Inspiring Words Review and Giveaway

Inspiring Words: 30 Verses from the Bible You Can Color
Zonderkidz Publishing
Price: $9.99
Ages: 8 and up

From the back of the book: "Inside these pages, you'll find thirty unique and creative  illustrations focusing on key verses from the Bible, each offering an opportunity to connect with Scripture while exploring your creativity.  Throughout, NIV verses are paired with detailed line art, and each page is printed on high-quality, thick paper stock that won't bleed through.
Relax. Sit back. Meditate on God's Word.  Then remove the completed page to display your work for even more daily inspiration."

Lately, there has been a craze in coloring books being put out for adults.  It is a great way to de-stress and be creative in a smaller chunk of time, without getting out a lot of miscellaneous supplies. There are actually studies that show great benefits to coloring in training the brain to focus, calming fear responses and activating the logic part of your brain.  Whatever your reasons for picking up a coloring book, let me recommend Inspiring Words: 30 Verses from the Bible You Can Color.

First, I will say...It took me a LONG time to be able to even write in this book.  I think the perfectionist in me kept telling me I would mess it up. Then I had my son color one...he did the picture above.  I FINALLY was able to venture into the book with a bit of color and I found it very enjoyable.  I was not able to finish my picture, but will come back to it soon.

I tried out crayon, colored pencil, marker and Sharpie.  As you can see, both markers can be seen from the back, but did not bleed through the paper.  I felt like I had the best control with the colored pencil.  The Sharpie was a close second.  The marker and the crayon had too fat of a tip to get into the all the fine line detailing in the pictures.  It was fun, but very time consuming.  I think I would enjoy this activity in shorter chunks...maybe half an hour or so.

The pages have designs only on one side of the paper, and there is a dotted link to cut on, but it does not have perforated edges.  I will probably tear the page out carefully as close to the binding as possible, and then cut on the dotted lines.

It is nice to sit and meditate on the verse you are coloring while you are keeping your fingers busy.  Prayer is a theme for me this year in so many ways...from this page, I can think on it being POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE.  This may also be a way to memorize little bits of Scripture.

I think you will enjoy it!

GIVEAWAY:  Get your own copy of Inspiring Words: 30 Verses From the Bible You Can Color by sharing in the comments why you would like a copy of this coloring book.  One winner will be selected on February 14th.  Comments may be submitted until 11:59 on February 13.  Winner must provide name and street address (can't be delivered to P.O, Boxes.)   The book will be shipped directly from the publisher.  Good Luck!

* I received a copy of the above mentioned product to help facilitate the writing of a frank and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and/or opinions may vary.  

The Legend of the Easter Robin

The Legend of the Easter Robin: An Easter Story of Compassion and Faith
Written by Dandi Daley Mackall
Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey
Zonderkidz Publishing
Price: $16.99
Ages: 4-8 years

From Zonderkidz website: "This newly illustrated edition of The Legend of the Easter Robin renews the wonder and charm of the original and timeless tale written by Dandi Daley Mackall.  With new vibrant artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Richard Cowdrey, this holiday classic is brought to life for a new generation.  The Legend of the Easter Robin tells the story of Tressa, whose grandmother reveals to her the story of a small robin who saw Jesus struggling and soared to help him.  This Easter tale reminds Christians everywhere how much Jesus sacrificed for us and how much He loves us."

"The legend of the robin's red breast is an old Pennsylvania Dutch tale.  The point of the legend is a celebration of the robin's compassion and of Christ's sacrifice."  

This story chronicles one person's idea of how the robin got it's red breast.  While I enjoy many of these legends for what they are...stories...they often stretch things a wee bit too far for me.  In this legend, the robin get's it's red breast from Jesus' blood.  I don't love that part of the story, but I do think the rest of the book is sweet and enjoyable.  I think it is really fun to learn about making oschter-foggel or Easter birds, which is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition.  I also LOVE how many times throughout the story, Tressa's grandmother reminds Tressa of the importance of trusting in God for those things we can't control and reminds her of God's loving care for us.

I do think it would be fun to make the oschter-foggel...we may try that this year...I DID leave my Christmas tree up...might be a good thing to hang on it for Easter!

*I received a copy of the above mentioned product to help facilitate the writing of a frank and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and/or opinions may vary.

Little One, God Loves You

Little One, God Loves You
Written by Amy Warren Hilliker
Illustrated by Polona Lovsin
Zonderkidz Publishing
Price: $6.99
Ages: Birth-5

From Zonderkidz website:  "This charming board book expresses the five purposes of the bestselling The Purpose-Driven Life for little ones ages 4 and under."

