Creative and uniqueness fills every page of this darling hard-cover little book. I found myself tickled with the thought and sentiment that went into creating such a sweet a story about what a baby may dream about. The photography in this book is really nice and fits well with each corresponding page resembling a scene a baby may dream up. Photo props cleverly include things like blankets, shirts, a clothes line, stars made from fabrics, and more to create the scenes.

Through out the book you’ll see scenes of baby being a butterfly, astronaut, a book worm, a mermaid, and more! I really love the thought that went behind it all!  This book would make a fantastic baby shower gift, a possible muse for a budding newborn photographer, and a sweet book for a parent to share with their children. My kids ages 3 1/2 and 1 years old like this book. And it hasn’t faltered in making me smile yet!

You can purchase When My Baby Dreams for $9.32 on Amazon.com and it’s eligible for free super saving shipping too.

Disclosure: This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review. Special thanks to Amazon for sending this book to my family to review.

About the Book

One day Ollie’s mother tells him that he is “a beautiful gift.” Delighted with this new “identity,” Ollie invites his friend Benjamin to guess what it is. When poor Benjamin cannot guess, despite many hints, Ollie refuses to play with him. Seeing that he’s hurt his friend’s feelings, Ollie realizes that the best gift of all is friendship. Rohan Henry has wonderfully captured the interactions of young friends as they come to learn how to play together.

About the Author

As a mother of two very young children, often there’s not a whole lot of time for me to sit in quiet and spend a little time with the Lord. I welcome this book because I feel that the publisher and the authors recognized that in this day and age there’s a lot of scrounging around to find the time to make everything fit into our days.

Each devotion in this book is only one page. A Bible Verse opens the devotion followed by a short thought or story from one of the seven authors spotlighted in this book which include Tricia Goyer, Camy Tang, Sharon Hinck, and a few others. Ending the devotion is a “faith step” that shares a practical way to apply what you’ve just read to your life that day.

In the back of this devotional book, there’s a meet the author section, scripture reference index, a topical index, and a note from the editors. Overall I encourage you to check out this devotional. It’s a great book to strength & encourage you in your daily walk with God.

If you would like to learn more about this book visit Guideposts at: http://www.shopguideposts.org/index.php/mornings-with-jesus-2012.html & you can also Read 7 Sample Devotions from Mornings with Jesus 2012 Now

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products in exchange for my opinion of them. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

This book is beautifully illustrated. It very colorful and very eye appealing from the characters representing the women in the Bible to the full page colored backgrounds. It’s exciting to turn the page to see what’s next.

Each story is four pages and written in a first person rhyming style.   There is title addressing who the character is, a bible verse where her story can be found, a short write up that talks about her life, another passage of scripture that focuses on her character trait, and a section called Princess Pondering in which their are questions to be discusses about what was just read.

This is a great book to  read through in a month as a devotion with your child,  to incorperate into a Sunday School Class lessons, and so much more. I highly recommend this book! I am excited to jump into this book with my daughter soon since she’s been asking a lot more about God, Jesus, and the stories that can be found in Bible.

If interested, you can purchase Princess Stories: Real Bible Stories of God’s Princesses from Amazon for $10.00 right now. Retail value of this title is $15.00 and available at most known retailers and book stores.

Disclaimer: I was sent the above product mentioned for review through Tyndale Publishers. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

Hugs from Pearl By Paul Schmid is a cute little story about a porcupine that loves to give her friends hugs. But she finds that this can be somewhat of a problem because of her quills. Pearl decides to try to remedy this in numerous ways through out the story such as trying to  putting pincushions on them, softening them in the tub, and in even more interesting ways. My daughter was quite taken and excited for me to turn to the next page to see what Pearl was going to do next.

The story itself is pretty simple and it’s perfect for young readers. The illustrations are something a child could have drawn themselves and the pastel colors were a nice touch. A cute little tale that encourages searching for solutions and reasoning skills.

