cherryblossommj
Written on Jan 8, 2013
God Bless Our Home:
Following along in a story of the Berenstain Bears is always fun, especially in my opinion the moral filled Living Lights series. Lately I've been following along their official Pinterest page and reading about different tree houses. I remember as a kid reading over these books again and again being filled with questions about their house. It was in this book where all those questions are answerd. The Berenstain Bears: God Bless Our Home is great for teaching children about the blessings from God, but it's also about compromise and making things work. Through out every page the reader is taken on a guide through every room inside and out of the bear's tree house, even under the stairs! For a long time fan like me, I love this book for what it shares. Then also for my daughter it is great fun where she was able to name rooms and family members and is learning a bit more about the rooms in her own home. (Also able to point out that even Honey Bear has to get out of Mama's bed eventually!)
All Things Bright and Beautiful:
Another Living Lights Berenstain Bears book that I just love! I have to say that I love the hymn "All Things Bright and Beautiful" and it is no surprise to me that I would enjoy a Sunday School theme book on just that. Weaving the lyrics of the well loved hymn in and out of the story, these cubs get to take a field trip through creation to really open their eyes and observe. It's a hands-on, minds-on day. This is a great book for your personal shelf, or even for a class. There are even stickers! Of course with all things stickers, the only problem is that there are never enough, but these are some great ones that have blips of the story to be able to share and come back and comment on it later.
Get Involved:
"...Always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else." - 1 Thessalonians 5:15
This book is all about community involvement and showing that even children can lend a hand and help when it's needed. There is a flood in bear country and the cubs do not seem to notice until it involves someone they known in cousin Fred, which makes it real and alive for them. Which is so true to us all in our closed off little worlds. We hear about natural disasters but they seem to just be facts we hear until it affects us either directly or through someone we know. For our family we personally live up hill, but near an area that has had some devastating flooding in the last two years. We watched the news cautiously and heard about community heroes stacking sand bags in the wet and danger to save the city from the rising river. having books like this one that cannot only explain what is happening, but to turn it into an example of how we can help (as the kids get older) and look at the promises from God and our future is great. I, for one, am very content with the Christian Living Lights Berenstain Bears books and this is a good one.
Now speaking directly to the 3-in-1 omnibus publication, I'm in love with these little treasuries! Such wonderful hardcovers and the same size we know and love this one is built to last. I hope they will keep coming out with more and more of these reprints and treasuries. I know I love them as does my preschooler. Great for our shelves, especially for finding just the story we're looking for and perfect for on the go as well.
*Thanks to Zondervan for providing a copy for review.*