By Miss Robin
Little Light Press
www.littlelightpress.com
www.babybic.com
7109-G West Hefner Road, Suite 140
Oklahoma City, OK 73162
405-760-1118
BiC's Baptism is an 8½" x 11" paperback book with 32 pages. It explains the reason for baptism and the fears that children have about being baptized. BiC stands for "Babe in Christ." This is one of the books in the BiC series by Miss Robin. She wrote it for children ages 4 to 8.
The story opens with a child and his buddy Disciple Dan praying a prayer of salvation. Then the child becomes a Babe in Christ (BiC). They head to church to witness an adult baptism. From there, BiC wonders about baptism. He knows that he should be baptized. Miss Robin writes that "baptism does not save you." As BiC struggles with the thoughts of baptism, Disciple Dan tells him examples from the Bible about baptism. He reminds him that God has not given us a spirit of fear. BiC visits a wise church elder, Mr. Owl, and tells him of his fears of baptism. Mr. Owl reminds BiC that when we are afraid we should trust in God. The next Sunday BiC is baptized. Disciple Dan says, "You obeyed God. You conquered your fears." Then BiC reveals that in the end he wasn't even nervous.
I can see a homeschooling family using BiC's Baptism to support religious education. The book does explain the theology for baptism as well as the fears of an unknown experience. This is a book that would be helpful to have on the bookshelf when that moment occurs in the life of your child, when they want to be baptized but are unsure of the experience. Families that baptize infants would not find this book helpful.
I liked that the story began with salvation. It is the beginning of a child's spiritual life. I also liked that BiC felt that he should be baptized. I, too, have a child that thinks she should be baptized but gets nervous just thinking about it. I thought that it was funny that Miss Robin had BiC say, "Good! I don't want to be baptized." Just like my child, BiC understands the importance of baptism but just can't do it. I really liked that Miss Robin used paraphrases from the Bible to expel BiC's fears.
My 8-year-old son found the illustrations to be too juvenile for him. BiC is nearly bald, so he appears to be very young. But his language is that of an older child.
I think that Miss Robin has an insight into children's unspoken fears of baptism. BiC's
Baptism is a well-written book. Hopefully, by reading this book with their parents, many young children will be able to express their fears of being baptized and then overcome those fears.
Product review by Maggi Beardsley, The Old Schoolhouse®Magazine, LLC, November 2008
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