Two short reviews of some great new children’s books from The Good Book Company. Written by Laura Caputo-Wickham and illustrated by Eunji Jung and Isabel Muñoz these are two new books in the Do Great Things for God series. Aimed at children aged 4-8, these colourful story books explore the lives of Christian woman from throughout history. Brightly illustrated and written in simple and clear language, these inviting and friendly reads are great resources. These two new titles explore the lives of Betsey Stockton and Corrie ten Boom.

Betsey Stockton, The Girl With a Missionary Dream

Battling everything from stereotypes to seasickness, Betsey followed a call from God to serve as a missionary to the people of Hawaii in the nineteenth century. She started her missionary service in her mid twenties, and served as a tutor to the son of the King and Queen of Hawaii. Though her time in the mission field was cut short after only a few years, her dedication to the Gospel and her desire to give over her whole life to her Saviour culminate in a wonderful story to share with young children. Caputo-Wickham presents a gentle, rolling narrative that is perfectly accompanied by the colourful illustrations of life in Hawaii by Jung. Perfectly pitched and well put together, this is a brilliant way for very young children to hear about an unsung heroine of the faith.

Corrie ten Boom, The Courageous Woman and the Secret Room

The story of Corrie ten Boom is better known than that of Betsey Stockton, but Caputo-Wickham gives it the same warm treatment. Though the themes of her story are harder (war, soldiers, fear and ultimately concentration camps) Caputo-Wickham presents these in an age appropriate way. The story highlights how God keeps on loving his people, no matter what, and is a great testimony to his goodness! Illustrated by Isabel Muñoz the book is visually appealing and the story is exciting and clear. A simple retelling of the story of a famous and courageous Christian.

Conclusion

Both these books emphasise how God can change people’s lives, and they do so in an accessible and inviting way. Both include a bible verse in their story, reminding the young reader that it is God who is in charge of these amazing lives. The books also include a timeline of the life of each woman at the end, which would help any parent or older reader understand the story better. They are big books, close to A4 in size, and the large print and simple language lends itself more towards the younger age group at which these books are targeted (4-8). All in all, two great additions to a series that explores the remarkable lives of Christian woman from throughout history, and two great testimonies to the awesome God who rules and reigns over all of history.

Both books are available from The Good Book Company.