The Good News For Little Hearts Series

From the inside cover of the Good News for Little Hearts Series:

Zoe's Hiding Place, Jax's Tail Twitches, and Buster's Ears Trip Him Up are part of the Good News for Little Hearts series, bringing gospel help and Biblical counsel to families. Based on the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation's (CCEF) model of help and hope, each story focuses on an animal family's real-life issues, encouraging young readers toward a growing relationship with Jesus in the midst of challenging cicumstances. Each individual story guides parents toward meaningful conversations with their kids, based on what Scripture has to say about living by faith in everyday life.

Thoughts on Zoe's Hiding Place:

Both of my daughters (ages 6 and 3) claim Zoe's Hiding Place: When You Are Anxious as their favorite book of the Good News for Little Hearts series. They like the character of Zoe and the colorful illustrations hold their attention while I read the narrative. As the title indicates, this book deals with fear and anxiety. I absolutely love two things in this book. First, that Zoe and her mom talk openly about the anxiety she experiences. Second, that Zoe's fear actually happens – because Zoe has to experience the fear, remember what to do, and work her way through it. I want to teach my children to deal with anxiety in a healthy way now so that when they are older, they know how to do it. This book is an excellent teaching tool for that purpose.

Read an excerpt from Zoe's Hiding Place on the publisher's website.

Thoughts on Jax's Tail Twitches:

When I asked my daughter (age 6) what she thought of Jax's Tail Twitches: When You Are Angry, she said she liked it when the two squirrel siblings got angry with each other. That happens in our house, so she could relate to that part. I thought it was good that the book also addressed adults being angry. The characters dealt with their anger in a healthy way: reflection, verbalization, prayer, and conflict resolution with their squirrel neighbors. It ends with character lessons learned and reconciliation. I recommend this book to all families as we all experience anger at some point and this is a great resource for teaching your child to deal with it in a healthy way.

Read an excerpt from Jax's Tail Twitches on the publisher's website.

Thoughts on Buster's Ears Trip Him Up:

Buster's Ears Trip Him Up: When You Fail deals with failure and disappointment. My daughter (age 6) zooms through our house on a regular basis and Buster doing the same was her favorite part in the story. She related well to the characters and remembered the story even a few days after I had read it to her. It teaches a dual lesson that God loves us no matter what and to turn to him in our failures. These are important lessons for both adults and children and I'm thankful for this book. I can use it to teach my daughters how to address failure in life in a healthy way that encourages spiritual growth.

Read an excerpt from Buster's Ears Trip Him Up on the publisher's website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. 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."

Angry by Laura L. Smtih

Emma's parent's unexpected divorce has thrown her world out of control. Everything seems to be falling apart and Emma is the one stuck trying to hold it together. The guilt her parents inflict on her causes her to respond in anger and the last thing she wants to do is be around them. The two bright spots in her life are her friends and the upcoming school production of Les Miserables. When Emma lands the part of Eponine, she finds a unique way to deal with the pain. What she does not know is that God is going to use this play to draw her to him.

When I read the synopsis for Angry, I expected it to be heavy reading full of drama and teenage angst. I was pleasantly surprised to find that although the author deals with Emma's anger, the book is not depressing and heavy. Emma is presented as an authentic teenage girl whose life is changing. She is angry at her parents and a bit rebellious, but anger does not define all of who she is. Rather Emma is fun-loving and happy at some parts. She genuinely cares about her siblings, friends, and even parents. The story emphasizes the use of God-given passions as a coping technique for dealing with pain and anger. It's a good idea and far better than some of the unhealthy ways that some people cope with their anger. I would recommend this book for teenage girls as that is who it is aimed towards. However, as a 20-something, who hasn't been in high school for awhile, I still enjoyed the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger 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."