Book: Lunch Notes to our children

Do you ever put notes in your child's lunch box?  I do from time to time for Caleb. During football season the past three years I'd write a note each Thursday. One year I put a joke in his lunch box.  That was fun as I would find them and do themes sometimes for a week.  

About the book:
Between school, extra-curricular activities, work, and countless other distractions, how can we fulfill our calling to not just raise “good kids” but raise followers of Christ? The reality is, sometimes it’s not easy to figure out how to regularly speak into our kids’ lives while leaning into our relationship through the process! In fun and simple ways, using the power of words, this book equips parents to connect with their child, while sowing God’s Word into them. It includes 10 biblically-based missional values crucial to teach children; concrete illustrations for speaking encouragement; 100+ ready-made notes; and blank notes.

My thoughts:The book Lunch Notes to our Children by Nicole M. Hewitt, PhD, is a great tool for parents to encourage their children while they are at school.  Each chapter has a different topic for parents to focus on in their notes. These include "Character and integrity matter," "Never doubt you are loved," "Emulate Jesus Christ ," and "Understand God has a purpose for your life."  The titles of all of the chapters actually spell LUNCH NOTES. (Loved that little touch!) The encouragement is practical for what our kids are facing and will hopefully encourage them to know they have parents who care and are praying for them during their school days.

I liked that this book has short, to-the-point chapters without a lot of fluff. Example notes that you can copy related to each topic are shared at the end of each chapter.  This book provides a very easy yet effective way for parents to encourage their children during the school day. 

I look forward to writing these notes for my son. As the new semester has started I have started including these with his lunch box. 

Find out more here.

I was provided a copy of this book from the BookCrash Reviewers program.  

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

Book: So Great a Love

Today I will share with you the book So Great a Love by Kristie Wilde.

About the book:

"Does God really love me?" This delightful children's book helps little ones understand how God loves them.

Each beautiful, engaging, two page spread is a full color illustration revealing a different aspect of God's love through a specific animal -- God protects you like a mama bear, He wants to cover you like a hen covers her chicks, etc.

The detailed illustrations go beyond the text and explore the animal in it's natural setting, encouraging imagination, exploration and conversation.

So Great a Love is the second book in the Joyful Creation series.

My thoughts:This is a sweet book to introduce your children to God's great love.  We all need reminders of how much He loves us and this book does a nice job illustrating His love. 

I particularly like that the author adds a page of verses at the end that show the Bible reference where each description of God's love comes from.  The text on each page is short which will keep the interest of young children.  The illustrations will be enjoyed by all.

This is another nice addition to your personal or church library. 

I reviewed another book by this same author in this series at this post.

I received a copy of this book for my honest review from the bookcrash Reviewers program. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings! 
  Bethany

Book: Angel on Assignment

About the book:
If your family loves the Elf on the Shelf and you want to keep the fun going, check out Angel on Assignment. It's a children's activity book that offers a Christian alternative to the elf, teaching children about the angels who watch over them, not just at Christmas but all year long.

My thoughts:

"Angels were there from the star to the stone,

When the greatest gift to the world was made known."

The title of this book intrigued me so I requested it for review.  We have never participated in "Elf on the Shelf" (that's another post for another day!), but I wanted to see what this "alternative" would be.  

I liked the rhyming text of the book, and the above line is my favorite.  I feel this book would be helpful to teach children about angels, their importance in the Bible, and their job in our lives today.  They aren't just cute figurines or decorations, but that they are real and have significance.   

In reading this book, I wasn't exactly clear how this is an alternative to the Elf on the Shelf.  It gives instructions at the end of the book on how to make your own angel at the back.  I believe it will cause families and children to think about ways that they can help others in their daily lives.  It is a nice book to read as a family.

I received a copy of this book through the BookCrash reviewer program for my honest review.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings! 
  Bethany

Children's book: Made for a Purpose

About the book:
A beautifully illustrated picture book, designed to be read to young children, inspiring inquisitive minds to think more deeply about the world around them from a Christian perspective. The simple text and detailed illustrations are windows into the world of each animal represented. Unique features of these animals are explained in the simplest way. God's wisdom and ingenuity is introduced, stimulating new thought processes in young minds, leading to exploration and discovery of their world, themselves and their God.

