We have lots and LOTS of books in our home library. Like many homeschool moms, I am always happy to add high-quality reading material to our bookshelves! We were chosen to receive a copy of Nothing by Natalee Creech from WorthyKids, an imprint of Hachette Book Group for review, and it definitely met our criteria as a “keeper”.
Upon opening the package sent from the publisher, I was immediately impressed by the quality of this book. It came with a full color dust jacket which mimicked the design of the hardcover book. The cover is printed with embossed lettering and the images and lettering both are glossy, making them stand out from the matte background image. The pages inside are a nice thickness and have a satin feel, which I love in a printed book. Just flipping the pages FELT good. All you fellow bibliophiles know what I’m talking about! I don’t think my kids had the same appreciation as I did for the constuction and feel of the book, but that’s ok.
Nothing by Natalee Creech is illustrated by Joseph Cowman. Every single page is beautifully illustrated in full color with lots of fine detail.
The illustrations lend themselves well to drawing in little ones who may not have that much interest in the words being read to them. While the book is recommended for ages 4-7, it can be enjoyed by those younger and older. I spent lots of time on each page with my two year old daughter, pointing out all the little details – birds, fish, bears, camels, etc. which she really seemed to enjoy. I really like the style of Mr. Cowman’s drawings used throughout the book.
The message of the book is very simple – nothing can separate you from God’s love! The text is written in a sing-song way with a rhyming pattern that makes it fun to both read and hear being read. There is a small amount of text on each page, with the same phrase being repeated several times throughout the book…
There is nothing so powerful,
nothing so strong -
GOD'S LOVE is too high
and too deep
and too long!
When we first read through the book, my six year old wanted me to read it again several times that day, he really enjoys sitting down for cuddles and a story. I also read “Nothing” several times to my two year old daughter. While my eleven year old thought he was “too old” for a little kid’s book, he was willing to also read it to his younger siblings a few times. He agreed that the rhyme and rhythm of the story made it fun to read out loud.
We definitely have enjoyed reading this book, and as a mom I found the message to be simple yet powerful to little ones. It did spur some sweet conversations about how God’s love is like a parent’s love – only BIGGER! Or rather a parent’s love is like God’s, since He IS the original author of love after all! The author has done a wonderful job of communicating this very big truth to little ones in a simple and enjoyable way,
Make sure you head over to the Crew blog to read what other families had to say about this wonderful book!
