Book Review :: I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook by Judah and Chelsea Smith, illustrated by Alexandra Ball

The I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook is a new storybook written by Judah Smith (author of Jesus is ____.) and his wife, Chelsea Smith. The I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook has a printed hardcover (shown in the cover image) and has a ribbon bookmark.

First, let me say the the illustrations in the I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook (by Alexandra Ball) are absolutely adorable and heart-warming. I love the muted color palette and the adorable illustration style.

The I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook has a somewhat unique format for a storybook Bible. It is divided into Old Testament stories and New Testament Stories, but within each of those are sections that have between 1 and 5 stories. These story sections each have their own introductions and "I Will Follow Jesus" conclusions. Each introduction has a Bible verse and each conclusion also has a prayer. (As an example, the first section in the Old Testament stories is "Creation" and it has an introduction (titled "Creation"), three stories ("God Makes Everything", "God Is Our Friend", and "A Bad Decision"), a conclusion (titled "I Will Follow Jesus"), and a prayer. The introduction and conclusion are what I would call "devotional style", and the stories are just that - Bible stories. If you are looking for a solid, Bible-only version with nothing added...this isn't for you. This is a storybook, and is written as such.

Overall, the I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook is a fun addition to your bookshelf and I think this is something that many kids will enjoy looking at (and listening to) repeatedly.

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 :: Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV

The Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV has a (full color) printed hard cover which you see in the cover image. 

The Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV is the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) version of the Bible (© 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014). 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 Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV has all blue text (including the words of Christ), and is laid out in two columns. The text is standard size - not large, but not extra small. There are no footnotes. There is a full-color presentation page with Psalm 100:3 on the back side.

There is a brief, single-page introduction for each book of the Bible. Each introduction covers a few basic things about the book (some thoughts about the book, things to know about the book, what the book teaches, and popular people and stories from the book).

The Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV has "Veggie Values" and "Remember This" features spread throughout the text. There is an "Index to Veggie Values" starting on page 1299 that lists the address of the "Veggie Values" by topic. "Remember This" entries highlight verses that might be great for memorization.

In addition to the features that are spread throughout the text, there is a Dictionary and several lined pages for notes at the back of the Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV.

As you might expect, you will see a lot of cute little vegetables popping up throughout the Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV. There are a couple full-color inserts (comic book style) featuring the following stories: 

- "The Ballad of Little Joe" (Joseph)

- "Babysitter in DeNile" (Miriam)

- "Dave and the Giant Pickle" (David and Goliath)

- "Esther the Girl Who Became Queen" (Esther)

- "Rack, Shack, and Benny" (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego)

- "The Story of Jonah" (Jonah)

- "An Easter Carol" (Easter)

- "The Story of Flibber-o-loo" (The Good Samaritan)

I like that at the end of each of these inserts, there is a note encouraging the reader to real the real story (and it includes the page number for where they can find the real story in the Bible).

I'd say the Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV is probably best for young kids - starting as early as age 5 or 6 (if they are reading) and up to age 8 or so. The only reason I might not suggest it for older children is the styling may look a bit young, but the content is still great. 

All in all, I think the Veggie Tales Bible, NIrV is a fantastic choice for a Bible for a young veggie lover in your life. 

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.

LOVE you

Shaker cards. 

I'm a bit late in the game, but I've recently given them a real shot...and...they are so fun!

This one is a fun one because the shaker portion of the card goes all the way to both edges of the card (without spilling sequins everywhere, thanks to my Fuse tool).

I love how this one turned out - and I can't wait to really shake things up (pun intended) here on my blog.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies: 
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink; 
Dies: My Favorite Things (Love Die-namics, Love & Adore You Die-namics); 
Sequins: Pretty Pink Posh; Martha Stewart; 
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board); We R Memory Keepers (Fuse Tool);

Adventures in Bible art & journaling :: Back in the game

It's been a little while since I've shared my Bible journaling here on my blog, but since I have had so much fun sharing it on Instagram and my Facebook page, I figured I should get back to sharing it here as well. (If you are on Facebook, please consider joining me in the Bible Art & Journaling group.)

Here are a few pages I've done recently:

Thanks for looking - and have a great day!

Find all my posts pertaining to Bible art or journaling here.

Supplies:
Bible: Zondervan (NASB Note-taker's Bible); 
Colored Pencils: Prang (various colors);
Pens: Sakura (Pigma Micron);

Book Review :: Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV

Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV is a great new Bible from from Zondervan. The Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV has a (full color) printed hard cover which you see in the cover image. (There are versions of the Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV that have an imitation/leather-look cover in purple or blue, but the one I am reviewing has a hardcover.)

The Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV has all black text (including the words of Christ) with various teal/turquoise accents (headings, chapter numbers, etc.), and is laid out in two columns. This is the NIV version of the Bible (© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011). The text is standard size - not large, but not extra small. It does contain some basic footnotes. There are no maps like you might find in many Bibles. After the Table of Contents, there is a helpful page: "What Is Prayer?"

Inside, there is a thick/coated, full color presentation page with a list of the books of the Bible and their genres (poetry, major prophets, minor prophets, etc.) on the back. There are three other thick/coated, full color pages inserted throughout the Bible: "How to use This Bible", "10 Commandments for Kids/The LORD's Prayer", and "Prayer Is.../The ABCs of Becoming a Christian".

There is a brief, single-page introduction for each book of the Bible. Each introduction covers a few basic things about the book which may include: who wrote it, why it was written, for whom it was written, what happens, what we learn about God, key people, what is special about the book, when & where it happened, and a list of some of the stories/important passages in the book.

Some verses throughout are highlighted in teal/turquoise. These are verses that go along with the concept of praying/conversing with God.

There are 98 devotions in the Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV. Each devotion has a verse reference and a devotional style writing. The devotions are fantastic - always tying back to the idea of prayer/conversation with God. There is a list of all of the devotions (in order of appearance) starting on page 1311, and another list (by topic) starting on page 1299.

Additionally, there are three reading plans at the back of the Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV: a 6 week "Introduction to the Bible", a 6 month "Guided Tour of the Bible", and a 3 year "Every Word in the Bible" plan. There are also 9 prayer journaling pages. 

With the attractive styling and the gender-neutral colors, I'd say the Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV would be great for either gender and a variety of ages - starting as early as age 6 (if they are reading) and up to the early teens. 

The Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV has the basics you need, with some fantastic extras and is a fantastic choice for a Bible for any child in your life. 

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 :: Snuggle Time Prayers by Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Cee Biscoe

Snuggle Time Prayers is a fantastic board book to share with little ones. There are sweet illustrations of various animals on each 2-page spread along with a verse and a short (rhyming) prayer. 

There are 15 prayers total in Snuggle Time Prayers. Although the title makes it seem like these are bedtime prayers, many are great for any time of day. What I especially enjoyed about this book of prayers is that each of the prayers are written in the first person (from the child's point of view). I thought this was unique and a great way to help teach children how to pray.

Snuggle Time Prayers is definitely going to be a favorite in our house. 

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 Easter Story (The Princess Parables) by Jeanna Young and Jacqueline Johnson, illustrated by Omar Aranda

A Royal Easter Story is a new book in The Princess Parables series. This is a hard cover book that has a dust jacket featuring glittered accents.

A Royal Easter Story follows the 5 princesses (Joy, Hope, Grace, Faith, and Charity) as they race to get to their destination while the kingdom is preparing for the annual Easter Jubilee. 

The target audience for A Royal Easter Story is children ages 4-8, but the wording is not as simple as you might find in a story for children this age. (Not necessarily a bad thing, just different.) 

Although it does reference Easter and Jesus multiple times, the "Easter" portion of the story really seems to be more in the background, with the "race to the finish" portion of the story taking center stage. 

I liked that in the midst of the hustle and bustle, the princesses stop to pray and ask God for help. This is a great example and reminder for the little ones who will be enjoying this story to stop and pray. 

There were several things in the story that seemed out of place or forced, such as the words "ASK", "SEEK", and "KNOCKED" being capitalized in the text. Even if it is a Bible reference, it just seemed out of place. Also, the statement by the king that "everyone who is lost can be found on Easter" (in reference to an actual child who had been separated from their family) seemed odd to me. 

Although the intention of A Royal Easter Story is good, enough of the concepts seemed forced or out of place to me that this unfortunately isn't one of my top choices as far as storybooks go. That said, any princess-loving girl will probably be able to enjoy this book again and again. 

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 :: Little One, God Loves You by Amy Warren Hilliker, illustrated by Polona Lovsin

Little One, God Loves You is a sweet board book written by Rick Warren's daughter, Amy Warren Hilliker. The cute, warm illustrations are by Polona Lovsin.

Little One, God Loves You is short and to the point - a book written in rhyme, reminding them that God loves them and cares for them. It is a good length for babies and toddlers, who generally have short attention spans.

