Spirit of God Illustrated Bible

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible brings to life more than 40 Bible stories that help readers understand that God’s Spirit has been with us since the beginning of time and continues to be with us today. From the glory of creation through the powerful letters of Paul, God’s Spirit is living in his people. Old and New Testament stories such as Adam and Eve, Abraham, Joseph, the Baptism of Jesus, and Pentecost come alive with dramatic illustrations by Fernando Juarez and moving text by Doris Rikkers. With a cover that sparkles and shines with foil, this is a special storybook Bible that will appeal to both children and parents alike. (Publisher's Description) 

MY REVIEW: This hardcover book is sturdy for a child's use and is filled with words of faith to help a child grow stronger spiritually. Each Bible story included has an emphasis on the Holy Spirit. I honestly don't remember seeing a children's book that is devoted to God - The Holy Spirit and I am very pleased with the contents of the book. Of course, there are many stories that children may already be familiar with, but there are so that are not taught frequently in children's church. 

The book is recommended for children 4 - 8 years old, and I agree that is a suitable age group. But, since all of my great-grandkids are younger than four, I edited to a shorter version while reading a story. This is still a solid foundation for them until they are old enough to sit still for the actual story in the book. They are simplified, but so were the stories I was taught in Sunday School 50+ years ago. My main quibble would be in calling it a Bible, but we also have toddler "Bible" board books in the house. The little ones are happy to have their own "Bibles" and they certainly are not prepared for the adult versions.

Published by Zonderkidz division of Zondervan, I will give it a 5 for being a good introduction to the Holy Spirit for the very young.

GIVEAWAY: You can win a copy of Spirit of God Illustrated Bible, courtesy of Propeller Consulting LLC & FlyBy Promotions, when you respond either on Blog Comments or Post Comments no later 11:59pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2018. Comment with #SpiritofGodBible.

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“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 on the same blog, 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. The winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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Love Letter from God: Bible Stories for a Girl's Heart

Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl's Heart is a heart-warming lift-the-flap picture book designed for girls. Written by Glenys Nellist, the book is filled with simple stories from the Bible with the focus on notable women ranging from the well-known Eve, Esther, and Mary, to the unnamed, yet important, servant girl of Naaman, the widow with the mite, and the Samaritan woman at the well. Lovely illustrations by Rachel Clowes present "snapshots" from the lives of these women that help to tell the story of each. And, of course, there are the 'lift-the-flap' Love Letters that lets children open and read special messages from God, just for them.

Naturally, these are a very simplified version of each woman's story, but a good basic introduction. I do like that Scripture references are given for more in-depth study as a child grows. There is also a simple Bible verse to go along with each story that can be easily memorized by even a younger child. The book is recommended for 4-8 year-olds, and I certainly would be cautious about letting a younger child handle the book. (I had to rescue my copy from the clutches of a one-year-old who really wanted to pull out a couple of letters). The letters from God are an affirmative reminder of God's love and that He wants to have a relationship with us.

I received a complimentary copy of this product from Handlebar Marketing in exchange for this review.

I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug!

I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug!, written by Caroline B. Cooney, is a playful book about hugs, imagining the different ways to give or receive a hug through delightful rhymes and entertaining illustrations by Tim Warnes. 

Whether it’s a wriggly, wiggly bug hug, an enthusiastic knock over chairs dog hug, or a big bear, leaving you gasping for air, hug---this book is a lot of fun to read and have a special time of hugs and fun before bedtime.

This is a special book that both entertains and lets a child feel safe, secure, and well loved. This is a ZonderKidz hardcover book, recommended for children between 4 and 8, but toddlers will enjoy it too---especially all of the hugs! It encourages interaction between parent (or grandparent) and child, and gives the child an opportunity to burn off a little energy before settling down to sleep. 

With Valentine's Day approaching, this would be a perfect gift for your special little Valentine.

Official Website -  http://bit.ly/2eBPnU6

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“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.

GIVEAWAY: All entries must be made No Later Than February 7, 2017. 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 on the same blog, 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. The winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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.

The Under the Sea Bible, NIrV

The Under the Sea Holy Bible, NIrV is a perfect gift for children ages 6 to 10. Themes of underwater fun and sparkling fish grace the interior of this wonderful children’s Bible. The outside is covered in foil and sparkle. The interior has color inserts featuring whimsical underwater scenes with themes of God’s care and love for each of us and all of creation. (publisher)

This Bible has some pros and cons to it. Of course, having the Word of God in an easy to understand version is the very best feature, and the book has a strong, durable cover that will hold up to daily use. But, the cover is more likely to appeal to the younger end of the age it is intended for (6-8 year olds) who aren't quite up to the reading level. By the time a child can handle the reading, the cover seems a bit garish. I remember the Bible I received when I was 6. I loved it, but it was 2 or 3 years before I truly appreciated the words and was able to comprehend. It is basically a regular Bible and that in itself is wonderful, but I feel like the cover and inserts are more for marketing than an attempt to put things at a child's level. I am also disappointed that there are no maps. That was my favorite part of my first Bible when I first got it. But, the fact that it lies flat instead of pages flipping when you are reading it is a major plus. Overall, there is more to like about the Under the Sea Bible, so I would like to give it 3.5 stars. Without the cover, 4.25.

GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment to be entered into a random drawing to win a copy. All entries must be in by Sunday, April 10, 2016. Thank you to FlyBy Promotions for my review copy and for the giveaway copy. These were given at no cost to myself.

Buy now at Barnes & Noble, Walmart or Family Christian Stores.  

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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.