The Story of Jesus

There are two possible covers for this book.

The Story of Jesus put out by Flowerpot Press is a colorful board book designed to give children a synopsis of the Life of Christ.

The book begins with the birth of Jesus, highlights His teachings and miracles, touches on his death and resurrection, and ends with his ascension into Heaven.

What I Like: This book gives children a glimpse of the life of Christ. It was definitely written with the young child in mind. His story is told in such a way that very young children can easily understand it.

The illustrations are child friendly. Except for the picture of his birth, Jesus is depicted in a red robe so young children can pick him out in the illustrations immediately.

What I Dislike: Unfortunately, the shipping is going to cost more than the book itself.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 3-5 year olds

Publisher Info: Flowerpot Press, 2011; ISBN: 978-1-897533-75-8; board book , 16 pgs., $0.01 + $3.99 S&H

Buy it at Amazon.com for $0.01

Home Runs in Heaven

At some point in their lives, children are bound to ask questions about heaven. In Tracy Sievers' book, Home Runs in Heaven, a mother and her son speculate about what they might see in heaven.

Five-year-old Tyler Nash starts the conversation by asking, “Is there baseball in heaven?”

His mother answers, “No one really knows what heaven is like. But I believe that heaven is better than anything we could imagine here on earth… If I had to guess, I’d say yes…”

From there on, the two imagine heaven as being filled with ice cream, music, roller coasters, movies, sleepovers, jellybeans, birthday parties, a zoo, and so on.

The book layout remains consistent: two-page spreads with the illustrations, done by Trent and Kara Smith, on one side and the text on the other. Text length varies from a few short paragraphs to a full top-to-bottom page.

What I Like: The illustrations are bright and hold enough detail to keep the interest of the reader.

What I Dislike: Overall, I wish the story focused more on what Scripture does tell us about heaven (with Scripture references to back it up) and speculate less on unknown details. Or perhaps I would have been more comfortable if the author had been consistent in saying something along the lines of, "I bet..." or “The Bible doesn’t tell us, so we don’t know, but it’s possible God could…” instead of using definitive language like, “Of course” and “Definitely”.  Without Scripture references to back up the claims, I think this is somewhat confusing to kids. Does the Bible really say there are jellybeans in heaven or not? (Many other children's books about heaven give Bible references for the ideas claimed in the book, but this author does not.) So, while I agree with the author that heaven will be better than anything we could imagine, I'm not certain it will have amusement parks or jellybeans.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: None is suggested, but I think it works for the K-1 crowd.

Publisher Info: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014; ISBN: 978-1499767728; Paperback, 30 pgs., $9.99

This book is NOT available at Christianbook.com.
Buy it at Amazon.com for $9.99.
Special Info: Read other CCBR reviews on books about heaven.

My Big Bright Bible Board Book

If you want to introduce your baby or toddler to some favorite stories from the Bible, Christina Goodings’ book My Big Bright Bible Board Book may be just what you are looking for. Built with a thick, soft cover and sturdy pages, the book covers stories of creation, Noah, Baby Moses, David and Goliath, Jonah, Baby Jesus, Jesus and the Children, Lost Sheep, and the resurrection. Stories are told over a two-page spread using generally only six lines of text. Each tale is accompanied by simple, bright illustrations done by Stephen Barker. The pictures are cute, and will appeal to young kids with their easily recognizable, child-friendly figures. All people in the book appear fair-skinned.

What I Like: I think this book will appeal to its intended target audience. It seems solid, the pictures aren’t too busy but still catch the eye, and the text is simple enough for the short attention span of a baby or toddler. This author also has a wide variety of other books for this age group, so if your youngster enjoys this book, you can easily find another similar book to expand your household library.

What I Dislike: If you are wanting the “full picture” of a Bible story, you won’t find it here. Due to their brevity, the stories have many informational gaps. That means a child who is unfamiliar with the Bible story will likely have many questions. Of all the stories, I think “The Way to Heaven” will be the most likely to cause confusion. As long as parents are ready to fill in the holes, they can still use this book as a springboard for discussion or introduction to a Bible story.

Overall Rating: Good, although sturdiness is very good.

Age Appeal: Infant to toddler.

