A bedtime book for praying families that will guide children in giving thanks.
A cast of sweet forest creatures thanks God in prayer for the many blessings of their day.
The bedtime routine consisting of a bath, a favorite song, snuggles, and a cozy bed may be familiar to many young children. But these particular young animals (who look more like stuffed toys than realistic animals) don’t forget to also include their nighttime prayers. “Thank you, God, / for friends and fun. / Memory making, / rain or sun.” In the artwork, a bear, a fox, and a bird fix a broken wagon wheel, and then the bear gives the fox, an owl, and a skunk a ride. “Thank you, God, / for where we live. / Enough to share / and help and give.” In this double-page spread, animals in a clearing appear to be sharing some fruit at the center of their circle. Family, teachers, nature’s beauty, and God’s steadfastness, light—“Hope for those in need tonight”—and love are other things to be thankful for. The verses sometimes stumble with regard to rhyme and clear meaning thanks to complex syntax: “Thank you, God, for your peace. / Any worry yours to keep.” The coziness of the watercolor illustrations, done in soft colors and most featuring tender physical contact, will certainly put children in a soporific mood. A scratchy technique lends the furry animals texture.
A bedtime book for praying families that will guide children in giving thanks. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: April 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7282-3570-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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 sweet, colorful start for a Christian spiritual journey.
A cheery child gives thanks to God.
“When I see a rainbow / High up in the sky / I say a little prayer of thanks, / And here’s the reason why: // Because God loves me!” This board book’s focus is the comforting notion that God loves all his children, and no matter what, he will always look out for them. The text follows an ABCB rhyme scheme, breaking after every stanza to repeat the phrase “Because God loves me!” The small, light-skinned child has spiky brown hair and wears a dress; both the child and a chubby accompanying dog are appealingly illustrated with a bright, simple color palette and scratchy lines that appear to have been made with colored pencil. God is the only name given for the deity, implying a primarily Christian audience. The book’s message is clear, and its construction is sturdy, suiting this well to parents who are beginning to have conversations with their little readers regarding their beliefs.
A sweet, colorful start for a Christian spiritual journey. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58925-237-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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