THE LORD'S PRAYER
For All God's Children (A FatCat Book)
From the For All God's Children (A FatCat Book) series, volume 3
by Harold L. Senkbeil ; illustrated by Natasha Kennedy
Pastor Senkbeil offers a child-oriented, illustrated explanation of phrases in the Lord’s Prayer, accompanied by religious imagery.
In this illustrated exploration of the catechism—the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments—Senkbeil and illustrator Kennedy enhance the kid appeal of challenging articles of faith by hiding a large feline named FatCat (a symbol of the cat-echism) on each page. Each phrase of the familiar Christian prayer is related in large type, accompanied by questions that children might ask: “Who is Our Father in heaven? God is Jesus’ Father. Because Jesus is our brother, God is our Father, too.” Although the addition of FatCat is whimsical, the focus of each of Kennedy’s vibrant, textured illustrations is on a Bible story that matches the phrase’s theme: “Thy Kingdom Come” shows the return of Jesus, after his death and resurrection, to his apostles, and “But Deliver Us from Evil” shows a dynamic image of Jesus calming a storm. These tales, familiar to many adults, may spark further discussion with young readers, who may not immediately know them. (One image, for example, showing the apostles falling asleep as Jesus prays, is an unexpected choice for “Thy Will Be Done.”) Although Senkbeil’s language and short sentences are accessible, the explanations contain many big concepts, and they assume familiarity with a dualistic Christian view in which Satan is constantly seeking to harm the reader. The cast, including a brown-skinned Jesus, offers diverse representation. Kennedy’s illustrations have a painterly quality, with stylized portrayals of human characters. The image of the Crucifixion, which features dripping blood, may be too graphic for some young readers, and an illustration depicting the dead rising into God’s kingdom is sure to raise questions. Notes for praying together as a family are included at the end, guiding parents and youngsters through a call-and-response worship time.
An earnest kids’ book that’s best suited for evangelical families exploring the catechism.