About the book: Thomas S. Monson loved spending summers at his family's cabin in Utah's Vivian Park. One summer day, he and his best friend, Danny, decided to clear a field so they could gather with their friends and have a campfire that night. The tall, stubborn weeds would not pull out easily. So Tommy had the idea to burn them up instead.
He knew he shouldn't use matches without permission from his parents. But he ignored the feeling that warned him of the danger and raided the matchbox in the cabin. Back in the field, he lit one little match and prepared to set the parched June grass ablaze...
Readers of all ages will resonate with this wonderful true story that demonstrates the blessings of obedience and "the dangers that can come from something as small as one little match."
My review: My local Deseret Book was handing this book out to the first however many customers on Ladies Night last month and I was way excited to get it! But...then I put it away and didn't think about it again until I needed a quick lesson for Family Home Evening this week. And then I was way glad to have it.
I remember when President Monson told this story in his talk, I loved the way he added expression to it. I loved this talk again as our family discussed the pitfalls of disobedience during our lesson. I loved the way the book is put together, most pages have just a small paragraph or a few sentences with a great big, beautiful picture. The pictures in this one are really well done, I loved them all.
This is a perfect book to discuss obedience with your family, and what a beautiful way to do it!
About the author: President Thomas S. Monson has served as the sixteenth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2008. He was called as an Apostle in 1963 at the age of thirty-six. After serving as second counselor to President Ezra Taft Benson and then President Howard W. Hunter, he served as first counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley from 1995 to 2008. Thomas Spencer Monson was born to G. Spencer and Gladys Condie Monson on August 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City. Following his service in the U.S. Navy near the close of World War II, he graduated cum laude from the University of Utah and earned an MBA from Brigham Young University. He had a distinguished career in the publishing industry. He served as president of the Canadian Mission from 1959 to 1962 and was a member of several general Church committees before becoming an Apostle. He married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple in 1948. They are the parents of two sons and one daughter. They have eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
About the illustrator: Dan Burr, an award-winning illustrator, earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Utah State University and a master's degree in illustration from Syracuse University. He and his wife, Patti, are the parents of two children and live in Tetonia, Idaho. Dan has illustrated many children's books, including The Miracle of the Wooden Shoes, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, The Mansion, and The Christmas Train.Labels: Dan Burr, Lds picture book, Shadow Mountain Publishing, Thomas S Monson
