The Work of His Fingers

The Work of His Fingers was written and illustrated by Alison Brown. As the subtitle suggests, it is "an illustrated rhyme in praise of creation."

The text explains that our world was not created by some big explosion, but rather by a God of vast understanding and power. He used His infinite wisdom to place the earth in just the right spot so that we could live with water and air, day and night, all the things we need to be comfortable and happy. His intricate design goes even to the depths of fruits and vegetables. The author emphasizes that all things follow their own kind and that life comes only from life. It ends by asserting:

"There's no need to debate or question or doubt
what God has so wonderfully done...
for the evidence all around us agrees
with Genesis chapter one!"

The illustrations, done mostly in colored pencils, are quite detailed. They alternate between full-color and black and white, but always offer realistic images and high contrast.

What I Like: I love the content of this book. It's doesn't push specific creation theories (such as the length of a day of creation or what happened to the dinosaurs), but rather confronts evolutionary theories by elevating the power and creativity of God. It's beautifully written, wonderful poetry of true praise. My kids really like the illustrations, as do I. They're very well done!

What I Dislike: I feel the text would have been stronger if written in prose. The poetry flows nicely, but it detracts from the content. Toward the end of the book, one illustration shows a monkey. My five-year-old exclaimed "Oh! This book is about monkeys!" While my kids really enjoy this book, this reaction shows me they didn't get it. It's not at all about monkeys, but this was the conclusion they reached. The sing-songy rhythm led them to rely on the illustrations more than the text for comprehension.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: 4-8, though I think kids up to age 10 might enjoy it.

Publisher Info: Banner of Truth, 2007; ISBN: 0851519652; Paperback; $8.00

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