This Christmas tale chronicles how the robin got his red chest. It all starts when Raven is witness to the angels announcing the Savior’s birth. He goes to tell all the other birds the good news.
Wren weaves leaves and moss for a blanket. Nightengale sings a sweet song. Stork makes a pillow from his soft feathers, and Rooster crows “Cristus Natus Est!†However, there is one small bird who doesn’t know what he can give.
When this small bird notices that the special baby is cold, he gathers sticks so that a fire can be built to keep the mother and Christ child warm. When a hot ember lands on his chest, it forever marks him. Because of his kind heart, he has the red color on his chest to this day.
Discuss:
Who was the special baby that was born? (Jesus)
What gift did each bird bring? (Wren-blanket, Nightengale-song, Stork-pillow, Rooster—crows loudly)
What sign in the sky marked the stable where the baby Jesus was born? (a star)
Why was the little bird sad? (He didn’t think he had a gift for the baby)
What did he notice about the mother and baby Jesus? (They were cold)
How did he help? (He gathered sticks for a fire)
How can you use your feet (hands, voice, talents) as a gift to serve Jesus?
Additional questions to help clarify the story:
What is a folktale? (A story that tells how something came to be…usually has elements of something real)
How did the Robin get his red chest according to the folktale? (An ember burned him, so that is why all robins have a red chest )
Is this a true story? (It is part true and part fiction…help your child understand what is true and what is make-believe)
Do:
Complete a simple bird craft or Christmas craft together with your child. Ideas: You could make a bird feeder, bird wings, a bird nest, or a even Christmas ornament in the shape of a bird.
Here are two Pinterest boards loaded with even more creative ideas:
Mindy Baker resides in Indiana where she is a high school Spanish teacher. She is the author of Mouse’s Christmas Gift, Zonderkidz 2018, and has contributions in multiple Guideposts publications. Her middle grade novel Soledad and the Curse of the Phoenix will be published in November 2025 with Chicken Scratch Books. You can connect online with Mindy here. She also has a mini-magazine for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers of children. You can sign up to receive it here.Â
“My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.”
Psalm 78:1-8
Tell the Next Generation
One of the most important tasks we have as Christians is to tell the next generation of the goodness of God. In passing on the stories of God’s faithfulness, in teaching His commands, and in speaking of His power and might, we share the foundational truths of our faith. We show that God is capable of handling all of our needs and that He is both just and merciful. Knowing what the Lord has done builds our ability to trust in Him no matter what we face and teaches us about His character.
The Teachings of Psalm 78
In Psalm 78, Asaph, the chief musician in the time of David, urges Israel to tell the next generation of the wonderful works of the Lord. He emphasizes the importance of preserving and sharing Israel’s history with her children. Why does he say that it’s so important to share God’s works? So that “they [the next generation] would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands,” (Psalm 78:7).
Asaph wanted the next generation to know of both God’s goodness and Israel’s shortcomings, so that they would trust God and follow His commands. The events of Israel’s history show repeatedly the patience and forgiveness of the Lord, while also showing the dangers of rebelling against Him.
The Goodness of God
Throughout the psalm, Asaph recounts Israel’s history, with a special focus on how the Lord led the people out of Egypt and guided them through the desert.
During that time, God protected Israel, parting the Red Sea and preventing their enemies from following them. He guided them with cloud by day and fire by night. He provided for them, bringing water from stone and manna from heaven.
When in turn the people rebelled, the Lord tempered His wrath with mercy. He restrained His anger and forgave them repeatedly. Always the Lord was faithful to His promises, bringing His people to a land of their own.
In teaching this history, Asaph reminds us of God’s character. The Lord is patient and loving, protecting His chosen people and providing for them. He is also just, not allowing sin to go unpunished. We see His power in each of His deeds; we see the full might and wonder of a God whose purposes never fail. In remembering the deeds of the Lord, we are reminded that our hope has a solid foundation. We can trust God because He has proven Himself over and again.
The Shortcomings of Israel
In his account of Israel’s history, Asaph doesn’t gloss over her mistakes. He tells the next generation of Israel’s failures. The people, even after seeing the Lord’s miracles, rebelled against Him. They grumbled. They put God to the test. Even after being rescued from Egypt, the people didn’t believe in God or trust in Him.
