Alyssia Marie Bellisher (Aly) doesn’t like change. She should be excited. It’s the first day of her last year of elementary school. Instead, Aly is worried. What is her new teacher going to like. Will she be nice or mean? Most importantly, will her best friend Sandy be in her class?
Aly gets to class and Sandy is no where in sight. The young girl learns later that her friend is being homeschooled. As if that isn’t enough worry, Aly learns that her new teacher’s name is Mrs. Canible. The whole class mistakes the name as cannibal and assumes the worst, particularly that the new teacher has eaten Sandy.
Mrs. Canible is aware that her name sometimes scares students and immediately relieves their worries. She then shares treasures that she has brought from her African homeland. Aly’s favorite is a bowl with the “Hear no evil”, “See no evil”, and Speak no evil” monkeys. This bedazzling bowl reminds Aly of a Bible verse. Maybe this year isn’t going to be so bad afterall.
Proceeds of this book will be donated to Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) for their Pedaling for Pearl Project which intends to create a four story building for CEF workers in Uganda.
Rating: 5 / 5
I enlisted my nine-year-old daughter’s help in reviewing Wendy Lynn Decker’s book, “The Bedazzling Bowl.” I honestly don’t know who liked the book more–my daughter or me. I do know that we both made a wonderful new friend and her name is Aly M. Bellisher.
Aly M. Bellisher is experiencing change. And change is not something Aly embraces with open arms. Besides entering the fifth grade, her final year as an elementary student, Aly discovers on the first day of school that her best friend, Sandy, is not there to share it with her.
Initially, Aly suspects Sandy may be ill, but upon meeting Mrs. Canible’, her new (and somewhat strange) teacher with the giant alligator teeth, Aly decides Mrs. Canible’ is really a cannibal who has eaten Sandy. But Aly soon realizes the truth: Sandy is now being homeschooled and won’t be coming to public school at all anymore!
At first, Aly is a little lost without her best friend. Sandy is the only other Christian she knows at school. Then Aly meets Cassidy, a girl who came from a special education class. Although they hit it off right away, Aly struggles with befriending someone so “different,” especially when popular but not-so-nice classmate, Kimber, strongly disapproves of Cassidy and let’s everyone know it.
School/friend problems aside, Aly is desperately trying to figure out the mysterious meaning of the Bible verse she is being forced by her parents to memorize. Throughout the story, Aly comes to learn exactly what the verse means and realizes just how it applies to her life at the moment.
“The Bedazzling Bowl” is expertly written. I would go so far as to compare Aly with Beverly Cleary’s character, Ramona Quimby. Aly is real and honest, and kids like her can likely be found in elementary classrooms all over the world. Children between the ages of 7-12 will identify with Aly’s struggle to discover just how she fits in and how to let her Christian light shine to those around her, particularly in the midst of fifth-grade peer pressure.
Wendy Lynn Decker does a marvelous job of weaving messages into Aly’s story without sounding preachy. Subtle lessons include: not judging someone based on appearance alone, accepting those who aren’t “normal” by the world’s standard, and standing up for what you believe is right.
In conclusion, “The Bedazzling Bowl,” is a delightful and entertaining read that is sure to be enjoyed by all–kids and parents alike. With easy-to-read dialogue that kids can understand, a touch of humor laced throughout, and the take-away value, Aly M. Bellisher is a character you’ll remember for a long time to come; a character you’ll be glad to call your friend. My daughter and I both give, “The Bedazzling Bowl” an A+ grade and agree that this book belongs on shelves in every library. Immediately after finishing the book, my daughter asked when the next “Aly” book is coming out.”
This book is wonderful! A true delight!! I would strongly recommend it for all parents to get for their children. It teaches good wholesome values and acceptance.
Rating: 5 / 5
The author, Wendy Decker, has created a warm and “kid-friendly” world, where young girls and young boys can read about the adventures of Aly M. Bellisher.
Our young heroine’s adventures serve as the basis for faith and life lessons in a gentle and engaging way. Different, and sometime difficult, personalities come into play as we are introduced to Aly’s friends. How Aly deals with and resolves these verious situations can generate hours of parent/child discussions – truly a blessing!
Take a young girl heroine like Aly M. Bellisher and combine that with an imaginative author like Wendy Lynn Decker and you get an amusing and clever story filled with adventures and childhood fantasies. Is Aly’s new teacher really a cannibal? Is she responsible for the disappearance of Aly’s best friend Sandy?
In this funny and applicable story of faith in the midst of change, Aly must learn to cope with undesirable circumstances and venture outside her own comfort zone in order to make new friends, even those who may not be the most popular kids in school.
“The Bedazzling Bowl” is a great book that I’d recommend to any parent looking for quality, character-building literature for their children. Four stars!
