Book Look Bloggers Review: The Berenstain Bears Easter Sunday

"The Berenstain Bears Easter Sunday" is the latest in the Living Lights Faith Stories.   Written by Mike Berenstain (his parents were Stan and Jan) it is another great tale with Brother and Sister Bear and their Easter activities at the helm.  The artwork is great as always and it is fun for kids to see a family of bears living as if they were people.  My favorite picture in the book show three bear women heading to Jesus' tomb where the rock is rolled away and includes the verse "Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb." --Mark 16:2

This story has the Bear family dressing up for church and enjoying the sermon about Jesus going to Jerusalem, the last supper, his betrayal, death and how he rose from the dead on Easter.  After a religious themed Easter hunt (not eggs but animals to match up for Noah's ark) Sister Bear asks what Easter eggs and Easter bunnies have to do with Jesus.  The preacher explains that Spring time is a time of rebirth (just as Jesus' ascension is our rebirth) when many animals are born.  He tells the cubs that this has been celebrated for many years before Jesus' time.  The two traditions just got mixed up together and that it is okay to enjoy candy and other festivities on Easter just so long as we remember that that has nothing to do with Jesus.  

The back cover includes Activities and Questions for your family to extend the fun of the book.     I love that part for parents who want to make the story more real for their little ones.  

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers Review: I Prayed for You!

I Prayed For You by Jean Fischer and illustrated by Frank Endersby is a really cute book for little ones.
Mother bear tells her cub how she prayed for him before he was born and then goes on to continue to pray for him as he grows up.  She recalls the first moment the little cub was in her arms and his first steps as she sweetly teaches him the importance of prayer.  
The board book is nice and sturdy for even the youngest children.  The illustrations are great too.  This is a book that will be requested again and again by your toddlers!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

BookLook Bloggers Review: The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible for Toddlers

I love Berenstain Bears books so I decided to review "The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible for Toddlers"  by Jan and Mike Berenstain.  This book looks like a big kids book book but it has a padded cover and thick pages like a board book.   The book is made for the little ones and will endure through all a toddler can do to a book.
The eight stories inside include the creation story, Noah's ark,  David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion's Dan, the birth of Jesus, the good neighbor, Jesus in Jerusalem, and the Easter story.  The stories are told at toddler level with the artwork we have come to expect from the Bear books. All of the characters are bears instead of people which is the typical of these stories but the rest is quite familiar.  

I really like this book as an option for little ones up to about age two and a half.  I am sure it will be a favorite of any toddler who likes bible stories or the Berenstain Bears!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Blogger's Review of "Brave Queen Esther"

It has been awhile since I did a book review and this book has been waiting patiently for me to get around to it.  From the Adventure Bible Series "Brave Queen Esther" is illustrated by David Miles.  I was looking forward to the book because I do love to hear stories of the women of the bible, however I was not crazy for this story.  I think the lens I look at books is a bit feminist and I would not want to read a story to my children or grandchildren in which the woman is chosen to marry the king because she is beautiful. Why are no internal character traits included?  This ruined the story for me.  

Anyway the story is retold from the bible and is one in which Esther and her cousin Mordecai are secretly Jewish and live in the king's palace.  Another man, Haman, advised the king to be rid of all the Jews and after some prayer Esther went and and confessed her religion to the king and asked him to spare her people. The king agrees and Haman is arrested.  

The story is an "I Can Read! Level 2" book for young children, but it is a bit simplistic with many details that help the story to make sense left out.  Its one redeeming characteristic were the pictures.  Realistic but colorful and fun the pictures were bright and well done.

I was disappointed in this book though I am sure it is difficult to condense a complicated bible story into a book for children--this book gets a 2 from me.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers: Willie Out West

"Willie Out West" by Rhonda Walker is a nicely illustrated story (pictures by Alan McCuller) about a young walrus named Willie who is bored at home with his family so he leaves his cold home to travel out West.  He is made deputy and tries to help rid the town of Old Walter the one-eyed whale.  Wille tries to think how he can save the people of the town who are scared of Walter.  He comes up with a plan to throw a harpoon at the whale's tale.  This is where the story really turned me off.  I don't really like to have violence in my children's stories.  This book would have been so much better if Willie could have befriended Walter.  Instead he (and all the townsfolk) bullied Walter who ran out of the town.

I would not recommend this book even though I loved the pictures and all but the end of the story. Just because a fellow creature is ugly (so Wille says) doesn't mean the first thing we do is be mean to the creature.  I was quite disappointed in the ending and don't even want to give away my copy.