When the Lord judged the Israelites, they turned back to Him with their mouths. Even so, Asaph says “their hearts were not loyal to him” (Psalm 78:37). Instead, they were faithless, “as unreliable as a faulty bow,” (Psalm 78:57), and chased after idols.
Why does Asaph spend so much time emphasizing Israel’s failures? As he said in the beginning, he didn’t want the next generation to follow their ancestors’ footsteps. He wanted the children to remember the Lord’s deeds and to follow His commands faithfully. Seeing the goodness of God shows us that we can trust in Him. Seeing the results of Israel’s sins, however, shows the dangers of turning our eyes away from God. We learn from their history how easy it is to grow complacent and to forget what the Lord has done for us. When we follow God and obey His commands, we find ourselves in the safety of His arms. Yet, when we pull away and rebel, we step into a world of danger and destruction.
What Will We Tell the Next Generation?
As children’s writers, we have the opportunity to share truth with the next generation. We have the chance to share what we have heard and known with children so that they can put their trust in God and learn to keep His commands.
Whether we write directly of God’s deeds or whether our fiction reflects foundational themes such as forgiveness and hope, we have the chance to tell the next generation that the Lord is real. Love is real. Mercy is real. We can speak of God’s goodness, and God’s justice as well. Our writing can show that people make mistakes, and that when we refuse to turn from wrong, there are consequences. We can show the hope and peace to be found in trusting the Lord. Our words can demonstrate the safety and wisdom that comes when we follow God’s commands.
I hope in reading Psalm 78, we find encouragement to use our writing to share the wonders of the Lord’s works.
Karley Conklin
Karley Conklin is a librarian by day, a writer by night, and a bookworm 24/7. For more of her writing, visit litwyrm.com
What do we do when we find ourself running aground with our writing? You know. The times when we set our sails, push off from shore, head toward our goal, and without warning, run aground and come to a halt. The journey is not going at all as we expected. Unfortunately.
In our heart of hearts, we truly believe God called us to travel this writing journey alongside him, but then he steps back and allows the difficulties of the writing life to test what seems to contradict everything we felt God promised.
We feel like a ship which set out with sails full of promise, only to run aground on a sandbar on some remote island somewhere far from where we were headed.
Is There a Reason Our Writing Is Running Aground?
Do you ever wonder if perhaps God allows us to run aground to see how we will respond? Maybe to see how much we believe we’re doing what he wants us to do, despite the adversity?
I, for one, would much prefer smooth sailing in my writing journey. However, that has not been the case in my life. Not even in the least tiny bit.
The apostle Paul’s shipwreck on his way to Rome where he was put to death at the hand of a Roman soldier, comes to mind when I think of preserving in the adversity of writing. I think of Paul’s confidence and his trust in the One who called him to his mission.
There are several lessons from Paul’s story recorded in Acts 27 and 28 I’d like to share with my fellow writers, which I believe can encourage us as we strive to ran this writing race set before us with endurance.
Setting Out for the Other Shore
When we go through the struggles and storms, ups and downs, of writing, our faith tells us one way or the other, we’ll get to the other shore if we don’t give up.
Nevertheless, like Paul, before we get on the other side, we’ll probably run aground on some island of rejection and discouragement. (Acts 27:25-26)
God knows the exact spot, or in my case, many spots, where we’ll run aground. He knows when and how it will happen. He is aware of the outcome. The One who put the desire in our hearts to write knows how beat up, bruised, and broken we may be when we reach the other shore.
However, when we give thanks to God in the midst of our writing storms of rejection, low sales, lack of momentum, and discouragement, God strengthens us to keep on keeping on until the storm ends. (Acts 27:33-36)
After That Daylight Comes
We’ve done our due diligence. Honed our craft. Written to the best of our ability. The editor requests a full manuscript. There is promise in their encouraging comments. Still, before we reach the calm bay in the distance, we hit a sandbar that destroys our ship.
After all the glowing words, they decide the manuscript is not for them. (Acts 27:39-41)
Grabbing Onto Flotsam
Jumping into the waves and grabbing onto the ship’s broken planks that float by, we refuse to give up. After struggling through the waves of doubt, disappointment, frustration, and despair, we finally reach the shore to start all over again. (Acts 27:44)
Only to be bitten by a viper while gathering firewood. (Acts 28:3)
Seriously?
Will Our Dreams Die?
Onlookers gather around and speculate about what we must have done to displease God so much to deserve all we’ve endured. They wait for us to die from the viper’s venom. They encourage us to face the facts, and give up on this “writing sillinessâ€.
