Saturday, September 26, 2015

Book Review: Bible Stories Gone Crazy



Bible Stories Gone Crazy
By Josh Edwards
Illustrated by Emiliano Migliardo
Candle Books, 2015

By Lauren Yarger
When I review young children's books, I always do so with a mind toward whether one of my little nephews might enjoy it. After all, the test of a kids' book is whether or not kids like it as much as I enjoy reading it with them.

"Bible Stories Gone Crazy" is a winner, because all three (ages 6 and under) can enjoy it together or separately. A larger sized hardcover book, "Bible Stories Gone Crazy" offers a sort of "Where's Waldo" learning environment where kids can enjoy finding goofy mistakes in drawings depicting bible stories.

"Did Noah have electric tools and cement mixers? Did the Israelites really have surfboards," asks the book. But among the silliness and the complex, colorful drawings are some more serious questions bordering the pages, like, "how many pairs of animals are there?" or "Do you know why the king threw Daniel into the pit of Lions?" that teach kids math and reasoning skills as well as some bible history.

Stories highlighted include Noah and the Ark, Moses and the Exodus, Joshua and the Wall of Jericho, David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lion's Den, Jonh and the Whale and the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes. There is quite a lot packed into this book for hours of learning fun.

One complaint. Perhaps I received a damaged copy, but several of the plastic-covered pages were creased and the stitching binding the book together doesn't allow pages to lie flat to facilitate exploring the drawings for hidden mistakes.

http://www.kregel.com/childrens-activities/bible-stories-gone-crazy/

A copy of the book was provided by the publisher.



Monday, September 14, 2015

Christian Women in Media Events to be Held in Five Cities

The Christian Women in Media Association (CWIMA) will host five regional connection events across the country this Thursday, Sept. 17 in Dallas, New York City, Nashville, Hollywood, and Minneapolis. Each regional event will feature a keynote speaker as well as a media seminar.

The purpose of CWIMA is to advance professional Christian women in TV, radio, internet, film, publishing, music, the arts, and entertainment. The organization uses the regional connections as a way to provide opportunities for industry networking, professional equipping, and spiritual refreshment.

 "I am excited about the A-list platform we are providing this year," said CWIMA President Suellen Roberts. "It's new and fresh and it will be of great benefit to all who attend!"

The Southwest/Dallas CWIMA regional connection will start at 5:45 p.m.with a Mix and Mingle in the Bent Tree Country Club, 5201 Westgrove Drive, Dallas. At 6 pm award-winning film producer Cheryl Wicker, president of Premier 1 Studios, will share her expertise on social media during the media seminar. At 7 pm dinner will be served and KCBI FM radio Assistant General Manager and Outreach Director Sharon Geiger will speak to the group on God's work through Christian radio/media. Recording artist Bridgette Hammers is the musical artist for the evening.

The Northeast/New York City CWIMA regional connection starts with a Mix and Mingle at 6:30 p.m. at the Shelter Studios and Theatres, 244 West 54th St., New York. Makeup artist Jacqui Phillips will do a media seminar 7 pm, followed by April Lee Hernandez and the keynote address.

 


The Southeast/Nashville CWIMA regional connection will be held at The Historic Carriage Lane Inn at 337 East Burton St., Murfreesboro, TN. It starts with a Mix and Mingle at 6pm. At 6:30 p.m. Jody Powers, the founder of the nonprofit Amelia's Closet, will lead a media seminar called "Saying Farewell to Insecurity." She will show participants ways to deal with insecurities that keep us in our comfort zones and paralyze us from taking action. Then at 7:15 pm dinner, followed by Channel 4 News Anchor Holly Thompson with the keynote speech "Sisterhood: We Need Each Other." She will show women how they can find balance in life while they are being pulled in different directions. Recording artist Jme Medina will sing some musical selections.

The West Coast/Hollywood Chapter of CWIMA regional connection will be held at CBS Studios located at 4024 Radford Ave., Studio City, CA. Members will share time connecting and networking starting at 6 pm. At 6:30  pm the Founding Director of the Hollywood Prayer Network, Karen Covell, will lead a panel discussion on "The Role of a Christian Woman in the Media." The keynote speaker for the evening is actress, producer and director Nancy McNamara. Following dinner at 7:15 pm she will discuss "Being Comfortable with being Uncomfortable."

The Midwest/Minneapolis CWIMA regional connection will be held at The Woman's Club of Minneapolis located at 410 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis. The chapter will start its meeting at 5:45 pm with a media seminar on writing a memoir led by author Lee Blum. A Mix and Mingle is next at 6:30. Dinner will be served at 7.followed by the keynote message by inspirational speaker Nancy Holte, who will challenge you to move out of your comfort zone and into the life to which God is calling you. Dawna Johnson is the musical artist for the evening.

For more information on Christian Women in Media Association visit www.cwima.org.

About Christian Women in Media Association: Christian Women in Media Association (CWIMA) is a professional association dedicated to connecting women in purpose and vision. With a national platform focused on impacting our culture through media, our members work in the fields of social media, film, TV, radio, publishing, music, the arts, and entertainment. The organization promotes and provides opportunities for industry networking, professional equipping, and spiritual inspiration. CWIMA provides national conferences, music showcases, regional events, local networks, and international outreach.


 

Daily Inspiration

The Blind Side

Read about the real life mom from "The Blind Side."

Lifeway: http://www.lifeway.com/article/?id=169816

Guideposts: http://www.guideposts.com/story/sandra-bullock-blind-side-football?page=0,1

Read Matt Mungle's review of the movie at http://www.buddyhollywood.com/.

Lauren Yarger, Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the 2000 Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists.

Yarger trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Three-Day Training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run.

In 2008 she was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She writes reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway theater with a Christian perspective for Reflections in the Light (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/) and is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection. She also is a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com

She also reviews books for Publisher's Weekly and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. She formerly was Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp, a national theater web site bsed in New York and a reviewer for American Theater Web.

She also served as Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. and worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.

She is a freelance writer and member of the Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association, The League of Professional Theatre Women and The CT Critics Circle.

A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger lives with her husband in West Granby, CT and has two adult children.

Copyright Notice

All contents copyright © Lauren Yarger 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved. For reprint permission, contact masterworkproductions@yahoo.com.

Scripture from THE MESSAGE Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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