Many good things take time, but this book is short and sweet.
Levine and Eisenberg Sasso team up for another picture book based on the parables of Jesus, highlighting the lessons and values one can learn from observing nature.
“Once a gardener planted a fig tree,” the book begins. In this tree lies the promise of delightful shade and delicious fruit. The seasons change and the tree grows taller; but alas, it fails to come into leaf and there is no harvest to speak of. A White gardener and a group of racially diverse children keep watch. “Will the tree ever grow up?” the youngsters ask, and the gardener recommends patience. Another year goes by, but still the tree refuses to yield figs and shade. Adults begin to call the tree “good for nothing,” and even the gardener begins to wonder if they should start afresh with a new planting, but the children know the tree just needs more love and more time. As year follows year, the children lovingly and persistently tend to their beloved tree, ultimately reaping the literal fruit of their labor. Guaranteed to draw comparisons to The Giving Tree (1964), this book inverts Silverstein’s now-classic narrative by showing child protagonists giving tirelessly to an eponymous tree; however, the lesson here seems to be persistence rather than love devoid of self-interest. Though the story strays far from the biblical teaching it draws from, its themes remain scriptural and are also universal. Bowler’s illustrations invite interest with their palpable textures and impressionistic lights and shadows.
Many good things take time, but this book is short and sweet. (authors’ note, recipe) (Religious picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-947888-31-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Flyaway Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 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
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer.
Actor Metz and songwriter Collins join illustrator Fields in their second faith-related title for young children.
Instead of focusing on the language of prayer—what to say or how to say it—this book explores a topic central to the lives of the very young: their feelings around talking to God. Rhymes and near-rhymes in the AABB verses enumerate the simple challenges and triumphs experienced by a series of animals: “Sometimes I’m sad, not sure what to do. / There are days I feel teary, unhappy, or blue. / I fell off a log. I’m embarrassed and hurt. / My coat and paws are all covered in dirt.” An accompanying illustration depicts a sad wolf pup, a definite contrast to its siblings, who are delighting in their play. The highlight of the book is Fields’ animal characters. Whether happy, nervous, or sad, their expressive faces are easy to read, and their feelings will be familiar to young tots. The beaver’s frustration is palpable, and the tears in the scared raccoon’s eyes may just make readers’ own eyes well up. Some of the animals have a God stand-in to help them with their feelings—a friend or family member—but the final spread shows all the individual animals coming together in a couple of group hugs that express where children can find support (and sweetly defy predator–prey relationships).
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780593691366
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
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