July 2017

The Beginner's Bible My First Book of Prayers | Children's Book Review

The Beginner's Bible My First Book of Prayers

Zonderkidz

Nonfiction

The Beginner’s Bible® has been a favorite with young children and their parents since its release in 1989 with over 25 million products sold.
The Beginner's Bible My First Book of Prayers helps young children discover that they can talk to God about anything from the beauty of creation to their friendships and emotions. Thankfulness, praise, and requests for God's help are all included.

Sixteen sweet prayers, written with the child's daily experiences in mind, focus on important character traits such as caring and forgiveness. For each prayer, charming illustrations from The Beginner's Biblehighlight a different Bible character or scene that illustrates the truth found in the prayer. Ideal gift for a new parent or young child, and a great addition to church or daycare library.

My Thoughts

If your family enjoys The Beginner's Bible then you need to add this companion piece to your library. The characters and verses will be familiar to your children and will help them connect with what is being taught. The focus of My First Book of Prayers is of course prayer. There are sixteen different selections that will highlight different events in the Bible and the corresponding prayer that the people would have likely prayed.

For example the first selection is from Genesis and involves Adam and Eve in the garden. The prayer focuses on gratitude. That's an easy thing to imagine if you think about the beauty and provision that they were surrounded by. It's also a great way to begin to teach your children to look around and see the beauty and provision that God has provided for them right here.

The rest of the sections contain similar examples like a prayer for courage such as one David would have prayed when he was up against Goliath. Or a prayer of kindness like the good Samaritan must have prayed over the poor wounded man he rescued.

Each example points to the many different ways that we can have a conversation with God all day long in every situation we find ourselves in.

The book itself is a padded board book that makes it easy for little hands to use over and over again. It would make a wonderful addition to your morning or evening storytime routine.

With You Always (Orphan Train #1) by Jody Hedlund | Historical Fiction Review

With You Always

Orphan Train #1

Jody Hedlund

Historical Fiction

Could Following the Opportunity of a Lifetime

Cost Them the Love of Their Lives?

One of the many immigrants struggling to survive in 1850s New York, Elise Neumann knows she must take action to care for her younger sisters. She finds a glimmer of hope when the New York Children's Aid Society starts sending skilled workers to burgeoning towns out west. But the promise of the society's orphan trains is not all that it seems.

Born into elite New York society, Thornton Quincy possesses everything except the ability to step out from his brother's shadow. When their ailing father puts forth a unique challenge to determine who will inherit his railroad-building empire, Thornton finally sees his chance. The conditions to win? Be the first to build a sustainable community along the Illinois Central Railroad and find a suitable wife.

Thrown together against all odds, Elise and Thornton couldn't be from more different worlds. The spark that ignites between them is undeniable, but how can they let it grow when that means forfeiting everything they've been working toward?

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My Thoughts

I have always been fascinated by the history of the westward expansion. It seems to me that you would have to be pretty brave to go into such uncharted territory. Leaving behind everything that is known to venture out hoping to find a better life just seems scary to me. But as a lifetime Midwestern girl I'm very grateful for those brave and daring souls that did it.

Jody Hedlund's newest novel, With You Always, explores a little known or talked about aspect of that great adventure. The main character is Elise Neumann, she's the oldest sister in the family that has lost both their father and mother. They find themselves living on the streets of New York with little hope of a better situation. Eventually they find housing and a means to support a meager existence but when that becomes unstable as well Elise is faced with an unbearable decision. She must leave her siblings to start a new job and future in Illinois.

It's widely known that the Children's Aid Society had orphan trains that transported orphans from the precarious situation in New York to the Midwest where they would be placed with families. What's less known is that the Children's Aid Society also placed young women of upstanding character in these towns that were springing up along the railroad routes. They were given jobs such as laundress, seamstress, or domestics. It was hard backbreaking work but many found it to be a way to start a new life.

I found this to be a very interesting read. As I said I'm fascinated with the idea of leaving all you know to hopefully find a better life. Jody Hedlund explores so much with these characters. But here's my warning . . . this is a series so there are questions left unanswered at the end of book one. I can hardly wait for book two to come out. By the way there is also a prequel novella that gives background on some of the characters. It's called An Awakened Heart. I've not yet read it so I have to say that it isn't absolutely necessary to read it to enjoy the series but I'm sure it would be a bonus. I plan on going back and reading it soon.

