Gigi: The Purple Ponies

Gigi: The Purple Ponies is the latest book in Sheila Walsh's successful Gigi picture book series. Once again, the little girl who knows she's God's princess takes center stage - but this time, she and her best friend, Frances, decide they are going to be on The Purple Ponies soccer team. Gigi is convinced she's a natural athlete, and that she and Frances will have to look happy, "but not too happy" for the sake of the girls not chosen for the team.

To readers, it quickly becomes apparent that Gigi doesn't know much about soccer. When the coach asks her to dribble the ball, she thinks she's been asked to drool all over it. And when she attempts to dribble, she ends up falling bottom down on top of the ball. Gigi cries out that the ball is faulty, but her daddy says, "Gigi, it may be that soccer is just not for you...God has given you lots of gifts. It's your job to find out what those gifts are and use them to shine like God's princess."

This is tough for Gigi to come to terms with, but when Frances makes the team and Gigi doesn't, Gigi is a good sport. She congratulates Frances and decides there is still a way for them to share the soccer experience together. Gigi will be The Purple Ponies' cheerleader. After all, Gigi says, "I am very loud, so that must be one of my gifts."

The book ends by quoting Romans 12:6: "We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace that God gave us."

What I Like: Gigi is a girl we can all recognize: Feminine, creative, a bit bossy...and a big heart. This book takes a common situation (trying out for a team sport) and shows that if we don't succeed, that's okay. God has other things in mind for us. It's an important lesson for today's children. Too, parents will catch lots of little jokes most children won't, which makes reading this book a lot of fun for adults, too.

What I Dislike: The illustrations by Meredith Johnson, while full of character and whimsy, are mostly in tones of pink and gray. It's a bit bland for my taste.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 4- 8, but my 2 1/2 year old likes it, too.

Publishing Info: Thomas Nelson, 2008; ISBN: 1400311241; hardback, $12.99

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Special Info: Check out our reviews of other Sheila Walsh books.

What Is Heaven Like?

At some point, every child asks about the afterlife, and with bestselling author Beverly Lewis' picture book What is Heaven Like? you'll have a great introduction to the topic.

The book begins with a little boy (perhaps seven years old) feeling sad because his grandfather has died. First, he talks to his big sister about heaven. She says the streets of heaven are gold, and that there are gates with shiny pearls. And, of course, there are lots of angels, too.

Next, he asks the adults he meets (the mailman, the librarian, the zookeeper...) what heaven is like. They tell him it's very far away, that it's a place where little boys can go outside and play all day long without ever having to go back inside, that it's a happy place filled with people who love you, that it's full of joyful noise, that you can eat whatever you want, that your body will be strong and healthy, that there may be animals there, and that the air will be beautifully perfumed.

Finally, he talks to his family about heaven. His mom assures the boy he can come to them with any questions and they will consult the Bible for answers. Together, they discuss how we get to heaven, that everyone's body dies eventually (but that their souls can live on), and what it means to really accept Christ.

Near the end of the book, we see the boy's imaginings of what heaven is like, along with a quote: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has known what God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Cor. 2:9) On the final two page spread, we see the boy and his grandfather, reunited, as the boy proclaims that he will see his grandpa again.

What I Like: There are a number of books on this topic (notably, Randy Alcorn's excellent Wait Until Then), but Lewis' book is great for children just old enough to understand more detail than books for younger children usually include. The illustrations by Pamela Querin are soft, peaceful, and engaging, and I appreciate that every two page spread features a quote from the Bible that backs up - in some way - what the author says. In addition, the author includes a note to parents with some useful tips. She reminds us that children are more frightened by the unknown than by the truth. And she correctly states than even the greatest theologian doesn't know all the answers about heaven - therefore, parents shouldn't be afraid to sometimes say "I don't know."

What I Dislike: This is nit-picky, but I would have liked a section for parents with footnotes for all the facts given about heaven. Once or twice, I found myself wondering, "Does the Bible really say that?" It would have been nice to have a Bible reference handy to check for myself.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4- 8

Publishing Info: Bethany, 2006; ISBN: 076420184; hardback, $14.99

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Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves Me is often one of the first songs Christian children learn. Whether they are taught the simple tune by their parents or in Sunday school, this simple song has been a classic since the tune was written in 1862. Illustrator Tim Warnes has used acrylic, water-soluble crayons, and ink, to achieve a soft watercolour-like effect. The whimsical illustrations promote a strong sense of togetherness as the bear family (Father, Mother and Little Bear) engage in a variety of activities together. The family’s day is spent reading the Bible, gardening, fishing, decorating Easter eggs, baking and having a marshmallow roast before bed. There are many verses and variations of lyrics for this hymn; the three verses used in the book can be found on Cyberhymnal.

