book review – Page 3

Romeo and Juliet – A Shakespeare Children’s Story: A Net Galley Review

July 30, 2019 Grace-Filled Writer

Confession: I’m an English teacher and I do not like Shakespeare’s plays.

I honestly don’t even know if that is legal. I fondly remember my high school English teacher dramatically portraying Shakespeare. I happily enjoyed both Honors Sophomore English and AP English my senior year with Mrs. Moore. As much as I loved her and her class, I never loved Shakespeare’s plays. Still, I acknowledge his immense importance to the furtherance of language and literature so I want my children to be familiar with his plays. So I look to wonderful resources like Romeo and Juliet: A Shakespeare Children’s Story by Sweet Cherry Publishing for their first experience.

Image result for shakespeare for children romeo and juliet

Now if you remember the story of Shakespeare, you may not find any of it fit for young children as is! I certainly did not. However, Sweet Cherry Publishing has done an admirable work in crafting a kid-friendly version that is both entertaining and true to the text while leaving out some of the more sordid and explicit details.

One thing I greatly enjoyed was the line sketches throughout. They were darling, yet not too child-like. I liked that they were black and white sketches so they both added to the storytelling without distracting the reader so much they lost track of the story.

I also liked the reading level which it is geared towards. Very young readers can be introduced to the stories of Shakespeare in a way that is appropriate and gentle. This is such an excellent first-experience for anyone! And I’ll let you in on a secret…if I had read stories like these first, I may not have disliked Shakespeare so much!
Disclaimer: I was given this title through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Healing Every Day: A Review of Mary DeMuth’s New Book

May 15, 2019 Grace-Filled Writer

It was April. I was 24-year-old newlywed (married just under 2 years) when we joyfully celebrated expecting our first little baby. Just two short months later we mourned the loss of this little one. Not only that, it was determined I had carried this baby for over a month after the miscarriage occurred without realizing it because my body did not react as expected. This was the first really devastating blow in my life. Other pain had happened, but nothing as deep as this. Since then I’ve experienced other pain and heartache and I’ve grown closer to the Lord in the process. I’ve read some books on pain and seeking the Lord, but many were difficult to digest and hard to get through for me. If you are looking for a bite-sized guide to healing through emotional pain, Mary DeMuth’s new title, Healing Every Day, is worth a read. I highly recommend everything about it.

It is worth noting that Mary speaks from experience. While many may have wise words on healing, she speak as one who has walked a broken path and yearns to share what the Lord has and still is teaching her through the process. You can read more about her story here. The pain I walked with was from a very different source, but the Source of my healing is the same as hers, Jesus Christ. Every page of this 90-day-devotional points the reader back to Jesus and reminds us of His healing and redemptive power. That is the first thing I look for when I read a book by a Christian author and Mary does not disappoint.

I appreciate her expository teaching from both the Old and New Testaments. Not once have I read verses taken out of context or meaning changed to fit the narrative. Rather, Mary seeks Scripture and teaches her readers truth directly from its pages. The devotionals are sequenced in order through the Scripture so you see the Lord as Healer throughout.

Fear is an unavoidable side effect of the painful experiences of our lives. Sometimes fear overwhelmed me, especially the next 3 times I was expecting. Each of those pregnancies went to full term, and I have 3 beautiful daughters ages 13, 11, and 9. I falsely assumed that with each pregnancy the fear of miscarriage would lessen. Instead it became worse. I think is because while I accepted God’s sovereignty, I didn’t realize I still had deep emotional wounds I had not worked through yet. A daily journey with the Lord such as this one would have been an incredible help for me and even now as I read through it I am experiencing emotional healing from more recent difficulties.

Whether you have experienced loss, abuse, a chronic diagnosis, abandonment, or so much more the words in these pages will help you find healing. You will not learn how to push through the pain. You will not learn to be strong. You will not find a to-do checklist that promises a magical way forward. No, you will rather find something so much better: Healing through intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of Healing Every Day as a part of the launch team for this title. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Wanted: A Superhero to Save the World: A Bryan Davis Novel Review

March 9, 2019 Grace-Filled Writer

Last spring we attended our state’s homeschool convention and I met some wonderful publishers and authors! One of those authors was Bryan Davis. I was already familiar with Davis’ writing because he hosted a writers conference for homeschoolers at our church several years back. My kids were pretty young then and I don’t think they were even school age yet, but this author who took the time to teach and mentor young aspiring authors was suddenly on my radar! He is already well known for his fantasy series including Dragons in our Midst, Oracles of Fire and many others.

