When God Made You

The message of When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner, illustrated by David Catrow, is summed up on the first page: “You, you, when God made YOU, God made you all shiny and new. An incredible you, a you all your own, a you unlike anyone else ever known.” From there, the narrative expands on the concept, branching out into several ideas:

1. God knows each child even before birth.
2. God loves each child as an individual.
3. God places talents and passions within each child.
4. A child's self-expression through his or her natural gifts brings joy to the Creator.

As a mother, I appreciate the messages in this book because I know when my four year old goes off to vpk, she faces a tough world. The culture will tell her that she's not pretty enough, that her talents aren't good enough, etc. This book stands against those messages. The little girl in the story is talented artistically, but it's framed in such a way that her talents are used to bring joy to God, not to be put into a competition where she may or may not be good enough.

I recommend When God Made You for children ages 2 to 6. It was perfect for my four year old as my daughter has common ground with the girl in the book – both have a younger sibling, both love to paint and create.

The illustrations are vibrant and complement the story. It was good to see a Christian children's book that depicts an African-American girl. It might just be my experience, but it seems like the majority of Christian children's books use Caucasians. I like to teach my girls that diversity is normal and good and this book is a nice tool to use for that purpose.

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."

The Little Girl Who Wanted a Tail by Mykah Montgomery

Some girls love kittens. Some girls love dolls. Millicent loves tails. Everywhere she goes, she looks for materials to use in creating her wearable tails. While shopping with her mother one day, Millicent overhears other people deriding her tail. Will Millicent give up her tails to become more socially acceptable or will she discover that what makes her different can be her passion?

The Little Girl Who Wanted a Tail by Mykah Montgomery offers readers a charming story about accepting oneself, embracing differences and finding purpose. Coordinating illustrations bring Millicent's story to life and entertain even younger readers. I read this book to my sixteen month old. Although I am pretty sure she did not comprehend the themes in the story, I know she enjoyed looking at the illustrations. I feel the book could have benefited from an editorial service as I did notice some grammatical errors. However, I think the majority of children will either not notice or not care about these errors. Overall, I can recommend The Little Girl Who Wanted a Tail as a book with lovely illustrations and outstanding themes.

Don't forget to check out the theme song for The Little Girl Who Wanted a Tail. The song is by the author's daughter!  How awesome is that!



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."

God Gave Us the World

Take a trip to the bear museum with Little Cub as she learns about the different kinds of bears in different parts of the world. Black bears, panda bears, sloth bears, and grizzly bears are all different from the polar bears that Little Cub is used to seeing. The idea is easily related to the different kinds of people that are on earth. Mama Bear points out that some bears are fast while others take their time. Some bears are quiet and others are loud. The underlying theme is that a person's differences do not make him or her less valuable in God's sight. There is also an emphasis of God's creativity and the importance of taking care of the earth.

I would recommend God Gave Us the World by Lisa Tawn Bergren for children ages five to eight. The book recommends ages three to eight, but I'm not sure a three year old would understand the themes. Both older and younger children will enjoy the colorful and appropriate illustrations by Laura J. Bryant. I found the illustrations to be superior to other children's books I have read lately. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Press 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."