Other Reviews For This Author

Unending Devotion

A Noble Groom

Love Unexpected

An Uncertain Choice

Hearts Made Whole

A Daring Sacrifice

Undaunted Hope

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Photo Credit: © Sarah Davis Photography

www.JodyHedlund.com

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Naomi's Hope (Journey to Pleasant Prairie #3) by Jan Drexler | Amish Fiction Review

Naomi's Hope

Journey to Pleasant Prairie #3

Jan Drexler

Amish Fiction

When the future is threatened by the past,

can she trust herself to make the right choice?

Despite growing pains in her 1846 Amish community in Indiana, Naomi Schrock has settled into a comfortable life in her parents' home with her adopted son, Davey. Surrounded by family and friends, she tries not to think about the fact that she's not at the top of any man's list of potential wives. Yet when Cap Stoltzfus moves into the area and befriends Davey, Naomi finds herself caught between the plans she has made for her future and the tantalizing thought that Cap might be part of a life she never dared to hope for.

When a couple shows up claiming to be Davey's true family, Naomi and Cap must unite to make the decision that will determine the boy's future--as well as their own.

My Thoughts

I have been eagerly waiting for Naomi's story since the beginning of this series. Naomi is such a gentle and giving person and to see her be passed by time after time was heartbreaking. But of course we know that everything comes in God's timing.

It's looking like Naomi is going to have to be content to just be a momma to her adopted son Davey. A husband doesn't seem to be in her future. But just as she's determined to set that dream aside her family gets a new neighbor in the form of Cap Stoltzfus. He's kind and handsome to boot so of course Naomi is sure he would have no interest in her. Naomi is selling Cap short. He sees beyond her physical imperfections and into her heart.

Naomi's Hope was a wonderful conclusion to the Journey to Pleasant Prairie series. Lots of intriguing situations that remind us that the Amish communities face many of the same issues as the rest of the world. Some people are deceitful and can't be trusted. While others can be truthful and very trustworthy. Discerning the difference between the two is a blessing the Holy Spirit brings.

This series left me wanting to know what happens next in the lives of these interesting people. I hope that Jan sneaks some of them in the next series she writes!

Other Reviews For This Author

Hannah's Choice

Mattie's Pledge

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www.JanDrexler.com

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True To You (Bradford Sisters Romance #1) by Becky Wade | Contemporary Romance Review

True To You

Bradford Sisters Romance #1

Becky Wade

Contemporary Romance

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. However, when John, an adoptee, is diagnosed with an inherited condition, he's forced to dig into the secrets of his ancestry.

John enlists Nora's help to uncover the identity of his birth mother, and as they work side by side, this pair of opposites begins to suspect that they just might be a perfect match. But can their hope for a future survive their wounds from the past?

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My Thoughts

It's always such a delight to dive into a new series by a favorite author. True To You is Becky Wade's latest series that features three sisters. This first book gives us Nora Bradford as our heroine and John Lawson as our hero. The two couldn't be more different. Nora is bookish and loves all things history. John is a here and now type. He is a decorated Navy SEAL and uses that background to further his thriving business.

As with all of Becky's novels, True To You, is at times funny and at others sentimentally touching. Both John and Nora have emotional wounds in their past that cause them to put up walls around their hearts. When the truth would set them free they choose to hide it. It's a common struggle among each of us that makes this book appealing.

During the course of the story we meet the other two sisters and the significant men in their lives. (A great preview of the stories to come.) We don't actually meet the parents because they are off on a mission trip but we do get a nice glimpse of the girls' grandmother. She's so cranky it's downright funny.

There are many scenes in the book that I love but if I had to pick just one it would be a conversation between John and his birth mother. I loved her insight into the circumstances of his adoption and his life that followed. The dialogue was beautifully written and will definitely strike a chord with readers.

I believe that True To You would make a lovely summer read for your book club. It's a light read without being shallow. To help the discussion along Becky and her publisher have included Questions for Conversation in the back. Even if you're not part of a book group you should snatch this one up as a treat for yourself!

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