Best Children's Christian Friendship Fiction

Bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn packs all 4 Volumes of the Christy Miller Series with enough romance, drama and heartwarming moments to keep you reading the entire series and wanting more. Find out what happens when Christy's parents make an announcement that puts Christy in a new high school at the start of her sophomore year. With a wild grrrr she wadded up her beach towel and heaved it at the mirror, watching it wobble and distort her lanky proportions. “Yes, Aunt Marti.” Christy grabbed a brush and pretended to be untangling her long, nutmeg-brown hair. Her aunt, a slim, stylish woman in her forties, opened the guest room door and looked around. Just myself,” Christy answered calmly, trying to suppress the volcano of fiery emotions boiling within her. Aunt Marti dramatically pointed her acrylic fingernail toward the door. We didn’t fly you all the way from Wisconsin so you could spend the summer hiding in your room. Suddenly the internal volcano erupted with great force, spewing words with the hot tears. They’re rude and mean, and they laughed at me.” Christy covered her face with her hands; the tears oozed through her fingers. “I had no idea!” Her aunt switched tones and ushered Christy to the edge of the bed. It took Christy a few minutes to compose herself before she said calmly, “I don’t fit in with the people here. “Look at me, Aunt Martha!” Christy jumped up from the bed and stood in front of her. “Well, look at me.” Christy stretched out her arms to provide a full view of her 5-foot-5-inch, 110-pound frame. Her one-piece bathing suit covered her Olive Oyl torso like a bright green Ace bandage. You might be a bit of a late bloomer, but really, you’re a very sweet girl, and you’ve got a lot of potential.”. Christy covered her face with her hands and cried until the tears ran down her arms. The kind that makes a person snort and gasp, and no matter how idiotic you feel or how hard you try, you can’t stop. “This is exactly the reason I told your mother I wanted you to spend the summer with us. You deserve more than your parents can give you right now, and goodness knows your mother and I didn’t have much when we were growing up.”. “As I was saying, my goal this summer is to treat you to some of the finer things in life and to teach you, Christina Juliet Miller, how to become your own person.”. Christy blinked and tried to suppress a wild belch that bubbled up as a result of so much sobbing. “Are you sure you’re ready to transform a belching green bean frosty cone into ‘her own person’? Your uncle doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to take you to an early dinner and a movie tonight.” Aunt Marti swished out the door. Paula, her best friend back home, always gave her advice when it came to major decisions like this. She was the one who helped her pick out the dumb green bean bathing suit! Christy scrunched up her nose and stuck her face close to the mirror, examining her skin for new blemishes. Even her eyes showed the effects of her crying spree; they were puffy and bloodshot. She immediately released her hair and turned away from the mirror, embarrassed that he had caught her in the midst of such scrutiny. He must have just come back from golfing, judging by the perspiration stains on his polo shirt. “By the way,” he lifted his baseball cap and wiped his forehead, “I haven’t told you yet, but I’m glad you came to stay with us this summer.” Then he added, “You are my favorite niece, you know.”. She didn’t feel like showering, and it wouldn’t take her that long to change. Finding the pad of stationery Paula had given her when she left Wisconsin, Christy set to work. I didn’t see any. movie stars at the airport, but I still have your notepad, so I can get. some autographs in case I see anybody famous.

In God is Really Good, discover that God’s goodness is all around us—we just need to learn how to see it! Seth Dahl is the Children's Pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California.

Bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn packs each one with enough action, romance, and drama to keep you reading and wanting more. It all starts the summer Christy vacations on a California beach and meets two friends who change her life forever. But after moving across the country with her family, Christy must begin her sophomore year of high school uncertain where she’ll fit in. A red-headed new best friend, a try at cheerleading, a job at a pet store, and expectations for the prom fill Christy’s high school years with a string of laughter-and-tears moments. Fireball Katie keeps everyone guessing what she’ll do next, and surfer Todd keeps showing up while popular Rick has determined to get her full attention! The competition is tough and some of the girls are just rude, but Christy thinks she has a good chance to make the squad. Christy Miller is spending her sixteenth birthday on Maui with her family, Todd, and Paula, her best friend from Wisconsin! I continue to hear from readers all over the world, many girls saying that they gave their life to Christ after reading Summer Promise. Christy Miller ended the cheer with a long, leggy leap. Christy nodded at Mrs. James and tried not to feel self conscious, even though so many girls were standing around watching her. “And be sure you stretch out after practice today.” Mrs. James turned her attention to the next girl in line. Stepping away from the critical stares of the varsity cheerleaders, Christy took a deep breath and silently mouthed the cheer. “Give it a rest, Miller!” one of the varsity girls said, coming in her direction. It was Renee, a junior with short dark hair and eyes like a raven. Christy tried to ignore Renee and finished the cheer with a solid jump. “Sophomores can try out like anyone else,” Christy said quietly, lifting her damp nutmeg brown hair off the nape of her neck. Christy meant the statement to sound firm and threatening, but it affected Renee as much as a harmless kitten batting at a thread. That explains why the most popular guy in school hangs out with a little sophomore who thinks she’s going to be next year’s star cheerleader.”. ‘Teresa Angelina Raquel Moreno,’” Teri mimicked in a high-pitched voice with a heavy Spanish accent. Renee turned to glare at Christy with a hard, pinched expression. “It’s not you.” Teri wrapped her long, wavy brown hair up in a knot and tried to secure it with a scrunchie. As soon as she was in the front door, the first thing she did was call her closest friend, Katie, to tell her about the incident. He didn’t give her a reason, but from what she heard from one of his friends, Renee thought he was taking you.”. “But Katie, I’m the kind of girl Rick teases and calls when he’s bored. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Katie said, all the fire doused from her voice. “But if you don’t think I’m right, then just ask yourself to honestly answer one question.”Katie paused. “Ask yourself, Would I have tried out for cheerleading if Rick hadn’t talked me into it and gone with me to practice the first day? For at least twenty minutes after they hung up, Christy remained sitting on the hallway floor with her back against one wall and her stocking feet against the other, searching her heart for an honest answer to Katie’s question. Deep down, Christy wasn’t sure if she ever would have worked up the nerve to try out if Rick hadn’t coaxed her into going to the first practice. If Katie wanted to talk about Todd’s influence on Christy, well, that was another story. She would gladly admit that Todd had a unique way of challenging her and directing her decisions. She remembered looking up into the screaming silver-blue eyes of this tall, blond surfer and thinking how he fit her description of the perfect guy. She tugged at her socks, cuffing them and uncuffing them, remembering when she had scrunched in the hallway last week, the night before the first cheerleading practice, and talked on the phone with Todd for an hour. Christy had told him all about how she was thinking of going out for cheerleading and eagerly waited for his opinion and. encouragement. Christy had taken Todd’s words to heart, and that night. she had written in her diary: In thinking through the whole situation now, Christy felt certain that even if Rick hadn’t walked her to practice that first day, she still would have gone. “Coming!” Christy left her cheerleading thoughts huddled in the hallway as she went into the kitchen. Mom’s stew generally consisted of whatever leftovers had been in the refrigerator long enough to be unappealing if eaten by themselves. Venturing a sniff of the concoction, Christy had to admit it smelled good. “You know how to put in just the right seasonings to make even leftovers smell as though you started fresh.” Mom gave Christy a puzzled look. She pulled the silverware from the drawer and began setting four places at the kitchen table. The last thing she wanted to be reminded of tonight was how tight money had been since her family moved to California from Wisconsin. Christy and her mom and dad all listened patiently as David reenacted, with considerable exaggeration, his teacher’s facial expression when she found gum on her shoe. As soon as David excused himself from the table, Mom leaned over, and a sweet smile spread over her lips. “Dad and I have gone over the paper you brought home. from the cheerleading adviser, and we’ve decided that the only way for this to work is if you find a way to come up with half of the money.”. “Yes.” Christy tried hard to hold back the tears that pressed against the corners of her eyelids. Perhaps you could advertise in the toddler Sunday school class you’ve been helping out with the last few weeks. She hadn’t even considered the possibility of staying home in Escondido all summer–especially to babysit. “If you’re serious about cheerleading, we’re with you 100 percent, and we’ll find a way to come up with half the cost. In the sanctuary of her room, Christy found it impossible to concentrate on her “tons” of homework. She went over to her dresser and picked up the San Francisco music box her aunt had bought her on their trip there last summer. Winding the brass key on the bottom, Christy set it back on the dresser and watched the ceramic cable car move up the little hill as it played “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”. She was convinced that becoming a cheerleader ranked as an important dream at this point in her life. I worked hard, and I accomplished my goal.” Plus, she would be able to take a stand for what she believed, as Todd had said. And babysitting all summer was practically the last thing Christy wanted to do with her precious free time. With a determined twist of the knob, Christy wound up the music box once more. Effortlessly, the little cable car took its free ride to the top of the glassy hill.

The astounding talent of Laurel Long brings this beloved song to life with breathtaking style. * “Long expertly weaves religious and secular images into a visually arresting interpretation of the traditional carol.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review. “Long’s lyrical and lush oil paintings, reminiscent of Russian icon art, combined with a tricky interactive element, make this version of the traditional carol special.” — School Library Journal.

Grammy Award-winning music artist, Chris Tomlin, and Pat Barrett (Housefires), team up to tell the story of a little bear named Tucker whose life and townspeople are forever changed when they learn just how great the King’s love is for them. Just as Tucker is ready to give up, he meets the King who runs to him with open arms offering love, acceptance, and help. He is the worship pastor of Grace-Midtown Church and cowriter of the #1 song “Good Good Father.” Pat also travels with Housefires, a worship expression based out of the Atlanta area.

