I was given copies of these books courtesy of Tommy Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

In He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Jack and Scarlett find a baby bird who is separated from his parents and learn to trust God when they’re afraid.

In I’ve Got the Joy, Jack and Scarlett go on a joyful camping trip and sing praises to the Lord.

When I taught Sunday School, I loved teaching the kids classic Christian songs like “This Little Light of Mine” and “Jesus Loves Me”. My fellow teacher often played Listener Kids videos to share some of her favorite songs with the kids. These animated videos take Sunday School songs and pair them with cute animated characters to introduce them to new generations of children. Our class adored the Listener Kids version of “This Little Light of Mine” and requested “the one with the lightbulb” too many times to count!

I was happy to learn the Listener Kids brand is expanding into board books with two new titles, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands and I’ve Got the Joy. These books are not retellings of the songs, but original stories inspired by the songs. They follow Jack the squirrel and Scarlett the bunny, who kids will recognize from the music videos. Both stories sow seeds of faith in children’s hearts by introducing them to concepts like prayer.

I love how the author encourages little ones to interact with the story. Kids can circle different items with their finger, count the number of items on each page, say a Bible verse, and pray with Jack and Scarlett. These actions are optional and don’t affect the story, but they do add to the length of the book and give an older child something to do. And of course, the lyrics to each song are featured in the final spread for parents and kids to sing along.

Both books have a simple message. In He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Jack and Scarlett discover a baby bird with no mama or daddy bird in sight. Jack gets scared when he and Scarlett must take shelter from a storm, but she reminds him they can always trust God when they’re afraid. The two sing louder than the storm and remind themselves of Scripture. Then, they pray for God to protect the baby bird and reunite him with his parents. Parents will like that Jack and Scarlett are good role models for children who are learning how to pray.

Meanwhile, in I’ve Got the Joy, Jack has a new feeling after a really fun camping adventure – joy! Scarlett explains that joy comes from following God. Jack experiences joy when he is playing in the river. I found this a little confusing – while children certainly have fun and experience happiness while playing, God’s joy is distinct from happiness. Parents could remedy this by saying Jack feels joyful because he is with his friend, since fellowship with other believers also brings us joy. A later example handles joy a bit differently. Jack and Scarlett are filled with joy after they see a shooting star. Being in awe of God’s creation certainly gives us a feeling of joy!

Overall, these books are cute ways to discuss Biblical truths through song. Children who enjoy the Listener Kids videos will enjoy these books as well. The silly sound effects, soft, rounded illustrations, and sing-alongs will make these books winners with your baby or toddler. These are good books for naptime, toddler Sunday School classes, or homeschooling with your littles. I give them 4/5 stars.

Want more book reviews? Check them out here. Do you love songwriting and want to get started writing children’s music? Check out my post on songwriting here.

Happy writing, writers! 😊

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