Written Windows

My Body Belongs to Me guest book review

2011-06-14T16:00:00.005-05:00

I love having close friends in which I trust very much in literature they choose for their children. My friend Mir has recently been reading a lot about sexual abuse with children and her desire to train her children what to do is very pressing. Anyway, she found this book, My Body Belongs to Me by Jill Starishevsky that she reviews on her blog HERE and I wanted to share it. This issue is very touchy and I am constantly saddened that it even has to be brought up but alas, sin is in the world and we must teach and train our children how to deal with it and avoid it. Hope this resource is helpful, I look forward to getting this book upon her recommendation too so I can better prepare my children against such horrible activities.

Summer Suggestions: Audio Books

2011-05-26T15:41:00.007-05:00

Dear Readers,

As summer approaches quickly - yes, despite the cooler temps and horrible storms your children are finishing up school in the next few weeks and are going to have so much time on their hands! I hope you as a family will get to "get away" even if it is a simple vacation of tent camping and roughing it a bit. The weeks my family took off are some of the most blessed memories I have from my childhood.

As I am constantly looking for new books to review I am also told of some books and also of resources, a few resources I would like to direct your attention to. Under Book Resources I have added a few links to some sites with children's audio books. These are sites either I have used or trusted friends have used. I know there are many computer savy kids out there and I-pods and Kindle readers are coming more readily available to the world. Audio books are a great way for children who struggle with reading, who cannot read yet or just enjoy some listening time to enjoy some classic or fun literature. Interesting idea: my friend allows her girls, 5 1/2 and 4 to listen to audio books during a rest period at their house.

Audible.com has a huge library of audio books and a whole section of children's literature. I do not recommend every title so you as the parent will have to use discretion but they do have a huge selection.
Christian Audio.com is just that a source of Christian literature for all ages, including children. They do range from liberal Christian theology to conservative so once again, use discretion. If you sign up for their e-mails though, once a month they will send you a free audio book offer (I don't get junk mail from them either). I was able to download Pilgrim's Progress and a few other books from them for free!
Blue Behemoth.com has a smaller selection but they sell more conservative Christian audio books than the above mentioned site. My friend Angela has told me also that sometimes they have free audio book sections of the Jonathan Park adventure series so that is something to check into.

Audio books many times are very reasonable in price and they are easy to access once they are downloaded to your computer. Libraries are still open during the summer so they are still a great resource (some libraries also have audio books you can borrow!) but if your child likes the world of technology, try an audio book this summer.

Miss malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind by Finchler & O'Malley

2011-05-26T15:23:00.002-05:00

The benefits of reading and opening a child's mind to the written page are endless because as a child reads their play, imagination and intellect can grow endlessly. Granted we should be careful what we let our children read but reading is so valuable.

In this book this teacher is on a mission, to find a book that each student with love! Oh, the end goal is to read over 1,000 books as a school and send the principle to sleep on the roof with purple hair. Pretty good incentive I guess. :) One book after another is placed before each of her students but one boy is not impressed. Entertainment to him is video games, and no book can draw him in. Not giving up the teacher keeps learning more and more about him and finally the night before the deadline she finds a book and he likes it enough to read it.

I am glad for this teacher's persistence but as a parent I have to wonder about this boy's parents that they let him play these mindless games so much that he has never found a book at his age he really likes. Come on! Currently my daughter is head over heels in love with any book that has princesses, fairies and sparkles - not my fave but I still read them with enthusiasm, my son loves tractors, cars, stories with adventure!

I like the emphasis on this book and getting kids to read but it is not a book I would ever read again because it saddens me so much. I hope this book with challenge every parents to turn off the tube and help their child find a book to dig into this summer!

The Rusty, Trusty Tractor by Joy Cowley

2011-05-26T15:06:00.003-05:00

Sometimes new is not always best and this book is a good reality check for this little boy and the pushy salesman. This farmer has had this tractor since his old plow horse passed on and although it has been putting in many years this boy's grandfather knows how to keep it going. When the local tractor salesman gives a bet that it won't last the season everything seems to be on the line - will the storms destroy the crop? can that tractor pull the baler?

I love at the end, when all the bales of hay are safe and sound that the sheepish salesman comes to deem grandfather the winner of the bet - yummy jelly donuts are the prize. What tops the end off though is how the tractor ends up pulling the salesman's car out of the mud when it gets stuck! My son really enjoyed this book and we read it several times.

Vroomaloom Zoom by John Coy

2011-05-23T15:44:00.004-05:00

This book I had issue with and maybe I am not understanding the author but truly the little girl in this book is too pampered and disobedient and the father too willing to do this child's every whim.

She won't/can't go to sleep the book tells us so her father piles her in the car and drives her all over kingdom come. Why not just tell this girl a goodnight story, kiss her and put her to bed. My kids and I talked about how she was not going to sleep like she was supposed too. If my kids notice disobedience there are even more red flags for me, I would never read this one again to them.

The rhythm of the book is lacking too I felt and although this author has quite the imagination it is too far fetched for me.

Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert

2011-05-23T15:34:00.003-05:00

This sneaky cat has plans for birds for lunch but each bird in the yard is too quick and evades him. This book is told my his master who is trying to catch this cat who has run out of the house, describing the birds and their get-a-way. All this cat is getting is feathers for lunch.

Simplistic story for sure but very vivid pictures of the birds as they, maybe you could say, taunt this sassy cat.

Birds by Kevin Henkes

2011-05-23T15:23:00.004-05:00

This book about birds was simple but neat. All from a little girl's perspective who is observing them. It talks about the colors of birds and different size birds but the thing I really loved about birds is when she imagines what the sky might look like if bird's tails could paint or what the clouds would look like as birds. Those pages in particular caught me off guard and struck me as not the normal bird book even though many elements were normal. It was a fun read with my kids and the pictures are very bright and colorful.

The Giraffe Numbers Book

2011-05-03T19:17:00.006-05:00

I love these giraffes! These giraffes have great personality to get to know while learning to count to 20. I really thought they were quite cute and the rhymes fit well. My only critique with this counting book is with the rhyme for 7 - I hate how everyone uses heaven to rhyme with 7 and makes fun of it. 7 also rhymes with leaven. Also 16 is rhymed with halloween, a holiday I don't celebrate at all because of its Satanic origins and darkness. Submarine ryhmes just as well and that would have been cute without pushing a questionable holiday. Overall though very cute book.

Gone With the Wand by Margie Palatini

2011-03-15T15:49:00.004-05:00

What is a world famous fairy godmother to do when her wand stops working??? This book is an interesting concept, Palatini has quite the imagination.

The fairy godmother needs a new gig, her wand doesn't work anymore. Her tooth fairy friend helps her try lots of different ideas and finally she finds her niche tucking children in. Sweet book, like I said, the author has a very active imagination and overall the story is cute.

Tea for Ruby by Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York

2011-03-15T15:35:00.004-05:00

Ruby has received an invitation from the Queen to have tea with her but oh she has much to work on before she can go. She must practice her manners, make sure she looks nice, walks nice, talks nice...when she goes to have tea with the queen.

When the day finally comes she is dropped off at the address, only to find out the "queen" is really grandma. They have a lovely tea party.

It is an ok book, illustrations are done by same illustrator that does Fancy Nancy. I wasn't totally sure of her point in writing this book. Obviously Ruby has a lot to work on to become proper but the book doesn't really show her working on it, just how much she has failed in these areas. Maybe a book with a little more guidence on how to get ready for her royal visit might have been a bit better. My almost 5 year old daughter though loved all the illustrations but she also loves Fancy Nancy - so whimsical and girlish - bling and all. :)

The Twelve Dancing Princesses by The Brothers Grimm

2011-03-15T15:08:00.007-05:00

The king has his hands full with 12 naughty daughters. Every night through a secret portal in their room they sneak off to dance the night away with handsome princes. The king tries desperately to figure out where they go but to no avail. He then sends a decree to all men in his kingdom that whoever could figure out his daughter's secret in 3 days could pick on to be his wife.

A soldier returning to the kingdom passes by an old woman's house and tells her that he is on his way to see if he can solve the princesses' mystery. She gives him a cloak that will make him invisible and warns him not to drink anything the girls give him. When he enters the princesses' room they offer him drink but he secretly pours it into a sponge under his chin. He is able to follow them for all three nights into the secret world and collects leaves of gold silver and diamonds for proof to the king of his findings.

When he reveals to the king of his daughter's secret and shows the king his findings the king offers to the soldier any of the daughters to be his wife. He chooses the eldest and she accepts seeing he was no fool.

I really enjoy this story, especially more of The Brothers Grimm's version. There is a Barbie movie version of it and while cute I really like the original version better.

