Other,
Ruthe’s Recommendations | Fall 2024
By First Dallas Staff
On Friday evening, July 19, 2024, the Historic Sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Dallas suffered a significant fire, and much of the campus, including Truett Memorial Library, was impacted. While our physical library is currently inaccessible, that doesn’t stop us!
Ruthe Turner, our beloved librarian at First Dallas, has hand-picked 10 recommendations from our growing e-book collection, which now boasts over 5,600 e-books and audiobooks for all ages. We hope her top 10 favorite e-books to read this fall will inspire, entertain, and deepen your love for literature.
- A Place Called Heaven: 10 Surprising Truths about Your Eternal Home by Robert Jeffress gives a comprehensive description of heaven and informs us of everything we need to know. There is also a very sobering chapter regarding everything we need to know about hell. All the facts are well-researched and supported by Scripture. Be motivated about the truths of heaven, then share that news, especially with those whose names are not written in the Book of Life.
- For an Audience of One: Seek the Praise that Comes from God Alone by R.T. Kendall, who writes as if he is talking straight to you, sincerely wanting to impart truth and Godly wisdom into your life for your own good. The book’s message is simple—live for the approval of God alone and don’t fear what others think. Don’t try to prove yourself to them. It may sound simple, but it isn’t that easy to do, which is why Dr. Kendall wrote the book. Through his personal stories, plus many examples of others, including biblical examples, Dr. Kendall gives the motivation and guidance to truly rely on the One who is right there beside you.
- You Are Gifted: Your Spiritual Gifts and the Kingdom of God by Kenneth Hemphill delves deeply into the theology of the three main Scriptures pertaining to gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12-14, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4). Spiritual gifts are not signs of Spiritual superiority but are for serving others in the body of Christ, especially in your local church. Dr. Hemphill suggests several important steps to determine your gift, beginning with prayer and ending with an inventory of 14 questions to direct you to areas of service in your church.
- School Days According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney, reminds us that it’s September and the start of another new year of school. Humphrey is a hamster and happens to be the classroom pet. He’s glad to be back in his old classroom on the first day of school, but he doesn’t know why there are strange kids in his room. Then he realizes he has a whole new room of kids to get to know and help. We weren’t sure Humphrey would be welcomed in our library collection until we read book #1 and fell in love with him. Humphrey has a squeaky way of teaching our kids all about values and empathy.
- The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Beginning by M.J. Thomas is book #1 of a very popular series for elementary school children. Each book progresses through the Bible chronologically, teaching biblical truths. Starting with Genesis, siblings Mary and Peter, and their dog Hank, are transported back in time of Creation. To get back home, they have to unlock the mystery of the scroll or be trapped in history forever. Before the fire, we had paperback copies of the series. Now the kids are going to love the audiobooks!
- Grace in Autumn by Angela Hunt and Lori Copeland is book two in a delightful series that will warm your heart. The entire series of five books takes place in a little village on a small island near Maine. Two hundred years before, a man prayed and asked the Lord to guard their little village with angels. And that’s how seven angels, dressed like mortals, live among the people… incognito. The best way to describe the series is to think of Aunt Bea and Barney, but in Maine. This particular story takes place in November, and it’s time for the Thanksgiving community feast.
- Until Leaves Fall in Paris was written by Sarah Sundin, an award-winning author of World War II books and a favorite author in Truett Library. Sundin weaves danger and romance into this story of an American woman in Paris who uses her bookstore, “Green Leaf Books” to help the Resistance pass secret messages to each other between the pages of books for sale. Another American and member of the Resistance, who also happens to be a grieving widower and father to a four-year-old daughter, discovers the bookstore and its creative way to aid the Resistance. Unfortunately, the Nazis discover the bookstore as well, and things look pretty bleak for the Americans.
- The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty is a must-read for older children to understand the true story of the Pilgrims, which began in a village in England called Scrooby. One of its leading citizens, William Brewster, was well-educated and a wealthy man, known for his deep faith, and loved for his generosity and kindness to those in need. He was a mentor and father figure to young William Bradford, who lost his own dad when he was a one-year-old. Both Wiliams were members of the Separatist Church, having separated from the Church of England and were persecuted for it. Brewster gave up his esteem and his large home to come to America as the Pilgrim’s spiritual leader. He thus deserves our respect and appreciation for his part in bringing the Pilgrims safely to America and freedom.
- Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs has been a fall favorite for the little ones since 2002! It tells the story of a farmer who planted pumpkin seeds in June and harvested the pumpkins one day in October. Then he chose one pumpkin from the harvest, cleaned out all the stuff inside, carved a face on it, and then put a small candle in it so the pumpkin could shine its light that October night. The comparison is made to how God chooses his children, cleans them up, and puts a new light on them to shine.
- Sarah Plain and Tall, Skylark, and Caleb’s Story Audio Collection written by Patricia MacLachlan and read by Glenn Close, is an audiobook about Sarah who leaves her beloved home in Maine by the sea and travels to the Midwest prairie as a mail-order bride to a farmer and his motherless children. The first book won several awards and was made into a television movie in 1991. It’s a popular book for elementary school children and a perfect read-along, or in this case, a listen-to together. The two final books, More Perfect Than the Moon and Grandfather’s Dance,” are available as ebooks in our collection.
As we embrace this season of change at our church, we hope Ruthe’s e-book Recommendations bring a touch of comfort and joy to your life. Enjoy these seasonal reads and happy reading!