Books published by publisher Zondervan/Youth Specialties

Anyone up for FizzerTag? Pucks and Pigskins? How about Missile Mania? You'll find something for any group -- regardless of age, ability, or skill -- in this revised volume of Play It! Inside are more than 150 of the hottest games from the original bestsellers Play It! And Play It Again! Inside you'll find outdoor and indoor games, games for small and large groups . . . relays . . . summer and winter games. . .water games. . .active and non-active games. These community-building games are simply fun! In addition to complete rules and helpful diagrams, Play It! helps you: -Make the most of the games. -Pick the right game for your group. -Adapt the rules or equipment to fit your circumstances. -Choose teams creatively. Play It! contains activities for nearly every occasion and event for use with Sunday school classes, summer camps, children's groups, vacation Bible school, youth groups of all ages, and even groups of adults. It's the perfect resource for teachers, youth workers, group leaders, event coordinators, pastors, and parents!

Money. Fame. Relationships. Knowledge. Having all these things—or even one—would make you happy, right? Well, maybe for a second. At least that’s what King Solomon learned—and he tried all those things on a HUGE scale and still wasn’t content. In fact, chasing those ideas and getting what he wanted actually made him more depressed. So what are we supposed to do if the wisest man in history couldn’t make those things work? Thankfully, Solomon left us a whole book of his trials and errors. Maybe you’ve looked at other people’s lives and thought, “If only I had that, my life would be perfect.” The problem is, those same people are asking the same question when they come across someone else. Even the wisest man in the world, Solomon, struggled with it. In Living a Life that Matters, author and “wisdom expert” Mark Matlock unpacks Solomon’s big “If only” questions on happiness in the book of Ecclesiastes to connect his timeless questions to yours, and explores what really makes a perfect life. Living a Life That Matters lets you gaze over Solomon’s shoulder as he indulges every pleasure, exercises every power, and emerges with a radical conclusion about how to live. You’ll also find ways that his search for meaning connects with yours today and how your story can connect with your friends’ as they seek meaning in the world.Living a Life that Matters:makes the book of Ecclesiastes relevant to teens’ lives—and also easy to understandcontains contemporary examples from pop culture and everyday lifeexplores what it means to live in the world today, as well as the real issue of depression and its effects

Middle school is like a roller coaster, filled with ups and downs, twists and turns; it’s exhilarating and scary all at the same time! From piles of homework, to understanding the variety of “interesting” people working at your school, and dealing with the new challenges of changing for gym class in front of everyone, it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed. That’s why in My School, from the Middle School Survival Series, we will tackle the things that weigh heavily on middle school students just like you. This book will address important middle school issues like: dealing with bullies, jocks, nerds, and every other category of student you encounter revealing the truth behind the urban legends of middle school pop quizzes, tardiness, and other survival tips This book is filled with short and easy-to-read tips, along with funny stories from the authors (who, believe it or not, used to be middle school morons!), and quotes and questions from students just like you. After reading My School, you’ll be able to walk the halls like the confident student you want to be.

How do you define leadership? What kind of leader are you? What kind of leader can you be? Can you be both a leader and a follower? You can get a handle on these and other crucial questions by wrapping your brain around Leadership 101. It focuses on the nuts and bolts of solid Christian leadership (prayer, service, communication, conflict management, mentoring, etc.) but also goes deep into the soul of leadership. In these pages you’ll find out why leading isn’t always what we expect—and how leaders aren’t always who we expect them to be. You’ll learn to integrate your heart with the skills of leadership. And you’ll discover how Jesus, David, and others journeyed on the leadership path—so you can join them, too. This interactive guide also includes checklists, surveys, fill-in-the-blank questions, and journal exercises so you can take your own leadership pulse, identify the traits you want to live out, and record your thoughts and prayers right on the pages—which helps you put leadership into practice more quickly and effectively. Just remember: Leadership isn’t a job…it’s a journey.

Jake and Roger grew up as best friends. But in high school, Jake becomes a star athlete who has it all: popularity, a college scholarship and the hottest girl on campus. It's an ideal life that comes at the exclusion of his childhood friend. Meanwhile, Roger no longer fits in Jake's circle of friends and becomes tired of always being pushed aside. He makes a tragic move that spins Jake's world out of control. As Jake searches for answers, one question plagues him the most: Could he have saved his friend? Jake becomes deeply compelled to reach out to students who are on the fringe of acceptability by the school's upper crust. But, he soon finds that reaching out to the undesirable might cost him everything - his reputation, his friends, his girlfriend and even his dreams. It's a journey that will change Jake's life forever. Based on the #1 Faith film of the year, To Save A Life, the book is an inspirational story about real-life challenges and hard choices. For anyone who has struggled with regret, loneliness or pain, it is a story of hope. For all of us, To Save A Life is a story about living a life of significance. Through Jake's journey, you will be challenged to answer the question - what's your life going to be about? More resources at ToSaveALifeMovie.com

Middle school and teen readers can explore the life of the 44th president of the United States in this factual and informative biography of Barack Obama’s life leading up to his historic election.The life of Barack Obama is an inspirational story for anyone who has ever felt abandoned, alone, different, or who has wanted to do great things and make a difference in the world. Learn about the life-shaping experiences Barack Obama faced as he was raised by a single mom and his grandparents. Discover how he rose to the top of his class at Harvard law and accepted a faith that gives his life deeper meaning. And explore the tough choices President Obama faced when he left a lucrative career in law to work in public service.In 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke out about the state of our country and its leadership, saying, “We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.” Forty years later Barack Obama stood in the same place Abraham Lincoln once stood, and announced he was running for president because of Dr. King’s words. He recognized a country in turmoil and a nation looking for something different, something better. As you read about the life of Barack Obama, look at the world around you and see how you too can participate in creating change for the better.Barack Obama:uses a factual presentation that makes this book perfect for school assignmentsprovides a non-biased look at Barack Obama’s life leading up to his electionexplores Barack Obama’s faith and the values his family instilled at a young agecontains inspiring quotes from throughout his life and first presidential campaign