How the Cat Swallowed Thunder by Lloyd Alexander

2011-03-03T13:58:00.003-06:00

Cat has never purred and is a very naughty, always into something bad but Mother Holly must go out and get some errands done. Cat is given strick orders of the things he is to get done and Mother Holly leaves. Sneaky Cat decides not to do as he is told and ends up making a mess. Frantic to clean up his mess he ends up doing all the chores Mother Holly required of him fearful of her last warning to him that worse will come to him if he did not get those things done.

At last the house is clean and Mother Holly is walking in to inspect. Cat sees one last piece of thunder making corn on the ground and puts it in his mouth, eventually swallowing it. As the story goes, this is how cats get their purr.

Interesting story plot, I have never heard anyone try to explain a cat's purr to me before. I am not sure though that it has the plot to become a classic. Overall an ok book but I would never buy it or check it out from a library again.

A Special Day for Mommy by dan Andreasen

2011-03-03T13:47:00.004-06:00

Cute illustrations this little piggy is setting out to make a special day for her mommy. All heart has to be appreciated here. Cereal is served as breakfast in bed but milk covers the floor, she makes a card, but glue is dripping everywhere. Pulled daffodils, toilet paper for a bow and jelly all over - this mother has a busy day cleaning up after her little ones efforts to make her day special.

As I was reading this book my almost 5 year old's remark was, 'but mommy, she is spilling things everywhere and making work for her mommy'... I had to agree, sometimes there must be some training involved with heart.

This is a cute book, sweet pictures and wonderful concept but I think rather misleading. Maybe this should be a book to be read to moms thanking them for all they do. I think it borders on the line of giving kids the idea that they can make a mess and get away with it. Maybe I am being to critical but I don't care for books that teach a concept without character. What would have been so hard with making the little piggy walk slowly to the bed or cleaning up her mess? Did the glue have to pour onto the floor - couldn't the pig have seen that and cleaned it up?

Overall it is an ok book but not one I would spend money on.

Heaven Is Having You by Giles Andreae

2011-03-03T13:33:00.004-06:00

I think...I think, I know what this author is trying to communicate but really, comparing having a child to heaven? He has no concept of what Heaven really is. It is sad. The author tries to answer this little bears question when the bear says 'he is heaven to have'.

"It is not all that easy to tell you, Because heaven is so many things." and then the author continues to explain heaven as all the things around us in this world. "Chasing you around the garden...shriek with delight." This is so far off from what the Bible says, I stopped reading the book to my kids and had to tell them, "I am sorry, I will not read any more of this book to you because it does not line up with what the Bible tells us about Heaven."

I like fanciful thinking, cute sentiments and imagination but this book crosses the line to theological error and I give it a very poor review.

I do think however that the illustrator should find a different author to join with because the bears in this are absolutely adorable and with a different story line would make a wonderful book for families to share with their children.

Rude Giants by Audrey Wood

2011-02-26T21:51:00.003-06:00

Rude Giants by Audrey Wood was read to us at a library reading time and I wanted to share it with you.

Beatrix, the butter maid and Gerta her cow live a very happy and peaceful life. Exchanging their best to make the other happy. One day two rude giants move into the nearby castle and begin causing havoc on the town. Life must go on but one day they decided Gerta looks good enough for a meal and they steal her. Beatrix hangs onto a shoe and follows her beloved cow to the table of the giants where she begins to beg for the cows life. The giants rudeness is undetered so she comes up with a plan - to teach them manners, promising the cow would taste better with those. After she has them clean their messy castle, learn to say please and thank you and make themselves beautiful they cannot in right conscience eat her cow. What are two hungry giants to do? Beatrix has the village people come and each person bring a pot to share - everyone eats their fill and the giants have made many new friends.

When the giants have a son who is illmannered and misbehaving, who do they send him to but the finest manner teachers in the land, Beatrix the butter maid and Gerta her cow.

Neat story reinforcing the importance of manners and that stealing is wrong. I was glad to have my kids hear the story, since it includes picking up after themselves is good manners. The giants appearance was certainly a little crazy but overall a good read.

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood

2011-02-26T21:42:00.005-06:00

Come and get all clean with King Bidgood, he truly loves his bathtime. Problems arise though when King Bidgood won't come out of the tub! The court thinks hard to lure him out but hilarious happenings come about because the king won't come out! How about battling in the bath, or lunch in the bath, fishing anyone? At the end, the page has the idea that works - he pulls the plug!

This book has really nice rythme and hilarious pictures. I was introduced to this at a libaray reading time and couldn't get enough of the pictures. All the kids thought it was hilarious that the king's bathtub was turned into a pond so he could go fishing there - turtles and all.

Edward Tall & Teddy Small - Opposites by John Patience

2011-02-26T21:28:00.004-06:00

These pop-up books really do a great job making the characters pop. The colors are vibrant, content is challenging due to the pop outs and the characters are super cute. My 3 year old loves just looking through these. I think sometimes he just wants to reach out and pick up say, a block and stack it. :) Would not recommend for young toddlers.

Edward Tall & Teddy Small - Counting by John Patience

2011-02-26T21:22:00.003-06:00

Just had to share more of these books with you, here is the counting one - just adorable. The pop-out effect really makes counting a challenge for my 3 year old but the colors, illustrations kept him looking through it for a while. Would not recommend for young toddlers as the pages would be easy to tear.

Edward Tall & Teddy Small - Shapes & Colors - Patience

2011-02-26T21:13:00.004-06:00

These are such cute pop-up books! My 3 year old especially loved looking at the pages - the colors are vibrant and it was fun asking him, what things are a circle. A circle might be in the pop out which makes searching for them with the dimensions a little more challenging sometimes. I wouldn't recommend them for small toddlers as the pop outs would get torn.

Souperchicken by Mary Jane & Herm Auch

2011-02-10T13:48:00.006-06:00

Have an Eggstraspecial time reading this book called Souperchicken. Henrietta the chicken learned to read and loves to read. In fact she spends so much time reading that she doesn't lay any eggs. Her aunties think she is foolish for her reading past time but when a chicken noodle soup company comes to make them into soup Henrietta's reading ability comes in very valuable. She saves pigs and cows and her aunties all from becoming meals and they find a delightful home with a vegetarian at the end.

I am not a vegetarian by any means nor am I endorsing this dietary type (nor am I saying it is not a good diet if done with balance) but this book is just hilarious and I love how it shows the importance for reading. The humor in the book made my husband and I laugh as we read the book - although its corniness went right over the kid's heads. When the men are loading the hens on the truck there is a lot of it: I hope she "rices to the occation", and telling the chickens to "simmer down".

I would recommend this book because it teaches, in a humorous way, the importance of learning to read and gives the message that there are benefits to reading. The illustrations are really fun and as I said already, parents especially will get a good laugh as you spend time with your kids.

Rub-a-Dub Sub - Linda Ashman

2011-02-03T19:40:00.004-06:00

I have been really impressed with the author Linda Ashman as I have just discovered her books. Rub-a-Dub Sub captures the imagination of a child so well as this little boy plays in his bathtub. Dive deeper and deeper into the ocean, meeting lots of new sea creatures until, the fun rhyming leads to a shark which makes the little submarine zoom up to the surface past all of the creatures, back to the safety of his tub. The rhyming and rhythm is so much fun and the illustrations are very colorful and creative. I read this one several times with my kids today, they just loved it!

Stella, Unleashed - Notes From The Doghouse - Linda Ashman

2011-02-03T19:22:00.007-06:00

Linda Ashman has written an incredible book here, Stella, Unleashed - Notes From The Doghouse. The way she captures the things we love and dislike about dogs in reverse - from a dog's perspective of what they love and dislike. Stella, a pound puppy who finally finds her family, gets the perfect name, meets all the personalities of her new family and has lots of activities in life. All are captured perfectly in poem format, great rhyming and rhythm and absolutely hilarious.

The whole book flows so well with the poetry and the illustrations add perfectly to what this dog thinks about her humans. Here is a short clip

"You placed the steak on the table's edge,

then walked out of the room.

There's no one here except for me.

What else would I assume?"

My Race Car - Michael Rex

2010-12-08T13:00:00.003-06:00

My son found this book (My Race Car by Michael Rex) at a friends house and just loved it! Jump inside and drive off with imagination. I love the illustrations and the details included were just enough to hold my 3 year olds attention but a 5 year old might enjoy this one too. I love how he emphasizes that a racing crew works as a team and they all win the trophy. In the end this book brings imagination home as you see this little boy sipping his milk shake in his room with his toy cars and race track.

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg

2010-12-01T11:43:00.003-06:00

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg is inspirational I think. Watch the video linked to the title of the book, it has truly used everyday "oops" and mistakes and turned them into art. I saw this advertised in Parenting and it caught my attention. They reviewed it as "to everything, there is a purpose - even coffee stains." While not a story to treasure forever it really does give a neat perspective on things that otherwise may make tears arise or make it to the trash can. Parents, me included, always need help looking at our everyday and realizing that life is short and should be made the most of. Amazon sells it for a little over $8 - link here.

Once I Ate a Pie - MacLachlan & Charest

2010-07-26T09:22:00.008-05:00

Once I Ate a Pie is the perfect coffee table book for dog lovers and a great taste for your little ones in good descriptive poetry. The illustrations really capture different breeds and types of dogs in a really unique way.

"Puppy:

The World is big.

Trees too tall.

Sky too high.

Snow over my head..."

This mother and daughter have captured the personalities with such descriptive words and they have named each dog with such creative names that add to the book's personality. So come on and meet Wupsi, Mr. Beefy, Pocket, Sugar and many more loveable puppies. I love this book, it is well written, well illustrated and would be a great introduction to poetry for your little ones or a good resource of well done poetry for older children.

Thanks Emily for sharing this one with me!!!

I Love Bugs! by Emma Dodd

2010-05-18T18:44:00.006-05:00

My friend Angela just shared with me this fun book that is sure to please your boys and tomboy girls. :) My son asked me to read it 3 times straight because he liked it so much!

Which bugs do your kids like the best? Explore with your kids in this descriptive book many types of bugs with lots of adjectives describing bugs. Colorful pictures and catchy words make I Love Bugs! a super fun read!

God's Wisdom for Little Girls - Elizabeth George

2010-04-27T20:35:00.006-05:00

Guest post by my good friend Miranda:

God's Wisdom For Little Girls
Elizabeth George

God's Wisdom For Little Girls explains Proverbs 31 in understandable character qualities for girls. Each page begins with "God's Little Girl is..." and lists a character quality and a short rhyme about that quality, along with the corresponding verse in Proverbs 31. For instance "God's Little Girl is Caring." explains the verse Proverbs 31:20 -- "She welcomes the poor. She helps the needy." The only caveat I have is that a few of the qualities aren't the best match for the verse listed (e.g. "artistic: is paired with verse 24, but I don't believe that's really a character issue so much as a matter of personality.)

I love that this book applies Proverbs 31 to young girls, instead of just keeping it for those of us who are already married (as the Proverb generally refers to the woman with a wife and family.) In the larger scope of things, it teaches that all of the Bible applies to all of us. Specifically, the book helps distill the verses into simple concepts that young children can understand, and should be learning anyway. I would like my daughter to learn this Proverb when she is young, and this book seems like it will be a wonderful help in explaining and applying these verses directly to her life.

Note from LeAnna:
After reading my friend's review I am so excited to get this book and read it with my daughter. Hey, I can read it with my son too in helping him to develop a taste for a godly woman to look for when he grows up.

The New Answers - Book# 1, 2 - Ken Ham

2010-04-09T22:33:00.003-05:00

Answers In Genesis has such a neat ministry, helping to answer hard questions about Creation and God. We just recently purchased these books in order to have some resources to help us and our children be better equipped to understand life biblically. They have just come out with Book #3 I heard, haven't been able to review it but I am sure it is just as thorough. These books are written based on the many questions they get to their organization about some very hard topics sometimes. These are not a book to read to your 2 year old but your 14 year old would probably really enjoy them. Click here to check out the AnswersInGenesis book store.

Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash - Sarah Weeks

2010-04-09T22:30:00.004-05:00

Mrs. McNosh gets a little carried away on wash day hanging up everything in her home basically and then in the end, she hangs herself up in a nice lawn chair to rest. Very silly book, cute rhymes and fun pictures.

Picnic - Emily Arnold McCully

2010-04-09T22:26:00.004-05:00

Love the illustrations, thought the storyline was weak. Basically these mice are going out for a picnic, baby mouse falls off the truck on the way and nobody notices. The mice family has a grand time till they notice that baby mouse is gone, meanwhile baby mouse is pigging out on the berries around it. They find each other and all is good. That is the extent of the book, very cute illustrations but very poor storyline.

What a Treasure! - Jane & Will Hillenbrand

2010-04-09T22:17:00.004-05:00

Little mole has set off with his shovel to find treasure, what will he find? It seems all he finds is treasure for others but in the end he finds one of the best treasures of all, a friend! Very bright pictures, very cute but short story. I thought despite the short story this book did a good job in getting across a theme of giving and how important a friend is. Sweet story.

The Winter Visitors - Karel Hayes

2010-04-09T22:00:00.004-05:00

Ever wonder what happens at abondoned summer cabins during the winter? With lots of just pictures this book tells a fun story about the summer visitors - humans, come and enjoy their time and then shows them packing to leave... and then the winter visitors arrive - bears. With all sorts of fun activities, sledding in the canoe, a nice New Years Eve party with their friends the foxes, chipmunks and others. When winter is coming to an end, the bear family cleans up and leaves just in time for the summer family to come and stay.

There are a few hidden little story lines in the pictures which make it even more fun to read over again. My kids and I really enjoyed this book and recommend it as a fun book to read! :)

The Old Ladies Who Liked Cats - Carol Greene

2010-04-07T22:35:00.004-05:00

These old ladies liked cats and they knew their cats had purpose. Without their cats, the mice would eat the honeycombs and the bees would stop making honey from the sweet clover and the cows milk would turn sour from the unhealthy clover and the soldiers would grow weak from not getting good milk and then...there could be trouble.
One night, the mayor was our walking and tripped on one of their cats. In his pride he bans cats from being out at night - that's when the trouble began. As the system broke down the soldiers in the end became weak and one night, bad men took over the land. What was to be done? The ladies took charge and had the mayor change the law and soon the soldiers were getting good milk because the clover was thick and healthy because the mice weren't eating the bees honeycomb because the cats had chased them all away. The heros were made when the bad men are run off but the true heros were seen as the Old Ladies Who Liked Cats.

The Purple Coat by Amy Hest

2010-04-07T22:31:00.003-05:00

Gabrielle wanted a different type of coat but she had always gotten the same type all her life. Her mother and grandfather tried to dissuade her but no, not blue, she wanted a purple coat. Finally a compromise was made and a reversable coat was made.

Cute book, I was reading it thinking I had read the story sometime as a child but then I looked at the front cover and remembered no, I heard it read on Reading Rainbow! I don't like their rocky music now in their introduction but the impact that all the books that show had on sharing with me is amazing to think about.

Fancy Nancy

2010-04-07T22:20:00.005-05:00

I was a little apprehensive about Fancy Nancy since I heard about her about the same time I heard about Gigi the little princess - which I didn't like. Alas I was judgemental on a book I hadn't reviewed. I met a new friend recently who had these two books and I asked her what she thought. She loved them and let me look and read these while I was there.

For those who don't know, Fancy Nancy is a sweet girl who loves big words and likes to explain big words too but in a cool and fancy way. Each book I got to review was laided out a little differently but they have neat illustrations, Nancy exhibits respectable character throughout the books and fun humor. These books are very clean and I am going to start looking for more Fancy Nancy books for my daughter.

In the Rain with Baby Duck - Amy Hest

2010-04-07T22:13:00.004-05:00

Baby duck is on his way to see family but oh...it is raining and he does not like getting wet. His mommy and daddy are unsympathetic as they waddle through the rain - ducks are supposed to like rain after all. When little duck gets inside their destination his grandpa sees his sad face and promptly takes him to the attic where he gives baby duck his mommy's old rain gear. As his mommy starts to speak, grandpa duck reminds her that she too was once opposed to the rain.

A fun book to read but it was a good reminder to me to make sure I am putting myself into my kids shoes and remembering how simply I saw the world, how somethings were scary or funny or sad. The illustrations are so very cute too as you especially watch the grown ups faces and their responses to baby duck's new gear.

When You Were Inside Mommy - Joanna Cole

2010-04-07T22:03:00.004-05:00

This is a touchy subject that a lot of parents go into with nervous minds, just wanting to get it over with. I got to read this book and thought it did a good job explaining on a child's level about how a baby is born... Note: this does not touch on how the baby gets in there... The pictures were very discreet and I felt as a very conservative mom that it was ok to share with my kids. The picture of the delivery room below is the most graphic of all the pictures. Helping kids to realize that a baby is life before birth is very important in our world as many people care more about being selfish than recognizing that life starts at conception and is a blessing straight from God.

