Abigail: The Belle of Bravery

Abigail, the Belle of Bravery is the third book in The Adventures of Rooney Cruz. Bible Belles highlights five "superhero" women of the Bible: Hannah, Esther, Abigail, Ruth, and Deborah. Each of these women has a super power to they use to serve God and this series highlights that to teach young girls a valuable lesson. These books were created by Erin Weidemann and illustrated by former Disney illustrator, Rob Corley.

 In this story, Rooney is back again with another adventure, and another lesson to be learned. When Rooney's brother Anthony deliberately angers the boys across the street, she is afraid that more trouble will be coming. What does she need to do? Her angel Mari has already taught her about the superpowers of prayer and patience, and now she has another story to help Rooney. Through the story of Abigail, Rooney learns about being brave enough to do the right thing. Just like Abigail, God will give her the courage of God to boldly face any problem with the confidence that He will see her through it. (Read about Abigail in 1 Samuel 25)

Another great story from the Bible Belles series. I love seeing stories of the women of the Bible being taught and directed to girls so that they have examples they can follow. I actually just re-read the story of Abigail in my own daily Bible reading recently, so I was delighted when offered the chance to review the version for younger children. Adults know how little things can escalate into large problems out of circumstances that we don't always understand. The lesson here of being brave and doing the right thing is perfect during a time of great misunderstanding, and one that needs to be learned early. Just as Abigail was able to wisely diffuse a threatening situation, Rooney was able to ease the growing tension and help bring peace to her neighborhood. Little things can make a difference, but being brave can seem scary. Teaching a child that God can give her the courage she needs to act boldly and do what is right---and on a level that is easily understood---is awesome. I highly recommend "Abigail: The Belle of Bravery" and the entire Bible Belles series.

Check out their other great books at BibleBelles.com

I received a copy of this product from Bible Belles. I was not required to give a positive review.
They have also authorized a giveaway copy to one of my readers. Please respond by November 30, 2016. 

Esther: The Belle of Patience

Esther: The Belle of Patience is the most recent book in The Adventures of Rooney Cruz. Bible Belles highlights five "superhero" women of the Bible: Hannah, Esther, Abigail, Ruth, and Deborah. Each of these women has a super power to they use to serve God and this series highlights that to teach young girls a valuable lesson. 

Rooney's guardian angel, Mari, takes her on an adventure to learn about each of these women and helps her to own their superpower for her own transformation into a superhero. These adventures also help Rooney learn more about God's love for her and that he has gifts that give her inner beauty and strength to be equipped in her life in resolving problems and making a difference that counts. Book 1 was Hannah: The Belle of Prayer, and future books will teach on Bravery, Loyalty, and Leadership. Created by Erin Weidemann and illustrated by former Disney illustrator, Rob Corley.

My Review: First off, I was a bit hesitant when I was reading guardian angel and super powers, but that was gone within seconds of getting into the book. These are stories about women in the Bible who have modeled character traits that are invaluable. Women in the Bible rarely receive as much attention as the men and girls do need role models they can look up to as they are developing their faith and character. I hope they expand beyond the original five planned for this series.

In this particular book, the story of Esther is retold in a simple tale that is easy for children to understand, but with an emphasis on the patience of Esther as she took time to fast and pray for the right time to approach the king and to present her request. The Biblical story is then applied to the problem that Rooney is facing with a soccer teammate and her coach who never seems to be listening when she tries to point it out to him. I had never really looked at Esther as a lesson in patience (admittedly, not one of my virtues), so it made me look at it from a different angle too. The writing is great and the illustrations are fantastic! I highly recommend, not just this particular book, but the entire series. Since this is just book 2, looks like I will need to practice patience as I wait for the rest of the series. Visit the website at BibleBelles.com

Many thanks to Propeller Consulting and FlyBy Promotions for the opportunity to review this book at no cost to myself. All opinions are my own.

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”