For young readers and families, Don't Blame the Mud gives a vivid way of helping children see where wrong choices come from and how to turn to Jesus for change from the inside out. Written by best-selling children's author Marty Machowski, this beautifully illustrated picture book teaches children how to recognize the lure of temptation and the truth that bad choices lead to bad consequences.
One day, Max takes the muddy path along the creek home, disregarding his mother's reminder to keep his school clothes clean. After crashing into a mud puddle, he tries to hide his mistake and discovers the stain of his sin goes deeper than the mud he can wash away. In this lovable, relatable, and heartwarming tale, Max learns his heart needs to be cleaned, and Jesus is the only one who can wash away his sin.
By clearly articulating the gospel, Don't Blame the Mud helps parents create an environment of confession so kids can own up to their own mistakes—in the freedom of Christ—rather than place the blame elsewhere. Parents, teachers, and caretakers can help children identify with the real-life draw of temptation and the real-life consequences of sin, understanding the value of God's salvation through the cross. Instead of teaching kids how to deal with a problem, Machowski uncovers the real issue of sin and provides a gospel answer.
"What a gift to a child, to be taught from a young age that there is a remedy for guilt. Marty Machowski's Don't Blame the Mud provides kids with a vivid picture of the nature of sin and gives parents the tools to talk about it in an understandable way."
Nancy Guthrie, Bible teacher; author of Praying Through the Bible for Your Kids
"Max got filthy. But not just from the forbidden mud. In this story, Marty Machowski helps every reader three and older understand what makes us most dirty and how God has provided the most wonderful way for us to become clean. You'll find it a very helpful parable of 1 John 1:9."
Jon Bloom, Cofounder of Desiring God; author of Don't Follow Your Heart and other books.
"Don't Blame the Mud contains a simple and clear presentation of sin, its consequences, and the forgiveness we find in the gospel. As a grandfather of more than a dozen grandchildren, I look forward to reading this book to them with the confidence that God can use it to open their hearts to the good news of salvation found in King Jesus."
Daniel L. Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
"I love Marty Machowski's biblically-rich, gospel-centered resources for children. I've benefited from them as a parent and pastor and highly recommend Don't Blame the Mud. Marty offers a heartwarming tale that will resonate with every child and generate discussion about temptation, confession, and the gospel. Here is an excellent book to help children grasp the seriousness of sin and equip you to present the gospel in a faithful and compelling way."
Dr. Josh Mulvihill, Executive Director of Church and Family Ministry, Renewanation
"In a day when easy believism is rampant, it is refreshing to find a children's book that is so careful about sin, repentance, and the conversion of a child. We witness a boy caught in his sin, repenting and trusting in Christ, and we see God opening his eyes to the truth. Thank you, Marty, for yet again another helpful book!"
Deepak Reju, Pastor of biblical counseling and family ministry, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC; author of On Guard and She's Got the Wrong Guy
I loved how this book beautifully explains about sin and temptation. Mud being sin and the trail being the temptation. Max knew what he was doing was wrong, but the temptation to walk that trail was too inviting. Like most people, we choose not to obey God's word and we do things on our own, then later we try to cover up that guilt and shame, by blaming someone else or the object of our guilt. And no matter what we try to do, that guilt stays on us. Maybe from the outside we look clean, but from the inside, it's mud and it festers and begins to stink, and we don't know how to get rid of it. The only way to get clean is through Jesus Christ, He is the ONLY one that can disinfect, wipe clean all of that mud and festering stench from our mind, soul and body. It's a whimsical book with beautiful illustrations that takes you on Max's journey to salvation. I highly recommend this read, it's very easy for young children to comprehend and at the end of this book, there is help for the parents on teaching children to understand sin and the gospel of Christ.
I loved how this book beautifully explains about sin and temptation. Mud being sin and the trail being the temptation. Max knew what he was doing was wrong, but the temptation to walk that trail was too inviting. Like most people, we choose not to obey God's word and we do things on our own, then later we try to cover up that guilt and shame, by blaming someone else or the object of our guilt. And no matter what we try to do, that guilt stays on us. Maybe from the outside we look clean, but from the inside, it's mud and it festers and begins to stink, and we don't know how to get rid of it. The only way to get clean is through Jesus Christ, He is the ONLY one that can disinfect, wipe clean all of that mud and festering stench from our mind, soul and body. It's a whimsical book with beautiful illustrations that takes you on Max's journey to salvation. I highly recommend this read, it's very easy for young children to comprehend and at the end of this book, there is help for the parents on teaching children to understand sin and the gospel of Christ.
Marty Machowski, author of Don’t Blame the Mud, created Max as a typical boy who wants to do good and listen to his mom, but adventures sometimes get in the way. Max isn’t trying to get into trouble, but trouble seems to find him, and he has to find a way out. Because Max didn’t intend to get into trouble, he decides that the blame for his problem doesn’t lie with him, but elsewhere. I like Christian kids’ books that have a moral, or underlying message. This one is simple and straightforward and would be a blessing for parents who want help in knowing when or how to discuss salvation with their kids.
Wow!! I have been a fan of Marty Machowski's for a while now. We are actually currently working our way through one of his 10 minute devotions, Wise Up: Ten-Minute Family Devotions in Proverbs. So we were excited to dig into this short story book for kids. It is the perfect length that will keep everyone engaged, even younger kids. The illustrations are very adorable and my kids enjoyed them. The story is very skilled at representing our sin and how we need God to clean us. It shows that we are responsible for our own sin and only God can help us to get clean. Not only is the story very engaging and entertaining but it clearly shares the Gospel through Max's parents. Max understands His need for a Savior and actually comes to Christ right in the pages of the story. So this is a terrific way to get conversations started. I actually wish I had come upon this book when my kids are younger, but we will be sharing it with everyone. At the end is a space for parents to help guide you in talking to your kids about salvation and some steps to take if they are ready. This is such an amazing resource that should be in every home. Thanks to the publisher for our free copy, no review was required.
