Don't Worry, Warrior! by Levi Lusko

Don't Worry, Warrior!
by Levi Lusko,
Studio Muti (Illustrator)

ISBN-13: 9781400253265
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Released: Oct. 28, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Follow this guidebook to wage war against anxious thoughts! Bestselling author and pastor Levi Lusko will help your tween win the hardest battles of the middle school years, including the fears, insecurities, and negative thoughts within their own heads.

Peer pressure is sneaking up on you. Moodiness is hiding in the bushes, ready to pounce. And worry wants to pin you to the ground. But you don't have to be afraid of every problem and feeling that you're confronted with. You have so much more power over what you think, how you feel, and how you act than you ever knew!

Follow the fictional characters Luca and Coral as they become warriors who overcome their struggles and glean wisdom from the biblical teaching, sage advice, and practical tools shared in every chapter. Don't Worry, Warrior!, inspired by Levi's popular book I Declare War, is for ages 8 to 12 and is a fun mix of Levi's teaching, guidance from God's Word, and fictional stories that bring each struggle and victory to life. Suitable for small groups and Bible studies for preteens.


My Review:
Don't Worry, Warrior! is a Christian book for ages 8 to 12. Each chapter handled a different challenge and usually started with a fictional account following Luca or Coral as they dealt with emotional challenges, like moving or peer pressure. The fictional situation was set up, then there's a nonfiction section giving advice on how to handle similar situations. This included examples from the author's life and from the Bible along with some relevant Bible verses. This nonfiction section included a work sheet area were you're asked a few questions that help you analyze a similar situation to understand why you acted a certain way and how you might do it differently in the future. There's also a sidebar with suggestions on things to do or think about to become a more courageous warrior. Then the fictional section continued, showing the child getting that advice and how it worked out for them.

The book covered things like how to handle your feelings when things don't go your way (talk about it, give it to God, ask God to help), taking charge of your mood, finding the good in change, trying to fit in and dealing with bullying, how we say mean things when we're angry and steps we can take so we don't lash out with hurtful words, learning to explain how you feel and what made you feel that way, being aware of your bad habits and steps to take to make good habits, how daily habits and choices make it easier to perform your best when it matters most, and giving your worries to God. Overall, I thought that the book offered useful advice along with doable steps for tweens to make positive changes. I'd recommend it.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Beloved by Francis Chan

Beloved
by Francis Chan

ISBN-13: 9780830789054
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: David C Cook
Released: October 7, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley. Plus I bought a copy.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Despite pastoring for decades and reaching thousands of people through his books and preaching, Francis wrestled with deep-seated insecurity. He understood God’s love conceptually, but struggled to actually experience it. This resulted in a life that was far from the thrilling and peaceful life God saved us for. Francis prayed fervently for God to intervene, and asked his friends and family to do the same. The result was a fresh revelation of the depth of God’s love and affection. This brought about newfound freedom and enjoyment of God that only continues to grow.

As Francis shared this journey with others, he realized that many in the Church are burdened by the same insecurity, and God is zealous to change this. In Beloved, Francis Chan gives biblical insight our restlessness and striving is a symptom of our disbelief of God’s love and Satan’s schemes to keep us trapped in doubt and insecurity. Discover abiding in our identity as God’s beloved children and how God’s love overflows to a life of radical obedience and joy. God longs for His children to rest securely in His holy love. It’s what we were made for, and it is this inward confidence that causes us to be light unto the world.


My Review:
Beloved is about focusing on God's great love for us and how it can free us from the burden of trying to earn God's approval. The book "was written primarily to those who tend to focus on their own failures rather than His mercy, grace, and love." The author pointed out verses describing how much God loves us. He explained why we may not accept this and ways that Satan can keep us distracted from God's love and looking at ourselves. He described things you can do that will help you focus on God's love and counteract Satan's deceptions. He also looked at if we serve God out of our overflow of God's love or to try to earn God's love.

There were many good points, but my favorite quote was about how John called himself the beloved disciple and how "John was expressing faith in Christ's love, not in his own lovability." The book was written in a causal, conversational tone, and it was easy to follow his points. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Wonders of the First Christmas by Andy McGuire

The Wonders of the First Christmas
by Andy McGuire

ISBN-13: 9780310170211
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Released: October 7, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Christmas story is so familiar that we often take the details for granted. But did Mary and Joseph really ride on a donkey to Bethlehem? What was a manger and why did they use one for Jesus’s bed? And where were the wise men actually from? By approaching the story with historical insight and a child’s sense of wonder, Andy McGuire crafts a tale that feels fresh and insightful, using well-researched material and beautiful original artwork.

The Wonders of the First Christmas combines the gospel text of the nativity story with historical and geographic facts about ancient Israel and the life and times of Jesus. It gives children a solid foundation for their faith with beautiful art and additional content. For children ages 4 and up, it includes an easy-to-read main story as well as callouts with easy-to-understand facts.


My Review:
The Wonders of the First Christmas is a Christian book about Christmas for ages 4 and up. The illustrations were in a very realistic style and showed historically accurate visuals for the story. The main text recounts the birth of Jesus as described in the Bible, from Mary being visited by an angel until Jesus' family returns from Egypt after Herod's death. There were also boxes with a paragraph or two of historical information that expanded upon the main text, and this would be of more interest to maybe 7 year-olds and up. These boxes provided more information on carpenters, Rome, donkeys, inns, swaddling clothes, shepherds, sheep, angels, mangers, wise men, prophecy about Jesus' birth, myrrh and frankincense, camels, and Egypt. Overall, I think this would be of most interest to kids who have grown up hearing the basic Christmas story but are old enough to like learning more background information. I'd recommend this well-written and illustrated book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.