By Quiet Waters

Embracing the Full, Hard and Good Life, While Pausing Often by Quiet Waters

Search Results for: Children's Book

The Beauty and Value of Different

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The Prince Who Was Just Himself

The Prince Who Was Just Himself by Silke Schnee is a lovely children’s book that I am so pleased to have in our family’s library.   Once upon a time there lived a king and a queen… so the story goes.  When baby number 3 is born the family notices that he is different.  This story is a gentle conversation about the beauty and value of different, of a child born with down syndrome.  Over the years I’ve met several families who have experienced the sad surprise of a having a new baby, with down syndrome.  And I’ve had the blessing to watch these families, as love and delight in their precious bundles grow in body and in their hearts.  It is good to find authors and illustrators creating beautiful and joyful books to affirm the fact that each child is a wonder and worth life, our time and our love.

The Prince Who Was Just Himself

 

Silke Schnee is a journalist and works as a TV program maker at a public broadcaster in Cologne . She is married and has three sons . Her youngest son Noah was born in July 2008 with Trisomy 21 ( Down syndrome )  She lives in Germany with her husband, the king, and their three sons.  The youngest, Noah, is the inspiration for this book.

 

 

The Prince Who Was Just Himself

Illustrations are by Heike Sistig is an art therapist, and was trained in special education and art.  I hope that you have the opportunity to find this book at your local library, or are even inspired to purchase a copy for your family’s library.  It is a treasure, one of those books to enjoy and learn from.  Thank you to Plough Publishing for this complimentary copy of “The Prince Who Was Just Himself.”

Only God Can Make a Kitten

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Only God Can Make a Kitten

Only God Can Make A Kitten

It is a joy to have the opportunity to receive new books in exchange for my review.  Only God Can Make a Kitten is one such book.  This is a delightful story, with gentle rhyming and soft, whimsical illustrations.  The story goes rollicking around in a conversational style, as a mother cheerfully answers the many questions of her young one.  And at the end of the story, a wonderful, firm affirmation of the child’s person hood and purpose is spoken.  Love that!

On another note, my 15 year old is always quick to grab any book that comes into the house.  After I opened the package she sat right down to look Only God Can Make a Kitten over.  While she says she truly enjoyed the illustrations and the story, she absolutely did not enjoy the rhyming.  We conversed about that for a bit.  We have seen a number of new children’s books and many of them are written in rhyme, something that is beginning to feel overdone.  Stories without rhyme would be good to see more often!

Only God Can Make a Kitten is a good book to add to a family’s library.  If you are interested in receiving new books in exchange for your personal opinion, check out BookLookBloggers!

Now, all this talk about rhyming reminded me of maybe the best rhyme scene ever.  Anyone want a peanut?

 

Book Description

Bestselling author Rhonda Gowler Greene follows a conversation between a mother and child as she explains that God made everything.

Only God Can Make A Kitten, written by award-winning author Rhonda Gowler Greene and illustrated by bestselling artist Laura J. Bryant, follows a conversation between a mother and child as the child asks “Mama, who made . . . ?”

Told in delightful rhyme, this jacketed picture book shows young ones that God is behind all the beautiful blessings of creation-including kittens!

About the Author

Rhonda Gowler Greene is the author of over twenty picture books. Her books have received honors such as School Library Journal Best Book, Children’s Book Council Showcase Book, Bank Street College Best Book, and starred reviews. A former elementary school teacher, with a master’s in educational media, Rhonda is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries, and conferences. She lives with her husband, Gary, in a house overflowing with books in West Bloomfield, Michigan. They have four grown children. For more information, visit her on the web.

If you click a link or a button, I may receive a small monetary amount from your purchase, although your purchase price will not change.  The compensation is entirely from the company through which you visit from this blog.

The Legend of St Nicholas

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by Dandi Daley Mackall

The Legend of St. Nicholas

Just in time for early Christmas season planning the book “The Legend of St. Nicholas, A Story of Christmas Giving” arrived on my doorstep.  For many years we have added a book or two to our family library for the holiday season and I am delighted to have this beautiful addition to the collection.

This retelling of the St Nicholas legend is modernized, but told in a lovely gentle tone.  My first impression of the book was from the dust jacket.  The dust jacket is colorful and has wonderful texture.  A finger brushed across the title finds smooth raised letters and then glittery snow.

While I find it important to stick to a more historical retelling of St Nicholas, this book’s modern spin may help children associate better with the story, and be an additional encouragement.  It is challenging to help children think outside of themselves and sweet stories are often a great way to draw attention to the beauty of generosity.

Book Description

In The Legend of St. Nicholas, the new artwork, created by Marley and Me illustrator, Richard Cowdrey, captivates audiences and tells the story of a young man named Nicholas, who was moved by the plight of the poor and needy. Nicholas spent his life secretly helping the poor all over the world, giving gifts on Christmas Eve to remind people of the greatest Gift of all, Jesus Christ. This gentle Christmas book introduces the original St. Nicholas and offers inspiration for readers to become cheerful givers themselves. The final pages in the book include fun Father Christmas traditions in other lands.

