| Sacred Sites of Minnesota,
by John-Brian Paprock and Teresa Peneguy Paprock (Trails Books, 2004), 192 pges,
$18.95 A book I can heartedly endorse is a new book by the authors of Sacred Sites of Wisconsin. Rev. John-Brian Paprock and his wife Teresa have now compiled a information-rich guide to places in Minnesota that are considered sacred by its residents. It is organized as a collection of churches, temples, mosques and shrines by the various denominations that use them. It also is arranged by region of the state, beginning first with an exploration of Twin Cities sites. Native American sites, including the wonderful Indian Mounds Park overlooking downtown St. Paul and St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis are described, and highlighted is Taku Wakan Tipi at Coldwater Spring, ancient sacred ground of the Dakota people that was saved during the Highway 55 construction. Sacred Sites of Minnesota then explores a wide variety of Christian churches, Jewish synagogues, Zen Buddhist centers, Islamic mosques, Hindu temples, Unitarian/Universalist buildings and an array of other sites, including Eckankar's Temple of ECK and Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, located in the Twin Cities. But wait until you've explored sites existing in the rest of the state! From the sacred Arrowhead Bluff in Wabasha, to Pipestone National Monument in the Southwest corner of the state, to Spirit Mountain in Duluth, and all the churches and places of worship in between, Minnesota boasts a treasure of spiritual sites that many of us rarely acknowledge. These are buildings and natural surroundings where people feel the presence of Spirit. But with this book, we are reminded that the sacred knows no boundaries, be it garden, church, temple or tree. As in their prior volume on Wisconsin, the authors open this book with a note about the preservation of sacred places. They inform us of laws that protect these places and encourage us to support those who are preserving these sites for posterity. -- Tim Miejan * * * Mom's View: Children's Books by Paula Behr One Smile, by Cindy McKinley, illustrated by Mary Gregg Byrne (Illumination Arts) Age Level: Three and beyond The saying "what goes around comes around" comes to life in this story of the circle of joy created by a little girl's smile. Little Katie beams with warmth at a sad-looking man on a park bench. He in turn feels inspired to look for a job and to help a woman change her car tire. On and on the kindness spreads outwards from Katie's smile like ripples from a pebble cast into a pond until, in a synchronistic conclusion that is fun to discover, it comes home full circle to Katie. This timeless message of small gestures making big differences is told with a winning combination of an author's word-warmth throughout the text of the story and an artist's deft splashes of watercolor that bring a palpable sense of joy to the character's faces. It's refreshing to imagine a world changed for the better one smile at a time. Weslandia, by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Candlewick Press) Age level: Five and beyond In a town where everyone likes the same food, the same homes, the same games and even the same haircuts, friendless and bookish Wesley is decidedly different. He peruses piles of books and pines for a different way of life. Then in a truly fantastic summer project adventure, he taps into his intellectual pioneering inner-self and creates his own civilization in his backyard. With his book knowledge and a trust in nature's own inventive process he grows food, makes his own clothes and even invents his own language. Wesley dares to be different, succeeds and helps forge a community in the process. Wesley is truly a cultural creative who creates his own culture and gets lots of other kids in town to happily join him. It's a gleeful notion to have the odd-one-out become the odd-one-in. With spirited storytelling and illustrations to match, Weslandia will give any would-be culture creators an energy boost for their own innovative natures. This book has won oodles of awards and deservedly so. Paula Behr is a journalist and mother of two. She is dedicated to finding and sharing children's books with gentle and loving messages. Contact her at cyberbehrs@earthlink.net Copyright © 2004 Paul Behr |
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April 2004 |
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