Book Review :: The Lord's Prayer: Words of Hope and Happiness, by Rick Warren, illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson

The Lord's Prayer is a new book by author Rick Warren. (I am reviewing the board book version, but there is also a hard cover version available.)

The Lord's Prayer goes through the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6: 9b-13) with commentary from Rick Warren. It almost reads as if it is two books in one...with one line or portion of the Lord's prayer (KJV) on each two-page opening with additional wording (by Rick Warren) that corresponds with that portion of the text. The two sets of text are separated, so you can read through the book with just the prayer, just the commentary, or both together. (It is an odd flow, in my opinion, to read them both together, but you can decide for yourself.)

Some of Rick Warren's words seem more related to the actual direction of the prayer than others (ex: for the "and the power" portion from verse 13, he says that we can ask God for strength when we are tired. That part of the prayer seems to be ascribing power and dominion to God as praise, not as a "power source"...but that is just my perception, I guess. I understand that it may not seem "off" to others as it did to me, but just wanted to mention it.

The commentary by Rick Warren is written from the perspective of the reader ("I", "me", etc.) and each page ends with a line to God (from the reader).

The last page opening has the full text of the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6: 9b-13, KJV) on one page and a paragraph about the topic of prayer (by Rick Warren) on the opposite page.

The illustrations are well done with beautiful colors and sweet imagery. I appreciated that it showed diversity in the children depicted.

My little one loves to look at The Lord's Prayer and I think it will continue to be one of his go-to books, even though we may not be reading it in the manner the author may have intended. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: Zacchaeus and Jesus / Jesus and Zacchaeus by Dandi Daley Mackall, illustrated by Lisa Manuzak

Zacchaeus and Jesus is such a neat book! This book is the first time that I encountered the Flipside Stories series, and I loved it! What a unique idea. This is two books in one cover - just flip the book over to read the other story. One side of the book is Zacchaeus and Jesus ("Zacchaeus's Side of the Story"), and the other side is Jesus and Zacchaeus ("Jesus' Side of the Story").

Zacchaeus and Jesus is written in rhyme with short, easy-to-read text.

The illustrations in Zacchaeus and Jesus are my favorite part. I love how big and bold they are and I appreciate the fact that the illustrations are from the perspective of the person "telling" the story (Zacchaeus in the front side, and Jesus in the flip side).  

The Flipside Stories series has won me over - I love this idea!

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: Time for Bed, Sleepyhead: The Falling Asleep Book by Daniel G. Amen, M. D., illustrations by Gail Yerrill

Time for Bed, Sleepyhead is a book that, per the author, is a "sophisticated psychological visualization game" to help kids get to sleep.

Time for Bed, Sleepyhead is written as if Momma Bear is telling a story to Little Bear, but when you get into the story portion of the book it will sound like you are talking to your child. The short version of the story is that some animals go to the beach, play, come home, and take a bath and get ready for bed.

Put very basically, the author has created an overly detailed, drawn out story...and I can't decide if it is a brilliant sleepytime story or just incredibly boring. I tried a few times to read this to my one and a half year old (who loves books) and he closed it on me several times and tried to reach for other books. (And I can't say I blamed him.) Even though I found it drawn out and boring, I did end up getting tired while reading it, so I guess maybe it works? There are "[yawn here]" cues in the text (so you insert forced yawns), but I did find myself yawning at other times, too.

My favorite part of Time for Bed, Sleepyhead is the adorable illustrations by Gail Yerrill. They are done in soft colors and feature cuddly creatures.

Overall, we will enjoy looking at Time for Bed, Sleepyhead, but I am not sure how often we will be reading it.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Prince of Peace Christmas Card Set {The Twinery}

Wow!

Christmas is coming up quick! 

While I do love many things about Christmas (especially the real reason for the season), the abundance of red is just not my style. So, going with a completely non-traditional color scheme of blues, browns, and golds, I created this watercolor Christmas card set:

Since I was creating a card set, I did everything assembly-line style. I started out by stamping the focal image on several pieces of watercolor paper. Next, I added a few highlights with some quick watercolor.

I then hand placed a few small star-shaped sequins, to give it a little bit of sparkle:

Once the watercolor panels were done, I adhered them to a variety of colored card bases that I created from some cardstock.

To finish it all off, I tied everything together with some of The Twinery's Solid Marigold twine. Twine is a great way to keep a stack of cards and envelopes together and ready for giving away, while still being able to see the card design. The bell added an extra holiday touch:

I hope you have a very merry Christmas!

