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WHEN I THANK GOD

Name: WHEN I THANK GOD
Author: Matthew Paul Turner
ISBN: 9780525654162

by Matthew Paul Turner ; illustrated by David Catrow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Affirming but disjointed.

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The author/illustrator duo behind When God Made Light (2018) return for another consideration of the divine, this time musing on gratitude.

Turner’s verse begins with affirmations on how one can show their thanks—“with words on a card / Or however I want to”—and quickly progresses into the narrator yearning for something more (“So I’ll ask God to help me see / What being thankful really means”). Turner then muses on reasons why it’s important to show gratitude and how to thank God. What follows are things a child might be thankful for: art, birthdays, holidays, and family. The author briefly acknowledges that life can be challenging, but the book’s focus is on the positive: “’Cause when I thank God / It means I choose to believe / That every day is a gift / I can give and receive.” While pleasing, the cerebral text feels somewhat rambling, cycling back over similar thoughts. It’s also disconnected from the illustrations, which depict a Black-presenting child with Afro hair embracing a parent, dreaming, or taking a fanciful trip down a river on an enlarged leaf, often accompanied by a youngster with light brown skin who uses leg braces. Frogs feature prominently. Catrow’s watercolor drawings can be lovely, especially in their rich use of color, but they vary in style, sometimes Seussian, other times reminiscent of 1940s cartoons, occasionally dipping into the uncanny.

Affirming but disjointed. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026

ISBN: 9780525654162

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Convergent

Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGION

- BOOK REVIEW
WHAT IS GOD LIKE?
by Rachel Held Evans & Matthew Paul Turner ; illustrated by Ying Hui Tan

- BOOK REVIEW
ALL THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS
by Matthew Paul Turner ; illustrated by Gillian Gamble

- BOOK REVIEW
WHEN I PRAY FOR YOU
by Matthew Paul Turner ; illustrated by Kimberly Barnes

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GOD SPEAKS IN WHISPERS

by Mark Batterson & Summer Batterson Dailey ; illustrated by Benedetta Capriotti ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 8, 2020

Though the rhyme tumbles and at times bumbles, enticing imagery will lure readers in.

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Rhyming text and colorful multicultural illustrations reassure young readers of God’s omnipresence and still small voice.

“Where in the world is God’s voice found?” Perhaps in ocean waves, bird song, or mountain vistas, suggest the couplet rhymes. Even when readers might be faced with difficult emotions and distractions of all kinds, the text reassures them that God is still there and still speaking, if only one pauses to listen. His voice can be found in nature, in starlight, in the love of family and friends, in dreams, and “through His Word.” Admirably, the bright illustrations, reminiscent of mid-20th-century Disney artist Mary Blair’s stylings, depict children and families with a diverse array of skin tones and ages. There is also a refreshing mix of urban, suburban, and rural settings. Yet, despite the appealing illustrations, the rhymes and scansion are often forced (“your feelings, they matter, / even if they’re all mixed up like / pancake batter”), which detracts from the overall message. Contrived couplets notwithstanding, this title will likely find an audience among Christian households seeking reassuring bedtime reads.

Though the rhyme tumbles and at times bumbles, enticing imagery will lure readers in. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-525-65385-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: WaterBrook

Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGION

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THE LION BOOK OF TWO-MINUTE PARABLES

retold by Elena Pasquali & illustrated by Nicola Smee ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2012

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This brightly illustrated collection of 10 parables from the New Testament is intended as a first introduction to the stories for children in preschool and the early-elementary years.

Each parable is introduced with one or two sentences putting Jesus in the setting and often pointing to the embedded lesson. Several of the most well-known parables, including the story of the Prodigal Son, are included, but one of the most famous, that of the Good Samaritan, is not, perhaps because of its inherent violence. The parables are briefly recounted in contemporary language with short sentences and lots of dialogue, with additional short lines of dialogue and humorous sound effects integrated within the illustrations on each page. The moral or lesson of the parables is not spelled out, only implied. Charming watercolor-and-ink illustrations are the book’s greatest strength, with a wide variety of characters and costumes adding additional interest. An author’s note would have been helpful, as some of the parables are alternatively titled in terms more accessible to young children, and there are no Biblical text references. As a starting point for understanding the stories Jesus used to teach his followers, this collection is best used with young children in conjunction with an adult’s additional interpretation of their meaning. (Picture book/religion. 3-7)