Publisher Info: Lion Hudson, 2014; ISBN:978-0745965253 ; Board Book, 10 pgs., $9.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $8.19
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Special Info: Check out CCBR reviews of other books by this author. You may also enjoy looking at these books by this author: My Little Bible Boardbook, My Look and Point Story of Jesus Stick-a-Story Book,My Look and Point Story of Jesus Stick-a-Story Book,My Look and Point First Christmas Stick-a-Story Book, Bible Stories for Girls, My Look and Point In the Beginning Stick-a-Story Book, Guess Who? Noah's Ark: A Flip-the-Flap Book, Hands-On Bible Craft Book, The Lion Book of Prayers for Me, My Very Best Bible Stories, or Bible and Prayers for Teddy and Me, just to name a few!

The Battle Begins: The Story of Creation

Introducing a brand new series of Action Bible graphic novels featuring vivid new artwork from Sergio Cariello.

Even as God walked through the beauty of His new creation, and breathed life into Adam, His masterpiece ... a warrior-angel gives into his pride—and commits the ultimate betrayal. Witness Adam and Eve falling into Lucifer's trap, as the battle for eternity begins in this brilliantly presented retelling of Creation, the Fall, and God's promise of redemption.

What I Like: The Battle Begins by Caleb Seeling is a more detailed story of creation than I have become accustomed to. It includes what is going on in heaven before and after creation giving an insight into why the serpent tempted Eve and how fallen angels became fallen angels. I really liked that the book included much more than I usually read.

The book is also created a comic or graphic novel as they refer to it so my 8 year old son was immediately drawn to the "superhero" like illustrations and the layouts of the pages.

What I Dislike:  The layout of the graphic novel includes the wording in speech balloons just like traditional comics. I am not a comic book reader and found the dialogue in balloons slightly distracting. I had to make sure I was reading it correctly which took away from just simply enjoying the book. It was a very minor issue for me, but my son had no issues with that whatsoever.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: The recommended age group is 9-12, but I would say 8-14 is more appropriate.

Publisher Info: David C. Cook, 2014; ISBN: 978-0781411424; Paperback, 104 pgs., $12.99

Special Info: Since the story is about creation, the book does include Adam and Eve being nude. The illustrations use shadows, scenery and "headshots" as a way to keep the story clean and appropriate for children.

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The Love Story

The story of Jesus is one of love and obedience. This idea is the main focus of Stenetta Anthony's book The Love Story.

The book starts with Jesus standing in heaven. God says to him, "I must show my people on earth how much I love them."
Jesus tells God that he will be the one to show them, and then "off Jesus went on his journey."

The next image is the familiar scene of Bethlehem and three wise men greeting a couple with a baby, followed by a page with a crowd of children and adults. From there, the pages progress through some well known events in Jesus life-- a man riding on a donkey, reaching out to another, praying, and the cross.

The story ends with children looking up at Jesus' pierced feet (the rest of Jesus is not visible, so we know he is hanging on the cross).

One final page provides Scripture references. The same verses are given, but from two different versions of the Bible (NKJV and NIRV).  Each two page spread holds a picture on one side of the page and 3 to 6 lines of text on the other. The illustrations are done by Eric Gonzales. They appear to be ink and watercolor images--- simple yet realistic and done in soft pastel colors.  Also notable is that this book comes with a free audio book download.

What I Like:  You can tell the the author loves Jesus, and that it is her best intention to share that love with others. I always appreciate that in a book. One of the biggest selling points for this book is the free audio book download. Everyone loves a freebie! I also appreciate how the smaller, bite-sized chunks of text make it a fast read for young children. Finally, if you are familiar with the New Testament stories of Jesus' life, it could be used as a review of it.

What I Dislike: Please note the emphasis of my last like--- "If you are familiar with the New Testament stories of Jesus' life..."

The book assumes that the reader has a good familiarity with the events in Jesus' life. Otherwise, when Christ goes from a grown man in the opening pages to a baby in Bethlehem, the reader might mistake Joseph for Jesus.  Not only that, many events are referred to, but the author doesn't provide details on what actually took place, to whom, and why. If the reader doesn't know the Bible stories, there isn't enough substance in the book to clarify what happened. (Also, although every other page pictures Jesus, I don't believe the crowd scene after Bethlehem does. So I found that page somewhat confusing.)

Another place where familiarity with the Bible is crucial is when Jesus is praying in the garden. After showing people God's love on the previous pages through miracles and bringing hope and joy (although what the hope and joy was wasn't mentioned), here God tells Jesus again that he must show everyone how much God loves people.

And the way to do that is to die. There is no explanation for why Jesus had to die though, or why it had to be on a cross. (If it were me, I'd pick a less painful option.) There is also no follow up.  We don't learn the connection between how Jesus' death made atonement for sin and repaired our relationship with God. (Within context of the Bible, we know that, and understand why Jesus' death shows God's love. But in this book, Jesus' sacrificial death is not shown as a sacrifice; death is just presented as a way of showing love. To me, that's a dangerous message for kids who might not know their Bible.)

