New Releases by Amy Parker

Christmas is a time for family fun, twinkly lights, and cozy cocoa! It is also a precious time to remember Jesus and the gift of His birth. My Christmas Prayer will help children celebrate the true reason for the season of Christmas.

Chug-a-chug, the night night train Is a’rumblin’ ’round the track! Choo! Choo! All aboard the train to Sleepytown! After a fun-filled day, it’s time to snuggle in, and dream the night away. Join these adorable puppies in pajamas as they say night night to the train, to their mommy and daddy, and to God. Your little ones will rest their sleepy heads knowing that the God who made them loves them and keeps them safe all night long. Night night, train! Amy Parker’s children’s books have sold more than a million copies, including two Christian Retailing’s Best award-winning books and the bestselling A Night Night Prayer. She lives outside Nashville with her husband and two children.

Sweet, simple blessings that encourage thoughtful gratitude during all four seasons. Tiny Blessings: For All Seasons is a sweet, simple book for teaching babies and toddlers how to count their blessings every day. The soothing and minimal text and beautiful illustrations will fill young children''s minds with positive thoughts and will encourage them to appreciate life''s special gifts no matter if it be winter, spring, summer, or fall. Babies and toddlers will see the importance of counting their blessings during each season and will learn to give thanks all year round. Parents and little ones will love sitting down together with this warm, joyful book, which is sure to become a perennial favorite in many homes.

"First Corinthians 13:13 shines a light on the importance of faith, hope, and love; and bestselling children''s author Amy Parker offers 100 devos to grow these concepts early on in your kids'' hearts. Based on scriptures, each short devotion explores the biblical principles of faith, hope, or love and encourages children to talk about them, think about them, and put them into action. There''s even space for kids to journal as they learn. It''s an interactive approach that will solidify these biblical principles in children''s hearts and teach them to walk in faith, reach their hopes, and grow big love."--Publisher.

“But, Papa, how will I know how high I can hope?” Little Owl is learning to fly, and he has a big lesson to learn about the meaning of hope. This delightful story will warm your heart and teach you that when you love God, there''s no limit to how high you can hope. Based on the important message of 1 Corinthians 13:13, the Faith, Hope, Love series will plant important seeds in children''s hearts. Don''t miss the other titles in the series: How Far Is Faith?, How Big Is Love?, and The Faith, Hope, Love Devotional.

A little hedgehog asks his mother about the nature of love and realizes that it is the biggest thing in the universe. On board pages.

"But, Mama, doesn''t faith seem really far away?" This little elephant has a lot of big questions about faith. Let his delightful story warm your heart and remind you that when you''re following God, faith isn''t really that far away after all. Based on the important message of 1 Corinthians 13:13, the Faith, Hope, Love series will plant important seeds in children''s hearts. Don''t miss the other titles in the series: How Big Is Love?, How High Is Hope?, and The Faith, Hope, Love Devotional.

After enjoying a day with its mother, a small otter settles in for the night with a bath, a story, and a prayer.

Linked stories exploring the dark heart of the American family: "Electrifying, daring . . . sure to appeal to fans of Karen Russell and Lorrie Moore " ( Booklist, starred review). A St. Louis Post-Dispatch Best Book of the Year The Bowmans are declining Texas gentry, heirs to an airline fortune, surrounded by a patriarch''s stuffed trophies and lost dreams. They will each be haunted by the past as they strive to escape its force. The Fosters are diplomats'' kids who might as well be orphans. Jill and Maizie grow up privileged amid poverty, powerless to change the lives of those around them and uncertain whether they have the ability to change their own. The Guzmans have moved between Colombia and the United States, each generation seeking opportunity for the next, only to find that the American dream can be as crushing as it is elusive. From the tense territory of a sagging, grand porch in Texas to a gated community in Thailand to a lonely apartment in nondescript suburbia, these wry, dark stories unwind the lives of three families as they navigate the ever-shifting landscapes of the American middle class. "No one is safe, Parker reminds us, especially within the family circle—but one''s chosen family can also offer salvation. . . . The stories, like the mounted heads in the Bowmans'' trophy room, rivet the gaze, demand that readers recognize themselves in those glassy eyes—and then become disconcertingly alive." — The New York Times Book Review

Part of a new brand in the Zondervan family, The Plans I Have for You journal prompts creative thinking and exploration of the talents and personalities that make us special, and then helps explore how God may use our unique traits to spread love and joy and make the world a better place.

