CHOOSE YOUR DAYS

Name: CHOOSE YOUR DAYS
Author: Paula Wallace
ISBN: 978-1-941026-37-3

by Paula Wallace ; illustrated by Paula Wallace ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2016

This is the kind of book that will stick with readers, a meditation that they may not understand now but that, if digested,...

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With the help of Old Bear, Corky lives her life intentionally.

Old Bear is the “keeper of time and keys,” and when Corky is born, the big, pillowy-looking old ursine gives the little dark-haired, white child her days, two empty lists (one for dreams and one for things to do), her key, and a simple, whispered instruction: “Choose your days, make them sunny or gray.” She takes it seriously. Waking up beneath a clock with an urgent reminder instead of numbers—“Get up! You have stuff to do. Get up!”—Corky grows, moving from tricycle to two-wheeler, aging and becoming stooped over the course of two double-page spreads backgrounded with painterly strokes of aquamarine. Even aged, Corky still wants to pursue “work undone…play postponed…music unsung,” but eventually she must use her key to unlock the door to death, where Old Bear is waiting comfortingly. Wallace’s illustrations are metaphorical and cozy, her pointy-nosed protagonist perpetually clad in red shoes and scarf, striped stockings, and a comfy brown dress. Generous white space encompasses both protagonist and symbols of passing time (calendar pages, the stub of a pencil), giving children the emotional room to contemplate Corky’s progress.

This is the kind of book that will stick with readers, a meditation that they may not understand now but that, if digested, could have magical results . (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 12, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-941026-37-3

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press

Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

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GOD GAVE US EASTER

From the God Gave Us You series

by Lisa Tawn Bergren & illustrated by Laura J. Bryant ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 15, 2013

Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations.

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Bergren and Bryant attempt to explain Easter to young children in a gentle, nonthreatening manner, with partial success.

When Little Cub questions her father about Easter, Papa Bear explains the religious significance of the holiday in various symbolic ways to his cub. He uses familiar things from their world, such as an egg and a fallen tree, to draw parallels with aspects of the Christian story. Papa Bear discusses his close relationships with Jesus and God, encouraging Little Cub to communicate with God on her own. The theme focuses on the renewal of life and the positive aspects of loving God and Jesus. Easter is presented as a celebration of eternal life, but the story skirts the issue of the crucifixion entirely. Some adults will find this an inadequate or even dishonest approach to the Easter story, but others will appreciate the calm and soothing text as a way to begin to understand a difficult subject. Bryant’s charming watercolor illustrations of the polar bear family, their cozy home and snowy forest scenes add to the overall mellow effect.

Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations. (Religion/picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2013

ISBN: 978-0-307-73072-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: WaterBrook

Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
GOD IS HERE
by Lisa Tawn Bergren ; illustrated by Greg Stobbs

- BOOK REVIEW
GOD GAVE US THE BIBLE
by Lisa Tawn Bergren ; illustrated by David Hohn

- BOOK REVIEW
GOD GAVE US ANGELS
by Lisa Tawn Bergren ; illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

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WHEN I PRAY FOR YOU

by Matthew Paul Turner ; illustrated by Kimberly Barnes ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 19, 2019

Though it will never usurp Dr. Seuss, it will still find a home where Christian families of faith seek inspirational picture...

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Turner adds another title to his picture-book series that highlights the miracles in the mundane (When God Made Light, 2018, etc.).

In the vein of children’s-bookshelf stalwart Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Turner’s rhyming text includes both prayers and life advice for a growing child, beginning with infancy and moving on to adolescence. At times the rhyme and meter are strained, muddling meaning and making the tempo feel occasionally awkward when read aloud. Overall, though, the book executes its mission, presenting Christian theological truths within the rhythmic inspirational text. For this third series installment Turner’s text is paired with a new illustrator, whose bright illustrations of wide-eyed children have great shelf appeal. While David Catrow’s previous illustrations in the series featured effervescent black protagonists, the child in Barnes’ illustrations appears white, though she occupies an otherwise diverse world. While illustrated as a prayer from a mother for her daughter, the text itself is gender neutral.

Though it will never usurp Dr. Seuss, it will still find a home where Christian families of faith seek inspirational picture books. (Picture book/religion. 3-6)