The Miracles of Jesus

The Miraclesof Jesus

Nest Family Learning

App available from Apple store, Google play, Amazon, or Nook

$2.99

Ages 3-6

The format of this ebook is fantastic! This one is designed for early readers and allows for the child to read it himself or for a recorded voice to read it as the child follows along (each word is highlighted as it is read). This is great for learning to read. Each page has a picture and as it is read the picture also changes so that in effect there are 2 pictures per page. Also included are some fun interactive games, coloring pictures (which can be printed) and trivia games. This concept is superb.

Where I had concerns was in content. As is common in bible stories for children, there is a mix of fact and fiction. In this case, I think it could be distracting or confusing since I think it will be difficult for children to know which parts are precisely true and which are made up. More significantly, there are factual errors in the book. For example the book says the apostles had returned to fishing when Jesus came to them walking on the water. That is not the case, but Jesus had sent them on ahead of him. Also, the book says Jesus was a great man and teacher and that the disciples thought he was the Son of God. The book never affirms that Jesus is the Son of God as the New Testament texts do.

The concept for this product is so good I hope the company will improve the content in future ones. A little attention to details or the use of an advisory board could clear up these things. I am not sure if the ambiguity on the person of Christ was intentional or accidental. Again, if accidental, that could quite easily be clarified. I will look for future products Nest Family Learning. 

"Daddies," by Edgar Guest

"Daddies"

I would rather be the daddy
Of a romping, roguish crew,
Of a bright-eyed chubby laddie
And a little girl or two,
Than the monarch of a nation
In his high and lofty seat
Taking empty adoration
From the subjects at his feet.

I would rather own their kisses
As at night to me they run,
Than to be the king who misses
All the simpler forms of fun.
When his dreary day is ending
He is dismally alone,
But when my sun is descending
There are joys for me to own.

He may ride to horns and drumming;
I must walk a quiet street,
But when once they see me coming
Then on joyous, flying feet
They come racing to me madly
And I catch them with a swing
And I say it proudly, gladly,
That I'm happier than a king.

You may talk of lofty places,
You may boast of pomp and power,
Men may turn their eager faces
To the glory of an hour,
But give me the humble station
With its joys that long survive,
For the daddies of the nation
Are the happiest men alive.

- Edgar Guest

George Grant on Reading Aloud

Reading aloud together has been a staple of our family experience, and I only wish we did more of it. I just came across a good article by George Grant on the value of reading aloud to your children. Here is an excerpt:

Adults who wear business attire and behave perfectly appropriately in steel and glass towers day after monotonous day transform themselves into snakes, mean old hags, princesses with snooty accents, and sorrowful baby bears when a small child is snuggled on their lap with a good book. Is it any wonder that a happy child’s evening litany includes “Read one more book, please?”

The whole piece is not very long and well worth reading. Make time for reading with your children.