"Just In Case You Ever Wonder" Review

The next book I reviewed for the Thomas Nelson book review group, Book Sneeze, was “Just In Case You Ever Wonder” by Max Lucado. This is a children’s book that came in a hardcover version with a book jacket. I had very high expectations for this book. My family owns several Max Lucado children’s books that we love. “Just In Case You Ever Wonder” has won awards, and I wanted to love it. I began reading the story to my 3 year old son as soon as we got the book in the mail. The first few pages were very meaningful and touching. I was excited to continue reading. Then I came to a page with the words, “When you see monsters in the shadows, call me.” The illustrations on this page, along with the words are not suitable (in my opinion) for babies and toddlers. My son commented on the ‘tree with a mean face’. I didn’t read that page to him, and I was disappointed that something like monsters (which we try to avoid ) were discussed. There are enough fearful things in the world that are real, without having to add things to our wonderful Christian books to scare children. I really like this book, with the exception on the page I have discussed.

"Night Night Blessings" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson's book review site, Book Sneeze, was "Night Night Blessings" by Amy Parker. We already had another book that we really enjoy by Parker, so I had high expectations for this book! I like the structure of these books. They are laminated board books, with thinner pages than the traditional board book. They are wonderful for the earliest of readers, who are still prone to tear pages. The approximately 22 page book is the perfect length for most babies and toddlers. There are just enough words to captivate the listener! The storyline makes this an excellent read for a bed time story! Each page describes things that the child is thanking God for. (Favorite toys, sloppy dog kisses, bubble bath, and more) The illustrations (by Marijan Ramljak) are very sweet. They are whimsical, and appealing to children and parents alike! I like that this book focuses on gratitude and joy, and teaching children that having thankfulness as our last words of the day is a geat habit to start at a young age! I enjoyed this book so much that I plan to look for more books by Amy Parker. A wonderful book!