Wally's Misadventure {A Children's book review}

Wally's Misadventure is a super cute book that had the boys and I laughing most of the time. The cover art drew us right in. I mean, what kid doesn't love a book with an animal as the main character? 

Wally had been very busy with chores and lessons and was anxious to see his friends and go on an adventure. One day he finished his to-do list early and headed out with a warning from his Dad to remember the rules. 

Wally tries to get his friends to join him and everyone is busy. As the day wears on, he finds himself in some interesting situations and needs a bit of help. 

It was fun at the end to see what happened and to help my boys learn a lesson from what Wally chose to do. 

This is a fun read and have some definite teachable moments. 

I'm glad we got the chance to read and review it. 

**Thank you to the publisher for sending us an e-book copy to read.**

A Few Recent Reads

I need to recap some of my recent review reads so I figured it'd be best to just do post with all of them. I've read some good books lately!

First up is this one...

10 Choices Successful Couples Make: The Secret to Love That Lasts a Lifetime by Dr. Ron Welch

You guys...this book is so good. I have read many books on marriage in the past and this one is truly one of my favorites. In fact, after I finished I told Matt that I wanted to read it together ASAP. What sets it apart from other books on marriage? It's not silly/cheesy and it has practical application exercises that can be done as a couple.

This second point is exactly why I want Matt and I to read the book together soon. I think application in this type of book can be majorly helpful. If I just out of the blue recommended that Matt and I complete all of the exercises he'd probably respond with "Why?" (and I'd respond that way, too!) but when a book tells us what to do, how to do it and gives us the tools to complete the task, it makes it so much better.

I also enjoyed that this book was practical and not overwhelming. I've read marriage books in the past that were just simply overwhelming - too much information for me to process and that doesn't help me! This book was straight-forward. Welch offered experiences from his own life but also included experiences of couples he worked with in the past. Real life examples are so helpful. It makes us feel less isolated in things we may be going through!

I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to Matt and I reading it together soon.

**Revell sent me a complimentary copy of this book.**

Next up...

The Way of The Warrior: An Ancient Path to Inner Peace by Erwin Raphael McManus

This book is HEAVY. Super heavy, in my opinion. McManus's goal in this book is to give practical tools to help the believer live in victory and walk in peace. While I do think this is achieved in the book by exploring ancient biblical principles, it is a hard read. It's intellectual and full of many complex thoughts and it is intense. Does that mean it was bad? NOT AT ALL! In fact, I think this book is incredible. It just isn't a book you can breeze right through and catch all of it. I think this book would be best read in small chunks (5-10 pages with a highlighter!) so that the reader can really digest the information.

This book is difficult for me to explain (as I'm sure you've already seen!) There is no doubt that McManus is passionate about what he is teaching and I think that despite the heaviness of this book, it is what kept me reading. You can feel the passion in the pages.

I also feel like this book is great for men. The tone, to me, is masculine and the stories are more appealing for men. I kept thinking of Christians who have maybe grown stagnant in their walk and this book helping to revive them and move to a new place with God.

I hope all of that makes sense.

**Waterbrook sent me a complimentary copy of this book.**

Third book...

Brave Love by Lisa Leonard

Lisa Leonad's  debut book is incredible. I was honored to be a part of the launch team for this book and I'm serious when I say that I could not put this book down! Lisa's story is raw and real and genuine and I felt like I was sitting right beside her and she was pouring her heart out to me. Lisa's life has been beautiful but also hard. She and her husband had been married a show time when they found out she was expecting their first child. On the day he was born, they found out he had a unique syndrome that would impact his and their lives forever. Lisa shares how she put herself on the back burner in many ways and, in the process, lost herself. I love the beautiful story of redemption and healing she shares. I have already passed this book along to a friend and cannot wait to keep telling people about it!

**As a part of the launch team, I received this book for free.**

When I Pray for You by Matthew Paul Turner 

The newest children's book from Matthew Paul Turn, When I Pray for You, is absolutely incredible. From the writing on each page to the illustrations, you'll be oohing and ahing and crying! It's a special book for sure.