One final note; the last illustration bothered me. Two of the children that are looking up from under Christ's bloody feet hold big smiles on their faces, which to me... especially without explanation... seems confusing.  (Children don't typically react to death that way.)

Overall Rating: Ho-hum.

Age Appeal: No age is suggested, but I recommend the Kindergarten and first grade crowd.

Publisher Info: Tate Publishing, 2014; ISBN:978-1629025087; Paperback, 28 pgs., $9.99
This book is not available at Christianbook.com.
Buy it at Amazon.com for $8.99.

Enoch Walked With God

Enoch. No, that's not a punch line to a knock-knock joke... it's the name of a man who lived before the flood and Noah's ark. He was one of the few men in the Bible who did not see death. Instead, he was taken directly to heaven by God.

The book Enoch Walked With God by Larry Hunt speculates on the life of this man and the manner in which his devotion to God manifested itself.  The book begins by quoting the three lines of Scripture that mention Enoch. Then, though not described in the Bible, the book paints a picture of a gentle, peaceful Enoch who played with children, showed kindness, planted seeds and harvested a field for a widow, and spoke with wisdom.

 The book is written in rhyme and capped off with the title words as a refrain. The meter is even and well constructed, giving it a gentle, sing-song feel. The text is large-sized with only a few lines per page. Illustrations are done in a two page spread. These are quite simple in presentation, and slightly cartoonish in look for some of the characters. Though they hold few details, the colors are bright.

What I Like: The rhyme in this book works, which is refreshing. The repeated refrain will appeal to younger readers, who can anticipate (and recite!) the words. And, though plain, the illustrations work fairly well to complement the text.

What I Dislike: As I mentioned, much of what is described as Enoch's life in this book is speculative. However, because the book holds no historical background information or author explanation for how Enoch's actions were discerned, it reads as fact. In other words, one could easily believe that playing with children, plowing widow's fields, and so on came directly from Scripture... and they don't. So, while I liked the idea of the story and appreciated the construction of the poetic elements, I wish that the speculative aspect would have been made clear.

Overall Rating: Good. However, had the author clarified where his ideas came from, I probably would have ranked it as very good. In other words, if you are a parent willing to take a moment prior to reading the book to explain to your child how you think the author likely developed his ideas, I think it's worth looking at.

Age Appeal: None is given, but I recommend younger ages, likely the preschool- kindergarten crowd.

Publisher Info: Eastern Gate Press, 2014; ISBN: 978-0615850559; Paperback and Kindle, 38 pgs., $9.00

This book is not available at Christianbook.com.
Buy the paperback at Amazon.com for $10.79  or the Kindle version for $2.99.

I Don't See Heaven

In I Don’t See Heaven, written by Jennifer Adan, Isabella was looking forward to flying in an airplane. Before her grandpa died, he told her he would go to Heaven. Isabella believed if she could go high in the sky (as in the airplane), she would be high enough to see Heaven and she would be able to see her grandpa.

Of course, that didn’t happen, so she was very upset. Her parents had to explain to her that we can’t see Heaven but we can feel it in our hearts.

The illustrations by E. A. Morando are a bit cartoonish, but they are bright and colorful and work well with the text.

What I Like: I like the illustrations the best. I also like the parents’ explanation of Heaven.

What I Dislike: The layout is rather boring. All of the two-page spreads have the text on the left-hand side and an illustration on the right-hand side. I think a bit of variety would have been better.

Also, the writing is a bit weak and there are several punctuation errors throughout the text.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Archway Publishing, 2013; ISBN: 9781480403077; Paperback, $9.89.

Buy now at Amazon.com $9.89!

 

Special Info: Visit the author’s website.

My Very First Easter Story

The true story of Easter is one that every child should know - and while very young children may not completely understand it, it's never too early to begin introducing them to the story of Jesus' death and resurrection and what it means for us. That's the concept behind My Very First Easter Story by Lois Rock.

Rock begins the story on Passover, with crowds welcoming Jesus with palm branches. "This must be the beginning of Jesus making the whole world a better place," the author credits the crowd with thinking. Then we see Jesus at the temple, overturning the tables because "Jesus could see they were making people pay too much." Next, we see Jesus at the last supper, instructing his disciples. We learn about his prayer in the garden, which Rock simplifies as: "Father God...I don't want these hard times, but I will do what you want." Then soldiers take Jesus away and crucify him. His friends put him in a tomb.

