Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Do you sometimes wonder who you are? Or what you were made to do in this world? What God Says About You by Hosanna Wong is an uplifting and encouraging book aimed at children ages four to eight.  What God Says About You is a large picture book with a dust jacket measuring about 8 by 10 inches in size. It is 32 pages long. Even though it is aimed at children ages four to eight. I would lean towards this book being more interesting to the older end of that spectrum but it depends on the child, of course.  What God Says About You is rhyming verse. It is kind of long and uses some larger vocabulary words, which is why I suggest it for children on the older end of that spectrum. I think the illustrations are gorgeous. They are fairly inclusive and I like that too. At the end of the book there is a 2-page spread summarizing all the good things God says about us and that spread is especially good. This book could make a nice gift for someone to encourage them or even as a good...

  Where I live the children will head back to school in two or three weeks. Summer has gone by quickly! If Jesus Came to My School by April Graney is a great book to read with your children ages 3 to 8 before they head back to school. If Jesus Came to My School has great rhyme/rhythm in the words. I like how well it flows. The pictures are bright and cheerful and work well with the text. I especially like how this book encourages kids to treat everyone with compassion and kindness. The whole book encourages children to imagine a day with Jesus coming to school with them. This children's book encourages children to let Jesus' love shine through them. I especially like that it encourages children to help those who are struggling or who are different.  If Jesus Came to My School measures roughly 8 1/2 inches squared and is forty pages long. The pages are fairly heavy and glossy and easy for young ones to read and turn themselves as well as reading together a a family. ...

      My son is 23 now but I sure remember the excitement of when I was expecting him. I Dream for You by Kate Wood is a well written Christian children's book that captures the wonder and excitement of having a little one. The prose in this book is nicely written in rhyme. The words go together nicely without sounding forced or hokey. It definitely took me back to the days when I was expecting my son and all the hopes and dreams I had for him as both a baby and a child.  This book is definitely a Christian book as it mentions God. As the cover says, Imagining God's love and plants for your life" is the main subject matter. There are also Bible verses on a full page at the back of the book to pray for your child.  The illustrations are bright and nicely done. I like how they are inclusive of children and parents of all colors.  This is a fairly large children's book measuring a little over 9 by 11 inches in size with 32 pages of content. While the book is a...

  What to do with your Whirly Swirly Thoughts by Jennie Allen starts out with a letter to parents from the auhttps://readingwritingandpondering.blogspot.com/2025/05/what-to-do-with-your-whirly-swirly.htmlthor. In this letter she shares why she wrote the book and how she hopes it will be helpful. She also encourages people to recognize that sometimes people need more help than a book and it is okay to talk to a counselor. I like that she recognizes that and offers that advice to parents. What to do with your Whirly Swirly Thoughts does have some colorful and cool illustrations. That is my favorite part of the book. I like that it offers some advice for helping to change thoughts BUT I feel that it invites the child to stuff down the bad stuff and not really deal with it. The verses that are used make it seem that we should only think good thoughts. And yet, David and other psalmists certainly dealt with some bigger thoughts. I think God gave us all emotions and so many times in chu...

  Jesus Moments: Jonah is the story of Jonah from the Bible told for children ages four to seven.  Jesus Moments: Jonah is brightly illustrated, has 32 pages, and measures about 8 1/2 by 10 inches in size. This book tells the story of Jonah and how he ends up in the whale and going to Ninevah. At the same time, there are places in the story for children to pay attention to as they relate to things that Jesus did in the New Testament. The Jesus moments are marked with hidden anchors and then further explained as the book goes on.  I think Jesus Moments: Jonah is a good way for children to see how the Old and New Testaments are connected. I also like the illustrations. The book clearly tells the story of Jonah and also showed Jonah's bad attitude, which could be something to talk about with the children who listen to the story as well. This book would be good to read at home and also may be good to use at Sunday School or a children's Bible study. I received a copy of this ...

  Princess Paris Finds Her Purpose is a beautifully illustrated book written by Demi-Leigh Tebow and illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov.  I like the message that comes through in Princess Paris Finds Her Purpose. Spreading Kindness is more important than looking like a Princess when her crown is stolen. This hardcover book has a dust jacket and is larger in size at a little over 10 inches squared. There are 32 pages of a fun adventure as the Princess goes through her day on her way to meet a King. On her journey, her crown is stolen but she is given many opportunities to be kind to those around her. One unique thing about this book is that there are African words that children can learn to say in another language and also learn the meaning of. I like that this book has so many positive things about it. I also love the beautiful illustrations. I especially like that the main character is a dog as a dog lover. It is an all-around fun read for children ages 4 to 8. I received...

