God Made You Nose to Toes - Leslie Parrot

God Made You Nose to Toes, by well-known author and family therapist, Leslie Parrot, is a padded boardbook designed to explain to toddlers that God created each part of their body to help them enjoy their surroundings. With the help of a colorful toucan, rhymes are given to express that God made each part for a reason. Delightful animals are incorporated through the story via the talents of illustrator Estelle Corke. The book, published by Zondervan, is 8.38" x 8.38" and has 18 pages.

I wasn't blown away by the book, but I did think it was cute. More importantly, it has been handled a lot by a 16 months old who is loving the pictures. Also, the book is still completely intact. She is too young to sit still as I read it, but has grabbed it to look at several times. As she gets older we can spend more time on the words and the lesson to be taught. I believe she will enjoy learning more about her fingers, knees, nose, toes, etc., and that God created her to enjoy life and because He loves her very much. Between both of us, I would say the book is not quite a five for me, but not completely a 4...perhaps a 4.45.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers at no cost to myself. However, my thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Say and Pray Devotions ~ Diane Stortz

Say and Pray Devotions is a very sturdy padded board book that serves many purposes. The left hand side gives a topic, with a short sentence to expand upon it and then the right side gives a short Scripture that could be easily memorized by a 3 or 4 year-old and a simple prayer to use. Examples are listed below:

• YUMMY!
  Good food tastes yummy and helps me grow.
  [God] gives food to the hungry - Psalm 146:7
  Thank You, God, for good food. Amen.
• Good News
  Jesus is our Savior. That's the good news!
  We bring you the good news. - Acts 13:32
  Thank You, God, for Jesus! Amen.

And then there are the illustrations, by Sarah Ward, on all pages that are labeled to help teach reading and word identification. Just as we read the Bible to learn and for it to make an impact on our lives, this simple book can be used the same way for toddlers and younger kids. 

I want to add that this is a very sturdy padded board book. It has easily survived my 14 month old great-granddaughter's attempts to read it by herself and the sticky pages were easily cleaned after she left. I love having a book that I am comfortable with the little ones holding themselves that is also useful for me teaching them simple concepts of my faith. The pictures with just a one word description are fabulous for the younger ones, but can also lead to conversations ranging from what is seen on to telling stories based on imagination. I believe this is going to be a favorite book at my house.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through FlyBy Promotions.

Little One, God Made You Special by Amy Warren Hilliker

Little One, God Made You Special by Amy Warren Hilliker is a 14 page board book for toddlers inspired by Rick Warren's best-seller, The Purpose Driven Life. Written by his daughter, Amy, the book is just the right size for toddlers to old on to and has simple sentences that are just the right length for a toddler's attention span. You can even use interactions to correspond with each sentence to make it an additional learning lesson.

Cute adult and child animals give the book an appealing charm, thanks to illustrator Polona Lovsin, and a child is sure to be delighted with the drawings. This is also a sturdy book that holds together well (tested by my 8 month old great-granddaughter). Published by Zonderkidz.

I received a copy of this book from the BookLook Bloggers program at no cost to myself for review purposes. I was not required to give a good review.

Jesus Helps Me - Graham Blanchard

"Jesus Helps Me" offers four levels of exploration: a quoted Bible passage (John 12:44-47), supporting captions that relate the passage to a child’s life, thinking questions to personalize the experience and colorful, full page photographs. Also included is a tip section for parents on how to use the book with a baby, toddler, and child.

The book is a Learn book in the well-received Learn, Absorb and Praise™ Collection, which makes personal Bible studies accessible to young children. Alongside adults, the series helps kids build a foundation for faith and a lifelong friendship with Jesus. 

My Review:This board book is sturdily built to be suitable for a preschooler, and has words to help build a strong faith. The concept of what is written may be difficult for a young child who takes things literally to completely comprehend, yet they build a basic foundation for faith to grow. There are simple words that a young reader can help share the story. And a longer paragraph that an adult can use to lead a discussion that ties in with both words and the photos of various birds that beautifully illustrate the book. Once again author Callie Grant & illustrator Missi Jay have created a wonderful book I can hardly wait to share with my great-grandkids.

I received this book free of charge from Shelton Interactive in exchange for my honest review.

Graham Blanchard: Christian Children's Books
Callie Grant
Shelton Interactive
Missi Jay

Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Song of the Stars by New York Times bestseller, Sally Lloyd-Jones, and illustrated by Alison Jay is a board book about the celebration of all creation as they eagerly await the birth of Christ. The animals, trees, oceans and even the stars are anticipating letting the entire world know that God's promised Son, the Creator of ALL living things has been born! "It's Time! It's Time!"




My Review: Of course I loved the story. As a follower of Christ, I want to share the story of his birth with the little ones I love and I do like the sense of anticipation and excitement that builds as the author and illustrator demonstrate how all of creation rejoiced and celebrated the birth of Jesus.

