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The Light Before Christmas by Marty Machowski
The Light Before Christmas is a thoughtful family Advent devotional that focuses on Christ as the light of the world. The Light Before Christmas by Marty Machowski. New Growth Press, 2022. 96 pages. Recommended for: All ages, particularly ages 4-12. This devotional guide uses the Advent wreath and its four candles as the structure for looking ahead to Christ’s birth. But Machowski doesn’t stay with the traditional one-word references for each week (such as “joy” or “hope”). The Light Before Christmas, as you might expect, zeroes in on light as a metaphor and sign of Christ. A frame tale about Mia and her blind grandmother preparing for Christmas fleshes out…
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Christmas In Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen
Second Chances Christmas In Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen is a beautiful contemporary heartwarming novel that will make you smile. It is the fourth book in the Bellbird Bay series but can be read as a stand-alone. All the characters were well drawn, lovable and realistic. I loved the inclusion of a dog who definitely […]
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*Heaven and Nature Sing by Hannah Anderson
Heaven and Nature Sing is a collection of advent essays on the curse that sin imposed on nature and the grace that allows us to enjoy God’s glory while we anticipate our Redeemer’s return. *Heaven and Nature Sing by Hannah Anderson. B&H Publishing, 2022. 166 pages. Reading Level: Teen/Adult Ages 16 and up Recommended For: Ages 16 and up Using a pen dipped in nature, blended with home, and saturated with Scripture, Anderson reflects on the longing we share with creation for Christ to return and make all things new. While we typically use advent to prepare our hearts to remember Christ’s incarnation and celebrate the fulfillment of God’s Old…
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Gladys Hunt on the Art of the Picture Book
Editor’s Note: November is National Picture Book Month! Participants in our “Honey for a Child’s Heart Read-Along” are considering that topic in chapters 13 and 14. Gladys Hunt mused further about picture books in a series of blog posts, exclusively published here. Some thoughts about picture books Originally published on the Tumblon website, July 26, 2009 We take for granted the amazing combination of words and pictures in story books for children. Words alone can create all sorts of delight; they can help you see and feel and imagine. Words tell stories and help us understand. Words rightly used are power. Swedish poet, Helga Henschen, said it beautifully when she…
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The Widow by Valerie Keogh
Totally Gripping The Widow by Valerie Keogh is a totally gripping contemporary psychological thriller that I could not put down. As the novel opens we ‘hear’ the perpetrator but do not know who it is. Throughout the novel this voice is interspersed with the narrative. We learn of the motivation for past actions as we […]
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A Winter Wish by Rosie Green
Be More Clara A Winter Wish by Rosie Green is the most heart-warming contemporary novel that will leave you smiling. It is the second book in the Little Duck Pond Café trilogy but can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces. I would recommend reading the books in order for […]
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David’s Bathtime Adventure by Sue Wickstead
Perfectly Charming David’s Bathtime Adventure by Sue Wickstead is an absolutely delightful book for the under fives. It is perfect to read aloud at bedtime. David’s Bathtime Adventure is a book that fires the imagination – bathtime is not just a time for baths but a time to play and let your imagination run wild. […]
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The Orphans Of Berlin by Jina Bacarr
Powerful The Orphans Of Berlin by Jina Bacarr is a powerful historical novel that consumed me from the start. The action is set from 1936 to roughly 1942, with a post war epilogue. We hear the events through two alternating voices, both of which are incredibly brave. Events take place in America, Paris and Berlin. […]
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The Orphans Of Berlin by Jina Bacarr
Powerful The Orphans Of Berlin by Jina Bacarr is a powerful historical novel that consumed me from the start. The action is set from 1936 to roughly 1942, with a post war epilogue. We hear the events through two alternating voices, both of which are incredibly brave. Events take place in America, Paris and Berlin. […]
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Dig It, Digby by Jodie Parachini
Really Fun Dig It Digby by Jodie Parachini is an absolutely perfect book for the under fives. The story is written in rhyme and has a rhythm that bounces along. The reader cannot help but smile as we figuratively, reach for our dancing shoes and join in! All the pages are beautifully illustrated by John […]
