Children have lots of questions when they're sick, and Dr. Scott James uses the true-to-life story of Lucas to help with the answers. As children follow Lucas through his sick day, they will discover how God cares for them and how they can care for others when they are sick.
When Lucas wakes up with a sore throat, his parents show that God is always caring for him—even when he doesn’t feel well. They remind Lucas that Jesus is with him even during difficult days, and he can always go to Jesus and ask for help. When he visits the doctor, Lucas also learns how important it is to care for those around him and to make sure that everyone does their best to not let others get sick.
This timely book helps parents and caregivers talk with children about illness and how to keep themselves and others safe when sick. Ideally suited for children between the ages of five to eight, the book teaches that although anyone can get sick, that God is caring for them and will be with them through whatever they face. They will also learn how they can show God’s love to their friends and family by helping to keep them safe.
God Cares for Me is part of the God Made Me Series which equips parents to have important, impactful conversations with their children, helping them to grow in understanding of God, themselves, and others. Each book in the series contains a special section just for parents and caregivers that provides biblical guidance and offers additional information and resources for talking about the topic addressed in the story.
AUTHOR
Scott James, MD, serves as an elder at The Church at Brook Hills. He and his wife, Jaime, have four children and live in Birmingham, AL, where he works as a pediatric infectious diseases physician. He is the author of two family worship books, The Expected One: Anticipating All of Jesus in the Advent and Mission Accomplished: A Two-Week Family Easter Devotional, as well as the illustrated children’s books The Littlest Watchman, Where Is Wisdom?, and God Cares for Me.
Trish Mahoney is a graphic designer and illustrator in Salem, OR, where she runs The Mahoney Studio with her husband, Patrick, also a designer and illustrator. They have two children, both budding artists too. Trish is the illustrator for the God Made Me series and The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible.
“Sickness can be confusing for anyone, but especially for a child. Where can we turn for wisdom in helping children, and those who love them, through such a time? We might wish to turn to a skilled doctor or to an imaginative storyteller or to a trusted church leader. In Scott James, we have all three. This book reassures and strengthens, not with artificial positivity, but with a compelling story of genuine hope that can be grasped by children and grown-ups alike.”
Russell Moore, President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
“Here is the heart of a father, pastor, and experienced doctor brought to bear on the heart of a fearful child. I can’t envision a Christian family with young kids who shouldn’t own this book and regularly rehearse its truths.”
Matt Smethurst, Managing Editor, The Gospel Coalition; author of Before You Open Your Bible and Deacons
“The coronavirus has swept through our world, and with it comes uncertainty, great fear, and confusion for everyone. For kids, it may be disorienting. Scott has provided a helpful book to read to your child who may fall ill with any sickness during this time, giving us the words to say at the right time. You'll too be reminded, ‘Do not fear, Jesus is near.’”
Trillia Newbell, Author of Creative God, Colorful Us,and God's Very Good Idea
"Sickness is a part of our fallen world. For children, this reality can be especially unsettling. In this gentle volume, your kids will learn of the Lord’s love and care and his desire for us to take care of others."
Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family
“We’re in a time when sickness looms large everywhere, at the grocery store, at the local school, and even at our local church. Kids can be a bit overwhelmed by all the news, the chatter they overhear, the masks and the quarantining. Scott's book is a great resource to help parents talk to their kids about staying well, loving others well, and trusting God in uncertain times. This is a timely resource!"
Dan DeWitt, Associate Professor of Applied Theology and Apologetics, Cedarville University; author of The Friend Who Forgives, The Bright Light and the Super Scary Darkness, and Life in the Wild: Fighting for Faith in a Fallen World
“If you are someone who reads to kids, I promise there will be times when this will be the perfect book to pull down off the shelf. A doctor writing a beautifully illustrated message to kids about how God cares for them when they’re not feeling well? So many good things come together in this wonderful book. Get it and keep it handy.”
Russ Ramsey, Pastor; author of Struck: One Christian’s Reflections on Encountering Death
“Getting sick is hard for kids (and their parents!). And it's this unknown that can bring so many fears to the surface. Scott James has written a book that we can read with our children in the easy times and in the scary ones, showing them that Jesus is with us and that we can run to him when we're afraid. We love this book and will be reading it over and over again!”
Courtney Reissig, Mom of four; author Teach Me to Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life
“Dr. James’s knowledge as a physician and his ability to effectively communicate as a writer make for an effective and approachable book. Given our tendency towards spiritual amnesia, we cannot hear enough about the Father’s care for his children and his purposes in shepherding his children through suffering.”
