To encourage tolerance, the photographer/authors want to help children understand similarities among Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

The authors assume readers will be people of faith, not atheists or agnostics. After short descriptions of each religion, common themes, such as the Golden Rule, spiritual leaders, sacred texts, clothing, symbols, places of worship, worship acts (use of incense, candles, water, and prayer), charity and cherishing children are explored. The text can be very specific, mentioning branches of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist) without explaining the differences. (Sunni and Shiite Muslims are not delineated.) Activities will help children, teachers and parents think about religion in a comparative manner, although no sources or further reading are provided, which is a glaring omission. The attractive photos are often cropped into circular or curvilinear shapes and presented on brightly colored pages, giving the book the look of a magazine. Identified by religion but not by country, the photos were taken in the United States and eight other nations, including Mexico, Turkey and Vietnam. Interestingly, Israel and India, seemingly obvious choices, are not included. Captions would have been helpful for some photos such as a picture of a Muslim boy in a distinctive white cape and jeweled hat, which remains unexplained in the text.

Words and extensive illustrations describe the beliefs, practices and customs of the followers of five major world religions.

People use religion, Wills writes in this German import, to find answers to “life’s big questions.” While “Rituals and community provide everyday life with structure and give people support through difficult times,” belief is personal, and the freedom to choose whether to believe and what to believe is paramount. From the perspective of an effort to understand one another, the text delves into Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. For each religion, a summary describes the major tenets of faith, the sources of the faith’s teachings, and some major lifestyle practices and rules. Next, a full double-page spread of colorful illustrations offers scenes from daily life for followers of that faith, including rituals such as weddings, worship, and funerals. Finally, isolated images from the art are described in sentences or short paragraphs. The spreads identify regional specifics, such as the Ganges River, the Temple Mount, and the Great Mosque of Djenné, and represent practices across different cultures. The elaborate illustrations are reminiscent of seek-and-find books and provide much content for young eyes to pore over. Eventually, curiosity about what the people are doing will lead slightly older readers to explore the busy pages of explanations, where difficult subjects such as conflict over holy sites in Jerusalem are handled with care. The focus on the actual practices of the faithful makes this volume a valuable key to understanding our world.