"The Berenstain Bears' Caring and Sharing Treasury" by Jan and Mike Berenstain

I’m addicted to Berenstain Bear books. So of course when I saw Jan and Mike Berenstain’s “The Berenstain Bears’ Caring and Sharing Treasury,” I wanted to read it. The collection contains five books. All of the books are faith stories and part of the “Living Lights” series.

The first book, “Jobs Around Town,” because of its simple, almost lack of, a plot, is geared toward three year olds, whereas the other stories in the collection would please 4-8 year olds. The narrator in this story is ambiguous. Is it Brother? Is it the author? I couldn’t tell. All of the illustrations were full-page and vibrant. The story is simple—it’s reads as a series of observations rather than as a story.

The second story, “Get Involved,” was a more substantial story. Dialogue kept the story engaging and progressing. This story, as well as the rest, also had vibrant, full-page illustrations.

“Love Their Neighbors,” the third story, was a clever retelling of the Good Samaritan story. I appreciated that this book was a thorough story with an overt moral message.

The fourth story, “Gossip Gang,” is my favorite. The storyline is smooth and thorough, and the authors articulately tackle a big issue that kids have.

“The Biggest Brag,” the final story, also has vibrant, detailed illustrations and a clearly-presented message which could have been enhanced with more Bible references.

At the end of the Treasury are the “Talk about it” and “Get out and do it” sections that correspond with each story.

I recommend this collection to others.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

"School Time Blessings" by Mike Berenstain

“School Time Blessings” by Mike Berenstain teaches children about casting their anxieties on the Lord.

I recently cuddled up on the couch with my four-year-old niece, and we read stories. We started with “No Girls Allowed” by Stan and Jan Berenstain – a Berenstain Bear book from my childhood. After that book, we read “School Time Blessings.”

I find that the first generation of Berenstain Bear books focus on having a thorough storyline, and the new books focus on applying a spiritual insight. Both are good.

“School Time Blessings” seems to have more spiritual references than some of Mike Berenstain’s other books do. When we came to the first mention of God, my niece asked, “are these Sabbath books?” That made me smile. I’m glad that Mike Berenstain has made his books “Living Lights” stories. I quietly told my niece that we can read about God any day, and we finished the story.

“School Time Blessings” offers everything Mike Berenstain’s other books do – vibrant illustrations, a Bear Country lesson, and a kid-friendly story. I recommend this book to others.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

Great Stories of the Bible illustrated by David Miles

“Great Stories of the Bible” from the Zonderkidz I Can Read! Adventure Bible Series, with pictures by David Miles, is accessible, Biblically accurate, and vibrantly illustrated.

This book is in the Level 2 category of the I Can Read series. Level 2 is defined as “High-interest stories for developing readers.” This hardcover book contains six stories: “God’s Great Creation,” “Facing the Blazing Furnace,” “Ruth and Naomi,” “Miracles of Jesus,” “A Father’s Love,” and “The Good Samaritan.” The purpose of all of the stories is to emphasize God’s greatness and the reward that come from serving Him.

I enjoy all of the books in this series that I’ve read. The illustrations are always engaging, and while the Bible stories are simplified, they are still provocative. The spiritual messages are clear, and the stories are written in a style that is attractive and accessible for children. At the end of each story, there is an information page that can be used for further instruction between parent and child. Sometimes Bible verses are given, characters are discussed further, or lessons from the story are amplified. This treasury of six stories is a gem, and I definitely recommend it to others.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind, & Soul

Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind, & Soul by Ruth Soukup is a well-organized, relatable, friendly book about just what the title claims it is.

Soukup divides her tips into three categories: Home, Mind, and Soul. Within each she covers topics such as battling the storage advertisements, how to declutter despite kids, how to graciously refuse or discard gifts, and decluttering schedules, relationships, and leisure.

Recently I’ve read a few books on the topic of minimalizing, and what I enjoyed about Soukups is how she organized it and how she gave good, practical ideas. Some books about minimalizing/decluttering dive too deeply into the depths of common sense. Of course they all must scratch the surface—but Soukup did a good job of teaching her readers some practical strategies for living more intentionally. I don’t have kids, but if I ever do, I’ll probably find myself rereading the chapter about kids. Soupkup gracefully addresses issues that most women face, and she encourages us to be the best versions of ourselves we can be.

I recommend this book to other readers.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

The More of Less by Joshua Becker

If someone is looking to clean up a life—to work hard to feel fresh and revived—then this book is for him or her.

Joshua Becker tells about he began his minimalism journey and how decluttering his possessions, his relationships, and his leisure time led to a more fulfilling life.

This book is a thorough manual telling the benefits of minimalism and the methods necessary to achieve a true change.

I found Becker’s advice to be too thorough. However, someone who is looking for a complete overhaul and is foreign to the concept of living intentionally will find this book to be helpful. Becker not only discusses minimalizing possessions, but all aspects of life.

To find out more about The More of Less, visit here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington

 

Breaking Busy: How to find peace and purpose in a world of crazy by Alli Worthington is a quick-reading, 10-chapter book that teaches readers how to shun the world’s call of busyness by identifying their true calling, turning to God for contentment and purpose, and evaluating what matters in their lives.

I enjoyed every page of this book. Alli’s prose is witty, honest, tender, and propulsive, and Alli’s willingness to share her own stories legitimized her suggestions. I gained many ideas from this well-organized book and was reminded of many others. I appreciate how Alli earnestly speaks of Biblical principles—essentially, living the lives God called us to live is what allows us to break busy. Alli’s writing style encourages readers to take her suggestions—to listen to the calling her have—and to become their best selves.

I definitely recommend this book to others. I will probably return to it to read chapters here and there if not the whole thing again.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

Enlarge my Territory? Bring it on! by Suzi Johnson

Suzi Johnson’s book is a collection of tidbits about how to live the best lives we can. She presents a collection of life stories, mantras, scripture lessons, and self-help/motivational excerpts. The book is divided into three parts—each part containing the type of material as listed above. Suzi’s goal seems to be to inspire her readers to be their best selves.

Suzi is definitely an energetic and positive person with a passion for leading people to Christ. This tone is evident in her book. Nonetheless, her book didn’t pull me in. Her ideas seemed to lack coherent organization. She has definitely been inspired by The Prayer of Jabez. Consequently, I thought the book would be a more focused piece of advice on how to enlarge one’s territory. This book seems like something that would be shared with family around a fire or in a living room. If I were a member of Johnson’s family I think the book would be more appealing to me—Johnson’s personal stories and regrets would have personal meaning and not seem detached from her overall purpose.

I don’t recommend this book to people who aren’t Johnson’s family or close friends, but I applaud Johnson’s energy and desire to lead others to Christ.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.