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers: The Day is Waiting

One of my children's favorite books was "Corduroy" by Don Freeman.  The little bear was a hit with my preschool kids as well.  So when I got the chance to preview "The Day is Waiting" which his wife and colleagues created from never before published artwork I had to jump on it!  The simple text is Linda Zuckerman's and it rhymes.  The pictures are truly mini works of art and show Freeman's sense of humor.  Some are of a more simplistic style, but many of them are really breathtaking.  My personal favorite is a goat on top of the house (enjoying the view), but the greenhouse filled with flowers is a close second.  The book is about enjoying the sights in the world while knowing you have a home to return to.  

Though the language is simplistic and the book is short, there are many topics that come up in the book that would make great springboards for discussion with your little one.  There are animals, modes of transportation, cities, people and insects.  Whatever catches your young reader's eye can be discussed at length.  For an older child's activity you could challenge them to reorder the pages and tell a new story!

I recommend "The Day is Waiting" almost as much as I would recommend "Corduroy."

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers Review: The Rainbow Egg

The Rainbow Egg by Linda Hendricks is a sweet story about a chick from the woods (aptly named Hope)who has a rainbow egg she doesn't know what to do with.  She finds many chickens with nests and eggs and then thanks for the song of a red cardinal she finds a rainbow pair with a lovely nest and no egg in it.  She knows right away that is where her egg belongs.  She deposits it in the nest and a baby boy chick is born.  The mother knows it it the right place for her little one so though she loves him so, she leaves him with his new family who also love him.  Really a sweet story of adoption told in a unique way.  

The pictures are also done by the author and are really cute!  This was an ebook and I know I will read it to my own nephew who was adopted.  His birth mother too loved him so much she gave him the best gift she knew--his very own home with parents who were ready and eager to raise him just as the rainbow chicks are ready to raise this one.  

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers Review: "Henry Hodges Needs a Friend"

This children's book "Henry Hodges Needs a Friend" by Andy Andrews is really sweet.  Henry is a one of a kind boy who is lonely.  His parents tell him he will soon have a one of a kind friend.  They tell him it will be pet and the next few pages have Henry wondering if he will soon have a goldfish with antlers or a cow for his backpack that gives chocolate milk.  His family goes to the shelter and they find a lonely pup filled with sad thoughts.  They take him home and call him Hap (short for Happy) and he is soon the fourth member of the family.  

The illustrations in this book by Colleen Madden are really well done.  Lots of color and detail add to the story which is told in rhyme.  It is a really cute book with a nice message about fitting in and being a friend.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers Review: The Berenstain Bears God Bless Our Country

When my three kids were young we read to them every night and some of their favorites back in the day were by Stan and Jan Berenstain.  The Berenstains' son Mike has now written a book called "The Berenstain Bears God Bless Our Country" in the same tradition as his parents--Brother and Sister Bear learn a lesson from the older and wiser folks in the book.

This book shows how the bears celebrate their country on the fourth of July.  They make preparations for the parade.  Brother and Sister bear decorate their bikes, Mother Bear sews bunting and flags and Papa's uniform.  The family marches in the parade and enjoy the patriotic day.  

The last page of the book has a section titled "Activities and Questions from Brother and Sister Bear."  I love the conversations that can be started with little ones with these prompts.  The message of the book is a good one as all the Bearenstein Bear books are and the pictures are fabulous and engaging.  The book also includes a sheet of patriotic bear stickers.  

This is a great book for kids up to age 8, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone wanting to teach their children or grandchildren about building up others for their talents and letting others build up you instead of bragging and boasting about yourself.  Great message!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers Review: Bella's Gift How One Little Girl Transformed a Family and Inspired a Nation

In the past few weeks I have been reading Bella's Gift How One Little Girl Transformed Our Family and Inspired a Nation By Rick Santorum and Karen Santorum, with Elizabeth Santorum.  This was a good read in which my heart really went out to all those who suddenly discover they have a child with a medical condition who is not expected to live.  Bella is born with Trisomy 18 which is a genetic disorder in which the children often don't survive to birth but if they do they don't usually live long.  The Santorums embraced their faith and their daughter (on different timelines) and refused to just let her go.  They cherished her and learned to love even more unconditionally from her.  They realized their love for her is a lot like the Lord's love for us.  

While I did not agree with the politics in the book (he is a conservative republican), I was able to look past that and relate to the Santorums as a mother of a disabled child (now adult).  I could really empathize with some of the battles they had to undertake to get their daughter things she needed to live.  I felt like there was much to glean from the lessons in the book.  

This book was a good read and I would recommend it pretty readily.  I will be keeping an ear out to hear how Bella is doing as time goes on, she has already well defied the odds and I hope she continues to do so!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Blogger's Review!

