Category: Children Publisher: Clay Jars Publishing
ISBN-10: 0984336915
Type: Fiction
Pages: 24
Copyright: May 2013
ISBN-13: 9780984336913
Children love to sink their teeth into sweet and delicious fruit. This story and teaching will have them sinking their hearts into the Fruit of the Spirit.
A gang of very popular fruit get the news that they are not the only fruit in town. See what happens when they find out they are about to be replaced by a new kind of fruit. This delightfully amusing story is a great way to introduce children to the Fruit of the Spirit and to teach them how to live their lives as Christians.
Excerpt
“The humans don’t need us anymore. We’re about to be replaced by another kind of fruit!” said Prudence.
“What other fruit? There’s only one kind of fruit and we’re it!” yelled Oliver Orange.
“No, we’re not!” said Alonzo. “Are they fruit from another country, Prudence?”
“No,” replied Prudence. “They’re not from another country, they’re from ANOTHER WORLD! It’s a Spirit world called the Kingdom of God. But now they’re here and the humans need them more than they need us!”
Professional Reviews Christian Children Book Reviewers
In Fruit Scoop, author Shirley Francis-Salley illustrates the idea of Fruits of the Spirit by using a bunch of regular fruits. Her characters include Prudence Peach, Percy Pineapple, Susie Strawberry, among others.
After the service, the fruits gather together near the church. Some human had taken Prudence Peach to church and kept her in their pocket. She heard the pastor talk about a different kind of fruit. She thinks that her friends are going to be replaced by other fruits, spiritual fruits, called the Fruits of the Spirit. She says the Fruits of the Spirit come from another world. “It’s a spirit world, called the Kingdom of God,” she says.
Of course, her friends don’t really believe her until the Grape family comes along. Some human had taken them to church, too, and they heard the same thing Prudence did. Greta Grape confirms that the sermon was about these special fruits, but she laid everyone’s fears to rest when she assured them that the Fruits of the Spirit were very different from edible fruits, like themselves. But, they were something everyone needed.
The illustrations by Rosemarie Gillen are colorful and cartoon-like, which works well with the text. The author uses Galatians 5:22-23 as a reference for the story.
What I Like: I like the message for the story, with Biblical truths told in a manner that children can understand.
What I Dislike: Nothing.
Overall Rating: Very good.
Age Appeal: 6-12.
Lord and Traylor Christian Book Reviewers
This delightfully illustrated and cheerily cheeky children’s book presents itself at first as the story of a fruit’s fears but soon emerges as a clever introduction to the Fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5. When Prudence Peach thinks her days are numbered after she gets wind of some other fruit from out of this world, she brings the bad news back to her fellow fruit to prepare them for their demise. The author cleverly uses the bickering banter of the earthly fruit as they jockey for first place, in stark contrast to the Godly fruit of the spirit, showcased sweetly in depictions of human virtue at the end. Reading somewhat like a stage play, the book makes a great tool for theatrical demonstration in a youth ministry.
Reader's Review
This delightfully amusing story is a great way to introduce children to the Fruit of The Spirit and to teach them how to live their lives as Christians.
I just read Fruit Scoop, a children’s book about the Fruit of the Spirit. The concept the author uses to teach the Fruit of the Spirit to youngsters is very well done and is complemented by spectacular illustrations. I found Fruit Scoop very easy to understand and the story is child friendly which makes it fun as well as informative. I know the colorful illustrations will captivate and hold the attention of any child while teaching them. The gang of fruit tell the story and each fruit is easily identified. The characterization and names the author uses to portray the fruit gang is charming. I recommend this book as it produces a very positive message for the young and old.
What I like: Toward the end of the story there are nine photos and each is captioned with an explanation of what and how each of the Fruit of the Spirit works in everyday life. This idea is simplified for a child which made it fun as well as informative. The Author ended the story with a scripture that allows for further discussion of the Bible based principles.
What I Dislike: Nothing
Overall Rating: Excellent
Age Appeal: 4-8
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