If Only: Biblical Truth for Children

by L.A. James

At some point in time, we all have the thought, "if only" float through our mind. In a story format, teach the children you love how to combat these thoughts.

If Only is a unique, Christian, read aloud book designed to enable parents and grandparents to easily share Biblical truth with the children in their lives.

Don't read it once and put it on the shelf. Take the book further. Each purchase comes with the ability to download free resources, which will enable you to impress God's word into the minds and hearts of the children you love.

32 pages, Paperback

Published July 23, 2018

About the author

L.A. James graduated, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Illinois with a B.A. in English. She has written for diverse businesses and non-profit organizations, published in various print media, and taught English to domestic and foreign students. In the end, she has looped back to what she has always wanted to do - write her own books.

~Life is too short to read a bad book. The only books I list on my bookshelf are books I enjoyed. No need to plow through ratings. I only put up 4 and 5 star books to share.

Five star books, to me, are worth buying and putting on your shelf. Four star books are well above average, and you should enjoy it.~

Reviews

[Cecily Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story, both in words and stunning, captivating photographs, about the tendency we all have to listen to that negative inner voice that leads us to think we are not good enough as we are, just as God made us. This isn't just a good book to share with young people, but also a wonderful gift for yourself to have on hand when times are tough and you don't feel as if you are up to the task, or if you find yourself comparing aspects of your physical and intellectual self with others and letting it get you down. Christmas is coming, and if you're looking for a beautiful book to offer children and adults alike, this is it. Share your love for them by sharing the only validation we need: God's love by his hand in our design.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Only Biblical Truth For Children by L.A. James is the most beautiful book for children that would make a perfect gift this Christmas.
If Only is simply and beautifully written. With repetition, short stanzas and a simple but profound message, If Only is sure to appeal to everyone from ages two to adult.
The book focuses on the message of being happy with the skin we are in. It is no good listening to the ‘if only’ voice. If only we were fatter/thinner/taller/shorter… no! Be happy with the person that God created you to be. The ‘if only’ voice sows the seed of dissatisfaction. The ‘if only’ voice will always bring us down. We need to listen to the life affirming voice of God and be happy with just who we are.
The book is beautifully illustrated with a variety of cats who offer advice to Skittles, a black and white cat. I loved all the pictures but my favourite is Skittles thinking and all the faces of the cats in bubbles. We see the cat Skittles would be if he listened to all the advice given… and it is very strange!
The words and pictures are designed as starting points for discussion on being happy with who we are in God.
I read this book to my granddaughters ages seven and ten. They both adored it. They loved the pictures and the words, and understood the message. This book is spot on.
I adore my cats. I love God. If Only is the perfect combination of both. It is a book that should grace every bookshelf. A book to dip in and out of. If Only is sure to be a favourite bedtime read in households everywhere, night after night after night.
With Christmas coming up, grab yourself a copy, wrap it up and put it under the tree for your loved ones.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Sean Elliot Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If Only: Biblical Truth for Children,” by L.A. James, is a beautifully rendered children’s book that should be in every household. The story highlights the problem of Skittles, who keeps listening to the “if only” voice. What follows are different cat illustrations (with a surprise on the last page) of various shapes and sizes that Skittles compares himself to. It’s a simple story that needs to be reinforced in young children from an early age—especially before they are exposed to social media. I can’t sayit enough: the artwork is so expressive and wonderful. It will surely draw the attention of children as the story is read to them (or as they read the book themselves).

My Summary
Story: 5/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Theme & Biblical Message: 5/5

I will be buying this book for children in my family. I highly recommend “If Only” by L.A. James. And I see this author is busy doing other great books which can be found at www.jameswritinganddesign.com.

[Kathryn Spurgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book! I loved, loved the artwork. The truths for children resonate with honesty and understanding. I'd love to buy one for each of my grandchildren!

[W.M.J. Kreucher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn’t like cat pictures?

Like her other story “BE”, this is more than cute pictures, it is a book with a message that is meant to be read over and over. The concept is clever and the ‘outcome’ quite funny. You will want to read it to your kids again and again even if you are allergic to cats.

[Joel Thimell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently discovered a beautiful children's book that made me wish my girls were still young enough to sit on my lap and read together. It was always easy to find a silly book to make them laugh. Finding one to make them think, as well, was a bit harder. And finding one that boosted their self-worth at the same time was pretty rare.

