A very good book. The author doesn't smack you on the hand with heavy-handed theology and unrealistic portraits of sainted Christians and bedeviled non-Christians. Instead, she paints a picture of flawed people searching for answers, and other flawed people relying on their faith to sustain them in times of trial. Even the "bad guy" has a human side.

As a Christian, a minority and an Oregonian, I know a lot of what she writes is true. The trials faced by the protagonist and other characters with regard to the "face of the town" do exist in this day and age. Many of the people who spew the garbage facing the protagonist call themselves "Christian" and in another breath defy Paul's words of hope and salvation: "Christ is all and in all."

Things wrap up a little too neatly at the end, and some characters do not have enough depth, but overall, it's a good book with an inspiring, if sometimes painful, message about things we often don't want to think about.

I could harldy put this book down! I had to force myself to stop reading it! Definately one of M. Carlson's best! A heartwarming novel covering important subjects such as racism and how to deal with the issues (put a stop to it!). An overall great book that I recommend to anyone!

This book has achieved AND conquered several different levels that one would not expect from a 'Christian' book.

To say how this book is able to captivate readers until the very end is something I've yet to find the words for, but rest assured it is one of the best Christian AND suspence books I've yet to read! (the Bible being an exception of course!)

Well done M. Carlson!

Maggie takes in a runaway teenager girl who is looking for her real father (book two of Whispering Pines). What a shock to find out who he is! She also deals with her son's band, her mother's illness and her own uncertain feelings about her future with Jed.

This is a delightful series (like Mitford) where you care about all the people in this quaint town.

this is the most delightful series that i have ever read. it was so enjoyable that i let several of my friends and family share the series of books. we were constantly trading. the one thing that we all agreed on was that there needed to be a book 5. truly some of melody carlsons finest works.

HIS FIRST BIBLE is a beautifully-illustrated story book for baby's first introduction to the Bible. One four-line verse per page, with a colorful picture, is a wonderful way for a small child to meet well-known Bible personalities. It is appropriate for the very youngest child and must be read aloud.

Okay, maybe I was a little disappointed in the small size but everything else is just perfect. Every page in the Old Testament and New Testament has a short verse in rhyme that reads the significance of a particular person in the bible. It's short and right to the point! The illustrations are beautiful and the pages are good quality. If there was a board book version, I would have bought this for my 13 month old son a lot sooner. This is his actual "first" bible and I'm including it in his Easter basket. Would also make an excellent Baptism gift.

While I haven't read every story in the book, I've had a wonderful taste that has whetted my appetite to read it from cover to cover. I can't wait until it releases this summer so I can treat myself to stories by some of the best authors in the business.

I am a librarian and I have an hour commute to and from work each day so I listen to a lot of audiobooks. This is one of the best audiobooks I have ever heard. One of the stories about a Chinese Christian man and his family living under oppression really blew me away.
I was holding my breath as I waited to find out if the family would be shot for gathering to praise the Lord. It's a good thing that it is a rare tale, because I couldn't take that much suspense on a regular basis!

It's a tender, amiable story of hope through despair. Even though it's a little forseeable (therefore only 4 stars), nevertheless it's written with a light hand, and a good sense of humour. It's very good entertainment in spite of the tragic story of the protagonist. Simply adorable and heartwarming.

"Anna Apple" is the first in a series of cleverlittle books called "the fruits of the spirit". Anna's storyis about kindness, and packs a good message into a fun package. The sturdy fruit shaped books have thick pages and bendable gumby legs and arms so you can do more than just read them. The subject matter is perfect for older preschool and young school age kids, but the reading level is a little advanced for beginners so parents will want to help out. I found this book to be somewhat akin to the "Veggie Tales" series that is so popular right now. Easy for kids to relate to, and helpful in teaching good values and behavior. We could use more tools like these!

The story of Meg and how she returns to her painful past is full of twists and turns and surprises. Best of all,though, was "listening" to someone else tell the story of how they "lost" God and came back to find him. I think anyone who is looking for a captivating read with a religous theme will really enjoy this book.

Once again you are back in Pine Mountain for the third book in the series, and once again you will be delighted at the happenings in this small tourist town. Melody Carlson blends forgiveness and misunderstanding into a delightful tale that involves all the characters from the other two, as well as some new ones (villans of course!). You will struggle for truth with the Pine Cone news crew, want to ground Leah for her mostly unintentional actions, find yourself praying for snow and cheer for Maggie and Jed as they discover what peace God has for them. A must series for anyone who has ever lived in a small town, as well as those who want to know what it would be like to live in one!

Nice pairing of Bible stories and familiar lullaby tunes. I sing the lullabies to my infant daughter; my 4-year-old son enjoys hearing the stories sung or read as poetry and he likes recognizing the Bible stories he has learned. Especially good choice if you find traditional words to lullabies a bit harsh for children's ears.

Melody Carlson has been a favorite author since I read The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Now she's written another popular book that's sure to be a favorite. In this gift book, Melody goes through the different names of Jesus in the Bible. Adding scriptures, prayers, poetic verses, devotional thoughts and stories. This Christmas season, relax and read this book while getting a whole new perspective on the holiday that was begun hundreds of years ago.