My thoughts:
This is the first book in a series called Joyful Creation by author Kristie Wilde.  It is filled with beautiful illustrations of nature and animals.  The text shows children how God made animals uniquely and with their own special design and purpose.  For example, He gave strong teeth to beavers and webbed feet to ducks.  This leads to show how He made each child too and with a special purpose!

The illustrations are so nice.

I think this book would be nice for a church or home library. It is appropriate for young children aged preschool--1st grade or so.

I was sent a copy of this book as part of the bookcrash reviewers program for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!
   Bethany

Courageous Jack

Does your child feel afraid to try new things? Does he worry about possible outcomes? Does she imagine how terrible something will be before it even happens? We all suffer from worry at some point in our lives, and children face worries too. These fears may seem silly to adults, but they are very real to the child experiencing them.

This book called Courageous Jack by Cheryl Colwell and illustrated by Brittany Harris will be useful for a parent to help a child deal with such fears.  Jack kicks his ball and does not want to go after it because of the fears he has of where his ball is and what he will come across while trying to retrieve it.

I think the fears Jack has are typical of many children.  They imagine so many things, and many times those things are not realistic but they feel very real to the child.  I would recommend reading this book to a child who is facing their own fears.  It would be great to open a discussion about fears and how to handle them.

A complimentary copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher through the BookCrash program. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

What a Bragger!

Today I want to share with you a children's book called What a Bragger!  It is by Lee Ann Mancini and illustrated by Dan Sharp.

About the book:
This book is the second in the Adventures of the Sea Kids series. Melissa Blowfish likes to brag that she can swim the fastest, climb the highest, and has the best of everything. Corey finds her crying in the sand box with her broken shovel, the only toy she had. They all chip in treasure coins for her birthday present. Melissa prays giving thanks to God for her friends and learns that true friendship is found in love.

My thoughts:
Melissa Blowfish brags all the time that how fast she can swim and how she has all the best stuff. Corey finds out though that she is not telling the truth and feels sorry for her.  Corey and the other fish join together for a special surprise for Melissa on her birthday.

This is a nice story with a good moral for young children.  Bragging is something common to kids (and adults too!) so they will be able to relate to Melissa Blowfish...they probably either know someone like her or act like her themselves.  I liked how Corey handled the bragger though and that the other fish did something nice for her.

I must say that I thought these ocean themed illustrations are just great!  The cover is so inviting, and all of the full page, brightly colored illustrations are wonderful throughout the book. The characters and their expressions are so well done too.  I think kids will really like these colorful pages as they listen to this story. The font is easy to read and a good size without distracting from the pictures.

I recommend this book for families with young children.

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Have a day of blessings!
 

The Littlest Christmas Kitten

The Littlest Christmas Kitten by Leona Novy Jackson is a children's book I'd like to share with you today.

About the book:
The Littlest Christmas Kitten colorfully portrays the events of that first Christmas when Jesus was born. It’s a story of how the lost is found in the midst of a miracle on a special night. On this most Holy Night there is an air of excitement as the animals in the barn move about restlessly. A mother cat is searching frantically for her little lost kitten, just as two strangers enter the stable.The story helps children gain a close-up, richer understanding of that Holy Night as they make a connection between Christmas and the cat family. Original full-color wood cut prints enhance the tale of the cats’ legacy as the story relates why cats’ purr on Christmas eve.

My thoughts:
This is a nice children's Christmas story.  Young children will like the cat characters and will easily be able to follow along with the Momma Cat looking for her missing kitten. The illustrations are nicely done. There are not many words on each page, making it appropriate for young children. Early readers could probably even read it themselves.  Also, at the end of the book is a listing of various Christmas symbols and their meanings.  I liked the layout and story of this  book. 

This book was sent to me for my honest review through the BookCrash Reviewers program.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Why Dogs Are...

Book Description:

God made dogs to be companions and helpers to humans, wrapping them up in a package of love, devotion, loyalty and fun. We can also learn important lessons from them. In this story about Brian, a dog teaches a very special child some very special lessons. Why Dogs Are was awarded a finalist medal in Spirituality by the Indie Book Awards 2014, and is proud to donate 100% of its net profits to charities that support animal pet therapy activity. 

My Thoughts:
This book was not what I expected when I read the book description. Obviously it is children's fiction, and the reason behind the story is great....a dog helping a boy who can't see or hear.  We all know dogs are wonderful, helpful companions. I liked that part of the story. However,  I did not agree with the way the author went about getting the dog to Brian and that because the dog did a good job God decided to send other dogs to earth. 

