A Life God Rewards For Little Ones

Bestselling author Bruce Wilkinson and Mack Thomas teamed up to write A Life God Rewards for Little Ones, which is geared specifically to the preschool age group. Illustrations are done by Alexi Natchev.

You may be familiar with Bruce Wilkinson's other A Life God Rewards books. This one is based on Revelation 22:12, " And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work."

We see a young boy who is finding joy in doing things that will please the Lord. He prays out loud, cheers up a sad friend, shares with a boy in need, and does his best at everything he does.

"When I go home to heaven someday,

my Savior will meet me and He will say,

'I know all you did with a heart so true.

Come see My rewards that are waiting for you.'"

What I Like: This is a very sweetly written, prettily illustrated book. My toddler loves it!

What I Dislike: I am aware that this book isn't promoting works based salvation, but at the end it speaks of all the good things the main character did and how heaven will be full of rewards. It could be a little confusing for a young one.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Age 2-5

Publishing Info: Multnomah Kidz, 2002; ISBN: 1590520947; Hardcover, $5.99

Buy it now at Christianbook.com for $2.99.

Special Info: If you are interested in the adult version of A Life God Rewards, you can find it here.

Abraham's Search for God

If you're looking for a book that tells the biblical story of Abraham, Jacqueline Jules' Abraham's Search for God will disappoint you. If, however, you approach this picture book as a work of fiction - an imagining of what the boy Abram might have experienced in his search for God - you and your child may enjoy it greatly.
Jules begins by introducing us to the boy Abraham (she does not mention that his name was originally Abram) who lived thousands of years ago in the city of Ur. We learn that people of this time prayed to many different idols - mere statues of clay or stone. But Abraham, the author says, didn't feel this was right. "Idols have mouths but cannot speak to me. They have ears but cannot hear me. How can an idol help me?" he wonders. Although his father scolds him for these musings, Abraham seeks out the true Creator.
One day, Abraham stays out late, and the dark frightens him. Then a full moon appears...and Abraham thinks he's found something greater than idols. The moon, which lifts the darkness, must be a god; he prays to it. But in the morning, he watches the sun overtake the moon, and imagines the sun must be the ruler of all things - so he prays to it. But then clouds overtake the sun and the sky darkens. It rains and thunders. "Thunder!" Abraham cries. "You sent away the sun and made the earth shake. Are you the ruler of the world?" After a time, the clouds part and a giant rainbow fills the sky. Did the rainbow stop the fierce thunder? Then Abraham notices the sun take over once more...and after a time, the moon. He wonders who makes the sun and moon take turns.
Unable to sleep, Abraham ponders these things. "One great power rules the entire universe and sets everything in motion. This great power is the one true God," the boy decides. Still, Abraham continues seeking. He wonders where God is and how he can know God is really there, since he can't see him. He looks around at the flowers and the birds and feels the warm breeze on his face.

"Suddenly Abraham knew. 'God is everywhere. God is in everything. God is something we know with our hearts...' Every part of his being joined in a prayer: One God of earth and skies. you fill my heart and eyes."

From then on, the author says, Abraham worshiped the one true God. And when he grew up, he led others to this God. Jules ends: "Today, we remember Abraham as the father of three great religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam."
What I Like: Jules' writing style is simple, yet doesn't dumb things down. In many ways, this is a book full of complex ideas, but even young children can understand its basic meaning. Too, the illustrations by Natascia Ugliano are gorgeous - rich and vibrant and full of interest.
What I Dislike: This book is not for everyone, due to the mixing of biblical fact and creative fiction. I recommend it for older children, who have a good basic understanding of the biblical story of Abraham. It's a good idea to explain to children that Abraham's Search for God is based on Jewish myth, and we don't really know if this is how Abraham discovered the one true God. Some Christian parents will object that Abraham is shown praying to the sun and moon (even though he realizes later they aren't gods).
Overall Rating: Very Good.
Age Appeal: The publisher recommends 4 - 8.
Publishing Info: Kar-Ben Publishing, 2007; ISBN: 158013243X; hard back, $17.95
Buy NOW at Amazon.com for $14.00
Special Info: To read other reviews books by this author, please click here.

The Ballad of Matthew's Begats: An Unlikely Royal Family Tree

The Ballad of Matthew's Begats, is written and sung by Andrew Peterson and illustrated by Corey Godbey. Drawings of Bible characters are placed like snapshots on colorful pages throughout this book. If you've seen the genealogy of Christ written in the book of Matthew, you know how long and difficult some of the names can be. A sing along CD is included in the front of the book making this an entertaining way to learn the family history of our Lord. There are fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon and fourteen from the exile to Christ. It's all wrapped up in a fun educational sing along book. There are very brief "Did you know...?" facts on each page; for example:

"Did you know...Jehosophat had 28 sons and 60 daughters?"

