Cultivating conservative thought

Thankful for Family (Berenstain Bears)

Stan & Jan Berenstain
(Random House 2023)

In this board book, the Berenstain family sits down for Thanksgiving dinner and Mama Bear asks everyone to “share some things we are thankful for.” The cubs reply with some of their favorite memories of the year—playing with friends at the park, learning to fish at the lake, and visiting the pumpkin patch. While the Berenstain Bears Living Lights series offers more overt Christian content, including a previous Thanksgiving book titled Give Thanks, ­conservative families will appreciate the pro-family nature of Thankful for Family, which Stan and Jan Berenstain’s son, Mike, oversaw. Ages 1-3

Otto’s Tales: Let’s Visit a California Mission

PragerU
(PragerU 2023)

When Otto the dog and Smidge the cat mistakenly catch a plane to Orange County, Calif., they end up taking California’s historic El Camino Real or “The Royal Road.” Their tourist guide peppers them with basic facts (like how many missions are on the road), and they eventually stop to explore Mission San Juan Capistrano. While the illustrations are eye-catching, the story is pretty slight: Otto and Smidge meet local animals, tour the mission, eat a meal, and head back home. With a broadly conservative but not evangelical approach to religion, the book describes ­missions as Christian, not Roman Catholic, and characters focus on the Bible and good works, not Christ. Ages 3-8

The Test of Lionhood

Kevin Sorbo
(Brave Books 2023)

Christian actor Kevin Sorbo tells this simple tale set within Brave Books’ Freedom Island about a young lion cub named Lucas. When poison sickens his sister, Lucas must climb a dangerous mountain to retrieve an ice flower to cure her. With help from his hero, Arthur Braveheart, Lucas proves his “lionhood” by showing “strength, endurance, and courage.” Like other books in the series (such as Kirk Cameron’s recent Pride Comes Before the Fall), end pages offer excellent games, Biblical tie-ins, and clear lessons to reinforce the book’s themes. Still, the story and André Ceolin’s illustrations seem overly simplistic at times. Ages 4-8

Crafted by God

Dr. Georgia Purdom & Stacia McKeever
(Master Books 2023)

“Have you ever wondered where you came from?” Crafted by God answers this question by offering an overview of God’s design for human reproduction. From creation and the Tower of Babel to basic facts about fetal development, Purdom and McKeever equip readers to marvel at God’s creative power. The book also addresses political issues like abortion (“a procedure that ends the baby’s life”) and how Christians can prevent it (“We can offer to help a mom by providing food or clothing for her”). The book is text-heavy, but photos and interactive illustrations (such as paper foldouts and lift-the-flaps) will help keep kids’ attention. Ages 9+