The Answers Book for Kids - Volumes 1-4 by Ken Ham with Cindy Malott

2010-04-07T21:45:00.006-05:00

Do your kids ask hard questions sometimes? Are the names of the animals the same ones Adam gave to them? What happened to the dinosaurs? Who was Cain's wife? and many more questions? These books aimed for ages 5-12 are great in explaining biblically the whys to some of these hard pressed questions. Each book covers a different range of questions and each has intriguing pictures with each question and answer. I really enjoyed reading these and it has equipped me in thinking through these questions from a simple yet biblical standpoint to help my kids better understand the world we live in past and present.

You can buy these resources at Answers In Genesis.org

Love Your Neighbor - Arthur Dobrin

2010-02-19T21:08:00.004-06:00

For being a story compilation of values and virtues, I was not impressed. With one swear word used in the start of one story and pictures like these two cats it was just not book I would recommend as one to help your children build character. The questions they asked at the end of the stories were more to see if your child was looking at the pictures, not thinking about the story or trying to impress a specific character trait home. I think there are much better books out there.

The Gift of Christmas - Jane Belk Moncure

2010-02-19T21:02:00.005-06:00

I love stories that cover the Christmas story but this is by far one of the best I have read. With great illustrations this book truly I felt followed the biblical Christmas story very well.

The Perfect Nest - Catherine Friend

2010-02-19T20:47:00.005-06:00

This cat is in search for the perfect omelet. So how do you get the perfect omelet but you make the perfect nest, lure the sucker chicken and grab the egg when she leaves, right? This cat had quite the surprise when not only a chicken but a duck and goose all claim the nest as their own and won't leave. What's a cat to do? He tries everything from calling "Fire!" and then he tells them there is another perfect nest in the barn nearby. Well, the greedy fowl all leave and he is left with three delightful looking eggs...until they hatch. Then he finds out the meaning of the perfect nest.

Truly a book with flamboyant characters and a great storyline.

Hairy Maclary SIT - Lynley Dodd

2010-01-05T13:35:00.004-06:00

Hairy Maclary needs some obedience training in this book. While beginning obedience school he is given the command to sit but instead begins a crew of naughty dogs loose in the park until they land splat in the pond.

I made sure to point out to my kids this is not an example of obedience and they both know that Hairy Maclary was being a naughty dog.

Schnitzel von Krumm Forget-Me-Not - Lynley Dodd

2010-01-05T13:28:00.004-06:00

The house of Schnitzel von Krumm is busy but he is not sure why, he is sniffing around and very underfoot. His family leaves not realizing they forgot to pack an important family member, Schnitzel von Krumm! The sweet neighbor though reunites the family with their pet for a happy ending!

Schnitzel von Krumm's Basketwork - Lynley Dodd

2010-01-05T13:12:00.006-06:00

Lynley Dodd's Schnitzel von Krumm's Basketwork is so worth owning. Schnitzel von Krumm loves his bed but his people don't. When his precious bed is replaced he is lost without it (oh and to see this dog mourn and try and find a replacement...). He is one sad puppy until his family finds a compromise that pleases everyone.

Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack - Lynley Dodd

2010-01-05T12:54:00.006-06:00

I can't believe I have never heard of these books, I found them on Amazon very easily but I had to go all the way to New Zealand to find out about them from a friend from South Africa...go figure. :) Thanks Penny! Her kids and my kids just loved these easy rhythm and rhyme stories of these sweet and mischievous dogs and cats. With names like Hairy Maclary and Schnitzel Von Krumm who wouldn't.

This book focuses on Hairy Maclary as he is napping and friend Zachary Quack insists on a game of hide and seek. Their friendship wins over a nap and Hairy Maclary gets more than he bargained for at times. In the end, these friends end their play with a nap. It is such a sweet book and the illustrations are great!

I highly recommend these books, Lynley Dodd has done such a great job! I will post the other books I have read of hers but I don't see where they might err, they all seem super cute and will make for a fun read with your children.

Actual Size - Jenkins

2009-12-01T23:09:00.007-06:00

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins is an awesome book! I got it at Kohls a few weeks ago, it was a part of their Kohls Cares for Kids program but from the previous promotion so it was discounted - I got it for $2.50! What a steal too, this book is well worth it. As the name aptly puts it, everything in the book is actual size, from the Gorilla's hand to the tiny Goby Fish this book has done a great job helping kids to understand how big or small some animals really are. Every picture is a picture of his paper art and has wonderful details. My kids love putting their faces next to the Alaskan Brown Bear or their hands on the Goliath Tarantula. In the back section of the book there is information and a full picture of all the animals shown in the book.

Love this book and highly recommend it!

Colors and Shapes - From the Rhythm & Rhyme

2009-11-27T12:28:00.006-06:00

Here is a neat book I just got to review, a friend of mine got this at a Sam's Club a while ago. I found it here on Amazon. I did not get to review the CD but the book is great! Cute little poems helping kids to understand colors and shapes. Here are a few samples of the pages and what you can expect with this book. I really like how they have the colors on the top of the page - that is really helpful and all the colors are vibrant and distinct.

God Made Them All - Carlson

2009-11-17T17:29:00.005-06:00

A great rhyming book about the animals God has made, colorful pictures and good rhythm. I got to read this book at a friend's house recently and really enjoyed reading it over and over to my kids. :)

1001 Things to Spot - Usborne Books

2009-10-27T23:33:00.004-05:00

I have pretty much always loved Usbornes young readers books and these I had never heard of. Created for your young child, these books reinforce number recognition, and early reading. In each book there are pages of bright pictures of animals, things and places. Around each picture is a border indicating certain things to look for with the number of how many there are to look for. I got to review 1001 Animals to Spot and 1001 Things to Spot in the Sea with a 5, 3 and 2 year old and they all loved them and the 5 year old owned the book and had gone through them before... :) Just wanted to share these great resources with you, hope you enjoy!

I spy A to Z - A Book of Picture Riddles

2009-10-27T23:21:00.005-05:00

My mom just bought this book for our son's number 2 birthday, Happy Birthday buddy! I have flipped through these books before, tried to win one on a bloggy giveaway before but never bought one of these in this I Spy series. There is so much to see in these books and the riddles are just the start. This one is meant for beginners so in every riddle there are pictures of what they are to find. I was surprised, my now 2 year old son was sitting down and finding small to big things on the pages, he loved it! They have a whole list of different I Spy books on the back of this one, we will be looking into more. :)

Go here to http://www.scholastic.com/ispy/ check out their online I Spy fun activities and suggestions. I was really excited after looking under the MAKE button. :) They give suggestions on how you can make your own I Spy pages online and at home!

The Hat - Tomi Ungerer

2009-10-27T23:12:00.003-05:00

When a wind whips a handsome black hat from the head of a rich man it takes a trip to spread good fortune for one unlucky soul: Benito Badoglio, a penniless veteran. As Benito was walking along, peg leg and all he is startled as the hat lands on his head. As he wears his new found treasure he is taken from poor to a life of splendor all because of the hat - he even finds love. As he ties the knot the hat, mission accomplished, hitches a ride on the wind...off to find a new head. :)

This is such a cute book, I really enjoyed the story's progression and illustrative pictures. The kids thought it was very cute!

Just In Case You Ever Wonder - Lucado

2009-10-27T23:00:00.003-05:00

Just in case you squeal with delight as you read the author of this book I suggest you read this review for your self first. As an early book he wrote it does not have the flow or creativity that I feel his books have now. It starts out in one area and then ends up in another totally different topic which to me was confusing to read, hence the comment about the flow of the book.

My main critic of this book is this, he says a phrase that to a child with a rough background or one struggling through a family crisis would really be shaken up thinking that God didn't think they were special. Here is the phrase:

"And since you are so special, God wanted to put you in just the right home...where you would be warm when it's cold, where you'd be safe when you're afraid, where you'd have fun and learn about heaven. So, after lots of looking for just the right family, God sent you to me. And I'm so glad He did."

At first it sounded ok to me, a little off but plausible. I read it again as I always do if something hits me funny and I quickly was shocked to think about the hurt it could bring into a child's life who had gone through a divorce or loss of parents. He states this as if when God was looking for the right family he messed up - I mean, think about how a child could take this. Lucado is not that old to be out of an age where divorce was not an issue or even death.

I am here to say, there are more comforting books to read to kids about how much God loves them than this one and maybe that is why I never heard of it, people just didn't appreciate the seclusion of love from God to children with nice happy homes. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world..."

The Princess and the Three Knights - Karen Kingsbury

2009-09-17T00:55:00.004-05:00

Karen Kingsbury does a wonderful job in this book illustrating true love. The king is in search for a husband for his beautiful daughter, the whole kingdom adores her beauty that is shown from without but all know it is really within. The king poses a series of tests of the knights of the kingdom to participate in, loyalty, bravery are all parts and in the end, 3 knights remain. The king is suspicious of 2 and unsure of the 3rd. The last test is to pretend you are on a ride with the princess, see how close you and your horse can take her to the edge of the great cliff...only one proves his love as he promises never to even put her in that situation.

