has a summary of the Gospel
for those who want to be sure they are going to Heaven someday. Randy encourages
kids to live "in Light of Heaven."
Technical Virgin by
Hayley DiMarco YA 241.66 DIM
Every teenage girl craves male attention. But how does she know when and where
to draw the line? What if she's already stepped over that line? And how can she
find her way back? In a culture where hookups and friends-with-benefits are
commonplace, how far is too far when it comes to the physical? The technical
virgin, a term becoming all too familiar with Christian teens, is someone who
believes in abstinence but allows loopholes in their physical relationships,
thereby compromising true purity. In this new book, Hayley DiMarco takes a look
at what purity really is. With her straightforward, in-your-face writing, she
shows girls: what they are really saying about themselves through their sexy
actions; what happens when purity is reduced to a technicality; what words like
abstinence and commitment really mean; what God says on the subject of purity .
With candid advice, personal insight, and tough truth from God's Word, Hayley
DiMarco will help teen girls understand who they are so they can make informed,
godly decisions about purity and sex.
Your Special Gift by
Max Lucado and David Wenzel J E LUC
One morning the people of Wemmicksville wake up to discover that they’ve all
received gifts. Punchinello opens his gift to find a hammer; Lucia receives a
paintbrush and set of paints; and Hans, the baker, gets a spoon. Nobody knows
who sent the gifts, but each Wemmick receives the perfect gift: Punchinello
likes to build, Lucia loves to paint, and Hans enjoys cooking.
When a family of Wemmicks needs help to reach Eli the woodcarver, Punchinello
and his friends try to come to their aid. Unfortunately, nothing they do seems
to work. Only when they realize that Eli gave them each a special gift are they
able to use those gifts to make a difference.
This story will show kids how God has given them a special gift they can use to
serve Him.
2007 Fiction Winner
When Crickets Cry by Charles
Martin Christian MAR
A man with a painful past. A child with a doubtful future. And a shared journey
toward healing for both their hearts.
It begins on the shaded town square in a sleepy Southern town. A spirited
seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand. Her latest customer,
a bearded stranger, drains his cup and heads to his car, his mind on a boat he's
restoring at a nearby lake. But the little girl's pretty yellow dress can't
quite hide the ugly scar on her chest. The stranger understands more about it
than he wants to admit. And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner
with its radio blaring is about to change the trajectory of both their lives.
Before it's over, they'll both know there are painful reasons why crickets
cry...and that miracles lurk around unexpected corners.
2007 Fiction Nominees
Ever After by Karen
Kingsbury Christian KIN
In this moving sequel to Even Now, Emily Anderson falls deeply in love with a
young Army reservist who is about to serve in Iraq. At the same time, Emily’s
parents seem on the verge of losing all they had gained. Will heartbreaking
tragedy be the turning point for all of them?
Magdalene by Angela
Hunt Christian HUN
The controversial woman with a past only one Man could forgive. A true love
story that changed the face of history.
"I was Miryam of Magdala, seller of fine fabrics and wife of Yaakov the
fisherman. With my husband and son, I held a place of honor among my countrymen
until a company of rogue soldiers took everything from me. I might not be Roman,
but I knew injustice when I saw it. And I had been most grievously wronged."
In an era when women are sequestered and silenced, Miryam of Magdala lives a
contended life until her son's careless gesture evokes a hostile action that
shatters her serenity. With no hope of justice, Miryam commits an unthinkable
act . . . and descends into depths of darkness that threaten her life and her
sanity.
Even after Yeshua the Messiah dramatically restores her life, Miryam can neither
forget nor forgive unresolved injustices. Prodded by a hunger for vengeance she
will not deny, this woman of uncommon courage risks her life and her heart by
drawing destiny into her own hands.
The Nativity Story: A Novelization
by Angela Hunt Christian HUN
It's a difficult task to retell the biblical nativity story in a fresh way—after
all, it has been novelized, brought to stage and screen, and is the stuff of
endless children's Christmas pageants. Yet this companion novel to the New Line
Cinema feature film (which will hit theaters December 1) should find a place on
the bookshelf as a fresh and viable retelling. Hunt, the author of more than 70
books and working from Mike Rich's screenplay, refrains from oversanitizing the
story, although Mary and Joseph are fairly one-dimensional (there aren't a lot
of character flaws here). She depicts their gritty, hardscrabble existence as
balanced by the love of family. As a thoughtful reader would expect, the census
trip to Bethlehem is no picnic, but some readers may be surprised that the
shepherds and wise men show up at the stable together, unlike in the gospel
account. The good-natured joshing among the three wise men provides a lighter
note to the chapters where Herod's cruelty is well portrayed. Hunt balances the
necessary violence with a sensitivity that will expand her readership. Her rich
prose and cultural details utilize the five senses to recreate the familiar
story, which spans many points of view and includes a fine subplot about
Elizabeth, Zechariah and John.
When the Heart Cries by
Cindy Woodsmall Christian WOO + LP WOO
Woodsmall's Amish heroine is naive Hannah Lapp, who, as the novel begins,
accepts the marriage proposal of her childhood friend, Paul Waddell. But Paul is
a Mennonite--and, almost worse, a college man. He embraces such corrupt
modernisms as gasoline engines and the Internet. To outsiders, the differences
between Amish and Mennonites may seem subtle, but that's not the case for
Hannah's Old Order father, and all hell breaks loose. Woodsmall's first novel,
which will more than likely beget a series, seems a worthy successor--or
companion--to Beverly Lewis' popular stories of the Pennsylvania Amish.
2006 Winner
Teen Virtue:
real issues, real life--a teen girl's
survival guide
Vicki Courtney, YA 248.8 COU
There have been a proliferation of
books on the market for young woman extolling virtue and purity and the value of
the Christian lifestyle. But are young girls reading books on virtue and
spiritual growth? Or are they reading the teen counterparts to what they
perceive as the sophisticated popular adult magazines that promise to reveal (at
least the latest) secrets to beauty, fashion, thinness, love, and happiness?
Vicki Courtney knows teen girls. Her message is exactly what they need to hear
to counter the culture’s lies and distortions about who they are and what they
should become. TeenVirtue will give them the information they need in a format
they will read. Laid out like a sophisticated magazine, your teen girl will be
able to use this book and share it with her friends.
2006 Nominees
A Young Man After God’s Own Heart,
Jim George, YA 248.8 GEO
Part I: Beginning the adventure -- What is your heart's desire? -- What does
it take to be all that you want to be? -- What can you do to make your goals a
reality? -- What makes you a man after God's own heart?, part 1 -- What makes
you a man after God's own heart?, part 2 -- Part II: Getting into the fast track
-- Training at camp home, part 1 -- Training at camp home, part 2 -- Going
somewhere that counts -- Making the right choices regarding friends -- Fighting
the battle against temptation -- Reaching out to others -- Part III: Going for
the gold -- Pressing for the prize -- Pursuing God's purpose -- How to study the
Bible, some practical tips -- Extreme spiritual workout schedule -- A one-year
Bible reading plan.
It’s Not About Me Teen Edition,
Max Lucado, YA 248.8 LUC
Max Lucado helps to free teens from the me-centric world they are used to living
in and to help them set their sights on different goals by putting God at the
center of their lives.