Artists from around the world draw on their own cultural backgrounds to illustrate the more than 50 scriptural accounts Tutu retells in the storybook. A short prayer at the end of each story helps readers personalize the story.

Click here to see the official Web site and to watch a video with the author. The site also features a pair of downloadable audio clips, Creation and Leaving the Garden, and a contest to win one of five autographed copies.

When Carolyn returns home after experiencing San Francisco counterculture, she is expecting a baby, unwed, and horribly broken because her dearly loved brother has died in the war. When May Flower Dawn is born, Carolyn must work and attend school, so Hildemara cares for the child. History repeats itself as the grandmother becomes the caregiver, and the mother looks on, wishing for the role.

As each generation learns more about relationships, May Flower Dawn understands that these generational curses cannot go on, and she works to bring her mother and grandmother closer together. Her prayers and planning have an impact on hearts made hard by fear.

Although a sequel, Her Daughter's Dream does well as a stand-alone and is a not-to-be-missed novel for anyone who enjoys good writing. Spanning the 1950s to the present, Rivers stays true to each generation.
--Beth Anderson

Her Daughter's Dream
Francine Rivers
Tyndale House Publishers
hardcover, 592 pages, $24.99
978-1-414-33409-7
September

Family viewing is the focus of several offers, with pre-buy specials and bargain bin deals.

The latest VeggieTales offering, Sweetpea Beauty: A Girl After God's Own Heart features prominently. The July 31 release is offered for $12.97, down from $14.99, at Family Christian Stores, which will also give away a VeggieTales Girl Power! Triple Feature, worth $24.99, free while supplies last. The chain is to host a Sweetpea premiere in stores on release day.

At LifeWay Christian Stores, the Sweetpea episode is priced at $9.99 and paired with a free copy of VeggieTales' Silly Little Thing Called Love, through July 30. Parable's email promotion prices the Sweetpea release at $9.97 and includes an opportunity to download free coloring pages.

Also highlighted across different outlets is the family drama, Letters to God. At Family Christian, the film that comes out Aug. 10 is twinned with a free chain exclusive soundtrack EP. The $30.98 combined value pack is priced at $17.99. LifeWay prices the film at $14.99 (regular price, $24.99) for pre-purchase and includes a free exclusive LifeWay wrist band, value $5.

Family combines the teen drama, To Save a Life, out Aug. 10, with the movie soundtrack for $17.99. Other new releases promoted by LifeWay include the Billy Graham biopic, Billy: The Movie (reduced from $19.95 to $14.96), The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry (from $24.95 to $18.71) and comedy Angels Love Donuts (from $19.95 to $14.96).

Parable's email spotlights the new release from "Left Behind" co-author Jerry Jenkins. His The Last Operative is priced online at $11.97 (regular price $14.99) and shoppers are given the chance to read an extract. Kutless' The Beginnings, the band's first three releases bundled into one collection, is offered for $13.97, down from $18.99. There is also an online-only coupon for 15% off a purchase of $50-plus, through Saturday.

Mardel Christian & Education highlights the availability of the popular Sillybandz in its email, which also presents Kerusso's Pick Jesus bracelets and earrings for $5. Comedian Anita Renfroe's new DVD, Big Ol' Sweet Iced Tea, is priced at $14.99.

Long-time Christian pop rock favorites Newsboys get star billing as the band releases Born Again, the first recording to feature former DC Talk member Michael Tait as lead singer.

Berean Christian Stores offers an autographed copy of the quartet's album for $10 through July 20, with limited supplies at each chain location. The email special also includes a coupon for 25% off any one, in-store purchase through Saturday.

At LifeWay Christian Stores, Newsboys' 10-track release, usual price $13.99, includes two more tracks and is reduced to $6.99, while Mardel Christian & Education presents the regular edition for $9.99.

LifeWay packages its Newsboys offer with reduced prices on other new music releases. Among them: Hillsong's A Beautiful Exchange, Live down from $13.99 to $11.99 and Addison Road's Stories reduced from $13.99 TO $9.99.

The LifeWay email promotion also includes a Summer Shop-n-Save Coupon valid only Saturday. It takes 25% of purchases totaling $50-plus, 20% off spending over $35 and 15% off entire purchases of more than $25.

In a separate promotion, Mardel's Feature of the Week offer is on Kerusso's two-tone stainless steel spinner rings, priced at $12.99. Among select books on sale for $10.99 each are Terri Blackstock's Predator and Karen Kingsbury's Take Four, each reduced from $14.99.