This is the cutest story of a boy who is not supposed to get muddy on the way home from school, but alas, he "cannot" help himself and ends up covered in mud on his way home. He tries to "blame" the mud for getting all over him, instead of admitting that he was not obedient to his parents. It's a great illustration of how we often try to blame others, or sin, or the old "the devil made me do it" idea rather than assuming the responsibility for our actions. The ending talks about how when we admit we are sinners and ask God's forgiveness he washes us clean. In the back of the book, there are a lot of good pointers on leading a child to Christ and helping your child understand sin and the gospel. Personally, I found this book to be very unique and fun to use with kids. I am hoping to use with my Awana kids this year, as I think they will really be able to grasp and relate to the story.
Max is just walking home from school, walking on the sidewalk, doing his best not to get his school clothes dirty. But it just looks so adventuresome over there by the trail along the creek. It’s probably not the safest path, but Max thinks he can walk the fun trail while still staying clean. But he can’t. One wrong move leads to a huge flop in the mud and now Max has to figure out how to hide his dirty clothes. It’s not my fault, Max reasons, I was doing fine until I slipped and fell…It’s all the mud’s fault. Despite Max’s best efforts, his parents soon learn of his muddy trek home—as evidenced by the now muddy carpet, bed, and even walls. Max cleans himself up, but the evidence of his mess remains. In Don’t Blame the Mud, Marty Machowski leads young readers on a journey of realization: they are responsible for their own behaviors and actions—and bad behaviors are hard to cover up. They stay with you on the inside even once you’ve cleaned them up on the outside. Mom and Dad lead Max into forgiveness and repentance. They show him that mud is like sin: it gets everywhere and can’t be hidden. We can only ask Jesus to come into our lives and remove it. The book ends with a parent’s guide on helping children understand sin and the Gospel message. Machowski addresses the nature of temptation and sin, pointing to Jesus as the only one that can wash us clean. Craig Macintosh’s illustrations also delight, particularly his Ghost Buster-esque portrayal of the ever-present mud. Teaching children about sin can be difficult. We want to impress on them the seriousness of sin while doing so in an appropriate way and realizing that it is ignorance and not malice that drives most misdeeds. Machowski does a great job of portraying this and helping parents and kids learn more about overcoming the temptation of “mud.”
On the forward page you see the scripture “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. That scripture is a perfect setting for the books story. The illustrations are captivating and have so much to explore throughout. The entire book is in full color. The story is about Max a young boy on his way home from school in his nice school uniform. He was told to not get his clothes dirty but come home first and change. Along the way you see a mud puddle following him around. The mud represents sin and is tempting him to disobey and they to try and hide what he did. He gets caught and blames the mud rather than taking responsibility of his own actions. Then Max takes a shower and the sin is still making him feel dirty still. It’s not until he fully understands that only Jesus can make him clean is he free. Afterwards his guilt and shame are gone as Jesus is living inside of him. At the end of the book is a page for the parents to help you teach your child about understanding what sin is. The next page covers teaching your kids to understand the Gospel. The last page gives you several key Bible verses to remember. Marty Machowski is one of my favorite children authors. This book is excellent! The Mud monster or image is perfect. I think the story is very relatable for kids to grasp the story of redemption. It explains how we are covered in mud (sin) on the outside and inside. Only Jesus can clean us inside and out. The only issue I had was with the print on a few pages. The words blended in the background and were hard to read. My daughter struggled on a few pages. Other than that I would still 100% recommend this book. I received a free copy of this product from New Growth Press in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
I found this book to be simple and relatable. Teaching kids about sin and the guilt that comes with it in very practical terms. But it definitely does not leave them there. Teaching a child about salvation with this book is entirely possible. The progression is fast, because it is a short story, and can’t possibly convey the many similar experiences beforehand. But that’s ok. The truth is that God pricks each heart at different times. When a heart is ready, the experience isn’t slow. I found the illustrations engaging, and the story easy to follow. I could relate on a personal level to Max. His good intentions and getting distracted by something fun. The Mud “monster” is great! Really helps get the point across just with the illustrations. I would recommend this book to any elementary kids. My 6 year old enjoyed it, and has asked to read it several times already. We will read in often.
I found this book to be simple and relatable. Teaching kids about sin and the guilt that comes with it in very practical terms. But it definitely does not leave them there. Teaching a child about salvation with this book is entirely possible. The progression is fast, because it is a short story, and can’t possibly convey the many similar experiences beforehand. But that’s ok. The truth is that God pricks each heart at different times. When a heart is ready, the experience isn’t slow. I found the illustrations engaging, and the story easy to follow. I could relate on a personal level to Max. His good intentions and getting distracted by something fun. The Mud “monster” is great! Really helps get the point across just with the illustrations. I would recommend this book to any elementary kids. My 6 year old enjoyed it, and has asked to read it several times already. We will read in often.
It's never too early to teach children about sin and what God says about it. In fact, I always say the earlier the better. As a Christian family, this is a topic that we began discussing many years ago when my son was a wee little one. Most children typically learn the difference between right and wrong early on, but taking it a step further to discuss when it means for their own eternity and the one way that they can be washed clean, is vital for their salvation. It also helps pave the way for their walk with God. Recently, we've been reading a brand new book called Don't Blame the Mud Only Jesus Makes Us Clean by author and pastor, Marty Machowski. This book teaches children that there is only one way to be washed clean of our sins, and that is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ from his death on the cross. It also discusses consequences for making wrong choices and how to recognize temptation, so that sin can be stopped in its tracks.