In Wanted: A Superhero to Save the World the reader is transported into the mind of Eddie Hertz, a 12-year-old inventor. Eddie may not be very big, but he is brilliant and has created a wide range of gadgets to help him fight against evil in his city. The city may already have a hero, but he is certain there is enough evil for him to join in the fight! Eddie’s younger sister also joins his team and helps him along the way in this fun, edge-of-your-seat novel.

My daughter, Rose, is 13 and devoured this book! She is an avid reader anyway, but has very discerning taste when it comes to fiction. She asked me if there were more novels by the author she could read, a sure sign it is a winner!

Personally, I love several things about this artfully crafted novel. The idea that kids can be used in a mighty way is very biblical. The Scriptures are full of young boys and girls who did great things. We teach our children truth from Scripture, but I want their entertainment to reflect these truths as well. This novel in particular values heroic attributes which are echos of Scripture.

In addition to reminding kids they can do great things, there are also themes of forgiveness, hope, family togetherness, and good vs. evil. Super heroes and villains are very popular right now in our culture. I’m beyond thrilled to give my girls the chance to read a story that is just as wholesome as it is inspiring. I highly recommend this to your entire family!

Disclaimer: I was given this book by the author, Bryan Davis, in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

The Seven Deadly Friendships by Mary DeMuth: A Book Launch Review

October 31, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a friendship where something seemed off? Maybe you felt like you were always walking on egg-shells. Maybe you braced yourself for the sales-pitch that you knew was coming. Maybe you always feel inadequate or unhappy after spending time with the individual. Our world is full of relationships and sometimes those relationships are unhealthy.

Seven Deadly Friendships by Mary DeMuth is the first book I’ve ever read that deals head-on with a variety of unhealthy personalities as they relate to friendships. By the end of this book you will be able to identify toxic friendships in your life and know what to do about them. We can be so afraid of repercussions that we remain in close friendships we shouldn’t have any part of. Other times there are relationships we cannot avoid for whatever reason, but if you can identify exactly what is going on you can be prepared and know how best to preserve yourself and others around you.

The best part of this book is that it is steeped in God’s Word. I love that the author’s goal is to help readers heal from hurt without allowing any bitterness to remain. Satan’s goal is to steal your joy and destroy your healthy relationships. This book will help you see where things are wrong, but will also give you the tools to move forward in a healthy, God-filled way!

Here is a sneak-peak at the people you will meet in the book. The tricky part is identifying which individuals are in your life because you need to deal with the different characters in different ways. I also think it is healthy to assess your own heart and make sure you are not slipping towards any one of these identities. We don’t like to see ourselves as the problem causers, but if we as Christians took more time to invest in allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us, He could use us more fully and we may find the relationships around us becoming healthier!

As I read this book I realized the Lord has been teaching me much of this over the previous year about relationships and I personally used this book in a different manner. I quickly was able to identify some of these individuals in my own life. As I read I looked for ways to pray for them. Sometimes we need to remove ourselves from relationships with toxic individuals, but what if that is not fully possible? We should recognize the role of prayer in these relationships. As I read I made a private list of ways to pray for specific people. Although there are times when friendships need to end, none of the relationships I was evaluating were at that point.

I encourage you to go take this fantastic quiz and see if you may be in one of The Seven Deadly Friendships! Then grab the book and learn the right way to move forward!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review. I was note required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own

Forensic Faith for Kids from David C Cook and Case Makers Academy: A TOS Crew Review

October 1, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Our kids are under attack. The enemy desperately wants to sway them to his side despite our efforts to diligently train them in Scripture. While it is important to remember that each child will make their own personal choice to follow the Lord or not, we must not neglect the ever important work imparted to us as parents and leaders of children in ministry. The next generation is as different from ours as ours was from our parents. The truth of Scripture never changes, but our methods and modes should reach the culture where they are. We were excited to review Forensic Faith for Kids from David C Cook and Case Makers Academy, a fantastic tool which will help kids learn how to investigate their faith just like a detective investigates a case.

The structure of this book would make it a great tool for a small group Bible study for kids or for your own family’s Bible study time. While it is geared towards kids in the title, I think this is a valuable tool for any age wanting to deepen the apologetics of their faith. It is simply and clearly written so no matter your age you will gain extensive amounts of understanding. We enjoyed reading this aloud together and then having a good discussion.

The word apologetics can really make some people nervous. I can assure you that you don’t need to be! The way this is presented as a case will give your kids the tools they need to effectively share their faith. We have several friends in our life who do not know, or even want to know, the Lord as their Savior. Some aren’t certain if God even exists and it can be hard to know how to talk to them about our faith. The practical options presented in these pages clearly guides children and adults to know how to share and defend their faith! The story-like presentation makes the book approachable and I think one of the best ways I’ve ever seen of teaching kids how to share their faith.
The presented story is engaging! Sometimes when I’ve read what were meant to be instructional Bible material for kids which was written as a story it honestly came off as just sort of cheesy and forced. The writing of this book is anything but that. We all thought it was fun and engaging and were excited to hear what was going to happen next. Combining excellent storytelling with biblical truth which instructs my daughters faith makes this book at the top of my recommendation list!

