(2) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Charity Brown, youngest of four, is dealing with the lingering effects of polio and starting to question the beliefs and rules of her parents, who adhere to the precepts of a strict Christian sect. "We had to avoid places where the Devil might lurk, like cinemas, or those coffee bars with juke boxes that play wickedly sinful pop music." The family's plain, thrifty, and restrained domestic life changes drastically when the Browns come into an unexpected inheritance that includes a mansion and decide to set up a kind of hostel for the "weary and heavy-laden." Set in postwar London, this narrative touches on antisemitism, racism, and the oppression of women but folds these issues deftly into a child-centered story of a spirited girl who feels inadequate, longs for a friend, is embarrassed by her parents' behavior in public, and frets about how the idea of a loving God can be reconciled with the sorrows of the world. The tone here, warm and gently funny, matches the setting, as well-orchestrated scenes of family dinner disasters, a teenage brother with attitude, not having the right clothes, an adored auntie who is a bit "fast," and a short-lived crush could have been plucked from a mid-twentieth-century children's novel. A nuanced portrait of growing up outside the mainstream.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) YA Based on family history, Leavitt's coming-of-age story is set in an 1890s Mormon settler community in Southern Alberta, Canada, at the eastern edges of the Rockies, and focuses on seventeen-year-old Rebecca. In an opening both startling and humorous, Leavitt begins: "Rebecca had heard her father and others call this land God's country often enough that she wasn't as surprised as she might have been to come upon him... He was dressed in his work clothes, but you knew God when you saw him." It's fitting that many of Rebecca's consequent ups-and-downs are driven by the desire to own the very piece of "God's country" that she finds so beautiful--an ­outlandish ambition for a woman. With her mother's support, she determines to earn the exorbitant $480 it will cost to buy the quarter section; in the meantime, her close-knit family and community offer rich, unpredictable ground for her efforts to learn and live with integrity--and without complaining. Ventures into midwifery and nursing with her mother; ­calamities of weather, domestic violence, and a devastating flu; ­competition for romance and talk of women's suffrage: all are fodder for Rebecca's articulate, funny ­self-examination and deepening growth. Always sensitive to the ­beauties of earth and sky, Rebecca longs for a return of the elk and buffalo, part of the author's tacit acknowledgment of local Indigenous peoples and the damage wrought by white ­expansion. Leavitt's writing is suffused with the beauty of the earth and sky.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 4-6 In her debut novel, Johnson (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) combines family history with an homage to such classics as Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and Pollyanna, offering up her protagonist's memorable perspective on life in the early twentieth century. When their divorced mother remarries, young Ojibwe teen Norvia and her siblings are uprooted from their home on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan to Boyne City, Michigan. Not only does that mean adjusting to life with a new stepfather and stepbrother, but she and her siblings have been warned by their mother not to disclose that they are Ojibwe. Norvia had loved learning about her family's history and traditions from her grandparents; denying that part of her heritage feels wrong. She finds comfort in reading and longs to be a heroine like the girls in her favorite novels; she uses the stories from her grandfather, caring advice from her new stepfather, and the books she reads, along with her faith in God and the Bible, to become the heroine she wants to be. An author's note details Johnson's research process; a glossary, pronunciation guide, and family photos provide additional context for this engaging work of historical fiction.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Andrés F. Landazábal. In this brightly illustrated retelling of the Judeo-Christian creation story, spanning from pre-existence up to the world of today, Adam and Eve's brown skin offers a welcome shift from typical Eurocentric depictions. However, a preachy author's note makes for an uninviting start, and the text, which struggles to follow the format of "This Is the House That Jack Built," feels stilted.