  Are you looking for books for a child's Easter basket? Zonderkidz has some good choices. Mostly What God Does is Love You by Savannah Guthrie is a beautiful, large hardcover children's book aimed at children ages two to seven but that can vary by the child. This is a timeless message that we are all loved by God. I like that the illustrations by Morgan Huff are so inclusive of people of all colors and including some with disabilities. It is a lovely book with a positive, encouraging message. The Easter Lamb by John Greco is another large hardcover book aimed at children ages 6 to 10. This book tells the Easter story in simpler terms, from the Bible, so children can understand what Easter is really about and why we celebrate Easter.  Hey-O! Stories of the Bible from Saddleback Kids is a thick book that is full of vibrantly illustrated stories from the Bible aimed at children ages 4 to 7. It is 384 pages and included stories from the Old and New Testaments that are sha...

God, You Are: 20 Promises from the Psalms for Kids by William R. Osborne is written by a pastor as a devotional. There are 20 short "You are" devotionals written to help children understand the character of God. Each reading starts with a Bible verse, then there is a short devotional reading, followed by a prayer. God You are Holy, My Deliverer, a Shepherd, My Shield, and Everywhere. These are just a few of the 20 topics addressed in discussing God's character in this book. There are beautiful illustrations by Brad Woodard for all of the devotions. I think this a a nice devotional that could be used for family devotions, home-school devotions, Sunday School devotions or for another similar group of children. The book is 48 pages long and is about 7.2 by 8 inches in size. It is hardcover but does not have a dust jacket. God You Are is aimed at children ages four to eight but I think it would be good for the whole family if you use it in a family setting. I received a copy...

  God Made Me from A to Z: 26 Activity Devotions for Curious Little Kids by Allison Key Bemiss is a really fun book to use with little ones.  God Made Me from A to Z is a soft cover book that measures about 7 /25 by 9 inches and is aimed at children five and under. There are a lot of fun activities in this book including a recipe for muffins, measuring hugs, water bottle bowling and so much more. There are a lot of fun ideas in here to keep children active. The pages are thick and colorful. There is a mix of activities, Bible verses, prayer, and a short devotional for each letter of the alphabet.This book would have been both fun and useful when I was homeschooling out son. I would recommend it to any family with young children. It may also be useful to a Sunday School teacher or leader of another young children's group who needs ideas for readings and activities with children. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Just In Case You Ever Feel Alone by Max Lucado is another heart-touching children book by this caring pastor author. This book is beautifully illustrated by Eve Tharlet with warm and soft images that look comforting alongside comforting words. I love the sweet and kind words throughout this mostly-rhyming book. I like that this book talks about families caring for each other but doesn't explicitly say that you are born into that family. Rather, this book leaves the definition a bit loose so those who are adopted or in a different type of family may also feel love around them and not feel alone. The book also emphasizes that God unconditionally loves us and He is always with us too, so we need never feel alone. It is a lovely book and the words and the pictures work well together.  Just In Case You Ever Feel Alone is aimed at children ages three to seven. It is 32 pages long and measures about 8 1/2 by 11 inches in size. It has a dust jacket too. It would make a wonderful gif...

The 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury by Hannah C. Hall is a beautifully illustrated children's book with some fun rhyming stories inside it. Measuring roughly 8 1/4 inches square it is a fun size to read in bed together. This story book is aimed at pre-school children up to age 4. There is one story that talks about going to school so kindergarten children may enjoy it as well. There are six stories in the 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury.  God Bless You and Good Night God Bless My Friends God Bless My School God Bless My Family God Bless My Home All of these stories are illustrated by Steve Whitlow with what I would call softly-vibrant pictures. The pictures look soft and warm and yet are vibrant in color. I think they are just gorgeous and well liked by children. Then all of these stories are nicely written in a rhyming style that is truely a pleasure to read and fun for children to listen to.  The 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury could be a fun baby gift or a gift for a young child, besides bu...