Fireproofing Your Life for Teens is the follow up to the award winning title Courageous Teens f by Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and executive producer of the hit film Courageous. The popularity of the film Fireproof made one thing certain: we as Christians are continually seeking ways to galvanize our faith against the fires of the world around us. And there is arguably no time in our lives when our faith is more under fire than our teenage years. As young people struggle to learn who they are, they can only forge an indestructible identity by remembering whose they are. Using Bible-based teachings and practical applications, Fireproof Your Life for Teens will walk them through the process of building an invincible, impenetrable faith. And this is not a faith that just shows up on Sunday mornings, but one that reaches deep into their hearts and stretches out to encompass every area of their lives. From decision-making to relationships to money, Michael Catt and Amy Parker will show teens how a fireproof faith and biblical principles play an integral part in every aspect of their day-to-day lives, as well as in shaping their future. We make life so complicated. Trials and temptations will come, but the solution is simple. For every single situation we are going to face, for every decision we are going to make, the answer is there. And it begins and ends with God. Like Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego in that famous fiery furnace, when we learn to stand with God, we can all be fireproof.

The Plans I Have for You!, written by Amy Parker and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, is a 90 day devotional that explores how God may use our unique traits to spread love and make the world a better place.

Cuddle up with your little one and share a mother''s love with this heartwarming story from bestselling author Amy Parker of the Night Night series. With sweet rhymes and adorable panda bear illustrations, Thank You, God, for Mommy encourages little ones to treasure God’s special gift of mothers and say thank you for hugs and cuddles, patience and encouragement, guidance and love. This charming board book will delight mother and child with its simple and grateful story. Thank You, God, for Mommy? helps children, ages 0 to 4, express gratitude for their mother;? is perfect for read-aloud story time and bedtime routines; and? makes a touching and budget-friendly Mother’s Day gift or mom’s birthday gift from kids.? Don''t miss the rest of the Thank You, God series: Thank You, God, for Daddy Thank You, God, for Grandpa? Thank You, God, for Grandma?

Little ones learn they have much to thank God for when spring arrives—bunnies, flowers, and Easter eggs are fun, but the best of all is Jesus! Preschoolers can’t help but notice all the new wonders of springtime, and An Easter Prayer emphasizes that God is the One to thank! Sweet rhymes and adorable art are perfect for young listeners, who will ask to read this colorful, die-cut board book even when spring is long past. Families will want to collect all the titles in the Time to Pray series, including A Pumpkin Prayer and An "I Love You" Prayer. Meets national education standards.

A young boy tosses his Christmas list and makes a new one in which he asks God to help those in need.

What if God’s love were like the sun, constant and unchanging? What if one day you realized nothing could take that away? Firebird is a bright orange baby oriole who just loves the sunshine. But whenever a storm blows in, he frets and asks Mama why God allows the rain to take the sun away. When Firebird is finally old enough, his mother gently instructs him to fly up through the thunder and lightning to see what’s on the other side. It’s a rough flight, and just when he’s about to give up, Firebird rises above the storm to discover the sun shining where it always had been. God never lets the storm take the sun away. With that truth in his heart, Firebird continues to bask in the sunshine, but just as important, he learns to rejoice in the rain. Firebird is a children’s book that parallels the life of Samantha Crawford, a storybook artist in the inspiring new film Unconditional (scheduled for a theatrical launch in fall 2012) who has lost sight of God’s love.

Children will be reminded that God shows His love in a lot of ways including rainbows, flowers, and special friends! These adorable illustrations and sweet rhymes are perfect for showing little ones the importance of saying "I love you!" and thanking God for His love. The art by Frank Endersby will be a favorite for kids and parents alike. Families will want to leave room on their bookshelves for other titles in the Time to Pray series, including A Pumpkin Prayer.

A child thanks God for many blessings before bed.

Daddies do so much for us! It’s time to thank God for the blessing they are. In this adorable board book, a little lion cub thanks God for his wonderful daddy—a daddy who gives big hugs and piggy back rides, who takes great care of him, and most importantly, who offers love, guidance, and encouragement. Thank You, God, for Daddy; He scares monsters away. When Daddy says, “Don’t be afraid,” I know that it’s okay. The love and sacrifices of fathers will be celebrated by children everywhere each time they snuggle up to read Thank You, God, for Daddy. Meets national education standards.

Snuggle in this holiday season and offer up A Christmas Prayer. In the tradition of A Night Night Prayer, this precious little child wanders through the house on a snowy Christmas night offering a prayer of thanks and blessing. The child finishes with thanks to God for the greatest Gift of all. Noting all the characters in the Nativity, this lovable little nighttime prayer book has interactive dialogue and soothing rhyme for a child to repeat as they look around their world at Christmastime. Between the soft Christmas glow of the illustrations and the smooth rhythm of the child’s prayer, A Christmas Prayer will make every parent and child want to snuggle up by the tree and offer a prayer of thanks to God for His many Christmas blessings. Meets national education standards.

Open Forum is a three-level series for the development of essential listening and speaking skills. Each level contains listening selections and discussion activities related to the same twelve content areas, including communications, technology, business, the social sciences, and fine arts. As students progress from one level to the next, they gain further exposure to the content areas. The diverse listening selections ensure a high level of engagement. In addition to the listening and discussion practice, Open Forum offers vocabulary and pronunciation strands that develop naturally out of the content.