Baby Loves Sports

TITLE: Baby Loves Sports
AUTHOR:
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER: DuoPress
COPYRIGHT: 2015

Baby Loves SPORTS is a board book from Duo Press.  This is a "high-contrast" book. (It is interesting to read the research on the value of  high-contrast books for babies if you are not familliar with what this is.)

I have read a few high-contrast books with my baby and found this one to be of good quality all around. Each page has a different sport featured. One page will have a player and the opposite page will have the ball that goes with that sport.  Black and white are the dominant colors; however, there are some dark colored background pages too.

My baby boy (11 months) likes touching the pages and reaches for the balls.  He has enjoyed looking at it multiple times.  This book would make a nice baby shower gift or to add to your baby's library.

This book was sent to me by the publisher for my review, these opinions are mine.  Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

Lift the Flap Bible

TITLE: Lift the Flap Bible
AUTHOR:  Karen Williamson
ILLUSTRATOR: Louise Anglicas
PUBLISHER: Candle Books; Brdbk Edition
COPYRIGHT: 2014

I was so excited to be able to review this book called Lift the Flap Bible by Karen Williamson and illustrated by Louise Anglicas.  My son always enjoyed "lift the flap" books when he was a toddler, and I thought this one would be great to have for our new baby!

About the book:
What's under the flaps? Find out in this collection of eight very simple Bible stories in a large cased board book format. Each story is told across a double-page spread and there are flaps on every page. Bright, quirky illustrations full of wit and color from Louise Anglicas are perfect for this engaging introduction to Bible stories. Stories are: Noah and the Ark, Moses and the Bulrushes, Daniel and the Lions, Jonah and the Great Fish, Born in a Stable, Boy with Loaves and Fishes, The Lost Sheep, and Man Lowered Through the Roof.

My thoughts:
I thought this was a great little book. The pages are large and I liked that the flaps were big pictures. There are about 3-4 flaps per story.  The art work and pictures are wonderful.  I always like it when books for young children have bright, colorful images of "extras" like birds, animals, flowers, etc. that you can use to identify colors, shapes, etc. as you read the book. The stories that are included are biblical favorites, and only minimal text is used with the pictures.

This book was sent to me by Kregel for my honest review. Thank you.

Have a day of blessings!
 

It Will Be Okay

 

 

TITLE: It Will Be Okay
AUTHOR:  Lysa TerKeurts
ILLUSTRATOR: Natalia Moore
PUBLISHER: Tommy Nelson
COPYRIGHT: 2014
Today I have a children's book to share with you.  It is called It Will Be Okay-- Trusting God through fear and change by Lysa TerKeurst.

About the book:

In the end, it will be okay because God is always with us.

Whether we like it or not, growing up brings change. For many children, this conjures fears that are sometimes real and sometimes imagined. How can kids learn that even when they face new and unfamiliar situations, they don't have to be afraid?

Little Seed and Little Fox are facing changes and brand new circumstances-and they don't like it one bit! Through this unlikely friendship, children will discover that no matter how new or fearful their circumstances, God is always with them. The whimsical art by Natalia Moore will put a smile on kids' faces and put their minds at ease. Just as Little Seed and Little Fox learn to trust that the Farmer is good and kind, children will also learn to trust God.

Written by New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst, It Will Be Okay will help kids discover that the end, it really will be okay because we have a God who is good and kind and always with us.

About the Author:Lysa TerKeurst is the New York Times bestselling author of Made to Crave and Unglued. She isn't shy about admitting what a mess she can be. But she's been learning God's lessons and sharing them on her blog (www.LysaTerKeurst.com) and in her books. Lysa is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and writes from her sticky farm table in North Carolina where she lives with her husband, Art, five kids, three dogs, and mouse that refuses to leave her kitchen.

My thoughts:  
I thought this was a cute book with a great message that is relevant for children today.  Children face many fears, changes, and challenges as they grow up.  These changes can be scary.  In this book the child will see how they don't have to be afraid as they follow along the story of Little Seed, Little Fox and the Farmer.

The illustrations are enjoyable as well and add to the beauty of the story.  Also, I liked that at the beginning is a list of verses to memorize about trusting and not being afraid.  This is a good book to read to your child.  

If you have a young child in your life, this book would be a nice one to add to their library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Have a day of blessings!
 

God Shows The Way

TITLE:  The Berenstain Bears' God Shows The Way
AUTHOR: Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain
ILLUSTRATOR:  Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain
PUBLISHER:  Zonderkidz
COPYRIGHT:  2014

Book Description:
Now in a convenient 3 stories in one collection, young readers will learn from the Berenstain Bears just how important it is to serve and love one another. Written in level one of the I Can Read standards, this bind-up of stories from the Berenstain Bears Living Lights I Can Read series is sure to please young, emergent readers as well as parents and grandparents looking for good quality reading that will help practice early reading skills as well as teach lessons about serving and caring for others. Included in this collection are the following titles: Faith Gets Us Through Have No Fear, God Is Near Piggy Bank Blessings.

My thoughts:
I've always enjoyed the Berenstain Bears and the cute stories that always teach a lesson.  This book is three stories in one hardback book.  All three have a religious theme with a Bible verse at the beginning and another in the story. 

This book is appropriate for early readers, those who are beginning to read on their own.  These are written at a much simpler level than other books in the series. As you can see on the cover it is Level 1 reader.

While I liked the simplicity of the stories of these well-loved characters and the values taught through the stories, I always have an issue with books that include "scary" topics such as monsters, shadows, etc.  This is just a personal preference I've always had not to read books related to such topics to children.  I never would read these type of books to my son because he wasn't afraid of such things. I didn't want him to read these books and think he should be afraid of them!  Now if you had a child already scared of such things, this book would be fine. Both the first two stories talk of such things and your child could learn from how Sister Bear handled her fears.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” TITLE:

The Shape of My Heart

TITLE:  The Shape of My Heart
AUTHOR:  Mark Sperring
ILLUSTRATOR:  Alys Paterson
PUBLISHER:  Bloomsbury
COPYRIGHT:  2012

There are shapes everywhere around us.  This is a fun book to look for specific shapes with your child.  I thought it would be good to read to a toddler who is learning to identify objects to help increase vocabulary.  Each page is filled with brightly colored objects that will be relevant to a toddler's life.  It's rhyming text make it fun to read aloud as well. I particularly liked the ending too!

Too Tall Houses

TITLE:  Too Tall Houses
AUTHOR:  Gianna Marino
ILLUSTRATOR:
PUBLISHER:  Viking
COPYRIGHT:  2012

Owl and Rabbit are friends who live beside each other.  Everything is fine until Rabbit's garden grows so tall that it blocks Owl's view of the forest.  This leads Owl to build a taller house.  Back and forth they go, building their houses taller and taller.

I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations in this book.  The warm colored scenes made such pretty backdrops for the actions of Owl and Rabbit.  This is a fun book on friendship.

The AR level for this book is 2.0.

You're Wearing That to School?!

TITLE:  You're Wearing That to School?!
AUTHOR:  Lynn Plourde
ILLUSTRATOR:  Sue Cornelison
PUBLISHER:  Disney Hyperion
COPYRIGHT:  2013

Penelope the hippo gets advice about beginning school from her little mouse friend Tiny.  He thinks she has all the wrong ideas about what to wear, what to take to show and tell, and more.  Will Penelope listen to Tiny's advice or do things her own way?

This is a fun book with cute characters to read at the beginning of the school year or to your child who is beginning school.

This is AR level 2.1.