My First Book of Prayers, illustrated by Stephanie McFetridge Britt, is a good introduction to praying. Nine prayers are included in this board book, many no more than one paragraph; longer prayers are broken down into digestible segments. These are primarily prayers of thanks written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Abbie Burr, Herbert Stoneley, and anonymous authors. Some are delightfully simple: "Thank you for the fish that swim;
I really like to look at them.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you Lord for everything."
While others show a little more depth, asking God to keep the child in his care, guide the child through the day, and help the child to stay "sweet and true." Some are familiar:
"I see the moon
And the moon sees me.
God bless the moon
And God bless me."
And:
"Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Watch over me throughout the night
And bring me safe to morning light."
While others may not be:
"Lord, teach a little child to pray,
And, oh, accept my prayer;
I know You hear the words I say;
For You are everywhere."
What I Like: The text is very simple and therefore suitable for helping small children come up with ideas for their own prayers. I like that these prayers aren't all about asking for things; there's a lot of praise going on, too. The illustrations show children of a variety of ethnic backgrounds praying and playing, and while they are nothing spectacular, they are appealing.
What I Dislike: It might have been nice to have one or two prayers that dealt with asking the Lord to forgive sin, or that dealt with difficulties in life.
Overall Rating: Very Good.
Age Appeal: Infant - preschool.
Publishing Info: Candy Cane Press, 2001; ISBN: 0824941969 ; board book, $6.95.
1 comment:
I think the book meant to leave out a specific religion and that is why there is nothing about sin. I was actually surprised to find this book listed on a Christian site because I was just sharing it with a non-denominational crowd. I specifically search for books that leave out Christianity because I am not a Christian myself. I am not attacking a religion or anything. I am just mentioning my beliefs to back up my reasoning for thinking this book meant to remain a specific religion out of the subject.
I'm sure it appeals to more religions that way too. Smart publishing.
Thanks for posting your review!
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