Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
My daughter Ellie and I have been having a great time working through The Adventures of Rooney Cruz RINGLEADERS from Truth Becomes Her. It’s been a fun way for us to connect as we learn more about some amazing women in the Bible.
What Is This Product?
I received a physical copy of several different Bible resources, but I also received a digital copy of the book to use until the physical copy arrived. This set included a hardback book, a coloring book, a journal, and a devotional. Each one is designed to work together to help your daughter learn more about some important Biblical women. Let’s look at each resource a bit more in depth.
Hardback Book
This book is beautiful! It’s a great size (9-inch by 9-inch) and really colorful. Each chapter ends with a scripture to help you think more about what you just read.
We were able to read the book okay in the digital format, but the physical copy is the one we both preferred. The photos in the digital one didn’t seem nearly as beautiful (computer screens can be weird with colors and everything), and in addition, it was nice just to sit and snuggle as we read without worrying about if we could both see the screen or anything.
The book is broken into several chapters. We found each one to be the perfect length for reading aloud together. Typically, my daughter read a page and then I did. It was a fun way to spend time together, and we both looked forward to it. The book was written at a level that Ellie could have easily read by herself, but it was more meaningful to read it together.
In the book, a girl named Rooney Cruz is the main character. She is a typical girl, going to school, having fun with friends, and occasionally running into trials. The difference? Rooney has an angle named Mari to help her when things get tough.
Mari helps Rooney to see how women in the Bible responded to similar situations. This helps Rooney grow in her faith, and apply it to her life. Throughout the book, she learns more about several women from the New Testament:
- Elizabeth (which my Ellie Elisabeth really appreciated!)
- Mary
- The Samaritan woman at the well
- Mary and Martha
- Mary Magdalene
As Mari takes Rooney back in time to see these women, she can learn about them and learn from them. She learns the importance of salvation, and sharing the message of it with others.
Throughout the book, Rooney is also dealing with her desires to be in the school play. These portions were written in a realistic fiction way that was easy to read and follow along. The author (Erin Weidemann) did a great job helping Rooney’s character come to life on the page. You felt happy when she was happy, and sad when she was sad. And through it all, no matter the emotion, Rooney learned to trust God and learn from Him and His word. It’s a lesson that all of us need!
Coloring Book
There was a coloring book to go along with the book. This would be a fun way to get younger kids involved in the story. They could color while you read it aloud. I had Ellie color a few pages during some free time. She is planning on having her little sister Brynna color some too as they talk about the story.
Mother Daughter Journal
This book was also beautiful. It’s designed to complete after reading different chapters of the book. There’s a page for moms and a page for daughters, then there are some free pages for each section. The pages are illustrated in a manner that isn’t distracting, but that makes the whole thing look elegant.
The prompts encourage you and your daughter to think more about the Bible story shared, and to think about related Bible verses and how you can apply it to your life. It was a very personal way to dig deeper into each lesson. Sometimes, it’s easier to write about your feelings than talk about them, especially if you have some anxiety, so this was a very low-pressure way to expand the lessons.
Ellie’s getting older and didn’t want her filled out journal pages to be online, so here’s a blank sheet so you can get a better sense of what they look like:
Devotional
Like the other books in this series, the devotional is beautiful. The images are engaging, and really bring more to the book instead of being a distraction. This devotional is fairly short, which I appreciated. Sometimes long ones can be a bit too intimidating for kids. This one had 40 days in it, which was a great amount.
The daily activities vary, to help keep it fresh and not seem boring. The girls are asked to read a scripture and a devotional, and then do an activity. Sometimes they write a response, sometimes they discuss it with a parent, and sometimes they draw. The activities don’t take long, but they do help to bring the lesson home and show the kids how to apply what they’re learning.
How We Used These Materials
As mentioned earlier, I used these with my ten-year-old daughter. We read through about two chapters a week, and she did some coloring and devotionals in the off days. We also tackled the journal entries, though this took more time and we’re moving a bit slower through it. Sometimes we have to go back and review before we write, but it helps to keep the stories more clear in our mind so we can think about them again and again.
These products could be used by kids in my daughter’s age range independently, except for the mother-daughter journal. But, I really enjoyed the opportunity to work with her together.
What We Thought
My daughter and I both enjoyed these books and thought they were really well made. They also helped us to think more about important women from the Bible and reflect on how they reacted to different events in their lives.
My daughter says:
I liked the story of Rooney Cruz. She really wanted to star in the play, but she didn’t get the role she wanted. Her angel helped her to see that she can do her best no matter what part she is playing. I liked how she used her bracelet to travel through time to see the women from the Bible. It’s a good story and I want to see if there are more books about Rooney. (There are.)
If you’re looking for a neat way to help your daughter learn more about key women from the Bible, I’d highly recommend these products from Truth Becomes Her.