What I Like: Everything. The pages are intriguing. The song is fun to listen to.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: Recommended for ages 5 to 10.

Publishing Info: Thomas Nelson, 2007; Hardcover; 32 pages; ISBN: 1400309093

But it now at Christianbook.com for $14.99

Or buy it now at Amazon.com for $14.99

Who Made the Morning?

Who Made the Morning? by Jan Godfrey and Honor Ayres tells the tale of Little Brown Bird, who wakes up one day and asks "Who made this beautiful morning?" The flowers say nothing, but lean further toward the sun. The cow just bellows, "Moo! WHO?!" Little Brown Bird's feathered friends say, "Don't know, don't care." An anxious rabbit won't answer at all. The breeze, however, whispers "God, the maker of all the world, made this beautiful morning."

Little Brown Bird is thrilled to have an answer, but now she wants to know who God is and where he lives. When the breeze doesn't reply, Little Brown Bird decides to fly until she discovers the answers. Going further than she's ever flown before, she ends up in the snowy mountains. There she encounters an eagle, who frightens her with his bright, sharp eyes. "Help me!" cries Little Brown Bird, hoping someone will hear. Suddenly, the eagle flies off. Little Brown Bird finds shelter in the cleft of a rock. She dreams God is holding her "ever so gently in his hands."

The next morning, she flies back home. "And then," the author writes, "Little Brown Bird understood something wonderful, something so wonderful that she knew she would never forget it." When Little Brown Bird returns to her tree, her bird friends ask if she accomplished her mission. Little Brown Bird says yes, "God was with me in all the places I went and he looked after me. God the maker of all the world is with me all the time, wherever I go." She proclaims that God is stronger than the wind, brighter than the sun, and greater than the eagle. Then she sings a song of thanks.

What I Like: The basic storyline of this book is cute and the illustrations are colorful and playful. This really could have been a beautiful story, with quite a bit of depth.

What I Dislike: This book just doesn't do it for me - or my 2 1/2 year old. The text is a bit clumsy, and the frequent use of the word "went" quickly becomes annoying. (For example, the text reads: "So Little Brown Bird went to ask the flowers..." "So Little Bird asked the flowers..." is much less clunky. This may seem an overly-picky critique, but when the same phrase pops up every few pages, it really becomes distracting.) We are never quite sure why Little Bird suddenly knows all the answers about God. Her dream helps, of course, but doesn't seem strong enough to warrant the bird's sudden understanding of the nature of things.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: The publisher does not have a recommendation, but I'd say 2 - 6.

Publishing Info: New Day Publishing, 2008; ISBN: 0979824702; hard back, $9.99.

Buy NOW at Amazon.com for $9.99

Special Info: To read other reviews of books by Honor Ayres, please click here.

I See the World God Made

Filled with beautiful, clear photographs, Laura Ann Miller's I See the World God Made is a basic, sturdy book for introducing infants and toddlers to the idea that God made everything.
The layout is simple. Each two page spread features a photograph on one page, and corresponding text on the opposite page. For example, the opening page reads: "I see the world God made! God made the sky." And the opposite page features a full page photo of a blue sky with white clouds. Every other page also features a Bible verse that corresponds with the topic. We learn that God made rocks, trees, mountains, the ocean, and flowers, too. The last page of the book notes that God made "the whole world" and God made "you," too, and has a pocket frame so you can insert your child's photo.
What I Like: The photographs are clear and vivid, and the message is clear. I also love that this book introduces very young children to God's word.
What I Dislike: Nothing...although I would have preferred a slightly longer book.
Overall Rating: Excellent.
Age Appeal: Infant - toddler.
Publishing Info: Standard, 2007; ISBN: 0784720924; board book, $5.99.
Buy NOW at ChristianBook.com for $4.99
OR Buy at Amazon.com for $5.99
Special Info: Click here to read our reviews for other books by this author, including others in this series of board books.

Our Favorite "First" Bibles

Tanya, Beverly, and I are all moms of little ones, and we often find ourselves overwhelmed by the choices in children's Bibles these days. (When I was a kid - way back when! - all the kids I knew had the same children's Bible. I think it was the only one in print.)

To help you sort through all the choices, we thought we'd post a bit about what our favorite "first" Bibles for infants and toddlers are, and why we love them.

