Nature Girl by Karen Whiting and Rebecca White

My copy of Nature Girl by Karen Whiting and Rebecca White is subtitled "a guide to caring for God's creation," although the picture on Amazon.com subtitles it "a guide to going green." Hmm, weird, I wonder why that's different. Anyhow. . . It is a book that is written for junior high age girls. The chapter topics cover things such as nutrition, beauty (person), caring for the earth, animals, air, alternative energy, parties, etc. There is a little bit of Scripture and a little bit of talk about God, but I was hoping for something more. I was hoping for more information about WHY a person should care about God's creation and care for it. I didn't really find much of that in this book. I was also surprised that it really wasn't very science-strong either. There were some statements made which I would consider opinion that were put forth as fact.

I have a background in biology and have worked in environmental education for many years and now have my own family. I guess this book really wasn't what I thought it would be. I don't think it's offensive or objectionable, but not necessarily a "must have." There are sections on things like parties, making beauty products, and such~~ Do you know what it reminded me of? Kind of like what you'd find in an American Girl magazine or something (with a little "God" thrown in).

So -- I guess I'm pretty ambivalent on this one. I wouldn't recommend it, but I also wouldn't steer you away from it. Just~~ "whatever." :)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

Hope Crossing by Cindy Woodsmall

Hope Crossing by Cindy Woodsmall is a collection of three books, all 3 of the books in the "Ada's House Trilogy." How nice to have three great books all bound together! The books contained in this volume are "The Hope of Refuge," "The Bridge of Peace," and "The Harvest of Grace." These three books are written by the same author and cover the same characters, region, religion, etc. It is fiction about Amish folks and though the characters remain the same, the predominant character/characters are different in each book. The story of one main couple, Cara and Ephraim, weaves throughout all 3 of the books.

The story begins with Cara attempting to escape from a horrid present and past, searching for something. She finds a place and a fight, a family that she wants but doesn't want, connections, friends, and a puppy :) Haha, that's pretty cryptic, huh? I really don't want to give away the stories. Read it!

The books are very interesting, light, a bit of romance, and the allure of reading about the Amish culture. They were a very light and enjoyable read, and it was great that as one finished, there were still 2 left in the series, right there! No waiting! :) The book is big (over 1000 pages) and is a little unwieldy, but you get used to holding the bulk of it! It also pictures the plain folks as more like the non-plain than we might think! They're not all perfect.

I would definitely recommend this book! It's a fun, light, entertaining read. I'll share my copy around!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.