"...Comes with an audio CD. This is such a well-done accompaniment...the background music provides just the right amount of mood for the story."

Pookster & Bubs and the Unloose Tooth By Rhonda Funk 
Reviewed by Sarah at Homeschool Blogger 

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 16 pages
• Publisher: Fish Pond Kids (2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935265407 ISBN-13: 978-1935265405

Meet Pookster - a little girl who just happens to think that teeth are highly overrated and keeping them in too long can be hazardous to your health. Meet Bubs - her big brother who would be perfectly okay if a tooth NEVER came loose! Too bad Pookster has to learn the hard way that sometimes it’s better to wait on God than it is to do things on your own!

It’s funny - she wanted so badly to lose them….now she just really wants them back! This lesson on patience will make the young reader laugh and the old reader recall the days of loose teeth, dental floss, and a doorknob….need I say more?

My Opinion:

Almost all children who get a loose tooth become impatient to get it out whether they believe in the tooth fairy or not, it’s like a rite of passage, get the tooth out at the first wiggle.  Using verse Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” to tie in the theme of patience brings a wonderful story back to the Lord.

Colorfully and cartoonish-ly illustrated this book will appeal to all ages, all three of my children enjoyed and I even found myself enjoying the pictures and the story as well.  I can still remember the time that I had a very loose tooth and I wanted it out – so my dad tied it with string or maybe it was dental floss to the foot of the rocking chair and had one of my brother’s rock it.  The tooth stayed in but I was in a lot of pain. If only I’d had Pookster and Bubs to teach me the value of being patient when waiting for a tooth to fall out.

This paperback book comes with an audio CD that is narrated by the author, Rhonda Funk with help from Ryan and Rylee Funk.  This is such a well done accompaniment to the book, the background music isn’t overpowering and it provides just the right amount of mood for the story.  It’s perfect for listening to in the van on long trips or even short trips.  Oh and for anyone who is wondering, there is no tooth fairy just praying to God and learning to let Him remove the tooth.

Order Pookster and Bubs and the Unloose Tooth here.

**To read more reviews like this one, go to: Tell Us The Truth Reviews

**I was given a copy of this book from Bring It On! Communications in exchange for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given.

"Adorable, inside and out...this is just what young readers need!"

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller By: Dr. Gerald Mittmann,  

Illustrated by: Gregory Cannone
Review by Joy of This Little Book of Mine

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 60 pages
• Publisher: Fish Pond Kids (September 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935265784
• ISBN-13: 978-1935265788

My Review

This is a unique way to teach children the story of David and a whopper of a giant named Goliath! A little rock named Smoothie who lives in a creek wants God to have a purpose for him. As he lays in his creek, he hears the whopper Goliath saying bad things about God and it sounds like maybe a fight will start because of what he hears on each side of his creek. Then David comes along looking for just the right rock to to a job God has for him and suddenly Smoothie realizes the purpose God has for both Smoothie and David.

This is an adorable book inside and out! At first I thought it was kind of ‘busy’ inside, but as I read and looked at the illustrations, I realized that this is just what young readers need! Since it is several chapters, it would be a wonderful Bible study for Ages 4 thru 8. The book is well laid out and I love the colors and awesome illustrations. The pictures make the story a lot of fun, and give readers a better understanding of what they are reading.

Run out and buy a copy of this great book for your child’s library!

I rec’d this book from the publisher through Bring It On Communications to read and review. I was not required or expected to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine alone.

Purchase at Amazon

About the Author and Illustrator:
Rock-A-Teller author Gerald Mittmann has worked with children in ministry since 1978, organizing and directing children’s Bible camps, Sunday children’s sermons, Awana clubs, and speaking at mid-week elementary Christian school chapels.  He graduated from Talbot Theological Seminary in 1986 with a Master of Divinity degree in Bible exposition, and then went on to receive his Doctor of Ministry degree from Talbot/Biola University in 2005.  He has been a pastor to families and children in three evangelical churches, and has led several biblical drama teams to the mission fields of Mexico, Honduras, and Africa’s Congo (DRC) to act out biblical plays which he wrote.

"This book is a must-have for every family. Your child will have a better understanding of David and Goliath after reading this book."

