Good Book Partner Book Review: Wherever You Go, I Want You to Know....

 

This book might just be my current favorite children's book!  And if you know me, that's a big deal! In my attempt to showcase children's books fairly, I'm sharing my what I like, educational connections, and what I wonder or would change or add... and if I write a book, editors I know make you pick and choose, but I have high standards!  

What I like about the book:

• appealing rhyme and the rhythm it develops, making it appealing to ALL ages.  
• Hardcover book in the style of the "I can Read books" of my childhood like Sammy the Seal, Danny and the Dinosaur, and more modern Dr. Seuss Hardback books.  Thick nice pages inside, make it a book that will endure a family with many children.  It feels good.  Right sized as well.  
• Illustrations- the pages are fun, busy, and the characters and items are a bit silly or quirky, but it adds to the appeal. 
• Multi-ethnic people throughout the book, children need to see people who look like they do. 
• Formatting, the text is different sizes emphasizing key words, alliterations, descriptive words. 
• The theme of the book, a BIG DREAM, is delivered by the Narrator of the book (hint, the one who reads it aloud- me or you!) has a BIG DREAM for YOU!  
• The book brings in a mindset discussion with admitting we might win or loose, and suggesting we all have different feelings.  
• Spoiler alert: The books purpose is that the audience/child "will love Jesus with all of your heart."
• Message of who Jesus is, tells us who He is, and what He has done for us, and what He is doing for us. That represents the full gospel according to Titus 2:11-13, and I love the fun way this is the clear message. 
• Loving Jesus with all of your Heart- brings in a God mindset discussion.  Deuteronomy 6:5

Educational Connections

• Career choices
• Travel--wherever you go... brings so many possibilities- missionaries, multi-ethnicity, geography, even  methods of travel, places we live and visit illustrations suggest farms, cities, museums, ...  
• Rhyming Words/Poetry 
• Adjectives, Adverbs, verbs
• Science, Culture, Celebrations: Floating sky lanterns (traditionally Chinese, but modern America has events with these) 
• Growth Mindset- Emotions, Adventures
• Gospel message- past, present, future aspects- what God has done, is doing, and will do for those who believe.  
• Walking and talking with Jesus- the Way, Truth, and Life.  Can easily teach about the Holy Spirit and God, full trinity.  Prayer. Following Jesus. King Jesus, His Word- the Bible, characteristics of God- faithful and true.  Sanctification- making things new.  

Here it is:  

Wonders or changes I might make to add value to the book:  

For the parents, teachers, camp counselors, grandparents who use this book...

• Bible verses and references at the end or near the words/illustrations for the gospel message. 
• How to lead a child to Christ
• Key gospel points

Minor Wonders in illustrations:

• a corded phone vs. chatting face to face, I suppose this is generic conversation, but this generation of parents have not all seen a corded phone!
• Adults reading a red book with a cross on it- representing a Bible, but I wish it said BIBLE. 

I will be looking for more children's books by Melissa Kruger, who by the way has some other books for adults she's written, that intrigue me  As well as Isobel Lundie's illustrations.  

And if my thoughts were not enough, here is a review from Ann Voskamp, one of the authors/blogs that I follow. 

I've ordered 40 copies of the book so I don't need a disclaimer at the end of my review, and one via amazon for a baby shower already... but Westminster Bookstore (wtsbooks.com). My go to source for great deals on books I love that are well vetted.  Has it as a current special-- just a couple more days in August 2020.

Also the GoodBook website has coloring pages, free pdf of the gospel, and a contest going on right now as well.  So much goodness should brighten your day!  Now we just need to meet with all our beloved kids in person and share this message eye to eye!  

One last goodie...

  Submit your photo here: 

Good Book Partner Book Review: The Prisoners, The Earthquake, and the Midnight Song. By Bob Hartman

A True Story about How God Uses People to Save People.  

Tales that tell the Truth, a series of books from The Good Book company.  This book releasing today June 1st, is another fast favorite for this Mom, kidmin leader, curriculum writer, elementary educator who LOVES any way to whisper or even shout the Word of God to our children.  This book does not disappoint.  So many potential ways to engage your children, even during this pandemic and an upcoming summer of not all our normal activities.  

What I loved about this book:

• This event in history from Acts 16:16-40.  The Philippian Jailer with Paul and Silas in jail accurately told with added themes to engage the readers. 
• Illustrations by Catalina Echeverri, the right amount of reality blended with images to SEE the sounds you also listen for, and to understand what is occurring at this time. People of different skin colors are well represented in the people in the book.  So vital in children's books.  
• Themes:
• Light you see on the cover, coming out of their mouths and all around, is throughout the pages of the book and it represents sounds like praising God.  
• Listen: lots of descriptive language, onomatopoeia:words visualized like earthquake, snoring or sawing a zigzag visual snore, ... and the light you see is really representing the sounds heard.  
• Rich use of language: to represent opposites (up/down, beneath/rising up), to match the sound all can hear with a gray zigzag n the prison,  as well as teaching vocabulary a sword's scabbard,  and the concepts of complaining/grumbling opposite of praising God.  
• Do you hear that? on every few pages. 
• Image repeated throughout with the same wording describing the cross, the stone rolled away when Jesus is alive,and the Holy Spirit.   (Jesus forgives, lives so we can live forever, and follow Him as Our King).  What a great set of concepts repeated several times in the book, so it will be quickly memorized.  