Kristina: There are three "first" Bibles I recommend, but one isn't technically a Bible at all. It's Little One's Bible Verses by Stephen Elkins. This sturdy, padded board book is perfect for introducing infants to God's word. Each page features a sweet illustration (featuring babies, small children, and animals) accompanied by a short verse from the Psalms. My daughter loved this book from the time she was an infant - and now that she's two, she has many verses memorised. Please read my full review here.

For toddlers, I highly recommend The Busy Bible. This is a handmade "quiet time" book devoted entirely to Bible stories. You can zip open the big fish's mouth to discover Jonah, take animals in and out of Noah's ark, learn the days of creation with fun flaps, help the good Samaritan put bandages on the wounded man, snap fish out of the sea and put them in Peter's net, and much more! My daughterbegs to play with this Bible. Please read my entire review here.

For kids who are ready for a Bible storybook, there are several good choices, but my favorites are The Big Picture Bible Storybook by David Helm and The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones. Tanya will tell you more about the first book. The second book is similar in concept: It covers the Bible in such a way that we see everything in the Good Book points to Jesus. Now that my girl is a little older, we alternate between The Jesus Storybook Bible and The Big Picture Bible Storybook, and I'm sure she really is getting the "big picture" about the Bible, God, and Jesus. Please read my entire review of The Jesus Storybook Bible, here.

Tanya: Choosing a first Bible is tough! Infants don't understand much and the Bible is complex. Throw in some tiny hands and destructive teeth and the choice becomes even more difficult. You want accuracy, but you also want it to be age-appropriate. The details are not always as important as the point. The two Bibles I've chosen to highlight are actually story Bibles.

First, for infants and toddlers, I recommend My Bible Storybook, part of the God Counts! series. It's a stong boarbook with great content. Each of the 10 stories is accented with die-cut pictures and 3-D plastic images, fun for busy, tactile learners. Read my full review here.

Once the kids pass the infant stage, my favorite Bible is The Big Picture Story Bible. Rather than bogging down busy minds with details of all the different stories of the Bible, this book emphasizes the unity of Scripture and its one main theme: God loves us and will always keep His promises to us. This book holds my kids' attention more than anything else. Furthermore, it helps them connect the dots between all the Bible stories they learn here and at Sunday School. You can read my full review here.

Beverly: I also have three “first Bibles” to recommend. The first, 100 Bible Stories 1oo Bible Songs, by Steven Elkins, was given to my daughter as a birthday present when she turned one. We read this book to her regularly. It is a Bible storybook that retells the beloved Bible stories we all learned as young children. We have found this to be very biblically accurate, and the pictures are eye catching. I like this “first Bible” for young children because it only gives them as much information as their little minds can handle! You can read my review of this book here.

The NKJV Precious Moments Collector Edition Bible is a wonderful first Bible for a child. I recommend this Bible for a child that is at least four years old, and can treat a book with care. My sister received an earlier edition when she learned to read. There are beautiful, full color illustrations and numerous black and white ones in this Bible, as well as companion stories that can be used as teaching tools or devotionals. Read my review to see what else this Bible has to offer.

The Child’s Story Bible, by Catherine F. Vos, is close to my heart because my parents used it with me, and I used it to teach my classes of Sunday school children. Lord willing, I will use it with my children when they are old enough. My favorite thing about this Bible storybook is the beautiful language that speaks to a child’s heart. The gospel is artfully woven into every aspect of this classic. You can find out more in my review, here.

God Must Really Love ... Numbers!

God Must Really Love ... Numbers! is one in a series by Rondi DeBoer. In sequential order, the author features the numbers one through ten and how God uses them in nature. For example: "God must really love 3 and 4. He created three long leaves for four fuzzy caterpillars." Each two page spread ends with "Good job, God! I love [numbers] too." The last page goes through all the numbers and all the items in quick succession. "A whole, wide wonderful world ... full of marvelous numbers!"
Steve Haskamp does a great job as illustrator, filling the pages with bold colors and friendly characters. Some pieces of the pictures, such as the butterflies wings, are covered in a light-catching, holographic foil.
What I Like: This is a great book for teaching kids counting. It maintains a solid focus on God while also having fun with pictures and numbers. My kids really like it.
What I Dislike: The last line on each page seems condescending; like a child praising his Father for learning something new. I would prefer to say "Thank you, God!" rather than "Good job."
Overall Rating: Good.
Age Appeal: 1-4
Publisher Info: Little Simon Inspirations, 2007; ISBN: 1416933565; Boardbook; $6.99
Buy it Now from Christianbook.com for $5.49!







Or buy it at Amazon.com for $6.99.
Additional Info: Also available in this series: God Must Really Love ... Colors!, God Must Really Love ... Shapes! and God Must Really Love ... Opposites!