God Loves Me More Than That

There are lots of children's books available discussing God's love, but Dandi Daley Mackall's God Loves Me More Than That goes beyond the usual by exploring the idea of how much God loves each of us.

Always using kid-friendly language and examples, Mackall begins her rhyming book by saying God loves "me" more than the distance between letters A and Z. David Hohn's illustrations add depth and whimsy to this by showing giant letters stretched across the hillside, with a little boy standing on the letter A, trying to see all the way to Z.

The author also tells us God loves "me" more than the bumbles in a bumble bee, that his love is higher than the moon or the space shuttle, deeper than a treasure chest in the ocean, wider than a semi truck or the prairies where cowboys ride, louder than a cheering football crowd, softer than a cat's sneeze or a summer's breeze, and more. The book ends:

"Lord, it's great to be loved by you.
Hope you know that I love you, too.
Nice to know that my whole life through.
God loves me more than that!"

What I Like: I am not always a fan of Dandi Daley Mackall's books, but this book shows her at her best. The text flows easily and describes God's love in a fun and meaningful way. David Hohn's illustrations are superb; they add a lot of imagination to the book and make it all that much more interesting to read. For example, when God's love is said to have more bumbles than a bumble bee, Hohn shows a boy riding on the back of a giant bee. Later, when God's love is said to be deeper than a treasure chest in the sea, he shows the boy in an antique diving suit (a la Jules Vern), finding an old ship with treasure. He really ignites the imagination of children.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: According tot he publisher, 4 -8, but children as young as 2 will enjoy this one.

Publishing Info: WaterBrook Press, 2008; ISBN: 1400073162; hard back, $9.95

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Special Info: Check out our reviews of other Dandy Daley Mackall and David Hohn books.

The Creepy Caves Mystery

The Creepy Caves Mystery is another in the series of Will: God's Mighty Warrior. Written by Sheila Walsh this book features the same rough-and-rumble, adventure-seeking boy we've come to love.

In this volume, Will is visiting his Nana and Papa at the beach and is set on solving some mysteries while he's there. When Papa tells him about the Creepy Caves, Will can hardly wait to investigate. Unfortunately, Papa says he can't go alone; he has to wait for Papa to go with him.

Later that day Will's curiosity gets the best of him. But when he and his dog Ralph go into the caves they lose their way and then hear menacing sounds. Will's imagination feeds his fear until Papa arrives to rescue him. They discover the strange noises were made by a friend who is actually studying bats in the caves. Will asks forgiveness for disobeying and Papa promises to take him back another time.

Ephesians 6:1 is quoted at the back of the book: "Children, obey your parents the way the Lord wants. This is the right thing to do."

The illustrations by Meredith Johnson are playful as always, but slightly more colorful than usual. Rather than sticking to her monochromatic style of blues and blacks, these pictures expand with the addition of flesh tones, oranges and even some subtle yellow-greens. The characters are endearing and expressive.

What I Like: Will is the quintessential boy. This book had my kids on the edge of their seats. They loved the suspense and the slightly scary parts. I appreciate the Bible verse included in the back, perfect for memorization. I also really like Will's prayer at the end. It offers a great example of just "talking" with God.

What I Dislike: I wish the illustrations were more colorful. Also, the verse at the back says "Children obey your parents" yet the story has Will with his grandparents. Some children might need further explanation to make the connection.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: Thomas Nelson, 2008; ISBN: 140031125X; Hardback; $12.99

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Additional Info: See our reviews of other books by Sheila Walsh.