This is a great princess book, I plan to get it for my daughter. I consider this book a quality princess book, not filling my daughter's head with, trust in her heart - which the Bible tells us, 'the heart is deceitfully wicked, who can know it'. This book definitely shows where true beauty comes from and what true love really is.

The illustrator has also done a splendid job, each page is just beautiful and tastefully fitted to the story.

The Toddler's Busy Book - Trish Kuffner

2009-09-15T23:52:00.004-05:00

I was so excited when my friend Mir showed this book to me that she had found at a garage sale! What an awesome resource that I just had to recommend to you all! Kuffner really has done a great job categorizing activities and has compiled a great list of them too! We travel a lot and there is a whole section on how to keep your kids active in the car and while traveling. If you are looking for ideas for winter, traveling, summer twists and lots of other situations I really suggest this book as a great one to own.

The Tale of Despereaux review

2009-07-28T13:51:00.004-05:00

The Tale of Despereaux is all about courage, bravery and honor. We begin with a stereotype of rats and mice and we find two characters who clearly don't fit in.
We meet the rat, who is a sailor, coming to see the incredible land of soup, after an unfortunate accident the land is plunged into much darkness and sadness. Rats are banished and soup is outlawed.
We meet the mouse, who is not afraid of anything, he sees the need for a hero and it becomes his quest to bring soup and happiness back to the land.
There are 4 main characters in the story, that I first thought would be very confusing but I quickly saw how their stories were one. The movie is a wonderful story and has a message of forgiveness at the end, a message that is many times overlooked.

My critique is that there are two swear words in the movie! Rated G and they have to slap a swear word and one that desecrates the name of God Almighty. This is a children's movie for goodness sake!
Other than the swear words it is a movie I would highly recommend it.

Edward the Emu - Sheena Knowles

2009-07-17T00:12:00.004-05:00

Here is an Emu who is not content with who he is. The grass is greener in the other cage if you ask him, or rather, the water is bluer for the seals next door...I'll be a seal and then he escapes to their pen. Day after day he hears people comment on their favorite animal and he then goes over to other animals cages until one day he realizes that people are there to see him too. When he gets back to his cage his lonely days are over as he meets the new emu who was sent to replace him...her name is Edwina. I really loved this book, great illustrations, great message on being content with who you are. God created us all special and this book reinforces this message of being happy with who you are.

Piggies - Wood

2009-07-17T00:02:00.005-05:00

"This little piggie goes to market, this little piggie stays home..." at some point in our lives we have heard this poem that ends in a tickle party as the wee little piggie runs home. I read this book and it gave me a whole new twist to the personalities of thos piggies! Two fat little piggies, two smart little piggies, two long little piggies, two silly little piggies and two wee little piggies are all up to something in this book. From getting dirty to getting scrubbed clean, these little piggies are on the move and I highly recommend you check this book out and see the rest of it. It is now on my very well worth looking for list. Great illustrations, great description of the piggies we all know and love!

Tie-a-bow book - Usborne Books

2009-07-04T14:52:00.005-05:00

I love Usborne books and this one was a garage sale find! My daughter and I have been able to sit down together and go over the beginning stages of tying a bow. This book is great, it has different textures of ribbon and string to tie, my only complaint is that one of the ribbons is too short, it is difficult for my fingers to tie it. Otherwise it is a great find!

How to Have Kids with Character - Brown

2009-07-04T14:33:00.005-05:00

Here is a great resource I just was told about and had the opportunity to thumb through the book. I was so pleased at all the ideas for how to teach your kids and sayings to help them remember things. Character building is so very important for our kids to learn, it is neglected in so many homes today. I thought I heard it was out of print but I found it on Amazon.com for a good prices.

I got my copy and really love it! Brown has it sectioned off in recommended topics to teach per month. Along with each topic there are sayings, Bible verses and examples of ways we can reinforce good character in our kids. We are on month number 1 - Perseverance. One of the examples is with eating. Her suggestion, only give your child a small amount of food, that you are sure they can finish, then enforce that they eat it all. When they accomplish their task tell them they have finished what they started. If they want more, do the same thing. This book is just full of practical ways to help children understand what character is and how important it is to gain it.

After buying it and now going through it, I highly recommend this book!

The Garden Wall - Bishop

2009-07-04T14:16:00.007-05:00

Jennie Bishop has written three tremendous books that I know about, The Squire and the Scroll - a book about saving purity for boys, The Princess and the Kiss - a book about saving your purity for girls and this book, The Garden Wall. The Garden Wall is all about two little friends, a boy and a girl. The little girl decides she wants to plant a garden but the boy knows that she'll need a wall around it to keep out unwanted guests. His daddy builds walls so with the guidence of his father he begins to help his friends. It takes a long time to build and they have to learn some incredible lessons, such as trusting one another and staying loyal to the task. In the end they see their finished work and realize they love each other. They already know how they sweat together and stuck out the hard times. In the end, they are married in their garden that they had worked so hard on.

Beautiful story, very well written, it is written from the heart of a mother who cares for her daughter. Jennie Bishop has given us all as parents a huge resource to help our children realize there is reason to keep themselves pure.

The Squire and the Scroll - Bishop

2009-07-04T13:55:00.008-05:00

Jennie Bishop has done a really wonderful job writing these books to help your children develop moral standards and character. She has written The Squire and the Scroll so well that I as a parent enjoyed reading it. It is the story of a boy on a quest to save the Lantern of Purest Light, without it, the whole kingdom suffers. The whole story reinforces purity as much as her book The Princess and the Kiss written more for girls and is another excellently written book. The Squire and the Scroll is written more to boys and appeals to their attraction to action and adventure. She also writes The Garden Wall which is a beautiful love story based on 1 Corinthians 13. I highly recommend all three of these books as a great resource for training up your children in morals and good character.

The Princess and the Kiss - Bishop

2009-07-01T22:05:00.008-05:00

Every girl is given a special gift when she is born, the gift of purity. In this sweet story a princess is born and when she reaches an appropriate age her parents give her the gift of her first kiss. It is hers to keep, hers to do with as she will but she is warned, once it is gone, it is gone so use it wisely.
The princess guards her gift carefully as suitors start to appear. They offer her wealth and strength but she realizes they are not the ones she wishes to use her precious gift on. She chooses to keep her gift despite the hard waiting. One day a hard working man in the kingdom comes and shows respect to her parents, shows respect to her and then offers her a very special gift, his first kiss. They are married and at the wedding the two exchange their special gifts. When their child is born they are able to present to her this special gift as well.

This book is so better written than how I just reviewed it. Bishop is such a good writer! I would highly recommend this book to all parents of boys and girls because it is such an important lesson that most parents leave out or leave it up to their children. The challenge of guarding ones purity is almost a lost cause in our world. I am thankful to say I was able to present this special gift to my husband and he to me on our wedding day. The reason for our success? The Lord's mercy and parents on both side that fought the fight for pure children and stressed the importance of it.

Garage Sale finds!

2009-05-27T14:07:00.009-05:00

Spring is here and garage sale season is going strong. I have been to a few so far and got some great deals! I found some great deals of clothes for my kids, some little nick knack toys - which I shouldn't buy since the kids already have so many toys and I have found some awesome deals on books. So how do you know how much to pay for books and what books are even worth spending a quarter on? I have certain criteria for how I choose books that is based on their quality in content - this is first and foremost, quality in construction - the book isn't falling apart, and quantity in payout for me - worth the price listed, am I getting a good deal.

Quality in Content:
1. What is the book about, yes, I will sit there and read a book, I'll even sometimes read it to my kids. If I am going to pay money for a book I want to know what it teaches and what the plot is. There are many hidden agendas, ways of life, attitudes and things contrary to what the Bible teaches in children's literature. Authors know that the forming years are the young years. I have heard presented that by the age of 3 a child's personality is formed and by the age of 5 their character is formed. Habits are formed in the early years that are hard to break later on. The things placed into our children's minds when they are young will not leave easily.

Quality in Construction:
2. This is pretty basic but unless the book is a treasure to me, out of print or a classic that I hold dear it better be in good shape. I would pick up some of the older Whinnie the Pooh books by A.A. Milne despite their shape, I love Margaret Brown, and Dr. Suess. These are just a few authors that I hold as classics in children's literature. I don't buy books to place them on a shelf; I buy them to read them and spend time investing into my children's lives, so I don't want them falling apart too soon.