How teenage girls can combat the world’s definition of self-image through a biblical understanding of who they are If there is a teenage girl who feels comfortable with her body and appearance, the authors have yet to meet her. This book helps explain where that dissatisfaction comes from, from media like MTV, magazines, and advertisements. It then gives girls a healthy biblical perspective on physical appearance, concluding that the only real way for girls to experience lasting acceptance of their bodies is to look at how God has created them and how he intends for them to love others and themselves. Through their own vulnerability and personal stories, the authors help girls realize they are not the only ones who feel so poorly about themselves. This revolutionary book is written more like a conversation than a lecture and presents the topics and the biblical passages about self-image in new and fresh ways.

Most people think the average teenager isn’t capable of much beyond hanging with their friends and wasting time. But Zach Hunter isn’t your average teenager. And he’s hoping to show you that you’re not either. Zach has been trying to end slavery around the globe. Most people (maybe even you) think that slavery has been over for a long time. But sadly, there are more people bound in slavery now than at any of the times we read about in our history books. Now Zach is working to end slavery and free the men, women, and children who are being held against their will. He’s even found some friends in the fight, including Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Leeland Mooring of Leeland. Just look around the world and on the news and you’ll find that there are plenty of things wrong with our planet—homelessness, hunger, global warming, AIDS…the list goes on and on. And we usually look at these problems and decide they’re too big for us to do anything about. But Zach is proving that one person can make a difference. And in his book, he’ll reveal the elements needed to make amazing changes in your world. In the end, he hopes you’ll find the thing you’re passionate about—and start making changes!

Is Faith Possible in Today’s World? It’s not easy to believe in Christianity when there is pain all around you and issues that defy easy explanation. Unless there are answers to the questions you face. Lee Strobel knows how important it is to find answers that ring true. With his background as an award-winning journalist, asking tough questions has been his business. And while his search for the truth convinced Lee that Jesus is real, it also confronted him with some particularly knotty, gut-level questions about Christianity you’ve likely asked as well: Why is there suffering? Doesn’t science disprove miracles? What about hell—and the millions who’ve never heard of Jesus? Is God unjust? They’re the kinds of conundrums that can block—and have blocked—people’s faith. But those questions don’t have to block yours. Join Lee in a fascinating journey of discovery. You’ll gain powerful insights that will reshape your understanding of the Bible. And you’ll read true stories about people whose experiences demonstrate that faith in Jesus not only makes excellent sense, it makes a life-changing difference as well.

Pop Quiz: • Have you ever woken up and felt bad about yourself for no reason whatsoever? • Have you spent time trying to figure out how to get into the popular group at school? • Have you ever been embarrassed by your dad singing in the car with your friends? • Have you noticed that things are starting to feel different than ever before? • Do you change your opinion―or even your personality around different friends? • Do you get overwhelmed with all of the thoughts and feelings bouncing around inside of you? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you passed the quiz. That means you’re a normal girl, who is going through the confusing changes of growing up! Sometimes it might feel like you woke up in a whole new world―kind of like Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz. The good news is, you’re not alone. Melissa and Sissy, the authors of this book, think they can help you figure out some of the big questions in your life. Even if you haven’t asked them out loud, chances are you’ve started to wonder: • Who am I? • What do I want? • What should I do? • Who do I want to be? While they’re no longer teenagers, Melissa and Sissy remember a bit about what it was like to be 11 or 12―almost a teenager. But more than that, they talk with girls who are a lot like you every day―girls who are feeling confused or overwhelmed, who are feeling like they’re changing in ways they don’t understand―physically, emotionally, and spiritually―and they feel like their lives are out of their own control. In this book, Melissa and Sissy, along with girls your age, will share some insight into what’s going on in your life. You’ll find that you’re not going crazy―you’re just growing up and becoming the person God has created you to be.

Maybe you have days when you don’t feel so good about yourself… You’re not as tall or thin as you’d like, or maybe you don’t quite fit in or you just get left out. Well, you’ll start to feel a lot better about yourself once you start reading about Luke! Luke Lang calls himself a freak of nature. He’s a grown man who is the height of an average fifth grader—but that’s not what makes him a freak. He’s also about as wide as the average Sumo wrestler (but sadly, too uncoordinated to actually compete as a Sumo wrestler!). Luke knows what it’s like to feel left out or left behind. But he’s got a great sense of humor about his life’s misadventures, and he’s sharing the hysterical stories with you, in the hopes that you’ll feel encouraged—not just because you’re not as freaky as Luke, but because you’ll see that God can do extraordinary things through people who are pretty ordinary. While you’re reading Luke’s embarrassing stories, like the time he got beat up by a girl in Karate class or the time he was fighting for his life at Boy Scout camp, you’ll learn a little about God’s love and grace, and you’ll be reminded that you were created on purpose, for a purpose.

The signature book in an exciting new line of products designed for girls ages 11-16 Using contemporary language, illustrations, design, and graphics, this book confronts the problems of identity, security, and self-esteem that plague young teenage women today. Through a skillful examination of the Scriptures it reveals the power for daily living that God has promised to believers and shows readers that the world has nothing compared to what God offers. Topics include Self-Esteem, Power of the World, Power of the Underworld, the Holy Spirit, and Truth