Review by Tiffany at Fabulous Finds


Title: Smoothie Rock-A-Teller: On The Whopper Stopper
Author: Dr. Gerald Mittmann
ISBN: 1935265784
Publisher: VMI Publishers
Illustration by: Gregory Cannone
Release Date: September 1, 2011

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller: On the Whopper Stopper is the first book in a series of nine where rocks retell biblical stories from their point of view. In this book the rock’s name is Smoothie and he retells the story of David and Goliath. My soon to be 4-year-old was immediately enamored with the beautiful, colorful illustration that were used throughout this book. The author of this book came up with really fun ways to refer to different characters in the book. For example people are referred to as talking-walk-abouts and fish are referred to as wiggle-movers. My daughter really liked that but sometimes I would have to remind her I was referring to people and fish.

I think this book is a must have for every family. Your child will have a better understanding of David and Goliath after reading this book. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. The Rock-A-Teller Family know how to tell a good story. This book definitely gets my seal of approval.
This book is rather long, 52 pages broken into 5 chapters. Each night I would read a chapter to my little girl and when we reached the end of each chapter we would go over the questions for review and say the little prayer as well. I really like this book, it’s throws a new twist on old Bible favorites. I plan to take this book and donate it to my daughter’s Christian school. I know a lot of children will really enjoy this book.

You can purchase this book from Amazon or the Deep River Bookstore for 13.99$
“To read more reviews like this one, go to Tell Us The Truth Reviews!”

I was sent a copy of his book for free for review. I was not monetarily compensated to give a positive review. Thanks to Bring it On Communications for the free book.

"This author's creativity doesn't stop at just having the story told...." Come read more about Smoothie Rock-A-Teller!!

Review done by One Mommy

Looking for a new children’s book?  How about one that retells a Bible story in a unique and fun way?

I’d like to suggest Smoothie Rock-A-Teller on the Whopper Stopper by Dr. Gerald Mittmann.  This 52 page children’s book is actually the first of a series of nine books where rocks retell Bible stories from their point of view.   In this book Smoothie (That’s the rock’s name!) tells the story of David and Goliath.  It is a creative twist in telling a favorite Bible story of many kids!

The author’s creativity doesn’t stop at just having the story told through the rock’s point of view.  He also has his rock character use very descriptive names for every day objects, like “baa-baa-mini-cloud-walker” instead of sheep.  This book is written for ages 4-10, and I can see where this would entertain a child and perhaps even help hold their interest.

The book is very versatile, however, and I was able to read it to my 2 and 3 1/2 year old, using the actual words, like sheep, so they would better focus on the story itself and not get mixed up with the descriptive language.

When I first read through the book  I was drawn to the colorful images that filled the pages.  My children also thoroughly enjoyed Gregory Cannone’s illustrations.Not only did the illustrations help both my preschooler and toddler better understand the story, but my daughter was able to retell the story later just by looking at the pictures.   As a former language arts teacher, I love anything that helps comprehension skills develop.

Don’t feel like reading all 52 pages at once?  The book is divided into five short chapters, each with a few questions at the end to further engage the audience and promote reading/listening comprehension skills.  If you can’t get through the whole book in one sitting, these questions can also help a child refresh their memory on what happened previously in the book.

The list price of the book is $12.99.  You can find it here on Amazon or at Deep River Books.

**I received a free copy of this book from Bring It On! Communications for review purposes.   I was not monetarily compensated in any way for this review.   All opinions are my own.

"The message at the heart of this book is one that every family will be blessed by." said Mel, blogger who read The Rose Princess and the Special Gift

Review done by Mel

I absolutely love fairy tale books...love the whole happily ever after and skipping through the flowers feeling that you get after reading one.  I am always on the look out for some great children's books to share with our Kids Ministry at church and when I saw this book come through I knew that I had to take a peek at it too.

The illustrations are bright and colorful, the story simply sweet and the message at the heart of the book is one that every family will be blessed by.  I know the sweet little faces at church are going to love this book and I have no doubt that your sweet little faces at home would love it too!

Product Description
Not far from here lives The Rose Princess in a kingdom ruled by her father the King. One morning she awakes to find a splendid package at the end of her bed full of gifts and a card from her father encouraging her to use the gifts wisely. Unaware of what lies ahead, the princess sets out on a journey of learning and adventure where she meets several people who are in need. Suddenly she realizes that the gifts she has received can help the others, and that she has to make a choice...keep the gifts to herself, or help others by giving the gifts away.

The Rose Princess and the Special Gift is a delightful treasure that teaches children the value of forgiveness and how their decisions can impact the lives of those around them.

