A lackluster collection of prayers for little ones.
The text is a compilation of one or two stanzas of traditional religious verse, original poems and well-known hymn lyrics, all credited on the back of the book. While there is no mention of Jesus, most of these prayers are from Christian sources. With selections from the likes of C.F. Alexander’s “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and the traditional “I See the Moon,” the choices are simple and age-appropriate, and most have a lovely, soothing cadence that makes this good bedtime fare. What’s disappointing here is the art, which looks to be pastels. Barker tries for a childlike simplicity with his animal and human cartoons against bright backgrounds, but his work looks stiff and amateurish instead. Characters float isolated on pages with little to ground them or add interest to the composition.
While age-appropriate, nonsectarian religious books will always be in demand, the visuals here do little to elevate the soul. (Board book. 3 mos.-2)
