BOOK: BLESSED AND BEAUTIFUL
AUTHOR: TAYO OSHAYE
ILLUSTRATOR: YANA POPOVA
PUBLISHER: TAYO OSHAYE PUBLISHING
PAGES: 44
AGE RECOMMENDED: 6+
In the lovely Edenwild forest, similar to the Garden of Eden, God planted five trees: Firi Firtree, Pinely Pine, Larry Cedar, Oaklan Oak, and Juniper Broomley. A big river called Deep Spring took care of and nourished the forest. Even though a storm threatened the forest, Larry Cedar grew tall and had very strong roots. Larry provided comfort to all the birds and animals. His shade was more comforting than that of any other tree. Because of this, the other trees in the forest were envious of him.
Piney Pine tried her best to grow, but she couldn’t match Larry’s beauty. One morning, Deep Spring flowed through the forest, and each tree asked, “Will you pass by my roots?” Deep Spring replied, “I will pass wherever the Lord leads me today.” Firi the fir tree said, “Let God’s will be done. Go on, Flow Deep Spring.” Piney was impatient and started to grumble because she had to wait for Deep Spring’s flow.
The nature show was fast approaching, and every tree was preparing for its moment in the spotlight. They discussed their branches and how they could present themselves as polished, elegant, and regal. Larry bragged about his winning streak, while Pinely grumbled in frustration, unable to match Larry’s beauty. His discontent grew, and he began to question his existence. “Why was I planted here? Does God truly care?” he wondered. As the contest drew closer and Larry’s boasting intensified, Pinely’s anger reached its peak.
At one point, Pinely decided to leave the forest, and the other trees tried to convince him not to leave. But Firi’s words stopped Pinely. Firi said, “Everyone is beautiful in their own way. Let God’s will be done.” All the grumbling stopped, and Larry and Pinely apologized. On the day of the contest, each tree did its best. Each tree was recognized for its best characteristics.
That evening, a storm hit the forest. It was a storm that always threatened the forest. Trees fell down and were uprooted. Each tree prayed to be kept safe from the storm. Unfortunately, Larry fell down and was uprooted. The water from the Deep Spring couldn’t reach him, so he couldn’t survive. Later, Larry was made into a bridge. This made each tree’s prayer very different. Some trees prayed for protection, some asked for forgiveness, and some were thankful for his creation. Each tree offered a different prayer.
A beautiful story with a godly message for both children and adults. This book provides an excellent opportunity to teach children about a variety of important values and concepts, including self-esteem, jealousy, grumbling, God’s will, love, togetherness, friendship, forgiveness, and pride. It offers a foundation for many engaging and insightful discussions. The bright illustrations give the book a pleasant feel. The message is clearly and interestingly presented. Although this book is large, the message it conveys will be beneficial in helping children grow in their faith. The book also includes Psalms 1 and 121, and certain pages contain anecdotes related to the verses, allowing readers to easily refer back to the verses and draw connections to the stories.
I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily writing this review.
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