Goodbook Partner Review: His Grace is Enough by Melissa Krueger Illustrated by Isobel Lundie

 

Alright, Melissa Krueger's last book made one of my all-time favorite children's book list!  (that link is my review in 2020 of Wherever You Go).  So I wondered what I would think about her second children's book.  

Things I like about the book:

• The words rhyme!! there is a great rhythm to enjoy!
• The truth about God's grace is communicated clearly, addresses common misconceptions, and is repeated throughout the story.  
• This is realistic fiction about God's saving grace.  It's not boring non-fiction, it's the truth we all need to be communicated to us with these real-life applications applied.  
• The illustrations are kid-friendly, represent diversity, and are realistic, yet quirky to draw the reader in. 
• The theme that is repeated, which is another reason I love the book, "God's grace is enough, it's so big and so free, His grace is enough both for you and for me!"

What I wonder:

• Why not include a scripture reference?  Ephesians 2:8 &9 maybe?  
• Will the children reading this book look for one main character throughout the book?  or will the illustrator's approach with so many children and experiences that resemble ordinary thoughts mean that the readers don't notice? I didn't.  
• How many parents will memorize this book that I hope will become a classic addition to many family libraries?  

Back Cover:

From the Book Description: 

This illustrated, rhyming book will help parents explain to children the unique and wonderful Christian message of God’s grace—that Jesus offers forgiveness and allows us to move on from our mistakes.

It can be used to share the heart of the Christian faith with children or to remind them that Jesus is the person to run to when they mess up.

Children will learn that God’s grace is enough to cleanse and change us every day, as the book itself says...

My child, here’s the truth:
From God, you can’t hide
He sees what you’ve done
He knows what’s inside

But please don’t despair
There’s good news, I say!
Whatever you do
God’s grace makes a way

Yes, his grace is enough
It’s so big and so free
His grace is enough
Both for you and for me

This beautiful hardback book makes a great gift for children ages 3-6 and even beyond.

Written by Melissa Kruger: author of Wherever You Go I Want You to Know and Five Things to Pray for Your Kids; Director of Women’s Content at The Gospel Coalition; speaker, blogger, and mother of three.

Thankful to partner with the goodbook for children publishing and I wonder how many copies I will give away of this new favorite book!  This one goes to my favorite children's book list!

GoodBook Partner Review: The Awesome Fantastic Forever Party by Joni Eareckson Tada & Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

 

A brand new Tales from the Truth picture book for reading aloud and readers.  I have reviewed other books about heaven and never felt like I had one I could embrace well.  Well, that has changed!

Things I liked about the book:

• Engaging opening: "Have you ever been invited?" 
• Defines the best invitations, "to unforgettable events with amazing people."  
• Jesus is connected to this teaching about Heaven so intimately, and who He is as our King and Rescuer is established clearly. 
• John 3:16 paraphrased as the invitation.  
• In true fashion for this series, myths of heaven are addressed and the Truth of the Bible is taught.
• The illustrations enhance the descriptive language, and the celebratory tone of the book, and build connections for the reader. 
• Heaven is described well and with the Truth from the Bible- a place of no more sin as well as splendor and glory.  
• 
  

Things I wonder about the story:

• Could there have been bible references on the footers or headers of pages that connected to the truth shared? (The author's letter at the end shares verses).  
• Is the connection between sin and eternal life clear enough?  it's so well written with Truth, and I trust that those who will choose to share this book will also know the Truth.  
• I'm reviewing a pdf and I wonder if the little picture envelope at the end of the book is just an image or if it is an envelope that opens?    

Joni reading part of 

the book....

The Goodbook company really wants those who are in children's ministry to be able to use their products to teach.  They provide the book illustrations to share on a screen, and often related handouts, and this time it's a whole party pack!  https://www.thegoodbook.com/foreverparty  If you pre-order the book you can even get extra bonus goodies when you submit your info.  

The book launches to the world- May 1st so order before then to get the pre-order bonuses.  You won't be disappointed!  

Thankful to partner with the goodbook company and read an early release, I'll update my review when my physical copy arrives.  

Bethany House Partner Review: May His Face Shine Upon You 90 Biblical Blessings for Mother and Child by Susie Larson

 

Susie Larson as an author is a blessing. This book pairs a blessing for the Mom with a blessing to share or pray for her child and a scripture verse.

I like books written by this author because they are founded and communicate well a real authentic relationship with God. She communicates effortlessly natural attributes and aspects of God's character and how those fit into a human's daily life- in this case, Moms and children. She does a great job modeling for the reader ways to think about God in a lot of different scenarios in life. I highly recommend it as a great resource.

Thankful to partner with Bethany House and review the book.

Goodbook Partner Review: Welcome to Bible World by Mike Nappa and illustrated by Emiliano Migliardo

 

What I like about the book:

• This book will build interest in the Books of the Bible, and help create more biblical literate kids. 
• The pictures and seek and find are super fun and mirror secular books, but the hidden items and the attractions in the amusement park are connected to events in the Bible, and events that engage children in the events of the Bible and wonder if these concepts are really true.  
• Scripture references with hidden items that connect to a specific passage that will create a more biblically literate person.  
• The theme park entrances to different areas each lead to a different subset or genre of the Books of the Bible.  The titles given are more fun than traditional titles, and also more memorable.  
• The intro to each park area share the main themes of this section of the Bible, and teach the reader what important concepts connect in each genre.
• The author asks questions to the reader to build the interaction with the kids and the book. 

