An interesting compilation of stories for children.

Tales of Wordishure, written and illustrated by Mick McArt is an interesting compilation of stories for children.

There are six stories, with the seventh bringing all the characters together for the grand finale. Children are the focal point of each story, with a few animals to interact with.

The names are clever, but sometimes a bit distracting. There are many made up names for everything, giving the stories a fantasy like feel.
Sometimes the stories felt “preachy”, or too forced. My children don’t talk like the children in the stories, and that felt awkward. Also, everyone quickly goes to the Fellowship Church at the end of each tale. Hmmm… 100% conversion? I know, I know… this is fiction for children. Sorry!

The first story is about a boy who gets his basket of Squishberries stolen by a goose. The goose repents and refills the basket for little Edward.

In the second story, a hat-eating dragon is the focal point. He changes his hat-eating ways after hearing Princess Irelynd’s beautiful voice.
Instead of eating hats, the dragon joins the princess and friends in gobbling candy.

The third story is about treasure and what is important in life. Micah and Jonah set off on a treasure hunt with a map found in an old bible. They help an owl and see that Jesus’ sacrifice is the map to which we all can find treasure. (Actually, the owl helps the boys to see that the treasure map is the Bible, and the treasure is the cross of calvary-Mick)

Story four is about a helpful giant, Bigby. There are bees, honey and a hive in the story, but the bee’s hive sounds more like a wasp nest… and Bigby helps to fill the hive with honey, which leaves out the miracle of bees turning pollen into honey. (This story is really about Christians working together and using their gifts to help one another -Mick)

The fifth tale is about a tree fort and making new friends. (This one is about not judging others-Mick)

The sixth is about the music of your soul and a lost song that is found, along with new friends. (This is really about prayer, the inner voice that talks to God-Mick)

The wrap up story gathers everyone in Wordishure together, which should delight the children who enjoyed the previous tales.

Review by Vikki Gremel
Review the Book.com
June 21, 2010

This Five Star Read Is Going On Our Bookcase!

Children love stories, especially short stories, that let them fantasize about being a princess or a knight. "The Tales of Wordishure" are short stories about a kingdom in the land of Wordishure. Each story has a verse at the top of the page that gives the reader about what the lesson will be. I like the stories because they are short, sweet, and to the point. Children (especially young children) do not have a long attention span; therefore, short parable-like stories get the message across without bogging the reader/listener down.

I love the title, "Tales of Wordishure", because to me it's a play on words. God's Word is sure...so the "Tales of Wordishure" tell of God's grace and love. By the time you get to chapter 7 (the last chapter) you and your child will hate to leave the wonderful world of Wordishure! This is a great read aloud book for children ages 4-7. Children ages 8-12 will enjoy reading the stories by themselves. If you want good, clean, scriptural-based stories for your child(ren), then check out this book. It also makes a great gift. This 5 star read is going on our bookcase!

Readers Favorite.com
May 27, 2010

A great choice for reading aloud or to help young readers build reading skills.

Some books teach, some entertain. Tales of Wordishure is one of the few that does both and does it well. Kids who like to have fun with language will definitely appreciate McArt’s creative writing. More importantly, every story supports and encourages Christian faith making the book a wonderful tool for family devotions, home schooling or bedtime.

Cheryl Pickett
Author of Creation Inspirations: A New View of the World Around You
April 20, 2010

A refreshing book of good old fashioned Christian bedtime stories

“Tales of Wordishure” is a charming book of Christian bedtime stories that will inspire the hearts of children and adults alike. Author Mick McArt has created adorable, loveable, faith-based characters that help teach children about Christian living and good strong values while taking them on cute little adventures in the land of Wordisure. Each of the seven stories contained in this beautiful written storybook begins with a Bible verse that corresponds with the story.

“Tales Of Wordishure” is a Bible based storybook that helps to instill Christian values. A refreshing book of good old fashioned Christian bedtime stories that will capture children’s attention, imagination and take them into a world of faith filled fun. I highly recommend this book to all parents, Sunday School teachers, and adults.

Angela Simmons
Reviewer - reviewthebook.com, April 7, 2010

Good night! Five stars!

With all of the talk and fascination with vampires and werewolves, witches and warlocks and things that go bump in the night, Tales of Wordishure by Mick McArt is both refreshing and needed.

The books contain bedtime stories highlighting various characters and Christian values that will truly give little ones sweet dreams and older ones something to ponder.