My own children had an older kids' version of this book illustrated by Kelly Pulley.  I love his pictures and right away I recognized his style.  This book "The Beginner's Bible:  Stories about Jesus" is a padded board book with several of the stories of Jesus simplified for one to three year olds.  The stories in the book include:  Baby Jesus is Born, Fishers of People, Jesus Calms the Storm, Jesus and the Children, Jesus Feeds Thousands, Jesus Heals a Blind Man and The Easter Story.  Each story is told in just a few pages with plenty of pictures.  The print is good sized so that a young reader could read it or a little toddler could listen to one short story or more if his or her attention span could handle more. 

I think this is a great starter book to introduce little ones to Jesus and the stories of the bible.  I know I would buy it for a one to three year old since I bought a more advanced version for my kids when they were in elementary school. 

 

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Bloggers Review: The Berenstain Bears and the Biggest Brag

When my three kids were young we read to them every night and some of their favorites back in the day were by Stan and Jan Berenstain.  Their son Mike has now written a book called "The Berenstain Bears and the Biggest Brag" in the same tradition as his parents--Brother and Sister Bear learn a lesson from the older and wiser folks in the book.

In this story the siblings are one upping each other over anything and everything.  Their constant bragging makes them not so nice to each other.  One day Gramps comes across the two looking at the clouds and outlandishly explaining what magnificent things they see in them.  The bickering catches Gramps' attention and he has a talk with the cubs about pride, bragging and talent.  The cubs seem to get the message by the end of the story which has a few quotations from the bible which support the message of the story.

The last page of the book has a section titled "Activities and Questions from Brother and Sister Bear."  I love the conversations that can be started with little ones with these prompts.  The message of the book is a good one as all the Bearenstein Bear books are and the pictures are fabulous and engaging.  

This is a great book for kids up to age 8, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone wanting to teach their children or grandchildren about building up others for their talents and letting others build up you instead of bragging and boasting about yourself.  Great message!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Review: It Will be Okay

The book "It Will be Okay:  Trusting God through Fear and Change" has a positive message.  This story is all about Little Fox, Little Seed, and the Farmer.  Little Seed is a scared character who doesn't want to come out of his comfort zone in the seed packet on the shelf in the shed which is warm and dry and not so scary.  He lives in a safe little seed packet and doesn't really want to explore the world.  Now Little fox lives in a comfy den but is scared of shadows when it storms.  During one such storm he finds his way into the shed for shelter from the storm and meets Little Seed.  The two of them hit it off and are fast friends. 

 

Life goes on happily until the day the benevolent Farmer decides the weather is perfect to plant the seed.  Little Seed is not happy to be pushed into the soil in a dark, damp, scary place.  Little Seed is scared but the farmer tells him to trust him and so he does.  The emphasis here is on how difficult it is to trust when your circumstamces are difficult.

After a time Little Seed starts to grow.  He sprouts up and grows into a strong tree and continues to be there for Little Fox.  Both of them are happy again and no longer afraid.

Lysa TerKeurst wrote this story to help reassure children that change is normal and though scary can turn out okay.  Her story is a cute one though parents may need to draw the parallels between the Farmer and God and their child and Litle Seed or Little Fox so the message is completely recieived.  The drawings are really well done by Natallia Moore and the book is inviting. 

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Book Look Blogers Review: Sloane House



Several years ago I heard a story about my grandfather Len Neff biking all the way from Florida to Chicago for the World's Fair.  We have a coin purse her got there, and ever since then I have been really interested in reading about the World's Fair--even fiction.  It is for this reason that I chose to review Shelley Bray's "Sloane House" on Book Look Bloggers.  They sent me a free e-book and read it.



 

 

This book was a good read.  I was drawn into the story right away too because the gal in the story-Rosalind Perry--comes from a farm in Wisconsin (I am from Wisconsin too!) and she was a smart young gal who was searching for her sister Miranda who went missing while working at Sloane House near Chicago in 1893.  Rosalind gets a job as a housemaid at the same house (but doesn't let on that Miranda is/was her sister) and keeps her ears open for any news of what might have happened to her sister and a few other gals that go missing.  She quickly befriends Nancy (another maid) and they take a trip or two to the Chicago World's Fair.  Nancy and her eventually have a falling out and Roalind finds most of the staff at Sloane House to mostly be unfriendly and not forthcoming with informaiton. 

Rosalind does make a friend with a gentleman named Reid who is friends with the son of the house.  The son is a suspicious character who seems overly interested in the young maids at the house.  Rosalind worries he has something to do with Miranda's disappearace quite early on, but there is more to the story than his clandestine meetings with the maids.  Reid turns out to be a lifesaver for Rosalind when she finds herself suddenly on the street without a job

Towards the end of the book Christianity came into the story.  It felt out of place since I hadn't noticed much about religion until the end--I think it should have been woven in throughout or left out entirely, but maybe I just missed it.  It just felt like a clunky add it suddenly at the ned.  Otherwise I found it to be a compelling read and I was surprised a few times by the outcome of it all. 


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*