What I wonder about the book:

• The glossy pages are thick and seem enduring, but I wonder if it will show fingerprints and attract dirt to the pages more than matte format.  

Educational Connections:

• Teach the books of the Bible, teach the genres, and even the timeline as you build interest with this book. 
• Have your children create their own hidden items for new pages or add to these pages with the bible references.  
• Take away- ask the kids to see if other people know what books of the Bible belong in each theme park.  (The kids will need to remember the answer to know if adults or others are correct.) 

Thankful to partner with the Goodbook company and read a review copy of the book.  

Netgalley Partner Review: WayMaker: Finding the Way to the Life You’ve Always Dreamed Of by Ann Voskamp

Ann Voskamp's gift is the ability to share her spiritual growth, grasp of the Word of God, greek/Hebrew words, and their meanings, and her personal story for others to learn from her experiences.  This book is her most vulnerable and personal of all her books.   Because of this, I suspect it is not as applicable for all readers.  It's more complex, more biblically, and theologically in-depth than her previous books.   In some ways it builds on some concepts, she's lived out loud for her readers before, but in many, she is sharing her own personal journey and exodus of sin and losing her way, as well as remembering just what truly her life's focus is. 

As a biblically literate person, about her age, I appreciate her thoughts, her self-discovery of how to focus on God,  abide in the Way, focus on stepping into cruciform, and praise, over choosing to curve to your own desires, addictions, and way.  She continues with the repetition and building on concepts throughout the book as she has in previous writing, but she has learned through her marriage, adoption, and broken heart, each as their own metaphor and dimension, which I believe is more complex than her other books.  As well as the shocking events in her life that many of her readers will not comprehend her experience at all.  But we can all choose to learn from her.  

She continues to share her learning from therapeutic concepts, attachment/adoption with real-life experience, and she is brutally honest about her own experiences.  In her poetic way, she reveals how to live a life focused on dying to self, living in Him, and how easy it can be to alter your own course with minor life changes, but how large an impact that has on your soul your people.  This book is not as easily replicated in the reader's life, as her daily habits and focus require a lot of commitment to the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and personal soul-care/reflection.  But for me, they are healthy habits to weave into who I am, and it encourages me to press on and grow in Him.

Thankful to read an Advanced Netgalley copy.  

Goodbook Partner Review: The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song, a True Story about how God uses People to Save People.

 

See my review of the original edition here. 

What I like about the book:

• Listening Theme.
• Shortened version of the full hardback book.  
• Still gives the gospel.  
• Nice size board book. 

What I wonder about the book:

• Why the image is repeated just as in the hardcover book- but the words are not. From my review of the hardback: 
• 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).  
• The cover is a matte finish, and I wish the pages were as well.  

Thankful to partner with the Goodbook company and review this book, all ideas are my own. 

Waterbrook Partner Review: Hues of You by Lucretia Carter Berry, PhD Illustrated by Adia Carter

 

Hues of You is an activity book for learning all about the skin you are in.  This book is very different from a typical Waterbrook kids book.  Although Crowned with glory, started to alter my view of the types of books Waterbrook publishes, it was informed with a biblical perspective and foundation.  

Hues of You has no evidence in the entire book that this is from a bible focused book publisher.  Perhaps I need to change my thinking to a Christian publisher that is entering the same genre as most other publishers I know of, and their trademark books appeal to the masses, and not a particularly biblically literate audience.  I'm disappointed as this book is well written in educating a child on race, ethnicity, culture, etc.  But it sticks to just the large concepts and does not take advantage of the truth from the Word of God, that no matter what hue you are, you are an Imager Bearer of God.  

From a teacher's perspective, this book approaches these delicate topics that could lead to upheaval amongst parents and community members, in a very neutral, secular informed way.  It speaks of accepting what others believe about themselves.  It speaks of recognizing that no two people are the same, but even that I have an issue with, as I am an identical mirror-image twin, and my sister and I share the same DNA.  Our kids as babies struggled to tell us apart.  So while this book attempts to be structured for anyone to recognize how unique and varied an individual is, twins are not always that unique in skin tone, hair, etc.   But it is interesting that when we spend time in the sun, our skin reacts very differently. Likely because my twin has been a lifeguard for 30 years and spent a lot more time in the sun than I ever have.  

If you want to learn how to be open-minded and approach this sensitive topic with a child, this book might be for you.  But honestly, my own children, and many whom I have loved and led in my decades of being kid-focused, do not really see the hues of people's skin tone as a deal- it's really not any different than eyes or hair being different.  The concepts that I suspect this book is trying to reduce or reframe from remaining commonplace, are often taught or caught, in light of recent events in the US, yes our kids may need tools to understand the ignorance of many grown-ups who judge another person by their skin hue.  But I have to wonder if we focus on this celebration of hues, will it help or hurt in the long run if a child hasn't spelled out hues with a connection to one being better or worse than the other.  

Thankful to partner with Waterbrook and get a copy of the book to review.  These are my thoughts, and mine alone.  

I did get a physical copy- and must say, the book itself is a lovely size, has thick nice pages, that will endure coloring, sharing, and using this as the activity book it is intended to be.  But I did not like all of the print and font selections, finding aspects of the book challenging to read, and not really child-friendly when it is so tiny and fancy at the same time.