My Angel Named Herman [Hardcover]

Elmer Towns (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

A sixth grade boy learns about the universe, the stars, and deals with his parent's divorce through his friendship with the school janitor named Herman (who just happens to be an angel). Extremely educational, and a compelling read with eight pages of line art illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Angels are as popular a topic as ever these days, and Towns's brief novel introduces children to the idea that they may be "entertaining angels unawares," never knowing when a meeting with a guardian angel could occur. Sixth-grader Jacob could never have imagined that a grandfatherly school janitor named Herman could be his guardian angel. But Herman knows an awful lot about God and Heaven (especially the stars and the universe, a subject of great fascination for Jacob), and appears at opportune moments (he saves Jacob from drowning at one point). However, no one but Jacob has seen or heard of Herman?is he real? While Towns's premise is promising, he fails to build for readers a believable emotional connection to Jacob. Many of Herman's conversations with the boy come off as wordy science lessons spun out of control. Readers also know little of Jacob (except that he is coping with his parents recent divorce and spends much of his time alone) and may find Jacob's first meeting with Herman a bit ominous (while Jacob waits alone after soccer practice for his mother to pick him up, Herman startles him by stepping out of the darkness). These drawbacks will likely keep this volume from capturing readers' attention. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 36 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 14, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849958393
• ISBN-13: 978-0849958397
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,293,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ELMER L. TOWNS is Vice President of Liberty University, where he also serves as Dean of the School of Religion. He cofounded the university with Jerry Falwell in 1971. Elmer teaches the 2,000-member pastor's Sunday School class at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is a Gold Medallion Award-winning author, and his books include Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough, How to Pray (When You Don't Know What to Say) and What Every Sunday School Teacher Should Know.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Angel Named Herman, May 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: My Angel Named Herman (Hardcover)

What can you say about a book that not only points the way to God, but gives the reader an appetite to begin the journey? That's what "My Angel Named Herman" does. And as a reader I can't help but stand in amazement that in the midst of this little gem is a science lesson, a math lesson, and something that prompts the child to want to "connect up" with their heavenly Father. In its pages the child gains a respect for God's creation, and a hunger for the Creator. What a wonderful book! It will be read and reread, and passed on from generation to generation.