Kid’s corner

One of the benefits of getting books from publishers and authors to review is that I often get my hands on some really good children’s books! Most of them tell stories from the Bible, or about faithful Christians, all designed to point children from an early age to see the goodness of the gospel and how great Jesus is. I’d like to highlight a few more for you today. Some of the following books are for wee wee ones aged 2-4, some are for older children 9-11 and I’ve even thrown in a family devotional for you for good measure.

I see Jesus by Nancy Guthrie

This book is great! Often children’s books can be simple and also a bit simplistic, not every author manages to walk the line between simple and deep theology well, but Nancy knocks this one out of the park! In this little book, that is beautifully illustrated, the little reader will be taken to some of the big moments and people in the Old Testament and how you can see shadows of Jesus on every page. For wee ones (aged 3) this would be great to read to them and the illustrations are exited and they really draw you in. For slightly older ones this would be a great conversation starter to help them see that Jesus really is all over the Bible and not just in the New Testament. If I had a child, this would be one of the books I’d be sure to have on the shelf.

If I were a tiger by Caroline Coleman

This little book for ages 3-7 year olds is about a little boy names Tim Bone. Tim is afraid of everything and you’re introduced to his fears on each page (many of the fears children struggle with in real life. He think “If I were a tiger I wouldn’t be afraid” and explains some of the reasons for that, but then realises all the problems that would come from being a tiger so instead he turns to prayer and remembers God. this is a nice little book with exciting illustrations that are fast paced and end with the focus on God and His care for His children.

Helen Roseveare by Laura Caputo-Wickham

This little book for 4-7 year olds tells the story of Helen Roseveare who at the age of 8 decided that she wanted to be a missionary. After training to be a doctor and going through Bible college she was sent to the Belgian Congo (as it was known in 1953) as a doctor missionary. This book tells the story of God’s provision and comfort that God’s Word “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) brought to Helen in difficult times, in imprisonment and when she needed encouragement at university. Who knows, your wee one might just decide that they too want to tell other boys and girls about Jesus abroad one day.

The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism by Green, Nezamutdinov and Preston

I am a big fan of books that teach glorious theology so it’s no surprise that I love children’s books that do the same. The Westminster Shorter Catechism has served the global church tremendously well over many years, thousands upon thousands of children and adults have learned the truth of Scripture by memorising and thinking about the catechism. So I was very excited to see an illustrated copy for children, and parents, to enjoy. Split into four sections (Our faith, God’s Law, the means of grace and the Lord’s Prayer) this book walks through the questions and answer format of the catechism to help the whole family see the wonders of the gospel and the beauty of God and His Word. Each page is illustrated really well and at the back of the book is a brief glossary of practices and concepts used in the book and Scripture references for the simplified catechism. I’d love it if every family had a copy of this and the church got back into the rhythm of using the catechism.

The friend who forgives family Bible devotional by Katy Morgan

The glorious truth that Jesus is a friend who forgives should be one of the most important things we want to teach children and what better story to follow to do that than the story of Peter. Peter messed up time and time again and yet Jesus continues to forgive him. It’s easy enough to understand on the surface, but well worth while diving deeper into the story as a family and thinking about the implications of that more.

In each devotional session you’ll find an opening prayer, a question to start, a Bible passage, two questions about the text, a wee explanation, a few more questions and a wee idea to help you pray as a family. There are also wee activities dotted throughout the book that will engage all the children and some questions aimed at those who are maybe a bit older. This would be a great wee book to add to a family devotional time and Catalina Echeverri’s illustrations are always top notch!

God’s Attributes by Jill Nelson

This is a book designed for the whole family to read which will introduce your children to some glorious theology about the attributes of God. Each chapter has an explanation of a particular attribute of God and where we find it in the Bible, followed by some application questions that take you to different parts of the Bible and short activities to help the whole family understand the impact an attribute of God should have on our daily lives. I would say that this is for more older children as the chapters are a bit more ‘wordy’ than other devotionals. I think it definitely has its place, but probably for those from 10 years old onwards.

Olaudah Equiano; A Man of Many Names by Emily Maurits

This book designed for 8-14 year olds (depending on their reading abilities) tells the story of Oluadah Equiano a man who was kidnapped from his home in Nigeria at the age of 11, with his sister, and sold into slavery. The tale that follows is a devastating one, a boy who loses his family, his name and all that he knew. But it ends with a man who is saved by Jesus, who is used mightily to share the gospel and fight against the slave trade. This is an exciting book that I think many 11-113 year olds would enjoy reading by themselves. I certainly enjoyed it and I’m just a little bit older than that 😉

Thomas Cranmer; The King’s Ambassador by David Luckman

I find church history unbelievably interesting, call me a geek if you must. The history of the church is full of tales of men and women who served the Lord and did wonderful things for Him. This book focuses on Thomas Cranmer, a major figure in the church history of the United Kingdom, specifically England (although his influence isn’t restricted to England). This little book tells some of his story, focusing more on his stand for reformational thinking and against the catholic view of mass. It speaks of how Cranmer found comfort in the Lord and the gospel right until his death (he was burned at the sake in Oxford, 1556). If you know children interested in history, in stories of excitement and tragedy, I think they’d love this!

*** I received a copy of these books from the publishers in exchange for honest reviews. This does not change the way I rate the books. My views are my own. ***