Quantity in Payout:
3. When someone is having a sale, I can always tell the people who are trying to downsize and the people who are out to make money. When I see a pile of children's books for $0.25, I know it is worth it to look through the pile. $1-2 is still intriguing for me and the most I would ever pay for a really good book is $5. It is a garage sale after all. A book 30 pages or less is worth to me, $0.25, a book 50 pages or less is worth $0.50 to me, a book 100 or slightly less is worth $0.75 to me, a book 150 pages or more is worth $1-1.50, and a book that is 200 pages or more is worth $2-5 to me depending on content. Example: My best find so far for the summer, I spent $2. Why? It was The Precious Moment's Stories from the Bible, text by Sherri Dunham Haan and has 281 pages of beautifully told and truthful too, stories from scripture. It teaches sin as sin, and tells stories based on their theme. I love Precious Moments but the fact that the stories are teaching my kids Bible stories in easy to understand layout but no dumbing down. They did a great job staying in line with the Bible and that is invaluable to me as a mother.

I hope this helps as you rummage through the sales, looking for good deals. Building a good library from those who either have lost site of the necessity of good children's literature or from those who have outgrown it.

Happy Hunting!

Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter - Stanley

2009-04-24T14:06:00.005-05:00

I am sure that all or at least many of you have read the good old fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin. When my daughter brought me this book off our library's shelf I had to take a double look at the title. When I realized it wasn't the book I was brought up on I smiled at the name and thought, hmmm, this had better be good. Oh and is it good! This book is hilarious!

Throwing a twist into the story to begin with, the miller's daughter actually falls in love with the short little man and he weaves a ladder for them to escape. They have a daughter together and are content with their simple life. Feeling their daughter should get out and see some of the world they start sending her to market where after time the king hears of her and kidnaps her - still the evil greedy man he was. The daughter comes up with a grand plan to help the king overcome his greed and become loved by his people instead of hated. Slowly she unravels her plan to help him realize what is more important than gold.

The illustrations are just so much fun! The guards in ever picture are in the same stance and described as having shifty eyes. Even the king's little yappy dog is funny. I would highly recommend this book to you if you know this old fairytale. It is truly a great read!

Giveaway Winner!!!!!!!

2009-04-22T08:48:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all those who entered my first giveaway! I am truly sorry I didn't post yesterday, our internet access is satelite and it was down yesterday... however, thanks to random.org we do have a winner!

#29 tatertot374 :)

I will be e-mailing you for your address so I can send you the book!

I will be keeping my eyes out for more good deals on books so I can share more with you all in the future!

The Lollipop Book Club

2009-04-12T13:53:00.001-05:00

As I was perusing book resources on the web I ran across this great idea called, The Lollipop Book Club. This club delivers special mail to your child once a month but it is not just mail. This company sends a child a book and a lollipop with a note from you the sender - now how special is that! All you grandparents who are far away...this is a neat opportunity and no I am not getting paid to say this. Anytime you give a child a book it is a window of opportunity and enrichment. The owner of the business also reviews books here.

Lass - Gebauer

2009-04-07T15:43:00.004-05:00

Whose Nose and Toes? - Butler

2009-04-05T21:30:00.006-05:00

This is such a cute book so I had to share! On each page the question is asked, Whose Nose and Toes and there is a nose and toe of an animal shown. On the next page the animal is revealed. The art is what got me as well as the fact that my kids like reading the book. The monotonous question became a game as I read it and both kids were pointing at the pictures and my daughter would guess the animal by its nose and foot. In the back of the book, shown below, there is a picture index of all the animals and they are all just precious looking!

The Rag Coat - Mills

2009-04-05T21:06:00.008-05:00

This sweet little girl lives with her poor family and doesn't have a coat. Her daddy is a coal miner but on their drives during winter he wraps a burlap sack around her to keep her warm. When he dies of a coal miner's sickness she is saddened. She starts attending school for the first time, knowing her father wanted her to but she didn't know what she would do when winter came. The ladies her mother sewed with to make money found out about her need for a coat and they put all their scraps together to make her a coat lined with a burlap sack. When she goes to school she is ridiculed for her patched coat but the children soon learn the story of the coat as well as the memories they find in her coat.

A good read about making friends, being content, and working together.

Gigi - God's Little Princess series by Walsh

2009-04-02T16:03:00.007-05:00

I have been contemplating this series of books for my little girl who is 3 recently, and finally during a month of traveling I met someone with one of the books so here I am to review it. :) I just loved the pictures and the concept of a little girl being a princess sounded great but after reading it I found several things that saddened me. Gigi, is a cute name but she is very proud. Her parents have always called her a princess so she treats everyone as her subjects. One day her friend asks her why Gigi is a princess and not her...Gigi isn't sure so she asks her dad who avoids the question and then she asks her mom who tells her she is a princess because her Father is the king. Then her mom goes on to say that her friend is a princess too. Gigi calls her friend in a panick and breaks the news to her that they are both princesses. Now who is to reign and where are each of their kingdoms. In the end the Gigi asks her dad if he is king and she is told no, God is the King and you are His princess.

My sadness begins with the character's pride and bossiness but that might have been overlooked. The really sad part is the message that all little girls are God's princesses and that He is their Father. The Bible says that only those who have turned from their sin and accepted Him as their Savior from their sin are children of God. (Romans 3:23) Gigi doesn't even seem to know what God has done for her in this book. I would love a book that shows a little girl coming to the knowledge of who God is and what God did for her on the cross so many years ago. Only when a little girl knows God can she become a true princess.

Good concept but faulty message.

The Gift of Nothing - McDonnell

2009-03-28T22:00:00.006-05:00

Mooch doesn't know what to give his friend Earl for his birthday...he has everything! Mooch finally has an idea, he will get Earl nothing! He searches all over for the perfect nothing but he can't find it at any store or anywhere. Finally he lays down and does nothing. He realizes he is doing nothing so he goes and gets a box and wraps it up. When his friend opens his gift Mooch declares that his gift is nothing and his friend Mooch.

A great story of the simplicities in life that we so often forget, especially in the gift giving seasons. Sometimes it is best to just give of ourselves: our time, our talents to make the lives of others feel special or comfortable. Spending time with a person can mean more to some than giving them expensive gifts.

The Rainbow Fish - Pfister

2009-03-28T21:53:00.004-05:00

The rainbow fish has many beautiful scales and shimmery silver ones as well but he is proud and won't play with the fish that are dull in color thinking himself better than they. One day one small fish approaches the rainbow fish and requests just one of the shimmery scales to which the proud fish refuses harshly. The small fish, with hurt feelings, tells the other fish of the deed and all other fish shun the sparkling fish. Desirous of friends he is told to go to the wise octopus and she tells him to give a sparkling scale to each of the fish. When he finally does he realizes how good it feels to share and how many friends he really can have.

Very good book, beautiful illustrations and the sparkling scales are fun. The lessons are very clear that sharing is a necessary asset for gaining friends as well as friendliness itself and kindness.

Because I Love You - Lucado

2009-03-28T21:28:00.007-05:00

Shaddai, an old man has built a town, a safe town for the children but he placed a wall around it to protect them from the dangerous woods that surrounded this haven. One day a little boy is looking and finds a hole in the wall and questions Shaddai about it. He tells the boy it is there because he wants the children to stay there not because they have to but because they want to. The boy unwilling to stay leaves and goes to find out about the woods himself. At first they seem great until he realizes that the hole is gone! He is stuck and the woods seem very dark now. He calls out for help and Shaddai makes a new hole and rescues the boy.

I know that Lucado has put out some great books teaching truths about our relationship to God, our Father and Creator but I really think he needs to rethink the characters in this book. Maybe if it had been a shepherd with its sheep but a man with all these children in a closed walled community? In out society, culturally I take offense to his senario because there have been to many people in today's society that have tried to make "perfection" in a community and end up leading a cult. Too many children have been trapped in "safe havens" like the one described here. I would strongly urge Mr. Lucado to write a forward to his book that explains that this book is written to try to help us understand the relationship we have with Christ Jesus as believers in Him. As with all illustrations they fall apart somewhere and this one falls apart in the characters chosen. I truly believe in our society he could have chosen characters that would have portrayed this book and made it a beautiful illustration like the Bible and how it talks of Christ being the Shepherd and we his sheep. The book, while good in content and message, is too far fetching to think that a man could have all these children in a perfect society like this and I don't think there should be such a human illustration when trying to explain God towards us, his children.

The Beginners Bible

2009-03-27T23:36:00.008-05:00

A friend of mine let me look at this Bible she had. It is a decent starter Bible, most of the stories are accurate although we both thought they were very simplistic. However, if your child is learning to read, this would be a great choice for them. Simple, short sentences (see picture below) would make this a great first reader. The pictures are colorful too. I did take issue with its subtitle of Timeless Children's Stories - the Bible isn't just stories, they are true accounts, it is scripture, God's Word. However, overall it is a good children's Bible.

Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin - Moss

2009-03-27T23:15:00.003-05:00

I have played the violin since I was 9 and I played the piano for 3 years before that...I love music! When I saw this book, which I had seen before and didn't read, I didn't know what to expect but I am so glad I read it. This book not only introduces your child to instruments but the type of sound they make and also as the group of instruments builds in number is tells your child what the group is called. I really liked this book, very colorful and rhythmic with great information!

Ahwoooooooo! - Murphy

2009-03-27T23:01:00.004-05:00

A little wolf sees that it is a full moon and wants to howl but doesn't know how. His parents and friends are busy so he searches for others to show him how but the other animals of the woods don't howl either. Finally his grandfather is asked to help and little wolf learns how to howl with his whole heart.

Cute book, it introduces a few other animal sounds of the animals he asks for help. Overall good book.

Papa Gatto - Sanderson (An Italian Fairytale)

2009-03-27T22:39:00.006-05:00

A story similar to Cinderella I think this is more beautiful because of the paintings, the author's description of the characters and the wonderful ending.
Papa Gatto was a cat who lived when animals could communicate with people. He was an advisor to the king and therefore went on many a trip with him. He has his wife had just had a litter of kittens when his wife died and he was left alone with these dear sweet kittens and he needed to leave on another trip. He puts out an ad for a caretaker for his kittens who should be rewarded greatly for a job well done. We then see a household much like that of Cinderella whose home is cleaned by one sweet homely girl while her stepmother and stepsister are lazy and greedy. When the sweet girl and her stepsister hear of the need for a caretaker the stepmother makes her spoiled daughter go. Papa Gatto is smitten with the girl's beauty but when he returns home his kittens are sad and his home is in shambles. It takes much time to get his house back in shape. When he again needs a caretaker he is forced to send another ad but this time the sweet girl just leaves without giving her wicked family a chance. She cares for the kittens and his home and when he returns home he is truly grateful and gives her a beautiful bracelet. She doesn't want the bracelet, only to stay in their home because there is love there. Papa Gatto insists she takes the bracelet and she returns home. When her wicked sister sees the bracelet she rips it from her wrist.
Papa Gatto in talking to the prince, and knowing his desire to marry talks of this sweet girl and recommends the prince meet her. After some confusion they finally meet and he proposes but the sweet girl refuses because she wants to know he loves her, she wants a home filled with love.

I know this review is long but this book is so worth it, I highly recommend this book to you and hope you will check it out.

The Children's Illustrated Bible - stories retold by Selina Hastings

2009-03-27T21:23:00.006-05:00

We were just visiting my friend Angela and she showed me this neat Bible for children they had gotten, I just loved it and had to share it with you. Most story Bibles just have one illustration to go along with the story or have really simplistic sentence structures but The Children's Illustrated Bible one goes way beyond most children's Bibles. In addition to the picture and a well told story there are little pictures that give more detail to the story you are sharing with your child. For instance, and I apologize for the picture's clarity, but the tower of Babel story includes a picture of a modern day person making mud bricks. Some stories include maps of where they took place and some show real photos from where the events took place. This children's Bible is excellent and we plan to get this one to be our family devotional Bible until the kids are older.

Feel free to click on the pictures for a closer look, again, I do apologize for some of the picture's lack of clairty.

Where There's a Bear, There's Trouble! - Catchpool

2009-03-26T23:06:00.004-05:00

This trouble filled book begins as a bear and a bee meet both thinking something about the other - the bear knows the bee has honey and the bee knows the bear will want his honey...trouble. As the bee flies home for reinforcements the bear sneaks along but unknown to him is followed by other animals who want something they think the bear is after. It truly is a cute book and in the end leaves you smiling as there is a pileup of trouble as the bee flies off saying he knew there'd be trouble.

Really liked this book, very cute and colorful.

Very Hungry Caterpillar 40th Anniversary!

2009-03-21T10:15:00.005-05:00

As a children's book lover, I love Eric Carle so I was really excited to read this post here at Freebies4Mom about his wonderful book The Very Hungry Caterpillar celebrating 40 years of fun reading. Check out Freebies4Mom's site as she has compiled some great activities for your kids in celebrating this book.

Little Oh - Melmed

2009-03-03T20:58:00.004-06:00

There was a lady that made beautiful pottery by day and origami by night. One day she makes a little girl and she loved it so much she painted a face on it and laid it by her bed in a box. In the night she was awakened by the little girl who had come alive. In her startled state she says, "Oh!" and the girl though that was her name. Oh brought the lady great delight and they spent much time together. One day while accompanying the lady to the market she fell out of the basket and was lost. She ended up deep in a forest after fleeing a dog and met a lonely crane. The crane takes her back to her village but leaves her at the wrong house. The house is owned by a man and his son. She was sad that they didn't have a mother or the boy have a sister. In despair of being found she lays down on their front walk hoping to be found. They find her as she is getting soaked from a rain. She finally is reunited with her mother and the two families unite and Little Oh becomes a real girl.

Such a sweet Pinocchio style story. I was really touched by it. It was very well written and the illustrations are just beautiful.

Two Children's Bible book reviews

2009-03-02T08:34:00.007-06:00

My friend Angela at M0lding a Masterpiece wrote two great book reviews for children's Bibles that I wanted to share with you.

365 BIBLE STORIES FOR YOUNG HEARTS uses vocabulary that young children can understand without speaking down to them. The Stories are broken down into approximately one page per day. There are is a picture for almost every story/page. The pictures for the most part are realistic. This book is recommended for ages 5 and up, but I believe that it will effectively keep the attention of my almost-two-year-old, and definitely be appropriate for my three-year-old. Some of the things I liked about this book are that the story of the Fall of Man includes their punishment. The story of Cain and Abel explains that the reason for God's rejection of Cain's gift was his heart attitude. This book also includes passages from Leviticus about the rules the Israelites were to follow and their feasts that most books do not include. As I skimmed through this book (reading several of the passages, but not all), one thing I found that was not accurate was the picture of the empty tomb of Jesus that showed the grave clothes a mess like He was unwrapped instead of neat and untouched. Overall I was impressed with this book and am considering purchasing it to use with my children.

I have been searching for the"perfect" Bible storybook for my kids. My requirements are that it is Biblically accurate, pleasing pictures, and will keep the short attention span of my almost two year old. The concept of THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE is a good one. Pointing the child to Christ in every story throughout the Bible. However, I had a few problems with this book. I am of the opinion that children's books should be written for children, not down to children. Throughout this book I find the author writing down to children. For example, in the story of Creation instead of saying "God said 'let there be light'" the author writes "God said 'Hello light'" etc. Some of the stories, such as Noah's ark, and the temptation of Jesus, are quite abrieviated leaving out important details. Over all I would say the the lituracy of this book is, as Charlotte Mason would say, twaddle. The pictures are impressionistic and very colorful. This is not a book that I will purchase.

Looking for a Moose - Root

2009-02-28T19:40:00.005-06:00

Following the idea of We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Rosen, this book takes kids on a fun moose hunt. With fun sounds and hidden pictures these kids are in for a real treat when they finally find some moose! We really enjoyed this one and hope you will check it out and enjoy it too. I just love action books!

The Very First Christmas - Maier

2009-02-28T19:34:00.003-06:00

Beautifully illustrated and very well written this story of the birth of Jesus is very well done. This book is written from the perspective of a boy who didn't want to hear fairy tales anymore from his mother. He wants to hear stories that really happened and so she shares with him the story of Christ Jesus' birth so long ago.

My husband and I really liked how the account was given and the illustrations do a great job of telling the story as well. This book would be a great book to teach your children with as they discover the stories of the Bible are actual events.

The Baby Born in a Stable - Arch Books

2009-02-28T19:24:00.003-06:00

The Quality Religious Books for Children are a neat series of books that teach major stories of the Bible quite thoroughly. I know they have Jonah and the Parable of the Seeds. They are older and may not cover everything but from what I have read, they are solid. This book about Christ Jesus' birth is very well done.

Toddlers' Action Bible - Currie

2009-02-28T19:09:00.006-06:00

I wanted to share this toddlers Bible with you as I thought it was a great and thought provoking way to tell the story to your child with actions and sounds to help parent's and children act out the stories. That is the book's strength, however, it completely ignores Noah's purpose for building the ark and makes it like many children's books, cutesy and ignores the fact that it was God's judgement on a sinful world.

