Would you...Read me to Sleep? by George E. Edenfield

"This is one of those books that really gets a parent right in the heart. "
My first impression: First of all, look at the cover, adorable. My favorite thing to do with my kids are read to them. My 3 boys and I share a story every night at bedtime. Then, my 13 year old daughter and I read together. The pictures in this book are beautiful illustrations of oil paintings by Alyson Harris. They flatter the storyline very well. Each picture contains a Golden Key, so this makes the book more interactive to children(who am I kidding? I loved looking for the keys too).

What is it all about: Well, I can't tell you everything; it would ruin the story. But I will tell you it is about a father and his daughter and how they shared story time with a special Bible story book every night. The girl learns about a Great Treasure and the Seven Golden Keys. Time progresses, the daughter grows up and the father grows older. The book ends with another reading of the story book, but with a twist.

 What did I think: As a parent who constantly reads to her children, I loved it. I even choked up a little(what can I say? I'm a mother). Not only did it tell a wonderful story to children, but it  spoke to parents as well. Cherish these times with your children; what better way to share Christ with children, but through stories. It is time well spent!
I was confused about the golden keys though, the book never states what they are. I assumed they are the 7 Bible stories mentioned, but I didn't feel that was clear. Maybe I am just dense, but all in all it did not affect the overall message and effect of the book.

Recommendation: This is perfect for children of any age, parents, grandparents, or gift for new parents.
 

*The publisher provided me with a complimentary copy of the book through Bookcrash in exchange for my honest review.

Time 4 Learning

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment and for summer skill sharpening. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

Your Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks by John Hergenrather, Tom Vail, Mike Oard, and Dennis Bokovoy

Whether you are planning a trip to the Yellowstone and Grand Teton or you just want to learn more about these great national parks; this guide is perfect for both. 183 pages hard back spiral bound full of gorgeous pictures, history and facts on many fold out pages. This book is a complete guide to these unforgettable parks and will give you all the information you will need to know for a wonderful visit. This book was written by the authors to give the reader a look at the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks through God's eyes.
I personally have never visited these parks but after reading and studying this guide would love to make a trip someday with my family. Since we weren't actively planning a trip, we used this guide for our homeschooling education. Reading about the wildlife, plants and natural wonders made it feel like we were really there. Since it was written from a Biblical perspective I enjoyed the references to creation and just the natural beauty of God's design.
I recommend this for anyone planning a trip to the Yellowstone or Grand Teton, those who just want to learn more about these national parks, those studying creationism vs. evolution, schools or home school groups, or just nature lovers.

*A review copy was sent to me by Master Books a division of New Leaf Publishing in exchange for my honest review*

The One Year Be-Tween You and God: devotions for girls by Sandra Byrd

When I opened up the package for this one; I was immediately drawn to it because of the cover. Its gorgeous blue color, with beautiful raised designs and leather like feel(much like a real Bible); made me think"my daughter will love this". It was so appealing I had to admire it for awhile before I actually opened it. When I did open it I was not disappointed with the inside either.
Inside you will find one year of one page devotionals    for girls in the tween years(ages 9-12 depending on the child). Each devotion is marked with the month and day, a Dear God question, a one page devotion, a verse, and a how about you section(encouraging application). Verses are taken from the NCV, NIV, and NLT.
I really liked the briefness of the devotions especially for this age group, but I don't feel the content was jeopardized because of it. I felt it was packed full of wonderful topics that pre-teen girls deal with daily, and it is definitely a worthwhile book for any girl this age.

*This review copy was sent to me by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review*  

Great for God: Missionaries who changed the world by David Shibley

When David Shibley wrote the introduction to "Great for God", he gave a great summary of what this book is all about. 23 different individuals, all coming from different parts of the world, ranging from the 1700's to the  21st century, both men and women who all had a strong desire to do great things for God. David Shibley does emphasize that these people were imperfect, still human, just ordinary people with a resolve to glorify God in their lives.

