One Night in Bethlehem

There are few kids who don't enjoy a touch-and-feel books, making Jill Roman Lord's One Night in Bethlehem a welcome addition to the Christmas bookshelf.

This board book begins with a mother and toddler boy playing with a nativity set. The little boy wonders what he might have done if he'd been present the night Jesus was born.

If he'd been a lamb, he thinks, he would have cuddled up to Jesus to keep him warm. If he'd been a cow, he would have mooed so loud everyone would know Jesus Christ was born. If he'd been an angel, he would have sung praises the loudest. If he'd been a shepherd, he'd have been the first to see Jesus. If he'd been a wise man, he would have brought the baby the gift of a teddy bear.

On all but the first and last two-page spread, there is a texture to touch: the lamb's coat, the cow's suede hide, an angel's silky robe, a shepherd's rough tunic, a glittery star, and a teddy's soft fur.

The book ends:

"Although I wasn't there that night
or near the manger stall,
I still can spread the news about
God's greatest gift of all.
I still can hoot and holler and
sing praises to His name
and shout, 'I love you, Jesus!
I'm so very glad you came.'"

What I Like: Lord is a proven writer with excellent skills; One Night in Bethlehem's rhyming text is easy to read and ignites children's imaginations about one of the greatest events in history. The illustrations by Paige Keiser are soft, showing the toddler boy as his imagined shepherd, angel, and wise man. Both my children also enjoyed the touch and feel aspect of the book.

What I Dislike: I think the touch and feels should have offered better variety.
Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Baby and up.
Publishing Info: Candy Cane Press; 2011; ISBN: 978-0824918637; board book, 16 pgs., $8.99.

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Special Info: Read our other reviews of books by Jill Roman Lord.

9 Fruits Alive

Looking for a book to explain the fruit of the spirit to your child? 9 Fruits Alive is a part of the God Counts! series, and does just that. Written by Mindy MacDonald, this book will teach your children to understand spiritual fruit in terms they will understand.

"Apples, bananas, and grapes are yummy, but fruit of the Spirit is for more than your tummy."

On each page, the text and cheery illustrations depict ways that children can show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. For example, children will learn that they can be peacemakers by speaking loving words during an argument. They will learn that they can show patience by waiting for their turn on the slide.

There are cutouts in the book with plastic fruit to feel and count.

What I Like: Children often need practical examples of how they can obey God's commands. This book provides that! My girls have read this book so many times because it is so engaging. I like it that the book teaches children that they cannot have the fruit of the Spirit unless the Holy Spirit helps them.

What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: Multnomah Books, 2004; ISBN:1590523822 ; Hardcover, 24 PGS., $11.99.

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Special Info: There is one illustration of Jesus in the book. Also, we have reviewed other books in the God Counts! Series. You can read them here.

Touch and Feel Christmas

I've never met a young child who didn't love touch-and-feel books, so I was delighted to find Touch-and-Feel Christmas by Heather Henning, a simple, heavy-paged book with plenty of textures to see and feel.

In the rhyming text, the biblical story of Jesus' birth is told, from the journey Mary and Joseph took to the visit from the Wise Men (depicted as happening shortly after Jesus' birth). We learn that Jesus was born to save us from our sins and that he's God's son.

But it's the illustrations by Gillian Chapman that grabbed my preschooler and me. They appear to be made from layers of different types of cloth which are then photographed. And each two page spread features a texture you can not only see, but touch, like the innkeeper's beard, the donkey's silky ears, the angel's glittery wings, the lamb's fleece, and the slick and shiny Star of Bethlehem.

What I Like: This is a great introduction to the story of Jesus' birth; it gives all the basics and the illustrations are truly engaging.

What I Dislike: The older I get, the more I dislike renditions of Jesus' birth that show the Magi appearing in the stable. (The Bible says they appeared at Joseph and Mary's house; see Matt. 2:11.) Also, the book ends rather abruptly with the giving of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. However, I think these are relatively minor grumbles for a book that is likely to interest a great many babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: According to the 4 - 8, but I'd say infant to preschool.