Those same friends decide they need to hide, or the Romans might come after them, too. But when they go back to Jesus' tomb "to say goodbye," Jesus' body is missing. Shortly after, "a man" bumps into some of Jesus' friends, and they invite him to dinner. Suddenly, when he says a prayer, they see the man is Jesus. And then Jesus disappears.

But Jesus reappears to instruct his friends. "He helped them understand that God is a friend when people face hard times, and that God can make everything good and right again. He gave them a job to do - to tell this news to all the world." Then Jesus goes to Heaven.

"But God gave his friends the help they needed. They suddenly felt brave. They knew what to say. They began to speak to anyone who would listen...'Jesus came to us from God,' they explained. 'He came to tell us how much God loves us. People tried to stop him, but their plan hasn't worked. Jesus is alive, proving that his message is true: God wants everyone to give up bad ways and come home to a place of goodness. God welcomes us all as friends.' ...The news has been spreading ever since."

What I Like: Overall, I think Rock did a decent job of explaining the Easter story. In fact, she covers many aspects of it that other children's Easter books usually leave out - including an attempt at the true significance of Jesus' death and resurrection.

What I Dislike: However, I think this book misses the mark of being a "very first" Easter book. First of all, this book doesn't do a good job of keeping the attention of young children. Some of that is due to the illustrations by Alex Ayliffe, which are pretty lifeless, actionless, and bland. Very good illustrations would make this book far more enjoyable for young children.

But I also find that this book may include too much information for young children. The Easter story is one of drama, excitement, and emotion. But because this is a book for young children, it is highly condensed. That means there is little to hold kids' attention, and the storyline might be a little difficult to follow. Also, some parts are just confusing for little people. For example, when "a man" appears to Jesus' friends, they don't immediately know it is Jesus. Young kids are going to ask why, but the author doesn't attempt to answer this. (Of course, the Bible doesn't answer this question, either.) This whole section is really confusing for young ones.

More importantly, I question how the author sums up the significance of Jesus' resurrection. Why go on and on about giving up "bad ways" and being God's "friend" when you could tell children how Jesus paid the price for our sins so we can someday go to Heaven and be with God?

Overall Rating: Ho-hum.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 3 - 5 years.

Publishing Info: Lion, 2012; ISBN:  978-0745962160; hardback, 32 pgs., $6.99

Buy Now at Amazon for $5.9. Or buy at ChristianBook.com for $5.99
Also available is a sticker book version.

Special Info: Looking for a better choice of an Easter book for young children? Check out our reviews for the following books: The Very First Easter, The Story of Easter, What is Easter?, My Easter Basket, An Easter Gift for Me, and The Story of Easter.

Which Way Today?

In Which Way Today?, written by Maryann Ruben, a boy comes to a fork in the road. He doesn’t know which way to turn. A man who is standing there says, “Follow me.” So the boy does just that.

Then the boy turns into a teenager and comes to another fork in the road. Same thing happens. This pattern continues throughout the story until the young boy has grown up into an old man. At the end, the old man is lead into Heaven.

The story is an allegory for our life. When we come to a crossroads, we must choose which way to go. If we choose to follow Jesus, we will be led into Heaven at the “end of the road.”

The illustrations by Jesse Blythe Skidmore are colorful and expressive, but a bit cartoonish.

The author includes an Afterword at the end of the book. There is also a website link, along with a coupon code, where you can download a FREE audio copy of this book.

What I Like: The message is a good one. We are encouraged to follow Christ, no matter where He leads. He will take care of us along the way.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 6-12.

Publisher Info: Tate Publishing, 2012; ISBN: 9781621474654; Paperback, $9.99.

Buy now at Amazon.com $8.99!

Special Info: This title is available in a Kindle edition through Amazon.com for $6.39.

Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus

Do you have a child you want to lead to Christ? A child you hope will pray the sinner's prayer? Then Stormie Omartian's Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus may be just the book for you. Full of bright, cheerful, kid-friendly illustrations by Shari Warren, the premise behind this book is very simple: God loves us - all the time. We can make God happy by talking with him. But there is one particular prayer that makes God the most happy: when you "ask Jesus to come into your heart."

The text then explains how Jesus is our savior, saving us from

"bad things and bad people. But most important of all, He saves you from ever having to be separated from God. When you receive Jesus, it means that someday you will go to heaven and live with God. Jesus said that the only way to get to heaven is by receiving Him into our hearts first. We can't find the way without Jesus."

