The House in the Middle of Town

I heard an interview with the author on our local Christian radio station, and decided I would really like to buy this book for my children. I recieved the book and for the first few times could not get through, reading it aloud, without crying...it was a good cry mind you. This book has a wonderful message about caring and doing unto our neighbors what it good and right and wholesome and pure. Not forgetting about our elderly, and teaching children in a real way about the golden rule. My little boy is 3 years old and this book has become one of his nightly favorites. The grandmother in the book is sad in the beginning and happy in the end, as he likes to say. He is glad the kids got together to clean her yard! He also reminds me we have to help our grandmama do her yard too! I love how he can understand putting a smile on a face and showing Jesus' grace.. to the houses in the middle of our town!

This book is such a great reminder of what caring & working together can accomplish. A must read for children ages 3-10!!!!

Just released in July, The House in the Middle of Town, was written by a favorite children's author, Crystal Bowman. The book is built on the foundation of Mark 13:31 where Jesus teaches that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. Spun from a classic nursery rhyme, the story is told in two-two-one rhyming stanzas. In a house in the middle of town lives a grandma who cannot care for her home. She's alone, old and tired. One day several members of the community come to help. Kids and parents alike work together to fix, clean, paint and rake. They mend the fences and mow the lawn. They even plant flowers and enjoy some lemonade. At end of the story they all take pride in the work they've done. The house in the middle of town becomes a welcoming place where the neighbors come together, out of service and love. The illustrations by Joy Allen are sketchy, but saturated with color. The characters are friendly and represent several ethnicities. What I Like: The lesson! This is a wonderful book teaching children the importance of serving others and working together in the community. I also like the author's note at the front of the book. There she emphasizes the point of the book and encourages parents to include their children in activities that can "put joy in a heart and smile on a face, and make someone glad to know Jesus' grace." What I Dislike: There is nothing that I dislike, however, I wish the illustrations were a little more "finished" or contained more detail. Overall Rating: Very Good Additional Info: This book is wonderful for early readers because of the rhyming text, but select words are written in a curly-cue font that may be difficult for young children to decifer. Tanya -- Christian Children's Book Review (CCBReview*dot*blogspot*dot*com)