Carol Stream, Ill. (November 15, 2016)—We all have choices to make every day, even very young children. The choices kids make play a large part in forming who they grow to be as adults—will they choose to be obedient or disobedient, unselfish or selfish, positive or negative? In his whimsical debut children’s book, Ortberg encourages kids to use their God-given “magnificent Chooser” to help them to make the right choices daily.
Your Magnificent Chooser teaches children that God has given us all the ability to make choices and guides kids in cultivating a sense of responsibility for their actions. The ultimate goal is to help children develop the capacity to make good choices at a young age, growing them into strong followers of Christ. This meaningful content is paired with engaging rhyme and beautiful illustrations, making it a book that both parents and kids will want to read over and over again.
The impetus for this book was born out of Ortberg’s 2015 adult release, All the Places to Go . . . How Will You Know?, about making choices that lead to discerning God’s will for our lives. Linda Howard, Associate Publisher for Tyndale Kids, shared, “We felt that the subject matter would translate well into a children’s book, and when we presented the idea to John, he agreed and was genuinely excited to work on the book with us.” Howard’s team is “thrilled to partner with Ortberg on his first children’s book,” adding that “his engaging humor and Seuss-like rhyming made this book a true joy to work on.”
This release is one of the key acquisitions that demonstrates the new commitment Tyndale is making to build its children and youth division and will be at the center of a brand campaign for Tyndale Kids. The book releases on March 1, 2017.
John Ortberg is the senior pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church (MPPC), an author, and a speaker. John’s teaching centers around our everyday life with God and how God cares more about who we are becoming than what we do. He has written books on spiritual formation including, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, Faith and Doubt, Who is This Man?, Soul Keeping, and All the Places to Go . . . How Will You Know?.
Born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, John graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in psychology. He holds a master of divinity and doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Fuller Seminary. Prior to joining MPPC, John served as teaching pastor at Chicago’s Willow Creek Community Church. John is a member of the board of trustees at Fuller Seminary and the board for the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation, and he has served on the board of Christianity Today International. Follow John on Twitter @johnortberg and on Facebook.