Children's Book Review~Zacchaeus and Jesus

Zacchaeus and Jesus is a 48-page hardcover children's book written by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by Lisa Manuzak. The book is from the Flipside Stories series, published by Tyndale Kids, a division of Tyndale House Publishers. The suggested age range is 3-8.

Zacchaeus and Jesus is a special book, because it is two books in one! Half of the book is the story of them meeting from  Zacchaeus' point of view, then you flip the book over and...

...now it is the same story, but from Jesus' point of view. This is great to help kids learn that there are two sides to every story. The illustrations are bright and colorful, and the print is large and easy for beginning readers. My grandson thinks Zacchaeus and Jesus is so much fun to read, and requests it often for his bedtime story. Here are Daniel (5) and Daisy (5 months), reading:

I would love to get the other books in the Flipside Stories series for my grandson to enjoy! You can purchase your own copy of Zacchaeus and Jesus at Tyndale.

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~Fraying at the Edge

Fraying at the Edge, by author Cindy Woodsmall, is the second book in The Amish of Summer Grove series. At the end of the first book in the series,  Ties that Bind, two young women from very different worlds discover they were accidentally switched at birth. Ariana Brenneman has been raised in an Old Order Amish Family, while Skylar Nash was raised in the Englisch world. In Fraying at the Edge,  Ariana and Skylar are forced to go live with their birth parents for a year, to experience what life they should have lived. Nicholas, Ariana's birth father, threatened to sue the midwife, so the Brennemans feel they must abide by his wishes. Skylar's life had spiraled out of control, and living life on an Amish farm seemed a better option than rehab. Ariana, on the other hand, has everything going for her-a man she plans to marry, a loving family, and a cafe she just purchased. Both girls are thrust into lives that are new and scary, and they struggle to get through each day. Will any good come out of this, or will relationships be damaged?

Cindy Woodsmall is one of my favorite authors, and I have read all of her books. Her style of writing draws me in, and in Fraying at the Edge, as with all of her other books, I feel like I know the characters personally. This book was so hard to put down! I do think that you would be confused if you did not read the first book in the series, Ties that Bind, before this one. At the back of the book is a Glossary of Amish words. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

You can purchase your own copy of Fraying at the Edge at Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers.

*I received a copy of this book free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~365 Pocket Morning Prayers

365 Pocket Morning Prayers: Strength and Joy to Begin Each Day was written by David R. Veerman and published by Tyndale Momentum, part of Tyndale House Publishers. It is 4x6, with a leather-like finish, embossed with a palm tree and birds on the cover. It is 316 pages long, with a topical index at the end of the book.

Each day/prayer is a different topic, with scripture included using New Living Translation. The prayers are in sets of seven for a week, with the 6th and 7th days (representing the weekend) shorter than the others. You can read one each day for an entire year, or go to the index at the back and choose your topic for the day. The author states in his introduction, "The prayer itself may involve praise, confession, or challenge, all with the purpose of drawing you closer to God."

I have been enjoying 365 Pocket Morning Prayers. It is compact enough to keep in my bag and pull out while waiting in line to pick my son up from school. I have not been reading the prayers chronologically, but have been picking a topic from the index each day. Each prayer is short enough to read quickly, but deep enough to make an impact on my day. I found them interesting and relevant to today's world.

You can purchase your own copy of 365 Morning Prayers at Tyndale.

*I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review..

Review~Gratitude-A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal is a gorgeous 6x8 hardcover book to color and journal in.  It is 110 pages long, with 40 needs-based prayers covering a variety of topics. There are over 100 designs to color, with lots of room to write and/or sketch. There are prompts, or you can do your own thing.

Here is an example of a page ready to color and journal:

There are also some pages already with color that have space to journal or doodle on:

Here is a page that I colored with colored pencils:

I am not an artistic person, but I love pretty things! Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal is beautiful!!! I love it, and think it would make a wonderful gift. The size is smaller (6x8), so it fits great in a purse or bag. It is very sturdy, and the pages are nice and thick. I have really enjoyed the positivity of all the topics, and the plentiful scripture throughout.

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal is part of Tyndale's Living Expressions Collection. Click on the link to see the beautiful collection and purchase your own! You will be glad you did.

*I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.

If You Were Me and Lived In..Ancient Greece

If You Were Me and Lived in..Ancient Greece is part of author Carole P. Roman's series An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time. This book was illustrated by Mateya Arkova, and is 54 pages long. It is recommended for ages 8-12, but I think it could be extended in both directions to younger and older readers alike. My almost 14-year-old son has been reading this series and enjoying it.

So much about Ancient Greece is covered in this book! Just to touch on some of the topics included-landscape, clothing, food, school, sports, and family life. The illustrations in If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient Greece are beautiful! I love the soft, pastel colors and watercolor look. This book is great for kids to really get an idea of what life would have been like in Ancient Greece. Younger readers might need some help with some of the longer pages of text. Very helpful, in the back of the book, is a list of Gods and Goddesses, as well as a Glossary to look up unfamiliar words.

My family and I love all of author Carole P. Roman's books, and they are treasured parts of our home library. If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient Greece would also make a great gift. I used to homeschool, and this series would have been perfect when we were studying history!

To learn more about this book and author Carole P. Roman's other books, including purchasing links, visit her website at www.caroleproman.com . She also has resource pages that go along with this book and others at her blog http://caroleproman.blogspot.com  .

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.