Blog Archives
God, Love, and Family
Marion, Faith & Ice Cream follows an eight-year-old’s simple question about believing in God as it unfolds across one day, where family love, sensory wonder, and everyday beauty teach her how to see faith for herself. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration was my daughter’s family. The gift of becoming a grandparent is being able to view the development of a child from 30 thousand feet. As a parent, you are in the thick of the day-to-day duties and responsibilities, but as a grandparent, your experience allows you to see what really matters. Therefore, God, love, and family are the central elements.
How did you balance writing about faith for children in a way that feels gentle and discovered?
Thank you for asking the question this way. Children are so much more sensory-focused than intuitive, so it was important to me to connect the faith to something they can observe with their own senses. The unseen concepts of air and wind are ones children understand, so drawing the connection gives them a tangible connection to believing versus simply a spiritual one.
Marion’s father, being a scientist, adds an interesting dimension to the story. What drew you to pairing scientific observation with spiritual belief?
My son-in-law is an MD, so pairing a science angle that relies on “proof” with a child’s desire for something concrete seemed like a natural fit.
What do you hope children, and the adults reading with them, feel or talk about after they finish the book?
That God is calling us all to take a leap of faith. I think we all have a deep yearning to believe in something beyond what we can see. Therefore, I hope it gives children (and maybe even some adults) the simple framework to connect this tangible world with the spiritual one.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Marion isn’t sure. She’s eight years old, full of questions, and she’s never seen God. So how can she know He’s real?
Everything changes during one breezy Saturday. As she watches eagles glide above her, leaves swirl around the yard, and delights in a sparkling lake that seems to wink at her, Marion discovers that the world is filled with things she can’t see but still knows are true. And, maybe faith works the same way…
A beautiful picture book that helps children explore faith, family connections, and the amazing wonders all around us. With loving guidance from her dad, Marion learns that belief is so much more than just what meets the eye.
Philomena: The Brave Daughter of Light
Philomena: The Brave Daughter of Light tells the story of a Greek king and queen who turn to Jesus when they cannot have a child, then receive a daughter whose whole life burns with faith and courage. As Philomena grows, she loves the poor, refuses the Roman emperor’s offer of marriage, suffers prison and brutal trials, and finally dies as a young martyr while staying loyal to God. The book ends with her in heaven, close to Jesus, and with hints of the miracles that later come through her prayers.
I really liked the writing style. The whole thing moves in gentle rhyming lines that feel almost like a lullaby, even when the story gets tense. The language stays simple and clear, yet the author sneaks in big feelings. I could feel the parents’ ache at the start, then their joy when Philomena is born, then that cold knot of fear when Diocletian appears. The book keeps saying the same core idea in different ways. God is near, God is kind, God gives courage. That repetition worked for me, especially for kids who need to hear it more than once.
The ideas behind the story were emotional for me. This isn’t a soft little tale about being nice. It’s about a girl who chooses God over safety, comfort, even her own life, and that is heavy. The book shows real danger and pain, yet it keeps the focus on peace and light. The prison scenes, the arrows, the river, all of that could feel scary, but the art and words keep pulling the mood toward hope. I found myself feeling both sad and calm at the same time. Reading this with children will lead to some deep talks afterward. Why would someone die for their faith? What does courage look like today? Those questions hang in the air once you close the book, and I like that it doesn’t spell everything out.
I would recommend this picture book for families and classrooms that want strong Christian stories about saints, especially Catholic families and parish schools, and for kids who can handle a serious, martyr-style story, maybe around ages six and up, with an adult nearby to chat. It feels perfect for bedtime if you want quiet, thoughtful talks afterward, or for feast days when you want to highlight a particular saint. If you want a beautiful, faith-filled tale about bravery, purity, and trust in God, I think Philomena: The Brave Daughter of Light is a perfect choice.
Pages: 46 | ASIN : B0GDJ9VSDR
Wagon of Worries
Mabel is gathering something in her little red wagon, though it’s hardly the sort of collection that brings comfort. What she piles inside are worries. They appear everywhere, multiplying with ease, and Mabel scoops them up almost without thinking. Soon the wagon swells with these gray tokens of unease, growing so weighty that she can scarcely drag it along. She tries to abandon it, to shake herself free, yet finds she’s somehow bound to it, tethered by forces she doesn’t fully grasp. The question becomes urgent: how can she move forward? A turn toward a higher power may hold the key.
Wagon of Worries, written by Ruthie Godfrey, targets readers roughly ages 4 through 11. While older children may find the message too direct, younger readers are likely to enjoy its vibrant illustrations and the gentle wisdom woven throughout.
Godfrey introduces the idea of anxiety with refreshing creativity. The dull gray coins Mabel gathers function as symbols for the small but persistent stresses that follow us through life, whether we are children learning to navigate the world or adults juggling responsibilities. As those worries accumulate, steering one’s life can feel increasingly difficult. Mabel’s journey demonstrates that seeking help from the divine can offer a release, a way to surrender the heaviest burdens and trust in something beyond oneself. Once she does, her wagon and her path forward grow lighter.
The symbolism may lean toward the obvious, yet the message remains valuable for young readers. Godfrey emphasizes that even those outside the Christian faith can find meaning in the book’s core principle. A “let go, let God” mindset, whether interpreted literally, spiritually, or metaphorically, can help anyone overwhelmed by anxieties regain perspective. In an era where worry feels nearly universal, the book presents a gentle, sensible approach to coping, wrapped in a story children can understand and remember.
