Defending the Line~The David Luiz Story by Alex Carpenter

Zondervan provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Everything in life belongs to God.  Our purpose has already been mapped out.” ~David Luiz

Defending the Line~The David Luiz Story was written by Alex Carpenter.  The book first starts out with different definitions or the “Learning the Lingo” page so that you understand the terms in the book.  The story starts by telling you about David, his life as a young child and his determination to do what God wanted with his life.   He knew that “God had big plans” for his life and that he needed to take it day by day to figure out what that was, as he stated in an interview.   The story highlights how his faith has shaped his life and what kind of person he is.  He prayed, WITH a teammate, FOR them, instead of praying for a win that was so desperately wanted.  Even when he was benched he didn’t look at it as a failure he knew that God had a plan for him and he would use this time to consult with him.  David came from a small town and knows what it is like to struggle.  The book explains the path that David took during his rise to fame.  He can now provide for his family but hasn’t forgotten where he came from.  He has started an organization to help those less fortunate, the ACAO Social ( The David Luiz Socal Action), which provides canned foods and fun events for underprivileged kids.    What an inspiration to anyone and a must read for any avid soccer player.  It takes dedication, sacrifice and most importantly faith to live the life that you are called to live as David Luiz has. 
     From the back of the book:  One of the rising stars in international soccer, David Luz has been impressing crowds since he was a boy.  But it is his faith, not his fame, that drives him to greater success and keeps him “defending the line.”  David made his debut in professional soccer as  a left full back when he was just 19.  He was then picked up by Portugal’s Benfica team and named player of the year for the 2009-2010 season.  As a star defender and vice captain for the Brazilian national team, David shines both on and off the field, inspiring athletes around the world with his incredible soccer skills and his unwavering faith.  David currently plays for England”s Chelsea Football Club, one of the premier club teams in the world and his is expected to play for Brazil in the 2014 World Cup.
     About the Author: (from the book cover)  Alex Carpenter was born and raised in Brazil but attended the international English-language school, allowing him to be fluent in Portuguese and English.  Alex played soccer in high school in Brazil and is a fan of both Brazilian and European soccer,  He attended the film school at Biola University and then worked in Hollywood as personal assistant to director Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, The Hunger Games.)  He later earned an MFA in creative writing from Chapman University and now teaches English and literature at an inner-city high school in downtown Los Angeles.  He and his wife, Lisa live in long Beach California.

  Thank you Zondervan for the opportunity to review this book! 

Nature Girl: A Guide to Caring for God’s Creation

   I received a copy of this book from Zondervan in an exchange for my honest opinion.


Nature Girl: A Guide to Caring for God’s Creation was written by Kim Whiting and and her daughter, Rebecca White.  The book is recommended for ages 9-12 however, I feel would be good for any young girl who is looking to go green and take care God’s creation.  This chapter book is jammed pack with information, activities like How to Purify Water , recipes like Zesty Citrus Spritz,  and quizzes, like the Trash To Treasure Match Up .  Each chapter covers a different topic, like “Power Up”, caring for God’s Critters and “Real Girls reduce, reuse and recycle”.    
The book opens up almost immediately with the reader focusing on themselves and their inner beauty!  What a great model for young girls.  The book explains that you can be a glamorous girl and a nature girl and talks about everyone’s secret weapon, self confidence!  I love that fact that this is brought to the attention of the reader in the beginning of the book. The writers emphasize how God made you exactly how he wanted you to be.  I love this!  We were all made in his image and to look and be like he wanted us to be..  This can never be stated too much when you are talking about a tween girl!  I feel this book is a great read for any tween!
          About the authors from the book cover
   Karen Whiting is an author of 15 published books, including the popular God’s Girls series.  Whiting grew up in the dairy farm country in Connecticut, and moved and camped around the country, where she learned to love the world God made.  She’s taught art, canoeing, and outdoor science at summer camps, rode a camel in the Canary Islands, white water rafted in Australia, rode horseback on the edge o the ocean in Jamaica, and bicycled along the shore of Singapore as she explore the great outdoors.
   Rebecca White (Karen’s Daughter) is a pastor’s wife with a degree in elementary education, and she has taught third and fourth grade in North Carolina and Florida.  She received the Elementary volunteer of the Year Award for Manatee County, Florida, and she was also a winner of the Hewlett Packard Deep River Teacher Contest.  Rebecca loves the outdoors and all things crafty.

You can check out this book at Zondervan by clicking here. 
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Thank you Zondervan for giving me this review opportunity!

Pirates on the Farm by Denette Fretz

I was given a copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for a review of my honest opinion of the book.

Could you imagine living next to a bunch of rowdy pirates?  In Pirates on the Farm, written by Denette Fretz and illustrated by Gene Barretta, that is just what happens!  This children’s story feeds the imagination of your child as they discover what happens when pirates move in next door to a calm quiet southern family.  Do you think that they will fit in or be ousted? The book is very well written and illustrated, emphasizing how we should love our neighbors.  Pirates on the Farm is the first book in The Next Door Series. 
From the cover…
About the author:  Denette Fretz has a passion for creating imaginative, engaging stories that help children understand and apply biblical principals.  A veteran elementary educator, she resides in Medford Oregon with her husband, two children, her sassy cat and finally her spastic Jack-A-Bee.
About the illustrator:  Gene Barretta has illustrated twenty five books, 6 of which he also wrote.  His illustrations and animation work has appeared on Sesame Street and Between the Lions,  He has designed characters for the Jim Henson Company.  He lives outside of Philadelphia, Pa with is wife, Leslie, and son, Benjamin


You can check out this book and the other book in The Next Door series at Zondervan, by clicking here. 
Thank you to Zondervan for the opportunity to review this book.   I received a copy  of this book from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.  I do not guarantee a positive review.