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All You Want and Then Some by Carolyn McWilliams Brown Illustrated by Deb Hoeffner WinePress Publishing
book review by Wendy Thomas
"When my brothers were little and needed lots of attention, Momma and Daddy were busy and tired all the time."
This is the heart-warming story of a little girl, Katie, who feels crowded out of her parent's attention due to her demanding younger brothers. Neither of her parents have the time it seems to have "tea parties or play dress-up or draw." One morning, Katie meets up with an older neighbor, Bella, who devotes uninterrupted time playing games, baking food, and even practicing ballet with her. It is the answer to her prayers.
An appealing story for children and adults, All You Want and Then Some teaches us that gifts are sent from God when we most need them. Reminiscent of the golden rule, when Katie has to move, she takes the valuable lessons she learned from Bella and reaches out to others, compassionately caring for the needy within her new neighborhood. Katie discovers the joy of helping others and realizes that God has blessed her beyond her expectations—with new friends, a good feeling in her heart, and marshmallows that float. These are all the treasures she wanted in her life and then some.
This gently reflective and inspirational book weaves a charming story with an uplifting ending. The illustrations (self-described by Hoeffner as "soft realism") provide a beautiful and detailed account of the story making it the kind of book that can be read over and over while it continues to affirm the goodness in life.