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A Life Better Than I Deserve
Oct. 26, 2009
Review: Jim Burns' Pure Foundations Series
Recently I was provided two free books in Jim Burns' Pure Foundations series to review for Bethany House. I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for providing my honest review, and the opinions expressed represent my own and my family's experiences with this product.
From the impressive photography of these two volumes to the well-worded text, I have been impressed with these two volumes from Jim Burns designed to teach “values-centered sex education at home.” Each volume begins with a one page letter to the parents which touches on ways which they can use these books as a basis for laying a foundation of trust and honesty in talking through these topics with their own children. Not intended to be an all-inclusive program, the author intends these books to be an introduction in developing a healthy dialogue between parent and child. Do expect to find correct anatomical terminology along with simple line illustrations of the reproductive organs in both these volumes.
In Burns' first 32 page volume, God Made Your Body (for ages 3-5), I want to highlight the two font sizes of text. The larger font size contains one simple sentence on either every page or every other page. After reading the book and thinking it through, I realized that for the younger end of this recommended age, the larger font size alone could be read. Most 3-4 year old children simply will not have the patience for the reading of the complete text, as engaging and developmentally appropriate as the accompanying photographs may be. They simply will want to turn the pages too quickly. Although the inclusion of the two font sizes is not explained in the introductory letter to parents, I believe this is the author’s intent.
I also want to note that in the smaller font size the term “making love” is included, so parents may want to consider whether to read this terminology or substitute a different phrase. Emphases in the first volume include God’s creation of individuals, their similarities and differences, every individual’s worth to God, fetal development, infant care, and the God-ordained role of the family. Lovely, heartwarming photography is included throughout and multicultural images are used. This book appropriately closes with an excerpt from Psalm 139.
The second 47 page volume, How God Makes Babies (for ages 6-9) understandably discusses the topics introduced in the first volume in more detail. The wonderful photography continues to complement the well-worded text. “Making love” continues to be used as the preferred terminology and introduced is God’s plan of waiting to share your private parts until marriage. Prevention of abuse is also a theme in this volume, although not covered within the volume intended for younger children.
Fetal development is given more detail in this volume, as is infant care. I especially love the photography of actual newborn infants in this volume! I further appreciated the inclusion of midwives with doctors in the discussion of childbirth as well as the suggestion that breastfeeding is the normal way that God has created for infants to receive nourishment. A modest photograph of an infant nursing is featured on that page, and formula is presented as another option. God’s role in forming families as well as individuals is continued and adoption is introduced as another way in which families may be formed. Scripture is interspersed throughout this volume. Warm, approachable, honest, well-written, beautifully photographed.
I already own a couple of different volumes which cover this subject, yet Burns’ are the ones I now prefer and I am considering purchasing the other three volumes in this series. One is designed for pre-teens, another for teens, and the final one is for parents. Do consider the recommended ages listed on these volumes as guidelines. For example, many children may not be interested in nor sit still for the complete text of the first volume until age 5 or 6. As a former natural childbirth educator and home educating mother of five, I have previously seen a few different resources as well as formed a few personal opinions on how to best encourage a healthy understanding of God’s role in forming humans and healthy reproductive education. I am glad to have found these volumes and I recommend them for Christian homes.
These two volumes are available in hardcover from Bethany House for $12.99 each.
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