Growing Great Kids by Kate Battistelli (Book Review)

I just finished reading Kate’s book, Growing Great Kids and I am happy to have the opportunity to include my review here.

About the book author

Kate Battistelli is a wife, author, speaker, former Broadway actress, and mom to one of Christian music’s most celebrated new recording artists — Grammy-nominated, Christian contemporary singer song- writer Francesca Battistelli.

Kate currently volunteers at ESTHER Single Mothers Outreach and is thoroughly enjoying her newest role as grandmother to Francesca’s first child, Matthew Elijah.

Learn more about Kate at: https://katebattistelli.com/about-me/meet-kate/ and you can connect with Kate in several different ways at the following links:

• Kate’s website: https://katebattistelli.com/
• Kate on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateBattistelli
• Kate on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/katebattistelli
• Youtube video of Kate’s Interview with Today’s Issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMjUnMV3hts
• Francesca’s website: https://www.francescamusic.com/

Book Review

Growing Great Kids is well written and constructed. Kate took time to research and include some great information and resources. Her style of writing is one that captures you and makes it hard to put the book down. I found that it was a smooth and easy read.

Kate did well to give a great picture of her family life with her husband and daughter. It is quite clear that she loves them both very much and I was especially delighted with the godly descriptions and honor she paid to them. Truth be told, I love her daughter Francesca’s music and that is what originally drew me to this book review. Truly though, once I started reading I fell in love with Kate too, and now I know why her lovely daughter is so lovely! Kate leads you through the journey that brought “Franny” into the entertainment world. It was fun to read about the Mama of one of my favorite Christian music recording artists.

My favorite chapter in Growing Great Kids is entitled Be Available. You see, when I first started raising kids I was not available and in fact, I did not even know the Lord. It was only after the prayers and guidance of some very special women of God that I was convicted that I needed to be home with my children. In today’s world it is sad to see that the “stay at home mom” role has been degraded and many times frowned upon. Kate is not afraid to admit that making the time to help Franny pursue her dreams was not always easy. Kate shares some intimate details about her own childhood that dramatically impacted the decisions that she and her husband made for Franny. I am not going to tell you any of those details because I want you to read this book! It was refreshing to know that Kate never claims to be an expert in raising children; only an expert in raising her own daughter. Love that!

Favorite Parts

• Favorite quote: “Kids deeply care about what their parents think, particularly when it comes to their ideas and the dreams they have for their lives” (p. 81)
• The photos are great and really give this book a personal touch (pp. 105-120)
• The layout of the book with questions and a prayer at the end of each chapter lends well to the book being used as a book study for young moms — it might even work well in a group book study.
• The “lessons learned” that Kate shares, such as setting goals, be the involved parent, be their biggest fan and especially, you’re not them are very insightful and invaluable to the new parent.
• The last chapter Common Parenting Traps is one that I think will hit home with all parents, young and old

Not So Favorite Parts

• Throughout the book I yearned to get those early years with my kids back so that I could undo some of the things and redo them with Kate’s advice and wisdom
• Sometimes I wish the language in the book would have been a little more relaxed — less formal
• I would have liked to see Chapter 11 Prayer, the Essential Ingredient closer to the beginning of the book because the subtitle of the book is Partner with GOD to cultivate His purpose in your child’s life — partnering with God requires constant communication with Him and we do that through prayer

Overall recommendation

This book is best suited for the new parents or the husband and wife waiting to be blessed with children. The format is suitable for personal or group book study. It is a refreshing change from the other parenting books that are available on the market today. If you believe you have outgrown this book perhaps you will consider getting it as a gift for your grown children, nieces, nephews or close friends.

Purchasing links

Growing Great Kids is AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE in bookstores and major retailers for $14.99. You can buy a discounted and personally autographed copy  here. Or purchase online at: Amazon, Christianbook.com, Barnes&Noble or your favorite online retailer.