A Great New Book for Easter!

The Flowering Cross, by Beth Ryan, is a sweet story of how a child can make a difference in her world. A little girl and her family befriend a grumpy old man who lives next door. As they reach out to him, his heart softens. The little girl and her brother are instrumental in leading him to Christ. Many of the pages includes topics for further discussion and scriptures at the bottom.

I read this book to my children, ages 5, 3, and 11 months. We stuck to the story line without any other discussion, but I did read a few of the scripture references also. My "audience" didn't have the attention span for the discussion. I think it would be good for an 8-year-old and up.

I loved the illustrations in this book. They, and the entire storyline, are very heartwarming. The book in general reminds me of one of my favorites, Liz Curtis Higgs' Pumpkin Patch Parable, in both illustration and layout. I also love how the book ties scriptures in on every page. And if you're handy with woodworking, the book comes with instructions on how to make your own flowering cross centerpiece.

I do recommend this book, especially if your children are just a little bit older than mine. I am looking forward to reading it again in years to come and am excited about the possibility for discussion about how children can impact even grown-ups for the Lord.

The Flowering Cross is available at Amazon.com and Christian Book Distributors.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”