Monday, June 30, 2025

If Jesus Came to My School Tour by Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: If Jesus Came to My School

Author: April Graney

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release Date: June 10, 2025

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, a young girl learns how Jesus’s love can shine at school through her compassion, kindness, and inclusion. In this whimsical tale, a young girl imagines what it would be like if Jesus visited her school as a boy. She would show Jesus around her classroom, introduce her friends and teachers, listen to story time, and eat lunch together! But Jesus wouldn’t stop at learning and sitting in class. He’d invite the lonely to join in on games and find a way to love and get along with everyone. Soon the young girl realizes that even though Jesus doesn’t attend her school, he can live through her. Through rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, children will be inspired to make a difference in their schools through their actions. Because as they treat each other right and classes become families, Jesus truly will be in their school.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

April Graney is a teacher at Cookson Hills, a children’s home and school for at-risk students in Oklahoma. She is the author of The Marvelous Maker: A Creation and Redemption Parable and the ECPA Christian Book Award finalist The Marvelous Mud House: A Story of Finding Fullness and Joy. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, April loves studying and teaching the Bible. Her greatest joy has been raising five children with her husband Tom in their crazy, loud, happy house at New Life Ranch, a summer camp and retreat center where they have served for over twenty years.

More from April

When my husband, Tom, was in high school, a classmate leaned over and casually asked, “Hey, would you like to go to church with me sometime?” Tom wasn’t opposed to church. He’d just never been invited before. This invitation got him to a place where he began hearing the gospel. Finally, at a youth rally, my future husband tearfully repented of his sins and trusted in Jesus’ death on the cross for his salvation. He walked down to the center of that arena, with hundreds of others who had done the same. I’m incredibly thankful for his classmate who had the courage at school to ask his friend to come to church, something which changed the entire trajectory of his life.

Our nation’s schools are filled with kids who need to hear the gospel. After encountering the woman at the well, Jesus told his disciples in John 4:35, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” I believe this could be said of our schools today. There are nearly 60 million school age children in the United States. The Barna Group reports that nearly half of all public educators are practicing Christians, and 86 percent of Christian families send their children to public school. Christians are in public schools. I hope to support and equip them, by providing tools for them to teach their children about Jesus, the gospel, and his love. I hope to help families to see the fertile soil of our nation’s schools, and be faithful to shine the light and love of Jesus in our schools. They are ripe for harvest.

When school children encounter the love of Jesus, they become places where kindness, love and respect can flourish. With the divisiveness in our nation, it’s so important to teach our children how to treat each other with kindness, inclusion and understanding. We can teach our children that everyone is created and cherished by God. We can help reduce bullying in schools when children celebrate their differences and stand up for each other. Our schools would be places of impact for the individual and the school community. These are the truths that I hoped to communicate in If Jesus Came to My School, and I hope that readers will take these lessons to heart and make a difference in the world!

MY REVIEW

This is a cute story that illustrates how each of us should treat others. I like how the author shows children that they can be kind, thoughtful and loving to everyone. The pictures are well done and will help draw children to the story. It is a simple lesson that children will use each day as they make friends.

It is important for children to understand that Jesus loves everyone and wants them to treat everyone the way they want to be treated. The story is easy to follow and takes readers through a day at school with Jesus beside them. This book would be a great one to have at school as well as at church for children to enjoy.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Happily Managing a Household of Boys , June 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 22

Artistic Nobody, June 23

Library Lady’s Kids Lit, June 24

Labor Not in Vain, June 25

Cover Lover Book Review, June 26

Guild Master, June 27 (Author Interview)

May Hake, June 27

A Reader’s Brain , June 28 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, June 28

Older & Smarter?, June 29

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

Vicky Sluiter, July 1

Fiction Book Lover, July 2 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, July 3

Jodie Wolfe, July 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, April is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54242

Sunday, June 29, 2025

Secrets of the Revolution Tour by Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: Secrets of the Revolution

Author: Megan Soja

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 10, 2025

The cause of liberty brought them together. Will it also tear them apart?

