Book Blurb
Join Fuzzby as he discovers his voice!
You can honk along too as we learn what it means to have heartfelt praise.
The Garden of Eden burst to life at the crack of dawn. Everyone was twittering about the big night. A chickadee choir practiced their song for God.
But Fuzzby the Peacock was nervous. He couldn’t sing like the other birds… he could only honk. Will God want to hear his song? Will Fuzzby have the courage to sing it?
I received this book from the author for free. This review is voluntary and all comments are entirely my own.
Meredith’s Review
Honk! A Tale of Praise checks off all the children’s-picture-book boxes for me. Creative prose. Check! Strong themes. Double check! Captivating illustrations. Check!
Author Elizabeth Michel does a great job using onomatopoeia, repetition, and alliteration to create intriguing prose with a whimsical, sing-song feel. That her story is about a young bird trying to find confidence in his voice and sing praises to God makes this writing style all the more satisfying. I could definitely see parents or teachers using her book as a tool for teaching figurative language!
The themes Michel explores are also important and applicable in the lives of children: overcoming fear, believing in yourself, the value of eternal works, God’s love for all His creation, and the redeeming power of God’s love. These are great foundational lessons to begin teaching children.
While Michel’s story takes place at the beginning of creation in the Garden of Eden, the conclusion of her story, ironically, reminds me of Revelation 7:9. We are told there will be “a great multitude… from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne” to worship God.
This picture is beautifully illustrated at the end of Michel’s story when God hears and loves the praise coming from every type of bird in the Garden. Not every bird’s praise sounds the same, but God welcomes and treasures each of His unique creations. I love this gentle reminder to children to value and celebrate our differences, just as God does.
Michel’s illustrations are also charming. Her use of varied textures create an almost scrapbook-like feel to the images, like she’s cutting and pasting different materials onto the page to create each illustration.
All around, high praise from this reader for Honk! A Tale of Praise.
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