Giveaway! Big Thoughts for Little People

Years ago, I began reading Big Thoughts for Little People to each of my children during their sweet toddler years. My first toddler is now a booming pre-teen boy, but his ears still perk and he often finds a way to sneak over to listen as I begin reading this treasure to his littlest sister. This new edition from Tyndale House is even more endearing than before.

Each devotion begins with a short poem beginning with a letter from the alphabet. The poems highlight what the lesson is teaching, such as "Q is for quarrel. Each wants the first turn. But waiting for others is not hard to learn." Following the poem is a discussion paragraph for the picture that goes with the lesson. Lessons are on the left page, while a cheery, beautiful painting is on the right for the child to examine. Each picture is filled with children, animals, and toys playing nicely (or not so nicely) together. The scenes are discussed and explained and children are prompted to think about what's going on, to examine how things happen in their lives, and to consider solutions. And finally, a very fitting scripture verse is shared.

Big Thoughts for Little People is a sweet, effective tool for looking at God's Word and teaching children how to apply it. Written for children aged 3-7, I've yet to meet a two year old who didn't love cuddling up with this book and, as I said, even my 12 year old can't seem to stay away. It is a treasure I will be holding on to and sharing with my grandchildren some day.

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc has been so kind as to donate a copy of Big Thoughts for Little People by Kenneth N. Taylor to one of my readers! To enter your name in the drawing, all you need to do is leave a comment. Next Monday, my random number generator (Ethan) will choose a number - that commenter will be our winner. I will notify you on Tuesday through your blog or through your email if you win.

*If you could share a title of your favorite devotional to use with kids (of any ages) I would LOVE to see more ideas!

Tallest of Smalls

Another hit by Max Lucado. My children have loved reading Max Lucado's children's books through the years, snuggled up on the couch together. There have been many times that the children sat patiently waiting for mommy to stop crying before continuing on to the next page. His books have such beautiful messages. Some have such poignant meanings hidden just beneath the surface that make it nearly impossible not to shed at least a tear or two though they always end with a satisfied sigh. Others have such whimsical, gentle messages that leave you smiling. We've enjoyed them all.

The Tallest of Smalls falls in the latter category. It carries a similar message to the Wemmicks books and is an excellent reminder to rejoice that we are who we are....exactly as God made us to be. This is especially touching for anyone stuck in the rut of comparing themselves to others or feeling looked down on by the "in crowd". The book has a lyrical prose with a perfect cadence (I'm a stickler for rhythm) and colorful, delightful illustrations.

The Tallest of Smalls is written by Max Lucado for ages 4-7 and would make a beautiful Christmas gift for any child who has ever wondered about "fitting in".

*This book was given as a complimentary copy to Mama Buzz and reviewers, for blog tour purposes.*

Bunches o' books

I haven't given up on the 52 books thing, I'm just sadly behind on sharing my stuff.

I think this is all of it:

Scarlet Pimpernel
(A+)
We listened to this in the car while driving to play practice all summer long. The kids were enthralled and we sat in the driveway many evenings to listen 'just a little longer'. I can't believe I went so long without reading this story. It was fantastic and I'm now madly in love with Sir Percy Blakeney. Spies, danger, intrigue, romance, and daring escapes.....the book is perfect. The romance reached over the top when Sir Percy crawled and wept over the ground where his wife had walked away. I believe he even kissed the ground if I remember correctly. At this point, my 12 year old son raised his terrified eyebrows and looked at me as if to ask "People do this?!?" I assured him he would not be expected to kiss anyone's footprints .





Princess Bride
(A-)
I have watched the movie a thousand times but had never read the book. It was marvelous. So much fun! I was amazed how similar the book and movie are. So often the movie changes so many things. In this case, many of the lines in the movie were plucked word for word from the book. Some things were left out of the movie, understandably, making this even more fun to read.

The author, while talented, is a pig. Or, rather, he pretends to be one. He speaks unkindly about his wife and son, but the truth is he doesn't have a son. He has a wife (not the one mentioned in the book) and two daughters. The preface is as fictitious as the book. Clever stuff.





Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
(B)
I just don't know what to say here. There are so many places that had me laughing out loud at the subtle adjustments to the P&P text. Others had me cringing at the gore. At one point, Elizabeth strangled a man with his own intestines. More cringe-worthy was the different personality attributed to Elizabeth. She's a hard cookie in this book. At one point she is asked to show mercy; her reply is that God has not, so why should she? Truly, a different character than the original.

Blue Umbrella
(B-)
Review found here.





Guys Are Waffles, Girls are Spaghetti

(A)
Review found here.




Redefining Beautiful
(A+)
Review found here. (though I still need to finish reading this before I can officially call it read in 2009.





An Apple For Eve
(A+)
Wow. Anything by Kathleen Norris leaves me reeling. She has a way with words and emotions. Her descriptive powers are untouchable. When she describes a hot drive in the car in the middle of August, I find myself sweltering, though it is 40 degrees outside. She leaves me parched and there is actual relief when she mentions a stop at a roadside cafe for a refreshing glass of grapefruit juice clinking in a glass of ice. Like her other books, the story line is complicated. I'm a happy ending kind of gal, to the core, but these books are ambiguous. Kathleen Norris forces you to look at other sides of a coin. She can convince you to desire the characters to do something you personally would not morally choose. Then, she will swing back and not let you have it. The beauty of home and family is upheld and almost worshiped but it isn't a feel good road to getting there.

The cover shown is not the book I read. It was written in 1942 and I picked up a set at a library sale years ago. I'm amazed there aren't more updated printings.





You Can't Have Everything
(B)
Classic Kathleen Norris. Not my favorite of hers, but good all the same. The versions shown in the picture are the same as my copies.





Boo
(B)
Fun stuff. Lighthearted read, perfect for October. The story is of a horror author who converts to Christianity, upsetting the town which has thrived on his un-Christian persona. The town conspires to turn him away from his faith....or at least lukewarm to avoid losing their tourist industry.

Teach Yourself Visually: Sock Knitting
(B)
I read this early in the summer, but realized it never made the list. I finished one sock. Only one. It is so ugly that I know I will never wear the pair if I were to finish it. I plan to unravel the sock and make start all over. However, it's not awful and I feel much more confident about the whole business. I still had to refer to my online friends for a heel emergency and to YouTube for a tutorial on ribbing. But I'm slow that way. I think most people could probably learn well just from the book.

I'm at book #40 according to this list, but it seems as if there is more. I need to have my library list printed so I can double check. When I started this, I didn't know how it would be possible to read a book a week. I was surprised to see it fall together easily enough. Before the challenge, it was still my habit to have a few books going at once, but I just as easily fell out of the habit when busy times came and could go weeks without touching a book for pleasure. Knowing I had a challenge to keep up with kept the books on my schedule. To some, this might sound silly...taking time out for a book when there is too much to do already. But when I'm overwhelmed, I make time for a hot bath and a good book. Most of my reading is done in the tub. A hot bath with Epsom salts is good for detoxifying the system. Great detox, great relaxation, and great books = healthier mama. This is a habit I'll keep for next year.

I'm so happy, I could cry

Pepsi Throwback

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Rattlesnake Rules

We were given the book Rattlesnake Rules to review this past week. After seeing how mesmerized the kids were in the Snake House at the Zoo, I thought it might be a good idea to stop avoiding the topic and projecting my fears onto my children. The fun illustrations made it a non-scary read for me. The colors were vibrant and glossy and we all enjoyed the pictures. The boys were able to easily read it themselves and both said they learned something they hadn't heard before. I know that I learned new things, but this didn't surprise me since I had avoided the topic of snakes like the plague.

It was a good balance of informative and fun, written primarily in rhyme. However, the rhythm was not consistent, which takes the fun out of reading a poem. Otherwise, we enjoyed it. I appreciated the Myth vs. Fact section at the back of the book as well as the teaching ideas section to assist teachers and homeschooling parents with extra study on the topic.

The book is written by Conrad J. Storad, who has written several fun learning books. He did an incredible job of taking something commonly feared and teaching a healthy respect for a fascinating creature. It is published by Five Star Publications. Five Star's website contains several goodies worth checking out.


This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Five Star Publications for this review.