About the Author
Husband, father, and pastor in Tauranga, New Zealand. Co-founder Powerzone Productions children's teaching curriculum used in New Zealand.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of the aforementioned book from Bring it On! Communications as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"When I say we LOVED this book, that is a huge understatement!" said this blogger about a new Children's book!!

Review done by The Jacobsen Family!
I've got another amazing children's book to share with you!

Many of us have heard the Bible story about David and Goliath, and many books have been written re-telling the story.  But never have I read it told like this. "Smoothie Rock-A-Teller on the Whopper Story" by Dr. Gerald Mittmann tells the story of David and Goliath, but from the perspective of the rock that David used to slay Goliath with! Are you intrigued yet?
When I first got the book, I discovered it was much longer than I had expected; 52 pages broken up into 5 chapters.  While I knew this wouldn't be a problem for my 7 year old, I worried that it may be too long for my 5 and 3 year old to sit through. We didn't get past the first page before I realized it wasn't going to be a problem; they were hooked!  Because this is written from a different perspective, it was almost as if my kids were hearing an entirely new story all together.  The way it is written is fun and draws you in, and the illustrations are amazing as well!  More than once my son commented on how much he loved specific pictures on the pages (kudos to illustrator Gregory Cannone).

 

Not only does this story tell about David and Goliath, but it begins by telling about how God created everything by merely speaking, and explained that God is working with us and shaping us into who He desires us to be.  It reminds us that if God is with us, who can stand against us?  It is written in a way that makes sense to kids, and makes it fun too. One example: Being a rock, Smoothie uses different words than we do.  He calls birds "Tweeter-flappers".

"Some call them 'birds'. But what kind of a name is that? 'Birds?' Nope.  Tweeter-flappers are what they are.  They tweet and flap and flap and tweet."

Every time I read the funny names Smoothie had for different things, my kids laughed and laughed!
Another neat thing about this book is that is a devotional of sorts.  At the end of each chapter, there are review questions as well as a prayer suggestion relating to that chapter. This was good, as it got my children thinking more about the morals of the story and how God can work with them, just as he did with young David and little Smoothie.

I have to be honest and tell you that I cried when reading this book... More than once.  I took it to church and showed some of the Sunday School teachers, as well as other moms and grandmas, and they teared up as well.  It is such a great book, and a wonderful reminder of what faith in God and trusting in Him can accomplish!
When I say we loved, Loved, LOVED this book, that is a huge understatement.  My kids picked it up after I had already read it to them and read it again.  When my mom came over for dinner that night, they asked her to read it to them.  We absolutelyrecommend this book, and I am beyond excited to tell you that the author, Dr. Gerald Mittmann, has even more Rock-A-Teller books that are coming soon! We cannot wait!
Buy It: This book is one you must add to your children's book collection!! Smoothie Rock-A-Teller can be purchased online at the Deep River Bookstore for $13.99.

This is a fun book for any child with lots of pictures and great review questions!

Review done by Judy

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller Book Review

The classic story of David & Goliath is well-known and a favorite Bible story for many children because of David’s success despite all of the odds stacked against him. But…we usually only hear the story from one perspective. You may ask how many perspectives there are and I would too, but Dr. Gerald Mittmann has taken this story to a whole new level. If rocks could talk and feel, what would the rock that killed Goliath have to say? What story would that rock tell?

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller is the stone that was shaped and smoothed over time specifically for the purpose of being placed in David’s sling and killing Goliath.

I am always on the lookout for different ways to teach my children stories from the scriptures and I thought this book presented the story from a fun and intriguing perspective. Immediately after we read this book for the first time, my 4 year old was playing his own version of David and Goliath with his toy cars and I love to see that the story has made an impression on his mind.

Honestly, it took a while for me to warm up to this book. My 4 year old has insisted on reading it daily since we got it and at first I felt that this book was way beyond his comprehension. It is a long book for young children to sit through and much of the story confused K because it was from a different perspective. Smoothie gives everything his own names (ie people are “talking-walk-abouts”, sheep are “baa-baa-mini-cloud-walkers”, etc), and I found myself feeling the need to replace those names as I read with the names K is familiar with. Now that we’ve read it several times I no longer need to and he understands the story just fine. I think this book would be perfect for children around 6-8 years old who would be able to understand it even better.

