"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
"Spiritual Parenting in the First Give Years: God’s Plan for Early Childhood Christian Discipleship," by Graham Blanchard, is their first book for adults.
There is no doubt that the first five years of a child's life is a very demanding time with taking care of physical needs, but this is also the best time to begin the spiritual foundation a child needs to lead them to a personal relationship with God. Most resources available are for older children, so this book is unique in laying out steps from the very beginning of a child's life. What better place to start?
"Spiritual Parenting in the First Five Years" lays out five Bible-based
principles for the care and feeding of a new child’s inner life.
Drawing from Scripture and the inspiration of great Christian teachers,
the book shows how new and expecting parents can maximize this vital
development window—an opportune time to teach children about who God is
and who they are in Him. (publisher description)
My review: I have read and loved several of Callie Grant's board books for younger children and have them for my great grandchildren to look at when they come to visit. So, I was definitely interested in her first book written for adults. This is a short read, but a powerful one. I have always been an advocate of training a child and being honest, albeit at their level, in dealing with the important things in life. And, their spiritual development is of utmost importance in building a strong foundation. The points made and suggestions are simple, but designed to make an impact. From the first suggestion of praying together over your child on the the various points of how to help children develop a relationship with God themselves, rather than just believing because their parents do, is an early Biblical concept.
The 5 Principles are:
First Impressions -Your child was born to believe. You were made to teach.
Little Think Tanks -Your child has great capacity for faith. You will help shape it.
Unique Journeys -Your child has a one-of-a-kind path. You are a shepherd.
Personal Ties -Your child has a special relationship with God. You can honor it.
Golden Moments -Your child will ask you about God. Your life helps you answer.
As always, there is Scripture to go along with what the book is saying, as well as interactive suggestions to help your little one on his or her own unique journey of faith. I highly recommend this to all expectant or new parents! I have never been disappointed with any product from Callie Grant/Graham Blanchard and once again, I love the book.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Shelton Interactive. I was not required to give a review and was not compensated.
Graham Blanchard on Facebook
Follow @grahamblanchard on TwitterSpiritual Parenting in the First Five Years is the 12th
title released by Graham Blanchard. It is available at Amazon.com and
at GrahamBlanchard.com. All the titles have been very well received by
outlets like Publishers Weekly, Foreword Reviews, CBA Retailers and
Resources and more than 100 websites and blogs written by Christian
parents.
Graham Blanchard Inc. is based in Austin, Texas, with a team of writers,
editors, illustrators, parents and pastors. The company is passionate
about providing the highest quality books and resources to promote a
love of learning about God, in addition to supporting families with
prayer and the shared experiences of other parents. For more information
please visit www.grahamblanchard.com.
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
"Little Seed: A Life", a Graham Blanchard Publishing praise book, follows the life
cycle of a seed. Following the progression of a seed from when it is first dropped into the ground on to its transformation through the seasons to a full grown plant and ending with the plant producing seeds of its own, this book can open a discussion with a child about how God changes and uses all of His creation through growth.
God's provision for growth is another story that can easily be another discussion that evolves naturally while reading this book to your preschooler. I love the bold, bright illustrations by Suzanne Etienne and believe they will fully engage a child's attention and initiate conversations about all they observe. The simple sentence structure is also just enough to hold a young child's attention and can stand alone or their own or be a stepping stone to a richer discussion about what is happening in the story, or to help an older child see this as an illustration of spiritual growth. This board book is a terrific size for older preschoolers to hold and "read" on their own. I highly 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
Suzanne Etienne
"Close As A Breath" is an absorb book written by Callie Grant that encapsulates a fabulous autumn day shared between a daughter and a dad. As she asks her father numerous questions triggered by the things she can see, smell, and feel, he responds with answers that explain that through the unseen and the seen, she can know that God is also surrounding her.
This warmly inviting book, illustrated by Sarah Ackerley, will retain a child's interest and will likely trigger a few more questions being asked. The simple answers the father gives his daughter are age appropriate (the book was written for children up to 6 years old). They also open the opportunity for a parent to discuss God and faith with his child on a very elementary level that helps to build faith.
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
Sarah Ackerley
"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