A scripture precedes each story. One particular story that I liked was about a little girl and her gift of song. Before she could write the final notes to a song, she anticipates singing at church on Sunday, a gust of wind blew her papers out into the forest. Although she was sad, she came to discover that her music brought much joy to the other animals that found them. In the end, she realized that music was in her heart and the hearts and prayers of those that heard it. Plus, it was THAT song that God wanted to hear all along. The scriptural reference for the story is Psalm 69.30.

I believe parents and children alike will love these stories. Parents will love the spiritual references and values. Children will love the characters and playful names.

This book is a must read. - a must have for parents wishing to put Jr. or little baby girl to bed with a thought of faith and values that line up with God's will for their children.

Paula Gardner-Porter,
Reviewer - reviewthebook.com, March 23, 2010

 

Wonderful read for children and adults.

"Tales of Wordishure" has seven cute stories that children and adults will enjoy reading. In the first story, "The Skipping Stone of Wordishure," Edward goes to collect squishberries for his grandma. He puts his basket down for a few seconds so he can skip a stone across the water. His basket of squishberries disappears.

Philip's sister is missing in "Three Princesses of Wordishure." He gets Princess Irelynd, Princess Tara and Princess Ashtyn to help him find her.

Micah discovers a well worn book in his attic in the story "The Treasure Map of Wordishure." He takes the book with him to the Oldwood Creek, where he runs into his best friend, Jonah. Inside the book is a map with some Xs on a hill. They follow the creek in search of treasure.

While playing the game 'Seek the Lost' in "Bigby The Giant of Wordishure," Bigby must help the Humblebees find their missing hive.

In "The Tree Fort of Wordishure," Gideon and his friends build a tree fort in the willow tree named Fordywinx. When the kids learn that today is Fordywinx's birthday, they go in search for the prefect gift.

One day the wind blows away Melody's music lyrics in "The Silent of Song of Wordishure." With the help of Preston the gopher, Melody hunts down her lost pages.

All the characters from the previous stories join forces to help fix the cracked bell in "The Church Mice of Wordishure." I enjoyed reading the "Tales of Wordishure."

These are wonderful stories, filled with beautiful illustrations. You'll enjoy exploring the world of Wordishure with your children.

Billy Burgess
Reviewer, reviewthebook.com, March 7, 2010

The author's plays on words are great fun.

Tales of Wordishure is a delightful, 100-page book of Christian bedtime stories. Told with the flavor of the old Beatrix Potter stories, the stories blend human and animal characters together to tell seven allegorical stories from the imaginative land of Wordishure. Each story sends different characters off on mini-adventures of discovery, quests, or in service to others. As a nice way of tying things together, the last story brings all the characters together for a final adventure involving church mice and a cracked church bell.

Tales of Wordishure is meant as a read-aloud for children ages four or five and up. Older children can easily read the stories themselves. The 5" x 8" paperback book has black and white illustrations by the author sprinkled throughout, which add to the reading experience. Each story also includes a Scripture verse at the beginning of each adventure. And each story has a definite message.

In this bedtime storybook, readers will enter a world of princesses and talking trees, hat-eating dragons, treasure maps, and talking creatures with clever names. For example, readers meet a sock weasel by the name of Argyle, who hoards piles and piles of smelly socks. Or the Chatterbugs, who "talk more than the Yakkity Yaks that graze over on Prattler's Field." There's even a tree fort, where animals and children can become "Tree Scouts." The author's plays on words are great fun.

Readers can go to the author's website www.wordishure.com to read a free sample story ("The Button Doll of Wordishure"), click over to a book trailer, and even become a fan on Facebook. The author's website is colorful and interesting.

Throughout the book a Christian, biblical worldview is emphasized and held in high esteem. My only question arose when I read about the animals asking Jesus for forgiveness from their sins. However, in fantasy and fairy tales, a lot of latitude can be given for the sake of story and message. And the message of Tales of Wordishure is clear: God's Word is sure.

Susan K. Marlow
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine - November 2009

I look forward to more books in this series.

Wordishure is a fantasy land where you will meet dragons who enjoy eating hats, a weasel that collects socks, mice that dress like lions, and boys and girls who enjoy having fun and learning about Jesus Christ.

This little book of seven bedtime stories for children is an adventure in imagination and will leave your children wanting to learn more about the land of Wordishure.  Sprinkled generously throughout each story is a lesson to be learned rooted in Scripture.  From the need of and for forgiveness to repentance to the necessity of sharing the gospel with all people, your children will enjoy learning about the Tree Scouts and grabapples.  They will get a toot out of Revelly the squirrel and fall in love with Colby, Jack, and Pepper–the three church mice. When it is all said and done, by the time the last story comes around, your children will realize that as brothers and sisters in Christ, everyone can come together for one cause–the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Tales of Wordishure will be a joy to read as a family.  Throughout the stories, you will be able to share with your children biblical truths based on city names and the interaction of the characters.  I would recommend this book for preschool aged children in your nursery at church or for your children at home.  Personally, I enjoyed getting to know the children and animals in Wordishure and I am sure you would as well.  I look forward to more books in this series.

Terry Delaney
Christian Book Notes - 12/1/09

Midwest Book Review: "Tales of Wordishure" is 5 Stars out of 5!

A good bedtime story is invaluable and can impart values. "Tales of Wordishure" is a collection of stories aimed to be read to young children at bedtime to better impart Christian wisdom and values to them. With much to stimulate the imagination, these tales make "Tales of Wordishure" very much worth picking up for parents who want to mix in faith at bedtime.

Michael J. Carson
Midwest Book Review - 11/9/09

I Highly Recommend This Material!

Bro. McArt has written some excellent material for children.  While it is fictional, it carries with it a spiritual lesson.  It is rare these days
to find an children's author who actually believes THE Bible is the answer to all of our problems of life.  I have known the author for years and know that he has a great interest in reaching folks for the Lord Jesus Christ and I am sure this is the intent of his material.

From what I have read I am willing to say that these books will find their places in the vast market of children's Christian literature.  I highly
recommend and endorse this material and believe it will be beneficial to any (adults included) that read it.

Dr. Paul E. Heaton
Bible Baptist Church
Lupton, MI

Great Book Mick!

I have been reading the stories to my children at bedtime. My children are loving the tales of adventure because they've been asking for me to read from the book every night since I began reading from it last week, and they have plenty of books to choose from in our collection.
-- Dustin Deppe, Arizona

His Word Is Sure Today

The stories are cute, humble and adorable. He masterfully weaves quotes from the Bible, Christian principles and phrases expertly into stories parents can read their children as efficiently as the author of the boy wizard did for the other side. Meet Bigby, Sam Phibian (I love that name), Honx, and the Princesses and all the other characters where His Word is sure today.
--Rev. Kenneth Blanchard

Can't Wait For Next Book!

I found it to be very interesting, funny, and very well written. You should be proud of your accomplishment. I really liked your characters and the way you presented them and the play on words that you used. I pray and hope you sell every one of them that are in print. I can't wait for your next book!!!
--Ken Bauman
Saginaw, M

I loved it! Loved it! Loved it!

Ok, here is the deal, keep in mind, my kids are: girl (7 - finishing 1st grade), boy (6 finishing Kindergarten), girl (4) and then my 2.5 yr old boy - he was just along for the ride. I don't know what age you are shooting for but by the length and words ... probably 1st, 2nd 3rd grade'ish ... that is my guess anyway. So mine might be a little younger than your ideal, but here is what I got from them.

My 6 yr old boy, Ayden, raised the first question: "Daddy, what's baptism?" Amea knew and helped him. Repentance totally flew passed both of them. Amea grasped the forgiveness part, though ... kinda.

What was their favorite parts? The goose getting caught with the squishberries, the burping bush (my son, of course - everyone laughed at that one) and the frog getting bonked in the head.

Overall it was a huge hit! They really liked it. They were asking when we could find out what happens next. My oldest, Amea, who has some speech impediments and is not a favorite of reading couldn't wait for me to read it again, so when we got her into bed, she asked me if I could read it to her again, I started asking her about it and what she liked and what she thought. Then I asked her "What do you think was the main idea of the whole story? What was it trying to teach us?" I thought (as any proud parent would) her response was quite insightful for a 1st grader. She said, "I think it was about thinking of other people and doing something nice for them" referring to the goose filling up the basket ... totally forgetting that he stole it in the first place, but that's ok! Then I re-read the end and we talked about forgiveness and repentance what that means and why it is important. Then she got it.

I loved it, I loved it, I loved it. I want the opportunity to buy an autographed copy of one of the first off the presses! My initial response when I read it was that it was too long and I didn't think my kids would sit through it ... which wasn't a problem at all. They loved it. My first time through it I thought "hum, there is some bigger words in there, they're not going to get it". Upon re-reading it tonight, I realized that there were only 3 it just seemed like more: Baptism, Forgiveness, Repentance.
In Christ,
R. Look
Kentwood, Michigan