Review/Giveaway: The Sparkle Egg

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Since my sparkly little 6yo Esmé enjoyed The Sparkle Box last Christmas, I wasn’t surprised that she jumped all over the opportunity to check out The Sparkle Egg. 

And I, being overwhelmed with busyiness and nowhere near ready to pay this season the respect due, was thrilled with a sparkly new tool to share the message of God’s gift with her.  Frankly, the gift of grace, the focus of this book, is a message I need myself every once in a while – or every moment…

Synopsis

Easter is coming, and Sam loves Easter! But this year, he is upset about a lie he told his parents. Even though he apologized and they forgave him, Sam can’t shake the feeling that he is a bad kid for what he did. Meanwhile, his parents help him make a special Easter craft called a Sparkle Egg. His mom tells him to write anything he feels sorry about or ashamed of on a piece of paper and put it inside his Sparkle Egg.

On Easter morning, when he opens his Sparkle Egg expecting a surprise, Sam finds that it is empty! His parents explain that because Jesus died and rose again, we are forgiven. Like the tomb that first Easter Day, Sam's egg is empty—and Sam’s wrongdoing is completely forgiven. Once he accepts this forgiveness fully, Sam realizes a truth: we can sparkle and shine with God’s light when we let God’s gift of grace into our hearts. This touching story will strike a deep chord with readers of all ages, and the Sparkle Egg tradition will help readers and their families grasp the totality of God’s perfect grace.

About the Author

Jill Hardie’s first book, The Sparkle Box, ignited a new Christmas tradition that helps center Christmas in the true joy of the season. Now Jill is hoping to touch lives with a new Easter tradition with The Sparkle Egg. She lives in North Canton, Ohio.

About the Illustrator

Christine Kornacki illustrated the highly acclaimed The Sparkle Box. She has a love for painting and a knack for bringing stories to life. Christine received a BFA in illustration from the University of Hartford and spends most days painting in her studio, which adjoins a charming café in New Haven, Connecticut.

Format:  Hardcover with jacket, 10 x 10, 32 pages
Age Recommendation: 4 - 8 years old
Publisher: Ideals Books
List Price:  $16.99
To Buy: http://www.idealsbooks.com/The-Sparkle-Egg-Jill-Hardie/dp/0824956648
For More Information:

Website: http://www.thesparkleegg.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IdealsBooks

Mom’s Review
To be honest, I felt a hint of trepidation when cracking this book open with Esmé.  We’re not an Easter basket type of family, and I was concerned that Esmé would start to feel like she was missing out on the “chocolate egg” type of stuff many kids associate with Easter.  But I had decided she was old enough to accept that people celebrate differently and we have our reasons for what we do, so we plowed ahead…

…and thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, relatable story.

I love how the author – once again – connects some of the “trappings” of the holiday to a very meaningful, tangible message of the gospel – in a way that is easy for kids to relate to.

It is in much the same vein as The Sparkle Box, and we enjoyed the same aspects of it.  It is an easy read-aloud, with a little sparkle and colorful illustrations that fit the story.  The colors are gender-neutral; the sparkle appeals to this little girl, while the story-line is about a boy.  Being in school herself, taking spelling tests, struggling with honesty issues from time to time, Esmé could easily relate to Sam’s experience. 

Most importantly, she could relate to that need for forgiveness and grace, and that sense of relief that comes from realizing it is hers.

And that’s where the story is different from The Sparkle Box.  It is not so much about giving as it is about receiving – and understanding that the Greatest Gift of all is far more than chocolate eggs in a basket.

The story can easily extend beyond the pages by making your own Sparkle Egg – following Sam’s example and then placing the egg where it can serve as a daily reminder of God’s gift of forgiveness.

And now, we have a giveaway copy of this sparkly book for you to kick off this season of grace!  US or Canada addresses only on this one.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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