The Belles of the Bible {a book review for kids}

I was talking to my mother-in-law the other day about how there are SO many Christian-themed books for girls have to do with princesses (“you are the daughter of a King!”) but I rarely see a book for boys about princes. She agreed with the observation and said off-handedly, “You are a son of a King!” and then we laughed because, you know, we’re really mature like that.

There’s a new series on the block for young girls and there are no princesses involved.

Author Erin Weidman just came out with her first book in the Bible Belle series: The Adventures of Rooney Cruz- Hannah, the Belle of Prayer. Erin shares some about why she decided to write this series:

In 2007 I was 26, and I was diagnosed with cancer. The disease was extensive, and the road to recovery was terrifying and unknown. Like the “tough” girl I was, I put my head down and tried to handle the emotional weight of it on my own. I thought that I was being strong by not leaning on anyone,  but I suddenly realized that I couldn’t get through it alone. I had walked away from God years earlier, but I had finally hit my breaking point.

Since that time, the cancer has come back again and again and again. Four more times, and I’m still here. I know it is because God has called me to battle back against the feelings of insecurity, self-doubt, and judgment that affect so many young girls. They need to know that they are wonderfully made, that they are loved, and that their lives are worth much more than at times they will think.

Cancer was a complete shock to me, but it was the best blessing. It was the beginning of the softening of my heart. After that, God kept the surprises coming. I met my husband, we were married, and now we have a daughter. A miracle baby. Being a mother was something I had convinced myself was impossible because of my history, but God’s plans were bigger and better than I ever imagined.

The struggle to be perfect and to have it all together will be as real for my daughter as it was for me. How will she learn what real beauty is and feel secure and confident in her own skin? How can I teach her what she needs to know so she can become who she is meant to be? I don’t want to lose my girl to this world and what it will tell her. I want to doing something that will connect her and other girls with real heroes so they can learn their own value and carry it with them for the rest of their lives.

In this book, we meet Rooney Cruz, a spunky, kind and pretty normal 9 year old girl with everyday 9 year old troubles. Rooney has a run in with a group of mean girls, leaving her feeling scared and unsure of herself. Through a surprising turn of events, Rooney gets to take a peek into the past and sees how a woman named Hannah has to deal with some of the same feelings. Hannah cries out to God and experiences God’s presence with her. Rooney realizes that she can do the same and that no matter what happens, God will be with her.

I love the message of this story– that God is always with us and desires us to bring our questions and concerns and everyday troubles to Him. He can give us wisdom and insight into situations, and ultimately, no matter how the situations turn out, He’s there to walk with us through it all.

The book is fabulously written by Erin and gorgeously illustrated by Rob Corley, a former Disney animator. We’re super excited about the rest of the books in the series, with the next one, Esther: The Belle of Patience, coming out in early 2016.

To learn more about them, you can check out their website, FB page, or follow them on Instagram.