Rating: 4 / 5
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Alyssia Marie Bellisher (Aly) doesn’t like change. She should be excited. It’s the first day of her last year of elementary school. Instead, Aly is worried. What is her new teacher going to like. Will she be nice or mean? Most importantly, will her best friend Sandy be in her class?
Aly gets to class and Sandy is no where in sight. The young girl learns later that her friend is being homeschooled. As if that isn’t enough worry, Aly learns that her new teacher’s name is Mrs. Canible. The whole class mistakes the name as cannibal and assumes the worst, particularly that the new teacher has eaten Sandy.
Mrs. Canible is aware that her name sometimes scares students and immediately relieves their worries. She then shares treasures that she has brought from her African homeland. Aly’s favorite is a bowl with the “Hear no evil”, “See no evil”, and Speak no evil” monkeys. This bedazzling bowl reminds Aly of a Bible verse. Maybe this year isn’t going to be so bad afterall.
Proceeds of this book will be donated to Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) for their Pedaling for Pearl Project which intends to create a four story building for CEF workers in Uganda.
Rating: 5 / 5
I enlisted my nine-year-old daughter’s help in reviewing Wendy Lynn Decker’s book, “The Bedazzling Bowl.” I honestly don’t know who liked the book more–my daughter or me. I do know that we both made a wonderful new friend and her name is Aly M. Bellisher.
Aly M. Bellisher is experiencing change. And change is not something Aly embraces with open arms. Besides entering the fifth grade, her final year as an elementary student, Aly discovers on the first day of school that her best friend, Sandy, is not there to share it with her.
Initially, Aly suspects Sandy may be ill, but upon meeting Mrs. Canible’, her new (and somewhat strange) teacher with the giant alligator teeth, Aly decides Mrs. Canible’ is really a cannibal who has eaten Sandy. But Aly soon realizes the truth: Sandy is now being homeschooled and won’t be coming to public school at all anymore!
At first, Aly is a little lost without her best friend. Sandy is the only other Christian she knows at school. Then Aly meets Cassidy, a girl who came from a special education class. Although they hit it off right away, Aly struggles with befriending someone so “different,” especially when popular but not-so-nice classmate, Kimber, strongly disapproves of Cassidy and let’s everyone know it.
School/friend problems aside, Aly is desperately trying to figure out the mysterious meaning of the Bible verse she is being forced by her parents to memorize. Throughout the story, Aly comes to learn exactly what the verse means and realizes just how it applies to her life at the moment.
“The Bedazzling Bowl” is expertly written. I would go so far as to compare Aly with Beverly Cleary’s character, Ramona Quimby. Aly is real and honest, and kids like her can likely be found in elementary classrooms all over the world. Children between the ages of 7-12 will identify with Aly’s struggle to discover just how she fits in and how to let her Christian light shine to those around her, particularly in the midst of fifth-grade peer pressure.
Wendy Lynn Decker does a marvelous job of weaving messages into Aly’s story without sounding preachy. Subtle lessons include: not judging someone based on appearance alone, accepting those who aren’t “normal” by the world’s standard, and standing up for what you believe is right.
In conclusion, “The Bedazzling Bowl,” is a delightful and entertaining read that is sure to be enjoyed by all–kids and parents alike. With easy-to-read dialogue that kids can understand, a touch of humor laced throughout, and the take-away value, Aly M. Bellisher is a character you’ll remember for a long time to come; a character you’ll be glad to call your friend. My daughter and I both give, “The Bedazzling Bowl” an A+ grade and agree that this book belongs on shelves in every library. Immediately after finishing the book, my daughter asked when the next “Aly” book is coming out.”
Let’s hope it’s soon.
Rating: 5 / 5
This book is wonderful! A true delight!! I would strongly recommend it for all parents to get for their children. It teaches good wholesome values and acceptance.
Rating: 5 / 5
The author, Wendy Decker, has created a warm and “kid-friendly” world, where young girls and young boys can read about the adventures of Aly M. Bellisher.
Our young heroine’s adventures serve as the basis for faith and life lessons in a gentle and engaging way. Different, and sometime difficult, personalities come into play as we are introduced to Aly’s friends. How Aly deals with and resolves these verious situations can generate hours of parent/child discussions – truly a blessing!
Lets have more of Aly’s adventures!
Rating: 5 / 5
Take a young girl heroine like Aly M. Bellisher and combine that with an imaginative author like Wendy Lynn Decker and you get an amusing and clever story filled with adventures and childhood fantasies. Is Aly’s new teacher really a cannibal? Is she responsible for the disappearance of Aly’s best friend Sandy?
In this funny and applicable story of faith in the midst of change, Aly must learn to cope with undesirable circumstances and venture outside her own comfort zone in order to make new friends, even those who may not be the most popular kids in school.
“The Bedazzling Bowl” is a great book that I’d recommend to any parent looking for quality, character-building literature for their children. Four stars!
Rating: 4 / 5