Lighten Up Y'all by Virginia Willis

This is an attractive book with large color photos of many of the recipes. Most of the recipes are of light fair, but I found some of the recipes odd. In one recipe you add canned no-salt tomatoes, but then later in the recipe you are told to add coarse kosher salt. Salt is Salt. The Makeover Broccoli Mac and cheese calls for 1 cup shredded 50 percent reduced fat extra sharp Cheddar cheese and ¾ cup shredded 75 percent reduced fat Cheddar cheese. I would not bother, for a recipe that serves 10 people, to buy cheeses of different fat content. There were a couple of ingredients that were unfamiliar to me and I have been cooking for many years. Living in a rural area, I want a cookbook that has recipes with readily available ingredients. Unfortunately, if you don’t live near a Whole Foods or a comparable food store, you may find these recipes difficult to make. You also need to have a large family because most of the recipes are for 6-10 people.

If You Were Me And Lived In Hungary by Carole P. Roman

Next stop is – Hungary. Take your children or students on a trip around the world with Carole P. Roman’s If You Were Me and Lived In. series of interesting books that introduce children to cultures around the world.

The books begin with information about Hungary’s location, cities, and rivers.  There is a pronunciation guide in the back of the book, but also next to each word that may be confusing for young readers.  What I like about the books is that they describe things that children are most interested in and answer those questions that children would ask. What do you call your parents? Where do you go for fun? What kind of toys do you play with? What kind of foods do you eat?  The book also describes holidays, local events, schools, and much more. 

These books make learning about other people around the world a fun experience.  This is a very informative and entertaining series of books.  I highly recommend them for parents, grandparents, preschools and early educators.

The Pewsitters, Skits & Devotions for Church and Home by Katherine Hussmann Klemp

This is the perfect book for anyone involved with a church women’s group, youth group, or special events in the church.  It can be a challenge to come up with an appropriate devotional message to present, but this book has a wide variety of appropriate devotions.  Each chapter contains a short skit, followed by scripture and a devotional. 

A wide variety of topics are covered such as the peace of forgiveness, following the call of God, and special devotions for holidays.  There are messages for a variety of interests and ages. The skits have a list of suggested props, costumes, sound, lighting, setting, and director’s tip.  They are not, however, overly complicated and usually only need a few of people. The devotions are meaningful and just the right length to hold the attention of your audience.

While designed for groups, this is also a wonderful book of devotions for individual use.  I highly recommend The Pewsitters, Skits & Devotions for individuals, church groups and church libraries.

I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.