Outside Book Number 1

You Are Mine by Max Lucado

This children's book is one for all ages, but the deeper meaning would most likely be understood better by older kids. The book is about wooden people called Wemmicks, who live in Wemmicksville. The main character is a Wemmick named Punchinello. Punchinello is a poor Wemmick who just wants to fit in with all the other Wemmicks.

The latest craze in Wemmicksville is boxes and balls. Every Wemmick who is a "someone" has many boxes and balls--basically the boxes and balls determine status. However, Punchinello could not afford many boxes and balls. So he decided to sell all his possessions for boxes and balls. He was trying to fit in and be happy. Punchinello would do whatever it took to have what other Wemmicks had. In the mist of all this, Punchinello stumbled his way into the presence of his maker, Eli. Eli convinced Punchinello that boxes and balls do not determine wealth or create happiness. At the end of the story, Eli told Punchinello, "You are special, not because of what you have, but because you are mine."

This story has beautiful pictures that really bring the story alive. But the most amazing part of the story is how much it parallels to the Christian faith. Max Lucado writes many Christian books for adults and youth, but he has a series of books like You Are Mine for children. Eli represents God, Punchinello represents you and me, and the balls and boxes symbolize the material things that give us false satisfaction. Max Lucado writes this book to remind the children (and their parents) that they are special, not because of what they have (material-wise), but because they belong to God.