A positive, conscious approach to a stress-free morning routine before the day ahead.
The Jewish ritual of reciting the daily morning prayer called “Modeh Ani” is explored for all children as a mindful way to begin each day.
The Hebrew phrase modeh ani translates to “I am grateful.” Solomon takes this concept and applies it to how we can begin each day with gratitude for our health, our strength, and our bodies. “Thank you for this brand-new day. / My whole body is grateful.” Without reference to a deity, children are encouraged to pay attention to parts of their bodies with a simple thank you. “Thank you for my toes that tap. My feet that point.” Each body part is assigned a function or movement, building until kids are happily jumping and dancing across the pages. With a nod to mindfulness, Solomon reminds kids to thank their breath that “goes in and out” and their heart that “beats fast and slow,” making their “whole body…ready for this bright new day.” Collage art presents a delighted group across all races and includes a Muslim girl in a hijab sitting side by side with a Jewish boy in a kippah as well as a brown-skinned, black-haired child in a wheelchair. Several illustrations show the Hebrew lettering for the phrase modeh ani.
A positive, conscious approach to a stress-free morning routine before the day ahead. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68115-569-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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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