WHAT A TRULY COOL WORLD

Lester (Black Cowboy, Wild Horses, p. 661, etc.) has conceived a creation story that proves even God needs to have a little fun. When Shaniqua, “the angel in charge of everybody’s business,” points out to God that the newly created earth is kind of drab, God trims the trees, and the clippings become bushes and grass. Shaniqua is still not impressed, though, so God goes to the edge of heaven, opens His mouth, and out comes music. The notes are in shapes and colors that turn into flowers. The flowers whisper that they are lonely; Shaniqua learns to sing so beautifully that she brings tears into the world, and from those tears come butterflies. The language is winning: God’s secretary, Bruce, greets his boss with “Yo! What’s up, Deity?” Cepeda’s oil paintings carry the warmth and familiarity of the text: Bruce wears glasses, strap-on wings, and has taped messages to the side of the computer that indexes the Library of Everything That Is Going to Be; heaven’s interiors resemble comfortable homes (God’s chair is a bright red recliner). A truly cool book about how—perhaps—things came to be. (Picture book. 3-9)