Supplies: 
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Marigold);
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink;
Watercolor Paper: Canson (Watercolor 140# Cold Press);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Prince of Peace);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black);
Other: Martha Stewart (Sequins);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Book Review :: Ready, Set, Find Christmas by Zonderkidz

Ready, Set, Find Christmas is an adorable board book for the Christmas season.

Each of the 5 thick board book pages in Ready, Set, Find Christmas is tabbed, making it easy for little ones to separate and turn the pages. On each tab is a little preview image to show what is on that page of the book. (There are preview images on the backs of the tabs, too.)

On the left side of each page opening in Ready, Set, Find Christmas is a portion of the Christmas story along with 8 images to find. On the right side of each page opening is a full picture, including the images to find.

Ready, Set, Find Christmas is adorably illustrated and has been one of my baby's favorites this season. It's a great book for Christmas.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: Say & Pray Devotions (First Words, Devotions, and Prayers) by Diane Stortz, illustrated by Sarah Ward

We have loved the Say & Pray Bible and Say & Pray Devotions is another great Say & Pray book.

Say & Pray Devotions is a cute choice for a first "devotion" book for your little one. Say & Pray Devotions is a padded hardcover board book, with cute illustrations in a gentle color palette. There are 20 page openings (for a total of 40 pages) that each have: a title, a very short "story" (about 2-3 sentences), a verse (from either ESV, ICB, or NLT), a short prayer, and several first words.

I love that Say & Pray Devotions combines regular situations/activities (in three categories: God's World, God's Gifts, and God's Love) with simple prayers and basic first words. It brings everything together in one place. I think it is a great option for your little one's bookshelf. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories by Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Rachel Clowes

Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories is another "love letter" book from Glenys Nellist. Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories takes you through 7 Bible stories themed around the birth of Jesus), with a "Love Letter from God" to go along with each story. 

If you've seen the "love letter" books before, they all share similar attributes. Each love letter is adhered to the page after the story, and the contents of the letter can be accessed by lifting the flap. The pages and love letters are a good weight - not exactly as thick as heavyweight cardstock, but not so thin that you should have to worry much about your 4-8 year olds ripping the pages (unless they are generally rough on books). Each love letter begins with "Dear _______," so a child's name can be written in if you choose. At the end of the book is a blank love letter titled "My Gift to Jesus" that can be filled in by the child. 

These are the stories told in Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories:

- Isaiah's Good News

- Mary's Song

- Joseph's Dream

- Bethlehem's Road

- Jesus Joy!

- Shepherd's Surprise

- Wise Men's Wonder

Each Bible story is retold as a story (not the Biblical text). Each of the stories in Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories is three pages long, with a rhyming portion of the story on the second page. The retellings are cute, but if you are looking for something that is strictly biblically accurate, this book is probably not what you are looking for.  I think it is the same with most Bible story books - with each story the author will take certain creative liberties with the retelling. 

Along with each story is a verse ("God's Perfect Promise") that goes along with the theme of the story. (The verse is not taken from the story itself.) Each "Love Letter from God" goes along with the theme as well. The themes are a wonderful start to discussions with your child(ren). 

The illustrations by Sophie Allsopp are great, giving the child plenty to look at without being overwhelming. The illustrations are mainly hand-drawn, but there are a few scanned/photographed pieces mixed in. I wish the illustrations had all been hand-drawn - the artist is very talented.

As I've said before about these books - I think Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories is a great book to share with little ones. This is one of those instances where I think it is important that you go with your gut. If you don't like the idea of an author writing words "from God", this is not a book I would suggest for you. If you don't like the idea of Bible stories told in words other than what is directly written in the Bible, this book is not for you. But, if you like to use a variety of books to tell your children about God and His love, and appreciate the perspective and creativity of a variety of authors and artists - get Christmas Love Letters from God: Bible Stories to share with your loved ones.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: A Royal Christmas to Remember by Jeanne Young & Jacqueline Johnson, illustrated by Omar Aranda

 A Royal Christmas to Remember is a new book from The Princess Parables line of books. This is a hard cover book that has a dust jacket featuring glittered accents.

 A Royal Christmas to Remember follows the 5 princesses (Joy, Hope, Grace, Faith, and Charity) as they get ready to celebrate Christmas.The princesses are preparing for their "best Christmas yet" (focused on their possessions) when robbers plunder the village and are finally caught in the castle. Because so many in the village have been robbed, the princesses decide to bring Christmas cheer to the village by decorating the houses and passing out gifts. 

In the end, the five princesses have changed their focus and true Christmas spirit is in the air.

