The Berenstain Bears God Made You Special / Adventure Bible: Miracles of Jesus

Title: THE BERENSTAIN BEARS GOD MADE YOU SPECIAL

Series: The Berenstain Bears

Author: Mike Berenstain

Publisher: Zonderkidz

December 2014

ISBN:  978-0310734833

Genre: Childrens / early readers

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Matthew 5:8

In this newest 8x8 soft cover title in the Berenstain Bears Living Lights collection, the Bruins join the Bear family for a cookout and bring their cousin Tommy along. It isn’t long before the cubs start up a game of baseball and Sister soon notices that Tommy doesn’t play like the rest of the group. When Sister asks about Tommy, Mama takes the opportunity to talk to Sister about how God makes each of us unique in our own way. And that we all have special gifts and talents to share with the folks around us.

THE BERENSTAIN BEARS GOD MADE YOU SPECIAL is perfect for early readers (ages 4 – 8). It’s also a good lesson for kids when they notice that someone is different from them, maybe acts younger or maybe has a disability or learning disorder.

My daughter and I enjoyed the simplicity of the story, the way it was written at a child’s reading level, and the pictures were engaging. Focused around the verse mentioned above, it teaches a valuable lesson about accepting others and getting along. 24 pages. Available in paperback.

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Title: ADVENTURE BIBLE: MIRACLES OF JESUS

Series: I Can Read level 2

Illustrator: David Miles

Publisher: Zonderkidz

January 2015

ISBN:    978-0310732426

Genre: Nonfiction / Biblical / early reader

Miracle of Jesus  is a level two I Can Read! based on the NIV Adventure Bible. In it, young readers read about how great God’s love is for all people. At this read-alone level, newly independent readers follow Jesus as he travels, spreading the Good News of his Father’s love. Along the way, Jesus shows in wondrous ways just how powerful God’s love is when he brings health back to a young girl and a long-suffering woman, and how he gives comfort to thousands of believers with a delicious meal as well as the precious word of God.

Written for the newly independent reader, vocabulary and content is at a more advanced reading level, making this series appropriate for children almost ready for their first chapter books.

This I Can Read! series of Bible stories makes use of the unique features found in the NIV Adventure Bible such as “People in Bible Times” and “Words to Treasure”.

Content aligns with the Common Core Standards for informational reading.

This is a good Bible story book for a beginning reader who isn’t quite ready for chapter books—but almost is. This one is about some of the miracles of Jesus, specifically about the healing of Jarius’ daughter and the feeding of five thousand with a few barley loaves and two small fish.

My daughter enjoyed reading it. It did have a few advanced words that she stumbled over, but mostly it was at her reading level. Recommended.

Available in paperback. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8