The King's Christmas List

Teaching a child to give to others when it actually costs them is often hard to do. The King's Christmas List, by Eldon Johnson, is an excellent book that teaches children how to give to Jesus in a fun, imaginative, easy to understand way. The story is about a little girl, Emma, and her dog who are invited to the King's birthday party. She selects a gift to take, but on her way to the party Emma ends up giving that gift to someone in need as well as two of her own personal belongings. After arriving at the party she discovers that she did indeed give gifts to the King by giving to others who were in need (Matthew 25:40).

My three children and I enjoyed reading this story before bedtime tonight. As the Christmas season approaches this is a book that we will read over and over. I especially like how the story ended. The last two statements challenge the reader to continue the story in their own lives. When you turn the page you are directed to a website that gives a lot of ideas on how to help people in need. A wonderful story line and beautiful illustrations makes this book a "keeper" in our house. I received a free copy of this book from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Boy Who Changed the World

I have three children, so I am always excited to get new children's books to read. The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews was not only a fun book to read, but taught a wonderful lesson as well. Mr. Andrews based this children's book on another book that he has written for adults titled The Butterfly Effect. In this book, The Boy Who Changed the World, Mr. Andrews tells a story about four different men whose lives are intertwined by the decisions they make. These decisions effected the lives of more than 2 billion people. Mr. Andrews also reminds his audience that God created us to make a difference. Every decision we make whether good or bad will make a difference and can change the world.

I loved this book and the lesson it taught. The illustrations by Philip Hurst are great and cover most of each page. The size and hard cover make it easy to hold without being awkward. The only problem I had was that it was too hard for my three children to follow. My 7 year old really listened and tried to understand, but it was just too hard for him to keep the different men straight. I had to go back and try to help him figure it out. My 5 year old and 2 year old just love to be read to so they enjoyed it even though they weren't able to understand. All 3 children enjoyed the illustrations. This is a book that I will just put away for a couple of years and pull back out when they are a little bit older. I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Booksneeze blogger program. All opinions are my own.

One Hand, Two hands

One Hand, Two Hands by Max Lucado is an absolutely delightful book! Written in verse form this book describes all that you can do with your hands. From everyday activities such as tying your shoe to helping mommy wash dishes, this book shows how God can use your hands in many ways. At the end of the book there is a page that gives ideas of other ways you can use your hands.

This is a perfect book for preschool age children. It has a wonderful message, and the illustrations by Gaby Hansen are fun, bright, and adorable. The pictures themselves tell a beautiful story. I read it to my girls, ages two and five, and they loved it. This is a book that we will be reading over and over. I'm sure it won't take long and they will be "reading" the book to me. One Hand, Two Hands is a book that will make a wonderful gift. I won't be giving my copy away, but I will certainly be willing to buy other copies to give as gifts. This is a book that will not disappoint. I highly recommend it. Thank you to Thomas Nelson publishers for sending me a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.