Be Patient, Petunia

When it comes to the fruit of the spirit, what do many children lack? PATIENCE! Be Patient, Petunia, by Erin Butler, is a great read aloud for parents wishing to teach their children about patience.

Written in rhyming verse, the story follows Petunia as her impatience leads from one disappointment to another. After each misadventure, Petunia is reminded, “Be patient, Petunia! Be patient, Petunia! It wouldn’t have been too late!/ but don’t you know that good things come to those who patiently wait?”

Though Petunia acts like a typical child—excited, bored, antsy, full of energy—she finally learns to wait. When she does, she gets to view a most spectacular sunrise. The ending pages celebrate her success with a reversal of its earlier refrain: “You were patient, Petunia! Yes, you were! Doesn’t it feel so great?/ Now you know that good things come to those who patiently wait!”

The illustrations, done by Kathy Hoyt, are bright, cartoonish, and kid-friendly. Petunia looks cute with her pigtails and pink outfit. A small brown dog frolics across the pages mimicking Petunia’s emotions.

There is no reference to God, but prior to the start of the story, Butler sites a Scripture reference: Galatians 5:22-23. It’s clear that the whole tale is based on these verses. At the end of the story, information is provided to get a free download audio version of the story.

What I Like: Petunia is spot on for how an impatient child acts and thinks. I love the way the author included a catchy refrain at the end of each incident. Not only do children enjoy spotting patterns like this in a story, it encourages them to join in the reading. Plus the pattern helps children focus on and remember the idea the author is trying to convey. I also appreciated the inclusion of the entire Scripture verse. Finally, the free audio is a big plus. We all enjoy free things.

What I Dislike: Rhyming stories are hard to write well. This one is better than many. Even so, the meter is off in a few places and the wording/ word choice is sometimes awkward. Also, it's a little pricey for a short paperback.

Overall Rating:I really liked this story, but the meter was off just enough for me to give it a VERY GOOD. But it’s a very good with a nod toward excellent. I suspect most kids would give it an excellent rating.

Age Appeal: None is given, but I think it would work for preschool through second grade.

Publisher Info: Tate Publishing, 2011; ISBN: 978-1613464779; Paperback, 28 pgs., $9.99

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Special Info: Read a CCBR review of another book about the fruit of the spirit. Read a Christian K-2nd grade chapter book about patience.

Pet Parables (Vol. 1)

Kids love animals, so what better format to teach kids about biblical behavior than a book of animal stories? That's the premise behind Neta Jackson's Pet Parables (Vol. 1).

This volume contains two stories: "The Cat Who Smelled Like Cabbage" and "The Duck Who Quacked Bubbles." The first begins by quoting Philippians 2:3 ("Be humble and consider other smore important than yourselves..."), then Jackson weaves a surprisingly down to earth and deep story. In it, snobby Siamese Cat and her good natured friend Black Cat chat about the neighborhood. Siamese Cat turns her nose up at the ugly, homeless Alley Cat who tends to linger across the street. She has no real family and no good breeding. But when one of Black Cat's kittens wanders into the street, Alley Cat saves the baby from being run over by a vehicle. Black Cat couldn't be more thankful - and surprised. As she talks with Alley Cat, she find her kind and friendly. And she learns there are good reasons for Alley Cat's mysterious ways. In the end, rather than go for a walk with Siamese Cat, Black Cat shows Alley Cat a better place to keep her own babies, and a new friendship is formed.

The second story begins by quoting Philippians 2:14 - 15 ("Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless den pure..."). Grumble, a very grumpy duckling, complains about everything. Her siblings crowd her in the nest, splash her in the pond, bump into her when they walk, and make her late for everything. When the other ducklings finally tire of Grumble's grumblings, they leave her to play by herself. To "show them," Grumble wanders into a box, thinking to hide until her family gets worried. But the box turns out to be a trailer that gets pulled away by a car. Fortunately, the family in the car hear Grumbles quakes and bring her back home. Grumble discovers her family really did miss her, and she's so thankful to be back home, she vows never to grumble again. Instead, whenever she feels the urge to grumble, she sticks her head under the water and quacks, producing bubbles. Soon, her family renames her Bubbles.