What I wonder:

• could the Bible reference be part of the subtitle so that in a quick scan, adults see the immediate connection?  
• what age this is intended for?  The books in this series are picture books with a fair amount of text, so I've often used them in the primary ages from Kindergarten to Grade 3.  The amazon description says ages 3-6, but I like to use it with older kids as well, and think it would only work well for young kids if one on one. 

I plan to use this book in our Sunday School lessons from Acts with grades 1 and 2 children.  I would recommend this book for any child who would sit and want to interact with the adult reader from preschool on and I believe all ages will enjoy the book.  

Thankful to have an advanced copy of this book as a partner of The Good Book Company.  

Book Review: Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle

My blog has become a series of book reviews and launches, and yet I believe these books are true to my vision- helping us learn to whisper the Word of God into our own souls, and then to the children we love and influence on a regular basis.  Books encourage my heart.  Today, I want you to meet an Author of four books, three of which I've enjoyed thoroughly.  Her name is Melanie Shankle, from Texas, and I was introduced to her as "Big Mama", as her daughter referred to her, (that daughter started high school this fall) and that's how her blog started.  She's grown a bit, and now goes by her given name.  But I still think of the attention that an author called "Big Mama" made me decide I needed to read her book.  I read Sparkly Green Earrings first a book about seeing Christ's light in parenting, as my end of year school's done celebration in 24 hours. Then I had the library order The Antelope in the Living Room, a book on marriage. Which I also adored and read in a few days!  Somehow in the busyness of life and kids, I missed No One's Cuter than You, but it's on my to read list!  

This book releases October 3, 2017.  Counting down the days, til you can all appreciate it for yourself!

Fun. Relatable. Laugh out loud funny. Easy read. Great vacation or stress reliever book. 

Nothing too convicting, but good pauses to look at God in our day to day lives. 

Spiritual encouragement with lighthearted humor.  But also helps the reader identify purpose in her life, and makes her smile at the author's stories of discovering God in her mundane (which may not seem all that mundane with her humor!)  

Simple biblical truths, encouraging the reader to see God in the little things because "being faithful in the small things, because those are the moments that prepare us for the next thing."

It's a book presented with stories, humor, and even a few tears written in an enjoyable manner with a bit of sass and reality that it takes many by surprise at the humor and boldness. But we all relate and keep reading. In "big mama" style! As I first learned of this author. And loved relaxing with her book.  You can see more about her and her blog at:  ChurchOfTheSmallThings.com   

Quotes I loved as lessons (but you have to read the book to see how the author makes these memorable!): 

• "Because every moment in what some might consider a small life was a moment painted with great love." 
• "When we open ourselves up to the life God has for us, it probably isn't going to feel safe, but it will be infinitely better because it's a life filled with purpose...
• "We can never underestimate the grace and the strength he will give us for whatever he is calling us to do and whatever challenges we'll face."

As a 45 year old woman, we are in the same season of life and history, so I have many connections to her memories and life experiences, but even if you are much younger, you'll get it, she's funny and real. And I enjoy seeing her faith grow wings and her stories share her heart for God. Blessed to join the launch team, but the opinion is my honest review.

Book Review: Unseen The Gift of Being Hidden in a World that Loves to Be Noticed

This book is a gift and treasure.

It inspired me to live a life that is deeper in relationship with God. It's practical, engaging, full of scripture, and yet a book that draws you to stop, think, digest, and process the ideas given. I will re-read this book to soak in the ideas and even to remember how Sara Hagerty shares her poetic words of how she adores God til she knows it's true in her life!  And Sara Hagerty is a Mom to six beautiful children, and she shares how she communicates these concepts with her children and prays that they will be rooted and grounded in the Word.  She's a natural whisperer of the Word to children and adults.

If you pre-order, there are beautiful freebies!  http://sarahagerty.net/pre-order-unseen

Sara Hagerty shares her personal stories and connects the story of Mary's extravagant love poured out vulnerably at Jesus feet, to a lifestyle of seeking Him in all seasons, but especially in the hidden aspects of life.

Authors often become kindred spirits or mentors to the reader, and Sara Hagerty, is that for me. I adored her first book, Every Bitter Thing is Sweet when I discovered it several years ago, I love how she ends each chapter with scriptures for further review. And I'm half way through writing out the scriptures from Unseen in my journal, and processing small steps to see God more intimately and to fall in love more deeply with Him.

I can't wait for the Bible Study to be released that goes along side this book, and it will be free on the website www.sarahagerty.net/unseen. I'm going to need a whole series on my blog to share all the aspects of the book with the world, as it's a gem with so much richness, I'm inspired, encouraged, and learning how to have a fuller, hidden life with God, where I use the white space in my life to seek Him.

I'm blessed to be on the launch team for this book, inspired by the emphasis on praying for the book release, and the readers whose hands it will be placed in, that they would find God and fall more in love with Him this fall (or in the future). I certainly have, and I've pre-ordered several copies as gifts for several friends who will find inspiration.

I'll end with a list of a few things I believe are possible for the readers of this book:
*re-frame your life in God and before others by asking questions like: What does God think of this? and What does God think of me?
*see a fresh revelation of the story of Mary at Bethany sitting at Jesus feet.
*create a wonder hour to look at God more purposefully.
*find your own rhythm to adore and pray more intimately with God (and it's done without guilt!)
*love the Word of God more.
*look at Who God is.
*recognize how to practice God's love.
*lean in to Him.
*recognize you are seen by God alone (Psalm 139- woven together intimately).
*develop deeper intimacy with God.
*find that you can embrace living a life hidden before God, out of the limelight, but ever present to Him.