Pages: 36 | ASIN : B0F6M8Y7BH
Higher Callings for Our Lives
The Mighty Mountain follows a tall and mighty mountain who is struck by an earthquake and reduced to a pile of sticks and has to find a new purpose in life. What was the inspiration for your story?
I recall praying for ideas about 8 years ago for something of value that would be impactful to people, build a legacy for my family, and God imparted a parable about a mountain to my mind and I couldn’t shake it. I felt the message behind the story was so powerful and moving to everyone young and old that it had to be shared. I wanted this book to be a classic story that will stick with people for a lifetime like The Little Engine That Could, The Giving Tree, or The Hungry Caterpillar. When I expanded the parable into an illustrative story, I was motivated to have others see and feel what I experienced in that moment when the story was first placed on my heart.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Some of the ideas that I wanted to share in this book were about the idea of change and discovering your purpose. In life, you sometimes find out that you are good at something and you devote all of your energy into it and believe you found your thing. So much so that you’ve placed your entire worth in that thing and if you can’t do that thing you fall into the trap of believing you’re worthless. The truth is we evolve, go through seasons, and have higher callings for our lives. Sometimes it’s related to what we were doing before but sometimes it isn’t. Young and old go through tragedies of different magnitudes impacting what they were doing and I want to share the idea of hope within them. Hope that they are more and will make an impact somewhere else.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Wilker Aguiar Souza?
Working with Wilker was fantastic, I felt we worked very well together! The Mighty Mountain was my first book, and I had a vision for how the mountain should look. Early in the process, I made sketches of how each character would look and respond in the different scenes. Several years later when going through character development, I provided Wilker with the manuscript, explained how I wanted the mountain to look, and when he provided his initial sketches for the character development I was shocked! They were eerily close to what I drew years before. That was confirmation for me that Wilker was supposed to be the illustrator for this project. I gave him creative freedom to make the story come alive with vibrant colors and tones to convey the emotion of the mountain as it went through its transformational process.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I have several books that I am working on. The adult companion book for The Mighty Mountain is in the editing stage and should be available within the next six months. That book will go a little deeper and provide the adults and parents with more insight to help them apply the ideas that are embedded within The Mighty Mountain to their circumstances. Additionally, I have inspired my daughter to write a book. She has a love of baking and co-authored a magnificent book called Cookie-Day, Cookie-Day which is available on Amazon.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Website | Amazon
The Girl and Her Noble Steed
The Girl and Her Noble Steed by Kirthana Fanning is a delightful and imaginative story that centers on Ofe, a young orphan with a remarkable affinity for animal riding. Set on the island of Ginobe, the story unfolds as Ofe endeavors to utilize her unique skill to rescue her orphanage. The annual Gino Games, featuring a pivotal race, presents Ofe with an opportunity to win a prize that could secure the orphanage’s future. However, achieving this goal requires the unlikely assistance of a curmudgeonly old man, humorously dubbed “Sir Frowns-a-lot,” and his donkey, Zo.
Fanning’s storytelling is refreshingly original and imbued with a whimsical charm reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s work. The narrative is sprinkled with humor and warmth, engaging readers of all ages. The book’s illustrations, evocative of the early 2000s animated series “The Proud Family,” add a layer of visual appeal with their exaggerated, comedic style.
The writing style is a standout aspect of this book. Fanning employs language that resonates with younger audiences without sacrificing depth or humor. Ofe’s portrayal is particularly endearing and authentic; she is depicted with the innocence and humor characteristic of her age. For instance, in a light-hearted moment, Ofe checks her breath before embarking on a task, adding a touch of humor and depth to her character. Beyond the underdog theme, the story delves into themes of faith and reliance on higher powers. Ofe’s trust in God to aid her and the orphanage adds a meaningful dimension to the tale.
The Girl and Her Noble Steed is a skillfully crafted story that combines humor, imagination, and heartfelt moments. It’s a compelling read for a diverse audience, offering more than just entertainment but also a poignant message about faith and perseverance.
Pages: 100 | ASIN : B0CKS19H5T
The Seed of Faith: A Christmas Miracle
Daniel Petronelli’s The Seed of Faith: A Christmas Miracle is a Christmas story of faith and hope. A drought has plagued the little town of Shiloh. There is no water, and there are no Christmas trees, and the villagers don’t know which one is worse. A spirited group of boys takes it upon themselves to sneak over the mountain to the town on the other side. They plan to take home a Christmas tree, but a terrible blizzard interrupts up their plan. Stuck in the blizzard, the boys find themselves panicking. A mysterious figure soon appears and gives them a helping hand. His help becomes significant for the whole village in ways they never expected.
The book is well-written with fun page borders and pleasing illustrations that add depth to the storytelling. It’s a heartwarming story–exactly the kind you’d want to read with children around the Christmas season. It speaks about God and about how faith can be found in even the most trying moments. Its wholesome content makes this a must-read for families.
The Seed of Faith: A Christmas Miracle is a high-quality children’s book with a narrative that embodies the essence of Christmas. It’s a story that reminds us of the importance of faith, hope, and kindness during the holiday season. Its combination of well-crafted storytelling, engaging illustrations, and a meaningful message makes it special. This children’s book is a delightful addition to any Christmas reading list. The Seed of Faith: A Christmas Miracle is a wonderful gift for children and adults alike, spreading the joy and magic of Christmas throughout its pages.
Pages: 74 | ISBN : 978-1737485513