"If Only: Biblical Truth for Children," by L.A. James combines striking, one-of-a-kind photography with humorous storytelling and a timeless message of God's special love for all his children. The dazzling pictures will stimulate their creativity, while the story helps to develop critical thinking skills. And last, but certainly not least, all the different characters are just begging for you to read them with a very silly voice for your children's repeated enjoyment. Highly recommended. Five stars.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If Only: Biblical Truth for Children” is a beautifully illustrated book, designed to encourage children in their self-image. James uses a series of feline friends as foils who tell the representative character, Skittles, that their own personal favorite traits are what makes someone special, desirable, or valuable. Skittles, like any child, struggles to identify what it is about himself that makes him worth as much as any other cat. “If only…” Skittles thinks, and imagines that he should be more like the most recent, confident cat he has encountered. The solution is that Skittles should, like us, embrace the truth that our value is found in being made in the image of God, for His purposes and value, and not for anyone else’s approval.

Children will love the cute pictures and adults who read to their children will appreciate the beauty of the artwork. The conclusion of the story is presented as a very brief letter to the reader, which will be above some children’s heads if they attempt to read it themselves.

Finally, this book fits nicely into the children’s section and can certainly be stocked in a Christian bookstore, though nothing unique to Christianity is presented outside of a few New Testament verses at the end. These verses don’t have a particularly Christian message themselves, outside of their context. In some ways, that’s good, because the message is universal. All are made in the image of God, and thus are valuable beyond compare. May our children embrace this message, a message even more beautiful than the artwork that frames it.

[Lynn McNeill · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If Only” by L.A. James is a perfect book for an adult and child to read together . The book is about about Skittles the cat. The thirty one pages of this book are filled with delightful photo images of cats on beautiful backgrounds and eye catching fonts. Skittles keeps thinking “If only… I had more hair…I had less hair…I wasn’t so skinny…I wasn’t so heavy…” The more he thinks “if only” the more unhappy he becomes.
We have all had these thoughts at one time or another, especially when we are young. Reading this book together will be a perfect opportunity to discuss “if only” thoughts and discover a solution. In the back of the book there is a link to a web site available to the reader with resources that you can use to discuss this problem with the child.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone with small children as it will stimulate conversations and help children learn life lessons. This is one book that you will read over and over again for the pictures and the words.

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

L.A. James is a great writer and designer in these little books. Have you heard the statement “dynamite comes in small packages?” This is what I think of these books. They’re for children, but they can pick up and help a grown up, too. I love them. I love all the beautiful pictures and all the biblical wisdom. I read her other book Be and feel the same way about it. This one I like even more because it has cats throughout and I love cats. So it’s great for cat lovers, too! 😃 I just can’t say enough about them. They are beautifully written and designed.

[A. Maris · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If Only” has a profound message for our children and for us, adults as well, as that little voice still likes to sneak in from time to time, just to remind us that everything is the way it should be, and the time is now. As an artist and writer, L.A. James has woven her beautiful art with biblical wisdom that transcends time and helps strengthen faith. This book becomes even more valuable in the times we live, as often our society mandates certain norms that are not necessarily nurturing for the younger generation.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The “if onlys” in our mind can consume us and debilitate us. We can create a wonderful fantasy of what our life would be like if only we were someone else. If Only: Biblical Truth for Children is a first-rate teaching tool for children. It is a charmingly illustrated book that creates a vivid visual that children can relate to. L. A. James message is clear and she has created a multi-faceted book that can be relevant not only to our dissatisfaction with our appearance but with our life circumstances or our past.

[Lois Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The charming illustrations put a smile on my face as I read through this wonderful book. I realized that even as an adult, I sometimes have my own "if only" days, I'm sure most of us do, and that "If Only: Biblical Truth For Children" works equally well as a reminder for us grown-up children as it will for the youngest among us.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated book to bring home the simple message that we are all unique and God did not make any mistakes with our creation. We are beautiful the way He made us. Not only that but we all have the same insecurities. Well done, simple to understand and delightful to look at.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Life Lesson for Children of All Ages.
The author has presented the perfect lesson in a way all children can understand and know that all of us are perfect, just as we are. Her illustrations are a beautiful addition and do well to further illustrate the message.