Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Are you looking for a new Easter book for a child? The Great Waking Up by Sarah Shin is a colorfully illustrated picture book aimed at children ages 3 to 8. This Easter book measures a little less than 9 inches squared. It is bright and colorfully illustrated. I love that it is so inclusive--including Jesus looking fairly historically accurate. The illustrations are so beautiful that they bring to mind stained glass windows when I look at them. Anastasia loves dreams. In The Great Waking Up she talks about her dreams with her mother. Her mother tells her that there will come a day when there is the Great Waking Up with no more death. In this book, they live in the time of Jesus. They see Jesus do miracles. Then they see Jesus is crucified and become confused about his role--until He wakes up himself. This whole book is the story of Jesus and Easter told through the eyes of a young girl. The Great Waking Up is this author's second children's book. In the back of the book, t...

  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...

  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.

    Really Woolly My First Easter   by Bonnie Rickner Jensen is an adorable board book for toddlers that would be a cute Easter gift. This board book is about 7 inches square and has the heavy pages that stand up to toddlers turning the pages on their own. It is aimed at children ages four and under.  The illustrations in Really Woolly My First Easter are cute and brightly colored springy designs. Each page has a bit of rhyming verse about spring, Easter, new beginnings and more. Some of them may be a little difficult for children learning to read but would be great reading together initially. There is also a Bible verse with each two-page spread and a brief prayer. It could be a cute bedtime devotional to read one a night with  little ones. There are also hidden Easter eggs to look for in each picture, making it a bit of a game too. All in all, Really Woolly My First Easter is a cute book for families to use at Easter time. I received a copy of this book from ...

  The Story of Easter by Patricia A. Pingry is a simplified version of the Easter Story about Jesus from the Bible aimed at toddlers. This brightly illustrated book tells the story in simple terms for little ones to understand. If you want more information to be given to your children, you could easily have a discussion with those who can understand more. The Story of Easter is a 22-page board book that is approximately six inches square--a good size for toddlers to hold on their own with the thick cardboard pages that can withstand a lot of use. The illustrations are especially nice and brightly colored. This book has been out for more than 20 years but the publisher updated the illustrations and gave it a fresh look. It is a classic that has withstood the test of time for many families. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

    Where's My Easter Basket? by Bob Holt is a fun board book aimed at preschool children to coincide with the fun of Easter baskets. Where's My Easter Basket? is a heavy cardboard board book so it would be easy for the little ones to turn the pages on their own. At a little over six inches square, it is also a good size for them to hold on their own too. It is a fun tale about a bluebird looking for his Easter Basket. Along the way he finds all the components of an Easter Basket--and then he finds a basket that becomes the Easter basket when they are all inside the basket. Where's My Easter Basket? is for families that want to focus on the basket part of Easter as there is no religious aspect to this book. I know it is all in fun but I felt a little funny about making jelly beans and chocolate bunnies "alive" as part of the story and then something to eat, but since kids have a big imagination that may not even be something they think about. The illustrations ...

  Are you looking for a new book with a fresh look at the resurrection of Jesus? If The Tomb is Empty: Why the Resurrection Means Anything Is Possible by Joby Martin with Charles Martin recently released. This book is easy to read and understand and yet it is full of thoughtful wisdom and Biblical guidance.  If The Tomb Is Empty starts with a forward written by Tim Tebow where he shares why he feels this is such an important book. Then the book begins with a prologue. In the prologue, he shares more about what the book will be about and asks several questions for the reader to reflect on. I think the most thought-provoking for me is, "Do you live every day of your life as if the tomb is empty. . .or as though Jesus is still hanging on that cross?" Joby says that if you believe the tomb is empty at Calvary, it shoud change how you answer that question along with the others he asks. Each chapter after the prologue in If the Tomb is Empty focuses on a Mountain: Moriah, Sinai...

Do you observe Lent? In Uncovering the Love of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu, she starts the book talking about what it means to observe Lent and ways to observe Lent that create meaning in your heart. She ends the first section with a prayer based on Ephesians 3:16-24. There are 40 days of reading, as you would probably expect, in Uncovering the Love of Jesus . Each reading includes a Bible verse and a Bible section to read, a short devotional reading, a challenge, a prayer and more Scripture to look up if you would like. One of the neat features of this book is that it can turn the season of Lent in to a family time of learning and growing in Jesus. There are activities for your family to do listed for each week. First of all I have to say Uncovering the Love of Jesus is a beautiful small well-bound book. I love the gorgeous full color spring flowers bordering the title on the cover. This book would be easy to carry around with a Bible in a book bag if you want to get out and do ...

Honestly, it has been awhile since I took time to celebrate Lent and focusing on the way to the cross through the Easter season. I picked up this journaling devotional, Journey to the Cross , to use this year. It is written by Mary Carver and the (in)courage team--some of my favorite writers who live the Christian life and honestly reflect their thoughts to other Believers. I have read through the first week's devotionals. There are readings from women who know what it is like to live the Christian life in today's world where we are overwhelmed with distractions and a lot to do. I like that each day is a little different. Some have more to read and some have more questions. Each one will turn my thoughts to God, to gratitude, and/or to living for Jesus. There is plenty of space to write in the journaling areas and I like that. The front of the book also has a Lent calendar to check off that you have done each day's reading and a place to write down the biggest lessons...