Family Christian Stores unveils its summer Bible sale, with up to 40% of select editions. The NIV Study Bible in hardcover is reduced by $16 to $23.99, while The Word of Promise Audio Bible on CD is reduced from $124.99 to $99.99. The promotion also includes 20% off select DVD studies and Bible studies.

Pre-buy specials lead the way, with inspirational drama Letters to God featured by LifeWay Christian Stores and Parable member-stores.

Parable shoppers are offered the Aug. 10 release DVD, based on a true-life story and the subject of several ancillary titles, for $19.97 in advance, down from $24.95. LifeWay prices the movie at $14.99 and includes a free LifeWay arm band, bearing John 3:16, in the pre-purchase.

Family Christian Stores switches the buy-before focus to books, offering Drew Brees' Coming Back Stronger (available July 16) for $21.59 instead of $26.99. Tony Dungy's The Mentor Leader, due out Aug. 3, is marked down from $24.99 to $18.74.

Parable presents its Letters special along with a saving of $2 on Newsboys' July 13 release, Born Again. The pre-buy price is $7.99, with a free, five-song digital sampler thrown in. The stores also offer a download of a chapter from Josh McDowell's new novel, The Witness, which is priced at $11.97, down from $14.99.

The Parable email also includes an online-only coupon for $10 off a $40-plus purchase, through Saturday.

LifeWay's One Big Summer sale promotion spotlights the chain's Summer Reading Race for children. Participants get a punch card which offers a free reward for every five books purchased and qualifies them for 15% off all regularly priced kids' titles through August.

A separate LifeWay emailing focuses on $5 deals. Among the musical titles available are Brandon Heath's What If and Diamond Rio's The Reason. DVDs include Second Chances and Mandie & The Secret Tunnel.

Mardel Christian & Education spotlights the Butterfly Wishes Collection of frames, candle holders, crosses and plaques all reduced to $7.99. Basic: Fear God, the first title in the new DVD series from author Francis Chan, is reduced from $14.99 to $10.99. Sale music at $9.99 includes Blink by Revive and Take Everything by Seventh Day Slumber.

CLC Christian Bookstores' Deal of the Week is The American Patriot's Bible from Thomas Nelson, half-priced at $29.99. The chain cuts Basic: Fear God to $13.19 and offers 60% off bestsellers including Deanne Gist's Beguiled and Steven James' The Pawn.

Best-selling author Max Lucado talks with Managing Editor Christine Johnson about his 25 years in publishing, which he is celebrating in a number of ways, including the publication of new book Outlive Your Life (Thomas Nelson, Sept. 14).

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Two of the chains seem to have an eye on customers stocking up on summer vacation reading, with major book deals.

LifeWay Christian Stores rolls out a $5 Christian Fiction offer that includes Wanda Brunsettter's Allison's Journey, Don Brown's Defiance and Lori Copeland's Now and Always. Take Five, the latest release in Karen Kingsbury's "Above the Line" movie series, is offered for $10.99, down from $14.99.

LifeWay also prices first titles in seve4ral series at just $2.99 each, including Tim Downs' First the Dead, Robert Whitlow's Deeper Water, Colleen Coble's Lonestar Sanctuary and Robert Liparulo's House of Dark Shadows.

Mardel Christian & Education has 50% off children's titles in its Great Summer Reading promotion. Among the books are Isle of Swords by Wayne Thomas Batson ($4.999), Haunted Waters by Jerry B. Jenkins ($2.99) and The Mandie Collection, Volume 1 by Lois Gladys Leppard ($6.99).

Other featured books on sale include Predator by Terri Blackstock and Take Four (both from $14.99 to $10.99). Mardel's email also prices the complete Word of Promise Audio Bible at $99.99 (usual price $124.99) and the New Testament edition at $19.99, down by $10.

Family Christian Stores, meanwhile, focuses in film with half-price offers on titles including Billy: The Early Years of Billy Graham and Fireproof: Special Collector's Edition each available at $9.99. Marriage drama, No Greater Love, is reduced to $12.49, as is the Left Behind Collection. Pro-life drama Bella is priced at $7.49.

Offered for $5 each with the purchase of one other DVD listed in the emailing are The Adventures of Ociee Nash and Because of Winn-Dixie: Filtered Version.

