Published in March 2007

Hero Tales
This year, Nate and I are reading through Hero's Tales as our morning devotional. Drawing from the lives of faithful men and women throughout church history, authors Dave and Neta Jackson teach character lessons to young (and older) children. All hero sections include a two-page biography and three character lessons in the form of stories from the person's life. Each lesson closes with a Bible verse and three discussion questions. All the books contain 15 biographies, and all of the character qualities discussed in each book are listed in the back.

We read the John Newton section right before we saw the movie Amazing Grace on February 24. God has amazing timing. The first character lesson was on Destiny and described how several times in his youth, Newton was saved from death. Yet, it wasn't until God rescued him and his ship from a terrible storm did Newton acknowledge God and His purpose for his life. The other two lessons were on Perseverance and Restitution. ( )

A Family Treasury of True Stories From the Lives of Christian Heroes
By Dave and Neta Jackson.
"Drawn from the lives of fifteen key Christian heroes, each of these four hardbound volume of Hero Tales is a beautifully illustrated treasury of forty-five exciting and educational readings designed to help foster Christian character qualities in families with elementary-age children. These inspiring collections present a short biography and three true stories for each hero.

Whether read together at family devotions or alone, Hero Tales are an ideal way to acquaint children ages six to twelve with historically important Christians while instilling valuable Christian values."

I found the book very useful for family devotions. Though written so as to be understood by elementary age children, it is beneficial for everyone. Each story closes with verse to highlight the character trait and three review questions that focus on character trait and application in our own lives. Each story takes only a few minutes to read, and a few minutes to discuss but are very worthwhile. I know that my 9 year old has profited from this book and my high school senior has contributed to the discussion. You will not have to be a biblical scholar to use and benefit from this book. ( )