I do not like when fiction books take something about God or Heaven and make it appear as fact when it has no biblical basis. As my 10 year old said after he read the book, "they need to get their facts straight."  I would not recommend this book. 

I thought the illustrations were very nicely done and any child who likes dogs will enjoy looking at this book. 

Find out more about this book at this website.

Thank you to BookCrash for providing this book for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Purposeful Design

 

 



Have you ever paused to consider the vastness of this universe or the amazing design of the seasons we enjoy?  Has your mind ever pondered the instincts of salmon or the unique characteristics of the camel designed so perfectly for its habitat? 

In Purposeful Design Understanding the Creation by Jay Schabacker, you will catch a small glimpse of the amazing design of our Creator.  

This book goes through each day of creation and focuses on a different aspect of creation for each chapter.  The pictures are well done and fit so nicely with the text.  This is a coffee table size book in that it has large pages with detailed photos and some charts as well.

I read most of this book as I was sitting outside near a river on a cool day.  As I read I was aware of the beauty of my surroundings and the great care and design given by our Creator to this place we call our home.  I think sometimes we get busy and take for granted how things work, like the seasons and the location of the earth in comparison to the sun.  I was reminded of things I'd previously learned and gained new insight as well by reading this book.  I enjoyed reading this book and appreciate the reminder it has been to me of the beauty of the Creation around me and the way our Creator designed things so precisely and perfectly.   

Check out the website for the book at this link.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Have a day of blessings!

Living Victoriously in Christ

Living Victoriously in Christ Growing in Christ is a 30-day devotional.

These devotions are written by two women, Cindy Cross and Lisa Vanderbilt. The short one to two page devotionals are each followed by questions to ponder, a Bible verse and a prayer.

What I like about these devotionals is they are quick to read, yet each one makes a powerful point about Christian living. You will be strengthened and encouraged as you read through this book. Also, I think that each one will give you much to consider for your own life and walk with Christ.  The authors take events from their daily lives as the basis for these devotional thoughts and then tie in supporting scripture references. 

If you are looking for a devotional book at the beginning of this new year, I recommend this one to you.

Thank you to Book Crash reviewer program for sending me this book for my honest review.

Have a day of blessings!
 

All-In2Night

If you are looking for a way to connect as a family and teach your children valuable lessons for life, you should check out the book All-In2Night by Lynne Burgess. 

This is a follow-up book to the original book All-In Night.  The idea is that a family chooses one night a week where everyone is at home, and they do a lesson/activity together.  These center around the meal table and are about 15-20 minutes each. They are not long or difficult to prepare.  This book has a few introductory chapters to let the reader get to know the author which is followed by 40 activities, one for each week during the school year.  Each week has a topic, purpose, and an idea including examples of how to present the topic plus an idea of something to do related to that topic over the next week.  Some topics include courage, wisdom, recycling, loneliness, enthusiasm, and priorities.

I enjoyed reading this book and the ideas presented.  I like the message behind the book of the importance of making it a priority to be together as a family and teaching these important values to our children through this weekly time together.  I appreciated the background information the author shared about her life and her struggles as a Mom.  Nothing about the ideas took a lot of prep time or materials, so I think this is something that any family could easily incorporate into their regular life without much difficulty and would see valuable results.  As parents we need to train and teach our children so when they do face struggles they will have some experience in how to deal with these things.   

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Have a day of blessings!

The Journal

I have finished reading The Journal by Beth Harlow. 

A young woman gives a journal to her fiancé in 1861 before he leaves for war.  The book ends up getting passed around to many men, back and forth between both sides of the line. As it gets passed around, the new writer reads the previous entries.   It is based on real battles,  but the other characters are fictional.   

I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this book, but I really did.  It was very interesting to me to read the thoughts and feelings of these young men during the Civil War.  It gave me a new perspective to see how those young soldiers felt as they were in the middle of the battle and missing family and home.  Also they all had different views of God and had different relationships with God.   I liked the way the author set up this book to be written from so many different soldiers at different places in their lives and how they could learn from each other when they reread the previous entries.  Each character’s writing is dated and divided by a swirly line.   It was easy enough to follow, but it might have been easier if the writers could have signed their entries.
 
This was a quick read, and I recommend that you check it out yourself.  You can buy it here.

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy to me for my review through the Bookcrash review program. 

 Have a day of blessings!