They tell us we’re wasting our time on something God obviously isn’t blessing, nor does he intend to bless, if all the rejections are any indication.
So, we begin to question.
Why can’t we get published? Why doesn’t anyone want to take us on as a client? What exactly is wrong with us and our writing? Perhaps we should simply give up on our foolish folly and take up something that doesn’t involve constantly being judge, rejected, and criticized.
But
We refuse. We can’t. We won’t.
Instead, we shut our ears to the naysayers. We shake off the voice of the Deceiver. The viper is thrown into the fire. It is the one that dies, not our dreams. (Acts 28:4-6)
The best part of all?
God sends encouragers alongside to strengthen us for the next go ’round. Until such a time as God allows the adversities to show up again. And we face life’s storms once more. (Acts 28:15)
Your Turn
Whether we are in a season where we need to be encouraged or a season where we are called to be an encourager, whenever we hit a sandbar and run aground, our Mighty Father is right there with us, helping us make it safely to shore.
When we are faithful to our call, whatever shore God prepares for us, is exactly where we are meant to be.
How many shipwreck tales of running aground with your writing can you tell? For me, I have so many, I’ve lost count.
Here’s what you can expect from me. In my posts, you’ll find words of encouragement for writers, book reviews, and discussions on the craft of writing. I am a former elementary school teacher, regular contributor to Guideposts devotional books, and a conference speaker. I write articles, devotions, and stories for adult and children’s publications. You can find me every Tuesday and Thursday at www.sandykirbyquandt.com. Please stop by.
It’s August, and I have another Christmas book for you! This time it’s because the release date is September 2nd. That’s 2 weeks away!
Summary
In a tiny barn in Bethlehem, Old Hannah the cow lives alone until the cold wind drives other animals to seek shelter. One by one, they squeeze in, but when a tiny mouse stirs up trouble, the barn erupts into chaotic mooing, meowing, and barking. Will there be enough room for a little family to have a silent night?
Just Enough Room for Christmas by Robin Currie is written to be read aloud, at home, in preschool classes and church children’s messages, or even Christmas Eve services. Families often get distracted by all the noise of the Christmas season. When we clear away all the clutter and distractions we find, in our homes and hearts, just enough room for the newborn King.
My Review
I loved this book! Just Enough Room for Christmas is a sweet story for little ones that will keep their attention. The word count is low, and each person who comes to the barn seeking shelter for their animal is similar in the wording. Kids love this. They will anticipate it and be happy each time room is made for another animal.
When they leave their animal, each owner cautions them to “Do not bark!†or whatever noise the animal makes. And you just KNOW they’re not going to stay quiet! Haha! And it’s totally okay to know that, because when it comes, it’s so much fun, you don’t mind.
The illustrations are adorable! I just kept looking and looking at them! They’re cute and soft and delightful.
My editor’s eye caught several punctuation mistakes, but it won’t distract from the story. Most people won’t even notice. And the goat looks more like a long-haired sheep. But again, kids won’t mind. He’s adorable anyway.
In Conclusion
There are loads of Christmas books for children out there. I think the illustrations will catch a buyer’s eye. This is a good thing. We know picture book illustrations are crucial for the story. It’s worth finding the perfect illustrator for your story! In this case, the illustrations and story are a wonderful match.
This new book will be a wonderful addition to any child’s library. Especially for families who want to keep the real meaning of Christmas.
Publisher †: ‎ Good Books
Publication date †: ‎ September 2, 2025
Language †: ‎ English
Print length †: ‎ 32 pages
ISBN-10 †: ‎ 1680999737
ISBN-13 †: ‎ 978-1680999730
Item Weight †: ‎ 9.9 ounces
Reading age †: ‎ 4 – 7 years
Dimensions †: ‎ 8 x 0.4 x 8 inches
Grade level †: ‎ Preschool – 1
Pam Halter is a former home-schooling mom, has been a children’s book author since 1995, a freelance children’s book editor since 2006, and was the children’s book editor for Fruitbearer Publishing until January 2023. She’s the author of Fairyeater, a YA fantasy, and the Willoughby and Friends picture book series (available on her website.) Pam has also published short stories in Ye Olde Dragon Books , the Whitstead Anthologies and Renewed Christmas Blessings. Her first short story won Readers Choice in Realmscapes.
