Faith over fear

The Good Farmer and the Worried Donkey

Hannah Harrison
Zonderkidz, 40 pages

Harrison uses the story of a beleaguered donkey named Charlie to help children ponder God’s promises found in Matthew 11 and the Parable of the Sower. As a beast of burden for a harsh miller, Charlie’s days are filled with misery and fear until a kind farmer buys him and takes him to his farm. The farmer tells the little donkey that he has important plans for him, but Charlie worries about disappointing his new master. The farmer, though, is patient as he teaches Charlie to clear the land, plow the field, fertilize the ground, plant the seed, and ultimately reap the harvest. When the load becomes too much to bear, the farmer picks up the yoke, and Charlie discovers he was never meant to bear the burden alone. Ages 4–8 —K.C.

Waiting on a Good, Good God

Audra Haney
Tyndale, 32 pages

In Audra Haney’s second installment of the Shine God’s Light series, she uses rhyming verses to teach young children the value of waiting on God. Children will likely be enamored with the book’s unique format that engages them in the story as they use a flashlight to reveal hidden pictures. Illustrator Thais Mesquita alternates vibrant, emotion-evoking scenes with calm, black-and-white pages that portray waiting. When a flashlight is shone behind the colorful page, a picture appears in a blank space. In our culture of immediate gratification, parents will appreciate the book’s message of waiting for God’s time and God’s will: “His answer is sometimes wait, sometimes no, or sometimes YES. But we can trust His plans are perfect, kind, and best.” Ages 4–7 —N.O.

Zara and the Mean Girl

Rebekah Hannah & Jocelyn Flenders
New Growth Press, 40 pages

Third grader Zara eagerly welcomes friendship with her classmates. But fellow classmate Ava takes pleasure in picking on everyone’s differences. Upset by Ava’s mean words to her new friend, Zara talks it over with her parents at home each night. Their wise counsel from Scripture gives Zara hope and direction for each new frustration with Ava. When Ava finds herself rejected by the rest of the class, Zara’s kindness welcomes even Ava into the friendship circle. Girls will especially resonate with the all-girl lead characters and Lee Wildish’s delightful illustrations. Either in a classroom setting or as a devotional read-aloud, Zara and the Mean Girl offers constructive ­guidance for navigating difficult interpersonal relationships. Ages 4–7 —N.O.

Freedom To Read

Lesa Cline-Ransome
Simon & Schuster, 48 pages

On the grounds of Hampton University stands a magnificent oak tree that bore witness to significant points in history, including the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. But it also served as an open-air school under the tutelage of Mary Peake, a free black woman who dedicated herself to helping others learn. James Ransome’s watercolor and pencil illustrations fill the page spreads as Lesa Cline-Ransome encapsulates the story of Peake’s life, including her decision to teach the black community in secret after the Virginia General Assembly made it illegal in 1831 for black people to learn how to read or write. The text also hints at Peake’s faith in God that trumped her fear and allowed her to sing, “My Lord, My Hope, My Trust.” Ages 4–8 —K.C.