Monday, August 24, 2015

Book Review - I Can Read! Double Trouble

Double Trouble by Dandi Daley Mackall might grab your attention because of the cute horse on the cover.  This I Can Read book published by Zonderkidz has an important message about the truth and taking responsibilities for your actions.

Jen loved riding her horse, Bob.  One day, she rides Bob into a Mrs. Gray's flower garden.  It was not on purpose, but the flowers are ruined. She decides not to tell Mrs. Gray.   "It was such a little thing" so why not keep quiet.

Later, her horse starts to have a problem while walking.  The vet figures out the little thing that is causing a big problem.

Children can learn that not admitting when you are wrong is no small matter.   It affects you and the person you hurt.   

Young children and parents will enjoy this short story and beautiful illustrations.  

Rating: 4 stars

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Book Review - Luther and Katharina

Luther and Katharina: A Novel of Love and Rebellion by Jody Hedlund is about Martin Luther and his wife, Katharina.  Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation in Germany in the 16th century.   Luther was a former monk and preached against the Catholic church.  He was considered an enemy of the church.  He thought he could be killed at any time.

Katharina von Bora was a nun at the time she read Luther's writings. She became convinced that she could still serve God while not living a cloistered life.   Katharina and some of the other nuns decided to run away from the abbey to start a new life.   

Luther became responsible for the runaway nuns.   His goal was to find them a "suitable" man to marry or at least become employed by a family.   Katharina's goal was to get married and have children.   It did not seem like they would be suitable partners in love and ministry to each other.  Love bloomed between Luther and Katharina in the midst of external persecution and their own internal reservations about each other.  

There are many parts of the story that stand out.   One thing is Katharina's prayers.  Although she left the abbey, it still took her time to shed her past life.    Her prayers in the book shows how her relationship with God was maturing.

I loved this story because of the history.   I loved this story because of the spiritual and emotional transformation of Luther and Katharina.  I did not know much about Martin Luther.   While reading this book, I searched for more information about Luther and the Reformation. Historical fiction is at its best for me when I want to go beyond the story and read the history. 

I have already recommended this book to my local library who plans to order this book for circulation.  I have talked about it with my friends.   Do I like this book?  Absolutely!

You will want to read more books by Jody Hedlund.  Go to her website to discover her other books.    The Hearts of Faith series are about real people (missionaries and preachers).  You will want to dig deeper to find out more about the people she writes about.

Ratings:  4 stars

I received this book from Blogging for Books for my opinion about this story.

The book image is an affiliate link. Read my disclosure page for more information.



Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Book Review - Teaching Christ's Children About Feeling Angry

Anger is a normal feeling.   What happens after we get angry can get us in trouble.   Teaching Christ's Children About Feeling Angry by Corine Hyman uses beautiful illustrations and the Word of God to help kids know the best way to respond to anger.

The story is told by a young girl, Tayniesha, who tells us about the times she gets mad.  Her brother teases her or she is told to stop something she wants to do are some reasons why she gets so upset.

Tayniesha does not handle her anger in the best way.   Her mom makes a wise choice and shows her daughter scriptures so she can learn how to handle her anger.   Her mom lets her daughter know that feeling angry is okay, but we must not sin.

This book is right on time for my family.  I have 10 year old boy/girl twins and a 6 year old daughter.  We are dealing with how to handle our anger.  I want my kids to know that anger is normal and okay. God shows us the best way to deal with such a powerful emotion.   I believe most children can relate to the girl in this book.  The situations she talks about are real and it's just enough to get your child to open up about their angry feelings.  This book will help me reinforce what my family has been discussing recently.   God's Word is powerful and this book uses scripture references and a short story to help our little ones to be their best.

You can read more about the author and her books on her website - http://www.booksbycorine.com/

Rating: 4 stars

The book cover image will take you to this book on Amazon and it is an affiliate link.  Read my disclosure statement for more information.