  The Say and Pray Easter Stick and Activity Book by Diane Stortz is a fun activity book for children ages three to six to help them learn Bible stories centered around Easter. This book is 32 pages long and full of fun activities for little ones. There are about fifty activities and 100 stickers. Wow! This book is brightly illustrated and has fun activities that would help little children learn. I do think they might need some guidance, depending on the age, for putting the right stickers from the middle section on the right pages. Older children wouldn't but the little ones might. Along with the stickers, there are mazes, hidden pictures, tracing, dot-to-dot, matching, drawing and coloring activities. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Do you know children who enjoy seek and find books? Seek and Find: The First Christmas is a large book aimed at children under five--but in our family, all ages enjoy this book.  Based on the Bible, this is a hardcover book with heavy boardbook pages inside that little ones can easily turn themselves. There are over 450 things to count and find within this book. It is book that could keep the little ones busy for quite awhile and is also one that the whole family could do together, depending on your family. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Dream Big for Kid s by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich is a BIG nicely illustrated children's book at 32 pages and about 10 inches squared.  Dream Big for Kids is aimed at children ages four to eight. I would lean on giving it to children more in the six to eight year old age range but it all depends on the child. Dream Big for Kids encourages kids to use their imaginations and dream during the day--not just at night. What could they do when they grow up? What do they like to do? What do the kids hope for themselves and the world that they live in? This book is a Christian-based book so there is talk about God in this book and how we are all created by Him to be uniquely gifted to do things in the world. I like that this book encourages dreaming and hoping for good things. I like that the book is inclusive in both illustrations and its wordings so all children can learn these things. Dream Big for Kids would make a nice gift for someone too. I received a copy of this b...

  I have always enjoyed Sarah Young's books. Many times they make me think and we have also used her children's books when I was homeschooling my son. We went through Jesus Calling and another book following that one. The readings in those books are all from the perspective of Jesus talking to the reader. What I like about Jesus Listens is that it is from a prayerful perspective and Jesus listening to you. In the introduction, the author says that she hopes that the daily prayers to Jesus in this book would be just a starting point. She hopes that they will invite the reader to share their thoughts and feeling as well as other things happening in their lives. She says she hopes that the prayers in the book will be just the start of conversations with Him. I like that idea. Sometimes written prayers don't quite fit your own situation and this invites the reader to make it their own. There are 365 daily readings that all start with a Bible verse, then the prayer to Jesus and ...

  Is your family a fan of VeggieTales? Mine is! Joy to the World from VeggieTales is a cute board book aimed at children ages two to five years old. This book is a good size for little hands to hold themselves at 20 pages long and measuring about six inches square. It is also a fun book to read aloud. It is a little silly as you might expect from a VeggieTales book, which makes it fun if you are Veggie fans. At the same time, there is a good message at the heart of Joy to the World about what the real meaning of Christmas is all about. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Are you a fan of Precious Moments? If so, there is a new book for young children out, Precious Moments Little Book of Angels by Jean Fischer. This sweetly illustrated board book is aimed at children under four years old. It is a 32-page board book measuring roughly 7 by 5 inches. It is a great size for little hands to turn the thick pages themselves. Precious Moments Little Book of Angels is a mix of Scripture verses, gentle poems and reminders of God's protection through angels throughout life. Each page is illustrated with beautiful Precious Moments pictures. I like that the illustrations are inclusive of children of all colors. It would be a lovely baby gift as an early contribution to baby's own home library. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

    Mama, Sing my Song by Amanda Seibert and illustrated by Sally Garland is a beautifully illustrated and sweetly written book based on Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." Don't you love the thought of God rejoicing over you with a song? I know I do. I also like the thought of passing on that loving thought to young children. Mama, Sing my Song encourages children to see how special they are and how much God loves them. Siebert has the reader's attention with the first lines, "Did you know there's a song for each child on earth about how much you're loved and how much you're worth. A song to remind you that you always belong--oh, Mama, Mama, will you sing my song?"  I love the idea that every child could see how valuable and worthy they are through this book. We are all unique, special ...

  Sometimes little children hear grown-ups talking about Heaven and they wonder what that is all about. Or maybe they have never heard about Heaven. Either way, The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party by Joni Eareckson Tada shares some basic ideas of what heaven is all about. The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party uses simple language and illustrations to convey to children that Heaven will be something to look forward to and how wonderful heaven will be, based on the Bible.   This book could answer some questions about Heaven but it could also create more discussion about Heaven. This small board book is a good size to read to toddlers and is also small and sturdy for them to look at on their own. It would be a good book in baby's own little library.   I received a copy of this book from The Good Book Company. All opinions within this review are my own.

   Wherever You Go, I Want You to Know. . .by Melissa Kruger is such a great little board book. I love how this book invites children to see the possibilities for their lives. At the same time, it encourages them to have a relationship with Jesus in their life as they grow up.  The illustrations by Isobel Lundie are so cute too. I think this whole toddler board book is so much fun to read all the way around. The rhyming words just flow. It would be fun to read with little ones. It is also a small-sized board book that would be easy for them to learn to read and look at on their own as it measures approximately six by 7 1/2 inches. With the thick pages, these little books can stand up to some rough handling and still look pretty nice. I received a copy of this book from The Good Book Company. All opinions within this review are my own.