Picture Book Recommendations

I know this genre is probably unexpected, but picture books are far more than just funny little rhymes for little kids. Yes they can teach lessons, but they can also be pieces of history and looks into different parts of the world and different cultures. Nor are they primarily written for 2-4 year olds. There are some picture books written with 8-12 year olds in mind and I firmly believe that adults can benefit from them as well. So here is my list of recommended picture books for all ages.

Christian:

The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado

Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey by Tyler Van Halteren

The Birds of Bethlehem by Tomie dePaola

God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Bergren

God Gave Us Christmas by Hannah Hall

I Love You No Matter What by Jarrett Rutland

 

Historical:

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler

Shooting at the Stars by John Hendrix

A Day for Rememberin’ by Leah Henderson

Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Ramsey

The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai

Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

The Most Beautiful Village in the World by Yutaka Kobayashi

Camels Always Do by Lynn Manuel

The Summer of the Marco Polo by Lynn Manuel

The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola

Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade

Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin by Tracy Newman

 

Cultural:

The Magic Paintbrush by Julia Donaldson

My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom

Gazpacho for Nacho by Tracey Kyle

When Christmas Feels Like Home by Gretchen Griffith

The Boy Who Wanted to Cook by Gloria Whelan

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles

My Day with the Panye by Tami Charles

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

A Different Pond by Bao Phi

Seven Spools of Thread by Angela Medearis

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan

Just Plain Fancy by Patricia Polacco

Eight Winter Nights by Laura Melmed

Powwow Day by Traci Sorell

Watercress by Andrea Wang

 

Other:

A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson

The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson

No Pirates Allowed by Rhonda Gowler Greene

Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Katherine Paterson

Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Prasadam-Halls

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett & Gary Rubinstein

Stacey’s Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams

Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson

Tea Rex by Molly Idle

Rescue & Jessica by Jessica Kensky & Patrick Downes

Somebody Loves You Mr Hatch by Eileen Spinelli

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

The Yellow Bus by Loren Long

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages Review

 

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages by Trenton Lee Stewart is the last book in his children’s adventure series. Reynie, Sticky and Kate are now teenagers and Constance is an older child. They are thrust into what may be their final adventure together as they are growing up and apart.

 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. This was another fun, riddle filled adventure. What made it extra special was seeing the kids older and struggling with what it means to grow up and deciding what their futures and friendships will look like, especially while trying to work together to solve the riddles and stop the plots. It was refreshing to see them deal with normal awkward feelings and issues dealing with the future while still exhibiting their own unique  geniuses. I did feel that the end could have delved a bit deeper into that instead of focusing mostly on the adventure they just had, but it was still pretty satisfying.

Now that I have reached the end of the series, I understand why this is a bit of a modern classic children’s series. I enjoyed these kids and the adventures they went on and the lessons they learned over the years. These are books that I look forward to reading with my kids when they are old enough.

Truth Unchanging Review

 

Truth Unchanging: Hearing God Daily in the Midst of Motherhood by Becky Thompson is a devotional book specifically written for women with children, especially small children. The truths discussed are really applicable to all women, it is just the personal stories she includes are all related to motherhood. It can be used daily or weekly based on the readers preference.

 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. Thompson’s writing style is very approachable and enjoyable to read. I really like how she went through the Bible from Genesis through the New Testament to emphasize eternal truths that touch us today. The short devotionals are the perfect length and provide a nugget of truth to ponder through the day. It didn’t always feel like the personal stories (and occasionally the Bible stories) she included truly expressed the point that she was making, but the points still came through and were overall Biblically sound. Anything I felt wasn’t truly correct theology was small and I don’t believe would cause a spiritual life problem. My favourite part was the prayers at the end of each devotional, they really hit the heart of each topic and how to turn to God with it. The issue I struggled the most with was that the scripture references weren’t mentioned at location but in the back of the book and I don’t know what the primary translation was, so don’t know how reliable it is. But overall, I truly did enjoy this devotional.

Poetry Recommendations

 Hello, it's been a long time since I posted, but I am trying to make a come back. My plan is that every Saturday I will post a recommendations list and 2 days a week to post book reviews. So today I am starting with my poetry recommendations. Poetry can be so beautiful, inspiring and a unique way to see through the eyes of another. While I don't read a great deal of poetry, I truly enjoy it whenever I do pick some up.

Christian poetry:

            The Hymns of Anne Steele by Anne Steele

            Olney Hymns by John Newton

            Olney Hymns by William Cowper

            He Giveth More Grace by Anne Johnson Flint

            Poems of Faith by Bob Blaisdell

            100 Hymns and Poems of Love and Devotion by Hayden Press

            To My Husband & Other Poems by Anne Bradstreet

Children & Middle grade poetry:

            Favorite Poems of Childhood by Phillip Smith

            Child's Garden of Verse by Robert Louis Stevenson

            Bilbo's Last Song by J R R Tolkien

            The Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky

            Outside the Box by Karma Wilson

            Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Non-Christian poetry:

            Sir Orfeo by Unknown (translated by J R R Tolkien)

            Complete Poetry of Edgar Allen Poe

            Complete Poems of the Bronte sisters

            English Victorian Poetry by Paul Negri

            Haiku: An Anthology of Japenese Poems by Stephen Adiss

            Songs of the Romani Road by Linda Marshall

            Lend Me Your Voice by Angela Burchett