Tomas Looks Up and Out: When You Don't Consider Others

Tomas Looks Up and Out helps children learn how God considers us and wants us to look to him for help so that we consider others too.

Tomas Turtle starts his day thinking more about himself than others. Not only is he annoyed that his sister Tori’s cough kept him awake, but he also brags to all of his friends about his successes. It’s not until he gets sick and his friends take care of him that Tomas learns to look up to God and out to others.

Edited by counselor Alasdair Groves, Tomas Looks Up and Out offers concrete, grace-based help for growing in empathy and is part of the Good News for Little Hearts series, which brings gospel wisdom and biblical counsel to families. Based on CCEF’s model of hope and help, each story focuses on an animal family’s real-life issues, encouraging young readers toward a growing relationship with Jesus during challenging circumstances.

• A special section at the end of the book guides parents in having meaningful conversations with their kids about empathy and considering others, based on biblical truth
• Children ages four to seven will be captivated by Joe Hox’s colorful, fun illustrations that bring the animal world to life
• Teaches children and parents how to apply God’s Word to the everyday problem of not considering others

J. Alasdair Groves, MDiv, is a counselor and Executive Director of CCEF where he previously served as the director of CCEF’s School of Biblical Counseling. He also co-founded and was executive director of a biblical counseling center in Northern New England. He is the co-author of Untangling Emotions and editor of Tomas Looks Up and Out. Alasdair has published a number of articles in the Journal of Biblical Counseling, hosts CCEF’s podcast and produced many blogs, videos, and audio resources. Alasdair and his wife, Lauren, live in New England with their three children. Alasdair is a fiction enthusiast, plays ultimate frisbee, and loves to produce and enjoy both good food and good music.

Joe Hox was raised on a farm in southern Iowa where he doodled whenever he wasn’t spading thistles or feeding pigs. Everyone knew by his crooked hay rows that he would choose art over farming. Joe earned his BA in art and education from Dordt College, and his MA from the University of Nebraska. Today he lives with his wife and four children in Pella, Iowa, where he illustrates and teaches art. Joe has illustrated all the Good News for Little Hearts series books, as well as The Moon Is Always Round.