Pam lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband, Daryl, special needs adult daughter, Anna, and four cats. When she’s not writing, Pam enjoys spending time with her grands, reading, quilting, gardening, cooking, playing the piano, Bible study, and walking long country roads where she discovers fairy homes, emerging dragons, and trees eating wood gnomes.
When I worked as a drama coach, we played a game called, “Yes and.†We’d stand in a large circle, and I’d give the students a story prompt, such as “An elephant danced in the rain.†The students would then go around the circle and add to the story in 3 words or less.
One student might say, “Carrying an umbrella.â€
Another may add, “Singing show tunes.â€
It didn’t really matter what the students added, if it progressed the story forward and was appropriate. By the time we made it around the circle, we had a wild story.
Not many students liked being in the middle or the end of the story, though, because the easy answers had been taken at the beginning. We alternated at practices who started and ended so that everyone experienced the story in different stages.
At the time, the point was to help students practice impromptu lines that fit a story. It was possible in any show for a student to forget one of their lines, so if one of the other students could adlib, they could work their way back to the original story line in the middle of a production. It helped performances flow, and we had fun when we did it.
The Author Connection
Recently, on Jane Friedman’s blog, Monica Cox shared about three little words that improve revision: Because Of That.
Her blog post reminded me of the “Yes and†game because she explained that at the end of every scene, authors ought to be able to link to the next scene with the words AND THEN or BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND THEN reads like a list of events, whereas BECAUSE OF THAT “indicates that your protagonist has made a decision or taken some sort of action as a result of the scene propelling the reader into the next chapter where a consequence or obstacle will no doubt result from this choice.†(Cox)
I believe this works in all writing, children’s literature included. It’s a little too tempting to write our characters reacting to their situations, without giving them agency to make choices and see those choices impact what happens in the story. To do so, we must get in the head of children and think like a child.
If our child character doesn’t like potatoes and they are served potatoes, then what? How does the child act? We can’t just say, “John doesn’t like potatoes, and his mother served them.†That’s what is happening to him. How might John react to potatoes?
Does he swallow them anyway, after slathering them in ketchup?
Does he refuse to eat?
Does he secretly feed them to the dog?
Does he beg for different food?
The Stakes
However John chooses to react to being served potatoes tells us a lot about him. Is he obstinate, resourceful, or compliant? If John is this, then what will he do with bigger stakes?
The stakes must always be considered because something always needs to be happening, and each event must build on the previous scene. Cox encourages authors to:
Make meaning. Summarize the plot of each scene to show plot and emotional arc.
Look for connection. Which phrase best connects your scenes? “And then or because of that?â€
Word backwards. If “And Then†is your connector, as yourself these questions:
Is the problem plot or emotion? Are they balanced?
Does your character have agency? Let your character try and try again. They rarely get it right on the first try.
What is the scene goal?
Can you identify the scene stakes?
These questions are akin to playing the “Yes and†game I used to play in drama practice with students. Now, I just need to go back to my manuscripts and make sure my scene connections are caused by character agency and create “because of that†moments. After all, isn’t that what God did for us in the greatest story ever told? We sinned—AND BECAUSE OF THAT, God sent a Savior (1 John 4:14).
Marci Whitehurst is a former educator, theater and speech coach, a children’s author, rancher’s wife, and mother of three who lives on a cattle ranch in Montana. Her passion is sharing light and life through stories, poems, and blog posts. She blogs about connecting with the kid inside all of us at www.marciwhitehurst.subtack.com. She can also be reached through her website at www.marciwhitehurst.com. Find her on Facebook at MarciWhitehurst and on Instagram marci_whitehurst
“When I talk to God, guess what I do? It’s really quite simple: I talk about you.”
As I was shelving picture books at my library, this lovely book caught my eye. It’s beautifully illustrated, told in rhyming verse, and features a variety of animal parents with their children.
Summary:
When I Talk to God, I Talk About You by Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins tells the story of the bond between a parent and a child. After saying that they pray for their child, the narrator describes different characteristics that they are grateful for. The child’s giggles. Their bravery. Their kindness. The narrator describes how they talk to God about watching the child grow, and encourages their little one to pray, too.
About the Book:
Admittedly, this book isn’t quite what I expected when I first picked it up. I was expecting it to be a book on prayer, delving into what the narrator prays about for their child and with their child. I expected the story to focus on faith.
