The Best Gift Ever Given is worth considering if your family wants a short daily Advent reading with Scripture, questions, and prayer already brought together. I would choose it for an adult-led family time where a simple structure helps everyone get started.
Ronnie Martin traces God’s good gifts toward the coming of Jesus. Nathan Schroeder supplies the illustrations. The useful question is whether your children will engage with the brief teaching and conversation, not how many seasonal activities you can add.
This is a research-based review of the Harvest House hardcover, ISBN 9780736978545.
A practical option for families who want a supplied reading-and-conversation structure across 25 days.
Best for: Adults reading with children and inviting short, unhurried responses.
Highlights
- 25 days offer a clear seasonal sequence
- Readings include Scripture, questions, and a prayer
- Illustrations provide another point of attention for shared reading
Watch-outs
- Children may need help with less concrete ideas
- The format calls for adult participation
- It is a devotional book, not a supplied craft kit
What does The Best Gift Ever Given include?
It brings a short teaching, Scripture, an illustration, questions, and prayer into a 25-day sequence. The book description and bibliographic record identify an illustrated family resource moving from creation toward Christmas.
| Author | Ronnie Martin |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Nathan Schroeder |
| Publisher | Harvest House Publishers |
| Selected format | Hardcover |
| Length and structure | 56 pages; 25-day Advent journey |
| ISBN | 9780736978545 |
That combination gives a parent or carer a place to begin without inventing a new discussion every evening. I would still preview the day’s reading so I can explain an unfamiliar word or decide which question best fits the children listening.
How would I use it with a family?
Choose a familiar gathering time, open the Bible to the day’s reference, and read the entry together. Invite one response from each person who wants to speak, then finish with prayer. That is my suggested routine, not a required formula.
For younger listeners, a short answer or a question may be enough. An older child might want to compare the reading with the wider passage. Let the discussion meet the children where they are, instead of asking everyone to give the same polished response.
If you miss a day, continue without making the family feel behind. A slower reading that people understand is more valuable than quickly completing several entries. The structure should support your family time.
What is distinctive about the gift theme?
The book’s advertised journey starts with God’s good gifts and leads toward Jesus. That provides a way to talk about Christmas beyond a list of things a child hopes to receive.
I would ask concrete questions: What good thing did you notice today? Who showed you kindness? How is receiving a gift different from earning a reward? Keep the child’s answer connected with the passage rather than forcing every example into a lesson.
It is also worth allowing honest responses. A child can feel disappointed or have a hard day while learning about gratitude. Family devotional time does not require pretending everything has been cheerful.
Are the illustrations a reason to choose it?
They may help if your family enjoys looking and talking together. Nathan Schroeder is the illustrator, and the publisher’s catalog identifies the 56-page hardcover edition.
I would inspect a sample to decide whether the visual approach suits your children. An illustration may catch attention without making every concept immediately understandable. Ask what the child notices, and let the picture begin a conversation rather than stand in for an explanation.
This review cannot establish page durability or how the book lies open during reading. Those are useful things to check in a physical copy, especially if several children will gather around it.
How does it compare with a story or activity set?
This is the option I would consider when you want the reading and questions supplied together. A continuing story such as Jotham’s Journey asks a family to follow a developing plot and assess its suspenseful content.
The Giving Manger puts the emphasis on a visible kindness tradition with display pieces. Martin’s book does not require that kind of physical set. Choose based on what your household will actually use, not on the idea that a more elaborate tradition must be more meaningful.
For a wider range, my Advent devotional guide compares books for adults and families.
A conversation to try before choosing
Read Luke 2:8-20, ask what the shepherds hear about Jesus, and invite each person to name one question. Finish with a brief prayer responding to something in the passage.
If that simple pattern fits your family, a book supplying daily material may be useful. If the conversation already feels long, begin with a smaller reading and choose a resource suited to that attention span.
I would recommend The Best Gift Ever Given to a family that wants a manageable daily starting point and an adult ready to take part. Let the plan serve Scripture reading and connection rather than become another task to finish.
Sources and review approach
Advertised reading elements come from the book description supplied to Google Books. Hardcover, illustration, and edition details are corroborated by Harvest House’s catalog and the exact Amazon listing. The Amazon link above identifies the exact edition researched. Reading plans, discussion prompts, and buying advice here are my own suggestions. I have not handled this edition or completed a reading or activity trial, and this review does not summarize customer reviews.
