LORD HELP ME

Routine activities are grounded in childlike faith demonstrated through everyday prayers and guileless optimism.

A brown-haired, beige-skinned girl with the first initial E, who readers might assume shares the name Emme with the 12-year-old author, takes them through a day of simple and sometimes profound prayers. She starts her day with prayers for the motivation to leave her warm, cozy bed, to get out the door on time, and to pay attention in school. E prays to develop her patience, honesty, gratitude, and self-discipline; she prays for her family, friends, and pets; and she even throws in a quick prayer for her favorite animal, the sloth. The author’s note reveals that the prayers were inspired by her own daily prayers and how the simple practice of praying throughout the day has brought peace. While the author may not be a household name, her parents (Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony) are, yet despite her famous family the book is endearingly down to earth. Figueroa’s cartoons depict E in a comfortable but fairly unremarkable suburban setting; readers will enjoy seeing E’s sloth-themed décor as well as dog Lady and bunnies Nibble and Skittles. The everyday activities that inspire E’s prayers are sure to resonate with many readers, as will the encouraging message to trust God with the small stuff. The full text of the traditional bedtime prayer “Now I lay me down to sleep” appears at the end. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 30.3% of actual size.)

An accessible and even fun book of useful prayers for the modern kid.