When God Made the Animals

When my two year old daughter saw When God Made the Animals sitting on my desk, she thought I was the meanest mommy in the world because I wouldn't read it to her. (Sorry, dear girl! This book is for a reader giveaway!) Like many young children, my daughter adores googly eyes books...and like most children, she also loves animals. So this neat little board book is right up her alley.

Each two page spread of this short, eight page board book features either sea creatures, birds, "big land animals," or a variety of animals with Adam and Eve. These are rendered in a vivid way by Warner McGee. Each spread also includes a four stanza rhyme, written by Jill Roman Lord. A Bible reference is included with each of these stanzas, but this is not a biblical account of how God created things. Instead, it's a simple reminder that God made all creatures. The last page reads:

"Creating was fun. But God still wasn't done.
He had one more thing up his sleeve.
He took dirt from the land and created a man,
then created a woman named Eve.

What I Like: All of Multnomah's googly eyes books have strong kid-appeal. The illustrations are eye-catching and interesting, the googly eyes irresistible, and the rhyming text very good.

What I Dislike: I wish all the googly eyes books by Multnomah were a bit longer, even though their shortness may appeal to restless readers. Also, for some reason, in this book Warner McGee's illustrations aren't as crisp as they are elsewhere. Still, none of this should keep you away from this fun book.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 2 - 5, but many younger (and slightly older) kids will enjoy it, too.

Publishing Info: Multnomah, 2006; ISBN: 1590527143; board book, $7.99.

Buy Now at Christianbook.com for $5.99.

Special Info: Check out our other reviews of Multnomah's googly eyes books.

Jesus Loves Me (A Picture-Me-Book)

Children's books featuring a photograph of your own little pum'kin have been popular for quite some time. Jesus Loves Me, a Picture-Me-Book, is one of the few offerings with a Christian slant.

In this book, a girl's body is shown doing typical childhood activities: getting out of bed, playing jump rope, refusing to eat vegetables, getting (temporarily) lost at the mall, having a birthday party, pretending to be a princess, praying, and the like. Where the girl's face should be is a die-cut hole. Tape a photograph of your little miss on the back cover of the book, and viola! Suddenly your little one is the star of the show.

The rhyming text explains that Jesus loves the pictured girl no matter what she's doing throughout the day.

What I Like: The concept is a good one. Kids usually like looking at photographs of themselves, and the novelty of being the leading character in a book has strong appeal. Too, the truth that Jesus loves us - no matter what - is one we can't emphasize too often.

What I Dislike: The text (written by "Dandi," the back cover says) fumbles around with awkward phrasings. For example:

"If I fuss when I see
on my plate broccoli,
even then - totally
Jesus loves me."

More troubling are sections that seem to suggest bad things will never happen. For example, the little girl argues with her friend, and her cat runs away...but both the cat and the friend come back - because Jesus loves our heroine. And when she gets lost in the mall, "Jesus never lets me down. Before you know it - I am found." I also find the illustrations by Bill Wilson a little odd. The leading lady looks awfully hulky, with manlike hands. Some parents will also object to the cover illustration, which includes a depiction of Jesus.

Overall Rating: Ho-hum.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 4 - 8

Publishing Info: Playhouse, 1995; ISBN: 1571515267; paper back, $5.99.

Buy Now at Christianbook.com for $1.99.

Special Info: The illustrations in this book feature a Caucasian-looking family for the leading character. Other pictured children have different skin tones, but if your girl's skin isn't fair, this book won't really work for you.

My Thanksgiving Prayer

It's time to celebrate Thanksgiving again, time to remember all the things we should be grateful for. We, as adults, have had the opportunity to celebrate the season many times. Our little ones haven’t. Each Thanksgiving is a new experience for them.
Make this Thanksgiving special for your very little ones by sharing this book with them: My Thanksgiving Prayer, written by Crystal Bowman and illustrated by Claudine Gevry. It is a Thanksgiving prayer from a child’s perspective. Written in rhyme, the verses give thanks for things children think about and can appreciate: food, family, and nature. The text is short and simple, with words and images children can understand and relate to.
Here’s a sample:

Thank you, God, for birds that sing
and mountains standing tall.
For rivers, trees, and bumblebees –
Lord, you have made them all.

The illustrations in this book are painted with bright, bold colors and project a very child-like quality. Every double-paged spread, except one, contains a single picture. The other two pages contain three pictures that are painted to look like photographs. The book itself is a boardbook, cut roughly into the shape of a cornucopia.
What I Like: Everything. The shape of the book captures your attention since, as mentioned, it is shaped like a cornucopia. The bright illustrations, with a decidedly orange theme, are cute and heart-warming. With only two sentences on each page, youngsters won’t need a long attention span to enjoy this book. And the fact that it's a boardbook will make it easier for little ones to turn the pages by themselves. This is a great book to introduce your youngsters to all the things we have to be thankful for.
What I Dislike: Nothing.
Overall Rating: Excellent.
Age Appeal: 4 and under.
Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2007; ISBN: 0310711622; Boardbook, $6.99.
Buy now at Christianbook.com $5.49.
Special Info: Visit the illustrator’s website.

Give Thanks to the Lord

Give Thanks to the Lord is brand new from author Karma Wilson. Based on Psalm 92, this book celebrates everything that's best about Thanksgiving.

"Food and fun and family
all the wonderful things I see,
God has given these to me.
I'm just as grateful as I can be."

Everyone gathers with laughter. The kids play in the leaves and enjoy warm cider while waiting for dinner. The whole family eats until they're stuffed, surrounded by those they love. It's a beautiful story told through rhyming verse, all to this end: "It is good to give thanks to the Lord!"

Amy June Bates does a fantastic job as illustrator. Her drawings are sketchy, but sun-bathed and warm. A perfect complement to this book's text.

What I Like: The whole book! The size is great. It makes reading it an attractive holiday tradition. I love the illustrations. My kids have fun with the repetitive nature. Every few pages they 'read' with me: "It's good to give thanks to the Lord!" This makes for easy Scripture memorization, always a plus.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4-8, though I think even adults would enjoy this book.

Publisher Info: ZonderKidz, 2007; ISBN: 0310711185; Hardback; $14.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $11.99!

Special Info: See our review of I Will Rejoice, another top-rated book by Karma Wilson. Visit the author's website and see more by the illustrator online.