Hannah Pierce is determined to keep her father‘s apothecary shop running, despite his failing health, the heavy burden of her mother’s recent death, and the mysterious disappearance of her brother. She’ll do whatever it takes to preserve her family’s legacy, including joining a dangerous ring of patriot spies…and falling for a revolutionary printer with a brave heart.

William Abbott always keeps his promises. He vowed long ago to never abandon those in need like his father did. So when new British acts of Parliament threaten Boston and endanger his family, he throws himself into serving the Patriot cause, using his position at the printing office to gather and spread intelligence. But when his clandestine role in the newly formed spy ring causes him to cross paths with the apothecary’s beautiful daughter, he may find himself fighting for more than the cause.

As tensions in Boston reach a breaking point, Will and Hannah find their bond deepening even as the noose tightens around the spy ring. When promises and determination are not enough to protect the ones they love, they’ll need to trust God if they are to survive what is to come.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Megan Soja is a multi-award-winning author who writes stories with strong faith, rich history, and sweet romance. She lives in western NY with her husband and two daughters and loves having adventures, both big and small, with her family. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and playing French Horn.

More from Megan

In Secrets of the Revolution, my hero and heroine, Will and Hannah, are both drawn into participating in a Patriot spy ring in Boston. As I was planning their story, I drew inspiration from a group of famous real-life spies that operated in New York City during the American Revolution – the Culper Ring.

The Culper Ring was established in 1778 and successfully ran for five years without a single spy being discovered. Even today, we do not know the identity of all the members. They used a variety of methods to communicate, including ciphers, codes, and invisible ink, all of which served as inspiration for details in my story. I even used some of the numerical codes from the actual Culper Code Book to encrypt a letter that Will receives.

While researching the Culper Ring, I came across an especially interesting woman – Anna Smith Strong – and I knew she would be the perfect model for the part that Hannah plays in Secrets of the Revolution.

Anna’s role in the spy ring was to relay signals when information had been left at a specific location. Her family farm on Seaton’s Neck in Long Island provided prime location for her work, and she communicated through a brilliantly simple manner that went undetected throughout its operation. When a message was ready to be picked up amongst the coves of Long Island, Anna would hang a black petticoat on her clothesline, followed by a number of white handkerchiefs to indicate which location to use. Her clothing signal was easily spotted by fellow spy Caleb Brewster, who would periodically row out into the Sound, or Abraham Woodhull, whose nearby farm provided a clear view. The Culper Ring accomplished more than any other spy network during the war, thanks in part to Anna’s work.

As you discover Hannah’s role in Secrets of the Revolution, I hope that knowing Anna’s real history makes my story come to life all the more!

MY REVIEW

A beautiful story that captures the Revolutionary War in a realistic way. I like how the author uses historical facts to bring us right into the time period. It was easy to follow the characters and see how they overcome obstacles.

Hannah and Willian both seek to protect their family and join together in an epic adventure. Hannah is aware that her father’s health is declining and wants to do what she can to make him comfortable. She tries to hide his illness from others so his duties as an apothecary would not suffer. As she continues to run his shop she knows that others will not accept a woman in this position.

William has come to Boston with a broken heart. He is hurt but shows respects to his ex fiancé when she marries someone else. He is also trying to recover from a loss in the family. He so wanted reconciliation but now he must try to find forgiveness. I like how he is so protective of those who are close to him. His family is very important and will do what it takes to keep them safe. I could tell as soon as he met Hannah that there was a spark.

The story proves to be intriguing as Hannah and William work together in a mission that will test their faith. Will they be able to keep their family safe from a war that is on the cusp of happening? Can they trust each other with their secrets? Grab a copy of this book to find the answers and experience faith, action and perhaps romance in this story that stirs emotions of hope.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.