The nature scenes and warm family interactions reinforce and make visible the message of God’s love.
Gentle rhyming verses introduce young children to the enormity and steadfastness of God’s love.
Every spread except the final one starts with the titular question. A rhyming ABA verse goes on to describe the vastness of God’s love: “More than every cloud above. / He watches and protects you / and keeps you in His love.” On this page, readers see an adult with their arm around a child as well as a parent-child cat duo curled up together in slumber and a cow watching out for its calf. Many pages echo the message in the illustrations like this. “If ever you feel small and scared, / He will hold you in His hand” shows a parent holding an infant as the family explores a tidal pool. God’s love is described as greater than all sorts of natural things, including grains of sand, raindrops, ocean waves, trees, and twinkling stars. The illustrations depict families that are diverse in gender, race, skin tone, age, ability, and number of members, and the nature scenes go through all four seasons as well as an entire day, from sunrise to nighttime. Wildlife is anthropomorphized to emphasize tender expressions and loving actions. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
The nature scenes and warm family interactions reinforce and make visible the message of God’s love. (Religious picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66430-015-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations.
Bergren and Bryant attempt to explain Easter to young children in a gentle, nonthreatening manner, with partial success.
When Little Cub questions her father about Easter, Papa Bear explains the religious significance of the holiday in various symbolic ways to his cub. He uses familiar things from their world, such as an egg and a fallen tree, to draw parallels with aspects of the Christian story. Papa Bear discusses his close relationships with Jesus and God, encouraging Little Cub to communicate with God on her own. The theme focuses on the renewal of life and the positive aspects of loving God and Jesus. Easter is presented as a celebration of eternal life, but the story skirts the issue of the crucifixion entirely. Some adults will find this an inadequate or even dishonest approach to the Easter story, but others will appreciate the calm and soothing text as a way to begin to understand a difficult subject. Bryant’s charming watercolor illustrations of the polar bear family, their cozy home and snowy forest scenes add to the overall mellow effect.
Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations. (Religion/picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-307-73072-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: WaterBrook
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
Though it will never usurp Dr. Seuss, it will still find a home where Christian families of faith seek inspirational picture...
Turner adds another title to his picture-book series that highlights the miracles in the mundane (When God Made Light, 2018, etc.).
In the vein of children’s-bookshelf stalwart Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Turner’s rhyming text includes both prayers and life advice for a growing child, beginning with infancy and moving on to adolescence. At times the rhyme and meter are strained, muddling meaning and making the tempo feel occasionally awkward when read aloud. Overall, though, the book executes its mission, presenting Christian theological truths within the rhythmic inspirational text. For this third series installment Turner’s text is paired with a new illustrator, whose bright illustrations of wide-eyed children have great shelf appeal. While David Catrow’s previous illustrations in the series featured effervescent black protagonists, the child in Barnes’ illustrations appears white, though she occupies an otherwise diverse world. While illustrated as a prayer from a mother for her daughter, the text itself is gender neutral.
Though it will never usurp Dr. Seuss, it will still find a home where Christian families of faith seek inspirational picture books. (Picture book/religion. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 19, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-52565058-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: WaterBrook
Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