I wasn't sure what I was going to think about  A Royal Christmas to Remember (I've read another book in this series in the past that I didn't care for), but I was pleasantly surprised with the focus coming together in the end.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: A Night of Great Joy by Mary Engelbreit

A Night of Great Joy is a cute book by Mary Engelbreit, telling the Christmas story.

Although A Night of Great Joy has words, the real beauty of the book comes from the illustrations, of course. Mary Engelbreit has a cute, recognizable style and the illustrations in this book follow suit. In fact, what I love most about this book is finding the little quirks in the pictures. The illustrations are done as if you are looking at a play (performed by children) and there is plenty to discover on the pages.

As you can see on the cover, the baby Jesus is "played" by a Raggedy Ann/Andy type doll, so keep that in mind if that is a deciding factor for you.

I found A Night of Great Joy to be a unique perspective on the Christmas story and really enjoyed it. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible, Hardcover

The NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible is a new Bible in the Love Letters from God series. (If you haven't yet checked out the books in the Love Letters from God series by Glenys Nellist, be sure to check them out.)

The NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible is the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) version of the Bible. The NIrV is a simplified version of the NIV, written at approximately a 3rd grade reading level. The NIrV is composed of smaller, easy-to-understand words in shorter sentences than the traditional NIV.

The NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible has blue headings and all black text (including the words of Christ), laid out in two columns. The text is standard size - not large, but not extra small. There are no study notes or footnotes in the NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible, just strictly Bible text. There are 7 full-color maps at the back. 

At the back of the NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible are two study helps: a 5-page dictionary (words & definitions, but no verse references) and lists compiling 92 "Great Bible Stories" (with verse references). The "Great Bible Stories" lists would be great to use for monthly reading plans. There are also 8 unlined pages (front & back) reserved for notes.

The "flair" comes in with the grayscale love letter pages (with blue accents) placed among the text of the NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible. Each of these pages has a "love letter from God" that begins with "Dear _______," so a child's name can be written in if you choose. The letters are based on themes from the surrounding Scripture text (and the reference is listed). Along with each letter is a verse ("God's Wonderful Words to You") that goes along with the theme of the letter. The verse from "God's Wonderful Words to You" is highlighted in light blue in the Bible text. On the side of each love letter page is a lined space to write back (with a prompt for writing).

There are also a few full-color page inserts that are placed throughout. (The full-color pages are a bit thicker than the text pages.) At the beginning of the NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible is an insert containing the presentation page with a "How To Use This Bible" page on the reverse side. There are 3 other full-color insert pages in the NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible. Here are the topics/subjects covered in the other inserts:

- The Ten Commandments

- What Is... (Sin, Repentance, Grace, Forgiveness, Hell, Heaven)

- How To Pray

- Getting To Know Jesus

- ABCs of Christianity

- Your Invitation

The love letters and full-color inserts in the NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible give it a unique perspective. I also liked that it prompts the child to write to God - a great way to practice prayer. 

The NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible has the basics you need, with some great extras. This is one of those instances where I think it is important that you go with your gut. If you don't like the idea of an author writing words "from God", this is not a Bible I would suggest for you. But, if you like to use a variety of ways to tell your children about God and His love, and appreciate the perspective and creativity of a variety of authors and artists - consider getting the NIrV Love Letters from God Holy Bible.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: NIrV Minecrafters Bible, Hardcover

The NIrV Minecrafters Bible is sure to be a hit with any Minecraft loving child. (Disclaimer: This Bible has no specific affiliation with the Minecraft game, to my knowledge.) My sons (ages 7 & 10) were both eyeing it as soon as it entered our house.

The NIrV Minecrafters Bible is the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) version of the Bible. The NIrV is a simplified version of the NIV, written at approximately a 3rd grade reading level. The NIrV is composed of smaller, easy-to-understand words in shorter sentences than the traditional NIV.

The NIrV Minecrafters Bible has all black text (including headings and the words of Christ), laid out in two columns. The text is standard size - not large, but not extra small. There are no study notes or footnotes in the NIrV Minecrafters Bible, just strictly Bible text. There are no maps like you might find in many Bibles. 

At the back of the NIrV Minecrafters Bible are two study helps: a 5-page dictionary (words & definitions, but no verse references) and lists compiling 92 "Great Bible Stories" (with verse references). The "Great Bible Stories" lists would be great to use for monthly reading plans. 

