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A FatCat Book
The Ten Commandments: For All God's Children
My God loves me and gives me life. His law protects the gifts he gives me.
Join FatCat as he learns the Ten Commandments―how God’s children love. Each commandment has a reflection on its meaning and illustrations from Jesus’ life. As you read each commandment, see how Jesus fulfilled God’s will for us and showed us how to love God and others. With a list of Scripture references and a guided family prayer, this FatCat book helps all God’s children memorize, understand, and love the Ten Commandments. We love God because he first loved us. Jesus shows us how God loves us. Because Jesus obeyed his Father, we have forgiveness and life―and many other good gifts. God’s commandments protect us and his gifts for us. When we love and obey God, we treasure the good things he gives us.
Join FatCat as he learns the Ten Commandments―how God’s children love. Each commandment has a reflection on its meaning and illustrations from Jesus’ life. As you read each commandment, see how Jesus fulfilled God’s will for us and showed us how to love God and others. With a list of Scripture references and a guided family prayer, this FatCat book helps all God’s children memorize, understand, and love the Ten Commandments. We love God because he first loved us. Jesus shows us how God loves us. Because Jesus obeyed his Father, we have forgiveness and life―and many other good gifts. God’s commandments protect us and his gifts for us. When we love and obey God, we treasure the good things he gives us.
40 pages, Hardcover
Published January 10, 2024
17 people want to read
About the author
Harold L. Senkbeil
23 books39 followersRev. Dr. Harold L. Senkbeil (b. 1945) served as a parish pastor in the LCMS for 32 years, most recently at Elm Grove Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elm Grove, Wisconsin (1987-2002), and as Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 2001 he was recognized by Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, in the bestowing of the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa. Dr. Senkbeil is a 1988 recipient of the Servus Ecclesiae Christi Award. Since July 2008, he has served as both Adjunct Professor at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, as well as Executive Director with DOXOLOGY: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 25, 2023
Another home run in the FatCat series! A beautiful *and* theologically sound presentation of the 10 Words for children. The thoughtfulness and nuance that went into this one is heavily appreciated. I.e., I loved how they used the virtue of chastity (look it up if you think chastity is boiled down to the comedic concept of the chastity belt) to talk about adultery. Such a well-rounded view of that often-skipped or seriously muddled through commandment with kids. Highly recommend!
My only small, small wish would have been some inclusion of the element of honoring your parents by not treating them lightly/flippantly instead of just obeying them. I know that nuance may be harder to communicate in so many words, so I totally get going for obedience route, but it’s such a favorite part of that fifth commandment for me!
My only small, small wish would have been some inclusion of the element of honoring your parents by not treating them lightly/flippantly instead of just obeying them. I know that nuance may be harder to communicate in so many words, so I totally get going for obedience route, but it’s such a favorite part of that fifth commandment for me!
June 9, 2023
The best of the series!
February 18, 2024
Excellent book for teaching children (and us all) the Ten Commandments and how to apply them as a Christian today.
December 3, 2023
Lexham sent me an advanced copy of this book. I just read it to my girls. It’s really well done.
November 13, 2023
I think this is a good little book to help expand on children's understanding of the ten commandments. However, I'm a little confused about what age-range the target audience is supposed to be. The style and format of the book suggests to me around 4-8 years old. But the vocabulary and writing style is much more advanced; perhaps more suitable for children aged 8-11 years old. Nevertheless, I think the author does a good job of using understandable examples to solidify the principles. I also like the section at the end for families to use in at-home worship.
The Ten Commandments: For All God's Children is due to be published on 10th January 2024.
I received a free advanced review copy (ARC) of this eBook from the publisher, Lexham Press, via NetGalley, for review purposes.
The Ten Commandments: For All God's Children is due to be published on 10th January 2024.
I received a free advanced review copy (ARC) of this eBook from the publisher, Lexham Press, via NetGalley, for review purposes.
December 17, 2023
Great for Teaching Young Children
This is a well-written book for teaching children about God and His ten commandments starting at a young age. The authors have designed this book with beautiful and colorful artwork that is very appealing to children, while at the same time listing and discussing each of the ten commandments in simple words.
The authors outlines four things parents should observe about this book, they are
1. The numbering of the Ten Commandments.
2. The use of the Ten Commandments in worship and devotion.
3. The word “chastity”.
4. The illustration of each commandment.
The authors go on to explain and discuss each of the above listed things in detail for parents to better understand why the book is written as it is.
This is a very good for families to come together as a whole and discuss God’s laws. I highly recommend it.
This is a well-written book for teaching children about God and His ten commandments starting at a young age. The authors have designed this book with beautiful and colorful artwork that is very appealing to children, while at the same time listing and discussing each of the ten commandments in simple words.
The authors outlines four things parents should observe about this book, they are
1. The numbering of the Ten Commandments.
2. The use of the Ten Commandments in worship and devotion.
3. The word “chastity”.
4. The illustration of each commandment.
The authors go on to explain and discuss each of the above listed things in detail for parents to better understand why the book is written as it is.
This is a very good for families to come together as a whole and discuss God’s laws. I highly recommend it.
December 18, 2023
I have read and enjoyed many Christian children's books, so I was quite looking forward to reviewing this book as well.
The Ten Commandments are pretty basic tenets of the religion, comprising some of Christianity's core values, so it is important for children to be introduced to them in a way that is appealing and easy to understand.
Unfortunately, the way it is done in this book really didn't appeal to me much. There is a lack of explanation, and what I would describe as a somewhat fundamentalist tone to the volume.
The commandment on adultery, for example, seems overly simplistic and a bit abstruse. The one on murder, by contrast, made a lot of sense.
This book will probably work best for people who themselves lean towards a fundamentalist understanding rather than a more liberal interpretation of Christianity.
