FIRST tour: "The Secret Holocaust Diaries: the Untold Story of Nonna Bannister" by Nonna Bannister

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Nonna Bannister

and the book:

The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister

Tyndale House Publishers (March 4, 2010)

***Special thanks to Vicky Lynch of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nonna Bannister was a young girl when World War II broke into her happy life. She went from an idyllic early-twentieth-century Russian childhood, full of love and comforts, to the life of a prisoner working in labor camps—though she was not a Jew—eventually bereft of her entire family. But she survived the war armed with the faith in God her grandmother taught her and a readiness to start a new life. She immigrated to America, married, and started a family, keeping her past secret from everyone. Though she had carried from Germany the scraps of a diary and various photographs and other memorabilia, she kept it all hidden and would only take it out, years later, to translate and expand her writings. After decades of marriage, Nonna finally shared her secret with her husband . . . and now he is sharing it with the world. Nonna died on August 15, 2004.

Visit the author's website.



Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (March 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414325479
ISBN-13: 978-1414325477

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:






My Opinion:


When we think of the Holocaust we think mainly of the Jews who were murdered because of their Faith - but rarely do we realize that many others were also murdered by an evil man. These included those who were handicapped, Russians, Poles and many others and it was only because of who they were or where they lived. Along the lines of Anne Frank, Nonna Bannister kept a diary, actually several diaries through out the War and she kept them hidden, even from her husband.


Atrocities abound and Nonna doesn't try to make it seem better than it was. In reading this book - her diaries - you'll feel the pain of the women as they watch a Nazi kill an infant and the heart ache when Nonna realizes she will never see her mom again this side of Heaven (or any of her other family). Nonna requested that her diary not be published until her death, which occured in 2004, she kept her life secret from everyone. You will cry, especially upon reading the words written by one of her son's and her husband.


For those who would deny that the Holocaust happened, there is proof, read this book. I can't for the life of me imagine why some want to deny, as it's been said before when we forget the past we'll be doomed to repeat it. Pictures that Nonna was able to keep hidden as well as copies of papers from that time will substantiate her claim as well as help the reader realize this was a human person who suffered and fortunately survived to one day tell her tale so we can't forget!

Tyndale: "Does God Exist? Kit"

From the Tyndale Media Center:


In this first DVD set of the TrueU series, Dr. Stephen Meyer plays a “philosophical survival game,” pitting four worldviews against one another in the quest to decide which one gives the best answers. Dr. Meyer examines the evidence and provides the tools needed for students to defend their faith and make it their own. This is the perfect resource for students preparing to enter college and a culture that may be hostile to their faith. Additional discussion guides can be purchased separately, either in singles (978-1-58997-115-8) or in a 10-pack (978-1-58997-116-5).


My Opinion:


If you have teens who are wondering how to defend their Faith in the midst of being questioned and in the age of New Atheists then this set will definitely help them formulate their answers. In conjunction with Focus on the Family this DVD set is well laid out and actually fun to watch - even if you not a teen or young adult. Dr. Meyer is presenting the facts in a classroom setting, much like college, complete with young people and dialogue between them. Words superimposed on the screen and images highlighting main points add more to the discussion, especially if you're a visual learner, some of these images are also included in the 64 page study guide.


The host of Drive Through History is also on the DVD sort of like an emcee for the next segment, he gives a bit of a introduction into what will be talked about. There are ten 30-minute lessons on two DVD's covering things from faith and reason, The Big Bang Cosmology (3 parts), DNA, The return of the God Hypothesis and a few more. In a culture that is more and more accepting of all things scientific and immoral these DVDs will give the tools to help defend our faith in God and His Holy Word. The two DVDs each come packaged in their own case and both them and the study guide all fit nicely into a slipcase for easy storage.


I can see this being a much needed item in churches across this country, especially those who are becoming seeker friendly instead of relying on God's Word to lead them, but any church can use this. As more children and young adults are leaving Christianity behind this will give them a solid foundation in why believing in our Creator is of utmost importance. While this would be good for churches to keep on hand this would also provide a well grounded apologetics/Bible curriculum for middle school and high schooled children both in homeschooling or in traditional schools. The culture today is hostile to genuine Christians and anything that can be of an aid and Biblical is what's needed for our children today.


**I was provided a copy of this kit in exchange for my honest review,no other compensation was given. For full disclosure see my disclosure tab above.

C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" dramatization

I have never read C.S. Lewis' book "The Screwtape Letters" (insert gasp) so when I had the chance to receive the dramatization of the book on audio CD I jumped at it. The set comes on 4 CDs with a bonus DVD in 5.1 surround and a beautiful collector's case with slip jacket. This is Focus on the Family's radio theatre version, so as anyone who is familiar with Focus, this is a quality product.

The dramatization is performed by many world class actors and actresses such as, Andy Serkis (Gollum in Lord of the Rings), Geoffrey Palmer (Tomorrow Never Dies), Laura Michelle Kelly (Sweeney Todd) and Eileen Page (The Secret Garden). The vocalization in this drama is incredible and it feels as if one is actually hearing the letters being read by the demons about their "patients". I will say my children found some aspects of it scary and hard to follow - it isn't as easy to keep the voices and characters separate as you would if reading a book or watching a movie. The sound effects are also done so well that I could feel myself actually sitting in the places where the "patients" were - background voices, doors opening and closing and so on.

In the DVD you'll get behind the scenes glimpses at the making of the dramatization, an interview with Andy Serkis who does the voice of Screwtape (AKA senior demon) and other aspects of C.S. Lewis and the making of the incredible recording of "The Screwtape Letters". A well done DVD that can be played in both regular DVD player or in your computer to make it easier to view. The set is available through Tyndale for $39.99.

**I was provided a copy of this product by Tyndale Publishers in exchange for my review.

My Story Bible: 66 Favorite Stories by Jan Godfrey and Paola Bertolini Grudina

I've had the chance to review My Story Bible: 66 Favorite Stories by Jan Godfrey and Paola Bertolini Grudina. This story Bible is all about wanting to put God's Word in a child's heart. This book has 144 pages and measures 8 1/2 by 9 3/8 inches and is hard covered - making it highly durable for even the youngest child.

There are sixty six stories that begin at Creation and end in Revelation with their being no more tears as the Believers are taken to Heaven. The stories are in an easy to read and understand format so that it keeps the child's attention and are short in length, again to provide for short attention spans. Scripture references are given so that the parent can delve more deeply in life applications on the child's maturity level. Oftentimes, Bible stories are told, but not enough emphasis is put on how to apply those stories to our lives.

The beautiful illustrations adorn the pages, again keeping the child's attention. Done in a simplistic style that relates to the child it helps to tie the story together and bring about understanding. The page numbers are decorated with a cloud that really makes the page numbers pop if the child or parent are looking for a specific story. The titles of all the stories and their corresponding page numbers are listed in the back in the 'index of Bible Stories', making it easy to find all the stories in the Story Bible.

If you are a parent, Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle or just a friend or caretaker of children who wants to impart God's Word to children this is a great way to do that. From the hard cover protecting it and the pages from the hands of little children to the beautifully illustrated pages, the true stories are sure to bring an understanding and enjoyable moments. Written by Jan Godfrey, with a gift for storytelling, children will enjoy listening to their loved ones reading to them from this book. This book can be purchased from Tyndale and is geared for ages 3 to 6, and older siblings can read it to the younger ones.

Who Made the World? by Kathleen Long Bostrom

I received Who Made the World by Kathleen Long Bostrom through Tyndale's Blog Network and am very glad to have had the opportunity to review another book in the Little Blessings series. The books are illustrated by Elena Kucharik and published by Tyndale House.


These small, 5 3/4 X 7 1/4, hardcover books are a great addition to any Christian's home. Helping little ones ages 3 to 6 get answers that sometimes even adults have trouble answering, whether the trouble is that we don't actually know the answer or we're unsure as to how we need to word it for a child, this book helps. At 80 pages it's a quick read or it can be made into a mini Bible study using the Bible references at the back of the book and going, as age allows, into more depth about what the book teaches.


The illustrations and wonderfully done and engaging to children of any age. My children were constantly pointing out something new about a picture that I had missed. The illustrations shows children being active in the world around them and enjoying God's creations of animals, space and plants. The children are happy in the books and I noticed when reading this to a grumpy or tired child their disposition changed for the better - a more Godly attitude.


I do recommend this book for any family that wants to keep instilling Biblical truths in their children, as we are told to do through out the entire day. These books would be ideal for any Christian, regardless of denomination, just to simply answer children's questions. Church libraries, private school libraries would even benefit from these books, they would also make a wonderful Christmas, Easter, birthday or baby dedication gift as there is a illustrated "presented to" area in the front of the book.

Please visit Tyndale House Publishing for more information about purchasing this cute little book for a child in your life.

What Is the Bible? by Kathleen Long Bostrom

What Is the Bible? by Kathleen Long Bostrom is a series in the Little Blessings
line of books published by Tyndale House Publishers. The book is illustrated by Elena Kucharik, who is known for her artistry work of the Care Bears.

Here is what the Tyndale House Publishers site says about the book: "Little Blessings question books help young children understand basic truths about the Christian life. Perfect for ages 3-6, What Is the Bible asks and answers questions about the Bible, such as: Who wrote the Bible, who is the Bible about, how do you read the Bible? Parents can use this book as a fun tool to answer questions their little ones may have about God’s Word."

This is a beautiful, hardcover book that any child would love to be read from. There is a very cute presented to page to begin the book, perfect for a baby dedication, new baby, baby shower, or any number of events in a young child's life. The illustrations appear to be water colored and get and keep a child's attention. With young children and animals as the focus of the illustrations it makes it more applicable to a child's life as they can see other children, like them, enjoying learning about the Bible.

At the end of the story the Scripture references are given for each answer given in the book. I could not see anything unBiblical or Scriptural about the book and all three of my children enjoyed the book and the colorful illustrations. What Is the Bible? is a great way to answer children's questions in a way that children will understand and relate too. I would recommend this book to any parent who wants to help their child learn more about the Bible on their level.