Five Wonderful Picture Books From Different Authors

 Trying to read down books on my Kindle. I decided I would start with several of the picture books I have purchased. Sit back and enjoy them.

Source:  I purchased all of these books   Genre:  Children's Picture Books

Tree Full of Wonder by Anna Smithers

I really loved this book. I grew up on a farm and outside my bedroom window was a giant maple tree. I loved the shade it provided, the colors that came in the fall. This book shows the connections we have with trees and all the things we need them for. The pictures are beautiful.  The end of the book has a section with pictures of different types of trees and asks you to find them in the book. Then there is a page that tells what we use trees for.

Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner

This is a wonderful picture books that takes the reader on a journey to a pond. While a mother and her young son row across the top of the pond, the young boy learns about animals and insects that live both above and below the water. The reader learns the connections both have to the other. There is an author’s note at the back that tells more about these systems. There is also a page that tells the reader about four animals listed in the book.

Unspoken: Communicating Beyond Words by Cara Cusack

This book is beautiful in illustrations and in the message it conveys. We read the stories of children who do not speak verbally. Each one of them speak in their own manner, whether it is through music,  dance, artwork. They are able to communicate with the world in such a beautiful manner, showing us that we are all different and we can all communicate given what we have.

Inside the Pencil Box by Avni Saxena

I really loved this story. It is the story of how the pencil got an eraser on its end. ; This author's imagination is wonderful. She created a pencil box that had two kingdoms living in it. One was the kingdom of pencils the other was the kingdom of erasers. Each thought the other was better. It wasn't until they set out to prove it and ruined Emma's homework that they realized they were both wrong.  The solution to the problem was an imaginative genius.  I absolutely loved this book. I would definitely read more by this author.

Overcomers by Joy Ohagwu

What a wonderful book of faith. When Claudia is approached by a man who tells her if she is a woman he will kill her, she takes off running. Running away isn't enough. She prays for God to protect and hide her. She then races to warn everyone she sees. As she nears home she sees her sister running toward danger. Once she catches up to her sister she sees how much faith her younger sister has.  They both pray for the safety of their friends and family members while danger passes them by. This is a wonderful book complete with scripture that  tells us why we should not be afraid.  I will recommend this to everyone I see as well as check out any other books by this author.

Four Wonderful Children's Christmas Books

 I should have gotten these reviews out earlier. However, I know that the weeks before Christmas break are full of testing at school so this year it didn't happen. However, these books would be a beautiful way to begin your holiday celebrating next Christmas with your little ones. Sit back and see what  can be in store for them.

The Nativity Story Advent Calendar for Toddlers and Kids by MamTalk

A wonderful book for children ages 3-5.  It not only tells the story of the birth of Jesus, but also is full of activities that children and families can do each day leading up to Christmas day. It teaches children about gratitude and the true gift of giving of themselves. As you read it also prepares children to put on a play about the meaning of Christmas and also has masks to cut out to help with the play. This is another wonderful book from MamTalk

Nativity Story Directly from the Bible: The Birth of Jesus Christmas Book for Toddlers, Kids, Preschoolers, Little Boys and Girls

Let me start by saying that the pictures are absolutely gorgeous. I love that it is not only a retelling of the birth of Christ, but done in scripture that kids can undestand. This is the kind of story that as a child would entice me as I got older to read the story from the Bible on my own. One of a few children's books I have seen that give the actual scripture reference to children.

The Nativity: A Bible Study Book for Young Scripture Explorers by Pure Lily Press

I enjoyed this book immensely. Growing up, Every Christmas Eve started with the reading of the story from the Bible. I remember being bored when I was only 5 or 6 because I didn't really understand the story read straight from the Bible. As I got older it made sense.  This book would have been perfect. You have the top of each page straight from the scripture for older children and then the bottom of the page is a condensed  version of it complete with scripture reference for the much younger child. Just a piece of personal info, I did carry that tradition on with my own children and have had the pleasure of watching my daughter carry this on with her children. Books like these are so important and this                                                 is one of the best I have seen.

The Nativity Book by Faithful Pages Press

Another beautiful retelling of the Christmas story. In this book for children 3-8 we have the beautiful retelling of the birth of Christ. At the bottom of the pages the scripture reference. I guess the reason I really like the picture books with the scripture reference is because we can sit with our youngest and show them where we find it in our Bible. This introduces them to one of the most important books around. The pictures are simple, yet beautiful. This is another wonderful book I will recommend to parents and grandparents everywhere.

Student Saturday: The House With Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson

Student Reviewer: Jillianna H.

Genre: Middle Grade, Traditional, Fantasy

  Marinka is a red haired girl who is also what is called a yaga. A yaga is someone who is in charge of guiding the dead through The Gate. She lives with her grandma, named Baba, who is also yaga and has been raising Marinka since she was a baby. Marinka's house has chicken legs and moves to a different spot about three times a year. The house does this so that Marinka and Baba can guide the dead.  

   As a baby Marinka used to love playing with her house and helping her grandma guide the dead. But as she gets older, she realizes that she doesn’t want to be yaga or guide the dead. Marinka does everything to try to change her fate of being yaga. She tries to make human friends, which wasn’t allowed, and she even tries to make a ghost friend. All of these events lead to trouble, either for her, Baba, her friends or the house. She ends up having to make a big decision that would risk her life but maybe save another. During this I wasn’t sure whether to think she was being selfish or making the right decision for herself and her future. This is because she wants to do it because she doesn’t want to be a Yaga or guide the dead. There are a ton of risks if she decides to go through with it, and she gets told all of these risks by another yaga but doesn’t mind them and is only thinking about what would be best for her.

  I found this book very entertaining and would recommend this book to everyone who likes stories that have unexpected endings. The book definitely surprised me and kept me on my toes.