Little One, God Loves You is a cute little book and would be great for any little one's bookshelf.

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 :: Lots of Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids by Whee Winn

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Dewey.

Dewey who?

Dewey have to keep telling silly jokes?

Lots of Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids is...well...a book of a lot of knock-knock jokes.

Lots of Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids has six sections of knock-knock jokes ("Name Jokes", "Place Jokes", "Holiday Jokes", "Food Jokes", "Animal Jokes", and "Object Jokes") and one extra section of "Bonus Jokes and Riddles".

Once I opened the book and told a couple jokes to my kids (ages 6-12), the book seems to have disappeared...but I sure have heard a lot of knock-knock jokes since then! Many of these jokes make me and my family giggle, but I must admit that there are a couple stragglers that need to be pronounced just right to make sense.

Lots of Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids is a book that you can pick up for only a few dollars, and it is totally worth 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 :: Best Hair Book Ever! by the editors of Faithgirlz! and Girls' Life magazine

Best Hair Book Ever! is a fun reference book for a tween/teen girl in your life. It is filled with lots of cute hairstyles (and a variety of hair tips and tricks) - and something in it is sure to work for everyone. 

Best Hair Book Ever! is styled like a magazine and has eight sections:

- Your Best Hair

- The Cutest Cut

- School Hair

- Summer Hair

- Sporty Hair

- Weekend Hair

- Party Hair

- Braids

Although the claim as the "best ever" hair book may be a little stretch, it really is a great resource! The photographs in this book are fantastic (more magazine style than a "how-to" book style). Each hairstyle does have written out instructions, but the majority do not have step-by-step photos. I would have loved to have seen some diagrams or step-by-step pictures. (There are only step-by-step pictures on the blowout page and in the "Braids" section.)

This is one of those books that disappeared into my daughter's room as soon as it came in the house. She has enjoyed looking at it and getting some tips and ideas, but she says that many of the styles are too difficult to get looking like the picture (especially without an additional pair of hands) and some styles need a specific hair type to be able to pull them off. She has found many of the hairstyles easier to do on other people than on herself. One thing we also found surprising was that of the four hairstyles shown on the front cover, only one seems to really be addressed inside the book. She really wanted to know how to reproduce the look on the upper right, but it is not in the book.

All that said, Best Hair Book Ever! has been fun to look at and has inspired some new hairstyles for my 12 year old. It is something I think most girls would enjoy looking through.

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.

Audio Book Review :: The Word Of Promise New Testament (Audiobook) {New Testament Audio Bible - NKJV}

The Word of Promise New Testament Audio NKJV Bible is fantastic. This is the text of the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, read by a variety of people. The variety of readers (each one being a different "character") keep this fun and easy to listen to, and it really draws you in to what is being said. There is also some mild background music, which is nice. (This is similar to The Bible Experience, if you've ever heard that.)

Having the word-for-word Bible text in an audio book is a great way to get in some Bible "reading" and is easy for the whole family to enjoy. This is particularly great for car trips, in my opinion, but there really is no wrong time for The Word of Promise New Testament Audio NKJV Bible.

My only slight problem with The Word of Promise New Testament Audio NKJV Bible is that the case isn't my favorite arrangement, but then again I don't really know what I would prefer as an arrangement for a set of 20 CDs. (There are ten "pegs" in the case, with 2 CDs on each "peg".) Even with that, I still wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone.

The only thing better than The Word of Promise New Testament Audio NKJV Bible? The Word of Promise Complete Audio Bible.

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 :: Inspiring Words (Coloring Book): 30 Verses From The Bible You Can Color

Inspiring Words is a new coloring book that features a Bible verse on each page. The pages are a good weight for coloring and they are wrapped up in a colorful, glossy cover. The illustrations are only on one side of each page and are marked with a dotted trim line, so they would be perfect for cutting out and framing. (The pages are not perforated.)

Each of the 30 verses (NIV) in Inspiring Words have open lettering surrounded by decorative accents. Many images feature things like simple flowers, birds, etc. (There is a fairly even distribution of Old Testament and New Testament verses.) The art is cute - not as detailed as some adult coloring books out there, but there is definitely plenty to color. 

I was so excited to get this Inspiring Words coloring book and I do enjoy it, but I must admit that as someone who works with digital design software, I noticed a few layering/design inconsistencies in the artwork that I would have preferred not to see in a coloring book put out by a major publishing house. 

All in all, I look forward to spending hours coloring the pages in this Inspiring Words coloring book.

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.