Reviewer: Rachel Marsh

(3) K-3 Koffsky retells the biblical story of Creation through the colors of each new day. "In the beginning there was nothing," and the accompanying illustrations are shades of gray and black. On day six, God created people, and "soon there were many, many more in every shade and hue." Koffsky's textural, layered cut-paper collages give readers a new perspective on a familiar story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) YA At six feet, six inches tall and two hundred and fifty pounds, Cliff Hubbard's cruel school nickname is "Neanderthal." At home, his hateful dad continues the bullying, and Cliff blames himself for his brother's recent suicide. Then quarterback Aaron has a near-death experience and God commands him to enlist Cliff's help to improve their school. Sixteen-year-old Cliff's expletive-filled, sharply funny, and bittersweet coming-of-age narrative is completely captivating.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) PS Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez. Inspired by Psalm 118:24 (included), the simple rhyming text encouraging children to make full use of their day--created for them by God--will be useful in faith-based groups or family settings. Colorful digital images show a diverse group of kids getting ready for the day, going to the park, acting in a play, enjoying school, and sharing "God's bright-shining light" with others who need it.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) PS Illustrated by Amy Wummer. In first-person rhyming text, a yarmulke-wearing boy identifies various emotions and how he responds to them, with an emphasis on his relationship with Hashem (God). Cartoonish illustrations on laminated paper accompany the didactic text. A feelings chart and a note to adults further the book's purpose of helping children process emotions. Glos.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Translated by Laura Watkinson. Illustrated by Barbara Nascimbeni. This book of original prayers, translated from the German, guides discussion with God. Referring to specific Old and New Testament texts, each prayer focuses on a different emotion: fear, sorrow, guilt, amazement, etc. The spare, colorful illustrations mostly refer to biblical times but occasionally show contemporary children. While the book's appropriate audience is somewhat older than its title and picture-book format suggest, it's useful for Christian religious studies and homes. References included.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Catrow. In this exuberant companion to When God Made You, two sisters engaged in imaginative play are drawn outdoors by the inviting sunshine. Rhyming text, with occasionally stumbling meter, celebrates various sources of light--from moonlight to fireflies--and suggests that God's light resides in each person. Light and shadow play in Catrow's energetic illustrations, which celebrate the joy of creation and the love of family.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Benjamin Schipper. After a young boy's grandma tells him how to look for God in everyday life, Galatians' "Fruit of the Spirit" (scripture quotation appended) is revealed to him as he goes about his day in the city. Though the illustrations have a slick, overly cartoonish quality, they reflect a realistic urban diversity that works well with the ode to opening one's heart and noticing life's little blessings.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Bryan Collier. Using the "golden shovel" technique on lines of Psalm 121 (included), Grimes creates a poem cycle about two children: Jordan, a meek white boy, and Tanya, a black girl stirred up by insults about her stuttering; friendship, God, family problems, and classroom dynamics are quietly but powerfully incorporated. Collier's strong visual interpretations use paint and collage elements. A note on the poetic form is included.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 With A. J. Gregory. The man whose name became a verb ("Tebowing") for kneeling during games encourages young people to open their lives to God in this adaptation of his adult book. Former NFL quarterback Tebow highlights how Christian principles shape his behavior and help him through highs and lows, often using Bible passages to underscore his points in the candid and conversational if unsubtle prose.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Catrow. A lively and caring little girl helps others and brings beauty to her world. Rhyming text that can be a mouthful ("'Cause God loves you creating, your true self displaying / when light on the inside through art is portraying") celebrates the wonder of being a unique, dreaming child of God. Catrow's quirky and vibrant illustrations fill the pages with contagious energy.

Reviewer: Alia Jones

(4) PS Illustrated by Chris Saunders. Declarative statements ("God's great love for you is...perfect") offers reassurance, if not much substance, about the breadth and depth of God's love. The spare text--usually just a phrase on each spread--is set against Saunders's luminous, saturated paintings depicting a girl and a dove navigating a variety of landscapes and spiritual states.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Ruth. With questions in their hearts, a group of people of various ages and races searches for Old Turtle. Upon finding her, each asks a question--about purpose, happiness, evil, and more--and the giant turtle sagely responds. Warm-toned, dreamlike pencil, watercolor, and digital illustrations reflect the hopeful words, but (as with previous Old Turtle books) the appeal to children is limited.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(4) PS A little girl (whose eyes are invariably closed in the ethereal illustrations) tries to find God in her surroundings; she eventually realizes that God can't be found in her dresser drawers but rather through actions in her life and signs from the world. This Austrian import speaks to young children whose initial spiritual inquiries can't necessarily be answered concretely.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 Translated by Bob Gaudet. Illustrated by Barbara Nascimbeni. Edited and abridged by Rachel Bomberger. A presumably adult narrator offers answers to questions such as "why can't I see God?" and, phrase by phrase, expounds on the words of the Lord's Prayer to teach fundamental Christian concepts. "Hallowed be thy name" opens a treatise on the many names of God. Soft, dreamy folk art–style paintings add child appeal, but they don't do enough to make the abstract text understandable.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) K-3 Spier's fertile imagination and eye for humor puts the familiar Old Testament story in a context of busy, bustling everyday life. The adaptation is admirably simple and clear; the profusion of lively, detailed, and color-filled illustrations--which skillfully compress scenes of teeming crowds and cities into small pictorial gems--will be a source of delight. An appendix features diagrams, maps, and biblical and (updated) historical notes.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1986

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Simona Sanfilippo. These retellings of Old Testament stories, each about the benefits of trusting in God, make the material understandable to young readers. The illustrations convey a Western idea of the ancient Middle East, and all the people are white. Suggestions for activities, comprehension questions, and the moral of the story are included at the end of each book. Review covers the following titles: Daniel and the Lions, David and Goliath, and Jonah and the Big Fish.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth