Once Upon a Storyville

God’s Promises for Girls is a lovely little book that is perfect for gift giving.  The book is divided up into sections which allows the reader to use the book as a reference in seeking support/reassurance about a specific situation (feeling lonely, angry, guilty,etc.), or it could be used as a devotional guide that is read from beginning to end.

Each section includes a darling, colorful picture, a short poem,  and  Biblical truths.  The International Children’s Bible was selected for the scripture used.  All verses are easy to read and understand.  This book is an outstanding tool to help share God’s love with a special little girl in your life.

While this complimentary book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers, no other compensation was given.  All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.

Bible Jumble for Kids is a cute little game book.  It is filled with jumble puzzles that reinforce the names and key concepts of  Old and New Testament Bible stories.   Most of the jumble puzzles within the book are five or six words that are scrambled and need to be placed in proper order.  The slot for each unscrambled word includes one circled spot.  The letters that fall into the circles ultimately spell out another word that is linked to the Bible story.

This book would make a great little gift for a child between the ages of 8 to 12.

While this complimentary book was provided for review by Tyndale House Publishers, no other compensation was given.  All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.

After so enjoying The Clever Stick, I was eager to read another book by John Lechner.  A Froggy Fable is a delight.  Froggy is happy and content living a simple life.  Soon things began to change, from otters moving into the pond and splashing to noisy blue jays in the trees overhead, and Froggy is very dismayed.  Things go from bad to worse for Froggy when he is captured by a little boy and placed in a jar.  Ultimately he escapes from the jar and after weeks of searching finds his pond home again.  After his adventures his outlook about change has been altered.

Although written in a simple manner with cartoonish illustrations, do not be deceived into thinking this is a simple book.  It contains a big message which has been presented in a highly appealing and engaging manner.  It would make a superb read aloud for a wide variety of age groups.

Peter H. Reynolds is one of my all time favorite authors.  His books always appear simple but supply BIG messages.  Rose’s Garden takes the reader on a fantastical journey around the world with Rose and her vehicle of choice – a magical teapot.  While on her travels, Rose gathers seed from each locale.  She finally finds a special patch of land that needs a bit of color, but before she can begin the transformation process with the help of her seed collection, some hungry birds eat all but a few of her seeds.  Determined to see her plan through, she plants her remaining seeds.  Ultimately her seeds coupled with some extra special flowers presented to Rose by the neighborhood children turn the barren patch of land into a beautiful garden.  Rose’s Garden is a very sweet story that highlights the powers of faith and determination.

Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli is quite simply a fun book.  The illustrations are bold and colorful and all the monsters are drawn in a whimsical manner that reminds me of Sesame Street friends like Elmo and Cookie Monster.  They were instantly loved by our daughter!

The rhyming text is clever and works well with the bright, engaging illustrations.  It seems that monsters are willing to eat just about anything (boulders, tractors,  ships, trees)  with the exception of broccoli, but surprises await the monsters as well as the reader is this light-hearted, engaging tale.

The Flowering Cross was a very quick favorite for our daughter.  As soon as I finished reading it she wanted me to read it again!  It is a touching Easter story which focuses on the transformational power of God’s love.

Katie is a six year old little girl who truly loves God.  She displays her unconditional love and kindness to her neighbor Jack who is known throughout the neighborhood for being “mean”.  Soon her kindness not only brings out  kindness and gentleness in Jack but also a willingness to accept God’s love.

The illustrations in this book are amazing.  They bring the story to life with the use of vivid color and detail.  They truly enhance the story for the reader.

Bible verses as well as faith imprints which include discussion starters are found throughout the book and provide a terrific addition to the story.  Additionally, directions on how to create a flowering cross are also included at the end of the story.  This was particularly appreciated by this reader since our daughter’s second comment after asking me read the story again was a request for us to make a flowering cross!

While this complimentary book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers, no other compensation was given.  All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.

Willow is a terrific book!  It reminds the reader of the importance of creativity and kindness.  Willow is a sweet-spirited little girl with an amazing degree of creativity.  She finds herself in art class with Miss Hawthorn a teacher who demands that all trees look the same.  When Willow attempts to utilize her creativity in her assignments, the art teacher will have none of it and remarks that she is a “horrid little girl…”.

When Christmas arrives the only student who gives Miss Hawthorn a gift is Willow, and it is not just any gift.  Willow gives her beloved art book to her.  This act of kindness serves as the catalyst to Miss Hawthorn’s transformation.  She starts with doodling and then begins to paint.  When the students come back to school in January, their art room and teacher have truly changed.

There is power in kindness and creativity!