Omartian then explains that Heaven is a desirable place, where nobody gets sick or sad. She also talks about how Jesus helps us while we're still here on earth.

"You can't see the air, but you know it is there because you are breathing it. You can't see Jesus, but you know He is there because He has promised to be with you forever, and He never breaks His promise. Just as the air is always there keeping you alive, Jesus  is always there giving you life, too."

She then suggests that when the child is ready, he or she can say the sinner's prayer printed on the last page of the book. There is a place on that page to write the child's name and the date, as a sort of remembrance.

What I Like: Warren's illustrations keep young children interested in this book, showing images of children playing, eating, sleeping, praying to a smiling Jesus, and more.

What I Dislike: I think Omartain could have done a better job explaining things to children. For example, what on earth does it mean to ask Jesus into our hearts? Children tend to be literal, so I think you can expect them to wonder things like, "Will that hurt when Jesus comes into my heart? How does Jesus make himself small enough to live there?" and so on. The Bible never talks about asking Jesus into our hearts, which makes this a doubly questionable way to explain salvation to kids. (For more on the history of the sinner's prayer and asking Jesus into our hearts, click here.) However, this flaw could actually encourage parents to discuss these and related issues with their children - which is a good thing.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: The publisher doesn't specify, but I'd say 5 - 9 or so.

Publishing Info: Harvest House, 2014; ISBN:  978-0736950688; hardback, 32 pgs., $10.79

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If Jesus Came to Visit Me

If Jesus Came to Visit Me In If Jesus Came to Visit Me is written as a question: What would happen if Jesus visited a child in person for just one day?

Author Jill Roman Lord suspects a child would offer Jesus something to eat and drink, then ask how grandma was doing in Heaven. Then the two would go for a walk and Jesus would push the child high on a swing. The child would be full of questions, like "Why is the sky blue?" Jesus would patiently answer each question, and before he left, the child would want to give Jesus something to remember him by.

"How about my bike or scooter or
My little horse and cart?
He couldn't take those with him, so...
I know!
I'll give him my heart!"

What I Like: This is a sweet look at how a child might view Jesus if he were in human form today. In the end, the author focuses on what a child's relationship should be with him: All their hearts should belong to Jesus Christ. The illustrations by Amy Wummer are whimsical and inviting; my children loved how friendly Jesus (and others) looked.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: Preschool - kindergartner.

Publishing Info: Candy Cane Press, 2013; ISBN: 978-0824919085; board book, $6.29

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Special Info: There is an older version of this book featuring illustrations by Renee Graef. The text of both books is the same; only the illustrations differ. I much prefer Wummer's illustrations because I find them happier and more kid-friendly.

The 50 Word Bible

The 50 Word Bible, written by Dan Miley and illustrated by Andy Catling, is a simple walk through the Bible for children. The 24 stories highlighted take the reader from Creation to Jesus' ascension into Heaven.

Each page has two to three words on it (which, once the book is entirely read, equal 50 words) that highlight or title the accompanying illustration. For example, the page featuring an illustration of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac says, "Abraham trusts."

The words used are simple enough that beginning readers can work their way through with a minimal amount of help. My daughter, 5 (almost 6) years old, was able to read through the majority of the words in the book.

What I Like: I absolutely love the illustrations. When looking at picture books for younger children, illustrations need to be captivating. The illustrations in this book are.

I love how this book can "grow" with a child. Parents with a very young child can take the illustrations in this book to teach a complete lesson. As the child grows, she can begin to read the words on each page. As that child grows even more, she can look at the passage addresses at the back of the book in order to read from the Bible the exact account she has been learning about through the illustrations.

What I Dislike: In order for the word phrases to rhyme, the account of Daniel is placed after the Israelites wander in the desert and before Hannah prays for a son. This is not chronological, according to the Bible.
 
Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: Ages 3 though 8

Publisher Info: Legacy Press, 2013; ISBN-13: 978-1584111443; hardcover, 28 pages., $12.99

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God's Great Plan

God's Great Plan by Melissa Cutrera is a beautiful poem that spans God's creation of the world, all the way to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. It shows our need for a Savior and how Jesus fills that need in our hearts.

God's Great Plan is laid out for us beginning with Creation. We are then shown how man's sin changed the perfect world God had created. We see how our penalty should be death. Yet because of His great love for us, God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross in our place. God's plan was not over, though, because Jesus rose from the dead conquering sin and death once and for all. He is now in Heaven preparing a place for us.

