“Gotta Give it to God!” Picture Book Review

“Gotta Give it to God!” is exactly what we need to do when we face troubles and problems in this world.   This new picture book written by Rochelle St. John Ruiz is a delight to read to your little ones or for yourself as an anytime read. “Gotta Give it to God!” Picture Book Review.

Emotions In a Picture Book

“Gotta Give it to God!” a book with beautiful illustrations and words, shows the reader what happens when we take our frustrations, feelings, and emotions to God.   The result is peace, calmness, joy, and the reassurance that God is always there.   

The girl in this story gives examples of all the little things that give her troubles in a day. Some include spilled milk, when her best friend yells at her, or when she just wakes up and nothing seems right. She realizes she can’t handle these feelings by herself and needs to give them to God.   

“Gotta Give it to God!” Teaches Kids About Feelings

It’s a perfect story if you want to teach your kids about feelings and emotions and what to do with them. I love that at the end of the book is a list of questions relating to the story to discuss with your kids.  What a great way to not just read and teach but talk about what you just read.

Review of My Favorite Quotes

My favorite quotes from the book that I can relate to are, “There are days when I wake up and nothing seems right. Everything is frustrating, and all I can do is cry.” Finally, “Oh, those days are not often, but when they come I get sad; cause no matter how hard I try everything seems bad.”   Who can’t relate to these quotes- kids and adults? 

“Gotta Give it to God!” Author and Illustrator

Author, Ruiz, lives in Redding, California, and is my friend. I cherish the times we spent together when she lived in Minnesota. She wrote this book when her girls were little while she home-schooled them because she wanted a tool to teach her kids about feelings.  Ruiz is not only an author but a singer-songwriter, speaker, and ventriloquist, which she taught herself at 8 years old.

The illustrator, Pennie Mirande, is an artist and educator and brought this book to life with paintings. She loves to use paintings to express emotions.

First Book -“Think of Good Things”

“Gotta Give it to God!” is the second book for Ruiz and Mirande.  Both paired up in 2017 to publish the book “Think of Good Things” which was also written when Ruiz’s girls were little.  If you haven’t read “Think of Good Things” then grab that one too. This is my blog link on the book “Think of Good Things.

Listen, Read, or Sing-Along in a Picture Book

I love that the downloadable audiobook companion reads the book to you and you can listen to the song written and sung by Ruiz herself.  Both books have songs that go with the books as well as other downloadable resources. Access these free resources at freewithbook.com

How to Purchase

“Gotta Give it to God!” picture book is perfect for your kids or grandkids as a read aloud, or as a baby gift for that new parent.  The parents may need the book more than the baby. 

The book is written for kids 0-8 years old or anyone who has had a hard day.   You can find it at Amazon.com or order it from her website Rochellestjohnruiz.com.  An audiobook and companion children’s song and other resources are free with the book.

 A Picture Book Review / “Gotta Give it to God!” by Rochelle St. John Ruiz

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