Instead, When I Talk to God, I Talk About You is more of an “I Love You” book. The repetition of the title phrase felt less like an emphasis on prayer and more like an expression of love. “When I talk to God” becomes the introduction of a conversation. “Here are all the things I talk about with God: how you’re silly and fun. How you’re learning to share. How you’re such a great helper.” As such, the book takes on two focuses: encouraging the child to pray and affirming to the child just how loved they are.
At first, I felt like the authors were jumping between the two ideas too much. However, the repeated phrase “When I talk to God, I talk about you” does turn the parent’s conversation with the child into an implied prayer. It shows how the parent talks with God about the daily blessings of the child’s growth. The parent models how conversational prayer can be, allowing us to talk with God about anything on our hearts. We find in the implied prayers how grateful the parent is for their child, and also see how praying for others is an act of love.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, When I Talk to God, I Talk About You is a gorgeous book. Each illustration beautifully depicts an animal parent-and-child pair, with heartwarming colors and expressive detail. The artwork makes me smile every time I open the pages. (My favorite spread is the final one where all the animals are falling asleep, with fireflies flickering around them like stars.)
While the text wasn’t what I expected, every line rings with love. I appreciate how the authors included prayer as an important part of a parent’s bond with their child. It’s an incredibly sweet book, and one I would recommend.
Karley Conklin
Karley Conklin is a librarian by day, writer by night, and bookworm 24/7. She reviews books for Write2Ignite, as well as on her blog litwyrm.com
It’s summer, and that means it’s writers’ conference season! A time for education, encouragement, making connections, and building friendships.
Recently, four of us Write2Igniters attended the Write to Publish Conference near Chicago. We came from all over—Missouri, New Jersey, Colorado, and Australia. We all write for children but are at different stages of our writing careers and write in different genres—fiction, nonfiction, picture books, chapter books, and YA. Yet, the 3-day Write to Publish Conference, held each June on the campus of Wheaton College, provided each of us with just what we needed!
I’m going to first give you a bird’s eye view of the conference, and then each of us will zoom in to give you our individual insights and responses. On Tuesday after dinner in the college cafeteria, Eric Redmond, a pastor, author, and professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute, kicked off conference activities. Authors Tim Shoemaker and Saundra Dalton-Smith spoke on the other evenings. Each evening, a casual time of snacks with socializing, book signings, or games followed the speakers.
Wednesday morning, after an early breakfast and devotional time, workshops and continuing sessions got under way. Continuing sessions were classes that continued over the 3 days, while each workshop finished in one session. Workshops and continuing sessions were taught by various editors, authors, and agents. Throughout each day, people who had signed up could have short meetings with authors, editors, or agents. Authors also bring their books to sell, and there’s a great variety to choose from.
At midmorning each day, we gathered to hear from Tim Challies, a well-known blogger and author.
Mealtimes in the cafeteria were a great time to meet other writers, build friendships, and exchange business cards. Penny told us this was a custom peculiar to American conferences, but you can see her card turned out great, and it is a good way to remember people and connect with them later. Sometimes impromptu conversations happen with an author, editor, or agent that only God could have arranged.
That’s the bird’s eye view! Now let’s zoom in:
Penny Reeve
I’m an Australian writer, so coming to Write To Publish was quite the journey, but from the opening keynote I knew I was in the right place. The teaching was powerful and spoke directly to where I was at in my writing (and life) journey. I also loved the opportunity to visit the Wade Center and was deeply moved by the legacy and impact of the writers featured there.
I loved the professional nature of the conference and the many opportunities to meet other writers and be encouraged. Steve Laube’s workshop on potential land mines in contracts was extremely helpful as was Lori Roeleveld’s session on peaceful productivity! I’ll be going back to my notes over the next few months to maximize my learning and am giving thanks for the connections made.
Ashley Alden
God opened the doors for me to attend Write to Publish in June, and I am so grateful for the whole experience! Since I am new to the publishing world, I attended the Publishing 101 track with Anne Kroeker, which was full of information. I think the thing I loved most about the conference was all the people I met. I was nervous because I was attending alone, but I’ve never been to a conference where everyone was so friendly, encouraging, and helpful.
I was overjoyed to find out several W2I ladies were there, and I enjoyed so many conversations with writers across many genres. I feel like God met me in very personal ways as I contemplate how this season of life intersects with writing. My key takeaway was to JUST WRITE, and I’m looking forward to doing just that!