Turner has a way with words that draw in people of all ages. Both of my boys (5 and 2.5) have enjoyed reading. The concept of praying for our children is an important one and I try hard each day to pray for our boys. This book put to words what I often pray for in my heart. It's incredibly neat to see the illustrations which are beautiful and inclusive. Children of all races are included and children with different uniquenesses are included as well and that is important and special. This book is definitely worth checking out! 

**I am glad I was able to be a part of this launch team.**

Jax's Tail Twitches: When You Are Angry {A Children's Book Review}

Jax's Tail Twitches; When You Are Angry is another book in the Good News for Little Hearts series and it is incredible, too! The other two books I've read have read and reviewed addressed failure as well as anxiety and this one addresses anger.

I think this one was harder to read because it was intense and don't we all struggle with anger at times? It was difficult to see the Dad in the story become angry and see how his children reacted and to see how they all worked through it. 

I think this book is monumentally important for all of us to read and apply in our lives. If a child deals with anger issues, this is especially needed for them. 

Zoe's Hiding Place: When You are Anxious {A Children's Book Review}

Zoe's Hiding Place: When You are Anxious is a book in the Good News for Little Hearts Series and it is such a great book. While I'd much prefer for children to never be anxious, it is a reality and when it happens, they need a book to help this. This is one such book. 

Zoe becomes anxious and begins to worry about many things as she prepares for a class trip and when she interacts with her mom, her mom helps her to learn and remember that God is always with her. That Zoe can turn her worries into prayers to God and he will help her.

When the event comes, she remembers what to do when she begins to worry and get anxious. She is able to overcome and grows stronger in the process. 

The end of the book has a bullet-point section of tips for helping a child who is dealing with anxiety and there are some pocket bible verses as well. 

This book is real while also being on the child's level. I highly recommend this!! 

Love Does for Kids by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich {A Children's Book Review}

Love Does For Kids by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich is the most recent book read in our house. Well, mostly read. It's intended to be a book that is read daily and we have read some each week but not finished yet. 

There are 46 "chapters" in the book where the authors share stories from throughout their lives that have helped to shape who they are as adults. While it is neat to read the stories, it is even more interesting to apply those "morals" to our lives now. Great for helping children build character. 

Mason and I both enjoyed this book. I would recommend to 5+ and I think it is a great book to read at breakfast or at bedtime. Those are the best times in our house, anyway. :) 

This book would be great for a Christmas gift for a family with children! 

**Thank you, BookLook Bloggers, for sharing this book with me.**

God Made Me And You: Celebrating God's Design for Ethnic Diversity {A Children's Book Review}

God Made Me and You: Celebrating God's Design for Ethnic Diversity is an incredibly timely book for our family. Matt and I have been aiming to talk to our boys more about diversity and this book has been an incredible resource for that. 

This book is a rhyming book which is always engaging for kids, especially my boys! The book is set in school where some rude characters are introduced. The boys were rude to various children because they were different (i.e. clothes, hair, different color skin.) 

As the book goes on, the teacher addresses the rules of the classroom and discusses what the Bible says about where all of us came from, how God created us, etc. This book does not mince words but shares this information with grace. 

The last portion of the book is a song that the class sings about differences and I loved that. The end has some pointers includes six ways to help children appreciates God's design for ethnic diversity. Very good and helpful information. 

This is a great great book!!

**The publisher sent this book to me. Thank you!**

Favorite Children's Books {14}

We had several more favorites from this month but I didn't get them into the post in time so I'll share those later. 

This book, The Day War Came, was 😭😭😭. Very eye opening for all of us and inspiring us to love others for all walks of life. We never know what someone's story is. 

This book was about lying and it is a great tool for teaching young children. Mason was asking many questions after this. 

Whoa...what imagination this guy has! Mason and Maddox both loved this one! 

Another one from the same author...

