The dullness of the chosen hues dampens the soothing lines.
This bedtime book pairs reassuring, original blessings with Bible verses from Psalms, Proverbs, and Deuteronomy.
Almost every double-page spread features a young animal with an older companion, likely a parent. A very pale-green whale and a calf surface on a gray sea at sunset; a gray-and-white wolf and cub frolic in the moonlight; and a black-and-white bird feeds a young hatchling still in the nest. Text set in a large, white or deep gray type displays Assell’s sweet messages (“Tonight, most precious gift, you are safe”) while the Bible verses that inspire them appear below (“I lay down and slept safely” Psalm 3:5, Amplified Bible version). Exclusively male language is used for God, and several different translations of the Bible are quoted; in addition to the AMP, readers will encounter the New Living Translation, New International Version, and God’s Word. While Copple’s cartoon animals can be endearing, the color palette rests heavily on shades of gray, white, and dull orangey-pink, making many of the landscapes look bleak rather than comforting. The penguin perched by itself on an angular iceberg facing the setting sun, for instance, looks very much alone, textual assurance otherwise notwithstanding.
The dullness of the chosen hues dampens the soothing lines. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4964-3624-5
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Tyndale House
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
Engaging material for little ones embarking on their relationships with God.
The Bible tale in board-book format.
The tale of Noah’s Ark may be the perfect story to tell little ones starting their journey with God or simply exploring the classics of Western literature. There’s cute animals, a giant boat, and spectacle to spare. This board book boils down the tale of Noah to its essence: Noah’s “a good man,” and he builds the ark, gathers the animals, and survives the flood. There’s no mention of the promise God made after the flood, which is curious (the Lord’s promise never to flood the world again may ease some fears), but the retelling otherwise hews to the familiar story. Size necessarily causes it to skimp on the animals, however; here, Noah saves elephants, giraffes, sheep, crocodiles, monkeys, and doves, two of each. The concurrently published In the Beginning uses similar tactics to tell the story of Creation. Both books feature minimalist artwork on uncluttered pages, thus emphasizing the objects and accompanying words. The illustrations are handsomely rendered with earthy tones and rounded, clean-edged figures. All human characters in each book are white. These well-constructed, small board books are best suited for the earliest of readers.
Engaging material for little ones embarking on their relationships with God. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: April 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8249-1991-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: WorthyKids/Ideals
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
A sweet introduction to prayer and its purpose.
God is present at all times.
As little ones wake up, go to school, play games, do chores, and more, God is always with them. This board book provides reassurance that the Lord is always watching over his children, and all it takes is a quick prayer to open one’s heart to Him. The prayer snippets promised by the subtitle are all appropriate quotes from the book of Psalms and should be easy enough for little ones to memorize. As two white children set out for school, for instance, the accompanying prayer is “Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge” (Psalms 16:1). Companion title Good Night: A Toddler’s Bedtime Prayer, by Emmanuelle Rémond-Dalyac and illustrated by Nathalie Dieterlé, is concurrently published but features an original prayer rather than one from the Bible that helps children reflect on their day and look for God’s hand in it. The illustrations in both are serviceable, featuring happy children and smiling parents—the heavy preponderance of them white—colored with muted blues, greens, and yellows.
A sweet introduction to prayer and its purpose. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5064-2498-9
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Sparkhouse
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
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