Marilyn E. Randall's Children's Books

"For Faithful Friends" by Marilyn E. Randall is a pleasant children's book. It is about a turtle that holes himself up in his shell under a fence. He is so terribly afraid of life and the world beyond his comfort zone that he does not even go out to eat. A friend of his--the mouse--is kind enough to gather food for the turtle and talk with him. The turtle and mouse have many talks together, and the mouse encourages the turtle to go and see the world. A dilemma arises as winter approaches and the turtle will no longer have the mouse to gather food for him. Also, there is a climactic event when the turtle must either save his friend or stay in his safe area of fear. The morals of this story are clear as day, and the added religious dialog is sweet for little eyes.

"Inside Out" by Marilyn E. Randall offers a reassuring message for youngsters. The protagonist is a frog who thinks he is quite ugly. He does not like the green color of his skin, the croaking noises he makes, and his big, bulging eyes. He compares himself to other animal and plants in nature that he considers beautiful. At one point, he pines to God for making him grotesque. While crying, his mother consoles him and sends him to a wise owl. The owl knocks some sense into the frog and tells him that he is perfect how he is. He lets the frog know that God does not make mistakes and that friends who love him are all around. The frog then begins to croak without inhibition. He then makes other friends and has a higher level of self-confidence. This book is great for children that are stuck in the rut of comparison.

"Elmer the Christmas Elf" by Marilyn E. Randall is a quaint book for children. It is about an elf in Santa's workshop. Working diligently, Elmer is content. However, come Christmas day, a toy is left behind--which means one child will not have a present on Christmas. Distraught and a bit befuddled, Elmer bows down and prays to God for help. Subsequently, an angel comes and helps Elmer by having the child ride in Santa's sleigh back to the workshop so Elmer can give him the toy. There is a remarkable point in the book when it is stated that the love of God is the greatest gift of all. This short Christmas book will entertain little ones and put a smile on their faces. The graphics are very rudimentary and may inspire kids to pick up markers and draw the characters with ease.