What I Like: This book not only has a great story line, but it has beautiful illustrations, as well. Each page is illustrated to match the words on the page so it is easy for non-readers to follow along. Some of the pages are illustrated in very dark colors to indicate the sin that has separated us from God or to show the darkness in the world during the death of Jesus. However, as dark as those illustrations are, they are still captivating and set the mood for the words.

As I read this book to my five year old, I could not get over how attentive to each page she was. She even asked thought provoking questions based on her understanding of the story line and illustrations. Her most impressive question (after I read one line of the poem) was, "Have I gone my own way?" This led to a wonderful conversation.
 
What I Dislike: I liked everything about this book.
 
Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: I would say this book is great for 5-12-year-olds.

Publisher Info: Shepherd Press, 2013; ISBN: 978-1936908-813; hardcover, 27 pgs., $16.95

Buy it at Amazon.com for $14.46.

A Travel Guide to Heaven for Kids

"'Mom, where do people go when they die?' Joey asked one day. 'They go to heaven to be with Jesus,' his mother answered." So begins Anthony DeStefano's A Travel Guide to Heaven for Kids, based upon his book for adults, A Travel Guide to Heaven.

When Joey lies down in his bed that night, his thoughts about heaven are interrupted by a tap on the window - from a little girl with wings...Gabby, his guardian angel, who says she can take Joey to heaven for a little while if he'll just wear a gold "visitor's" pin. Before Joey can count to 10, the two are at heaven's "golden gate."

The first thing they see are family's greeting and hugging each other. "They're celebrating," Gabby explains. "That's what happens when people die and go to heaven. They're greeted with love by all their friends and family..." Then Gabby takes Joey soaring over a wondrous landscape, filled with rich hues, countryside, and cities. There's even an amusement park with roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and cotton candy.

Next they go into outer space. Gabby says, "All this is part of heaven...Anyone who lives here can explore the entire galaxy." When they fly back to an earth-like location, Joey notices all the animals - even tigers and zebras, dogs and cats, playing and getting along. Gabby tells him, "They never fight. They all get along." Joey even sees beautiful brontosauruses, who let him pet them.

Finally, Gabby shows Joey "the best part of heaven." She points to a bright light in the distance: God. "One day when you live here, you'll be able to go over the hill and meet Him face-to-face," Gabby says. She also says that God created all of the things they've seen so far, expressly so humans could be happy in heaven forever.

By then, it's time for Joey to go back home. As soon as Gabby disappears, in walks Joey's mom, telling him it's time to get ready for school. Joey bursts with news about heaven, informing her it wasn't merely a dream - his guardian angel really did take him to visit heaven. Joey's mother shakes her head, but doesn't want to argue - yet when she makes his bed, she finds a small gold "visitor's" pin.

"Joey just smiled at her as he rushed out the door to school."
 
What I Like: Erwin Madrid has done a fine job of illustrating this book. His images are vivid, beautiful, and sometimes fun. He makes heaven look like kid-paradise, complete with friendly dinosaurs.

What I Dislike: I'm disturbed by the addition of fantasy and extra-biblical content in this book. For example, while it's true the Bible talks about angels looking out for humans, it never once uses the words "guardian angel," even though Gabby insists, "Everyone has a guardian angel." Another example is the description of the gates of heaven being gold. The Bible says there are twelve gates and they are pearly (Rev. 21:21). I know of nowhere in the Bible where it says our relatives will greet us as we enter heaven, and while I agree that heaven will be a beautiful new earth, I'm not certain it will have amusement parks or cotton candy. There is even a non-biblical error: There is no such dinosaur as a brontosaurus.

As we read this book, my 5 year old kept asking, "Is that true, Mommy?" Sadly, often I had to answer, "no."

I also wish that, like many other children's books about heaven, the author gave Bible references for the things he is teaching.

Overall Rating: Ho-hum, due to inaccuracies and lack of biblical documentation.

Age Appeal: The publisher doesn't offer an age range, but I'd say 4 to 8 or so.

Publishing Info: Harvest House; 2013; ISBN: 978-0736955096; hardback, 32 pgs., $11.19

Buy Now at Amazon for $11.19

OR buy at ChristianBook.com for $10.99

Special Info: You can watch a video trailer for this book at the author's website. Also, you might read our reviews of other books by Anthony DeStefano - and check out our reviews of other kids' books about heaven.

Questions Kids Ask About God

Questions Kids Ask About God, written by David Hedlin, presents 20+ questions kids might ask about God, Jesus, heaven, prayer and the Bible, along with answers to each question. Questions like: Who is God? What is Heaven? What should we pray for? are all addressed in the text.

