Hmm, I'm in in love with this children's book but it wasn't hated either... I just wouldn't want to do rereads of Birds of the Iar with my siblings, but they would enjoy it at least once.

So beautiful! Beautifully illustrated and beautifully written. This is the story of the bird whom God chosen to be His symbol. Did He choose the strongest, prettiest, or the one who has best voice?

Again, we are reminded that God choose us, not we choose us. It is not by human's standard that we are chosen, but by His.

Birds of Air by S.E.M. Ishida is a wonderful illustration about Jesus getting baptized. In the vein of The Donkey No One Could Ride and the Legend of the Candy Cane, Birds of the Air teaches people that God has a purpose and a plan for everyone and His Ways are not ours. I liked the entire story. I liked how the author put a note at the beginning of the book that stressed that this book is just a story that helps introduce the reader to a story that is in the Bible and encourages the reader to read the Bible for themselves. There is also a Parent Guide and questions for the reader. This book would be perfect for a Family Devotion time and any Christian Teaching setting. I highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book! (This review is also on GoodReads.)

In this fictional tale set around Jesus' baptism, the birds discuss which of them will have the privilege of descending onto Jesus'. Amidst their chaotic discussion, God chooses the one nobody even considered. This story teaches the birds (and readers) where our true value lies.

The Birds of the Air features beautiful illustrations and an interesting storyline that will be enjoyed by both children and parents.

*I received a complimentary copy of Birds of the Air through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

Beautiful illustrations and lovely writing. Well done! I found myself pausing to take in the pictures, which is not something I do often!

This was a sweetly told story of why God chose the dove to be the bird hovering over Jesus at His baptism.

The illustrations were well done.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters. Didn't God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? James 2:5

Just like each of us is different and valued to God, the birds of the air is a way for children to see their value in their differences. In comparing ourselves to others, we may miss that value that God has for us. It is difficult to love others when we are comparing ourselves. We all do it but it is a sweet reminder for children that comparing is hurtful to us and those that we love. Comparing ourselves to others leads us to be boastful and to show off. True worship puts our attention to what God has done not on who we are. These are the lessons and many more that this children book offers. A look at the goodness of God and the value he sees in us. Highly recommend.

A special thank you to B&H Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

You don’t have to be a flashy peacock or a colourful parrot to be chosen by God. This book has a couple of wonderful messages to convey to the reader, child or adult! What a clever idea to use birds in the story.

The illustrations are brightly coloured and appealing. The texts are short and a guide at the back explains the biblical context.

The backdrop of this story is the true historical event of the baptism of Jesus. This fictional tale is sweet and highlights how the heart of God sees His creation.

The birds get wind that God's Spirit will descend in the form of bird on Jesus' baptism day. They are all in an excited flap and twittering to each other who might be chosen to be that coveted bird. They all strut and show off their magnificent qualities expressing why they should have that honour.

The canary boasts she can express His delight in song, the eagle can display His mighty power and the parrot, because he's so smart, can remind people of God's great wisdom, just to name a few. The humble dove has none of those attributes so the other birds discount and erase him because they point out that at the temple only poor people offer doves to God when they can't afford anything better. The poor dove feels dejected and worthless. He feels he has no chance because he is so plain and ordinary. Who will God choose? Can God see the hidden values inside the ordinary dove and choose him?

The illustrations are colourful and beautiful. The story has a fable-like style and a happy ending which kids will love. The positive message is that God sees our hearts not our preening, boasting, and performances. "Birds of the Air"will encourage kids and point out that each one of us has value and worth... worthy enough to be chosen to carry out His great purposes. I love the book and highly recommend it. Great message for all ages!

This is an amazing fictional story about how the dove was chosen to represent the spirit of the Lord at the baptism of Jesus. The birds of Earth all think that they will represent the Lord as they describe why they should be chosen above the other birds. The humble dove is chosen in the end.

The vivid and colorful illustrations are breathtaking in this book. The book also includes discussion questions for parents and children at the end.

Why I Requested It:

Over the last several months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to become better acquainted with the animals who visit/ live in our yard here at MeadowArc. The doves are some of our favorite visitors, so when I saw a children’s Christian book devoted to the dear creature, which was also a speculative fiction based on a Bible story, I was eager to preview it.

Although I hadn’t planned to review picture books, I am now interested in reviewing more of them!

What I Liked:

This was such a sweet story and I recommend it for numerous reasons:

First, I really appreciated the Author’s Note, which actually made me tear up a little. Reminiscent of Mister Rogers’ introductions to the Neighborhood of Make Believe, the note encourages readers to use their God-given imaginations to enter into the story. It also references Jesus’ parables.
In my opinion, this kind of exhortation is so important for children. From childhood, allegories were some of my very favorite books to read. As an adult, I reread these books from my childhood. I have also found that the Lord speaks to me, through the Bible, via imagination and wondering how things were.
Too often, I think we confine our faith by restricting the imagination from it, so I really appreciate that this message of imagination and creativity is being introduced to children at a young age.
I liked that the animals referred to God as “Creator God.” This was such a dear name, showing their relationship to Him. Plus, for the reader, it emphasizes God’s role as Creator.
The dove was just as sweet as he is in my experience of him. I also liked the detail, which I hadn’t connected, about him being a poor man’s sacrifice. What a beautiful layer of symbolism!
The description of God’s interaction with the dove was beautiful.
It’s neat that the fable introduces its own scriptural lesson, alongside the original Bible story.
Illustrations

The illustrations are colorful and inviting. The animals are depicted artistically with distinct personalities (i.e., humble, cocky, etc.). The scenery is also beautiful.

Recommendation:

Strongly Recommended as a read-aloud for children aged 4-8. I would like to see more stories like this— not just fictional retellings, but stories that inspire wonder within the details.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An eye catching cover, colorful illustrations and an imaginative story about a true story make this picture book a great gift idea. I liked the parent connection at the end that does a good job of explaining the story and bringing up biblical truths.

A <obviously> fictional account of a conversation among the feather community when Jesus was baptized. A story about how God's ways are best and they are not our ways. Full of beautiful illustrations this book is a delight.