Jax's Tail Twitches: When You Are Angry (Good News for Little Hearts Series)
Everyone gets frustrated when something important to them goes wrong. In Jax's Tail Twitches, the whole Squirrel family ends up out of sorts when acorn gathering doesn't go according to plan. Although Papa, Mama, Jax, and Caspian Squirrel all get angry, they also learn about the power of saying sorry, seeking forgiveness, remembering God's words, and praying together. Edited by David Powlison, Jax's Tail Twitches ends with a special section that guides Christian parents in teaching children how the gospel of Jesus Christ changes how we respond when life goes wrong. Also included is a tear-out page of Back Pocket Bible Verses that will help children and adults remember to turn to God for help when they are angry to help them stay on the faithful path.
A new series of hardback, illustrated children's books for three-to eight-year-olds each centered on a Christian, animal family that brings gospel help and biblical counsel to families in need of spiritual guidance. The animal characters, colorful illustrations, and the real-life issues each animal family face will captivate children. The first three books address anxiety, anger, and failure bringing biblical help and hope to issues every child faces. The last page of each book contains information for Christian parents on how God, in his Word, helps children apply biblical truth to specific issues, both spiritual and not. Together children and parents will be guided by the stories into meaningful conversations about living by faith in the details of everyday life.
Reviews (30)
Goods story, one minor flaw
Our kids really like this book and we use it to refer back to when they are getting upset. I think it is a good explanation of things that can make a kiddo angry and how to react well, say sorry, and ask for forgiveness. My only complaint is that they use the phrase ‘the great book’ rather than saying ‘The Bible’. We just swap the words when we read it, but I don’t see the point in Papa Squirrel not expressly saying that the truths come from the Bible. I think it’s a missed opportunity to share the importance of Scripture with kids.
Superb text and engaging artwork
It’s no secret that learning to deal with anger is a life-long process. However, figuring out how to help your children apply Biblical truths to emotions can prove challenging. This is an engaging story that explores how the Gospel helps us deal with anger. The appendix “Helping Your Child with Anger” provides sound teaching for parents as they guide their children in dealing with anger. I love the validation that the first point makes: “Anger says that something in your world that matters to you has gone wrong.” Without that validation, humans—and especially the littlest among us—will not be able to understand the root cause that helps unlock the key to overcoming anger. The challenge for any author is to present truth in a way that resonates with the reader’s experience. Jocelyn Flenders achieves this. My four-year-old grandson repeatedly requested this book during a recent two-week stay. Any children’s book worth its salt has artwork that draws readers into the story. The colorful and expressive illustrations by Joe Hox beautifully flow with the text. Jax’s Tail Twitches combines words and art to create a charming tale that is compelling and enjoyable.
Great book about anger
Our eldest kids are 3 getting close to 4 and 5 and they are a great age for this book. I was having a difficulty time finding books on anger that aligned with our theological views and this one fits perfectly! My kids love the illustrations including my 2 year old who does not quite understand the story but he is entertained by it.
Perfect
Such a beautifully written book. We’re looking forward to getting the others! The story is perfect, the illustrations are wonderful. For us the best part was the note to parents in the back - it was so helpful to read those reminders to help us help our daughter work through her anger. There is truly nothing else like this series out there. THANK YOU for writing these!!
Sweet book about anger
I had high hopes for this book and I was not disappointed! How cute is this tale of tails! My 5 year old loved it and has asked me to read it twice a day. Excited to get the others in the series as well.
Very good message.
Our son loves this book. It has a great message for all to hear.
If your kids have anger issues, but this book
Such a great book on anger, engaging and excellently written
One of many good books written in a series for young hearts!
Beautiful and colorful pages!
Two year old favorite book
My two year loves this book.
Creative Counsel for Children When They Are Angry
There is always a need for biblical counseling in the church. Whether it is a couple trying to save their marriage or parents dealing with their wayward teenager, the ministry of biblical counseling serves as a guide to counsel from God’s Word. Married couples and parents need it. Teenagers ought to heed it. But what about younger kids? Oftentimes, the scope of biblical counseling seems to apply to only adults and teenagers. Yet, as Christians who believe the Bible applies to all of life for all stages of life, doesn’t God’s Word give direction and counsel for children too? The publishers of New Growth Press believe so and have put forth biblical counseling for kids in their new “Good News For Little Hearts” children’s book series. Jax Squirrel and the Problem of Anger In this volume of the series, Jax’s Tail Twitches: When You Are Angry, we meet Jax and the Squirrel family as they prepare to gather acorns for the winter. The book opens with Jax and his brother, Caspian, arguing. Jax’s anger is on display from the beginning. When it comes time for the family to go out and gather acorns, Jax and Caspian get into another spat and Jax, in anger, begins fighting with his brother. This story doesn’t only highlight Jax’s anger. The anger of the whole Squirrel family comes to the light as they meet and argue with the McNuffle family over acorns. After these incidents, Papa Squirrel realizes his wrongful response of anger and uses it as a lesson to teach his family from the “Great Book” on how anger arises out of each of their hearts because of what they want and why anger does not produce the right and good life God wants them to have. He shows them from the “Great Book” that when they get angry, they need to apologize and ask for forgiveness and they can be forgiven because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for sinners. Each member of the Squirrel family, including Jax, ask each other for forgiveness and reconcile with the McNuffle family as they remember forgiveness comes through Jesus Christ. Creatively Counseling Children on Anger Jax’s Tail Twitches, edited by David Powlison and illustrated by Joe Hox, uses this story about Jax’s tail twitching to teach children an important lesson on dealing with anger. The book uses the imagery and characters of this story to creatively counsel children from God’s Word when they are angry. This tale does not end with a mere moral lesson either. Biblical counselor David Powlison makes sure to show we can be forgiven when we confess our anger based on the good news of Jesus Christ. This book and series show biblical counseling is not just for big people; it is for little hearts as well. It is biblical counseling for elementary-aged kids. This book is so much more than a book, though. Parents will appreciate the resources found in the back of the book, including a list of how to help their child with anger as well as back pocket Bible verses to cut out or copy for their children to use. If you are a parent who has a child that struggles with anger and you are unsure how to confront this problem, begin the conversation by taking them through Jax’s Tail Twitches: When You Are Angry today! I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and are my honest review of the book.
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