Thank You, God, for Kittens/Thank You, God, for Puppies

Toddlers love animals - especially animals they often see in their everyday lives - like cats and dogs. And with charming illustrations by Tammie Lyon and sweet rhyming text by Mary Manz Simon, two new board books are sure to please them. Thank You, God, for Kittens and Thank You, God, for Puppies are perhaps perfect if you have a cat or dog in your home, but are equally welcome if you don't.

"Kitty, kitty, I love you./I love all the things you do," begins the kitten book. Then each page features something cats do, like play with string, take naps, run to their food dish, hide in bags, sit on books, climb trees, purr, etc. The last page reads: "You're a blessing, it is true./I thank God each day for you."

The puppy book is very much the same format, except it features things more typical to dogs, including tail thumping, catching balls, chewing bones, shaking water off their bodies, and more.


What I Like: Simon's writing, as always, is solid. Although rhyming books are difficult to do well, Simon is a master at them. Tammie Lyon's illustrations are a perfect match for the text, featuring children of different ethnicities playing with cats or dogs. Both the author and illustrator do an excellent job making these books perfect for very young children.

What I Dislike: Nothing. But parents may want to know that the only mention of God is on the last page of each book, where the text reads "I thank God each day for you."

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: Infant - preschool.

Publishing Info: Ideals, 2015; ISBN 978-0824919627 (Kittens) 978-0824919610 (Puppies); board books, 20 pgs., $6.99

Buy at Amazon: Kittens $5.99; Puppies $5.13

Or buy it from ChristianBook.com: Kittens $4.99;  Puppies $4.99

Special Info: See our reviews of other books by Mary Manz Simon.