Both stories end with a parental note and questions for discussion, always bringing up God. For example, in the questions for "The Duck," the author writes: "What do you think God wants us to do when we feel like complaining? The next time you feel like complaining, what could you do instead?"

What I Like: Jackson is a strong writer. My 4 year old loves her stories and I find them pleasing to read. "The Cat" struck me as particularly well written for a book targeting this age group. The illustrations by Anne Gavitt are also lovely. Even my 18 month old loves them (he is, admittedly, a huge fan of cats). The cat drawings are realistic and expressive, while the duck pictures have a vintage storybook charm.

What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4 -8.

Publishing Info: Kregel, 2004; ISBN: 978-0825429385; hard back, $12.99

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Special Info: Read our reviews of books by Neta Jackson.

God, I Need to Talk to You About Whining

God, I Need to Talk to You About Whining written by Susan K. Leigh, tackles a behavioral problem common among preschoolers. Following suit with other books in the "God, I Need to Talk to You about ..." series, this book reads like a prayer spoken by the main character. In this book, the main character is a young girl.

She begins her conversation with God by saying she has a habit that needs to be broken. "I whine too much." She keeps getting in trouble for it. Even now, she's in time-out for whining. She knows it's not right; that it "annoys people and is disrespectful", but still she has a tough time not doing it. She tells God she doesn't mean to whine, but she does because she wants people to listen to her or help her right away. She confesses: "Sometimes I feel like I'm not very important." The prayer concludes with her asking God for forgiveness and asking Him to help her be more patient and respectful toward others.

The illustrations by Bill Clark are done in comic book style with bold outlines and plenty of expressions.

What I Like: The specificity of this series of books. It's easy to find the exact problem your child may struggle with and grab a book to address the issue directly. I like that the books are told in first person from the child's perspective. I also appreciate the explanations of underlying reasons. By helping the children articulate how they're feeling, parents can more easily address the root causes of the problem.

What I Dislike: The size. The book is paperback, only 4.5 x 5.5". That's small! It is easily lost in a pile of books. But -- considering the price of the book, I can't complain. Making the book bigger or putting it in an easier-to-find boardbook or hardback would raise the price exponentially.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 2-7

Publisher Info: Concordia Publishing House, 2005; ISBN: 0758607946; Paperback; $0.99

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Sophie and Sam

Sophie and Sam is written by Tori Cloud and based on her husband’s million-plus-selling book, Boundaries (written by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend).

Sophie and Sam are siblings learning when to say “Yes” and when to say “No.” The book is divided into several stories following these two mice and their friends. Told in rhyming verse, all the stories are easily relatable to children. Bible verses are given at the end of each chapter to reinforce the lessons learned. Here is a list of the chapters:

Say YES to Respect
Say NO to Arguing
Say YES to Thanking God
Say YES to Telling the Truth
Say YES to Sharing
Say NO to Whining
Say YES to Clean-up
Say NO to Meanies
Say YES to Following the Rules
Say YES to Manners

The illustrations by Becky Valentine are adorable. The characters are personal and emotion-filled. The colors are mostly pastel.

What I Like: Seldom does one book cover so many important topics! I like following the same characters as they encounter different situations. I also like that the stories are short, perfect for early readers or quick reminders in the middle of the day. My daughter loves this book; she will have me read several stories in one sitting.

What I Dislike: The rhyming is not perfect. Some spots are stretched or disjointed. Also, the conclusions come quickly. The author does a great job setting up the problem, but ends it in “Brady Bunch” fashion: everything tied up with very little explanation of why or how. I know we’re reading about mice, but I would prefer a more realistic ending to some of the stories.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 4-8

Publisher Info: Thomas Nelson, 2006; ISBN: 1591452996; Hardback; $14.99

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