The theme of Addison Road's new album, Stories, which releases June 22, is perseverance and trusting God. These truths were put to the test in the band members' lives as they endured numerous thefts to their personal possessions, losing everything after their tour RV exploded and many other struggles, during the last year and a half while preparing the album. Listen as lead singer Jenny Simmons talks about their challenges and the inspiration behind Stories.

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Listen to the single "Fight Another Day" from Addison Road's album Stories.

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Civil rights leader and Voice of Calvary Ministries founder John M. Perkins marks his 80th birthday June 16, 2010. Switchfoot helps him celebrate with a video of "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" from the Hello Hurricane album.

Click here to watch the music video in which Perkins makes an appearance.

Read frontman Jon Foreman's tribute to Perkins here.

Savings are the main selling point, with LifeWay Christian Stores leading the way with its three-day Customer Appreciation Event running through June 16. The offer is for 33% off one in-store purchase.

Keeping Father's Day in mind, the chain also presents discounts on products aimed at dads. Among the specials are the ESV Literary Study Bible reduced from $49.99 to $9.99 and the John Maxwell Leadership Bible reduced from $69.99 to $34.99. DVD specials include Fireproof (from $19.98 to $10) and The Blind Side ($28.99 to $22.99).

Family Christian Stores majors on its $5 Doorbusters, which include inspirational mugs for fathers marked down from $9.99 each and Third Day's Revelation, usual price $13.99. The same discount is offered on Steven Curtis Chapman's This Moment: Cinderella Edition and Chris Tomlin's See the Morning.

Among the chain's half-price "doorbusters" are Fireproof ($9.99), Tony Dungy's Uncommon ($12.50) and The Word of Promise Audio Bible on mp3 ($35). Included in the email is a coupon-valid online or in-store--for 25% off one regular priced item through July 4, or an extra 10% off any one sale item.

Parable stores suggest that consumers "Take a Fiction Vacation," presenting a pre-buy offer on Karen Kinsgbury's Take Four. Released June 22, the novel can be purchased in advance for $9.97 (down from $14.99) and the email promotion features the opportunity to download a chapter from the book. The promotion also includes a $5-off coupon for online purchases totaling more than $30, through June 19.

CLC Christian Bookcenters has up to 60% off select bestsellers. Titles include The Chronological Study Bible ($69.99 to $34.99), Max Lucado's The Tallest of Smalls ($16.99 to $8.49) and Francis Chan's Crazy Love ($14.99 to $12.49). The chain's promotion includes a coupon for 20% off any one item, in-store.

At Mardel Christian & Education the ESV Study Bible in DuoTone is offered for $37.50 (reduced from $74.99). The chain also promotes a one-day music and apparel sale that offers 25% off all items in those categories on June 19.

Fathers and films are the twin focal points. With Father's Day approaching, Mardel Christian & Education offers the Busy Dad's Bible in DuoTone for $19.99, with the TNIV Study Bible in bonded leather available for $29.99.

The chain also presents men's leather wallets from Christian Art for $19.99 and offers 25% off a range of other gifts, including a silver watch fob with compass for $18.75.

Berean Christian Stores' email promotion leads with a revised and updated edition of John Eldredge's Wild at Heart for $13.99, down from $16.99. Among a selection of Bibles for men is Zondervan's Manual: the Bible for Men, reduced from $36.99 to $32.99. The dads' books selection features Tony Dung's Uncommon, reduced by $4 to $20.99.

CLC Christian Bookcenters leads with two coupons, one for 20% off any Father's Day Gift Display item and another "Celebrating Fatherhood" gift certificate for $5 on any purchase. Featured books include One-Minute Prayers for Men for $9.99 and the NIV Men's Devotional Bible for $11.99.

LifeWay Christian Stores presents the leatherbound One Year Devotional Prayer Book for $9.99, cut from its regular $22.99 price—but the chain's promotion leads with movies. Topping the list is a pre-buy offer on Letters to God. The film is made available for $10 less than the $24.99 regular price, with a free wristband worth $5 included.

Other films priced at $10 each include The River Within, Thou Shalt Laugh 4 and the pro-life drama, Sarah's Choice.

Mardel's one week sale on music and video titles offers Birdie & Bogey, The Imposter and In the Blink of an Eye for $9.99 each. Donald Miller's "Convergence" discussion series is priced at $7.99 per episode.

Family Christian Stores cuts the price of Oscar-winning The Blind Side from $28.99 to $24.97, while also offering 50% off selected books through June 20. The list includes Sarah Young's Jesus Calling ($7.49), Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover ($12.49) and Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages ($7.49).

