As parents, we often come across books that claim to be suitable for our children. However, the reality is that not all of them live up to this claim. Bookstores, libraries, and online lists are flooded with books that, if not proactively avoided, can have a detrimental impact on the impressionable minds of our precious children. If you've ever found yourself considering the question, 'What makes a book truly wholesome?' we have compiled a summary of the characteristics that we believe define this quality:
Moral Lessons:Â Wholesome children's books convey clear moral lessons, teaching children the importance of kindness, honesty, integrity, and compassion. These stories provide opportunities for character development and ethical decision-making.
Family Values and Respect for Authority:Â Emphasizing the significance of family and respect for authority is integral. Wholesome books underscore the importance of respecting parents, elders, and other authoritative figures, instilling in children a sense of obedience and reverence for those in positions of leadership.
Positive Role Models:Â Wholesome books feature characters who serve as positive role models for children. These characters demonstrate virtues such as resilience, perseverance, and humility, guiding young readers to make positive choices.
Humane Treatment of Animals:Â Wholesome books emphasize the humane treatment of animals, teaching children about responsibility and empathy towards living creatures.
No Graphic Violence or Inappropriate Content:Â Wholesome books avoid graphic violence, inappropriate language, and content that may be unsettling for young readers. The focus is on creating a safe and nurturing reading environment for children.
Encouragement of Creativity:Â Wholesome children's books encourage problem-solving and creativity through realistic scenarios and relatable characters.
Cultural and Historical Appreciation:Â Books that introduce children to different cultures and historical events in a respectful and age-appropriate manner contribute to their understanding of the world around them.
Biblical Values:Â Wholesome children's books incorporate biblical values and inspire positive home environments. These stories may include themes of faith, love, forgiveness, and the importance of following the teachings of the Bible.
While the above characteristics are prerequisites for all the books we feature, we also thoroughly vet each and every book to align with several key features. By following the advice of Philippians 4:8, which advises us to "...fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable," we promise to feature books which are embody the following:
Truthful and Right:Â We place an emphasis on real-life people, animals, and events. Fantasy elements, talking animals, made-up creatures, and super-human traits are excluded from our selections. Our focus is on narratives that reflect the truth of life as seen through a conservative Christian lens.
Pure and Lovely: We strictly avoid the glorification of anything that is ugly, crude, or wicked. Our criteria for illustrations in books require them to be beautiful and realistic. The visual elements in the books we feature aim to foster a love for reading and improve comprehension.
Noble and Honorable: Characters within the books we curate serve as positive role models for children. They exemplify qualities such as humility, obedience, truthfulness, hard work, diligence, compassion, and courage. Our selections highlight characters who are grateful, generous, sincere, honorable, and exhibit self-control. By featuring stories with noble and honorable characters, we aim to provide children with positive examples to emulate in their own lives.
At Pure Pages Library, it is our sincere goal is to be a trusted resource for parents seeking wholesome and uplifting books for their children. As we curate recommended book lists, our ultimate aim is to be a reliable source for parents who share our vision of instilling positive values in their children. To learn more about our journey to providing this valuable resource, visit our About Us page!