Picture Book Series: Why Do We Worship, Sing, Pray?

Why Do We Worship?
by Miranda Nerland, Hayley O’Neal (Illustrator)
3 out of 5 stars

This book details all the reasons why Christians should worship God for his goodness, his power, and his love. God is strong even when we are weak and tired. God is good and loves us even when we make bad choices. God is big and all-knowing so we can ask him for help with anything we need.

Why Do We Pray?
by Miranda Nerland, Hayley O’Neal (Illustrator)
This book gives reasons why Christians should pray, and ways that prayer helps us to become closer to God. Prayer brings us peace, and is a way for us to talk with God and tell Him our wants and needs. Through prayer, we can thank God for everything He has given us. We can confess when we are struggling to do right, and ask for forgiveness. We can pray with confidence that God always hears us.

Why Do We Sing?
by Miranda Nerland, Hayley O’Neal (Illustrator)

This book details all the reasons why Christians should sing together and learn lessons and tell stories through song. Singing together helps us to worship God and thank Him for His blessings to us. Songs about God’s goodness and power can make people more courageous and happy. Sharing our joy through music can comfort people who are sad.

I love how these books take big spiritual ideas, and puts them into simple language that a child can understand.

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Novel Cure Tag: Classics Only

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Picture Book Review: Delightfully Different Fairy Tales

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David Roberts’ Delightfully Different Fairy Tales
by David Roberts (Illustrations), Lynn Roberts-Maloney (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

This book includes the newly-reimagined fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty. They are set in different times periods and the stories are retold in a fresh way. Cinderella is the belle of the ball in the 1920s. Rapunzel grows up in a tower block apartment building in the 1970s. Sleeping Beauty lives in the 1950s and is cursed to fall asleep for a thousand years.

Each of these stories is funny and clever! Some elements of the stories stay true to the familiar story we already know, and some details are changed. Sleeping Beauty pricks her finger on a record player needle. Cinderella is driven to the ball by a chauffer with a white town car. Rapunzel falls in love with a boy from a rock band.

The best thing about this book is the beautiful illustrations!

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Picture Book Review: The Three Wishes

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The Three Wishes
by Alan Snow
5 out of 5 stars

A young man living in the far North stumbles into a hidden land of summer where time stands still. He is only allowed to return to visit his family in the dead of winter each year, and he leaves gifts for them so that they know he is alive and well. He is given a magic feather that allows his deer to fly.

I loved this myth of the origins of Santa Claus told in an old-fashioned style. The story is so imaginative and charming! The plot is sort of strange, until you start to realize that all the components of the plot are adding up to the red suit and the flying reindeer and the gifts. Then it all begins to make sense, and it’s like a wonderful discovery.

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Game Review: Build a Skyscraper

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Archicards: Build a Skyscraper
by Paul Farrell
5 out of 5 stars

This game has 64 cards that are designed with the towers, windows, roofs, and decorative doorways of a city skyscraper. Each card has cut-out slots so that you can connect them with each other to build a 3D puzzle of a skyscraper in any shape you want! The cards are sturdy cardboard, and printed with bright colors and a simple design.

I can’t stop playing this game! Every day for the last several days, I sit down and construct something new.

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Book Unhaul 2020

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Non Fiction Review: Weird But True: Halloween

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Weird But True: Halloween 300 Spooky Facts to Scare You Silly
by Julie Beer
5 out of 5 stars

This Halloween book combines colorful illustrations and photos with tid-bits of weird information about spiders, vampires, pumpkins, candy, ghosts, and a million other subjects!

I read through the entire book in just a half hour, fascinated with every wacky statement and attracted to each page by the stunning photos. I learned so many freaky things, like the loudest scream ever recorded, the largest jack-o’-lantern, and the craziest costumes!

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln is the most commonly sighted ghost in the White House? Or that you can make edible pumpkin play-dough? haha! There is even an asteroid that is shaped like a skull. Weird and random and hilarious!

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