Your kids will devour this from start to finish: My review of "Princesses, Pirates, and Cowboys" (Veggietales)

From author Karen Poth and the creative minds behind the VeggieTales characters comes a three-book collection of "I Can Read Stories" that includes the stories "Who Wants to be a Pirate?", "The Fairest Town in the West", and "Princess Petunia's Sweet Apple Pie". As the book is part of the "I Can Read Book" series, it is written in simple sentences to help developing readers practice sounding out words. Each story features VeggieTales characters who are up to various antics, and teaches valuable lessons along the way, such as about helping others in need and so showing the love of God, or a lesson about living in a way that is right and honest and fair.

My children absolutely love stories that feature the VeggieTales characters, and these three stories were certainly no exception. The pictures are bright and interesting, filled with details that just make my children giggle as they look at the facial expressions, and they love pointing out things that make them laugh, such as a pie exploding all over someone or a prisoner being read a bedtime story by the Sheriff, while cuddling a teddy bear! The lessons are also important ones to impart to children, although I wasn't as excited about the second story in the book "Who Wants to be a Pirate?", which does celebrate that it's good to be exactly how God has made us, but also ends up implying that it's fine for us to sit and do nothing all day. The other two stories, though, clearly impart wonderful messages. I really like that each story includes Bible verses that have been illustrated through the story.

Overall, I strongly recommend this latest addition to the Zonderkidz "I Can Read" Series, and if your children are like mine they will be asking you to read the story (or reading it to you!) over and over. 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Zondervan (Zonderkidz) for the purposes of this unbiased review.

About the author...

Karen Poth is the director of design at Big Idea Productions. Prior to coming to Big Idea, she worked for the Disney Design Group in Orlando, FL. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri. She lives with her husband in Chicago, IL.