In Bennie’s Forever Gift, written by Lynne Farrell, Bennie loves to go for rides with
his Grandpa Eldee. Bennie looks up to his Grandpa because Grandpa always makes
him feel special and loved.
For his eighth birthday, Grandpa
Eldee gives Bennie a special gift, a bright red horn for his bike. Of all the
presents he got, it is his favorite. He puts it on his bike and he and Grandpa
go for a ride.
Then Grandpa tells Bennie about the
Great One and his Forever Gift. He explains that the Great One created each of
us differently and gave us special gifts. Grandpa said the Great One’s best
gift of all is the Forever Gift. The Forever Gift is very special as the Great
One only gives it to those who ask for it. If you accept the Forever Gift, you
will be forever friends with the Great One and go to live with him when you
leave this world.
The
illustrations by Kathy Dache are colorful and expressive and the entire book’s
layout works well with the text.
What I Like:
I like the story’s message, a story about the gift of God’s eternal grace and
the promise that we will be with Him when we die.
What I
Dislike: I didn’t mention this previously, but just so you know, Bennie is a
tricycle and Grandpa Eldee is an old-fashioned bicycle. I was a bit thrown off
by the cover illustration as it is a picture of a tricycle with lots of
balloons. With the title, Bennie’s Forever Gift, I expected the tricycle
to be a gift, not be one of the main characters. I don’t necessarily dislike
it, I just wonder why the author chose a bicycle and a tricycle as characters.
Also, God is referred to as the Great One, instead of simply as God or our
Heavenly Creator.
Overall
Rating: Very good.
Age
Appeal: 6-12.
Publisher Info: WestBow Press, 2012; ISBN: 9781449761332;
Paperback, $15.95.
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