The Ology {Quick Review}

The Ology by Marty Machowski

Visit the Author's Website HERE

Publisher: New Growth Press

Publishing Date: October 19, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

Truth is for kids, not just for adults! So The Ology gives kids of all ages a beginner’s theology book to help them understand who God is and how we, as his children, relate to him. Arranged within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth in The Ology is also connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are more clearly on display. The Ology takes abstract theological concepts and makes them easier to understand with the use of creative examples, illustrations, and analogies. The goal is not to say everything that could be said about a theological topic, but rather to share the key thoughts behind a theological concept. The Ology is a starting point to learning theology and aims to create a hunger and desire in children to learn more as they grow older. 

Designed for six-year-olds through preteens, this flexible resource includes built-in adaptations for use with younger or older children, so that entire families can enjoy it together. Read The Ology to preschoolers, read it with grade-school kids, and let older kids discover the “hidden” truths by reading the corresponding Scripture passages for each section. However you read it, The Ology will give your children a gift that will last a lifetime—a solid foundation of life-changing biblical truth that will point them to the God who loves them and gave himself for them.

Baby Gender Announcement!

I announced this on Facebook the day we found out, but the rest of social media doesn't really know. And let's face it, I'm so excited EVERYONE should know :) Baby Girl on the other hand....

God Made All of Me {Quick Review}

God Made All of Me by Justin & Lindsey Holcomb

Visit the Author's Website HERE

Publisher: New Growth Press

Publishing Date: September 1, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

It's easy to convey the message to children that their bodies or particular parts of their bodies are shameful. This misconception fuels confusion, embarrassment, and secrecy, and often prevents children from recognizing or reporting sexual abuse.

God Made All of Me is a simply-told, beautifully-illustrated story to help families talk about these sensitive issues with two- to eight-year-old children. Because the private parts of our bodies are private, the home is the ideal environment where a child should learn about his or her body and how it should be treated by others.

God Made All of Me starts from the fundamental truth that God created everything and applies that truth to kids and their bodies. It equips parents to talk with both boys and girls about their bodies and to help them understand the difference between the appropriate and inappropriate touch of others. God Made All of Me allows families to build a first line of defense against sexual abuse in the safety of their own homes.

Two Renegade Realms {Review}

Two Renegade Realms by Donita K Paul

Realm Walkers #2

Visit the Author's Website HERE

Publisher: Zondervan

Publishing Date: December 23, 2014

Goodreads Summary:

In book two of the Realm Walkers Series, Cantor, Bixby, and Dukmee must band together to find the storied realm walker Chomountain after the devastating attack by the corrupt Realm Walkers Guild. But what they discover while traveling turns their mission upside down and they must now find a way to restore Chomountain.

In Which I Finally Attend a Bookish Event

My county's library system is participating in 'Once Upon a Reader' this month and the book they choose was 'Moo!' by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka. 

I dragged  invited my husband along with Baby Girl and I to the kick off event one chilly morning. Lucky we got there early, because it was packed. As in, I think they were turning some families away. 

Both the author and the illustrator, David and Mike, were there to read the book and do different activities. My 2 1/2 year old daughter was definitely in the lower age range for the group, but she still enjoyed the reading, the puppet show and the crazy dance time.

The last portion of the event was great interaction time with David and Mike. With the help of the kids, David came up with a new short story about the cow and Mike would add illustrations to a picture. At the end of the exercise they told each child that they could now call themselves 'authors' and 'illustrators'. Adorable and empowering! 

'Moo!' has adorable illustrations that are simple and uncluttered. The idea of a book using only one word seemed sketchy to me. The reasoning was to help prove to kids that they can read books on their own. The story is cute and written to cause a giggle or two. Re-readability is pretty low for an adult, but a child ages 4-6 might get a good kick out of reading the 'moo' in different ways.

Overall, a great event for the library. I'm not sure if they have done anything similiar in the past, but they should consider doing it again next year. For my family, the enjoyment level will only go up as Baby Girl grows up. Throughout the month of April, each library in the county system is holding different events and activities related to the book. So fun when the libraries coordinate like this.

Make sure to check out the Once Upon a Reader website--it is bursting with 'Moo!' extras and fantastic information about the program, libraries, and early learning.

A study of  3- to 5-year-olds who had been read to at least three times per week found the children:

• Two times more likely to recognize all letters.

• Two times more likely to have word-sight recognition.

