Book Review: One Sentence Storybooks

About the Book:

One sentence. One Bible story.One great teachable moment.

Each storybook contains beginning vocabulary words and charming illustrations as well as a devotional activity for parent and child to do together. All these elements combine for an outstanding educational and faith-building experience.

My Review:

Bible Favorites One Sentence StoryBooks by Nancy I. Sanders is a darling collection of one sentence story books. The illustrations, bright and colorful, appeal to small children. In addition, the simple sentences encourage reading comprehension as well as vocabulary. 

My younger sister Genesis really enjoyed these ten mini books. She'd flip through the pages and though she is past the reading level, she enjoyed the extra activities in the last few pages of each book. The Story booklets feature stories from the Old and New Testament including: The Sun and Moon, Two Mice and the Ark, Moses and the Bush, David and the Giant, The City Wall, The Star and the Kings, Jesus on the Water, The Good Shepherd, The Sad Son, & The Angel and the Cave. The first book beginning with creation and the last the resurrection of Christ.

I personally think that this idea, one sentence mini books, is a great idea for small children. 

The set of ten books comes in a small light weight cardboard box featuring a Velcro tab. The fact that these 5.5"x7" readers can all be stored together minimizes loss.These take up very minimal space in the home and can easily be brought along when traveling.

Book Review: The Jesus Code

About the Book:

Jesus gets attention not with exclamation marks, but with question marks.

Jesus was always asking questions. Whether with a small group or large crowd, Jesus opened hearts and minds by asking questions that grasped attention and made one think. In The Jesus Code, author O. S. Hawkins poses fifty-two thought-provoking questions found throughout the Bible that believers should be able to answer as they grow in their faith and share their faith with others. Each question features a devotional thought to help readers find answers and promote further reflection.

Sample questions include:

What does the Lord require of you?

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Who is my neighbor?

What is your life? A vapor that appears and vanishes away?

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

Will a man rob God?

My Review:

The Jesus Code is the newest resource I've added to my Bible study repertoire. This book is beautifully bound and engraved with filigree pattern on the front cover, making it visually appealing. It's content is just as appealing as it's exterior. I have so enjoyed my study time while using this book, reading the given questions and answers and jotting down portions that have been a blessing for me. 

I really appreciate O.S. Hawkins approach to scripture and study questions. Each question's answer is broken up into sections that help the reader gradually come to the Bible based answer. I also like how Hawkins draws out the story behind each question and explains how to live out these answers in everyday life.

Book Review: Get To Know Apostle Paul

Book Description:

Apostle Paul - part of the Get to Know series - is a unique biography about Paul. Focusing on the life and character of this Biblical hero, using color photographs, maps, and other visual resources to tell the whole story, young biography fans will come to learn more about this man of the God, his writings, his impact on the early church, and the role he plays in history. Featuring a bibliography and scriptural references throughout, this is sure to become a favorite for young readers and for first book reports.

My Review:

My younger sister Genesis loves colorful books; she is always drawn to them and can read and re-read her favorites several times a day! When I saw this book, I knew that, even though she's in the earlier stages of reading, she would enjoy the facts and pictures.

Get To Know Apostle Paul is a full-color biography for kids complete with easy to understand text portions, fun facts titled Did You Know? and a dictionary of sorts that define words such as resurrection and false witnesses to give kids a better understanding of Bible terms. I found all of these resources within the book to be helpful and insightful. Not only is Get To Know Apostle Paul an easy read, it's also an entertaining read. Any curious child with an appetite for learning will find this read enjoyable. I think my favorite part are the full-color photos; they're just like the ones found in "grown-up" Bible dictionaries and concordances. The overall look of this book, I think, also encourages young children in their own study of scripture because it's easy to use but bits of it resemble study books parents use.

So, if you're looking for fun Bible study resource for your children (or younger siblings) I highly recommend the Get To Know series including the Get To Know Apostle Paul title.

Book Review: Gods At War

About the Book:

The next step in becoming a completely committed follower of Jesus. False gods war within each and every one of us, fighting for a place of glory and control in our lives. In this student edition of gods at war, Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of Not a Fan, demonstrates how the desire for things like popularity, acceptance, and success can become modern-day idols that keep us from truly following Jesus Christ. Behind the everyday pressures, fears, and lack of purpose is a false god who too often is winning the war in our hearts. By asking insightful questions and looking at the issues from a teen's point of view, Idleman reveals which false gods most often take the place of the one true God. Then, using powerful and honest testimonies of people like you who have struggled in each area, gods at war student edition illustrates a clear path away from the heartache of 21st-century idolatry back to the heart of God.

My Review:

gods at war is an inspiring devotional that motivates it's readers to examine their spiritual lives and identify those gods that are trying to, and in fact are taking the place of God. Kyle offered such insightful views on the whole topic of idolatry and the root of every issue: selfishness. Reading through this book opened my eyes to the fact that everyday things, objects of our everyday lives can easily become idols and strongholds in our lives. Kyle Idleman address the struggles that come our way as young adults, adults, and tweens. There was also humor peppered all through this read, which made it even more enjoyable to read.

One highlights of this book is the fact that younger audineces can easily relate to and understand the topics. Also, its humor, it's straightforwardness, and most importantly, the fact that is it Bible based and heavily scriptural is also a highlight. Unlike many other spiritual books out today, gods at war was very honest about idolatry. It wasn't a watered down sugar-coated version of what the Bible says. 

I think that anyone who reads gods at war will definitely benefit from it's insight and message.