Goodbook company: Training Young Hearts Series: What are feet for?

Abbey Wedgeworth author and illustrated by Emma Randall Training Young Hearts book series is a new lift-a-flap board book for little ones and their parents to enjoy together. As an educator, I find value in the formula of each book in this series, a few pages that ask questions (and you get the answers under the sturdy flap with simple, clear child-friendly illustrations). First, the book talks about what to do with your feet then what not to do, then teaches the child that Jesus was human and had feet and used them to obey God with the Holy Spirit's help, just like the child can do! Each body part book repeats this same formula, with every page requiring a lifting of the flap, and examples that are natural child tendencies. I am especially fond of the examples of how the child is NOT to use that body part, as the examples are natural impulsive responses and what you see when you work with a child from a hard place or trauma. Are these books immensely creative and entertaining for the reader, not likely? But are they developmentally appropriate for the intended audience? Why yes they are. Will the format, style, and questions/answers appeal to the child who listens? Yes, they will. The images are warm, friendly, and simple, and will appeal to young children, and the book will lend easily to re-reading, and a child reading alone. This is the best kind of book for this stage. Will people understand or misunderstand the concept of sin, as implied by other reviewers? I do not think it is a problem. I see this as a tool to train young hearts in how to use their bodies and in the basic concepts of faith from the youngest age. I've already purchased the four-book set as a baby shower gift, finding the series worth the investment. I believe if you are reading to your child from a young age, this series is worth owning. Encourage your child to read, re-read, read alone, and ask every loving adult in their life to read again. I have other books from this stage of my children's lives still memorized and my kids are 14, 18, and 22. This would have been a much-preferred option than a book about pajamas, a cat, or goodnight, and far more worthy of learning. I requested this book to review as I had already purchased some for our church nursery, on my own and I wanted to review this fifth book to share my honest opinion.

Mental Health Resource: You Are Not Alone by Jennie Allen

 

This book is worth reading to support your thoughts that spiral out of control. It’s worth reading with your 8-12-year-old daughter. I would discuss as you go otherwise the first few chapters explaining what spiraling thoughts are could give ideas to an anxious kid beyond their own. So Start Together, by part 2, is a manual explaining and defining feelings and then biblically informed concepts to battle the spiral.

These are my notes with the Power Statement each chapter opens with and the content of that chapter.  The book ends with a toolkit appendix. 

I would have preferred more brain research like in the adult version of You Are Out of Control. And stronger connections from the start to the gospel, believing in and knowing who God is. But it’s there, I just wanted a different order.

I had no idea what to expect of this book.  Out of Your Head was a favorite of mine, and Untangle Your Emotions disappointed me.  But I was thrilled to find this book a solid tool for its audience of 8-12-year-olds and their parents.  Adults will benefit from the toolkit for handling thoughts with excellent ways to live better!

Thanks net-galley for a pre-release! It is worth owning! The reader is interacted with and assigned appropriate tasks to process personally!

A few images to give you some details: 

Strategies in the first chapter

This is a battle but God equips you with weapons, 
like having a choice!

The Reader is taught that she can face lies with the Truth.  The truth is the Word of God.  The author teaches that most untrue things that spiral in our head, we tell ourselves focus on these three thoughts.  Being helpless, worthless, or unlovable. 

She also teaches that our thoughts drive our emotions and this controls how we act.  I know this is true because the book of James explains this clearly.  The author didn't tell the reader that directly, and I wished she had made more direct connections.  

Book Review: Different A Great Thing to Be! by Heather Avis & Illustrated by Sarah Mensings

 

As a diversity book, this is 5 stars.  The story is approachable, fun, and engages the reader. The rhyme, creative descriptive language, and emphasis on Different with a capital D.  Develop the purpose of the book well.  I suspect in a home or classroom it will be an appealing well-loved book read over and over, it's got all those dynamics. The illustrator is excellent and her attention to detail in the illustrations carefully represents children of many nationalities, abilities, and a few differences.  I noticed: a wheelchair, a few different skin tones, eyes shaped differently, and even a child with different pigment tones in her caucasian skin. a boy with glasses and a hearing aid.  

The  Author's website even offers a free download to promote "Differences" as good with your listeners. This kit again is focused on why Different is good and I agree and like the instruction Heather Avis provides.  She wants adults to educate children that when someone is Different, the question to ask isn't "What's wrong with ______?"  The approach that does better and is kinder is to teach children to say, "Hi, my name is___" and embrace the Different person.  

The typical way a child approaches a Different person in appearance is: "What's wrong with them?" and then horrified parents attempt to quiet their child and ignore it.  The author does an excellent job seeing the positives and teaching us to raise our children to learn about differences and for adults to be free to say, "Nothing's wrong with her, God made her Differently.  She has Down syndrome and that makes her Different. Then you can discuss any Differences or observations that may have been stated rudely by your child.  (But even in the author's kit, no reference to a Creator God.)   But her kit and ideas from a teacher's perspective are excellent methods and strategies for children to grasp this vital concept.  

She also has a newer book Everyone Belongs that I do not own, but it is on  Brightly.  It's as excellent if not improved book on differences, written for her second Daughter Tru.  I like it even better. But as with the first book I shared, it's not a direct whisper of the Word to your child, and the free downloadable kit also is very neutral.  Below are my thoughts about this being a book that grows your faith, however as I'm processing, shaping our Worldview with kindness, love, and the perspective of celebrating every individual just as they are, that does create the foundation a believer wants to develop.  

As a book from Waterbrook & Multnomah a book company that says they help people grow in their faith, it's a very indirect path.  The concept or truth conveyed is "Different" enhances our lives. This is a true statement, clearly communicated as a strength, and combats the cultural battle of being afraid of or not interacting with a child who is obviously "Different."  

This is biblical- we are all image-bearers of God, so the book's theme is true because it is how God purposely defined those who resemble Him. "Different is a great thing to be!" But there is no spiritual reference, not a statement that God created Macy just like this- or even that He created all humans as image-bearers.  This book has no reference at all to any beliefs or faith at all.  That is a great disappointment for a faith-based company.   I expected the book to have a biblical connection of some sort coming from this publisher.  But that would be completely on the reader.  This could have been accomplished in a note from the author at the end, or a note to the reader with information about Down's syndrome (as this is mentioned on the book page but isn't clear in the book, although the characteristics and emphasis on how Macy is Different are examples of Down's Syndrome, and then states that God made each person on purpose just the way they are, and our Differences make our relationships fun.   So on the type of book I expect from Waterbrook-Multnomah this is a one-star.  

I didn't launch this book.  I didn't get a free copy. I purchased Different on sale at amazon, and listened to Everyone Belongs through Waterbrook Multnomah's website, and then on brightly. But I love informing all of you and I hope to share these tools in those children I love and engage with often.