Every year the Vicar helps out on a CPAS Pathfinder venture (known as ‘camp’ even though we don’t use tents) in Devon, and I join him there with the kids. A great time is had by all learning about Jesus and having a fabulous holiday. This year I have volunteered to help out with the bookstall. They have one every year and I noticed last year that the selection of books was tailored more to the upper age of the camp and to the more literate kids.
A diverse range of children come along to our camp, from 14 year old clergy kids from the suburban Home Counties to 11 year old barely literate unchurched youngsters from the inner city. And I think it’s a real challenge to find books that will suit them. I’m currently hunting for recommendations and have bought a small pile of books to review from our local CLC bookshop.
In my review pile are the following:
Fiction
- Deadly Emily by Kathy Lee (the Queen gobbled this up in a couple of hours and very much enjoyed it)
- The Shock of Your Life by Adrian Holloway (recommended by the CLC manager)
- Afterwards I Knew by Christine Farenhorst
Apologetics/Lifestyle
- Jesus Rose from the Dead by Catherine MacKenzie
- Friends First by Claire Pedrick and Andy Morgan
Bible/Devotional
- For Girls Only! Devotions by Carolyn Larsen
- No Girls Allowed Devotions by Jayce O’Neal
- The Manga Bible by Siku
- Esther: God’s Invisible Hand by Helen Clark
I’ve had a couple of recommendations which I’ve not managed to pick up: Hannah MacFarlane’s books and that old classic, The Chocolate Teapot by David Lawrence.
I would love to have an appropriate book for every Pathfinder this year. So I am asking around for recommendations. Have you found any good Christian literature recently? I’m not just looking for books either – how about journals, booklets or dvds?
If you’ve done youthwork, or have kids between the ages of 11-14, give or take a couple of years, or have any ideas at all, I’d love to get your recommendations. Have you run a bookstall on a summer camp? What sells well to younger teens? I’m especially interested in books that will appeal to boys, who I know are often not keen readers. All help gratefully received!
The Vicar's Wife 
Shock of Your Life is excellent for those who are a bit churched or think they know about Christianity or are good people, but I’d say older than young teens in average reading age. I grew up with many SU titles which I hope are still around. Patricia St John wrote fiction suitable for a variety of ages, depending on the title. She was good on human nature, and kids, so even if the settings are a little dated, the kids should still identify with it fine. Didn’t shy away from showing sinfulness in kids (see ‘The Other Kitten’) or broken homes, or even in the older-suitable ones, war and abuse – but always hope in God’s word. I think some are with SU, some with Christian Focus Publications: get them all on your bookstall. I’d suggest any CFP kids title: they have some great stuff, well written. I recall some titles which boys might like particularly – Corin’s Quest was one – but they’re probably all out of print now. There were some SU ones too, but I can’t recall what the gospel content was supposed to be.
Hannah McF is my friend’s cousin so recommend her 🙂 Shock of Your Life good but a bit old I’d say. Any good biogs – 10 boys that changed the world etc for the younger ones?
A good biog for boys is Taming the Tiger by Tony Anthony (I think that’s right). I think that there’s a youth version of this, which I haven’t read, but would possibly be better for Pathfinder age.
A couple of year’s ago when I did the bookstall at our Pathfinder ‘camp’ (just can’t get into the habit of calling it a Venture!), some of the older churched kids really liked books like God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew and the Corrie Ten Boom biog too.
Good Bk Co have recently brought out some nice little books in a range called ‘Little Black Books’, although these would be more suited to a 14 year old.
Just a word of caution: The authenticity of Taming the Tiger has been questioned by many in the Martial arts world. I have no idea whether their claims are true or not but it’s worth bearing in mind if the YP you give this to might later encounter such criticism.
Alternatively “Tough Talk” and “The Power and the Glory” are both excellent biogs for older teen boys along similar lines. http://www.tough-talk.com/merchandise.php
I’m consistently impressed with material coming from Matthias Media.
John Dickson’s books are still running strong “If I were God…”
but they’ve also recently rolled out a number of “little black books” by Scott Petty, youth worker at St Ives in Sydney. Great books on a variety of issues but perhaps for teens slightly older than your target. Nevertheless, well worth having.
Ditto on the LBB as above; have found them great. Engaging, attractively packaged, well written, faithful.
Thanks for all the suggestions folks. Keep ’em coming.
What about bible reading notes or devotionals for the less literate/bored? The Queen is 9 (and an excellent reader) and got fed up with her notes and it’s been tricky finding something that keeps her interest.
With this age group I’m rather more keen that things are readable rather than dot every theological i. It’s great if stuff is totally sound, but better to have kids reading something rather than nothing.
Anyone found any comic format stuff that’s good or anything else creatively packaged? When I think of the lads who kick footballs round our churchyard I can’t imagine them reading any of the stuff we normally see available.
I buy books to give to our God’s Gang (Sunday School) children on their birthdays, up to the age of 13. I’m afraid I find a lot of Christian books for children a bit ‘worthy’ and can’t imagine them actually being read!
I really like the ‘Boring Bible’ series by Andy Robb (published by John Hunt Publishing Ltd) as they have lots of cartoons and jokes. (A bit in the style of the ‘Horrible History’ series). Titles: Ballistic Beginnings; Hotchpotch Hebrews; Magnificent Moses; Catastrophic Kings; Super Son; Hyper Holy Happenings. (You get the drift).
Just thought i could mention a scheme which may be of use to any Church youth worker. Speaking Volumes puts together a list every two years of books our expert panel believe would be appropriate and interesting to a mostly non-Christian audience. We then sell the books at a 50% discount (our trust funds the rest of the cost) to Churches who then give them to schools, libraries, prisons etc or use them for their own outreach from the Church, of which a youth group would be acceptable, ditto a toddler goup etc. If you want to know more go to http://www.speakingvolumes.org.uk
Many of the books in our list are mentioned on this thread and others i shall now be looking into, so thanks!
Paula
I’ve only just got to this 3 years late but Alexa Tewkesbury and the Topz series. Brilliant. Her writing about real life prayers and situations gripped by 9year old boy and there are lots of books in the series published by CWR.