Today I am sharing another review for Multicultural Children's Book Day. The special day is coming fast! Today's book is a holiday book that deals with embracing our differences. The book is In the Nick of Time Too by Deedee Cummings and illustrated by Charlene Mosley. It is recommended for ages 4 to 10.
I haven't shared a Christian themed book in a while. Today I thought I would share one about King Solomon. You may remember Solomon is the son of King David and becomes the third king of Israel. He is known for his wisdom which is a gift from God and building the temple in Jerusalem. The book I'm sharing today is The Wisdom of Solomon by Demi. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. I am also sharing some crafts and activities to go with the book.
Valentine's Day is coming quickly. How do you celebrate it? We just exchange cards and sometimes I do something special with Hazel. Steve's birthday is right before it, so it seems a bit silly to celebrate them both so close together. As I was thinking about Valentine's Day, I thought of some activities to do with different ages of kids. The activities go with today's board book, so I'm going to share them all together. First the book. It is God's Love Is Like Sunshine by Sarah Parker Rubio and illustrated by Dream Chen. It is recommended for ages 1 to 4.
Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I love all the joy and happiness that the season brings. I also love the message of Jesus Christ being born and what that means for us. I always am happy to check out new Christmas books. Today I get to share a really sweet new Christmas book with you.
Remember back in June of 2020 when all over Facebook and social media white people were looking for ways to learn more about what it is like to be Black in America? We wanted book recommendations. We were asking our Black friends for information. We wanted to stand with them. We wanted to support them. Black Lives Matter protests were happening everywhere. And now a bit more than a year later it seems to have died down. Like we often do we have moved on but that does not mean there isn't still a reason to be concerned for or support Black people. It does not mean we shouldn't be looking for ways to better understand what it truly is like to be Black in America. Today I am sharing a wonderful book full of one Black, Christian man's life experience. This book is full of humor, truth and life. It is I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt.
Last week I shared a bit about what is happening in my life. Things have gone down hill since with my father. There has been a break-through Covid case in the staff of his facility. When I went to visit him we found out and he had a black eye when I saw him. Today we are waiting to hear the results of tests at the hospital after a nighttime fall and hitting his head. I have been so full of worry, anger, and shame. I felt my emotions getting to me and couldn't pull myself up. My depression was seeping back to a point I wasn't sure I could fight on my own. Then I picked up the book I'm sharing today and having just read a few chapters as well as the introduction and foreword my entire mood shifted. I didn't feel like I was falling into despair any more. I remembered to trust God. The book is It's On the Way by Lisa Osteen Comes. And before I tell you about it I want to say to Lisa, thank you! Your words truly are making a difference in my life.
Life has been tough. The past 18 months have been tough on everyone with Covid. However the last month especially has had its own toughness for me. About nine years ago my parents sat Steve and I down at Christmas to let us know my father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. It was caught pretty early. He asked us not to tell Hazel. Fast forward to about six summers ago when my father was discussing his Alzheimer's Disease openly at the dinner table with Hazel there. It was the first time she was hearing he had it. He had forgotten we hadn't told her. He was still doing all right. Then about four years ago he started a slow decline. My parents moved from the house my grandparents (my dad's parents) built on Cape Cod to a 62 and over condo building. The house was becoming too much for them to handle. My sisters and I took over the care of the house and rent it out for much of the summer. We use it for holidays and off-season vacations mostly. We
I took last week off. My family made the decision to put my father into a memory care facility. His care has gotten to be too much for my mother and his Alzheimer's is getting worse. I needed time to help my mother move my dad and also time to grieve this next step. Although I'm still grieving I am trying to move on with life. So today I am sharing a new picture book that comes out this week. It is a bedtime story and is about the Hindu culture. It is perfect for Hindu kids as well as others who want to learn about other cultures. It will be available on August 31, 2021. The book is Goodnight Ganesha by Nadia Salomon and illustrated by Poonam Mistry. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7. To go with the book I will be sharing fun facts about the Hindu god, Ganesha, so it can be a learning experience for those not familiar with the Hindu religion.
Have you ever read a book that moves you and changes your life almost instantly? The book I am sharing is one of those books. It was so moving to me that I told Hazel and Steve that they need to read this book. All three of us tend to be anxious people and after this past year there is a lot to be anxious about. This book is perfect for anyone who feels anxious, stressed or worried. The book is Peaceful on Purpose by Joel Osteen.
Have you lost your job? Perhaps your home? Or other major life change? Or perhaps it is just getting through this pandemic? Are you fearing life going back to "normal"? I know the idea of crowds does not excite me any time but especially as the mask mandates are beginning to go away. Today's book is just what we need. It is Time to Reset by Karen Brown Tyson.
With life in such turmoil during this pandemic I have found it more important to turn to God. Our church is only doing Zoom services so it has been hard to feel connected at times. I have turned to my devotionals and other books. Today I am sharing a book that helps the reader understand the book of Proverbs better. It is called In Search of Wisdom: Life-Changing Truths from the Book of Proverbs by Joyce Meyer.
It is hard to believe it is the last week of February. For our last week of Black History Month we are sharing a new novel about Malcolm X that is co-written by his daughter. Now a few years ago I shared her first novel about her father, X: A Novel. Today's book picks up where that one leaves off, but you do not need to have read the last one to read this one. Today's is The Awakening of Malcolm X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Tiffany D. Jackson.
When you read the Bible do you ever wonder about life during the times it is telling us? What were houses like? What was travel like? As Christians today our world is so different. We are accepted and often leaders in the US at least. We have luxuries such as indoor plumbing and private bathrooms as well as electricity. Plus many families take vacations all over the world. As a Sunday School teacher and mother I know kids wonder often about what the world was like during Biblical times. Today's book is a book to help them understand more about the Biblical world. The book is The World of the First Christians: A Curious Kid's Guide to the Early Church by Marc Olson and illustrated by Jemima Maybank.
Today we continue with this year's reviews of books for Multicultural Children's Book Day. The big day is Friday!! Stop by and see the links to all the reviews. There are many great books being shared that day. Today we are focusing on a fun Jewish story based on a true story. It is Shlemiel Crooks by Anna Olswanger and Paula Goodman Koz.
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is always my favorite time of the year. I love the preparation building up to Christmas. It always seems like such a happy time to me. The lights are hung and trees get decorated. People seem a bit more bright and giving. This year even Advent is looking different. We are not physically in church yet, so there isn't the beautiful organ music of Advent songs. But even with Covid the meaning of Advent and Christmas remains. Jesus was born to save us from our sins. To celebrate Advent I created three printable "Advent Calendars". Now we have a beautiful wooden Advent calendar that I need to fill each year. I decided to use one of these in our Advent calendar and one in her lunch box (at least the days she will be in school). The first ones I have to share are the names of Jesus. I made two versions. The first is a small and plain one with the different names in different colors and fonts.