Maddox is VERY into diggers and machinery so he loved this one. A great Christmas book! It also encouraged us to check out the others in this series of books. 

Who is Pirate Frank? That's the surprise!

The Click, Clack books and any book by Doreen Cronin are loved in our home. This one was no different. What happens when the animals go to school? 

These 5-minute story books continue to draw us in. The plus of this one is that the stories are actually 5 minutes long whereas other ones are typically a bit longer. 

We've read the first two books in this series so this was eagerly anticipated for us. I loved this one the most, I think, as characters became friends instead of enemies. 

This book is just plain hilarious. Everywhere they went on this day, they received a dinosaur. How did they handle it? 

Another 😭😭😭 book. 

Get the tissues before reading this book. This is such a precious book. The little boy talks about balloons and how each balloon holds a memory. He talks of his parents, his and his grandpas’s. Grandpa has the most because he been around for so long. Then something strange happens and Grandpa starts to lose his balloons and he can’t recall the stories he’s always told. An incredible story of love for family in hard situations.

Beautifully illustrated and great for learning these verses in Ecclesiastes. 

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible {Children's Book Review}

God’s Spirit is living among God’s people.

He always was, always is, and always will be.

These are the stories that tell about him and what he does.

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible, written by Doris Rikkers and illustrated by Fernando Juarez, presents over 40 Bible

stories from the old and new testaments that show how God’s Spirit has been with his people from the beginning of

time. Keep reading to learn more about this new release from ZonderKidz!

You can also enter to win a copy of The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible and other awesome kids' releases in a

giveaway hosted by Read with Audra. Details below!

Our family has really enjoyed The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible over the past couple of weeks. We have added this one to our daily table time reading and it has been much enjoyed. The illustrations are incredible and the boys love to look at them while I read.  I also love the connection made between the new and old testaments with the Spirit/presence of God. Sooo good! 

This book also presents some stories that we have yet to discuss with our children and I like the it starts new conversations. 

Would you like to win your own copy of

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible?

Win a children's book prize pack from Read with Audra!

The prize pack includes a copy of:

Spirit of God Illustrated Bible

Adventure Bible Book of Daring Deeds and Epic Creations

NIV Kids Visual Study Bible

Explorer's Bible Guide

Words to Love By

Love Letters from God 

 Enter here!! 

God Always Keeps His Promises by Max Lucado

God Always Keeps His Promises: Unshakable Hope for Kids by Max Lucado has been a great book to read with Mason before nap time each day. I originally thought this book would be great for both both but the chapters are a bit much for a two year old. I recommend this for four and older. 

God Always Keeps His Promises is divided into chapters. Each chapter has an introduction to a biblical story and the basis of the chapter. Next, the biblical story is shared with some incredible illustrations. Following that, there is a wrap-up of each story and 4-6 scriptures are shared based on what we read. 

Mason has really enjoyed each reading that we have done!

I think this is a book that can grow with kiddos. Mason is 4 and it's appropriate now but it will be good in years to come to expand upon, learn some of the scriptures and discuss more. I highly recommend this book! 

**I received this book from BookLook Bloggers.**

I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones by Bart Millard {A Children's Book Review}

I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones: A Friendship with Jesus Now and Forever by Bart Millard came at just the right time as my mom and I just finished watching the new movie, I Can Only Imagine. We need another children's book in our house like we need a hole in our heads but we just can't resist these great ones!!

First, I LOVE the illustrations in this book. The pictures are crisp and bright and engaging. That is always a huge plus for a children's book in our house!

Second, the book asks questions about what it may be like in heaven. The writer wonders what God may be like, what things there may be in heaven, etc. I think questions like this are incredible. It can be hard to discuss heaven with little ones because it is often addressed with someone dies. I think this book is a great resource for talking about heaven and will be good to visit in the instance that we have a family member/friend pass away. 

Also, I highly recommend seeing the movie if you haven't! 

Thank you, BookLook Bloggers for this book!