Friday, January 30, 2015

Tiny Bear's Bible

Tiny Bears Bible, Blue, Board Book  -     By: Sally Lloyd-Jones, Igor Oleynikov

From the Creation to Jesus' resurrection and promise to be with us always, these stories are a wonderful way to introduce your little one to God's love.  Each brief rhyming story is placed in this fuzzy covered board book format and contains the stories such as Noah and Moses which are guaranteed to be favorites. 

I love the covers of these Zonderkidz books. I must admit that I chose this particular book to order and review because I had reviewed two similar and wanted to see how they differed from Little Chick's Bible and Little Bunny's Bible.  All three have the plush covers with sturdy board book format but Tiny Bear is written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and does contain different stories than the others but is similar in that it has stories from Creation to Jesus' ascension.  The illustration in Tiny Bear are a bit more muted than those of the other two as well but they are lovely.  However, I think any of the three will make a nice addition to a child's library. Even a child age 1-3 isn't too young to learn about God as promise keeper, protector, and creator of all things.   Perfect for Valentine's Day, Easter baskets, or an addition to any baby gift.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France
















Growing up, Miranda knew her grandmother and her grandfather but who would have thought they went together?  She never saw them together.  They never spoke of one another.  They were as different as apples and oranges, or prickly pears.  He was always the distant, absent one who was almost frightening to her. 

Her grandparents survived World War II seeking refuge from Nazi France in refugee camps in Switzerland.  What they couldn't survive was whatever happened throughout the Nuremburg trials that destroyed their relationship.  Five years after the war, Miranda's grandmother packed her children and her typewriter and left.  Both kept the secret of what came between them for the rest of their lives.

Miranda was determined to put the pieces of their puzzle together so put her own life on hold to move to their stone house in France.  What she finds is a home in ruins and clues that she must put together to discover what her grandparent's won't say.  Throughout the process, she figures out not only who her grandparents are but who she is, finding a home and love where she never would have looked.

Were I the librarian cataloging this book, I think I would be hard pressed whether to catalogue it as a biography or autobiography since I think it is both.  The author, Miranda Richmond Mouillot, focuses much of her writing on her grandparents but her own self discovery and story are evident as well.  Her writing style is easy to follow and clear.

The first thing that caught my eye when I opened up the box the book arrived in was the paper it is printed on.  The edges opposite the binding are somewhat jagged and not completely uniform in size making it appear as something old.  I loved it that touch.   I also enjoyed the author's notes at the end.  I was saddened that her grandfather was too senile to read her writing even if she didn't seem to be disappointed.  I also loved learning that her grandmother never attempted to keep her from her grandfather but instead created opportunity for Miranda to know him and, hopefully, help him learn to love again.   As a lover of biographies and history, I suspect this volume will be passed on to my WWII loving daughter to read.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!


I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to write a positive one.

Another Easter basket find

A companion book to Little Chick's Bible, Little Bunny's Bible is a plush, furry board book perfect for a child under 2.  The ears are loose, providing something to grasp onto, so the book can be held in a child's hands no matter how small.  What a nice book to begin introducing your little one to God's word.  The first story in the book begins with creation and includes several favorites for children including Daniel and the Lion's Den, Jonah, the Christmas story, a parable of Jesus', and his ascension into heaven.  The illustrations are bright, colorful, and simple which will appeal to the young listener.  The book is written by Michigan author, P.J. Lyons and illustrated by Melanie Mitchell.  I think both "bibles" are going to be perfect for many Easter baskets this spring.  I know they would go in my children's were they the appropriate age.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to write a positive one.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Perfect for Easter baskets for your little one

Little Chick's Bible  -     By: P.J. Lyons
    Illustrated By: Melanie Mitchell
From Creation to the Resurrection, teach your little one about God with their own little board book version of the Bible, Little Chick's Bible.  This book contains very abbreviate rhyming versions of eight popular Bible stories which are favorites of children everywhere.  The colorful, brilliant illustrations will capture the attention of the smallest of listeners.  If they don't, children will love the plush chick cover with movable arms.  It is soft and the arms give a little one something to hold onto with their little hands.  

I loved this book!  Scheduled to be released on 1/27/15, I think it will make a perfect gift in Easter baskets this spring. 

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to write a positive one.