Parable stores feature a pre-buy offer: Newsboys' July release, Born Again, for $7.99 (down from $9.99), with a link to download five new songs from the band. The promotion also includes a coupon for 15% off an online purchase of $50 or more, through Saturday.

Jane and Kyle Madison's son Max-just 6 months old-vanished during Mardi Gras while in his 16-year-old sister's care. The family, of course, is devastated and the search for Max is thorough and careful. Yet no trace is found except for one tiny shoe left in his stroller.

Six months later, Jane and Kyle's marriage is foundering as they drift apart in their own grief, while their daughter Melanie makes decisions that put even more pressure on the family. But hope surfaces when frightening events in Jane's life begin pointing to a possible connection between her past and Max's kidnapping. Can they find him before it's too late? Will the kidnapper take their other child as well?

Readers of modern-day fiction will enjoy this tale of heart-rending emotion, forgiveness, suspense and high drama as one family fights to restore their past only to have a new future bring them together. Faith is a subtle undercurrent through much of the book, but Jane's emerging understanding of God's love adds depth to the tale.
-Ann E. Byle

Missing Max
Karen Young
Howard Books
softcover, 320 pages, $14.99
978-1-416-58749-1

Set in the early ‘70s, Anderson's The Cool Woman opens readers' eyes to the bravery and heroism of America's Vietnam veterans.
Fighter pilot Lieutenant Bill Mann graduated tops in his Air Force class and is now heading to Vietnam as the only black pilot in the 1st Special Operations Squadron. Following in the footsteps of his late father, a Tuskegee Airman, Mann wants to make his mark in history.
Thinking he has everything a man could want-a beautiful wife and a job he loved-Mann sees his personal life spiral downward when his wife asks for a divorce, and the only thing keeping him going is his quest to prove he is the best fighter pilot around. During one particularly difficult assignment, he must face an enemy from his past and is forced not only to save the lives of his friends, but his own as well.
Anderson uses his military experience and knowledge to paint authentic war scenes. Throughout the story, he supplies backgrounds for his characters to reflect the social issues of the era. His characters display qualities readers can relate to and demonstrate how God intervenes in their lives.
-Nicole Anderson

The Cool Woman
John Aubrey Anderson
Fidelis Books (B&H Publishing Group)
softcover, 352 pages, $14.99 
978-0-805-46480-1

July

Daisy Crispin is on a mission-to find a date for prom. The problem? She is one of the most unpopular kids in school. Not only does she have the strange habit of spitting out random facts when nervous, she's also not allowed to date, is forced to wear only homemade clothes, and makeup is not permitted because her parents believe that God only cares about what's on the inside. Unfortunately her peers at her school don't see it this way. Despite these challenges, Daisy is determined to leave her mark in her high-school career and win the heart of her crush since kindergarten, Chase Doogle.

Anyone who has read about the explosion in digital publishing and who despairs that the printed word is in imminent danger of disappearing might take heart from two blogs from Thomas Nelson.

In his "Sanity Check for Publishers," vice president for editorial and acquisitions, non-fiction books Joel Miller dismisses the doom-and-gloom predictions as "nonsense."

He maintains that "readers want books—sustained discussions and stories that immerse their hearts and minds in ways that only books can. Fragmented texts with splotches of audiovisual enhancement may make headway in the marketplace, but they will never replace books..."

He also challenges the notion that publishers should look at themselves as being in the "content," not book, business. "I recognize that statements like this come from the need to make sense of the tremendous change happening around us, but this language is unhelpful in the extreme," he writes. "It generalizes our efforts.

Content is generic. Books are specific. Content is meaningless. Books have meaning. Content is data. Books are prose and poetry."

Miller's CEO, Michael Hyatt, echoes similar concerns and others in his "In Defense of Books."

"Despite what many pundits are saying today, reading is not dead, nor are books," he contends. "Certainly, big changes are underway, especially in the way books are delivered to readers. But reading itself is alive if not altogether well. It is not going away. At least, not any time soon."

By books, he says, he is talking about "long-form, text-based content, regardless of how it is delivered." These have more transformative power in them than most magazines, blogs, movies and TV shows, he goes on.

"Most serious readers I know see other (multimedia) elements as distractions or fluff, primarily designed to seduce non-readers into doing something they would otherwise not do-read a book. While I am all for expanding the market and bringing more non-readers into the fold, I don't believe we do that by adding multimedia elements to most books."