Two more books arrived in my mailbox last week while I was still in the hospital recovering from childbirth. Both are children’s books and they arrived in the most appropriate time as the twins are learning to say and sing the letters of the alphabet, and as we teach them how to say “thank you” to express genuine gratefulness.
The arrival of a newborn in our home also kept me in the lookout for more storybooks that are both educational and value-laden. While we allow our children to watch movies, Jeff and I both agree that nothing can ever replaced the presence of physical books in our home.
The two books are visual treats and as soon as I am back on my feet to go all out in making props and what-nots, I’ll be doing my usual storytelling pageantry with the twins and the newborn.
For now, let me share my thoughts about the said books:
M is for Manger
M is for Manger is a Christmas book as it tells the story of the birth of Jesus, which is the main reason why we celebrate Christmas. This one is the perfect material for Christmas Eve story time for toddlers and children below eight years old. But it won’t hurt to have the older children gather around you with their warm mugs of hot chocolate and freshly-baked cookies as the story unravels in a chronological format.
Written by Crystal Brown and Teri McKinley and illustrated by Claire Keay, M for Manger includes Bible verses in each letter which give reference to which part of the Bible can the story be read. This is a helpful feature as it gives adult readers the convenience of reading through the entire Bible passage in cases where children ask a lot of questions and the answers cannot be simply presented in an illustrated book.
As the story is told in chronological order, there is something to look forward to in every page. In between reading, break the storytelling monotony by having your audience (the children of course, and tell adults “no coaching please”) guess which word represents the next letter.
Layout wise, this book is not “cramped” and the wide white margins sure helps in creating a breezy, light reading atmosphere. The illustrations by Claire Keay are truly child friendly and speak the story for itself; no need for lengthy texts and explanation.
While it may sound to be a book intended for the holiday season, don’t wait until Christmas to buy or read this book. You can always read this anytime of the year. Since we’re talking about Christmas, you may want to consider to give this book as Christmas present to your loved ones with or without children.
Published by Tyndale Kids – Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. in Carol Stream, Illinois, M is for Manger joins the roster of Bible-inspired and Bible-themed books thatd do not hard sell Christianity. It performed a great job in telling a story, a story that is worthy to be shared to one and all.
Thankful
Eileen Spinelli and Archie Preston tandem as author and illustrator in this heartwarming book that invites us all to be Thankful about life’s little blessings.
Featured in this book are the waitress, the reporter, the children, the gardener, the traveler among a considerable long list of characters who are thankful for their comfortable shoes, interesting news, story time, green sprout, cozy room…
The illustrations were done by a former Hollywood stuntman, Archie Preston, whose life story is another reason to be thankful about everyday. Author Eileen Spinelli’s style of writing is just as filling as a bowl of homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs. There is a dash of poetic genius here and there, a couple of sprinkles of humor, and unlimited tablespoons of warmth and happiness.
There is calmness and a great sense of relief in reading this book. It’s that feeling you get when you finally lay down on your bed after a long day’s work (special mention to: the horrible boss who made you wish that Mondays don’t exist, and the subway squishing situation that probably made you wish for a second that you’re Paris Hilton). Thankful is that one book you might read only once but whose words will stay with you for a lifetime.
Thanks to Thankful, I was introduced to the writings of Eileen Spinelli so… ecpect me to look into more of her books and possibly, rave and rant about them in future posts.
It’s listed as a book suitable for children ages four to eight years old but realistically, this book has the ability to resonate to every age group. Read it to your toddlers who are going through emotional outburts and terrible meltdowns; they won’t understand it but the illustrations will help in catching and retaining their attention. Give this as a gift to 40-year-olds who are still in the rat race; perhaps they can find a nugget of wisdom or inspiration in between these pages.
For a short book, Thankful packed in a long list of things, events, and people to be grateful for. I’m writing this while breastfeeding my newborn son, Jeff Jr., who is barely five days old as of this writing. I’m experiencing sore nipples and clogged milk ducts but I am thankful for breast pump and hot shower for pain relief.
The only thing I want to happen for Thankful is for it to be longer to include more people/professions.
Otherwise, I say: Keep printing more copies.
***
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received copies of the said books from Tyndale Blog Network (M is for Manger) and the Booklook Bloggers program (Thankful) in exchange for honest reviews. I was not required to write positive reviews. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. 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.”
