Book Review: When I’m with Jesus

When I’m With Jesus by Kimberly Rae

When I’m with Jesus

This is such a beautiful book. Written by a mother, fearing that she may not be there to watch her children grow up due to her multiple health conditions. She wanted to leave behind a message for them to let them know how much she would still loved them even when she is gone. She wanted to make sure that they knew she would be all right when she is with Jesus in Heaven to allow them to heal. Many children often wonder about Heaven, especially when someone they love goes there. They are often afraid to ask other grieving adults about it or talk to them about how they are feeling. They need reassurance that those feelings and questions are normal. This book helps children see that a loved one’s transition to Heaven is a joyful thing and it reminds and comforts children to know that they have not been forgotten and are still loved by the ones they have lost, as well as our Father in Heaven. It uses this verse from Revelation (21:4) as a reminder of what eternity with God in Heaven will be like: “There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain.”⁠

Reading this book brought tears to my eyes. It reminds us that God knows all about us, He knew us before we were born, how long we will live, our fears, our sufferings, our pain, our deepest darkest thoughts and secrets, even how many hairs we have on our head! He loves us, just as we are, just as He had made us. But sometimes, when the time comes, He will want us to leave this Earth and be with Him in Heaven. Sometimes he’ll take away someone we love to Heaven even when we want them to stay. Though it sounds scary, it is actually a wonderful blessing and a gift from God! Because, although we have pain, suffering and death on Earth, we will only have joy, peace and life in Heaven – eternal life with God, Jesus, all the angels and those we have lost before! It’s such a beautiful story that teaches us about life after death and how wonderful it is to be adopted into God’s family for eternity!⁠

Check it out on Amazon! https://amzn.to/36hXzCf

Book Review: Monster in the Air

Monster in the Air by Donia Youssef

Monster in the Air

This is a sweet story about our current pandemic. It looks at the positive side of being in lockdown and the different things we can do to spend time at home with our families. It encourages kids to stay positive even in uncertain times. I also enjoyed the part about the various farm animals that get loose and start roaming around town, making the story entertaining and fun at the same time as you read to find out what happens.⁠
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After almost one year since the pandemic broke out, there has been so many changes, unexpected turn of events and a lot of ups and downs. It’s hard to find the positive side of things when we continually see the worsening state of the world. However, we can’t lose hope and focus on the negatives. After some reflection, I realised that so much good has come about. I managed to make new friends and connections from all over the world in just a few months. The use of technology and social media allowed us to stay connected even though we are separated by oceans. Being in lockdown has given us some much-needed family time as well as time to discover new hobbies, interests and passions. All the new changes and challenges created new opportunities in every industry, and people are finding more ways to improve their businesses and the way they operate. Moving teaching online has been one of the biggest challenges for many teachers and students, but it has vastly improved the way we present and absorb information. We don’t know how long this will last, but I believe that it will only make us stronger and more determined to not give up, and keep making things better for the future.⁠
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Check it out on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3mhRsU1

Book Review: I’m Not Afraid!

I’m Not AFRAID! by Sarah Beliza Tucker
Ages: 4-9⁠

I’m Not Afraid!

Harry’s first sleepover is going GREAT until Ringo, Ricky, and Curly start telling scary stories!⁠
Harry’s imagination runs wild, and he wants to go home … but he doesn’t want to miss out on the sleepover! What will he do?⁠
‘I’m Not Afraid!’ is a book that shows children it’s okay to be afraid, but that real courage is being afraid and facing those fears head-on.⁠
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This is another great book from the Harry and Friends series about how to overcome fear. It teaches a very practical strategy to stop our overactive imagination from taking over our minds and making us scared about something that isn’t real. I like that it teaches fear can also protect us from danger, but it is when fear is ‘false expectations appearing real’ that it is something we need to overcome and conquer. It’s a great lesson to teach kids and help them overcome fears.⁠
Harry is such an adorable character and this new addition to the series is a must-have! Check out the other books in the Adventures of Harry & Friends series too! You won’t regret it! This is a great series to add to your school or home library!⁠
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Check it out on Amazon!⁠ https://amzn.to/3lHCJlb

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Book Review: An Only Child’s Diary

An Only Child’s Diary by Audrey Lavigne⁠
Ages: 8-13⁠

An Only Child’s Diary

This is a lovely book written as a diary from an eleven year old girl’s perspective. She shares about her daily life from the happy and exciting moments to her struggles and uncertainties. Her feelings and thoughts are expressed in detail and readers can relate easily to what Alyssa is going through as she is adapting to a new school and environment. ⁠
Not only is Alyssa an only child, she is also a child of divorce. However, she has a great relationship with her mum’s partner Marcel. I like how the story is set in Seychelles and various aspects of the country’s culture are also included. The illustrations are quite unique too, pictures that Alyssa draws in her diary with captions which add a nice touch to make it feel like a real girl’s diary. The story also discusses bullying, how to be a kind and supportive friend, taking risks and overcoming challenges. Life as an only child isn’t always easy sometimes, and I love that Alyssa imagines a sister to write to and keeps it as a secret. It’s a very creative way to express one’s feelings and emotions and shows other kids who are an only child feel less alone.⁠
This is the first book in An Only Child’s Diary series and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!⁠
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Check it out on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3nnufjs

https://www.instagram.com/audreylavigne.author/

Book Review: Big H and Little h Dog

Big H and Little h Dog by Victoria Smith
Ages: 3-8⁠

Big H and Little h Dog

This is a heartwarming children’s story, based on the real life endeavours of a father to save his son from the cruel muscle wasting disease ‘Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy’.⁠
The story provides a wonderful opportunity to spark conversations around disability/accessibility/inclusiveness, and that rather than being something to be dreaded, a wheelchair can open up a world of opportunity and adventure for children with a disability.⁠

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Why I like this book: ⁠
This is such a great book about a little dog Little h with a disability and how he struggles with daily life and fitting in. Big H, his owner, takes great care of Little h Dog and starts travelling all around the world to find someone who could help him. It is such a sweet and heartwarming story. I love the illustrations and the way the text is laid out so creatively with different fonts, colours and sizes and even forming a ring! It makes the book so much fun to read! Kids would definitely enjoy this book and it has a great message too. It teaches readers to never give up and at the same time to be inclusive of others no matter their differences. It’s a great lesson in overcoming adversity. Highly recommend!⁠
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Check it out on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3pBwxNI

https://books2read.com/ap/RWjLKe/Victoria-Smith