Let’s Go Explore Series–By Kim Washburn–Book Review

As a member of Zondervan's Z Blog Squad, I received this book free for review purposes only. I was not required to write a positive review, nor did I receive any other compensation.

The girls and I were excited to review the following four books, by author Kim Washburn,   Let’s Go Explore Egypt, Let’s Go Explore Galilee, Let’s Go Explore Israel and Let’s Go Explore Jerusalem.

These books would be a welcomed asset to your Bible study, geography work or culture studies both in homeschooling and personal study time.  I love to be able to look at the maps and get a better feel for the places and distances that Jesus and the other folks of the Bible travelled.

Each book is broken down into six color coded sections that contains information on:

• Places to go
• Sights to See
• People to Know
• Culture to Experience
• Curiosities to Consider
• Word to Work On

Let’s Go Explore Egypt, Let’s Go Explore Galilee, Let’s Go Explore Israel and Let’s Go Explore Jerusalem. contain full color photos, maps and illustrations that are both engaging and educational.  The beautiful photos bring out many aspects of these lands and people.  The differences in climate, culture and architecture are wonderfully displayed.

Always interested in factoids, Olivia found many interesting things to pique her interest.  For example, the lowest point on earth is in Israel and contains the Dead Sea, which is the saltiest water on earth.

A glossary is found in the back of each book that helps readers to better understand some of the terminology used throughout the book.

Each book can be purchased separately from Zondervan for $6.99.

NIV Sequin Bible - Review

As a member of Zondervan's Z Blog Squad, I received this book free for review purposes only. I was not required to write a positive review, nor did I receive any other compensation.

The NIV Sequin Bible is a sparkly, girlie Bible in shades of blues and greens instead of the typical girlie pink.  This Bible is less than one inch thick, so suffice it to say that the writing is a bit small, but not hard to read.  This Bible also lays flat when open, making it easier keep your place. 

Chapters are broken down with subheadings.  For example, the first chapter of Luke has the subheadings “The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah”, “Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son” which helps the read to be able to quickly see what is covered in the chapter.

The above two paragraphs are the only positive points to my review.  If you are looking for a fluffy, feel good review you might want to stop reading now.

The Preface to this Bible has some interesting information that you may want to know before using this particular edition.  The Old Testament was translated using the standard Hebrew text, the Masoretic Text.   There are footnotes that indicate where there may be inconsistencies in translation, or where the translation references  has come from the Septuagint, other Hebrew manuscripts and even the Dead Sea Scrolls.  There are also many footnotes that say things like “The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain”, for words that are pretty easy to understand on their own. 

The word “Selah” has been removed from Psalms in most places, and has been replaced by a footnote. I’m sure other things have been removed, but I didn’t have time to proof read the entire Bible.  Additionally, there are chapters, or parts of chapters that have been printed in a different font text to show that they are of “questionable and confused standing”, including Mark 16:9-19 which tells of Jesus’ resurrection.   How can one profess to be publishing the gospel of Christ, but make it appear as though His resurrections is a farce?

This particular Bible also has the issue of being “gender neutral”.  References to “he”, “him” and “his” have been replaced with “they”, “them” or “their” to and I quote “replace a generic singular ideal”.   I’m sorry folks, but there really is a male and a female.  I realize that the world is buying into being gender neutral and it is ridiculous at best. But when a Bible publisher starts changing the Word of God to make it, and again I quote “the generic use of the “indefinite” or “singular” to suit the norm”, that’s just too much for me to swallow.   Call me ugly names if you will, but it’s bunk.

To wrap up my review, this was originally to be a given to one of my daughters to replace her worn Bible.  I can assure you that is not the case now.   In the last paragraph of the preface the publisher has this sentence “We trust, however, that many will find in it an improved representation of the Word of God….”

One cannot improve on the representation of the Word of God.  It says what it means, and means what it says.

You can purchase this pretty, but erroneous Bible directly through Zondervan for $29.99.

101 Bible Stories From Creation to Revelation - Review

As a member of Zondervan's Z Blog Squad, I received this book free for review purposes only.  I was not required to write a positive review, nor did I receive any other compensation.

I love Bible story books.  What I don’t love is when they are cartoonish and dumbed down, they become trite and boring. 101 Bible Stories From Creation to Revelation, by Dan Andreason, definitely breaks that mold.  The illustrations are lovely, with lots more depth and detail than a cartoon.  They are truly little works of art.   The language is rich and so vividly descriptive that the young reader gets a much better understanding of the story.

101 Bible Stories From Creation to Revelation contains stories from both the New and Old Testaments.  Each story is one page long, with a corresponding illustration and scripture reference.



Both of my girls are enjoying this book.  Lindsey has been reading it a lot during her afternoon quiet time, she’s even suggested that we do an art project based on some of the illustrations.  I’m thinking that’s a definite thing to put on our things to do list!

To preview several pages of the book, click here.   I think you’ll LOVE the illustrations and the wonderful vocabulary that’s used in this beautiful book.

101 Bible Stories From Creation to Revelation retails for $12.99 and is available directly at Amazon, Books-a-Million and Barnes & Noble.

The thoughts and opinions in this review are strictly my own.

Young Women of Faith Bible - Review

As a member of Zondervan's Z Blog Squad, I received this book free for review purposes only. I was not required to write a positive review, nor did I receive any other compensation.

I’m now navigating the waters of parenting the tween girl.  This has been an adjustment for me, trying to find the line between not babying, not being too stand-off-ish, not hovering, and yet trying to teach independence.  This parenting thing is hard work!  

One area that I absolutely do NOT want to drop the ball in is encouraging my daughter’s relationship with the Lord.   The opportunity to review the Young Women of Faith Bible has been a true God send, and the timing couldn’t have been better.  In recent weeks she’s really struggled with not having a “place” in church (too young for youth, too old for kids church). 

Included in the Young WOF Bible are Weekly Studies, side notes, “I Believe” statements of faith, Memory Challenges and “If I Were There” sections.  Each section is designed to help young ladies to learn to study the Bible, finds it’s relevance in their lives and learn to apply it.   Olivia is LOVING the journal sections where she gets to share her heart.  She’s also enjoying the different colors and fonts that help keep the pages fresh, and the easier wording of the NIV keeps her from getting hung up on too many thee’s and thou’s.

It’s not uncommon to see this scene throughout the day.

I highly recommend this Bible if you have tween or teen girls.  Another great resource is that the Weekly Studies and a lot of the side notes are linked to the the NIV Women of Faith Study Bible, allowing moms and daughters to study God’s word together.

To preview several pages of this Bible, click here. You’ll really enjoy the variations in print color and font!

The Young Women of Faith Bible (NIV) retails for $44.99 and can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

The thoughts and opinions in this review are strictly my own.