For instance, the question Who is Jesus? is asked. The answer given is: “Jesus is the son of God. He was born into our world over 2,000 years ago. We can read about Jesus in the Bible. God sent Jesus to teach us how to live and love.”

Some answers are given Bible references; some are not.

The author says: “This is only the beginning. I hope this book gives families an opportunity to talk about God, explore the Bible, become closer to Jesus, and ask more questions.”

The author/illustrators have made the book somewhat interactive by including seven doves that are scattered throughout the pages for kids to find.

The illustrations Lillian Krieger, Jacob Brown and Courtney Paarlberg are wonderful. They are full of color and expression.

What I Like: The illustrations are my favorite part. Some of the questions/answers cover a single page, while others take up a two-page spread. Either way, each page is covered edge-to-edge with either a drawing, text or some background color.

What I Dislike: I think at least one Bible reference should have been included with each answer given.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 6-12.

Publisher Info: QKA Publishing, 2012; ISBN: 9780983562702; Paperback, $14.00.

Buy now at Amazon.com $14.00!
 

Special Info: This book is written by a Lutheran minister. He has a special segment during his church services where he answers questions from kids. He used some of those questions/answers as the basis for this book. Because he is Lutheran, all readers may not agree with all the answers he gives to all the questions. That’s okay as you can read the book with your children and discuss the answers, telling your kids why you might disagree with the answer given.

 

Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body

Perhaps you’ve heard some of these soulful phrases:
 I need to do a little soul searching.
That music has a lot of soul.
Don’t tell a soul about it.
She may be young, but she’s an old soul.
Your story touched my soul.
He bared his soul to her because she was his soul mate.
Let’s get down to the heart and soul of the matter.

Despite the common usage of the word “soul”, it remains a hard and abstract concept to grasp. How do you explain something that’s tied up with the idea of eternal existence but can’t even be SEEN? And yet author Nicole Lataif tries to just that in her book Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body.

  

The book starts with a note to adults. In it, Lataif calls the book a “resource for Christian faith formation at the most basic level, intended to help you explain to children what being human is all about.”

  

After that, the author invites the reader to explore the idea of soul through bright, whimsical illustrations (done by Mary Rojas) and simple text. Most pages hold only a few lines of text that loosely rhymes, and feature a repeated phrase (Your soul is in all you are and do—soul and body, forever you.)  The cartoon-like illustrations display multiple races and ages of people.

The general organization of the book is straightforward. Every couple of pages, the author describes an aspect of the soul and then gives physical and visual examples of that aspect in everyday life. Her ideas include the following: Your soul is your spirit; Your soul lets people see you from the inside out; Your soul shows through in your hopes; Your soul shows through in what you like; Your soul shows through when you love; Your soul shows through in your special gifts (talents); Your soul came from God when your life began.; Your soul is a gift for safekeeping; Your soul is for God; Your soul is for heaven.

What I Like: In the note to parents, I liked the basic principles of living Lataif put forth: When we care for our bodies, we also care for our souls; We build character through our actions; The choices we make matter; Our highest purpose is fulfilled by loving God and others. The illustrations were nicely done and fit the text well. The text itself is an easy read, flowing from page to page. I also think Lataif did an excellent job putting the concept of a soul in child-friendly terms. She took a complex idea and gave it a face.

What I Dislike: The book seemed a little long to me.  While this if fine for older kids, I think younger children might get a little squirmy with it.

Overall Rating: Excellent as a resource for those wanting to explain what a soul is; Good to Very Good as a general story.

Age Appeal: I think it would best appeal to the 4-8 year old crowd.

Publisher Info: Pauline Books and Media, 2012; ISBN:978-0819827081; Hardcover or Kindle, 32 pgs., $12.95 (HC), $9.99 (Kindle)

This book is not available at Christianbook.com.
Buy it at Amazon.com for $11.07
OR Buy the Kindle version for $9.99.

How Do We Get to Heaven?

Children ask lots of questions about everything imaginable. Sometimes, as parents, we rack our brains about how to explain grown-up concepts to children. Author Cindy Pertzborn makes it easy to talk to children about Heaven and how we can get there. Her book, How Do We Get to Heaven? was written in response to her own five-year-old’s question, “Mom, how do we get to Heaven?”

She writes a story that children will understand and that parents can use as a guide for teaching their children about God and spending eternity in Heaven. She says that getting to Heaven is as easy as A-B-C: “Admit to God that you have sinned; Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for you; and Choose to trust and love God.”