• Two times more likely to understand words in context.

-According to United for Libraries.

3 MG Books I Have Read 3 times, or more!

There are probably a few books I have read more than three times (not counting Harry Potter, Twilight, or Austen). These are the three that immediately popped into mind:


Princess Nevermore by Dian Curtis Regan

2015 Usborne Titles I Can't Wait to Get My Hands On

It was extremely hard to limit myself to just ten books. So I've shared 11 :) But, in my defense, I already have two of the books I just needed to share. Thank goodness I know the book community understands my need to squeal over these cute books and won't frown on my desire to own them all!

365 Science Activities

-A Winter 2014 mid-season title that I still haven't gotten for myself yet. Why not?! This book is awesome! Full of fun, easy activities to do with kiddos...or just for yourself :)

Big Dressing Up Sticker Book

Oh wait...I already bought this one :) I'm going to have great fun with Baby Girl as we work on our dexterity and imagination together! 

Cupcake Kit

Uh, isn't it obvious?? Comes with a recipe book, cupcake wrappers, and toppers! ADORABLE!!

Country House

Okay, it would be a long time until Baby Girl could use this one. It is for older kids, probably 6 years and older. But ... I've been missing Downton Abbey and this would quench that thirst :)

Gardening for Beginners

This one hasn't officially hit the Internet shelves yet, but I am actually wildly excited for it. I have a notorious black thumb. My hubby has tried a few herbs with mild success. This would do both of us good! 

Illustrated Bible Stories

Awww, that cover is SO cute! I haven't seen this one yet, so I can't confirm if it really needs to be for children 8+ as the website claims. But Baby Girl needs to grow up with this one.

Jessica's Box

This is an adorable story about a little girl who is so shy that she invents a way to make herself interesting. Slowly she learns, she only needs herself.

Magic Painting Book

Another one that isn't technically out yet. But...can I buy several copies??

The Usborne Little Children's Rainy Day Activity Book

Or in Minnesota, the Snowy Day activity book. 

Very First Book of Things to Spot

Okay, another one that I already have :) But Baby Girl LOVES it. It is great for facilitating conversations, learning new words, counting, and the illustrations are adorable.

Step-By-Step Drawing Animals

I admit, this one is totally just for me. I bought 'Step-by-Step Drawing People' last summer as I was running out of ideas of things to draw on the driveway with Baby Girl. I need to complete the collection, right??

Earning free and discounted titles is easy, contact me to get started :) Which of these titles would you love to get your hands on?

Adventure Bible for Toddlers Review

Adventure Bible for Toddlers 
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Publishing Date: September 24, 2014
Goodreads Summary:

The Adventure Bible for Toddlers starts children ages 2-5 on the journey of a lifetime, teaching them about the Bible s great stories and themes. It helps young children grow in their relationship with God using stories and art from the wildly popular Adventure Bible Storybook. With ten beautifully illustrated and beloved Bible stories from the Old and New Testament, this sturdy padded board book will stimulate toddlers minds and fill their hearts with love for their heavenly Father.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Buy a copy from Barnes and Noble today. 

My Thoughts:
I was excited to see this title on BookLook as I had been thinking about getting my daughter her first Bible. The cover portrays adorable drawings that I knew would appeal to Baby Girl. The Bible itself contains ten of the more popular children stories (Creation, Daniel, Jesus' birth) and all throughout more wonderful, appealing illustrations.

Baby Girl's verdict? Meh. She will read it with me if I pick it out, but it is not a title she will bring to me on her own. The stories themselves are too short. The ages suggested for this title are 2-5 but I would change that to 1-2 year olds. They are basic and short with not a lot for a child to grow with. 'Adventure Bible' is still the only title I have for Baby Girl however, so it does help me make Bible reading an intentional time.

One of the things I loved the most? The end story about Jesus returning and the adventure still continuing. One thing I found baffling? The penguin included in the illustration of Jesus' birth. I didn't think penguins were found in Israel....

Overall, 'Adventure Bible' has a fun adventure theme that makes Bible stories seem cool and fun. Would I recommend it to others? Meh. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for something better for both me and Baby Girl. I settled on a neutral 3 stars for the book's rating.

