Tales of the Not Forgotten by Beth Guckenberger

Tales of the Not Forgotten by Beth Guckenberger, written for kids, follows the real life stories of the challenges faced by kids in other countries.  The author is a missionary, and she draws from her experiences as a missionary to communicate to children that through faith, God can work miracles and accomplish a lot.  In fact the subtitle includes a "warning" that tells the reader "These stories may change the way you see the world".

Many of the kids in American privileged society do not know what it is like to go without basic neccesities such as food, medical care and a home.  But in other imporverished nations there are so many orphans and homeless children in desperate need.  Each chapter focuses on a unique child and his or her story: Joel from Mexico, Seraphina from Haiti, Ibrahim from Nigeria, and Christiana from India.  The lives are portrayed as stories that are personalized to make them real to the reader.

The graphics, illustrations and visual effects throughout the book are sure to grab a young reader's attention.  Also included are stories written in the voices of other providing additional points of views for a well rounded experience.  Educational facts and statistics are scattered throughout the text of the book as well as biblical verses and passages.  Also included are many photographs so that the reader can actually see who the stories are about.  This book will not only inspire, but brings to light the reality of the world we live in. We see children who are homeless or live in shacks without parents, who must make daily trips to the local dump in order to find food.  Parents die from illness leaving behind orphaned children to fend for themselves.  In some areas, a hamburger is considered a treat. There are children who appreciate and savor the taste of a piece of fruit and are thankful for little they do have.  It gives a young reader a glimpse of the world beyond our own society and it shows faith in action and what it can accomplish- such as feeding the hungry, educating those who cannot afford to go to school.   The book shows how faith in God can help one overcome life's circumstances and of the neccesity for those to listen to God's calling and offer help to those in need. The last chapter includes a short biography and interview with the author.  Included with the book was a cd with additional resources to help leaders or teachers to integrate the book into a class or school curriculum.

As a blogger I received this book, published by Standard Publishing for the purpose of writing this review.