C. Buddy Creech, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital
“God Cares for Me takes the ordinary experience of going to the doctor and turns it into an opportunity to help children stand on the extraordinary promises of God. What I love about this book is that it goes a step further than most books for children by considering not only God’s love for the child, but his call to love our neighbors.”
Betsy Childs Howard, Editor, The Gospel Coalition; author of Arlo and the Great Big Cover-Up
“As a pediatrician and a great dad, Scott James is very familiar with all sides of a sick visit to the doctor. I’m grateful for Dr. James’s care as a physician and now for his care for families through the written word in this bright and helpful book, God Cares for Me.”
Randall Goodgame, Founder and President, Slugs & Bugs
“As a parent, I know how hard it can be to communicate the sacrifices we make to keep others from getting sick during a crisis like a pandemic. Thankfully this book helps parents walk their kids through this topic with colorful illustrations and words that relate to every child. Most of all, this book communicates the truth that the Great Physician is near to those who suffer. I highly encourage parents, teachers and anyone who works with children to get this book!”
Daniel Darling, Bestselling author of several books, including The Characters of Christmas, The Characters of Easter,and The Dignity Revolution
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We used to honor those who, like Mother Teresa as one example, devoted their lives to caring for the sick and poor. Books like this paint a stark contrast to such noble efforts with their emphasis on wearing masks, distancing ourselves from others, and even portraying as praiseworthy grandparents who stand on the doorstep and wave at their sick grandson while he consoles himself with the rhetoric that he's helping keep them safe. What tremendous loss to the world if we Christians buy into the propaganda that lauds distance and isolation as greater community goods than embodying the love of our Savior who never hesitated to reach out and touch those who were sick and contagious and dying. Weaving Bible verses throughout a story that embraces the current cultural narrative about sickness doesn't make this a biblical perspective and it's disappointing to see such a presentation from a Christian publisher.
God Cares For Me would have received 5 stars, but someone FAILED to proof read. If they had, they would have spotted the WRONG word: letter. The word should have been later. I bought 7 books to give away; so was very disappointed.
This teaches children how to trust God when they are sick, as well as following wise health advice. Lucas wakes up with a fever and sore throat. While not keen to go to the doctor, his dad encourages him that God gives us doctors to help keep us safe. Lucas, dad and the doctor all wear masks, and later in the day when his grandparents come to visit, they wave from the door but don't come in and Lucas can't hug them. This is clearly written for Covid times, even though that is never mentioned. It’s framed around loving others by caring for them when we are sick (which is a very different message from previous books where everyone gathered around to care for people in their illness). As such, this book helps explain the realities for many children living with Covid restrictions and requirements. I do think considerable care needs to be given about implying young children are responsible for whether their grandparents get sick. This transmissible disease focus also means this is not the book you would turn to if a young child is diagnosed with cancer, needs an appendectomy, or has a broken leg. It just does not cover the other options of illness and injury. That's fine, but parents should be aware its application is a little limited.
God Cares for Me: Helping Children Trust God When They're Sick is another winner from the God Made Me book series for children. All of the books in this series are terrific and provide great support for parents as they endeavor to discuss a wide variety of issues with their children. This book is particularly timely as we are currently living during a global pandemic. While this complimentary book was provided for review by New Growth Press, no other compensation was given. All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.
This book does an excellent job of pointing children to trust in Jesus when they are sick. It is relevant at all times including the current pandemic, addressing why it's important to wash your hands, stay home when you're sick, wear a mask and keep a distance from others. There are appropriate references to scripture that are helpful in reminding children of the truth of God's word. There is a very helpful section at the end of the book to guide parents in discussions with their children about hardship and sickness.
The author of this book is a pediatrician and a father to four children, so he writes from his own experience. I liked how scripture is included. It's definitely a new book as it includes wearing a mask so that others stay well. It has a lot of words on the pages and is a long story for young children, the publisher doesn't list what ages this book is for. I'd say probably 5-8-year-olds. It's interesting to me that in this book the father takes his son to his pediatrician and the mother goes to work. Not a problem, just an observation. The son calls his father "Papa" which often is a Hispanic name for father, I know a few families that the children call their dad's Papa. I think that many parents will appreciate this book to help encourage a child about a doctor's visit, about trusting in the Lord and even wearing masks. It's a lot to tackle in one book, but it represents the world we are living in. There is a note to parents at the start of the book and some tips to use with your children at the end of the book, so it adds in content about illness and how to talk with your children, including that illness is a result of sin and the fall of man. Not all will appreciate this perspective, but as a book from a Christian publisher, I'm thankful it tackles this topic for parents, who then can choose how and when to teach it to their children.
