Title: Rufus and Ryan Go To Church!
Author: Kathleen Long Bostrom
Illustrator: Rebecca Thornburgh
Synopsis: In Rufus and Ryan Go to Church!, four-year-old Ryan explains to his stuffed monkey, Rufus, what is happening as they attend church on Sunday morning. He lets Rufus know when it’s time to sing and to pray and to be quiet. Author Kathleen Bostrom brings a delightfully light touch to the text as she provides an introduction to an experience that most children are exposed to long before they understand why. And children everywhere will relate to the idea of explaining their surroundings to their favorite companions as they go about their daily activities.
This is just one of the first titles in a new series of inspirational books for preschoolers.
My Thoughts: I loved reading Rufus and Ryan Go To Church! with my children. I have five children ranging from 2 to 7 and they all enjoyed listening to the book. My 7 year old liked reading the book on her own. She enjoyed that he took his monkey to church and asked me not to lose the book so she could read it again. My two year old twins especially loved the monkey. They pointed him out on every page. I found the story to be sweet and easy for my children to understand. I really think a little boy and his monkey is an adorable way to introduce children to church and, in the next Rufus and Ryan book, prayer. I enjoyed the illustrations as well. They were colorful and full of cute details, such as the little turtle figurine and frog lamp in Ryan's room. My children have already requested that we get Rufus and Ryan Say Their Prayers.
Rating:
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| My girls enjoying Rufus and Ryan Go to Church! |
Keep reading for some awesome tips, info about the books, and a great giveaway!
TOP TEN TIPS FOR
INTRODUCING YOUR CHILD TO WORSHIP
1. Attend a child-friendly church.
A
church that invites children to attend worship, that has a children’s time during
worship or a service in which children are included, will not mind the noise
and commotion that comes with having young children in worship.
2. Bring
your child to church on a day other than Sunday morning.
Call the church office and make an
appointment with a pastor, Christian education director, or church school
teacher. Go on a tour of the church facility, and locate the Sunday school rooms
and bathrooms as well as the sanctuary. Let your child explore the sanctuary, see
how it feels to sit in the pew, and leaf through the Bibles and hymnbooks. Look
behind the pulpit, Communion table, and baptismal font, and explain the use of
these.
3. Take
home a worship bulletin and go through the service at home.
Show
your child that there are times to sit, to stand (and in some places, to kneel),
to sing, to pray, and to listen. If the Lord’s Prayer is used, write down the words
and let your child practice at home. Prepare offering envelopes and let your
child put money in the envelope, and explain why the offering is important.
4. Play “Let’s go to church” at home.
Practicing
the worship service at home will help your child feel more comfortable with
what happens in worship.
5. Read
the Bible and pray at home.
Purchase
an age-appropriate Bible for your child and read the stories. Let your child
handle the Bible and encourage questions. You can explain that the Bible is where
we learn God’s story, and how we are part of that story. If you let prayer be a
part of your everyday life, not just something you do at church, your child
will understand its importance.
6. Sit
near an aisle or in a place where you can make an exit if needed.
If
your child needs to go to the bathroom, or is feeling overly stimulated or having
a disruptive day, don’t be embarrassed. Walk your child out of the sanctuary
until she can work off a little energy, and then come back in. This is much
easier if you don’t have to crawl across a row of other people in the pew!
7. Be prepared with a worship notebook or bag.
Many
churches provide materials for children to use during worship, but if not,
bring your own supplies. Colored pencils can be used to mark the parts of
worship in the bulletin as you go through them one by one. Get to church a few
minutes in advance and use a bookmark to mark the hymns that will be sung that
day. Have some coloring pages from a Bible coloring book for your child to
color, or some blank pages for doodling. This is not disrespectful, and can
help your child listen more attentively. Have the words of the Lord’s Prayer
printed on a page for the child to follow, if he or she is of reading age. Let
your child draw a picture of the anthem or hymns being sung, or the sermon, and
give this to the choir director or pastor afterwards.
8. Teach
basic church etiquette.
Speak
to people before and after worship, and teach your child how to shake hands and
greet others. If your child is shy, don’t
force it, but practice at home and let your child see you greeting others. Let
the child put the hymnbook and Bible away after use, and be sure to take your
bulletin with you, rather than leaving it in the pew. Meeting other people and
taking care of the church facility helps a child feel that “This is my church!”
9. Get
to know the pastor.
Pastors of child-friendly churches love
to get to know the children of the church. Introduce your child to the pastor
after worship, and participate in other church activities so that the pastor becomes
a friend and not a scary adult.
10. Don’t
give up!
It
may take awhile for your child to become comfortable in worship, and to learn
how to sit quietly. The best way for this to happen is to attend worship on a
regular basis. There may be days when it doesn’t go well, but don’t let this
stop you from coming the following week. Practice makes perfect!
About the Rufus and Ryan
Rufus and Ryan is a new series of books for preschoolers, featuring Ryan, an energetic little boy, and his stuffed monkey Rufus. Basic Christian and church concepts serve as the foundation of the series, with an additional focus on character traits and development. The text is presented in young Ryan’s voice as he teaches Rufus about the concepts he is learning himself. Each story is about 150 words, using age-appropriate vocabulary and themes.
Also available now, Rufus and Ryan Say Their Prayers
WHO is this book for?
- Children ages 2 to 5 and their parents, grandparents
- These faith-based board books make great gifts during any season: Christmas, Easter, baby
- Toddler birthday
- Gift from grandparents
- Gift for your child's Sunday School teacher of children's minister
- Perfect for church nurseries, Sunday school classes, preschools, and church worship settings
About the Author
Kathleen Long Bostrom is a published children’s author in both the Christian and trade markets. She has a Master’s in Christian Education and a Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching, and she has worked in children’s ministry for many years. Kathy and her husband, Greg, have three grown children and live in Illinois.
About the Illustrator
Rebecca Thornburgh began illustrating children’s books full-time in 1996 and today has almost 100 books to her name. Rebecca’s vibrant watercolors have been showcased in previous Ideals titles, including the new edition of The Story of Christmas. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two daughters.
Available at IdealsBooks.com / Amazon
Now for a great giveaway! Enter for your chance to win a copy of Rufus and Ryan Go to Church on the rafflecopter below.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
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