Thickly applied paint in vivid hues and fanciful, striking images lend an otherworldly perspective to the illustrations that accompany the poetic text that celebrates the richness of Jerusalem and its history as the holy city of some of the world’s religions. Weaving legends and stories from Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the author/illustrator hopes to bring a sense of unity to this embattled city. While it may speak more strongly to adults, the unusual paintings and the brevity and simple power of the text make this a choice for reading aloud in programs and homes that wish to emphasize religious tolerance. A line like, “Perhaps possessing Jerusalem / is like trying to own the sky” demonstrates the impossibility of the situation, but the very next page (the last) speaks of the “people from everywhere / every day gather in the city . . . and with prayers for peace and miracles, / all addressed to one God, hope lights the Jerusalem sky.” A cut above the didactic books on this topic. (bibliography for adults) (Poetry. All ages)