Quick Review: Goodnight, Ark

Goodnight, Ark by Laura Sassi 

Illustrated by Jane Chapman

Visit the Author's website HERE

Publisher: Zonderkidz

Publishing Date: August 5, 2014

Goodreads Summary:

Beds are ready.
Food is stored.
Noah hollers,
'All aboard!'
It's bedtime on Noah's ark, but the animals can't sleep because of the storm. Two by two, they crowd into Noah's bed, creating a sticky situation. Will Noah ever get them back to their own beds? Climb aboard the ark for this rollicking, yet ultimately restful bedtime story as Noah finds a way to make things calm and cozy, even in the midst of a storm.

I received this book from the publisher via BookLook for Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Buy direct from the publisher HERE! 

My Thoughts:
First, let me apologize to just about everyone out there. I have fallen behind on the blogging schedule, and while I race to catch up on a few other things in life, my reviews have gotten out of hand. This week will be pretty review heavy! I appreciate your stopping by to check out these phenomenal books in advance :)

Goodnight, Ark was the perfect pick for Baby Girl. The author creates a delightfully fun bedtime story, that is both quirky and comical. It was not what I was expecting. Most books and stories about Noah and the Ark focus on the building of the ark, the loading of the animals, the flood, and so on. Sassi pauses the story and takes us in for a fun glimpse behind the scenes of the first night on the ark with the animals. The rhyming and cadence are fun for both parent and child, easily reminding us of the rolling waves beneath the ark.

And oh my goodness the adjectives! This book will open up a whole new vocabulary for your child to learn: quail, zoom, zing, thump, stomp, rumble, pouncing, snorting, blaring, and so much more! Because of the excitement of the book and the actions your child would love to replicate, I would say this book is better read before other more calming bedtime books.

The illustrator, Jane Chapman, has illustrated over a hundred books including some NYT bestsellers. Let me just say: the illustrations are.the.best. Each painting is a double page spread and uses all available white space to illustrate the story and action, but also to draw the eye to all the beautiful details. Just check out the video below to get a glimpse of all the animals :)

So I easily rate this book as 5 stars. Baby Girl loves the animals and I think she will grow into it more as she grows up as well. Add this one to the bedtime routine, and soon!

Favorite Usborne Books...so far

If you've seen last Friday's post, you know how important I think reading is in the life of a child. To help bring the spotlight further to these amazing books, I am sharing Baby Girl's favorite Usborne books...so far :) In no particular order....

Usborne Publishing makes great touchy-feely books and currently has over 30 ''That's Not My...'' books in their catalog. Baby Girl grew up with ''That's Not My Bear'' and loved it. The newest addition to our collection is:

That's Not My Goat...
Whimsy, adorable, and search for the mouse on every page!


This next book was an insta-hit with Baby Girl, as soon as I pulled it out of the box!

Baby's Very First BIG Playbook
It has bright, contrasting colors, sound buttons that won't drive the parents crazy, flaps, feely spots, and finger tracing! I love the finger tracing for helping BG define her fine motor skills.


I pretty much had to buy this book after I returned BG's favorite book to the library (Alphabeep)...

Busy Trucks on the Go
This title is actually from Kane Miller (the 'more' of Usborne Books and More). The pictures are gorgeous for parents, and the text rhymes which is great for little kids learning to talk. Each page features a father and son checking out a new truck, which BG just loves!


BG has a lot of 'First Word' books, and she has always been a huge fan of them. This next one is no exception:

My First Word Book
This book has hundreds of words (around 270 actually!) and besides the adorable illustrations, I love that it contains some 'lesser known' words. 'Bat' is new to BG and on the 'Things that Go' page they feature a wheelchair! Fantastic!


How could I NOT include this next one?? I thought it would be beyond BG's skills so far, but she surprises me yet again!

There's a Mouse About the House! 
This is also an activity book. The child takes the little paper mouse pictured and slides him through a small slot on each page to help progress the story. I didn't think BG had the fine motor skills to get the mouse through the slots, but she surprised me by being determined to figure it out, and she has several times! Another great feature? The back cover contains another mouse to trace and make in case you lose yours or it gets destroyed by a teething toddler...no first hand experience here of course.....



Last but not least...


Get Dressed, Max and Millie
I knew this book would be a bit 'older' for BG, but the Max and Millie books are so cute! This one is basic enough for a child to follow and understand. It teaches kids how to get dressed while paying attention to the weather. It also includes the perfect amount of silliness :)


One of the great features of Usborne and Kane Miller books? That I as the parent, also enjoy them. They are never boring for me AND they hold a toddler's attention!

I highly recommend you check these books out for the littles in your life! The holidays are ever approaching :)