The story of Jesus Christ's birth was pretty well written although when it comes to the application part it says nothing about Christ coming as the Savior of the world. My daughter knows she is a sinner and she tells me. She knows that Jesus is the Savior of the world and He can save her from her sins. Trust me, we have this conversation every time we go past or to our church. :) It is a good book but it strays from teaching children's absorbent minds the truth and purpose of scripture. I know there are better children's Bibles out there.

The Rainbabies - Melmed

2009-02-28T18:57:00.005-06:00

I had heard this story a long time ago...ok, so I heard it on Reading Rainbow I think when I was a kid. :) I had forgotten about it until this week when I checked it out of our library. What a sweet story of love and sacrifice for a child or children.

There was an old man and lady who had everything they needed but there was one thing they wanted...a child. One night the lady wakes up to a full moon and a rain. She urges her husband to come stand in the rain with her because she knows it can bring special things. When the rain ends they look down to see raindrops on tiny babies, rainbabies. They take them in and nurture and care for them. Day in and day out they take utmost care of their babies even risking their lives for them and refusing monetary compensation to replace them. When they had proven themselves good parents they are rewarded with a human child, a little girl who they cherish ever so much.

It is a sweet story for any parent as we remember our love for our children and how much they mean to us.

I Love You As Much... - Melmed

2009-02-28T18:53:00.003-06:00

What a beautifully written book of a mother's expression of love toward her child. "Said the mother whale to her child, 'I love you as much as the ocean is deep.'" Animals sharing their love for their offspring are beautifully illustrated. I just really was touched by the poetry of this book even as simple as it is. My daughter who is almost 3 said, "awww mommy, you love us." when we got done with this book. Definitely a good book when your child comes away knowing they are loved. :)

Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book - Dr. Seuss

2009-02-28T18:48:00.004-06:00

It all starts with one tiny yawn but it spreads by the thousands, and millions upon billions, it even spreads to the zillions of creatures who all over the world cuddle up in their beds and go to sleep. What fun Dr. Seuss must have had writing this bedtime book as he introduces you to a sleep counting contraption and all sorts of tired creatures.

Daisy-Head Mayzie - Dr. Seuss

2009-02-28T18:39:00.004-06:00

Mayzie was enjoying a nice day at school when to her horror a daisy grew up from her head! All the kids laughed and the teacher takes her to the principle. Next a swarm of bees zoom after her and everyone has their own remedy for her flower growing problem. She tries becoming famous but missed all her friends. She leaves the life of the rich and famous and seeks to find out if anybody loves her...and of course, that is what daisies do best. In the end she knows she is loved despite her daisy growing.

It is a sweet book of knowing you are loved through thick and thin.

Black? White! Day? Night! A Book of Opposites - Seeger

2009-02-27T21:18:00.004-06:00

What a neat flip book! This book on each page reveals a little part of a picture in a small window, when you lift the flap though the whole picture is revealed and the opposite word is shared. Opposites like, a sad face...or is it really just the nose and freckles of a happy girl. A narrow strip of color or a wide strip of color. It really is a neat book that is sure to get you and your child discussing opposites.

Look-Alikes - Steiner

2009-02-27T21:08:00.005-06:00

This book is for the grown up who is still kid at heart... :) I just love it and my husband loves it and his parents both love it too - and they are in their 50s! Pictured with lots of color Steiner uses everyday articles to make beautiful pictures. Just take a moment to look at one detail and you'll soon find yourself on a treasure hunt for all the hidden things on every page. My 3 year old likes it but I am not sure she likes it as much as us adults do. I would highly recommend this book to you, it would really bring your family a great excuse to pour over a book together.

Fidgety Fish - Galloway

2009-02-18T13:50:00.005-06:00

This fidgety fish needs to get some wiggles out so he is told by his mother not to stray to far. However, this little fish doesn't obey and almost gets eaten. When he returns home he is ready to listen and obey.

Good message of the need to obey and fun illustrations. Very simple story line but an easy read.

Moonbear's Pet - Asch

2009-02-16T19:49:00.007-06:00

Moonbear and Little Bird find what they think is a fish in the pond. They take it home as a pet and name it Splash. In the weeks to follow though, they are surprised to see Splash sprouting legs or are they wings... after an argument as to who Splash will grow up to look like they part ways for a month. When they return after a lonely month they are surprised to find their pet is now a frog with no desire to be a bird or bear. They both are sorry for making the other feel bad about how they are and they all pledge their friendship to each other.

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything - Broach

2009-02-16T19:45:00.003-06:00

Do you ever remember when your mom dragged you on a ton of errands? It ended up being a lot of car time and normally not the things a kid wants to do. Well, one day, this little boy's mom was taking him out to do errands...it turned out to be a very special day for him. This day, when he would have gotten a balloon for sitting nice to get his hair cut, instead he got a dinosaur, a not a toy, a real dino! They buy donuts and see a sign, buy a dozen, get a dinosaur and it was really true! The same this happened at the doctor! His mom skipped a bunch of errands because she was truly in shock! The beasts followed them everywhere, even home.
His mom was totally freaking out until she realized what a help these animals could be, cleaning the gutters, raking and cutting the lawn. In the end he knows all will be well when he hears his mom calling about the donuts deal again...

This is a funny book and although way out there it is funny to see what one little boy was wishing for as his mom and him did errands. :) Hope you enjoy this book, it was certainly a fun read.

Pinduli - Cannon

2009-02-16T19:42:00.003-06:00

Pinduli is told by her mother not to go to far but as she wanders she meets some other animals that make fun of her ears, then she finds out why they made fun of her and tries to get to the bottom of it. Turns out there was a lot of name calling going on. In desperate attempt to try to make herself beautiful to everyone she ends up looking scary and to the animals, like a god. They tell her they'll do anything, so she tells them to be nice always leave some food for her kind of animal. From then on things in the area were much better and she learns that she is beautiful no matter what others think.

I really liked this book, it teaches a good lesson that others are precious because they are themselves and we should treat each other with kindness. The part about her being a god was a little too superstitious for me, but I suppose she was trying to intergrade African beliefs into the story. Overall, a great book. Cannon really has some great books out there, hope you can check them out!

Because a Little Bug went Ka-Choo! - Stone

2009-02-16T19:38:00.002-06:00

I love stories that are circular or are laid out in a way that everything affects everything else in huge over-exaggerated ways. This book does just that. On one fine day, a litle bug sneezes, his sneeze knocks a seed off that hits a worm, the worm gets mad and kicks a tree...that little bumb knocks a coconut off a hits a turtle in the head, knocking him into the water. The journey that happens is just hilarious as boats are sinking and policemen are flying.

I love this book! The only thing I didn't like about it was the display of anger by the chicken and worm. Kids don't need any encouragement in how to express anger, maybe she could have figured a way to tell the story without two very violent expressions of anger. Otherwise a great book! My 1 year old was looking at this book the other day and I heard him making a sneeze sound affect. It was super cute!

Trupp - Cannon

2009-02-16T19:37:00.002-06:00

A fuzzhead named Trupp sets out on his own. He finds himself in the city and ends up helping what seems to be a homeless woman. A good concept but I didn't care for this book. The whole fuzzhead concept was just too out there for me and it wasn't cutesy it was too serious with the crazy looking character. Maybe someone else likes this book, but I didn't think it was worth my time reading.

Martha Moth Makes Socks - Christensen

2009-02-16T19:29:00.005-06:00

The life of a moth, ever wonder what a moth does on any particular day, how about her birthday. Well meet Martha Moth and today is her birthday. She has invited some friends over for dinner but alas, all she has in her cupboard is dust. She has nothing to sprinkle the good dust flavor on. She decides to go shopping and she buys some nice articles from her local closet. While making the delectable clothing items she ends up eating most of the dinner. Her friends are understanding though and brought her more dust. Together they made dusty socks and she enjoyed their company on her birthday.

I first heard this book at our library, read to the kids at a kid's reading program. I just loved it but then couldn't find it to check out myself. We just moved and I found it at our new library and I was so excited! It really is a funny book and I highly recommend it.

Verdi - Cannon

2009-02-07T07:31:00.004-06:00

Verdi is a little snake who doesn't want to grow up since after all, all of the grown ups around him don't seem to have any fun. He wants top fly so he throws himself off tall trees and does figure eights in the air...however one day he lands and becomes paralyzed. The wise older serpents carry him to the high parts of the trees and take care of him, strapping him to a branch until he heals. While he heals he listens to their story of when they were young and why, they sounded much like himself. He realized they had chosen a slower paced life to save their lives. When Verdi was healed and grown he too becomes slower but when two young snakes appear he asks them if they want to hang out with him and they end up doing a perfect triple eight in the sky.

The pictures are great and vivid and the story is neat as it balances being content with who you are to learning to enjoy life and making new friends.