The stories of each of these individuals can be read as a personal study, a small group Bible study, or even for family devotions. Each chapter begins with a thematic title, the individuals legacy or great thing they did in the name of our God, and a quote from the individual.

The last chapter gives an encouragement for the reader to go out and do great things for God. The author gives twelve characteristics that each of these individuals possessed that links them all to accomplishing greatness for God. I like how the author also gives a few warnings in attempting to do great things for God; such as, it is a definite way to get Satan's attention, you will defy the status quo so you will surely have enemies, and especially the warning to not place "ministry" over family or win the whole world in the process of losing your children.

This book was a great read and I would definitely recommend it for high school age or older, even a small group Bible study.

*This book was sent to me by Master Books , a division of New Leaf Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life by Bob Welch

If you are sentimental like me, the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" is on your must see Christmas movies every year. It always reminds me of real life with its problems, delights, and daily moral decisions. That was why I was so intrigued when I picked up this book written by Bob Welch.

This book has a total of 52 lessons that can be learned from the movie. Each lesson starts with a quote or moment from the movie. Then a basic rundown of what happened in that scene mixed with how we can apply that lessons to our lives.
This is a christian book and each lesson has applicable scripture and spiritual implications.

I didn't realize how many lessons could be learned from this movie and felt the author did an excellent job in utilizing moments of the movie with everyday life. I completely enjoyed this book and felt it could be used as a devotional as well as in group discussion. I plan to pass this on to a friend who is crazy about the movie, and know she will definitely enjoy and benefit from this book.

This would make a great Christmas gift, book club read, devotional, or church group discussion book.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Teeny Tiny Tina Books by Rosemary Evans

I am super excited to share the next set of books for review. When author Rosemary Evans contacted me about reviewing her books I didn't know what to expect, but when the books arrived I was impressed with how she had packaged them in colorful tissue paper and stickers of her main character of Teeny Tiny Tina the tooth fairy. Lets start with a short description of each book and then I will give a summary of my overall impression.

Teeny Tiny Tina the Teeny Tiny Tooth Fairy
Slip into a tiny magical world with Teeny Tiny Tina the tooth fairy and discover right along with her; that being small is not necessarily a bad thing. Tina's sisters are bigger and have fun being tooth fairies, but Tina feels small and insignificant. She soon learns that small or big she can accomplish great things and help others. 

  
Teeny Tiny Tina and her Teeny Tiny Pet
Join Teeny Tiny Tina in her second book where she learns a lesson from her pet cat-a-pillar Kat. Tina learns that Kat will be changing soon and won't let Kat out of her sight. She soon learns that change can be wonderful and is nothing to be afraid of. 

  
The Little Princesses Magical Party
Princesses Abrielle and Annelise have a wonderful life in a castle where they play dress up and have tea parties, but they wish they had friends to play with. They decide to give a party for all the girls in the kingdom. Come with them as they display kindness,sharing and gratefulness to all the girls; and learn that every girl is a princess. 

The Adventures of the Little Prince
Little Prince doesn't think he wants to be King, he just wants to go on an adventure. Along the way he meets many different types of people in the kingdom. He displays kindness, bravery and unselfishness and learns that he would make a great king after all.   








I can not begin to rave about these books; in fact they plan to go into my permanent collection and be passed down to my grandchildren one day. I liked them all but my absolute favorite had to be Teeny Tiny Tina  The Teeny Tina Tooth Fairy. The storyline of each one is simple enough for young children to understand. Each book has a lesson or character trait to convey to the reader and does a wonderful job describing it in true storybook form. At the end of each book is a breakdown of the character trait that all but one book display in rhyme. I adore the illustrations in each book. Bright, vibrant and fairytale like; my kids and I spent hours looking at all the details. These books are a wonderful collection for sharing Christ-like character traits to children. 
I recommend these books for ages 3 and up (how high depends on the child...my 12 year old loved the books). Please check out Teeny Tiny Tooth Fairy online. Each book can be purchased there at a reasonable price and there are other products available that complement the books as well. 

*These books were given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.