What I Like: I enjoy books based on songs so that I can sing them to my children as we turn the pages. The hymn is a classic one I want my children to learn, and this is an excellent method to teach it to them. The illustrations are soft, gentle and filled with light. My 2 year old adores the book and it is currently her favourite. She brings it to me throughout the day to sing her the words of the song. The padded boardbook format is wonderful, with rounded edges for safety.

What I Dislike: There is a disconnect between the words of the hymn and the illustrations. It almost seems as though the author had a series of adorable and beautifully executed paintings of bears that needed some accompanying text. There is not much correlation between the illustrations and the lyrics. My 5 year old daughter pointed this out, and she was disappointed – the illustrations looked like a story to her, and she was surprised to find that the text did not match. The page edges are also gilded – a feature often found on Bibles – I felt this was somewhat inappropriate considering the lighthearted content of this title.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: Infant - 5

Publisher Info: Little Simon Inspirations, 2008; ISBN: 1416953671; Padded Boardbook; $7.99

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Special Info: Also available as a hardcover (published by Howard Books in 2006) that includes printed music with chords and all three verses of the song at Christianbook.com for $9.99 and at Amazon.com for $11.01. Our family was unfamiliar with two of the verses, as our hymnal includes different lyrics. The verses used may or may not be familiar to your family. Five pages include Easter egg related activities.

Don't Mess with Moses!

Your child's Christian bookshelf needn't be filled only with serious books. The Bible itself contains some pretty amusing tales (Balaam's talking donkey is an excellent example!), so why shouldn't books about the Bible be fun, too? Enter Don't Mess with Moses! by songwriter Marty Nystrom. Packed with fun and laugh-out-loud poems, this volume is sure to please any kid.

Reminding me a bit of Shel Silverstein, Nystrom manages to pack page after page with humorous poems telling Old Testament stories or making comments on them. There are poems about the Bible's best-selling status, the SHEroes of the Bible, quips about not being a descendant of apes, Adam's extremely short family tree, the first sibling rivals (Cain and Abel), Noah's crazy ark, and much, much more. The poem recounting the days of creation - and another about the plagues of Egypt - are a great way to help your kids memorize parts of the Bible, and many of the poems will help your child see Bible stories in a new light. For example, there's a poem thanking God for creating light, otherwise "I am sure a sleepyhead,/you bet I'd forget/when to roll out of bed." Another poem draws attention to the fact that money, television, and many other things can act as our modern-day "golden calves." Another points out that

"Adam had no cousins,
Adam had no toys,
he never went to recess,
or played ball with other boys...
Adam never had a childhood."

And some poems are just plain fun. One, about Samson's hair, suggests children point out that story when their parents want them to get a hair cut. Another focuses on a young boy's horror when he develops a side ache; he's sure God is making his aching rib into a wife for him. One of my favorites from the volume, titled "Messy," is the poem of a little boy who is constantly making messes that are tough for his mother to clean up. He gets spaghetti on her "dry clean only" skirt, catsup on his brother's brand new shirt, and frosting all over his face.

"Good thing ol' Adam had no mom;
he'd get his feelings hurt,
'cause the Bible says that Adam was
completely made of dirt!"

The accompanying illustration shows the boy walking away from a mess saying "Just bein' biblical, Mom."

What I Like: This book is such a fun way to get your kids more involved with Bible stories. It appeals to a very wide age range; heck, I read it for my own enjoyment. The sketchy, wacky illustrations by Steve Bjorkman are exactly what was called for. Best of all, the author prompts readers to set down the book and explore the Bible itself. Several poems don't reveal the ending of certain Bible stories, and instead tell the reader to check a particular chapter of the Bible. And nearly every poem is accompanied by a "read more" note, pointing to a particular chapter or verse. I think this is a book every Christian family should own.

What I Dislike: There's little to dislike here, but some parents will be put off by the fact that the days of creation poem is told Monday through Sunday. This isn't historically accurate, and not all Christian worship on Sunday. Also, in one poem about David and Goliath, a large illustration depicts Goliath's head with blood splattering from it. Parents of younger children may want to skip that two-page spread.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: The publisher recommends this book for kids 6 - 12, but by 2 1/2 year old loves it...and I do, too!

Publishing Info: Standard, 2006; ISBN: 0784718334; hardback, $16.99

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