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The NIV Kids' Visual Study Bible brings the Bible to life for children for ages 8-12 in four-color illustrated splendor. Each page also features important facts located near the relevant verse. Intriguing facts; colorful, engaging maps; photographs; and illustrations make this a Bible they'll want to explore. Beautiful cover featuring gloss Review Process Age 8 to 12 Hardcover $32.99 USA ISBN: 9780310758600 My thoughts:   My preference for versions of the Bible would be the King James or perhaps the New King James. However, I recognize that often the prefered version is the NIV. This new NIV Kids' Visual Study Bible will certainly provide many opportunities for the older child to learn deeper studying techniques of the Bible. Children are basically visual leaners and when illustrations, stand out infographics, maps, and photographs draw attention to specifics in the Bible, it stirs the interest and enhances the learning experience. The layout with visuals spaced through the...

ISBN: 978-1-4964-1740-4 My thoughts:    This is the first book in the "I've Questions Series."   Do Baby Bears Have Mommies?   is a sweet little book that the author tells in appealing rhyme many of the questions that inquisitive little ones can pose to parents. And the response, again in charming rhyme, gives an answer with more information that educates the little one to the characteristics of the animals about whom the original question was raised. Quite an array of critters and question about them are given - elephants, bears, ladybugs, mice, ducks, eagles. This is a charming way to begin educating the child to each critter. Anytime a story is told in rhyme, it is dually teaching the information as well as quietly teaching words that rhyme and cadence.  The ending is especially nice in that the author shares that all critters are in God's care and that God made them. Do Baby Bears Have Mommies?  is the first book in the I’ve Got Question Series, wh...

Ages 5-13 ISBN: 978-1-943978-28-1 I recently reviewed a book from Cornell Lab’s children’s book imprint PERSNICKETY PRESS and was very impressed with the great information about the wildlife (think primarily birds) featured in the book and also about the telling of the story itself. Now they have brought forth the story of "Beauty" the Bald Eagle who lost his beak from a poacher's shot and faced dying because he could no longer exist without it. But this story has a delightfully happy ending and it is due to the empathy and skill of folks who used the technology of the 3-D printer to create a temporary prosthetic beak for Beauty ensuring a chance for survival. Showing Beauty's injured beak The text is written in easy to understand language that gives a background story that is a supposition based on, it is assumed, studies about the early life and development of the Bald Eagle. Then it resolves into the sad happening of when the eagle is injured and his desperate atte...

My thoughts:   The author has begun a new series - The Amish Bishop Mysteries - with a delightful story about a group of Amish who settled in the San luis Valley area of Colorado. I don't know if the series will feature Bishop Henry Lapp in all of the books, but I just love his gentle guidance that carries a bit of humor and a lot of strength for the members of his community. I hope to read more about him in future stories. As a peaceful, pacifist group they find themselves embroiled in and the target of murder and arson when one of their own's home is burned out and left murdered in the fire. This is only the start of a series of violent arson acts that seem connected. Yet, the arsonist also strikes a couple of non-Amish establishments leading to questions about how they, too, would be the object of the serial arsonist's attention. Characters' experience with special gifts of intelligence are brought forth and it is shown how their gift can affect personality and devel...

My thoughts:   I have been quite pleased with the new Trade Winds Series of children's books which feature historical stories that revolve around the development of global trade. In Lion, King, and Coin  the young reader learns the fable or legend of King Midas who had the golden touch to the development of gold coins in ancient Turkey in around 600 BCE. The gently flowing story speaks to the region and how the people of Sardis sifted the river sands for deposits of gold which they melted down and shaped into saleable objects. It tells of young Laos who helped his father and grandfather sift for gold and then trade their wares at the local market. Notice: the key word is "trade" and not "sell." They and others had to find someone with something they wanted and who in turn wanted the object they had available to trade in order to make a deal. Eventually, the idea was born to melt the gold and use it to "buy" and "sell" the market goods. The id...

Candlewick Press Presents a new podcast about the storytellers behind your favorite children’s books. The show will air weekly over the summer on iTunes and Stitcher from 6/8 until 8/31. Who will be the guests on these Candlewick Press Presents Podcasts? Look at this fabulous list...... You and your children can listen weekly to hear what these award winning authors are saying about their work and themselves. And because this is such a special occasion and launching, Candlewick is offering Chat With Vera  readers the opportunity to subscribe on either Stitcher or iTunes to listen to the podcasts at one of the links provided in the Rafflecopter entry widget below. What books are in the Chat With Vera & Candlewick 6-book giveaway (to a SINGLE winner)? Hey! The prize pack also includes a Candlewick Podcast Pen! Journey http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=0763660531&pix=y Out of Wonder http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=boo...

