Revolve: The Complete New Testament    Editors Kate Etue & Jenny Eaton Order:  USA  Can Thomas Nelson, 2003 (2003) Softcover     Reviewed by Melissa Parcel At first glance, Revolve looks like a typical teen magazine. The cover is bright with pictures of teenage girls and headlines reminiscent of Seventeen -- 'How to Get Along With Your Mom,' and 'Guys Speak Out on Tons of Important Issues.' But open it up, and along with the quizzes, articles, and beauty tips, you'll find the complete New Century Version of the New Testament. Each Book of the New Testament is introduced with background about the Book and about the author. At the top of every page is a reference to the Scriptures on that page, such as 'Matthew 2:23-4:2.' The extras included in Revolve could make it easy to get lost and unable to look up particular verses without these handy references. Scattered throughout the entire book are 'Radical Faith' and 'Promises' commentaries, which highlight specific verses and analyze what they mean in real life. There are beauty secrets, Top Ten lists, and 'Bible Bios,' which are short pictures of different people in the Bible. The 'Blab' section answers different questions about spiritual as well as personal issues, for instance, 'The Bible says I'm supposed to be loving my enemies. Does this mean I'm supposed to love Satan?' and 'I'm nearly fourteen and I have never even had a boyfriend. Am I the only one?' Each month has a calendar, with different people and things to pray for, as well as actions and activities to do on some days. 'Write your dad a note today to let him know you love him!' and 'Buy something to take to a homeless shelter.' Also included are 'Issues' such as rape, school and sports, and 'Guys Speak Out' answering girls' questions. Quizzes help to identify 'Are You at Peace?' or 'What's Your Fruit of the Spirit.' 'LEARN IT & LIVE IT' takes sections of Bible verses and discusses how to apply them to everyday life. 'Check it Out' spotlights worthy organizations, including websites and contact information. Finally, 'Bible Basics' gives straightforward fundamentals of the Bible itself. My seventeen-year-old daughter loves this New Testament. She took it to school and shared it with her friends. They all sat around taking the quizzes and reading the questions and answers. Some might criticize this for 'dumbing down' the Bible, making it seem insubstantial. But I believe we need to give teens more credit than that. Anything that encourages looking into the Scriptures for more information is a good thing. I would much rather my daughter read Revolve than the latest issue of Teen People. The New Century Version is an easy-to-read translation. It is not a paraphrase; it is an actual translation from the Greek. The editors state, 'God never intended the Bible to be too difficult for his people ... Translators kept sentences short and simple.' Revolve is appropriate for both long-time and new Christians as it is easy to understand, yet gives a new look at the Bible to those who may have read these verses multiple times. I highly recommend this for teen girls. It's fresh, fun, and meaningful at the same time. If your goal is to spend more time in the Word of God, or you want to encourage someone else to do so, Revolve is the book for you. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews