Books from Kayla Jarmon: A TOS Review Crew Review

    Kids love picture books! Even though our girls have moved onto chapter books they still enjoy pulling picture books off the shelf from time to time, even my 12-year-old! Books are enjoyable, but they can also be used as a tool to start discussions or talk about hard things. I had the opportunity to review three titles from Kayla Jarmon which can be found here: http://kaylajarmon.com/books/     A Boy and His Dog Dying Is Part of This World Don’t Forget Me  

  Each title has a unique perspective delving into different areas which touch a child's life. My personal favorite was Don't Forget Me. I really liked the perspective of a conversation between a baby and God while the little one was still in Mommy's womb. In addition to being a reflection of Scripture which talks about how the Lord knits us together in the womb, it also shows the stages of a baby's growth and development. There are even very tastefully drawn images of the baby traveling through the birth canal. At the end of the book are several reference to Scripture for further study with your kids. I really love this and think it would be a great tool to use with younger children who are expecting a new baby brother or sister into the family.   

   Dying is Part of This World is a great discussion starter for kids who have questions about dying or are afraid of losing their loved ones. Unlike most books for kids about death I have seen this one doesn't deal with a child who is actually struggling with the loss. I love this about it because our kids sometimes have questions like this, but I don't want to to have them read a story about someone actually dying. This is a chapter book and good for older kids to read alone possibly, but I really think it makes a better read-together type of book. Again, Scripture is central and there are some wonderful discussion questions at the end of each chapter.   

  A Boy and His Dog is a sweet little story about a young little guy and his pup! One of the things we really liked about this was that the illustrated dog looked so much like our own dear puppy! This is the title I had the girls look at most. The illustrations in the title were by far my favorite. They were vibrant and full page. I really like how the relationship between the little boy and his pet is shown. They do everything together. Even sleep! This is a simple picture book which will bring back sweet memories of beloved pets as you read.

Each of these titles is in a digital format and will also have audio available in the future. My kids still prefer books they can hold in their hands, but I know many really love this digital way of reading. It is nice to look along with each other instead of having to take turns with a book like you do traditionally. Check out what my Crewmates have to say!