Annika's Secret Wish

Beverly Lewis is widely known for her bestselling Amish novels, but she's also tried her hand at picture books. Annika's Secret Wish, a tale of 19th century Swedish Christmas traditions and giving instead of receiving, is one of them.

From the moment we meet Annika, she's daydreaming of finding the almond in the Christmas pudding. For ten years she's wished for it, and this Christmas is her last chance. (Lewis doesn't explain why, but presumably because she'll be considered too old for the tradition the following year.) But her brothers - including the youngest, Davy, who can walk only with a crutch - also pine for the Christmas almond, for tradition has it that whichever child finds it in their pudding will be granted one wish. Annika hopes for a beautiful black horse to call her own.

When Christmas arrives and the children are served rice pudding, Annika can hardly hold back her excitement...when lo! She feels a hard, almond shape in her pudding. Yet just as she's about to announce her good fortune, her father carries young Davey to the table. "What would make Davey most happy this Christmas?" Annika wonders.

"Dear little brother. How he longed to run and play. To walk without a crutch. And finding the almond would surely make his heart glad."

"What would Jesus want me to do?" Annika asks herself.

Secretly, she switches plates with Davey, and as her little brother whispers his wish, Annika is the only one who hears what he longs for. Tears come to her eyes because "she knew the almond could bring smiles and laughter, but only God could make a miracle."

What I Like: The basic idea for this story is sweet, and as parents we can always use books portraying unselfishness in a positive light. Also, the illustrations by Pamela Querin are gorgeous: realistic and detailed and full of light.

What I Dislike: There's a lot of description and not much action in the first 14 pages or so of this book...much more than is typically seen in picture books. All of this could have been condensed to make much stronger picture book writing. Too, younger readers may not catch what Davey's wish is. It's never spelled out plainly, and many will find it too subtle to catch upon a first reading.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 4 - 8

Publisher Info: Baker Books, 2000; ISBN: 0764221817; hardback; $15.99

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Special Info: Check out our other reviews for Beverly Lewis and Pamela Querin books. You may also wish to visit the author's website.

What Is God Like?

Kids ask tons of questions – about everything! They want to know how things are made and where things come from. They also want to know about God. In one of her more recent picture books, What is God Like?, prolific author Beverly Lewis answers many of the questions children ask in a way that’s easy for them to understand. The questions include: Does God ever sleep? Why did God make people? Do you think He has enough love for everybody in the whole world?

These questions, and many more, are answered matter-of-factly during a conversation that takes place mostly between a brother and a sister. Their father left on a business trip. Before he left, he told his children, “…even when I’m not here, God is always with you.” This leads to a discussion between the two siblings about all the things they have learned about God from their parents: that He made the animals, that He is everywhere all the time, that He knows when we’ve done something wrong, and that God wants us to obey His rules.

The conversations are realistic and are complimented by Bible verses at the bottom of each two-page spread that relates to each aspect of God’s nature. For instance, when the children talk about obeying God’s rules, the Bible verse cited is Exodus 15:26: “I am the Lord your God. Listen carefully to my voice. Do what is right in my eyes. Pay attention to my commands. Obey all of my rules.”

At the end of the book is a page titled, “Teaching Your Child About God,” offering ways to share your faith with your children.

The watercolor illustrations by Pamela Querin are beautiful, vibrant, and realistic.

What I Like: Everything. The text, and Bible verses, and illustrations work perfectly together to create a wonderful book for teaching children about God. It’s simple to understand without being preachy.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Age Appeal: The publisher suggests 4-8 as the appropriate age group for this book. I think the book has a wider appeal, more like that of 3-10-year-olds.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Publisher Info: Bethany House, 2008; ISBN: 0764204661; Hardcover, $14.99.

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Beverly Lewis. Visit the author’s website.

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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