In addition to this awesome book there are excellent online resources you can utilize! Each chapter has a video segment to be viewed, a training activity sheet and academy notebook sheet to be used by students to remember and practice what they read, and an adult leader guide to help you in teaching your kids or students at church. I discovered there are also adult versions of this book and others by the author which I’m very interested in checking out!
I was so pleased with this title I’m planning to get the other two in the series. Giving kids the knowledge of Scripture is wonderful, but it must only be the beginning. Using Forensic Faith for Kids we will be giving them the tools they need to practically live out and share their faith.

Check out what my Crewmates have to say!

Who Was Jonah? & Who Was Mary, Mother of Jesus? from the Kingdom Files series by Barbour Publishing: A TOS Crew Review

September 10, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

For the last year or so I have included reading a chapter from a biography every day as a part of my daughter’s schooling. They have the chance to choose any person they want and read an age-appropriate biography of that individual. They have had the opportunity to read about a wide range of individuals. Since most of these have been from more recent history, Beth and Grace were both excited to get to read 2 books from the Kingdom Files series: Who Was Jonah? and
Who Was Mary, Mother of Jesus? from Barbour Publishing.

Kingdome Files Who Was Mary Mother of Jesus

Biblical biographies are a lovely way to continue our historical study of Scripture. Materials like these are an excellent way to reinforce our worldview that Scripture is 100% historical. These fantastic little biographies are quite engaging! They are structured in a modern way and are written so that even early readers could enjoy them. As long as your students can handle small chapter books, they can read these on their own. If they are not quite there yet, or you would like to engage with these titles as a family, they would also make very nice read aloud selections.

These two read through the books in less than a week! Even though I only assigned one chapter a day, they eagerly read much faster. They also decided to take a chance to read each other’s books.

The books are illustrated beautifully inside and out. The color cover invites the reader to dig in and learn more. Within the pages are beautiful drawings which feel like sketches. The pages art structured like a notebook “clipped” notes which are shadowed to give a 3D appearance.

As far as the information, it is historically accurate and completely compatible with Scripture. I love knowing I can send my girls off to read material which will supplement and never contradict God’s Word. That is a rare find in children’s literature and it is important to know a company is trustworthy. Barbour Publishing has proved themselves to be a trustworthy resource in our household time and time again.

My favorite part is the “Power File” section towards the end of the book. This creates greater substance beyond just the facts. We are a family who wants to study God’s Word as a historical text, but also as the living, active Word of the Lord. It should and does teach us if we are willing. There are 10 life application lessons directly written to kids so they see that God’s Word is for them too! This is such an awesome feature.

Seeing my girls snuggled up reading is one of the greatest blessings of homeschooling. They get great pleasure reading and learning from what they read. Including biographies in our daily structure. These are great resources for your family to start the habit as well!

The best news is, these are not the only books in the series! Take a look at all these great titles available in the
Kingdom Files series…

WOW! Check out what my Crewmates have to say!

The Oprhan’s Wish: A BookLook Blogger Review

July 11, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Melanie Dickerson has done it again! I completely adored this adaptation of Aladdin from page one. Dickerson’s fairy tale renderings to justice to our love for the classics while removing the mystical instead replacing it with characters who develop and grow in their faith. Aladdin, a young orphan, is rescued from a life of forced crime in the Holy Land and raised by a kind man of God who offers him a new opportunity. Once in Germany, Aladdin finds new purpose in life and discovers his many talents. As this favored young boy grows, so does his friendship with Lady Kirstyn. Intrigue, peril, and mystery flow throughout this tale and will leave you captivated from start to finish!

I love that Aladdin was the central figure for this tale. Lady Kirstyn is definitely important, but the shift to telling his story at the start is perfect for our times. We sadly live in a world where human trafficking is a common practice and children around the world are stuck in situations not of their choosing. This novel, although taking place in the 1400s, reminded me of the need to pray and support those who are rescuing these children.

One of the things I adore about this author’s writings is I never feel as if she is trying to teach me a biblical message, yet I’m always left with that. She is a masterful storyteller and if you have not yet read her other fairy tale adaptations you need to do so! They are excellent summer reading. Make sure you have plenty of blocked time to read. You won’t want to put it down!