Pam Halter
This was my first time attending Write To Publish. I had been wanting to attend, but it hadn’t worked out before. I was not disappointed. The continuing session on marketing and publicity, taught by Becky Robinson, was the most helpful. “You don’t have to do everything.†That was so freeing!
What I liked most about the conference was the old-fashioned feel. What I mean by that is it’s a small enough conference to feel like family. And it wasn’t overloaded with all the bells and whistles other conferences are doing, like awards, fancy dinners, over the top evening sessions, etc. While those are fun, it’s such the norm now that I forgot how conferences were when I first started attending them in 1997. It was refreshing and encouraging. I felt welcome and wanted and seen, if that makes sense. I know I won’t be able to attend every year, but I’m already looking forward to going back!
Kathy O’Neill
At this, my second Write to Publish conference, I attended the continuing class on marketing. Becky Robinson encouraged us to find what worked best for us and think of marketing as “expanding our audience with lasting impact through value, consistency, longevity, and generosity.†One example of generosity was to remember that those who write similar things are our colleagues, not competitors, and we can all help each other.
In a workshop Amanda Cleary Eastep, whose area was hard hit by Hurricane Helene, spoke on ways to write through hard times, and Tim Shoemaker encouraged us to write from a Christian world view without being preachy.
I love catching up with old friends as well as getting to know new ones at meals and evening social times! Their sincere interest, and the generosity and expertise of the agents and editors encourage me to keep writing!
Writing Conferences Can Help Guide Your Writing Journey
Writing conferences like Write to Publish offer great education, encouragement and continuing friendships. And conferences come in all sizes, locations, and price ranges around the country, as well as online, like our Write2Ignite Master Classes in the spring and fall. C.S. Lewis took children on adventures that helped them know God. At conferences, the generous community of Christian writers can help you learn to do that, too!
Kathy O’Neill grew up on the coast of Maine. She loves the Lord and His gifts of family, friends, art and nature. Today she lives in Colorado, exchanging walks on the beach for horseback riding in the Rockies, where the wind sings through the pines. As an art teacher, writer, and speaker, she enjoys engaging children’s and adult’s hearts and hands to discover God and their own creativity through art, history, and nature. Kathy has written for, Clubhouse Jr., DevoKids, Highlights, The Quiet Hour, Light from the Word, Starlight, and Appleseeds. Kathy has a middle grade devotions book about horses coming out with Tyndale in 2026.
For 18 years, Carol Baldwin worked on a historical YA novel titled “Half-Truths.†Reading books, interviewing people, and visiting locations, Carol poured her heart and soul into telling the story of an unlikely relationship between two girls in 1950 North Carolina. One white, one black.
Now that the book has been published, Carol offers some insights on how to persevere, what she learned over the years, and how much research it takes to bring a moment in history to life. Stay tuned to the end of the episode, to learn how to win a copy of Half-Truths!
To enter the giveaway: either comment on this blog post, or email a screenshot of your review of the podcast to contact@write2ignite.comÂ
Books that Carol read:
The color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby.
I know it’s not the Christmas season, but let’s have a little Christmas in July fun!
Summary
Bacon’s Very Important Christmas Job, written and illustrated by Tina Neely, is the story about Bacon, a potbelly pig who wants to help his forever family with Christmas preparations. He tries making toys, singing songs, and sealing the envelopes for Christmas cards. But nothing works out for him.
Isn’t there any job he can do for Christmas?
Turns out, there is!
My Review
The story is cute, overall. Bacon the pig wants a job at Christmas to make Santa’s job easier. He tries three things and fails miserably at each one. This makes him sad until on Christmas night, Santa comes to him with a huge bag Bacon thinks is presents for him.
But it’s not presents. It’s cookies. All the cookies Santa couldn’t eat. He doesn’t want the children to feel bad that he didn’t eat the cookies they left out for him, so he asks Bacon if he would like the job of eating all the leftover cookies. Bacon says yes. He’s a pig, after all.
I wanted to love this story, but I didn’t. I liked it. I get what the author was trying to do. And I believe kids will enjoy it. But as a children’s book author, the story fell short for me. I think a good editor would have been able to help make the story flow smoother. There are a few places where Bacon is saying, “Oink Diddy, Oink Diddy. Oink, oink, oink!†The story is in first person, so while it’s Bacon saying it, I don’t understand why there aren’t other fun words to say. It doesn’t really go with what’s happening in the story, but kids will enjoy saying it. It’s possible the phrase was set up in the first story, however, not everyone who reads this book will have read the first book.