Grammy Award-winning music artist, Chris Tomlin, and Pat Barrett (Housefires), team up to tell the story of a little bear named Tucker whose life and townspeople are forever changed when they learn just how great the King’s love is for them. Just as Tucker is ready to give up, he meets the King who runs to him with open arms offering love, acceptance, and help. He is the worship pastor of Grace-Midtown Church and cowriter of the #1 song “Good Good Father.” Pat also travels with Housefires, a worship expression based out of the Atlanta area.

That means howling at the moon, scrubbing his scales, getting into his creepy PJs, and enjoying a nice snack before bed: worm juice and baked beetle bread. Each page is filled with kid-friendly monster details such as a toothbrush with a bone handle, spider pj's, a tub with real claw feet, an eyeball night-light, and, of course, bats and mice all around. Take a standard "getting ready for bed" picture book, add in a good dose of Halloween monster stuff, and you get this delightful tale.

The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher features the real-life childhood stories and exploits of young Brian Urlacher and illustrate how they shaped him into the world-class athlete he became. Given his unique background, he’s always been drawn to storytelling, a skill he developed at Northwestern University and crafted as a sportswriter for the last 16 years, almost exclusively covering the NFL.

These sweet, sometimes silly rhymes and adorable art are sure to make God Bless You and Good Night a favorite part of the bedtime ritual for parents and children. Hannah C. Hall estimates that she has read approximately 4,500 bedtime stories to her children over the last few years.

YOU, you… God thinks about you.

Don’t miss the on-ramp to more than six hours of nonstop action and character-building fun for the whole family in our Ultimate Road Trip collection!

.” Clement Moore’s poem was written in 1822 and has been a holiday classic ever since. Originally published anonymously on December 23rd, 1823, the poem that would come to be known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," was responsible for the creation of the Santa Claus myth as it is known in the United States and much of the English-speaking world.

Tossed on a ship bearing him to the icy northern reaches of Britannia, Jurian dreams of a mysterious woman and a sword driven into a stone. As the storm of fire and blood sweeps across the Empire, Jurian relinquishes his sword and the honor he most desires to fulfill the prophecy along with his destiny.

YOU, you… God thinks about you.

YOU, you… God thinks about you. DAVID CATROW is an editorial cartoonist whose vibrant illustrations have appeared in more than seventy children’s books, including several New York Times bestsellers, such as I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More and I Like Myself.

Announced by an angel, born in a humble manger, laid in a bed of straw, visited by shepherds and wise men—the age-old, awe-inspiring story of the birth of Jesus is lovingly brought to life by master pop-up artist Robert Sabuda in six gorgeously imagined scenes, culminating in a 3-D manger sheltering humans and beasts, guarded by an angel above. The renowned paper engineer offers a retelling of the Nativity story...Each scene is accompanied by a paragraph of well-written summary that's carefully integrated into the backgrounds, making the text a natural partner to the exquisite art. As in 2011’s Chanukah Lights , the elaborate pop-ups that Sabuda crafts in this striking pop-up retelling of the Nativity story are constructed almost entirely from plain white paper, save for a few gold accents...the resulting structures have a stark power.

Die-cut in the shape of Noah's Ark, this thick, big-trim board book gives kids a fantastical inside view of a bustling, floating menagerie. Charles Reasoner lives in Woodinville, Washington with his wife and four children. Charles Reasoner lives in Woodinville, Washington with his wife and four children.

The third book in the Christy Award-winning Wingfeather Saga by singer/songwriter/author Andrew Peterson. The royal family is on the run, and the Fang armies of Gnag the Nameless are close behind. Janner and his family hope to find refuge in the last safe place in the world: the Green Hollows--a land of warriors feared even by Fangs of Dang. Join the Wingfeathers on an adventure filled with mystery, betrayal, and sneakery in a land of tasty fruits.

This sweet tale will warm the hearts of young children as they learn about all the different sorts of love, while the gentle explanations of each provide a valuable opportunity to encourage children to share with others a “God-sized love.”. “But Grampa,” Little Cub complained, “if they scare all the fish away, we won’t get any.”.

And because Brendan and Erc start their journey at the very beginning, readers don't have to possess any kind of faith to appreciate the thoughtful ideas and arguments they'll encounter. Here is a crazy running conversation about life, the universe, and everything, dramatically recounted via larger-than-life characters, using the magic medium of comics. This comic-style book makes faith appeal to people with questions about logic and reason, and is much easier for someone to read then, say, Aquinas or CS Lewis.

Validus now knows that the young man is at the epicenter of a global spiritual war, and the angels must use a millennia of battle experience keep Drew alive, for the Fallen want him dead. Chuck Black is the author of more than a dozen novels, including the popular Kingdom Series and The Knights of Arrethtrae series.