So, I have never read The Purpose-Driven Life, but looked up the five purposes, just so you have it handy

They are: 

                               

Worship: Love the Lord your God with all your heart

Ministry: Love your neighbor as yourself

Mission: Go and make discciples

Fellowship: Baptizing them

Discipleship:Teaching them to obey

I am not sure that the pages of the book perfectly follow these purposes (I didn't see worship, for example), but if you love The Purpose-Driven Life, this may be a huge bonus for you.

That aside, this is a sweetly illustrated book for little ones.  It is a nice board book, which is sturdy enough for little ones to "read" over and over again.  I still have board books from when my children were little and MOST of them survived all five children and I am HOPING with be loved by any future grandbabies too!  The story is short, written in a rhyme style that children LOVE and remember...just TRY reading it wrong and see what your little ones say, once they are familiar with the story.  The book is very colorful!  I am sure that little ones would love it!

* I received a copy of the above mentioned product to help facilitate the writing of a frank and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and/or opinions may vary

Blessings,
Carrie

Snuggle Time Prayers

Snuggle Time Prayers
Written by Glenys Nellist
Illustrated by Cee Biscoe
Zonderkidz Publishing
Price: $9.99
Suggested Age: Birth-4

From the Zonderkidz website: "Snuggle Time Prayers... is a perfect bedtime collection of fifteen prayers for young children, intended to help them draw closer to God as they drift off to sleep."

This sweet little book is a wonderful resource for helping quiet your little one down for the night.  I have noticed that my children CRAVE certain bedtime routines, and I think that this will be a great way to snuggle down with your little one at the end of each day.  I LOVE what the Zonderkidz website had for a description: "Help them draw closer to God as they drift off to sleep."  The back of the book adds, " This collection of fifteen prayers will remind children of their blessings as they drift off to sleep."

The book is a board book, so it will be sturdy as it is handled by little hands and loved on often.  Each prayer begins with a short passage of Scripture.  Then, there is a prayer that is related to the verse.  The prayers are written in a rhyme style that will be memorable to all!

The illustrations are just so very sweet, as you can see.

I think this would be a FANTASTIC book to give to new parents!

If you love this book, then also consider Snuggle Time Psalms.  I have not looked at this book personally, but given the nature of the above book, I think this would be a great companion

* I received a copy of the above mentioned product to help facilitate the writing of a frank and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and/or opinions may vary.

Big Dreams Big Prayers NIV Bible

Big Dreams Big Prayers NIV Bible
Zonderkidz
Ages: 9-12
Price: $29.99

From Zondervan's Website:
The Big Dreams, Big Prayers Bible for Kids, NIV includes the complete New International Version (NIV) of the Bible along with devotions, prayers, and highlighted verses to help kids pray and listen for God's answers to their prayers.  Features include:
 *Presentation page for personalization and gift giving.
 *Devotions about people who prayed and listened to God such as Abraham, Hannah and Job.
 * The Lord's Prayer explained for kids.
 * The "hand" prayer model to help kids remember to pray for others and themselves.
 * Highlighted verses great for memorization and meditation.
 * Book introductions explain what each book of the Bible is about.
 *Prayer journaling pages with space to record personal prayers and answers to prayer.
 * Reading plans
 *Complete text of the New International Version (NIV)

This full text, full featured Bible is focused on guiding readers in prayer. It includes lessons on how to pray, examples of prayer found in the Bible, journaling prompts that help readers plan their prayer list, and more.

I LOVE this Bible...I love that it is an NIV and NOT AN NIrV.  NIV just seems to fit in with the things my children need a BIble for...

I LOVE that it is not girly or childish.  The colors are appealing to a wide range of people.  The color continues through the Bible with a few color pages inserted in the text.

I REALLY LOVE that this Bible has a prayer focus and that will be what I spend my time pointing out.

First, throughout the text, there are verses highlighted.  I have not looked at every verse that is highlighted, but the ones I have seen seem to be verses that you can pray.  I love that this Bible pulls some of those out and shows us that we can pray these same words.  Not only that, but it shows our children examples of what prayer looks like.

Then, there are over 50 devotions sprinkled throughout the text, so you child can read it and think on that.  These also seem to be prayer focused

There is a How to Use This Bible page that also explains how to find particular verses and what all those numbers mean.  I think that is VERY helpful!

The Lord's Prayer page gives an overall explanation, but I would have liked it to also go phrase by phrase.

My favorite inserted page is the Hand Prayer page...this gives a simple guide that is easy to remember to guide your child in prayer.  Praying for people close to you, those who point the way, those in authority and more.