Publishing Info: Concordia, 2007; ISBN: 978-0758613837; board book, $10.49

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My Happy Heart Books

My Happy Heart Books, a boxed set of 3 "Touch-and-Feel" board books, was written by Victoria Osteen, wife of religious celebrity Joel Osteen.
Hooray For Today! follows a child throughout his daily activities. From waking to his mother's kiss, breakfast, then playing with daddy and friends to naptime, bathtime and bedtime, he offers thanks to God. Each two-page spread ends the same way, with a grateful prayer for the activity featured on those pages: "Thank You, God! Hooray! Hooray! Thank You for fun times today!"
Hooray for Wonderful Me! focuses on the different attributes of children. Each two-page spread emphasizes a different skill or gift God gives us. "Thank You, God! Hooray! Hooray! You help me to be kind each day."
Hooray for my Family! highlights various members of family and how each is special and important. The child narrator gives thanks for her mommy, daddy, sister, brother, grandparents, pets and aunt and uncle. "Thank You, God, for family! I love my sis and she loves me ... My brother is so good to me!
All three books are illustrated by Betsy Day. Some pages feature textures such as embossing, glitter and cellophane. Others incorporate lift-the-flaps into the colorful scenes.
What I Like: They're sweet books with a great size (8 x 8"). The illustrations are very nice: cute, but not cutesy. My kids love these books. I appreciate the focus on prayer. It's not just about being thankful, but about thanking God.
What I Dislike: The rhyme and meter are off in several places, making it difficult to read aloud. (Were the author an unknown instead of an Osteen, I doubt the publisher would have accepted it.) In spite of being "Touch-and-Feel" books, they don't offer much variety in textures. While some pages do feature a rough, glittery sand or a hairy patch of dog fur, most only give reflective surfaces or a high gloss finish. Others have flaps to lift, but no new textures to feel.
Overall Rating: Good.
Age Appeal: 2-5
Publisher Info: Little Simon Inspirations, 2009; ISBN: 1416955496; Boardbooks; $19.99
Buy it Now from Christianbook.com for $14.99!
Or buy from Amazon.com for $13.59.
Special Info: Visit the author's website to learn more about her and her other projects.

Top 15 Favorites of Tanya's Children

Yesterday Kristina shared her daughter's top 15 favorite books of all time. Today it's my turn!

Choosing just fifteen favorite books was difficult for me because I have two children: one very girlie-girl who is 3, and one rough-and-tumble boy who is 20 months. Some of these are Zach's favorites and some are Isabel's favorites. Most of them are favorites to both -- just to greater degrees at different ages and stages. Without further ado, and in no particular order ...

I Love You, Stinky Face, written by Lisa McCourt and illustrated by Cyd Moore, is definitely the all-time favorite in our house! Similar to the children's classic Runaway Bunny, this board book follows a child questioning the depths of a mother's love. "What if I were a big, scary ape? Would you still love me then?" The child's mother repeatedly offers creative solutions and ways to show she loves him even then. My kids love travelling through the child's imaginations, pretending to be a smelly skunk or a slimey swap monster and eating yummy bugs like a green alien from Mars. And the illustrations are delightful. Bon appetit!

Toes are to Tickle was written by Shen Roddie and illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. I was given this book at my baby shower for Isabel. Now, three years later, we are on our second copy. We have read this book nearly every night and every morning forever! It is a delightful tale of family and life with simple, warm illustrations. Definitely a favorite -- and one I now give as shower gifts!

Inside Noah's Ark by Charles Reasoner takes much longer to read than you might think. It has very little text, but my kids love playing a 'Where's Waldo' type game with all the animals pictured! This is the strongest board book I've found. It's fantastic. See my full review of this book here at CCBR.

Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? is by Dr. Suess. My mother got this board book for Isabel when she was first learning her animal noises. It quickly became a favorite! It's small, a perfect size for keeping in the diaper bag for emergency 'calm downs'. My kids love trying to make all the sounds Mr. Brown can do ... from crowing like a rooster to whispering like a butterfly.

Cars, Trucks, Planes and Trains is by Fisher Price and features the 'Little People' characters. It is a sturdy lift-the-flap book that both my kids 'read' almost every day. Each two-page spread focuses on a different area of learning -- shapes, colors, counting and matching. It's a wonderful, interactive teaching tool.

bright baby trucks is one book that is just Zach's. He won't let his sister touch it! It doesn't have any text -- just names and photographs of different kinds of trucks, but he LOVES this book. You can find him several times a day looking through it and imitating the sounds of each truck. The bright colors are fabulous.

Izzy the Lizzy by Renee Riva is not just one of my kids' favorites; it's one of mine, too! This book teaches children about mercy by following a lizard, a spider and a bee. Isabel loves the gently dangerous tale and the whimsical illustrations. (Her grandfather occassionally calls her "Izzy", so that adds to the attraction.) See my full review of this book and another by this creative author.

Peekaboo Kisses by Barney Saltzberg is a touch-and-feel book with full-page flaps for infants to open. Kids can feel the wool of a sheep, squeek a mouse's belly and more. Each page reads "Peekaboo, I see ..." and then names the animal and the kisses. It's so sweet and colorful! It ends with a non-breakable mirror. What kid doesn't love that?

The Circus Alphabet by Linda Bronson is a delight to read. My kids love the pictures and the easy rhymes. Isabel has the book memorized and now "reads" it to Zach! Each page of this book features one or two letters of the alphabet with full-page photographs of claymation-type characters from the circus. It's bright and colorful.

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess is terrific for teaching colors and emotions. In this vivid board book, children learn it's okay to feel different ways. Somedays we're happy and pink and somedays we feel down and brown ... Another great addition to any toddler collection.

My Bible Storybook is part of the God Counts! series. It features 3D pieces and shaped cut-outs. Of all the children's Bibles we have (and we have many!) this one is the favorite. It's not a whole Bible, but covers some major stories in short rhymes. The pictures are bright and inviting. Check out the full review here on CCBR.

