Review: Clean Water for Elirose

I just read Clean Water for Elirose by Ariah Fine and I have to say how impressed I am. This is a simple yet engaging children's book that addresses how there are some children who don't have clean water to drink. It is a great introduction to a very real issue without being too weighty for littles.

Some things I loved:

• How the voice of the story is told from a kid's perspective, so it's one kid talking to another.
• The cultural diversity! As well as learning about children all the way on the other side of the world, the narrators neighborhood friends come in a lot of different shades. :)
• How the story opens kids eyes to a sad issue without being sad, and lets them know their is something very real they can do to help. 

This I didn't love:

• Nothing

What a great Christmas gift idea to set a young child on the path to being aware of the plight of others and lend a helping hand.

Buy it now at http://cleanwaterforelirose.com. 

For how much you ask? Well the pricing is a Pay-What-You-Can model to bring maximum awareness to this important issue. It starts at just $3 including shipping!! (Yes ladies and gentlemen, two exclamation points, it's that exciting). Book sales are all donated so maybe you could do better than that but what a great way to educate, right?

Here is some info from the author:

From Ariah Fine: "I'm going to give away one book a day from Dec. 1st to Dec. 15th. There are a few ways to enter each day:

• Like the Clean Water for Elirose Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/CleanWaterForElirose
• Refer someone to "Like" The facebook page (proven by them posting your name on our wall as the person who referred them)
• Follow @WaterForElirose on Twitter
• Tweet or post on Facebook about Clean Water for Elirose linking back to the website, facebook or twitter page
• Blog about Clean Water for Elirose on your blog (counts as two entries) - And you might want to post it on our Facebook or email info@cleanwaterforelirose.com just so we don't miss it."

Stay tuned for an update on how my kids like the story when I share it with them!

Book Review: The House of Hope

Robin and Joyce Hill lived in a gated community in Beijing. Their family's life was marked by luxury and the security of Robin's job as an engineer. Then one day, as members of their church, they had a chance to tour a state-run orphanage. Haunted by the needs of the children they saw there, for the next four years they tried to help the institute in meaningful ways.

I volunteered to read The House of Hope because of my interest in China and adoption. I was surprised to find an emotional and uplifting story worthy of a movie screenplay.

I can honestly say this book was gripping. Everything from the bits of personal information they share, to the individual stories of the children, to how God leads and grows the ministry is really amazing. I think I ended up reading it in just two or three days because I wanted to see what was going to happen. It sounds funny to write that about a true story but it's true!

I strongly recommend you purchase a copy of this terrific book, especially since all proceeds are going to help the Hills work.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful Words: Seabiscuit

Loved this passage regarding thoroughbred horses from Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit today:

...he swoops over as much as twenty-eight feet of earth in a single stride, and corners on a dime. His body is a paradox of mass and lightness, crafted to slip through air with the ease of an arrow. His mind is impressed with a single command: run. He pursues speed with superlative courage, pushing beyond defeat, beyond exhaustion, sometimes beyond the structural limits of bone and sinew. In flight, he is nature's ultimate wedding of form and purpose.