I recently had to put my daughter in time out because of God Gave Us Christmas (an adorable book I am reviewing) Why? Because my four year old little stinker enjoyed the God Gave Us Love book so much, that she went into my hidden Christmas stuff to find the other one!
Seriously, I had read her the first book with Little Cub and she knew I had another in the package I was saving for Christmas…so (in her words) she “handled” getting the book “now”. I’m afraid I thought it was so cute that I just gave her a little time-out, but allowed her to go ahead and have the book. I must be getting too soft!
Deep down, I was amused that she liked the books so much, and I am glad she has the Christmas book now, for the book will help prepare her little heart for Christmas. Overall, I think the God Gave Us series of books are very well crafted. In the two books we have, I found the tone very uplifting with little cub and her sweet, smart family. The stories/morals are not “dumbed down” for children, but rather, the discussions are very complex. However, Grampa and Mama use logical, concise answers to teach little cubs important life lessons.
On top of the good writing, the illustrations are colorful in a watercolor style and full of details for little eyes to linger on. Em likes the “lots of snuggling polar bears.”
You know, I try to sign up to review books I think will be great, and so far I have seen several books that would be wonderful Christmas gifts for children. As a mom of a four year old, I can say for sure that these two books, God Gave Us Love & God Gave Us Christmas are good choices—And, Mom or Grandmom (maybe Dad??) I say, go ahead and give them the God Gave Us Christmas before Christmas (then add on the other ones)
Here are some summaries of the books from the publisher:
God Gave Us Love, Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, and the young polar bear begins to ask questions like why must we love others . . . even the seemingly unlovable? Why is it easier to love those we like? Where does love come from? And why does God love her so much?
Grampa Bear patiently addresses each one of Little Cub’s curiosities by explaining the different kinds of love we can share: the love between friends, the love between families, the love between moms and dads, and the love for God.
He also assured Little Cub that because of the love God has given her through his Son, there’s nothing she can do to make God love her any more or any less. Through Grampa Bear’s encouraging Little Cub to love others with a “God-sized love,” children will be inspired to love others and to be patient, gentle and kind, so that in every way, they too can demonstrate God’s love.
In God Gave Us Christmas, as Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear has something on her mind: “Who invented Christmas?” she asks. “Is God more important than Santa?”
Her questions reflect the confusion of so many children during the holiday season. And this heartwarming story takes them on a wonderful journey of discovery—right to the heart of Christmas.
Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns that God loves her and everyone— polar bear, moose, or human—so much that he gave us Jesus, the very best gift of all.
Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She lives in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.
Now, I HAVE another Christmas one for Moms, grandmoms and dads…while this is not specifically a Christmas book, the theme of “Knowing God by the Things He Keeps,” is a very good reminder during the holiday season. The book has some lovely concepts about God’s love and is written in a casual style. I enjoyed the personal anecdotes and inclusion of great quotes and scriptures. See a flipbook, here
From the publisher:
In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides readers in discovering evidence in their own lives of his attentive love.
“The idea for the book came from a cigar box filled with odds and ends of my grandfather’s life that arrived a few months after his death. Sifting through the objects in the box, I experienced him in a fresh new way. This made me wonder what treasures might be tucked away in Scripture that could frame God for me in an equally intimate, tangible way. This process also helped me uncover my own “treasures” of my walk with the Lord: objects that remind me of my history with him and his faithfulness to me,” says McLeroy.
Drawn from the pages of Scripture, the author considers twelve such treasures and personalizes their meaning for readers, such as a green olive branch that offers proof of God’s “new every morning” mercy and a scarlet cord that demonstrates his willingness to adopt “strays” of every sort.
Weaving these treasures together with scenes from her personal history, Leigh McLeroy invites readers to discover God’s heart for them and embrace their unique role in his redemptive story. Treasured offers readers a guided experience of God’s love and character and invites them to consider their own treasures that point to their part in God’s ongoing story.
Leigh McLeroy is the author of The Beautiful Ache and The Sacred Ordinary. An avid collector and recorder of everyday moments, words, and wonders, Leigh’s keen eye for God’s presence in ordinary life infuses her writing and living with a deep, insistent joy. A frequent conference and event speaker, the author makes her home in Houston, Texas, and posts often on www.leighmcleroy.com and www.wednesdaywords.com.
To learn more about or purchase these books at RandomHouse.com:
These books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
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We are reviewing these books too.. We love them.. Thanks for the review!
They are adorable, aren’t they? PS: I like your blog. HQS