Arnold Dixon

Little Gordon Grape tells the story of Gordon, a grape that is really excited to be picked during the harvest. On the day of the harvest, Gordon is the most excited, and while he is shaking with excitement, he falls off the vine, away from his family. He calls out to the pickers and his family, but no one hears him. He ends up on the ground, all alone and very upset. He cries himself to sleep, and has a dream about the way that God intends to use him. Instead of joining the harvest, Gordon is going to grow more vines and make the Earth more beautiful. This book teaches children that although we may have ideas of what we want, God may have another plan for us. It is a simple lesson that is a hard one, especially for children, to internalize. This book helps give the lesson a more tangible story, and will help children remember the lesson. This book would be excellent for both younger and older children, but especially when reading with an adult who can help explain the lesson the book is trying to teach. I have now read this book many times to my almost three year old. She has loved the pictures and the words being read to her. Although she’s not developmentally ready for the more complex concept of God’s Plan, that will come later. For now, she loves having it read to her and engages well with the illustrations and the basic story. This is an excellent introductory book to those higher level concepts. She and I will continue to read this together.… (altro)