My only other complaint is how random the text is…it is arranged sometimes confusingly, jumping all over the page and I often miss parts of the story and have to go back and figure out what order the paragraphs are supposed to go in.

All complaints aside, above all, this book is a wonderful reminder of God’s love for each of us and of His presence in our lives. This is a fun book for any child with lots of pictures and great review questions at the end of each chapter.

This book is written by Dr. Gerald Mittmann, published by Deep River Books, and is available for $12.99. ISBN 978-1-935265-78-8. To learn more, visitdeepriverbooks.com.

I’m so grateful to Bring It On Communications for the opportunity to review this book for free. To read more reviews like this one, 
go to Tell Us The Truth Reviews! I was provided with this book for free in exchange for my open and honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

 

Children's books just don't get any better than this!!

Review Done by Splashes of Joy

Pookster could hardly wait to for her two front teeth to come loose because she wanted so bad to sing “All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth. And well, it finally happened. Then she really wasn’t so happy that she was toothless.

This is such a cute book about a child losing teeth, and the importance of letting them fall out on their own. Being on a child’s level of learning, the young reader can identify losing a tooth with the need to be patient and wait on the Lord. This is a very well written little story and with the awesome comic pictures and font use, this makes a loveable teaching story that will surely capture the interest of any young reader.

The words are clear enough that any child can understand them…and the pictures are great enough that children can understand the story through pictures. I really can’t say enough about this adorable book! I think you will fall in love with it just as I did!  And you even get a CD to go along with it. It just doesn’t get any better than this!!

I recommend this book to any family with young children, because all children are going to lose their teeth at some time, and what child doesn’t need to be taught patience?

And this has nothing whatsoever to do with the books, except that this is the author singing a beautiful song. I just heard it for the first time today. Thought you may want to play it while you are reading the reviews. Very powerful song!

Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle  By Rhonda Funk

. Pookster loves pickles, even though they look like frog skins. (Never heard this before but the actually do!) One day while playing with her pickles, she yelled and said some bad things to her brother. Her mom reminded her that pickles can be pretty but they were sour, and that Pookster was pretty but sometimes she says sour things.

This is an adorable story about pickles to teach young readers about using sweet words instead of sour words when talking to others. I think adults could relate to this story as well, and remember that sometimes even though we seem nice, we can also say things that hurt people.

The funny comic pictures are just adorable, and the font just goes perfect with the story and the pictures. This book and the first one in the series is the sweetest and well put together books I’ve read for children. It is strikingly adorable….from the pictures to the font to the colors used to the story itself, you will just fall in love with Pookster and her family. And you get a CD to go with the book as well, and as I said before, it just doesn’t get any better than this!

Thank you to Bring it on Communications for providing a copy of these 2 books. I was not expected or required to write a positive review of these books. The opinions in these reviews are mine alone.

To Purchase a copy of these adorable books go to

AMAZON  

AUTHORS WEBSITE    

BOOKS A MILLION

CBD

Children's books with CD accompaniment by the author and her children!

Review done by Felicia

We were sent two new delightful books to check out a few weeks ago.  The Adventures of Pookster and Bubs are a series of soft cover books that also have CD accompaniment.  Not only do they teach important life lessons, but they do so by incorporating Bible verses and why it is important to God.

Pookster and The Unloose Tooth
What a hilarious book about how Pookster needs to get rid of a tooth!  She tries everything to rid herself of the tooth until her older sister gives her the tip that works.  The overall message is one of patience which is so important for all of us, especially preschoolers!  Graham loves that there is a narrated CD so that he can follow along.

Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle
Kind words can be a tough thing whenever someone takes what is yours or does you wrong.  It really can be a challenging concept to teach kids if you are not consistent.  I love how Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle teaches this lesson while adding in funny stories and situations your kids can relate to.

Something to keep in mind is that using the CD narration, there is a chime to let you know when to turn the page.  I think they did a great job capturing the spirit of the book with the narrator, but she does go pretty fast for Graham (as well as the chime).  Just FYI in case you leave the room while they are reading. 

You can purchase both of these Pookster and Bubs titles for $20 total or $11.99 a piece.  Be on the look out for the newest title, Bubs and the Pursuit of Puppiness.  Also, make sure to follow Pookster and Bubs on Facebook.

This product was provided free of charge by Pookster and Bubs. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

"My kids really liked this book, especially my five year old..." says this blogger about The Rose Princess and the Special Gift!