I love that the job Bacon can do for Santa is to eat cookies. I love that his family loves him even when he messes up.
The author is also the illustrator, and while the illustrations are colorful, it’s obvious they aren’t done by a professional artist. Again, kids will be fine with them.
There are 500 hundred hearts for kids to find throughout the story. I thought that was way too many items for a young audience. And I would have done cookies instead of hearts. That would go better with the story.
The author is a Christian as she dedicated the book to Jesus and encourages the reader to never forget the true meaning of Christmas. Then she writes a story about Santa. That didn’t feel right to me. Kids who are unchurched won’t learn anything about the true meaning of Christmas from reading this story. My suggestion would have been to have Santa tell Bacon the real meaning of Christmas and THEN ask him to help eat all the cookies. Although, it’s my belief we shouldn’t tell kids there’s a magical, worldly Santa. I told my children about St. Nicholas. But as an editor, I always work to keep the story the way the author wants it.
In Conclusion
Families with young children will enjoy reading the story together. Especially if they have cookies and hot chocolate! Then, with each cookie they eat, they can say, “Oink Diddy, Oink Diddy. Oink, oink, oink!â€
Publisher †: ‎ Imhis LLC
Publication date †: ‎ August 27, 2024
Language †: ‎ English
Print length †: ‎ 36 pages
ISBN-13 †: ‎ 979-8987775646
Reading age †: ‎ 3 – 7 years
Pam Halter is a former home-schooling mom, has been a children’s book author since 1995, a freelance children’s book editor since 2006, and was the children’s book editor for Fruitbearer Publishing until January 2023. She’s the author of Fairyeater, a YA fantasy, and the Willoughby and Friends picture book series (available on her website.) Pam has also published short stories in Ye Olde Dragon Books , the Whitstead Anthologies and Renewed Christmas Blessings. Her first short story won Readers Choice in Realmscapes.
Pam lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband, Daryl, special needs adult daughter, Anna, and four cats. When she’s not writing, Pam enjoys spending time with her grands, reading, quilting, gardening, cooking, playing the piano, Bible study, and walking long country roads where she discovers fairy homes, emerging dragons, and trees eating wood gnomes.
Great Gusts by Melanie Crowder and Megan Benedict is a beautiful combination of science and poetry, blending fact with lyrical descriptions. Everything about this book, from the poetry to the illustrations to the back glossary are well-crafted and engaging. I read through the work multiple times, completely absorbed by the different winds discussed.
About Great Gusts:
This lovely picture book features fourteen winds from around the world. Each spread has a poem capturing the main characteristics of the wind in question. The poets then follow up with a short description, explaining in more detail how the winds form or the effects they cause. While teaching kids (and adult readers) about these distinct air patterns, the authors also give us a taste of different landscapes.
As we learn about the oroshi of Japan, we discover trees shaped by the gusts over the mountains. The ghibli of the Sahara takes us to seas of sand which cause a red rain. Each wind, with it’s own home and role to play, carries us to a new stage. Khoa Le illustrates each one with color and movement that pulls the reader through the pages. The diverse landscapes create a sense of wonder, full of unique textures, animals, and scenery. All the while, the art style stays cohesive, keeping the same overall tone and flavor throughout the work.
The back matter of the book offers great teaching tools. Short explanations expand on what causes wind, how the winds are named, and even what forms of poetry are used in the work. These tidbits would be a great starting place for digging a little deeper into a study on poetry or weather. The end of the book also features a map with markers of where to find each wind, as well as a glossary of terms used throughout.
Final Thoughts:
Great Gusts would be a wonderful addition to a classroom library or a homeschool curriculum. Informative and engaging, the book explores winds in such a way as to excite curiosity in a reader. The science gives a launching point for learning about weather. The different regions featured could lead to discussions on geography. While the book mostly contains free form poetry, a few other forms make an appearance as well. As such, it would be a good example for teaching older students about poetry. Overall, it is a great teaching tool, and a thoroughly enjoyable read!
Karley Conklin
Karley Conklin is a librarian by day, writer by night, and bookworm 24/7. She reviews books for Write2Ignite, as well as on her blog litwyrm.com