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

Gospel Reset: A New Book Review Crew at NLPG review

June 7, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Have you noticed that our society has changed rapidly? It seems that almost daily something new an different is the trend and it is hard to keep up. One thing that never changes is the truth of God’s Word. Paul talks about reaching others for Christ by determining how to relate to those around him in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Romans 12:2 then guides us to remember to be conformed to God’s will rather than the world’s. The pairing of these two ideas is the theme behind Ken Ham‘s new book from New Leaf Publishing Group, Gospel Reset: Salvation Made Relevant.

Ham does an excellent job of outlining the reason for a change in how we take the gospel to our culture. In all honesty, reaching the lost has become a bit of a cross-cultural experience for those of us who grew up in solidly Christian homes. Where as the generation before me had a basic understanding of and respect for the Bible, my generation generally does not.

The most insightful moments of how the culture has changed were the percentage graphs broken up by age. One of the reasons this really hit me was that the small congregation my husband pastors is generally older and we are often trying to answer the question why there aren’t more young people in the church. These graphics give a clear, visual understanding as to the shift in culture based on generational breakdowns.

The conclusion is that we must reset our thinking and presentation of the gospel in order to meet the masses where they are, a place of very little knowledge or understanding of the God of the Bible. I think the greatest benefit of this book is opening the eyes of the generations who continue to lament the overall social change of the American landscape, but still assume the average person has a basic working knowledge of the Bible. This is simply not true. My one disappointment was that there was only one chapter dedicated to how to do this now. The information presented in this chapter was excellent and I agreed 100%, I would just like to have had more.

I personally think this is an excellent tool for anyone within an aging congregation. The first step to fixing any problem is fully understanding the problem. The significant problem now is not knowing how to effectively share the gospel to a generation who has no working knowledge of the Bible. We need to know the Word of God so we can share it with the world!

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the New Book Review Crew at NLPG in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

NIV Kids’ Visual Study Bible: A BookLook Blogger Review!

June 7, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

I love all the new resource Bibles now available for kids! I had a Precious Moments Bible when I was a kid and a Teen Adventure Bible when I was in middle school/high school. Do you remember those? One of my favorite parts of those Bibles was the “extra” features. There were little tidbits that let you dig deeper into various parts of Scripture. There were also beautiful pictures I very much enjoyed just looking at over and over again. The key with a resource Bible it to give kids the desire to dive in on their own. This is exactly what the NIV Kids’ Visual Study Bible does.

One look at the cover and my kids were ready to dive into the pages. They are very busy pages for sure. This is not a bad thing, but if your child is easily distracted or needs a simpler reading experience, keep this in mind. My girls really enjoyed finding out the history. I did note, however that in Sunday School they would often forget to listen to the teacher (Sometimes me, sometimes not) because they were reading all the extras. Again, it’s just good to know if this would best suit your home environment or church.

The one thing I do not prefer is that it seems to be only available in the NIV. I’m not anti different translations, and I do know this is one of the easier to read versions for younger kids, but we do all of our studying out of a different translation. It is nice to keep things consistent through AWANA and school as much as possible. NIV is not mine or my husband’s preferred version for a few reasons, but this is the only version option. I would like to see this and other Bibles provide at least a few translation options. I realize there is a cost factor to it, but I do think your audience is limited when you provide a beautiful resource Bible like this but only use one specific translation. The side elements should still relate and be the same as cultural and historical facts won’t change from one translation to the next.

Overall my kids loved this and I do recommend it as a great resource for studying more in depth about life and times of the Bible.

The Berenstain Bears Bless Our Gramps and Gran: A BookLook Blogger Review!

June 7, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

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Grace is in 2nd grade and has always loved the Bearenstain Bears! Every time we have a chance to read a new title she jumps at the chance. In fact she has a collection at both our house and my parent’s house.

This sweet little title, The Berenstain Bears Bless Our Gramps and Gran, is perfect for our girls. They are very close to both sets of their grandparents. The basic premise of the story is the three bear cubs working together alongside their parents to celebrate their Gramps and Gran. They want to give them a memorable Grandparents Day and put a lot of love and effort into the preparations so their grandparents feel just how appreciated they really are. This is an excellent way to introduce Grandparent’s Day as a holiday and plan your own celebration of family with your kids!

So many extended families are struggling with relationship problems. Family gatherings are full of tension and pain and very real hurt. Our family isn’t perfect. We have tension and conflict, but in the end we do what we can to keep our relationships in tact, and that makes us more than a little bit unique. Having precious children’s book that depicts healthy relationships is so wonderful and needed. Children need to see a happy family depicted so they can see it is possible.

I love the family friendly and sweet values consistently portrayed in this series. The family attends church and Sunday School and problems are dealt with in a healthy manner. I’m never disappointed when I hand a title to my Bear-loving 8-year-old. You will love it too!