Review done by The Book Nook Club

The Rose Princess and the Special Giftis the story of a special girl in an idyllic kingdom who learns about sharing and generosity.

The Rose Princess wakes up one morning to find that her father, the king, has left her a box of gifts. As she continues throughout her day (walking around with no parental supervision or security staff!), the Rose Princess encounters others who seem more in need of these gifts than herself, so she parcels them out. She returns home worried that her father will be upset with her, and is amazed to discover that he is actually proud of her for acts of kindness.

The story itself is simple, and not -like many children's books these days- filled with jokes and innuendo for the parents' benefit. In its simplicity however there are layers of depth that lead to question and answer sessions and many re-reads. There are, in fact, many lessons here beyond the obvious. I couldn't help but wonder if it was at all inspired by the parable of the talents.

My kids really liked this book, especially my five year old daughter. Beyond the story, she loves the illustrations of the wide-eyed princess, who embodies every little girl's idea of what a princess ought to be. It is also a good length for a kids' book, long enough to satiate the children's desire for a good story, but not so long that the parent starts to fantasize about margaritas or mentally compose shopping lists halfway through. 

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review.

Your kids won't realize they are getting a history AND a moral lesson in this book!

Review done by Jennifer

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller:  On The Whopper Stopper is the biblical story of David and Goliath.

If rocks could walk and talk then this is one story they may tell.  Smoothie is a rock created by God to fulfill his destiny in the place of all things.  He is content to lie at the bottom of his brook where the water would tickle him with its whooshing and swooshing.

His one dream in life is to fly like the tweeter-flappers, some would call them birds, but what kind of word is that?  Bird??  Nope, they are tweeter-flappers because they tweet and they flap and they flap and they tweet.

One day, Smoothie is noticing some strangeness going on in the world of the talking-walk-abouts, the Philistines were readying for a fight and the people of Israel were frightened.  The Philistines had themselves a whopper stopper of a talking-walk-about and the Israelites didn't have one champion amongst them who would take up Goliath's one on one challenge.

Until the day little David was sent to take some food to his brothers who were on the front lines of the upcoming war.  Seeing how this whopper stopper was yelling and making fun of God, David proclaimed he would stop the giant.

Searching the brook for the perfect stones to send flying in his sling, his feelers find Smoothie lying in his place in the brook and he is placed into David's sling and for the first time, Smoothie is flying just like the tweeter-flappers!  With the faith of God behind him, David sends Smoothie flying true and Goliath, the giant whopper stopper is no more.

I thought the pictures in the book were very nicely done, illustrated byGregory Cannone, in a water colour washed effect.  There are many sight words listed throughout the pages and my children loved hearing them.  The story is an old one, but its approach is a fresh idea, making up words to get the children to follow along.  All the made up words were neat and the different explanations and names of things was most imaginative and the children giggled over their meanings and stayed focused on the story.  

I wouldn't suggest reading the story in one sitting, the book is set up in a chapter like format.  The beginning has a verse from the bible listed and at the end of each chapter are questions to be discussed with your young folks!  They don't even realize they are getting a history AND a moral lesson in each chapter they read.  You are also encouraged to pray at the end of each chapter, giving you suggestions on what to pray for!

I'm fairly certain this would be beneficial in bible study classes for young folks or even if you homeschool and need an introductory book explaining the biblical story of David and Goliath, then this would most certainly help!

SYNOPSIS:
There is a story in the Bible about a WHOPPER of a giant who did not love God. Everything about him was a whopper - he was whopper tall, whopper strong, and whopper mean! Everyone was afraid of this giant, except for one. 

This is David and Goliath told from the eyes of the littlest one. No, not from David (the watcher of the baa-baa mini cloud-walkers), but the rock who saw it all! 

Now, rocks don't walk, and rocks don't talk, but if they could...they would tell you of the time that a whopper champion came looking for a whopper fight with the army of Israel, and how God used one small boy to bring him down with a simple little whopper stopper!

The entire family will enjoy this Bible devotion as Smoothie Rock-A-Teller shares David's story of courage in a way you've never heard before!

** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

Pookster and Bubs: A Practically Perfect Book!

