Arlo and the Great Big Cover-Up (TGC Kids)

“Betsy Childs Howard’s new story about Arlo is a fun read witha profound message: “cleaned up is much, much better than covered up.” Like all good kid’s books, it will benefit both child and parent. Children will laugh at Arlo’s silly attempts to hide his naughty mess from his mom, while parents are provided a clear model for talking with their kids about the consequences of sin and the cleansing that is found in Jesus. This is one of the very best books for teaching kids about repentance and grace.”

“What happens when you’ve made a mess that you can’t clean up? This is Arlo’s problem, and, as the story unfolds, we realize that it’s the fundamental problem of every human heart. But thankfully, Arlo is not left on his own. A wise mother points Arlo—and his readers—to the source of true cleansing. With its captivating illustrations, accessible language, and engaging plot, Arlo and the Great Big Cover-Up will delight young readers and warm the hearts of parents. This book is also fun to read aloud, which is a very good thing because its lesson of repentance and grace is one that we all need to hear again and again.”

“Real. Relatable. Restorative. I look forward to reading this book to my kids and savoring the conversations that follow. What a wonderful opportunity to talk to kids about God’s amazing grace!”

“We’ve all experienced times when we tried so very hard to cover up our sins rather than confess them. In our pride, we believed that we could mask our sin, when all we really did was make a bigger spiritual mess of our hearts and our lives. Arlo’s mom reflects the heart of God toward our sin, both in the way she allows Arlo to experience the consequences of his actions, and in how she lovingly restores him when he repents. This may be a kid’s book, but the lessons it contains are for us all.”

“My six-year-old son loves this story, told simply and with beautiful artwork. As a dad, I’m happy for stories that help my kids know how much better it is to have our sin cleaned up than covered up!”