This book totally brings up questions and I think encourages discussion about some of the things Pearl was doing and how she was feeling. You can totally ask your child if they’ve ever felt like Pearl and why. Also you can ask what they did or think they can do about it.  This book may not be a must have in every library but I certainly enjoyed it and believe it will be a favorite with my kids and maybe even yours.

Hugs from Pearl can be purchased at Amazon.com for $12.08. This title is also available at other well known book distributors like Barnes and Noble and Powells for $14.99.

Disclaimer: I was sent the above product mentioned for review through the Amazon Vine reviewer program. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

Real – The Book from David Malcolm on Vimeo.

“REAL” is a collection of 60 inspirational stories by Shelley Malcolm, with photos by Terilee Dawn Ouimette. The stories are deeply revealing, while the photos are anonymous, focusing only on each subject’s hands. Subjects range from adolescent to elderly, from former gangster to humble homeless, international refugee to hero-housewife, from pro athlete to Hollywood celebrity. While “Real” is her first published book, Malcolm is no stranger to creative projects, as co-owner and restorer of an historic chapel, La Perla del Mar in Shell Beach, CA, and a set designer for theater and film.

My Thoughts…

Real is a book that will truly move you. There is nothing more encouraging and inspirational than the stories of others that come from many different backgrounds and lifestyles. Of the the sixty stories in the book, each are categorized accordingly in the following topics; Courage, Hope, Renewal, Work, Dreams, Balance, Wisdom and Acceptance, Inspiration, Purpose, Life, and Love. Stories are paired with stunning yet simplistic photos that illustrate and focus on the subjects life and shared story.

We all have stories. Real will challenge you in your walk in life. It will make you think of where you are, where you’ve been , and where you may be going. I really enjoyed this book and imagine that anyone who picks it up will also. Not many books move me in such a way. This one filled me with emotion, gave me goosebumps, and tugged at my heartstrings. It makes me ponder, how will I be remembered and how is it that I’m seen in the eyes of others as well as God.

100% of the proceeds of this book goes to fund several charities – if you’d like to learn more, go to the website – MarthaMartha. Make sure and check out their notecards while you are there.

See the whole blog tour HERE.

Disclaimer: I was sent the above product mentioned for review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

A True Fairy Tale

Cinderella is a great story, but after the last page is turned, little girls can’t look forward to the tale coming true when they grow up. It’s just “for pretend.” Now girls ages four to nine can unveil the reality of their royal calling! His Little Princess shows them that they are not pretend princesses…because God is for real! When a grown-up sits down to read out loud these touching love letters, girls will come to understand and embrace how much they are truly loved and adored by God, the King of kings!

A Daughter of the King

Every little girl dreams of being a princess. And for the one who trusts in God, the Word heralds a most beautiful truth: She is the chosen daughter of the King of all kings. She is a true princess!

Here is a majestic gift for that special young one in your life—personal letters written from her King. Each day a new letter will inspire her to live and act like the radiant princess she is!

Story Behind the Book

“If we can help our daughters learn from a young age that they are God’s chosen princesses, we will help them to win the identity struggles they will face as teens. While we have influence in their lives, we need to deposit in their hearts and minds how much they are loved and how important they are in God’s kingdom. This book will give girls godly confidence that they are chosen by the King of all kings. Read one each day to them and watch them grow into the princesses they are destined to be!”

—Sheri Rose Shepherd

My Thoughts…

Sheri Rose Shepherd teaming up with illustrator Lisa Marie Browning  have done a great job in creating  a book that will appeal to the princesses in your life in word and picture. Whether you are a mother, grandmother, aunt, or a dear friend with a special little girl in your life, you won’t want to let this “His Little Princess” pass you by.

This book has 50 unique letters from God to His Princess. Each letter focuses on a topic such as trust, love, forgiveness, courage, honoring parents, and the list goes on. The letter is based of a verse in a Bible which is also included  in full text. There is also a responding prayer provided which the reader can take to heart and lift up to God.