Review done by Liz

pookster and the practically perfect pickle

Written By: Rhonda Funk  Illustrations: Eric Kieninger

ISBN: 978-1-935265-41-2

Publisher: Fish Pond, 2010

MSRP: $11.99 includes audio CD

Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle, an adorable children’s book, is about a brother and sister who are having a hard time using “sweet” words with one another. The heart of the conflict is that Pookster, the older sister, is having a snack, when her younger brother, Bubs, comes over with his army guy toys. She wrongly assumes Bubs and his soliders are their to take her pickle. Their loving mother steps in to help Pookster see that she needs to use kind words, like a “sweet pickle,” or she could lose her actual pickle to the mean Mommy Forces!

The message focuses on teaching children to use  kind words instead of fighting with one another and the consequences that go with choosing to be a sweet or sour pickle of a person. A good book with a very clear, relatable message for children ages 2 to 8. My daughter is 2 and really loved the story, mostly because the illustrations told the story very easily for her and she could follow what was going on. My son, who is 4, really loved the illustrations too, but he really enjoyed the telling of the story, the words were written in a way that is funny and relatable all at once. He also liked that Bubs played army guys like he does! In fact, my children have had many a fight involving army guys that take over a dollhouse!

The spiritual message in this book is related with the analogy of the pickle, in that we can choose “sweet” or “sour” words; sweet words bring glory to God and sour words hurt others and cause fights. I liked that the spiritual message wasn’t too heavy in the this book, in that there is not a lot of actual Bible verses or language my children wouldn’t relate to, but that Pookster and Bubs, by their actions, words, and choices, are figures that SHOW the spiritual message. The Bible verse at the end sums it up well, “Pleasant words are honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24. Just perfect words for my children to hear!  

I highly recommend that you purchase this book if looking for a story that will teach your children to stop and think during a fight, to learn to use their words to bring glory to God and harmony to your house. I will be bringing more Pookster and Bubs books to my house-they are the perfect storybook figures of my own children and the way they relate to one another!

 

To read more reviews like this one, go to Tell Us The Truth Reviews!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for sharing my thoughts and feelings about the book on my blog, no other compensation was received.

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller is a big hit with this blogger!

Review done by Wendy

This is the story of David and Goliath told through from the view of a smoothie rock.  He talks of God's plan and how He made us and shapes us.  To pray for those that make fun of God and for those that don't love Him.

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller brought a smile to our face with his way of seeing the world.  He knew people were called people, but he called them talking walk-abouts.  Birds are tweeter flappers! There are more but it really was sweet. Rock-A-Teller's version of David and Goliath is endearing and mesmerizing.  He knows God has a purpose for him and this is his story of how he became the rock that took down that meanie Goliath.

 The illustrations by Gregory Cannone are very detailed and vibrant.  This is a nice sized hardcover book that many children will love and understand the story and the messages.  Great for at home or for a Sunday School.    There are also Rockie  (devotion time) points to talk about at the end of each chapter. 
 

I received a complimentary copy for review from Bring it On! Communications.

This has good lessons to teach after the book is read!

Review by Rockabye Butterfly

Temba and the Dream Giver

Book Summary:  Temba is a boy who has many dreams. Owning a bicycle, and living in a safe neighborhood are two of his dreams. Temba’s favorite dream is to visit the ocean. He longs to hear the sound of the crashing waves and to taste the salty water. One day he enters a contest. The prize is a trip to the seaside by train! Temba believes in the Dream Giver; but as with any dream, he learns that obstacles may arise that threaten to steal a dream away.

When I read this book, I assumed the Dream Giver was God.  Temba lives in a poor neighbourhood with not much and uses his dreams to carry him away to a better place.  He dreams of visiting the seaside and asks the "Dream Giver" to have his dreams come true.  It teaches that sometimes dreams can come true, and it seems to be a book to encourage children to keep dreaming because big things can happen when you dream.  A good character building lesson in this book I would say is "holding hope".  Even when Temba thought he failed, he was upset, but he still held hope, still dreamed and woke up happy.  It reminds me of when we go through rough times in our lives, we still hold onto hope, to our Faith, which in turn keeps us positive.  And sometimes, when it's according to His plan, dreams do come true! Which is a good lesson to teach after the book is read.

My daughter liked this book because she is a true beach baby and loves the beach!  This book had the beach in it! :)  I'm not sure she grasped the full message in this book at 3.5 years old, but I am for sure going to be referring to this book also, later on when we will be working on more extensive Character Studies together in the future.

This book definitely captivated my 3.5 year old's attention!

