The Rabbit and the Snowman & Fire Fish

It's a beautiful day outside! Mia is swimming in her new Little Mermaid swimsuit. Jesse is replacing the brakes on his car. There's a cookout tonight at his parents' house and a get-together after at Johnny and Tina's. It's days like today that I can't help but feel how good life really is. Even when I can't take part in all of it because of the pain, I look around me and feel blessed.

The Rabbit and the Snowman by Sally Lee: I love Sally Lee's picture books for children. Her illustrations are always bright and original, and the story is timeless. The snowman has been built deep in the woods by a group of children who then leave him alone. Poor snowman wonders if something is wrong with him: is his smile too crooked or his scarf too full of holes. But when rabbit hops up, the two quickly become friends...until spring. The watercolor illustrations are lovely. And what child hasn't worried about not having friends? It's a story that every child can relate to and find hope in.

Fire Fish by Davy Liu: Davy Liu, a former artist for Disney who worked on Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, has started his own company writing and illustrating Christian stories from the point of fish. I know it sounds unusual, but work with me, it's amazing. Fire Fish is the story of little perch Sarai and her family. They remember a time when the two-legs through babies into the river where they live, and how one special two-leg baby was saved from a next of reeds. (The Egyptians killing the Hebrew babies and Moses saved by the Pharaoh's daughter) Sarai greatly admires the Fire Fish who are rarely seen in their waters, but glow with the fire of the Finmaker. When the water turns red and bad, Sarai and her two brothers flee, leaving their parents behind. (The plague of blood) After various adventures and meeting new friends, they are all endangered by an attack by Great White Sharks. But Sarai and her brothers pray for rescue, which comes when the water separates, leaving the sharks on one side and all of the other fish on the other. (Parting of the Red Sea) Liu uses the fish to talk about the sovereignty of God and about how much He cares about each of us, no matter how small. The illustrations are absolutely amazing. The fish are charming and sweet, but the waters around them are lush and beautiful. This is a terrific book, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Here's a nifty site to check out. You click on pictures and it shows you your visual DNA: habits, what you do for fun, etc. Try it out for yourself, and then read my results.