Take Root and Write: 3 Great New Children's Books

I've recently been given the opportunity of reviewing three new children's books from Waterbrook Press (a division of Random House). As we all get to know each other here at Take Root and Write, and as you read more of my column, you will come to find out that I LOVE CHILDREN'S BOOKS! I don't mean to yell, but children's books just really excite me. Maybe it's because I've always loved to read and was initially introduced to children's books by my mother, who read to me faithfully. I still own many of my own children's books, and we continually add to our children's book collection because my kids know how much I love them and can't say "no".

Do you have a favorite children's book from your childhood? I think I'll start a discussion on this very topic in my group over at Christian Women Take Root. It will be fun to hear everyone's favorite. Please stop by and participate!

These three books are some lovely children's books that I know you and your children will enjoy reading, over and over again. So, let me introduce you.

Godgaveusheaven

First up is God Gave Us Heaven, a precious book by Lisa Tawn Bergren. Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than one million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Heaven is Lisa’s fourth children’s book, following in the tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She makes her home in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.

Here is a book summary: As the sun rises on her snow-covered world, Little Cub wonders aloud…

“What is heaven like?”

With tender words, her Papa describes a wonderful place, free of sadness and tears, where God warmly welcomes his loved ones after their life on earth is over. Little Cub and Papa spend the day wandering their beautiful, invigorating arctic world while she asks all about God’s home: How do we get to heaven? Will we eat there? Will I get to see you in heaven? Papa patiently answers each question, assuring her that…

“Heaven will be full of everything good.”

This gentle story provides satisfying answers for a young child’s most difficult questions about what happens after this life, inviting “little cubs” to find comfort in knowing that God Gave Us Heaven.

Heidi Says: This is an adorable book! The author uses polar bears to present a very important message to young children in a way that is easy for them to understand. This book explains heaven in terms that make sense to little ones. Heaven is presented in a very real way - not sugar-coated with messages like "you won't go to heaven until you are old" or "you'll go to heaven if you are good boy or girl". Rather it talks of heaven as a very real place, God's home, and explains that we will go to heaven when God is ready for us to be there. The illustrations, by Laura J. Bryant, are whimsical and colorful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially if you have little ones who are questioning heaven, possibly after the death of a loved one.

Dcover Second, we have God Loves Me More Than That by Dandi Daley Mackall. Dandi Daley Mackall has published more than 400 books for children and adults, with more than 3 million combined copies sold. She is the author of WaterBrook’s two other delightful Dandilion Rhymes books, A Gaggle of Geese & A Clutter of Cats and The Blanket Show. A popular keynote speaker at conferences and Young Author events, Mackall lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, and a menagerie of horses, dogs, and cats.

Book Summary: How much love does God have for me?
More than the letters between A and Z. More than the bumbles in a bumble bee.
God loves me more than that!

As your child revels in each lively rhyme and engaging illustration from this delightful picture book, they’ll learn that God loves them deeper than a wishing well, wider than a semi-truck, louder than thunder, and softer than a kitten’s sneeze.

Each question, presented with charming child-like faith will help your child grasp the great love of God through comparisons and descriptions they can easily understand. In short, they’ll discover that His love is bigger, wider, higher, and deeper than anything they could imagine!

Heidi Says: This book is based on the words of Ephesians 3:17-19 which says "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." These are some of my favorite verses in Scripture; however they may had somewhat difficult for a little one to understand. The author has taken the concept behind these verses and developed it into a rhyming text that makes it easily understood by children. Books written in rhyme are some of my favorites, so I particularly enjoyed this book. This book would be great to share with a young child's Sunday School class or at home on the couch, snuggled up with your little ones.

Dcover2 Third, I have another book by Dandi Daley Mackall - When God Created My Toes.

Book Summary: When God created my toes, did he make them wiggle? Did he know I’d giggle?
Did he have to hold his nose, when God created my toes?

This charming picture book allows your child to imagine what it was like when God created them. From the top of their heads to the tips of their toes they will explore and understand God’s delight in creating them.

Through rhyming lines and vivid illustrations children will gain confidence and self-esteem when they begin to fully realize how perfectly, intricately, and uniquely God created them.

Heidi Says: This book, like the one above, is also based on Scripture - Psalm 139:13-16 reads "For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." What an important lesson to teach to our little ones! The author goes through various body parts and wonders what God must have been thinking when He created them. I love the illustrations in this one - each part includes "normal" illustrations, but there are also quick, pencil-type sketches that look like doodles in a child's notebook. Both of these books by Dandi Mackall are illustrated by David Hohn. His illustrations are wonderfully fun to look at and contain many little extras that I really enjoyed (such as silly facial expressions, etc.). Again, this is a great snuggle and discussion book to share at home or with a whole group of little ones.

I will be recommending all of these books! I have extra copies to give away, but because these are children's books, I will be giving them away on Splish's blog. (If you're not familiar with Splish, he is the mascot for the summer reading program that I managed for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I will be maintaining that blog throughout the year, as a place for children to submit their book reports and reviews, and will also continue to sponsor book contests on occasion. Even if your children haven't participated in the summer reading program, they are welcome to stop by the blog anytime and share their thoughts and ideas - and sign up to win the prizes. You can subscribe to the blog via e-mail notification, so you won't miss any of the fun!)

As always,