Review done by Rockabye Butterfly

The Rose Princess and the Special Gift

Book Summary:  Not far from here lives The Rose Princess in a kingdom ruled by her father the King. One morning she awakes to find a splendid package at the end of her bed full of gifts and a card from her father encouraging her to use the gifts wisely. Unaware of what lies ahead, the princess sets out on a journey of learning and adventure where she meets several people who are in need. Suddenly she realizes that the gifts she has received can help the others, and that she has to make a choice…keep the gifts to herself, or help others by giving the gifts away.

 

When I read this book, I saw the symbolism of the King being our God the Father, giving us our gifts that are unique to each of us; and the princess, as myself, His child.  I like that this book is a character building book, building qualities such as generosity and sharing and giving away what you have in order to help people in need.  They learn that with a positive attitude and a giving heart, you can really impact someone else's life in a great Godly way; so I like the lessons in this book.

My daughter loved the pictures in this book, the bright look, and she loves all things princesses!  The book went through emotions- happiness, empathy, sadness... and it seemed like my daughter was feeling each emotion as it went along according to her facial features during the read and her comments along the way.  I can conclude that it definitely captivated my 3.5 year old's attention!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of  The Rose Princess and the Special Gift  from Bring it On Communications for this review.  The opinions I have given are mine and were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.

Looking for a book that will keep the kids interested while sharing God's message?

Review done by Liz

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller On The Whopper-Stopper is just the book for families who love to share Bible stories with their children in a fun and new way!

Smoothie Rock-A-Teller On The Whopper-Stopper is by Dr. Gerald Mittmann and illustrated by Gregory Cannone.

The ISBN number is 1935265784, the publisher is Fish Pond Kids, with an upcoming release date of Sept. 1, 2011 at an MSRP of $12.99

This adorable children’s book is about a very special rock, who just knows that God has a purpose for him. The rock, named Smoothie, settles in a creek bed. One day he hears lots of commotion around the creek- on one side the Philistines and on the other the Israelites. He hears Goliath, whom Smoothie describes as a “whopper,” saying mean things about God and feels sad. When David, the “whopper-stopper,”  arrives and decides to face Goliath, Smoothie discovers God’s plan for them for both!  A great story for children ages 4 and up!

Dr. Mittman presents the story of David and Goliath from a new perspective-the rock that took down Goliath! His messages, one, which is God having a plan for each of us and two, trusting in God are presented in a consistent and kid-focused way. He has written questions throughout the book that help kids to find the message by thinking critically and analyzing what is going on in the story. The perspective alone does a lot to reiterate the great story of David and Goliath though, my kids were tickled pink to hear Smoothie talking about birds, fish and the people he sees! The illustrations are soft and large, filling each page with a picture that tells the story, a great pairing between story and visual, which especially helped my 2 year old daughter to enjoy the story along with her big brother.

My children were immediately drawn to this book because it has two things they love: rocks and the story of David/Goliath. After a very lively reading of this book with my children, I can honestly say I would recommend it to a family with young children, it’s very well written and illustrated, with a clever perspective that entertains young and old! I can’t wait to read more books in the Rock-a-Teller series!

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 Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. No other compensation was received.

 

Children's Books with a Message! Come Read About It!

Review done by The Jacobsen Family

 

We are a family that LOVES to read. Growing up, my mom loved to read to us and did so often, instilling in us a love of reading.  Now as a mother myself, I love to read to my own children, and already see a love of reading in them as well.  We love all sorts of books, but as a mother, I am always thrilled to find great books that teach my children a good moral lesson.

I was recently contacted by Bring It On! Communications and asked if I was interested in reviewing some Deep River Books. Of course we were!! We were sent 2 children's books, The Rose Princess and the Special Gift by Mike de Vetter, andPookster and the Unloose Tooth by Rhonda Funk, part of the Pookster and Bubs series of books.

The Rose Princess and the Special Gift is about a princess whose father gives her a package full of gifts with a note encouraging her to use them wisely.  She goes on a journey and meets many people in need, and has to decide whether to keep the gifts for herself, or help those in need by giving them the gifts.

I was very excited to read The Rose Princess and the Special Gift, as our homeschool curriculum had recently touched on the talents and gifts God gives us and the need for sharing them with others.  My kids immediately made the comparison of the king and the gifts to God and the talents/gifts He gives us.  They loved that the princess chose to give her gifts to help those in need, and this opened a discussion of gifts and talents we have, and how we can use them to help others in need. 

