Does your church do Sunday School prizes, or similar? And if so ...

[roisin]

what are the prizes?

Our parents and grandparents all got 'wholesome books' - but regular novels - Enid Blyton and the like.

At all the churches we've been part of the prizes have been 'religous books': most of which are pretty lousy quality and don't get read.

There is loads of fantastic children's literature out there, and personally I would far rather dss and other children were simply given a decent book to read.

We recently had a pass the parcel with little crosses in, from these people:

www.toyboxcharity.org.uk/gifts/index.php

If you want worthwhile prizes, I can recommend them

do you mean for christmas presents, or end on term type "prizes" (or minister objects to calling them that and calls it a gift service or something...think everyone else in the church still calls it a prizegivingg )

we do christian books for end of term prizes in the summer, I think there are some OK ones out there if you're prepared for a good look...especially lovley ones for under 5s. For Christmas we do other gifts, ideally chosen with the child in mind... a secular book would be fine with me at this point. I bought our teenagers lovely slipper socks from next, gloves last year. Think the SS children are gettting selection boxes though [hmmm]

our sunday school used to give prizes but nothing major, just a little religous book.

Our Sunday children get a book token for attending 15 times and then the token can be exchanged in the church book shop run by one of the congregation who runs a Christian bookshop as his job. The books need not be awful. Some of the them have lovely stories which aren't particularly religious on the surface but which have a Christian message if you care to look for it.

This is for end-of-term type prizes.

Can anyone recommend specific examples of Christian bookshop books they think are good for, say, ages 8-12.

I remember loving 'The Tangle Woods Secret' and 'Treasures in the Snow' books as a little girl - can't remember who by though...

I'd go with ordinary book tokens IMO, or something Fairtrade.

Patricia St John

Or C. S. Lewis

Look online at the Metropolitan Tabernacle Bookshop- an excellent range of early to late teens. You won't be disappointed- also you can order and have delivered a parcel, and pay after. Usually next day delivery service- check it out. Excellent competitive prices too!
www.TabernacleBookshop.org
tel no: 02077357076

The Smartest Giant In Town by Julia Donaldson is just lovely.