Christmas Board Books

If you have little ones you are shopping for this Christmas, I have two Christmas board books to share with you today.

About the book:
Share the Nativity story one inspiring word at a time with this simple and engaging board book for babies and toddlers.

Perfect for curious little ones, this book tells the story of Christmas in bite-sized pieces to encourage word learning. Short sentences and colorful illustrations guide children through that beloved night—from Mary and Joseph's journey all the way to the arrival of the wise men—while each page highlights a new word found in the biblical account—such as star, manger, and angel. Whether you use this book to encourage language development or to introduce the story of Christmas to a special little one, it's sure to make a great gift. 

About the book:

Experience the events of Jesus’s birth on that first Christmas night with this stunning board book written in the beloved style of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." 

"'Twas the very first Christmas when all through the town, not a creature was stirring—there was not a sound."

This beautiful retelling of the birth of Jesus celebrates that fateful night in Bethlehem so long ago. The story begins with Mary and Joseph's arrival in Bethlehem and continues through Christ's birth, the angels' appearance to the shepherds, and the wise men's visit. Simple, elegant verses are brought to life with lush oil paintings, creating an enchanting reading experience for little ones and their families.

My thoughts:
Both of these are very simple basic Christmas books.  The First Words of Christmas book has a labeled image on one page with a sentence about that image on the opposite page.  

The other book The First Christmas Night has a little more text.  It is done in a rhyming format of Twas the Night Before Christmas which young children will enjoy.  The illustrations are very calming and beautifully done.  I love this image of the shepherds.

Both of these would make great gifts or stocking stuffers for babies or toddlers.

Learn  more here about First Words of Christmas and here about The First Christmas Night.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Have a day of blessings! 

 Bethany

Children's book: When Worry Whispers

About the book: 

Ease your little one's mind with this encouraging picture book all about worry––both what it is and how God's promises can help us fight against it––written by #1 New York Times best-selling author Joyce Meyer.

When Worry whispers "What if?" and tells you about all of the bad things that might happen, it can make you scared and afraid. It can even make your tummy ache! So what should you do when Worry starts whispering to you?

In this sweetly inspiring book, Joyce Meyer instructs children to remember God's promises when Worry's "What ifs?" start creeping in. Biblical assurances of God's constant presence, love, and care will comfort little ones and remind them that God is in control––no matter what! Beautifully illustrated and scripturally sound, this book is a great resource for any child struggling with the weight of Worry.

My thoughts:

I really liked this book!  It was a great one to read with my son who is 8. I was a child who asked "what if" a lot so I could relate to this book as could my son.    I liked the characterization of worry as the little gray cloud hanging around.  Isn't that typical of worry for us?  Lurking in the background and ready to make itself known in new or scary situations?  

Reading this book is a helpful reminder to children (and adults) of God's comforting presence with us. This book is a good tool to use to start a conversation with your child about things they worry about and talk through solutions and reality.  

 Go here to find out more about this book or purchase a copy.

I received a copy of this book from Hachette reviewer program for my honest review. 

Have a day of blessings!

 Bethany

Children's book: Where Are Your Shoes, Mr. Brown?

About the book:

Join a young boy affectionately known as Mr. Brown as he searches for his shoes across the family farm in this first picture book from social media icon and author of The Rooted Life, Justin Rhodes.

Gideon, the second youngest child of homesteaders Justin and Rebekah Rhodes, is infamously known as the shoe-losing "Mr. Brown." It drives his papa nuts, especially when it’s time to head out to do chores on the farm. Where Are Your Shoes, Mr. Brown? is an engaging story that follows Mr. Brown as he searches for his missing shoes, bringing a humorous message about responsibility along with an underlying theme of a parent's love. 

Justin and Rebekah are parents to five children and involve the them in much of the work on the farm to teach values of hard work, problem solving, and life skills like growing their own food.

My thoughts:

What a sweet, fun book!  I said "awwww" at the end, and you will too!

The illustrations are so enjoyable.  Little ones will enjoy the scenes and animals as you read this book together.  Also if you look closely you can find some shoes hiding in the illustrations.  I appreciate how the author gives the backstory for the name of the little boy (Mr. Brown) because that confused me at first when I started reading.  This book is appropriate for early elementary aged children.

I received a copy of this book from Hachette group for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!

 Bethany

Board Book: SomeBunny Loves You!

About the book:

Explore the unconditional love between parent and child with this adorable picture book.

This playful love letter to a child follows a little bunny who is told "somebunny loves you" as it goes about its day. Rhyming text and sweet illustrations will charm little ones as they realize that the “somebunny” who loves them is the person reading to them. Timeless and heartfelt, this reassuring message of unconditional love would make a great addition to any child’s first library.

My thoughts:

This book shows the special, unconditional love between a child and parent as portrayed through these bunnies shown on the cover.  It has rhyming text without much text per page so it will hold the attention of little readers.  The book reminds the reader how much they are loved all through the day and whatever happens or comes their way.

I find this book to be appropriate for babies or toddlers.

This would make a nice addition to a baby or toddler's Easter basket. It has a space in the front for you to write To/From and a message.  

I received a copy of this book from Hachette book group for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!

 Bethany

Christmas Board Books

If you are shopping for a little one, I have some Christmas board books to share with you today.  

First I have a Veggie Tales board book called Joy to the World by Pamela Kennedy.

About the book:

Discover the true meaning of Christmas with beloved VeggieTales characters and a holiday story little ones will love.

Welcome to the Veggie Christmas Show! Little ones will be captivated by a Christmas extravaganza that starts with a guitar solo by Larry and ends with a Veggie reenactment of the first Christmas night. With cheerful hearts and spirits, the Veggies remind others of the simple joy of Christmas. This lighthearted book is perfect for reading together during the festive holiday season.

My thoughts:  
The Veggies are putting on a talent show.  Little children (toddler aged) will enjoy the fun smiling vegetables and their talent show acts.  

The book ends with the Nativity scene to remind readers of the reason of the season and the joy we have because of Jesus.

Get this book if you or your child are fans of VeggieTales! 

You can find out more about this book at this link.

Next up I have The Story of Christmas by Patricia A. Pingry.  This is a board book as well.

About the book:
Discover the story of the first Christmas in this newly illustrated classic, perfect for little ones curious about the story behind their holiday celebrations.

Expertly crafted for the attention span of toddlers, this simple book tells the biblical story of Christmas—from the Annunciation to the birth of Jesus and the arrival of the wise men. The story also helps little listeners understand the connection between the first Christmas and today's celebrations and traditions. With bright illustrations and a toddler-friendly length of about 200 words, this book is an age-appropriate way to introduce the story of the Nativity. A perfect addition for Christmas stockings!

My thoughts:

This is a board book so it is appropriate for toddler age children.  The author connects the gifts we exchange to the gifts brought to Jesus.  I am not in 100% agreement on the accuracy of this telling of the Christmas story compared to the Bible.  But it is appropriate for toddlers.  It is short enough that it will hold their attention and it can lead to discussions with parents about baby Jesus.  I must emphasize this is a very basic telling of the Nativity Story.  

Find out more here.

I received these books from Hachette Group for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings! Bethany