Review: My Mama & Me

I am so blessed to have been given a free copy of the book: My Mama & Me: Rhyming Devotions for You and Your Child in exchange for my honest review!

Crystal Bowman (pictured at right) is actually a friend of our Grama Joni's, and I have gotten to know her over the last few years. When Isaac was born, Joni purchased many of Crystal's books for a baby gift, and we have used them in our house with all our kiddos over and over and over again. We have also loved that she has written many of the songs in our boys' piano books. How fun is that to know the author of the songs you are playing!

I have reviewed her books previously on my Blog, and you can check out a few of those reviews here:

• My Christmas Stocking
• Christmas Recommendations
• My Happy Pumpkin

I especially love Crystal's holiday books. These books allow you to take a secular holiday and find a Christian message in it. We have truly loved being able to take something intended for the world and use it to learn more about Christ.

We have also used the One Year Devotions for Preschoolers book so much with each of our kiddos that we have torn the cover and pages out of it. It has been one of the most-used book in our house.

Written by Crystal Bowman & Teri McKinley and illustrated by Phyllis Harris, My Mama & Me: Rhyming Devotions for You and Your Child first provides a two-page explanation of how this book can best be used with your children.

There are four different sections of the book:

1. Can You Tell Me about God?
2. Can You Tell Me about Jesus?
3. What Does God Think about Me?
4. How Can I Show God I Love Him?

Each section features a sweet rhyming poem/devotional which provides age-appropriate topics and biblical facts to help parents have faith-based conversations with their child.

For example, the first section Can You Tell Me about God? writes:

Mama, I've got questions for you.
Who is God, and what does he do?
How did God make the great big sky?
How did he put the stars so high?

Did God make whales and zebras, too?
Does God take care of me and you?
Is God close by me while I play?
I want to know these things today.

This section then includes the following subsections:

1. Can You Tell Me about God?
• God is Your Creator
• God is Your King
• God is Your Father in Heaven
• God Keeps You Safe
• God Gives You What You Need
• God is Good

Each of these subsections includes a Bible verse, a Devotion (which includes another poem), a prayer, and then a "Fun Idea for Mama and Me" of something they can do together to reinforce this idea. This might include something like looking through a window and going outside to see the things that God created or listen to your Mama read a section of the Bible and then pretend you are one of the shepherds who runs to see Jesus.

I am just in love with this sweet book. It is going to make for a wonderful inclusion in our before-bed reading helping to answer questions that kids often have about the Lord. Please take a moment to visit Crystal Bowman's website and help support this amazing Christian writer.

P.S. I am also INCREDIBLY excited to be working with Crystal on an infertility book. It is still in the early stages, but we are very hopeful that this could be published! I will keep you in the loop on this exciting possibility!