About the Author

Dandi Daley Mackall is the author of over 400 books and still can’t believe she gets to write for a living, helping children of all ages grow spiritually. She and her husband, Joe, both write from rural Ohio, where they’re blessed with three children and a variety of horses, dogs, and cats.

About the Illustrator

Richard Cowdrey’s favorite things to draw and paint are the things that reflect the awesomeness of God and His creation. From vast landscapes to the littlest bug on a leaf, Richard marvels at the beauty in the details. Richard’s bestselling children’s books include Bad Dog, Marley and A Very Marley Christmas.

Thank you to BookLookBlogger network for the opportunity to receive and review this book.

 

Reading Update ~ A Worthwhile Endeavor

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Any Worthwhile Endeavor

As with any worthwhile endeavor, one must be purposeful to make time to read good books.  Several years ago I began to realize this and have tried to make sure time to read is built into my days.  This month I am excited to reflect on the books that have passed time with me the first half of 2013.

The Books

Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick

The Mine by Henry McIntosh

Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons

Sweet Sanctuary by Kim Vogel Sawyer

In the Presence of My Enemies ~ by Gracia Burnham and Dean Merrill

Tales of the Defended Ones by Beth Guckenberger.

Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic

Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

Jessica’s First Prayer by Hesba

The Promise Box by

The Cat that God Sent by Jim Kraus

Cleaning House, A Mom’s 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement by Kay Wills Wyma, my response here

The BARE NAKED TRUTH, Dating, Waiting, and God’s Purity Plan by Bekah Hamrick Martin, my review here

Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn ~ Melanie Shankle

Children’s books

Rock You Tonight by Emily Roussell ~ a sweet story that seems to be written more for the Momma than the little one she may be reading to.

The Three Little Rabbits and the Bake Sale Pie by Nancy Nuce ~ a story that had Mae and I laughing hard at bedtime.  Delightful

Only the Mountains do not Move by Jan Reynolds

Jessica’s First Prayer by Hesba Stretton

Audiobooks

Because He Loves Me (I listened while driving and reread the chapters on my kindle app)

Letters from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr

Sequin Sparkle and Change Bible

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You may know that I really love the Word of God and enjoy receiving newly packaged Bibles to review here on the blog.  Well this week I have not one, but two Bible’s to tell you about.  Today, I have a new children’s Bible that I think will be a super delightful gift for one of my grand daughters.  As a matter of fact, I am thinking about buying a couple more copies as I have several grand daughters!

Sequin Sparkle and Change Bible

The Sparkle and Change Bible is packaged in a teal blue or pink cover.  The cover of the Bible has embossed detailing, and sequins that change color right before your eyes.  I have caught my teens handling this book, and running their hands over the sequins.  It is definitely eye catching and fun.

This Bible is set in ten-point type, with bold in-text subject titles.  This will help kids find the passages they are looking for more easily.  There are bold type words that correspond with the dictionary and the concordance.  And as always, I appreciate the maps and timeline that are included.

There are pretty pages that include a presentation page, a place to record favorite verses and articles to increase a child’s understanding of Jesus’ love and purpose for her.

The translation of this Bible is the International Children’s Bible by Tommy Nelson.  This translation was created for children, for readability and understanding.  This is a good translation for children between about 6 and 10 to use in his/her own reading and following along in Sunday School and church.

One thing I’d recommend is that you don’t have your child memorize in this translation.  Choose the translation that your family, or your church teaches from… and memorize from it.  From experience I know the challenge of memorizing in one translation…and it not meshing with the memory work in the teen and early adult years.

My photos just don’t do this Bible cover justice.  It is quite pretty and very sparkly.  Thank you to Front Gate Media and Tommy Nelson for this free Bible in exchange for this post.

 

 

Remember Adventures in Odyssey? Young Whit

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Do you remember Adventures in Odyssey?  Or are you in the midst of raising kids who are currently listening to Adventures in Odyssey?

My own children are, well, no longer children!  The youngest is nearly 16 years old and my kids have left Adventures in Odyssey in the past.  Even so, it was pretty fun to find out about this book,

Young Whit

Young Whit and the Traitors Treasure by Phil Lollar and Dave Arnold is book #1 in the Young Whit series.

This book arrived in the mail during a period of time my family was dealing with some medical issues.  I packed it along to read during an appointment at Denver Children’s hospital, and left it on a table.  So I haven’t finished reading it.  That said, I have read quite a few reviews and think it is a good book, one to add to the family library.  If your children, or grandchildren enjoy listening to the Adventures in Odyssey radio show, check out this giveaway for a copy of Young Whit.

 

Thanks to FrontGate Media for this book and opportunity, in exchange for this blog post.

 

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