But I thought the book structure was meant more for tinier hands to hold and the words were more appropriate for the 4-7 year old audience that it is meant to reach. It is a good book, but I guess my expectations in seeing the size had my expectations prepared for  the words to be geared more toward a toddler with a more limited vocabulary. So, it is more of a visual thing for me. I had my 1 year old great grandson in mind since it was a perfect size. But, his attention span would not last through a reading. By the time he is old enough to appreciate the words more, he is more apt to think of smaller board books as "baby books." Don't love it, but I did like it. It should be sturdy enough to hold up until he is old enough to sit still for a reading.

**I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review 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.”

Sally Lloyd-Jones is a leading writer of inspirational books for children. She is the author of three bestselling children’s Bibles, including the Gold Book Award-winning Baby’s First Bible and, most recently, the Moonbeam Award Winner and ALA notable, The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. She has written many picture books for children, including the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller How to Be a Baby: By Me, the Big Sister. Sally was born and raised in Africa, was schooled in England, and now lives in New York City. She can be found at www.sallylloyd-jones.com.

Your Core by Callie Grant

Everyone has an inner place made by God for welcoming and meeting with Him. Inspired by Ephesians 3:14-19, Your Core appeals to the youngest readers with simple text and colorful scenes to convey a difficult concept to grasp—even for many adults.

Absorb books connect studies about the facts of God with a child’s inner life – what Jesus cares about most. Children assimilate on a personal level who God is and how they are made to be with him, trust him and love him. (from the Graham Blanchard website)

My Review: This latest boardbook by Callie Grant is not only perfect for young hands to hold, but also explains the Holy Spirit in such a simple manner that children can get a basic grasp of who He is. The Trinity is a hard concept for even adults to understand sometimes, but this is an excellent starting point. The colorful illustrations by Missy Jay also serve as a visual to help anyone learn the message the book teaches. I highly recommend this book for Sunday School classes, church libraries, or your home library for the young children in your life. Also check out the Tips For Grown-Ups link on the Graham Blanchard website for more ways to interact with your child about the lesson learned.

 I received this book free of charge from Shelton Interactive in exchange for my honest review.

Graham Blanchard: Christian Children's Books
Callie Grant
Shelton Interactive
Missi Jay
Gigglebox

Jesus Saves Me by Callie Grant

"Jesus Saves Me," from the Knowing My God series, is a learn book. The main theme in this book by author, Callie Grant, is presenting Jesus as The Good Shepherd in a simple introductory style for young children. Using John 10:14-16 for the scriptural basis, the book uses the words of Jesus to explain how the shepherd takes care of his sheep just as He takes care of His people. The book also teaches the importance of getting to know Jesus so you learn His voice over all others. Of course, this is put in a simplified manner that young children can understand.

What impressed me the most was how the book can grow with the child or is perfect for a family with young children of various ages. There are very simple sentences that a toddler can understand and not get bored with, but there is also a longer paragraph on the page for young readers or for any child that is ready to learn more of the basic tenets of faith and to reason out how to apply what they have just read to their lives. Parents can use the written portion, along with the illustrations to teach their children more about Jesus and His love for his people. Illustrated by Jodie Stowe, it is brightly colored and has photographs that will both capture a child's attention and initiate conversation. The book is suitable for children 0-7 years old, and is a durable board book that is easily held by small hands. The negative would be that it is probably easily chewed by young ones who are teething, but I do recommend this book.
 
I received this book free of charge from Shelton Interactive in exchange for my honest review.

Graham Blanchard: Christian Children's Books
Callie Grant
Shelton Interactive 
Jodie Stowe 

Rufus and Ryan Go To Church

 Rufus and Ryan Go to Church! is a board book that is sure to be a hit with your pre-schooler. Ryan is a 4 year old whose favorite companion is his stuffed monkey. On Sunday morning Ryan and his family go to church and, of course, Rufus goes with them. Ryan explains what is happening to Rufus so he will know when it is time to sing, pray, or to be quiet and listen. They also share play and snack time together.

Even if you attend a church that has a separate pre-school worship area, this is a good book for kids to learn how they should be have in "big" church. At the least, it will explain what you are doing while they are in their own class. It is a simple book with brightly colored illustrations to hold a child's attention and is very sturdy and the perfect size for a child who wants to "read" alone.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book for review purposes by FlyBy Promotions. The were no requirements that they review be good---only honest and fair.

About the Rufus and Ryan

Rufus and Ryan is a new series of books for preschoolers, featuring Ryan, an energetic little boy, and his stuffed monkey Rufus. Basic Christian and church concepts serve as the foundation of the series, with an additional focus on character traits and development. The text is presented in young Ryan’s voice as he teaches Rufus about the concepts he is learning himself. Each story is about 150 words, using age-appropriate vocabulary and themes.

Also available now, Rufus and Ryan Say Their Prayers

  http://www.idealsbooks.com https://www.facebook.com/IdealsBooks

About the Author

Kathleen Long Bostrom is a published children’s author in both the Christian and trade markets. She has a Master’s in Christian Education and a Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching, and she has worked in children’s ministry for many years. Kathy and her husband, Greg, have three grown children and live in Illinois. 

About the Illustrator 

Rebecca Thornburgh began illustrating children’s books full-time in 1996 and today has almost 100 books to her name. Rebecca’s vibrant watercolors have been showcased in previous Ideals titles, including the new edition of The Story of Christmas. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two daughters.