I was given a copy of this book courtesy of Tommy Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

This Advent devotional takes children on a journey through Scripture, helping them re-center on Jesus during the busy Christmas season.

Some days, it feels like my life is all Christmas, all the time! Last summer, I was promoting my boss’s awesome picture book, Dachshund Through the Snow, and her Christmas devotional called, well, The Christmas Devotional. I also love serving year-round with Operation Christmas Child to pack shoeboxes to spread God’s love at Christmas. Though I’m writing this when the Walmart aisles are stocked with school supplies and Halloween costumes, Christmas is on my mind…especially because I’m reviewing Amanda Jass’s new devotional, Discovering Christmas.

This picture book-style devo is perfect for families. The book is best for preschoolers and elementary schoolers, but it could also work well with multiple children of different ages – the illustrations feature children of different ages, ethnicities, and abilities. Each devotion is accompanied by three discussion questions, a fun activity, a guiding Scripture passage, and a prayer. I was very pleased that the first week’s lessons stretched all the way back to Genesis, teaching children about creation, the fall, and our need for a Savior. This book equips children with the full context of the Bible to help them understand the importance of Jesus. We can’t teach the Good News without explaining the bad news, so I was very impressed by the book’s commitment to evangelism.

Jass’s tone is conversational and even silly, making her a fun and relatable teacher. She recognizes the excitement and wonder that fills a child during the Christmas season, and she embraces it while also challenging the more secular notions of the holiday. For example, one devotion is on giving rather than receiving, framing it with the story of the Wise Men. (How many times have you seen Christmas specials that say “The true meaning of Christmas is giving”, instead of focusing on our Greatest Gift of all?) Another activity discusses favorite Christmas movies, but there’s no Santa Claus in sight. The focus of this book is squarely on Jesus!

After the first week of “intro” devotions, the devo follows the angels’ announcements to Mary and Joseph, Mary’s Magnificat, the birth of Jesus, Epiphany, and finally, Jesus’ presentation in the temple. It weaves in strong messages about His death and resurrection. Each Sunday’s devotion is on the Advent candle for that week (hope, peace, joy, and love). The author uses a variety of Bible translations for each devotion – I was okay with this, but some parents may want to follow along with their preferred translation for consistency.

The activities were a fun addition. The best activities were things that families may already be doing, like donating gently used items to charity, baking Christmas cookies for the neighbors, and making homemade cards. Jass gives families ideas for great service opportunities during the Christmas season, which is a great way to teach children how to love their neighbors. Some of the crafts may take longer to set up than others, but most were simple and used household supplies. Parents can easily pick and choose which activities work best for their family. Some just require the family to sit down and talk!

The beautiful illustrations, fun activities, and Christ-centered devos will make this book a hit with preschoolers and elementary schoolers. Parents will love sharing this book with their kids this Advent and Christmas season, and perhaps could use it as an annual tradition. I give this book 5/5 stars. Highly recommend!

Want more reviews? Check out my other book reviews here. Want to learn about one of my Christmas-related projects? Click here to read about A Book for You!

Happy writing, writers! 😊