Saturday, February 4, 2023

14. Sounding Joy


Board book: Sounding Joy. Ellie Holcomb. Illustrated by Laura Ramos. 2022. [September] 24 pages. [Source: Library] 

First sentence: What does joy sound like? Is it quiet like snow? Does joy sound like the laughter of friends that you know? Is joy like the sound of a kiss on your cheek? Or like holding your breath when you play hide and seek? 

Premise/plot: Ellie Holcomb's Sounding Joy is a holiday [Christmas] board book to read aloud to little ones. [I say little ones, but it's also perfectly suitable for the whole family to share together]. It begins by asking readers--or listeners, I suppose--to think about what JOY looks like, sounds like, feels like. What is joy LIKE? It then goes on to share the nativity story of Jesus Christ. That was the full expression of joy. And it is packed with promises that are ever-relevant. Reminders that JOY, inexpressible, resounding, repeating JOY are yet to come. Every Christmas is a reminder of not only what has been fulfilled, but what is coming still.

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. I loved the art by Laura Ramos. I liked the connections. I liked that it isn't just one or the other. There is a strong connection between what happened in Bethlehem and our present lives. Our joy is found IN Jesus our savior. There is reason to celebrate, rejoice, give thanks, every single day because of Jesus. 

I would have reviewed this one in December of 2022 if my library hold had come in. I am reviewing it now because why wait until next December??? 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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