She incorporates a short prayer into the story that children can pray when they are ready to accept Jesus into their heart. She also includes a Commitment Pledge they can sign, as well as a section of Biblical References for verses dealing with sin, salvation and forgiveness.

The illustrations by Stephen Adams are bold, colorful and attention-grabbing.

What I Like: Everything.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 5-12.

Publisher Info: WestBow Press, 2012; ISBN: 9781449745851; Paperback, $16.95.

Buy now at Amazon.com $15.26! 
 

Special Info: Visit the author’s website.

Eternal Warriors: The War in Heaven: Book One

Eternal Warriors: The War in Heaven, book one in the Eternal Warriors series by Theodore Beale, is an older book (published in 2002), but still has plenty of appeal, particularly for the video-game playing, teen set. Christopher Lewis is misunderstood, picked on, and lonely. Although he gets along with his sister, Holli, he constantly fights with his other sister, Jami. Little does he know, a battle is being waged in Heaven and he has been chosen to play an important part.

When Christopher's guardian angel, Mariel, is lured away from Christopher's home, a mysterious stranger visits Christopher in his bedroom. Kaym is disturbing, but appealing at the same time. Kaym's promises of power and importance prove enough to overcome any misgivings Christopher feels, and Christopher soon finds himself in a downtown club, meeting the fallen angel assigned to him. Melusine is a seductive temptress, and not even her horns and tail can discourage Christopher from relishing her attention.

Kaym and Melusine bring Christopher to the Prince of Light (Satan), who charges Christopher with opening the Gates of Heaven at the appointed time. Slowly, Christopher realizes he has been brought back in time to the war in Heaven where the angel, Lucifer, challenged God's authority. Only a human may open Heaven's gates, so Kaym gives Christopher a key and special powers to assist in his mission. Christopher's transformation into the angel-like Phaeoton is intoxicating, and soon he is emulating the Prince of Light and successfully leading a host of fallen angels against the angels of heaven.

Meanwhile, Holli and Jami are being pursued by demonic forces. Their guardian angels rescue them, and bring them back in time, as well. Although Holli loves the Lord, Jami isn't sure what she believes. The sisters spend some time with the Lady of the Tower, preparing to play an important role in the battle between heaven and hell. They learn more about good and evil and are presented with many choices.

Plot Spoilers Ahead: As Holli's faith becomes stronger, Jami realizes she wants to trust God. The girls learn to trust their guardian angels and believe in the power of prayer. They also meet Jesus (Kherev) and Jami is given the choice to follow him. After the girls affirm their faith, they encounter Christopher. He has been so seduced by the fallen angels, he fails to recognize his sisters and attacks them. Only after he meets Kherev (Jesus) and returns home does Christopher realize what he has done. Happily, it is never too late for forgiveness, and Christopher repents and is reunited with his sisters. Although Melusine continues to tempt him, Christopher chooses to join Holli and Jami in church.

What I Like:  I like Beale's portrayal of the spiritual battle for the souls of humans. Readers are reminded of the importance of prayer, worship and small, everyday choices. I especially like the inclusion of song lyrics from some of my favorite 1990s worship songs.

The action is fast-paced and reads much like a video game. (In fact, the book is based on a video game of the same name, created by Beale and friends.) 

I appreciated the fact Beale made the fallen angels and Satan appealing. Although disturbing, it is  good to remember Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. The guardian angels were also appealing but trustworthy as well, so clearly a better choice. 

What I Dislike:  I had a hard time keeping all the names straight. Often the fallen angels are referred to simply as "angels," which is accurate, since technically they hadn't fallen yet, but it made some of the battles and interactions confusing. Also, the angels were characterized in very human terms. Even good angels were sometimes petty, jealous, and unreliable. However, I suppose, in order for one-third of the angels to have joined with Lucifer/Satan, they must have had shortcomings.

In this book, the line between fantasy and allegory is often blurry. Some events are clearly allegorical (for example, the beautiful, appealing Prince of Light obviously signifies Satan) but other events and characters are less clear (I am still not sure whether the Lady in the Tower represents anyone, or is just a random character).

Overall Rating:  Very Good

Age Appeal:  Young Adult (14 and up) due to language and seductive angel descriptions

Publisher Info: Pocket, 2002; ISBN:978-07-43453448 ; Kindle, 307 pages, $2.99

Buy it on Kindle at Amazon.com for $2.99.

Special Notes:  Christopher often uses the term "pissed off." Also, some chapters begin with song lyric quotations from bands such as Metallica and KMFDM.

Although not widely available in paperback, the Kindle edition is only $2.99!