One Surprising Morning

One Surprising Morning (Una Manana Sorprendente!) was written by Peg Augustine (English) and Emmanuel Vargas (Spanish). This book opens with Jesus' disciples in a room, sad and afraid. One by one, they begin to reminisce about Jesus' life. Short glimpses follow: Jesus at the Temple when He was a young boy; the feeding of the multitude; His triumphal entry on Palm Sunday; Jesus washing the disciples' feet before the Last Supper; Jesus' crucifixion. Then women enter the room happy and excited. They tell everyone that Jesus' tomb is empty and that He has risen from the dead.

The text throughout is offered in English on the left page and Spanish on the right. Several Scripture quotations are also given in the book. The final page quotes Matthew 28:5 -- "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said."The illustrations by Judi Niernberger offer simple watercolors in soft pastel colors. Readers should note that a rendering of Jesus' face is depicted throughout the book.

What I Like: I like the inclusion of both English and Spanish text. This is great for bilingual families. It's nice to have the text and biblical accounts (quoted Scripture) intertwined. I also like the unique perspective. Not many books present Jesus' life through remembrances of His disciples. I wish the author had elaborated on that delivery a little more.

What I Dislike: Studies show that children prefer strong illustrations with bright colors. This book offers neither. Also, the staccato flow inhibits cohesion. The text begins with one setting then jumps another to another without smooth transition. Finally, the story ends abruptly without ever returning to the initial characters. There is no application nor any indication of why (if at all) this story is important to readers today.

Overall Rating: Normally I would rate this "Ho-Hum," but because the book is listed at such an incredibly low price, I'll say "Good." It would make a nice Sunday School gift without breaking the budget.

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: Abingdon Press, 2007; ISBN: 0687492602; Paperback; $1.59

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What Do I See?

Crystal Bowman adds to her extensive list of author credits with What Do I See?, one of the first in Zondervan's new collection of bilingual books. A Level 1 (Beginning Reading) book in ZonderKidz I Can Read! series, this book invites readers to discover the sights and sounds of both the country and the city. As a bilingual book, each page offers the text first in English, then in Spanish.

As with all books in this series, a Bible verse is quoted at the very beginning. This book features Psalm 100:1 which reads "Shout to the LORD with joy, everyone on earth." After this the text offers a consistent format of a repeated introductory phrase, followed by sentences highlighting three different sites and their sounds or actions. For example:

"I walk in the country. What do I see?
I see fishes, one, two, three.
I see a worm who likes to squirm.
I see a duck who quacks at me.
Quack, quack, duck.
Squirm, squirm, worm.
Swim, swim, fishes, one, two, three."

The same pattern is repeated seven times throughout the book, each time with different sights and sounds from the country, city and home. The last page offers thanks to God for all the things we see.

The illustrations are created by photographing multi-medium settings. Pam Thompson uses various textures and techniques to create 3-D scenes -- from buttons, beads, gems and feathers to paper-piecing, felt and twine. The overall effect is unique, colorful and attractive.

What I Like: The text includes simple sentences and frequent repetition. This is valuable to increasing reader confidence. Also, I love the illustrations! My kids enjoy pointing out different textures and "hidden" elements within the photographs. The bilingual feature is perfect for children fluent in one language, but trying to learn another.

What I Dislike: If the book is trying to rhyme, it only succeeds for English readers and even then only half the time. The rhythm and meter of the text fluctuate throughout the book creating an inconsistent pattern.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: ZonderKidz, 2009; ISBN: 0310718708; Paperback; $3.99

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Special Info: This book is also available with just English text. See our reviews of other early reader books. Please note that a Level 1 book in this series targets eager new readers, not those just learning phonics. Look for "My First" books in this series for first time readers.

Kat's Journey

Kat's Journey, written by Jim Walker, is a self-published title from Winepress. Wendy Walker Deason illustrated the book with realistic paintings.

This picture book follows a dog in his search for a new home. The story opens with him outside an old country store. "I'm lost!" He runs into a bigger, not-so-friendly dog, then follows his nose to a cookout where he meets a young girl. The dog's journey continues to school, then a homeless shelter and finally a nice man's home. At each stop, the dog hears a little bit about Jesus. It seems he and Jesus have much in common -- they both slept on hay in a barn when no one would give them a place to stay. Finally, when the dog is welcomed into a home, he witnesses Christmas morning. His new family reads from the Bible and opens presents. It is then that Kat (as the dog has been named) figures out what Christmas really is. "It is about God loving people so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the whole world."

A major feature of this book is its bilingual nature. Each page offers the story in English (at the top of the page) and in Spanish (at the bottom of the page). The back of the book gives the plan of salvation with Scriptural supports.

What I Like:I like that the story is told from the dog's perspective. The author does a good job speculating what an animal would feel during this journey. The author's love of his dog is obvious! This book clearly states what Christmas really is -- more specifically than many children's books. I like the "ABC's of Salvation" offered at the back.

What I Dislike: The dog never looks for his first family. We see them drive off in their car, but nothing is ever mentioned about them. That bothers me. The bilingual feature is unique, but I think it would be more effective if presented differently -- maybe have an upside-down/turn-around format with one language starting from the back cover. The biggest problem, though, is this book tries to cover too much. I had to read it twice before catching the point. It's a long book (64 pages) filled with distracting details. A nice story, but the writing doesn't do it justice. With some good editing, this could be much better; perhaps a series of smaller, more focused books rather than one big one. Also, the illustrations are not very inviting. They have a lot of color, but are not in a kid-friendly style.

Overall Rating: Poor

Age Appeal: 9-12

Publisher Info: Winepress Publishing, 2007; ISBN: 1579219004; Hardback; $14.99
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