My kids adore every book in the Cow Adventure Series by Todd A. Smith. Each one follows Cow and her farm animal friends as they learn about God. See my full review of Cow in the Rain, an adaptation of The Good Samaritan parable found in Luke 10. Cow at the Circus relates to children the story of The Prodigal Son. Each book is filled with comic book type illustrations, colorful and bold.

Angelina Ballerina , written by Katharine Holabird and illustrated by Helen Craig, is a must-have for every little girl's library. Angelina is a sweet, little mouse who loves to dance. It's filled endearing illustrations. My daughter loves this book! (And the series of corresponding videos!)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar has seen better days in this house. We've worn it out! Kids love counting and naming all the foods this growing catapillar devours. Filled with vivid colors and small cut-outs perfectly sized for tiny fingers, it is with good reason this book is Eric Carle's most popular.

I'd Be Your Princess is the newest addition to our list of favorites. Isabel has insisted we read it every day (sometimes several times in succession) since we got it! Every girl dreams of being a princess. This book by Kathryn O'Brien (illustrated by Michael Garland) encourages that dream while reminding readers there is more to being royalty than just priviledges. The author teaches godly character and responsibility throughout the book's adventures. Scripture is sprinkled throughout. It's a wonderful book! Stay tuned for a full review coming soon.

My Child's Top 15 Favorite Books

A well rounded bookshelf should contain both Christian and secular books. But there are plenty of places to read reviews for secular picture books, so why would we choose to post about them at Christian Children's Book Review? Well, we thought it might be fun - and helpful - for you to know what books our kids love the best. So, without further ado, here are my 20 month old daughter's all-time favorite books:

Lift & Look Colors by Soft Play. My daughter has adored this book since she was two months old. It's a foam, and loaded with bright colors and lots of animals. Every other page also has two foam puzzle pieces that my daughter loves taking out and trying to put back in. Just be sure that children who still love to put things in their mouth are supervised with this book, as they could chew off the foam.

Little One, God Made You by Amy Warren Hilliker. My daughter chooses to have me read this book at least three times every day. She smiles at the babies and toddlers pictured in it, and I love the great message. Click here to see my full review of this title.

Busy Kitties by John Schindel. This little board book gets read several times each day, too. It contains a simple ryhme and lots of photos of real-life kitties.

Little One's Bible Verses by Stephen Elkins. My daughter has recently take a strong shine to this book, which is fabulous, since each page contains one Bible verse. Click here to read my full review of this title.

First Songs with illustrations by Jane Swift. Of all the nursery ryhme books we have, this is the one my daughter loves best. The illustrations are bright and colorful, and the book includes favorite Mother Goose rhymes (like "Jack and Jill" and "Hickory Dickory Dock"), as well as traditional childhood songs like "Yankee Doodle" and "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush." (It doesn't matter if you don't know the music to these songs; just read the rhymes!)

Baby Says Peek A Boo by Dorling Kindersley. When my daughter was too young to lift the flaps on more delicate books, she delighted in this book with strong, nearly full-page flaps. Plus the book has great photos of babies and a shatter-proof mirror for your child to see herself in, too.

Touch and Feel Pets, Baby Animals, and Farm Animals by DK Publishing. No baby or toddler should be without these three books. Each page has photographs of real animals, plus cut outs with fabrics simulating a sheep's coat, an elephant's ear, etc.

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt. This is the original "touch and feel" book, and it's great for the many stages of babyhood. At first, my daughter only enjoyed hearing me read it, then she liked looking at herself in the included shatterproof mirror, then she learned to "play peek a boo with Paul," touch "daddy's scratch face" (made of sandpaper), and put her finger through "mummy's ring" (a hole in the book).

What Do You Do? by Mandy Stanley. Each pages features a colorful drawing of an animal, with text explaining what the animal does. (Example: "Hen hen, what do you do? I lay eggs!") As you read, make appropriate animal noises, and you'll have a big hit.

Windows to Color by Julie Aigner-Clark. I am not a big fan of Baby Einstein products; I think, generally, they are only so-so in quality. However, this book is great. It has cut-out shapes (something my daughter loves), and photographs of animals, a fire truck, lemons, etc., to help teach color. My favorite part is that each color is also represented by a piece of artwork (including works by van Gogh, Chagall, Degas, and O'Keeffe).

Whose Nose and Toes? by John Butler. One page features the nose and toes of a baby animal, while the following page tells which animal they belong to. This book is of endless amusement to my tot.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. This classic book teaches animal names and colors. I like to add appropriate animal noises, too; if it were up to my daughter, I'd read this to her all day long!

Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. Seuss. This may be the longest single book my daughter can sit through...and she loves every moment. This volume is all about fun rhymes and great sounds.

Moo, Ba, La La La by Sandra Boynton. From her infancy, my daughter has loved this simple book with cartoon-like illustrations of animals and rhyming text about the sounds they make.