The "flair" of the NIrV Minecrafters Bible comes in with the full-color pages that are placed throughout the Bible. (The pages are a bit thicker than the text pages.) At the beginning of the NIrV Minecrafters Bible is an insert containing the presentation page, a two-page "How To Use This Bible" spread, and a "God Creates The World" page. 

Each insert throughout the text in the NIrV Minecrafters Bible is a full-color (front and back) page. Each of these has a pixelated (on purpose, Minecraft style) depiction of the topic, a little portion to read about the topic, a verse to read, and a "What To Do" idea (for something to create in Minecraft). Here are the topics covered in the inserts:

- Noah Builds an Ark

- Building the Tower of Babel

- The Ten Commandments

- Building the Tabernacle

- The Walls of Jericho

- Samson's Super Strength

- David Defeats Goliath

- Psalm 23

- Solomon Builds God's Temple

- Jonah and the Very Big Fish

- Jesus is Born

- Finding the Twelve Disciples

- Feeding Over 5,000 People

- Jesus Walks on Water

- The Last Supper

- Jesus Gives His Life

- Planting Seeds

- A Strong Foundation

- The Armor of God

- The ABCs of Salvation

I liked that the topics covered on the full-color inserts in the NIrV Minecrafters Bible aren't necessarily what would typically be pointed out in a children's Bible (stories like Adam & Eve, etc.) - it gave a unique perspective for this Bible. I also liked that it often prompts the child to try something new in their Minecraft time...and tie it in with thoughts of Jesus. With all the things kids can do on Minecraft, something relating to the true kingdom is certainly a great direction to go. 

The NIrV Minecrafters Bible has the basics you need, with some extras that will draw in a variety of children. I think any Minecraft-loving child would love to have this Bible.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: The Berenstain Bears Bear Christmas Fun Sticker & Activity Book

The Berenstain Bears Bear Christmas Fun Sticker & Activity Book is a 32 page activity book with an insert of over 50 reusable stickers. The pages in the activity book are full-color (with the exceptions of the images that are intended to be colored in by the child).

In my opinion, this sticker and activity book would probably work best for 5-8 year olds. There are a range of activities such as:

• basic coloring
• mazes
• finding stickers to complete the pictures
• word searches
• message decoding activities
• a crossword puzzle
• a search-and-find picture
• a connect-the-dots picture (with numbers up through 26)
• a color-by-number picture

The pages in The Berenstain Bears Bear Christmas Fun Sticker & Activity Book cover various Christmas themes that you might find in any of The Berenstain Bears books. Although this book is not a read-through of the Christmas story, you will find references to Jesus and the events of the Christmas story.

I am impressed at what you can get for under $7 retail. The full-color pages are fun to look at even without the activities, and the activities and stickers just add to the fun. I think that these sticker and activity books are a great value and would be a great gift for any child. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel

The Berenstain Bears books are instant classics, as far as I am concerned. These are books that I grew up reading and the new books in the collection (even though they are now mainly written by Mike Berenstain rather than Stan and Jan Berenstain), keep in line with the Berenstain legacy. The Berenstain Bears books are books that exemplify moral character, and I appreciate that. 

The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel is the newest of The Berenstain Bears books.

In The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel, the bear cubs enjoy the first big snow day of the winter season. The three bear cubs build a snow angel (they wanted to do something different from the traditional snowman/snowbear) and this leads to a discussion with Mama and Papa about angels. I did find it odd to see the phrase "old school" in one of the Berenstain Bears books, but overall The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel is a sweet story and is a good overview/introduction of angels for kids.

I think The Berenstain Bears and the Christmas Angel is definitely a book worth considering.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Review :: NIV Wonders of Creation Holy Bible

The Wonders of Creation Holy Bible is a new Bible to the market that pulls in some of the open artwork from the Wonders of Creation coloring book. 

I loved the Wonders of Creation coloring book, and was so excited to see this Bible version come out. I must say, though, that I expected more. I was hoping that this Bible would be done in a journaling Bible style (with wide margins and some artwork here and there among the margin space), but that is not what happened. This is basically a standard hardcover Bible with some thicker pages inserted every once in awhile (in no apparent order) that are able to be colored in. The Bible text is in a two column format, with all black text (including the words of Christ). The test is standard size (not large but not super tiny).

With that said, I do love the artwork (taken from the Wonders of Creation coloring book) and think this could be a great introduction for kids into the merging of the Bible and art. The artwork is beautiful as is and doesn't need to be colored in, but that is definitely where some of the excitement for this Bible comes in. 

The Wonders of Creation Holy Bible is a neat idea and is definitely worth looking into, but if you are looking for a journaling-style Bible for kids, this is not it. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.