Introducing New Picture Storybooks for Kids from Zonderkidz and the GoodBook Company!
* I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of these books from The Good Book Company and Zonderkidz. All thoughts are my own. This blog post includes affiliate links . View my affiliate disclosure here.
The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party Storybook
A True Story about Heaven, Jesus, and the Best Invitation of All
By Joni Eareckson Tada & Catalina Echeverri
Published by The Good Book Company
Part of the Tales that Tell the Truth series.
What will heaven be like? Answering this question for kids can be challenging, especially as it’s hard to get past the myths.
This beautifully illustrated, biblically faithful storybook by Joni Eareckson Tada excites children with this truth—that when Jesus comes back to this world, he will bring heaven with him! There will be a new creation where we’ll have new hearts and a new body, living in a new city. And best of all, we’ll be with Jesus, forever! It will be better than we can ever imagine.
Kids are encouraged to respond to Jesus’ invitation personally by repenting and believing. They will also be inspired to invite others, and to ask Jesus to come soon.
Joni Eareckson Tada was left quadriplegic after a diving accident and is now a global leader in disability advocacy who helps families with special needs around the world through her organization, Joni and Friends.
My Review:
I found this picture book to be whimsy and doctrinally sound. There is nothing I desire more for my preschooler than for her to accept Jesus’ invitation to heaven through faith in Him as her Saviour. This vibrantly illustrated pictured book features a diverse set of people and animals as well as depictions of Jesus and heaven that spark the imagination. Author Joni Eareckson Tada is someone I have long admired and it is an honor to share about this book she has authored. She begins by talking about the greatest invitation of all time, the invitation Jesus has offered us to enter heaven and spend eternity with Him…She talks about what the Bible says heaven and the new Earth will be like, as well as the new hearts, minds and bodies that we will receive. It is a joyful celebration of what is to come for Christians, for eternity, and Tada likens it all to a giant party. She then prompts children to respond to Jesus’ invitation and encourages them to invite their friends, too. The book wraps up with our own invitations back to Jesus to come quickly. What an incredible, spiritually sound way to introduce the Gospel message into children’s hearts and minds! I definitely recommend this book. It would be an excellent addition to any child’s shelf, as well as to schools and libraries.
Also, be sure to check out The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party Board Book for Toddlers and The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party Art and Activity Book!
More Books from the Tales that Tell the Truth Series:
Little One, We Knew You’d Come
Written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, Illustrated by Eve Tharlet
Published by Zonderkidz
About This Book:
Ages: 0+
From New York Times bestselling children’s book author Sally Lloyd-Jones, Little One, We Knew You’d Come is a heartwarming and endearing story about the hope and anticipation of a new baby. Overflowing with joy, this book makes the perfect gift for a new baby, baptism, adoption, new beginning, or special occasion.
Little one, we knew you’d come.
We hoped. We dreamed. We watched for you.
We counted the days till you were due.
We waited. How we longed for you,
And the day that you were born.
My Review:
Oh, this little book is just darling! As an adoptive Mama, I love when I can find picture books about a child’s birth that do not relate specifically to pregnancy. This sweet, lyrical story is told from both Mama and Papa Kangaroos’ point of view with adorable illustrations featuring them waiting for their little one’s birth. This storybook can easily work for pregnancy or adoption/placement in infancy. Because the book refers to the day a baby is born, I do not believe this book would work well for a child who was placed or adopted at an older age. With large, low gloss pages and subtle tones, the story celebrates the gift of new life and the hope and joy found therein. A great gift for a baby shower, adoption or special occasion within baby’s first year and a book that can grow with your little one up until their preschool years.
More Books from Sally Lloyd-Jones:
Ages: 3-8
Children ask A LOT of questions when it comes to heaven, particularly when they’ve experienced the loss of a loved one. In this uplifting, imaginative picture book, How High Is Heaven? inspires hope and comfort in readers young and old, that heaven can be experienced here and now and is open for us all.
Bestselling author and ABC News correspondent Linsey Davis invites children to explore age-appropriate questions about heaven. Kids (and their parents) can celebrate that, thanks to God’s grace, heaven is a place we can look forward to while finding moments of heaven here on earth.
My Review:
Two of my favorite books on our bookshelf are Stay This Way Forever and The World Is Awake for Little Ones, so it was no surprise we love this new release from author Linsey Davis, too! This sweet and tender picture book moved me to tears… It was so beautiful! As I read this to my preschool-age daughter, it opened a conversation about what heaven is and how to get there! As the little boy in this story wonders how he can get to heaven to see his beloved grandmother who is now there, he wonders aloud about building a staircase to heaven or flying there in a balloon or airplane. Instead, he learns through his pastor at church that it is the gift of God’s grace and faith in Him that will lead us to heaven someday. I adore how the short, lyrical words of this picture book simplify the answer to this big question for young children and makes it easy for them to understand and grasp the need for salvation in a fun and relatable way. The illustrations are so cute and vibrant; my daughter loved looking at it! This is a great addition to any child’s library and would be excellent for a church, preschool or given as a gift! It would also serve well for a child who has recently lost a grandparent and is missing them…
More From Linsey Davis:
Ages: 4-8
In this adorable illustrated picture book for kids written by Dan McKernan (Saved by the Barn), the rescue farm animals at Barn Sanctuary decide to help a cow who is dealing with fear and anxiety in her new home. Children will learn the importance of friendship and compassion, as well as why it’s important to support others during hard times.
This Farm Is a Family follows a group of rescued farm animals who are living their best lives at Barn Sanctuary. Each one is eager to meet the newest arrival, Buttercup the cow, and show her all the fun things they can do together. But Buttercup doesn’t want to play--in fact, she doesn’t want anything to do with the other animals. So with a lot of love and understanding, the animals work together to help Buttercup discover she’s part of a new family and can leave her old fears behind.
My Review:
Rescue animals and a story of kindness and compassion?! This ADORABLE story won my heart instantly. My daughter and I loved this story, it was so cute! We laughed at the animal sounds, the silly goat and we adored the message behind this book. When Buttercup, a new cow, comes to the farm, the other animals find her to be grumpy and a little mean. They try various ways to reach out to her and eventually, they learn she was just scared and felt out of place. As they all work to become friends, there’s a valuable lesson in kindness, compassion and friendship to be learned! With low gloss pages and engaging illustrations, this book is a new favorite! We especially loved the informational page at the back of the book that shows photos of the featured animals in real-life and helped us to learn about this important farm animal sanctuary and their mission in Michigan. I do hope there will be more books to follow. This would be a great gift for any young child and would also serve well for a child who’s transitioning to a new home or school, or welcoming a child who is new to the family, such as a in a foster care placement situation!
You’re the Hugs to My Kisses
Written by Barbara Herndon, Illustrated by Diane Ewen
Published by Zonderkidz
Ages: 4-8
Celebrate and express the special bond between loved ones––family and friends, young and old––with this heartfelt children’s picture book that reminds you that life is sweeter when you have someone to share it with.
You’re the jelly to my donut. You’re the blue to my sky.
You’re the laces to my sneakers. You’re the twinkle to my eye.
With whimsical, read-aloud rhymes, this delightful story will appeal to readers (and listeners) of all ages and remind you to enjoy all that you have in common with your loved ones.
My Review:
A cute, rhyming book with silly expressions that celebrates family and connection! We smiled all the way through this happy, colorful little book. It has bright with fun illustrations and my preschool-age daughter seemed to like it. The book moves at a fast pace and would be a great gift from a family member or special friend to a child, whether they live near or far away! Also, I believe this book is totally acceptable for a toddler audience, too!
