Glory

Glory Nancy White Carlstrom and Debra Reid Jenkins Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2001 “Glory be to God for dappled things,” wrote Gerard Manley Hopkins in “Pied Beauty,” a paean to the unchanging God who is nevertheless author of “all things original, counter, spare, strange”. Creation, in its dazzling multiplicity, calls us to praise in [...]

Brother Sun, Sister Moon

Brother Sun, Sister Moon Katherine Paterson and Pamela Dalton Handprint Books, 2011 According to tradition, Francis of Assisi composed The Canticle of the Sun (or Laudes Creaturarum, “praise of the creatures”) toward the end of his life, around 1224. Written in the Umbrian dialect – rather than church Latin – it is a beautiful song praise [...]

All Things Bright and Beautiful

All Things Bright and Beautiful Ashley Bryan (and Cecil Francis Alexander) Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010 For some strange reason, it took me a long time to warm up to the idea of songs-as-picture-books.  Earlier this year, though, I found one that I loved, which made me think that maybe there might just be [...]

Morning Has Broken

Morning Has Broken Eleanor Farjeon and Tim Ladwig Eerdmans, 1996 When I was in high school, my dad used to wake us up on Sunday mornings by bursting upstairs with an ear-splitting rendition of Eleanor Farjeon’s hymn, Morning Has Broken. (And I do mean ear-splitting. My dad is a wonderful man, but vocal solos are [...]

At Jerusalem’s Gate: Poems of Easter

At Jerusalem’s Gate: Poems of Easter Nikki Grimes and David Frampton Eerdmans, 2005 One of the things I love most about literature is its ability to precisely name things we are otherwise familiar with, and to help us to see them anew. Poetry, in particular, is the art of naming with precision and care. And [...]

Psalms for Young Children

Psalms for Young Children Marie-Hélène Delval & Arno Eerdmans, 2008 Back in college, I suffered a brief bout of Benedictine-envy after reading Kathleen Norris’ The Cloister Walk. (Never mind that I was engaged to be married and my theological background is thoroughly Protestant; the book is that good.) Looking back now, I think the most inviting [...]

When Daddy Prays

When Daddy Prays Nikki Grimes & Tim Ladwig Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2002 On the front flap of When Daddy Prays Nikki Grimes writes, “In my view there is no more powerful image than that of a strong man bowing before God.”  She is absolutely correct, and the text and illustrations of this book [...]