Pookster and the Unloose Tooth is also a very fun, entertaining book! This book is about a girl, Pookster, who wants to lose her teeth so badly she prays that she will lose them.  She is unwilling, however, to wait until her teeth (and God) are ready, and with the help of some dental floss, a door knob, and a big sister, takes care of it herself.  Now all she wants is for her teeth to grow back in!  This story teaches us the lesson of waiting on God and His perfect timing.

Logan is at the age where he is losing teeth, so this was fun for all of us as we could relate to the character.  This book also came with a read-along CD, which we love!  The kids love the read-along books, and it's nice for me when I need to do something and want them busy and out of trouble! 

We loved each of these books equally, although my daughter, of course, adores The Rose Princess book.  These books are wonderful in that they encourage your child to learn from the actions of the characters in the stories.  I highly recommend these books for any child in your life!

Buy It: You can purchase The Rose Princess and The Special Gift for $12.99, andPookster and the Unloose Tooth for $11.99 from the Deep River Bookstore.

 Bring It On! Communications sent me the aforementioned items free of charge to help facilitate my review. No other type of compensation was received.  These are my honest opinions on the products. Please see my terms of use for more information.  A big thank you to Bring It On! Communications and  Deep River Books for allowing me to review these items!

Pookster and the Unloose Tooth - Review!

Review done by Rambles of a SAHM

My son and I really enjoy reading together and I think it is important for him to read books that teach a lesson as well as being fun to read. We received two books from the Pookster and Bubsseries to try. The first was Pookster and the Unloose Tooth and second was Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle. I have to say these books are cute, funny, and have a clear message.  My son loves the illustrations. What I loved was that each story came with a CD of the story. It was great to take this in the car and listen to the CD while my son flippedthrough the book. I loved that at the end of both stories there was a Bible verse to go along with the story. The Pookster and Bubs series would be great for ages 6 and up. It can work for younger children to if you read it out loud or listen to the CD (We did both!) I love it when I can find a book series this is fun to read and has a great lesson too. I would give these books 4 out of 5 stars! Author Rhonda Funk has written a third book called Bubs and the Pursuit of Puppiness! We are looking forward to reading it too. If you want to find more information on Pookster and Bubs you can visithttp://www.pooksterandbubs.com/Pookster_and_Bubs/Welcome.html or The Adventures of Pookster and Bubs on Face Book!

I received these books from Bring It On! Communications for my honest review!

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go to Tell Us The Truth Reviews

Untitled

Review by Jenilee

This children's book is called "The Rose Princess and the Special Gift" by Mike de Vetter.

Elayna read this book and loved it! She enjoyed the pictures...

And she said that her favorite part was when the Princess gave with Kindness.

The Princess had been given some gifts by her father and she chose to share those gifts with others who needed help.

When I asked Elayna what she learned from this book, she said, "I learned to be kind and to give to others."

I'm sure that this is a book my girls will read again and again!

The Rose Princess and the Special Gift - Review

review done by Krista

On The Back

Not far from here lives the Rose Princess in a kingdom ruled by her father the king. One morning she awakes to find a splendid package at the end of her bed full of gifts and a card from her father encouraging her to use the gifts wisely. Unaware of what lies ahead, the princess sets out on a journey of learning and adventure where she meets several people who are in need. Suddenly she realizes that she has gifts that can help them, and she is faced with a choice: keep the gifts, or help the others by giving her gifts away.

My Thoughts

I wish that there were more books like this in the world. Books that taught children that it is better to give than to receive. Sadly in this day in age some children are selfish and don't realize how hard their parents have to work to give them what they've got. They don't take care of their stuff and don't seem to care about anything. I know this is not the case with all children but it just seems that more and more often you are seeing it!

The Rose Princess is a beautiful role model. What little girl does not want to be a princess and to be able to read about one that is so generous and giving is wonderful! My daughter loves this book! Here is what she had to say........

Ashes Thoughts

(age 5)

Rose is a princess who got a gift from her Dad. She gave away her neat stuff to the strangers so they could be happy again. The strangers needed her stuff more than she did. It was nice of her to give it away. She is a very nice princess. I would like to be like her. I would not be mean. I would always be nice. I can be like her and help others too!

Buy It!

You may visit HERE to purchase The Rose Princess by Mike de Vetter

I did receive a product for the purpose of this review, However my opinion was used in this review and was not influenced in any way! All thoughts are my own and may vary from others.