"CREATING YOUR FOREVER FAMILY:How to Incorporate Family Proclamation Principles in Your Home," by Rachel A. Sullivan, Covenant Communications, $15.99, 192 pages (nf)

The old trope of wishing children came with instruction manuals is obsolete. "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," writes Rachel A. Sullivan, author of "Creating Your Forever Family," provides a blueprint for parents to follow to raise righteous children and create happy homes.

Sullivan dedicates two chapters to faith and a chapter each to the other eight principles listed in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," which was presented to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1995: prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities. With anecdotes, quotes, scripture and practical suggestions, Sullivan illustrates the power of each principle and its potential impact on children and families.

Sullivan's minor in the social sciences is obvious — her writing is structured like an academic paper: assertion, citation, application. Unlike many academics, though, she keeps her writing clear and accessible. The book therefore benefits from Sullivan's organization without losing the readability necessary for busy parents.

As excellent as Sullivan's practical advice is, however, the how-tos are upstaged by her stories. "Creating Your Forever Family" is chock-full of memorable anecdotes from the lives of the families of church leaders, including church Presidents Russell M. Nelson and Gordon B. Hinckley; Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Sister Mary Ellen Smoot, the 13th Relief Society general president, and Sister Ardeth Greene Kapp, the ninth Young Women general president. Beloved church leaders come alive in this book, and their stories will stay with readers for a long time.

Sullivan, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ, graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in marriage, family and human development. She served in the Richmond Virginia Mission, and she and her husband are the parents of four children. This is her first book.