The Ten Commandments are pretty basic tenets of the religion, comprising some of Christianity's core values, so it is important for children to be introduced to them in a way that is appealing and easy to understand.
Unfortunately, the way it is done in this book really didn't appeal to me much. There is a lack of explanation, and what I would describe as a somewhat fundamentalist tone to the volume.
The commandment on adultery, for example, seems overly simplistic and a bit abstruse. The one on murder, by contrast, made a lot of sense.
This book will probably work best for people who themselves lean towards a fundamentalist understanding rather than a more liberal interpretation of Christianity.
December 27, 2023
A beautiful interpretation of the 10 commandments. The author explains one by one, what is the meaning of first till the tenth commandments. I really appreciate what was written as "commit adultery" since nowadays, this one got left behind most of the time. Adultery is not seen as a bad thing God hates, but seems like everybody's doing it.
March 12, 2024
I love how each commandment starts with “My God loves me and gives me………”
This is a great book to help children (and adults!) understand the good wisdom of God displayed in the 10 commandments.
This is a great book to help children (and adults!) understand the good wisdom of God displayed in the 10 commandments.
February 20, 2024
Our family loves the FatCat books, and this is the best one yet. When The 10 Commandments: For All God’s Children arrived at our house, our 3yo immediately grabbed it and devoured every page. The first image in the book, of Jesus on the cross against the background of the Passover doorposts, made us all let out a collective “wooooow.” This powerful image was only a hint of the rest of the artistic goodness that fills every page of FatCat: 10 Commandments.
Everything that is true of the other FatCat books is true of this one: stellar, iconographic artistry from Natasha Kennedy that doesn’t just complement the prose but invites meditation and study all on its own. Harold Senkbeil’s writing is as creative, accessible, and pastoral here as it is in all of his books.
How does one teach children about murder and stealing? In many ways FatCat: 10 Commandments takes on more challenging themes than all previous books. I was excited to see how the book would treat these topics in a format appropriate to the target audience. I was not disappointed! On murder, Senkbeil draws attention to life as a gift given to each of us from God. Because every person is made in God’s image, every life is “precious in his sight.” Therefore “I hurt my neighbor if I harm his body and life in any way. I love my neighbor when I care for his body and life…” This simple teaching concludes with a prayer asking for God’s help in defending and supporting the life of our neighbors, and it is complemented by a moving illustration of Jesus’ Good Samaritan story.
On adultery: Kennedy illustrates this teaching with the joyful Wedding Feast at Cana where Jesus, Mary, and many happy guests are celebrating the richly dressed bride and groom. What a great scene to meet the gift protected by this commandment! And here too is where Senkbeil’s pastoral wisdom shines. He frames the commandment in the context of “chastity.” The text begins with “The Lord is my God. He gives me the gift of chastity. Married or not, I belong to God and live in chastity. My God made me and all my body parts. He bought me with the blood of Jesus. I am not my own.” The rest of the page expands on this pastoral wisdom and is filled with grace and joy. Senkbeil explains his decision to use the word “chastity” in the “To Parents” appendix and why he (rightly) sees this term avoids the pitfalls of “so-called purity culture” while also describing the “gift God protects in the Seventh commandment.”
The rest of the book reflects this same level of pastoral wisdom and grace. The 10 Commandments: For All God’s Children is a gift of a book for all readers, perhaps especially for parents looking for age-appropriate language to teach their children God’s love in the 10 Commandments. The book concludes with a short Family Prayer liturgy for parents to use, equipping them to integrate each of these Commandments into a life of household prayer and worship. This book is highly recommended!
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for free from the publisher. I was not asked to provide a positive review, and this in no way affected my review.
Everything that is true of the other FatCat books is true of this one: stellar, iconographic artistry from Natasha Kennedy that doesn’t just complement the prose but invites meditation and study all on its own. Harold Senkbeil’s writing is as creative, accessible, and pastoral here as it is in all of his books.
How does one teach children about murder and stealing? In many ways FatCat: 10 Commandments takes on more challenging themes than all previous books. I was excited to see how the book would treat these topics in a format appropriate to the target audience. I was not disappointed! On murder, Senkbeil draws attention to life as a gift given to each of us from God. Because every person is made in God’s image, every life is “precious in his sight.” Therefore “I hurt my neighbor if I harm his body and life in any way. I love my neighbor when I care for his body and life…” This simple teaching concludes with a prayer asking for God’s help in defending and supporting the life of our neighbors, and it is complemented by a moving illustration of Jesus’ Good Samaritan story.
On adultery: Kennedy illustrates this teaching with the joyful Wedding Feast at Cana where Jesus, Mary, and many happy guests are celebrating the richly dressed bride and groom. What a great scene to meet the gift protected by this commandment! And here too is where Senkbeil’s pastoral wisdom shines. He frames the commandment in the context of “chastity.” The text begins with “The Lord is my God. He gives me the gift of chastity. Married or not, I belong to God and live in chastity. My God made me and all my body parts. He bought me with the blood of Jesus. I am not my own.” The rest of the page expands on this pastoral wisdom and is filled with grace and joy. Senkbeil explains his decision to use the word “chastity” in the “To Parents” appendix and why he (rightly) sees this term avoids the pitfalls of “so-called purity culture” while also describing the “gift God protects in the Seventh commandment.”
The rest of the book reflects this same level of pastoral wisdom and grace. The 10 Commandments: For All God’s Children is a gift of a book for all readers, perhaps especially for parents looking for age-appropriate language to teach their children God’s love in the 10 Commandments. The book concludes with a short Family Prayer liturgy for parents to use, equipping them to integrate each of these Commandments into a life of household prayer and worship. This book is highly recommended!
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for free from the publisher. I was not asked to provide a positive review, and this in no way affected my review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews