Character in Action:Taking the Next Steps

the next character book you'll love

my kids have grown right into this book, having read the previous "red cover" books already. it's a sweet addition to their Bible time or Rest and Read time. Thank you for sharing your stories. They have become "go to's" when dealing with character issues.

Do You Have Character?

RIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016
Do You Have Character?
I love reviewing books! It is almost as fun as reading them. Sharing the books I have read and love with people I love is just plain fun.

And when they not only entertain a child, but teach them important skills or lessons...well, the joy level just builds!

That is how I feel about the latest book I have been reading with my son, Character in Action, by Marilyn and Kelley Boyer. It is just a fun read!


Let me start from the beginning, This 144 page, hardback book teaches 14 character traits to children, recommended ages 6-12. Each chapter focuses on one trait, beginning with a simple definition and then a Bible verse highlighting that trait. The story that follows is a true to life experience of one or more of the cousins of the Boyer family, complete with color pictures. Tales about how to be creative in helping or what it means to be sensitive to others are just a start. Other Godly traits explored include-

Kindness
Responsibility
Compassion
Initiative
Generosity
Honor
Hospitality
Alertness
Gratefulness
Availability
Decisiveness
and Deference


Each chapter then ends with a "Taking The Next Step" section that offers a multitude of suggestions to put each trait into a concrete action.

This is actually the second book we have read in the Learning Character with the Cousins Series, so I knew we would love it! (The other books are Crossroads of Character and Character Trails. I have been readingCharacter in Action with my 9 year old son, although sometimes the whole family gets to hear if we read in the evenings.

The chapters are about 6-10 pages long and take us about 15 minutes to read. Colby loves looking at the full color pictures of thecousins with the friends they have met. There is just something about seeing REAL kids doing REAL things that can spark a flame in a kid to imitate their behavior.



What better behavior to imitate than Godly character traits!

After we read each chapter, Colby reads the "Taking the Next Step" section out loud to me and we discuss ways that we can bless others. Ideas he has come up with so far include writing notes to some elderly people in our church, having them for dinner, and making cookies for people.

Why Study Character traits?

I firmly believe that we are all born sinful and selfish. Being kind and generous and loving does not always come easily. In fact, those character traits can often be hard for children to learn. By teaching children the right behaviors and by SHOWING them how those are lived out, we set the stage for a lifetime of growing and learning how to treat others better than ourselves.

Who wouldn't love to live in a society where everyone treated others better than themselves?

Character Concepts has a wide array of curriculum for kids preschool age and up. Through their resources you can help teach children right from wrong, hide God's word in their hearts, and know the books they are reading are teaching valuable lessons while still being fun and engaging.
~ Michele

The Boyer cousins are back! These adorable kids are bigger, wiser and just as sweet as ever in this new book called Character in Action.

Character in Action invites your family to "take the next step" by literally putting character into real action. Full of practical steps to take, it teaches your family various ways to reach out and become engaged with those who need our help. Real-life stories with the cousins demonstrate to children all the ways we interact with others and shows the "why" behind the importance of good character and good behavior.

Each chapter introduces a "catch phrase" and scripture, a true story, and a section entitled "Taking the Next Step" that gives your children several ideas of things that they can do to show their good character. Included at the bottom are suggested scripture stories to further your study of each character quality.

This book is great! My kids favorite story so far is of cousin Lauren and Mrs. Burks. Mrs. Burks was a little elderly lady who was a bit lonely but Lauren made a special project out of giving Mrs. Burks a hug whenever they saw each other. Such a small and simple thing brought great joy to both Mrs. Burks and Lauren. By her example both of my girls have worked on picking someone each Sunday to hug and make them feel loved and special...putting the character trait of Kindness into Action.

This book is a very welcome addition to my Character Curriculum Library!

Awesome tool for parents and teachers!

I love this book! I have seen Boyer children grow up and start families of their own. They are men and women of integrity and are teaching their children to put character traits in action. Each chapter begins with the Character Trait with a corresponding Bible Verse and stories of "the cousins" putting what they have learned into action. In this book, each chapter ends with a list of suggestions. "Try to put yourself in the place of others. Think how would I feel if I were in their place. What could I do that would really be a help to them? Ask God to show you needs that you can meet." Compassion in Action) This sums it up in a nutshell. How many children are taught to put themselves in someones place? In a self-absorbed world, this book is refreshing and enlightning. I highly recommend this book for parents, grandparents, teachers and anyone who works with children. I see there are things I can also do for others! ~ Kathy Purdy

Excellent book

Character In Action is another excellent book by Marilyn and daughter, Kelley Boyer. It is a timely, clear and encouraging instructional book for parents as they strive to raise their children with Godly character qualities. It is a fun read for the young people as they see how to build these character qualities, in action, through the lives of the Boyer “cousins”. My children are grown but I wish that I had such a clear and understandable guide for instilling character at my fingertips while raising my family. I would highly recommend this book to all ages….. grandparents, parents and children.~ Elaine

A True Gem

This book is wonderful. I'd recommend it for anyone hoping to teach their kids to have sensitive hearts to the world around them and learn practical ways to help others. Each chapter begins with a definition and a scripture verse. This is handy for memorization and is also a great for introducing and reinforcing the concept. The second section tells a real-life story from “the cousins” about a time when they put that concept into action. The dialogue and pictures are engaging and captivating, for even very young children. The recommended age is 6-12 but even my 2-year-old enjoyed these story sections of the chapters. (I chose to censor a few sections about war, due to the ages of my children.) The third section outlines some inspiring, practical suggestions for implementing the concept in your own family. The end of each chapter references an index in the back where the reader can look to find scriptural examples of the character concept in action.

The fact that this series uses a different translation than the one our family uses has not been a problem. If I’m asking my kids to memorize the verse, I simply keep a Bible on hand to look it up in the NIV. But if we’re speaking topically I just read the KJV translation provided.

Character is the cornerstone of a good education. The stories are rich and heartwarming, and really help my children to develop a clearer picture of what is really means to love God and their neighbors. Along with the other two Learning Character with the Cousins series, I am certain this book will be a favorite in our homeschool curriculum for years to come.

Emily D