There are also three different reading plans.  I think this is wonderful...especially for children who are new to the Bible.  When I became a Christian, I thought Sampson and Delilah was a love story...I knew NOTHING about the Bible...I started with Children's Bibles to get
 a feel for what the Bible was about.  The reading plans seem to start with an overview, then delve a little deeper each cycle through.

There is also a few prayer journal pages in the back.  I think it would be better to have a separate book to write prayers in...there are only a few pages with not much room to write.

Overall though, I love this Bible! It is such a great fit for our family!



I received this Bible in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Beginner's Bible Super Heroes of the Bible Sticker and Activity Book

The Beginner's Bible Super Heroes of the Bible Sticker and Activity Book

Zonderkidz

Ages: Preschool and Up

Price: $3.99

Who does not like a sticker book?  Even though my little guy was WAY OUTSIDE the range for this book, I KNEW he would still like this...and he DID!  Filled with 16 FULL COLOR pages and over 50 stickers, this is kid fun in a book!

I will note that the book says that the stickers are reusable...so I took one off and put it back on the sheet....where it curled and peeled up like crazy...but we stuck it back onto it's spot on the page, and no problems on there at all!  So, as long as you don't need to have them on that waxy page, they are reusable!
There are many activities in this book, including puzzles, mazes, sequencing and of course STICKERS!

This is a fun book with all the Beginner's Bible characters children have grown up with.  This book would pair well with readings from the Beginner's Bible...If you can pull the Sticker and Activity book away after only a page or so...
A great book for your little ones...or even those who are little at heart!

Maybe adult sticker books will catch on like the color books have!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review...all opinions are my own.

The Plans I Have For You Devotion and Journal

The Plans I Have For You Devotional
The Plans I Have For You Journal
Written by Amy Parker
Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton
Zonderkidz Publishing
Devotional: $14.99
Journal: $12.99


The Plans I Have For You is a 90 day devotion for children.  There isn't an age range mentioned, but I would suggest at least mid elementary children.  The book is divided into 6 categories of devotions:
                            I've Got Big Plans For YOU!
                            I've Given YOU a Purpose
                            I Don't Do Things Small
                            There's Nothing YOU Can't Do
                            Find That ONE Thing
                            What I Created YOU To Do
This Devotion is based on the Scripture Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
Many people LOVE this verse and I was interested to see what it would be like.

First, there is an introduction page that explains REALLY well to kids what a devotion is...Spending time with God everyday!  She goes on to say that a devotion is a tool to help you do that, but you don't even need that...You can just open your Bible.  She stresses spending time with God EVERYDAY!  I love that this is pointing children to be in the Word everyday.

The pages are very colorful and interesting.  The drawings are probably more suited to younger children and the devotions themselves are PRETTY SHORT!  Sometimes just six lines.  Some of the devotions are very simple: "Are you Lonely?  Give God a call!  He is right there with you."
Others hit you right between the eyes with a big ouch: "Only the humble will hear God's Direction.  Prideful hearts won't need help.  The Arrogant already know the way.  The haughty have their own things to do, thankyouverymuch.  But those who admit they need God's guidance, those who wait for instruction, those who make time to listen...They will hear, ,and they will find the way."

What I don't love about this book:

The devotions seem to be written at different levels of comprehension and spiritual maturity.  Some devotions are great for preschoolers, while others need some more critical thought skills to grasp and apply.  It is so hard to put an age range on this.

At least a couple of the devotions seem a little too vending machine style (for lack of better words), put your money in and get this...For example, on a devotion for Ephesians 3:20 (God can do more than we can ask or imagine), the author lists a few things: Your wildest dreams, craziest goals, prayer of all prayers... "Poof! It's all yours."  I think that can lead to some wrong thinking.

What I LOVED about this book:

I LOVE how some things are explained really well for children: What a devotion is, What God giving us the desires of our hearts means, and Remaining in Him from John 15 for example.

I LOVE how it points children to God and developing a daily time with God.

I LOVE that it is simple enough for my middle elementary kid to pick up and work independently.


The Plans I Have For You Journal is a companion to the devotional.  The sections line up with the sections in the book and give space for your child to go a little deeper.  The sections in the journal do not appear to line up one to one with the devotional, but take the concepts and allow for the child to think and write about where God is leading them with that particular thought or truth.

 I love the idea of a journal, but my little guy thinks that writing is an extreme form of torture inflicted by mean Momma's, so we have not worked in this at all.  Some pages are fill in the blank, some are drawing pages and others are more free writing on the topic.  If your child likes these kinds of activities, I would HIGHLY recommend getting this to accompany the devotional.

I received these products in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are mine.