I am not anti-fashion doll in the least. My daughter had several and my granddaughters do as well. But I've always thought that it would be nice if there were a doll that promoted Godly characteristics for our girls. I'm happy to say that
Zonderkidz has now released a line of dolls and books that do just that.
The Princess Parables line includes five daughters of the King. Their names are
Faith,
Hope,
Grace,
Joy, and
Charity. Each of their stories are inspired by the parables that Jesus taught. Young girls will discover that the most important beauty is that which resides within. Each story teaches about God and His kingdom and the love He has for each of His princesses!
Currently each princess has a doll and two different books. The doll is the same size as the popular fashion dolls (i.e. Barbie). My favorite part is their beautiful eyes. Their dresses are absolutely stunning. My grand girls fell in love the moment we took them out of the boxes. The first book is designed to either be read aloud to your young girl or read by a more advanced reader. My oldest grand girl is in the second grade and she could read these books with a bit of help. The second book is from the I Can Read! line and is a level one which is made up of simple sentences for eager new readers. My second grand girl is a Kindergartner and is just beginning to read. She was able to read most of these books aloud to me.
Now let me introduce you to each Princess and her stories!
“Search everywhere for the lost kitten.
Bring her back safely to the castle.”
In
Princess Grace and the Little Lost Kitten,
Princess Grace promised her father she would care for the kittens she found. But Poppy, the curious one, has run away. Princess Grace must find him, even if it means searching the entire kingdom . . . even braving the Black Woods. Along the way, she remembers a parable Jesus told about God’s great love for us and how he too searches for each one who is lost.
In
Princess Grace and Poppy ,
Princess Grace finds five kittens in the hall closet. What else can she do but ask her father, the king, if she can keep them? With promises to care for them and get help from her sisters, Grace experiences firsthand how much responsibility it is to care completely for something. Based upon the parable of the lost sheep, readers can begin to understand just how much God must care for all of us!
"Even though we don't understand why things like this happen,
God uses these things to grow our hearts."
Princess Faith's Mysterious Garden is based on the Parable of the Sower in Matt. 13:1-23
Princess Faith decides at long last to plant her own garden. She is deriving great pleasure in the entire process of sowing, watering, and watching the seeds grow when she is faced with a myriad of events that begin to take place that cause her garden to die, little by little. Some incidents are very sudden and mysterious and others are just plain scary As she discovers how her garden grows best, she also learns about her own heart.
In
Princess Faith's Garden Surprise Princess Faith has always wanted to plant a lovely flower garden. When the chance presents itself, she and her sisters share the experience, only to find out it isn’t all that easy to get things to grow unless conditions are just right.
"I will sell everything I have to buy the ring."
Princess Hope and the Hidden Treasure is based on the Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl in Matt. 13:44-45
Princess Hope is on a shopping spree with her sisters and discovers her grandmother's lost ring! It's for sale, but the price is high--even for a princess. How far will
Princess Hope go to buy it? And will the princess sisters' hunt for the greatest treasure be successful?
"No one can come to the surprise party, Daddy.
What will we do?"
In
Princess Joy's Birthday Blessing Princess Joy can’t wait for her birthday. There will be treats, games, and an enormous cake with delicious icing! But when the other princes and princesses can’t come and
Princess Joy finds out, she comes up with a surprising plan to fill her day with special guests and unexpected gifts. Will it work? Her idea, shared in Princess Joy’s Birthday Blessing, comes from a parable Jesus told about a party a lot like hers.
In this level one
I Can Read! Princess Joy's Party, Jesus' lesson about who is best to invite to your home comes alive for little princesses just learning to read! When no one accepts the invitation to
Princess Joy's birthday party, she is sad. But her father, the king, helps her to understand that there are more ways to celebrate a special day and much better gifts to get than ones wrapped in pretty paper and bows.
"How can we help this hurting boy, God?"
Princess Charity's Courageous Heart is based on the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30 37
Princess Charity is disconcerted with an argument that has transpired at the castle and decides her best recourse would be to run away. As her impulsive journey unfolds she encounters a phenomenon that would ultimately alter her life forever. From her hiding place in the Weeping Woodlands, she sees a wounded dog that is old and unloved lying on the side of the road. She watches as others find him and stop, but none reach out to help him. She decides to befriend the hurting creature, even though her decision would mean she may be found by many of the King s men who are looking for her. She can only help him by taking him back to the castle to nurse him back to health where she learns the true meaning of charity and mercy.
Princess Charity loves to ride her horse Daisy across the kingdom and normally feels free to go everywhere. But father has issued an order---to stay away from the neighbor’s border.
Charity wants to obey her father, the king, but when she sees people go by an injured young boy without stopping to help, she must make a decision … should she obey her father or go to help the boy in need? Based on the parable of the Good Samaritan, this level one
I Can Read! Princess Charity's Golden Heart brings a lesson of love to life for little girls.
Another book in the Princess Parables series is the
I Can Read! Princess Sisters Treasury. It contains three stories,
Princess Grace and Poppy,
Princess Faith's Garden Surprise and,
Princess Charity's Golden Heart.
In the very near future there will also be a sticker and activity book released for each Princess.
These dolls and their corresponding books would make a wonderful gift for every little princess in your life. Family Christian Book Stores and Mardel are carrying the dolls and books in store and online. You can also look for them in select Lifeway stores.