ISBN: 978010760597 Paperback $8.99 My thoughts:   It seems that there is a continuing fascination for all things star-studded and by that, I mean entertainment stars - not solar system stars. The "FaithGirlz" publications are about empowering young girls to be what God has planned for them. You might want to check out the FaithGirls website (click here) for more about this program and their publications. I previously reviewed a couple of the FaithGirlz books for the 8-12 crowd and today I'm looking at "Hello Stars" another of the fiction books that tells the story of a young girl of faith and how she goes about life trying to live for God. Written by mother and daughter who are both entertainers and about them as entertainers (fictional), we get into the star-studded life. How does being a young entertainer impact the life of a young girl? How "normal" a life can she live? In Hello Stars we learn that Lena struggles with obedience just as a "norm...

ISBN: 9780718074883 Board Book $9.99 US - $12.50 CAN My thoughts:   The "Make Believe Ideas" line of books is relatively new to my acquaintance, but I have been quite pleased with them. (See my review of All Things Bright and Beautiful - board book with handle). The text of Big Look Bible Book is concise and tells the five major Bible stories main points and there is a nice focus on God in each story.... ...they had not obeyed God. ...God kept them safe. ...God was with Joseph ...God helped David win ...God kept Daniel safe. ...a Son who would save all people. ...Son of God is born today!... bring joy to the world. ...God's Son, as was foretold! ...Jesus saved us from sin. The illustrations are cute, lively and in a full pallet of colors. The board book is sturdy and will withstand a lot of being lovingly treasured. The pages are each individually shaped which adds a somewhat unique aspect to the book. Lovely and fun and a great way to introduce youngsters to the beloved ...

My thoughts: This is a gorgeous book! It is a book jam-packed with such a plethora of information about plants from the tiniest to the largest, from above ground to those tucked away underneath rocks or soil. It is a treasure trove of botanical information for the young and young at heart. The book is touted for those ages 8 to 12 but surely they can't mean that! This book is a treasure and plant lovers (and soon-to-be plant lovers) of ALL ages will find themselves immersed for hours observing the detail of these beautiful illustrations by Katie Scott and reading the explanations by Kathy Willis that is all about each particular plant. Couched in the guise of a "night at the museum" or a "let's visit the museum" you are introduced to the plants as though you were on a tour of a lovely plant museum. The pages are laid out with just the right amount of information (don't forget, they said this is for those "tweens" you know, but hint-hint very bu...

My thoughts:   This is a charming little board book suitable for upwards to eight year old girls. The little rhymes cloaked in prayerfulness cover a nice variety of concepts and activities that young girls will encounter. Part of the Princess Parables line of books from ZonderKidz there are a 15 prayers that will take young girls from morning to bedtime and all types of activities and situations in between. The sweet prayers are Scripture based and each has a special insert at the bottom of the page with a Bible verse supporting the thought. I am not sure of the version used in this case, but the Biblical reference is provided so parents can use the version with which they are most familiar. A lovely little book that girls will surely love and that will guide their hearts and thoughts in loving, Christ based thoughts. About the book:  Good morning, Lord, it’s time to rise. The sun is shining bright. I’ve got my day ahead of me, so help me do what’s right. Help me to be kind an...

My thoughts:   A well-done picture book biography for young children that is especially good for teaching the period of history associated with the emancipation proclamation. It will encourage African-Americans to discover their heritage and it will enlighten all children in America's history and those who shaped it. The author generously provides a narrative that is somewhat extensive for a picture book and yet the illustrations are abundant so that young readers and reluctant older readers can learn of Ida B. Wells. The topic is a bit heavy for typical picture book readers and perhaps might be best read to or by older middle elementary age students because the subject of lynching is articulated as well as social injustices. Illustrated using a style somewhat cubist, the colors and actions depicted in the art work tell the story well and fit well with the text. As a freed slaved and crusading journalist she was, as a woman and as an African-American woman, a real pioneer in the fi...