Guest blog post by Beverley Rayner

Children frequently read a book more than once or have a favourite book that they want to hear again and again. Something between the pages keeps them coming back!

As a former school librarian for many years, both in public and Christian education, I have always believed that a good picture book is multi-layered. Meaning a story can be read, received, and enjoyed just as an engaging story. But dig a little deeper, and perhaps, a question might arise. Is there a message behind the story? Is there some “takeaway” I can apply to my life?

For example, consider the “Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Here’s a story that has changed lives and clearly points to who Jesus is.

With these thoughts in mind, I wanted to write a fun, engaging story with a subtle Christian message that you, as a believer, can pass along to a non-Christian.

I recently added another book to my web page that I think also has this multi-layered approach and can be used for evangelism. So here are the two books:

The Dog Who Wanted to Play

By Fred Ash, illustrated by Kristian Shvedai,

c2021 Seritona Creative.

Hardcover, softcover, audio, ebook.

This grade 2 reader is a fun story about a small boy afraid of a big dog that keeps chasing after him. Others don’t seem scared, but he is! At the end of the day, when the boy is lost, the dog comes to comfort him in the dark, and a kind police officer takes the boy home.

This is a story for everyone who has ever been afraid of the unknown. The book was inspired by the 19th-century poem “The Hound of Heaven, by Francis Thompson. Like Aslan in C.S Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, Dog, the good shepherd, cares even for those who run away from him.

Fred Ash is a former elementary school teacher who lives in Calgary, Alberta.

Barclay and Berk Builders

Retold by Beverley Rayner, Illustrated by James Hensman

C2021 Castle Quay Publishers

Paperback

A vibrant picture book brought to you by a character named Gulliver S. Gull. This is a modern-day take on Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish builders. A book about choices, perhaps? But dig a little deeper, and we discover that Jesus told this story. The scripture passage from Matthew chapter 7 is written in the back of the book. My prayer is that readers will wonder about the true author of this parable and want to know Him better.

As authors, we pray to be the pen in His hands. I believe it is through prayer that He brings the increase and glory to His name. If you are looking for gift books for unbelievers, consider these.

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