I found this title a very easy read. And what a wonderful book to encourage talk with God. It truly is a sweet little book that not only warms the heart but challenges and encourages the reader to grow in Christ.

Click here to download the first chapter of His Little Princess.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah book review bloggers program, “Blogging for Books”. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The illustration are very eye caching having rich yet soft colors. Some of the text itself stands out in whimsical way fitting perfectly in with the pictures and story itself. I can see this being fun for the story teller knowing when they should push the point or action a bit more. I think this would be a wonderful feature for pre-readers and those brand new to reading along.

The story itself is lighthearted and I see it opening the door to many questions which is a great thing in sharing your faith with a child whether your own or in a classroom setting. This book would be good for children ages 3-6 years old and I’m going to say this one will probably go over better with girls than boys.

My daughter is much like the little girl in this story, mainly fearless and acts often in a spontaneous way. Boy does Gabby the assigned guardian angel have lots of protecting to do! This is such a fun little book that I’m sure will delight a child in learning about God’s love and protection

Gabby, God’s Little Angel is the first in Shelia Waslsh’s new series. I’m excited to see what the next story is about. You can purchase this particular title at Amazon.com right now for11.69 and it’s eligible for free super saving shipping.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Gabby, God’s Little Angel through the Book Sneeze book reviewers program, in exchange for my honest review.

This story I found to be a quick read because it was so hard to put down! The story itself, The Daughter’s Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick is about a mother, Helga Etsby and her nineteen year old daughter Clara. Who accept a wager from the fashion industry to walk from Spokane, Washington to New York City within seven months in order to save the family farm. And what journey it was! Can you imagine traveling 3,500 miles in the late 1800′s? In this story, you’ll be reminded of the importance of determination, family, forgiveness , and waiting on God. Overall, it’s a wonderfully epic story in my eyes. I would encourage everyone to give it a read. I’m very eager to pick up a few more books by this author!

Jane Kirkpatrick is the award-winning author of 17 novels and 3 non-fiction titles, including the 2010 WILLA Literary Award winner, A Flickering Light, and her latest, The Daughter’s Walk.  A Mental Health professional, she brings her interest in healing and inspiring the human spirit into researching and writing about the lives of actual historical men and women. For twenty-six years, she and her husband Jerry ranched in a remote and rugged section of Eastern Oregon, where she discovered her own homesteading story. She has spoken internationally about the power of story in our lives and is a frequent retreat, conference, and keynote speaker. She and her husband now live with two dogs and a cat on their small acreage near Bend, Oregon.  www.jkbooks.com

Thank you to Jane Kirkpatrick and WaterBrook Multnomah for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

and the book:

God Gave Us You (Board Book)

WaterBrook Press; 1st edition (September 19, 2000

***Special thanks to Laura Tucker, WaterBrook Multnomah Publicity, for sending me a review copy.***

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling author of eight novels, three novellas, and two gift books, with more than a half-million books in print. God Gave Us You is her first children’s book. As an editor during the week and a writer on weekends, she makes her very-messy-but-cozy home in Colorado with her husband, Tim, and their daughters, Olivia and Emma.

Visit the author’s website.

Laura J. Bryant attended the Maryland Institute of Art, where she received a strong foundation in drawing, painting, and print-making. Illustrating children’s books has provided her with both a rewarding and creative career. Laura’s clients have included Simon & Schuster, McGraw Hill, and Stech-Vaughn publishers, among others. She currently lives among the tidal rivers on the eastern shore of Maryland with her loving husband and curiously cantankerous cat!

Visit the author’s website.

Filled with playful, winsome illustrations by an artist who specializes in polar bear images, this four-color, read-to-me picture book will build children’s self-esteem through the tale of a mama bear who reassuringly explains where her cub came from and affirms Mama and Papa’s great love for her.

Product Details:

List Price: $10.99
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1st edition (September 19, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1578563232
ASIN: B002PJ4LHM

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER: