Important Additions to Your Summer Reading List

Summer is not only a time to unwind, but it's a time to read to and invest in our children.  I have some book titles to share with you.  I have read them all and can wholeheartedly recommend them!  In fact, I read several of them to over 150 children this week at my church's Vacation Bible School.  Make sure you check out the book One below - it was a favorite!

If you aren't familiar with Max Lucado's children's books yet, these are a great place to start:

The Crippled Lamb - In this tenderhearted classic, we meet a little lamb with a limp who is able to play a special part in the life of Jesus because of it.  This book gives children a platform for understanding the value of every person, including children who physically or mentally struggle.

Because I Love You - Through the tale of a kind carpenter and a wayward boy, we learn about the reality of sin in the world and our Savior's rescue.  It's a great resource to use to explain why we need Jesus and just how much he loves us.

The Oak Inside the Acorn - This is a story about how each of us is created unique and entrusted with a special purpose by our Creator.  It focuses on an acorn's journey to becoming an oak tree, and how that growth mimics the journey each of us takes while coming of age.  This book is for older children; it encourages them to pursue their life purpose.

Here's another Christian book by a different author.  It's a classic that has been in print for over 60 years:

If Jesus Came to My House by Joan G. Thomas - A boy imagines Jesus as a little boy who comes to play at his house.  Your child can watch how he treats Jesus.  The boy knows that this playdate cannot really happen, but that he can serve Jesus by treating others the same way.  It encourages children to serve others in ways that they know and understand!

This next book is not religious, but it demonstrates Christian principles:

One by Kathryn Otoshi - Read how one character inspires others to stand up to bullying. Characters move from colors to numbers, demonstrating that everyone "counts."  It is an abstract but poignant tale that teaches children the power of one voice.

As you talk about One with your children, remember that Jesus was just one man who walked on earth, and yet he forever changed history and eternity by doing so as God!  Our children can shine his light to others in his name and make a different too - no matter how big or small they are!  

Do you want more resource suggestions?  Read my recommendations for a children's Bible and children's devotional.

{Photo from iStock, Edited}