Can I Pray with My Eyes Open? [Hardcover]

Susan Taylor Brown (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Is there ever a wrong time or place to pray?

Deciding when and where to pray is something every child wonders, and this non-denominational picture book offers an answer. Whether angry and upset, or playing games and counting stars, every child is assured that they can pray when, where, and how they want, and they will always be heard!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

How does one say a perfect prayer? A young girl ponders this question while engaging in the summertime activities of her rural hometown, her thoughts developing into a prayer that, while occasionally awkward grammatically, is perfect in its directness and simplicity: "If I'm skipping rope or playing ball,/ or walking backward down the hall,/ When building castles on the beach,/ will You still be within my reach?" Baker's warm, vibrant oil paintings blend an almost photographic quality with impressionistic details. The people, the grass, the water, the trees are all energized and moving, the activity of the compositions reflecting the activity within the girl's mind. Together the art and text convey the deep yearning of the child to speak to God during all the moments of the day (at dinner with family, swimming in the creek, climbing a tree, playing soccer) and in all her moods (curious, adventurous, angry, hurt); she is seen with friends, family and by herself. Just as the message is nondenominational, the characters transcend questions of ethnicity: the girl is brown-skinned; her family and friends are multiracial. The final stanza awkwardly reverts from direct prayer to explanation, but the discrepancy is a mild flaw in a lovely book. For readers too young for Grandad's Prayers of the Earth (reviewed below), this is an excellent introduction to the same themes. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-In simple and perceptive verse, a child asks God if prayers made during all of her various activities will be heard. The answer is that they will; that no time or place is ever wrong for prayer. Realistic oil paintings in rich colors beautifully illustrate the rhyming text. They show a pretty African-American girl swimming in a gleaming brook, climbing high in a gnarled tree, flying a red kite, quarreling with her brother, feeling angry, Rollerblading, playing soccer, building sand castles at the beach, perching on the monkey bars, and gazing out the car window. Pictures with different perspectives and in a variety of sizes add further interest.
Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (October 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786803282
• ISBN-13: 978-0786803286
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #887,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm an author and dreamer. I'm an only child and I share a birthday with Ernest Hemingway and Robin Williams. I'm a full-blown introvert who has learned how to fake being an extrovert when I need to and my moods can change from up to down and back again before you know it. I write a lot of things but mostly books for children. I believe in wishing on stars and second chances and that everyone has the power to make their dreams come true, as long as they're willing to do the work.

I have two grown children, one grandson, and my husband and I live in the Silicon Valley where we happily share space with our very spoiled German Shepherd that I am training for therapy work. When I'm not writing I spend time working in my garden which has been converted to a wildlife habitat filled with California Native Plants.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming for children of ALL ages!, January 28, 2000

By 

Carolyn Dupre' (Bridge City, La) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Can I Pray with My Eyes Open? (Hardcover)

Having two granddaughters and a multitude of nieces and nephews, I wanted to find just the right gift for Christmas that would say how much I love them all. When I saw this book and read it myself, I knew I had found THE right book that could give my Love as well as that of our Father. Such a wonderful way to let a child learn the meaning of prayer! Too many of us are taught the traditional, "repeat after me" prayers that really aren't from the heart - Ms. Brown's beautiful story reminds us all that anytime, any way we can speak to God and He will hear! Thanks, Susan, for making my family's Christmas memorable.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a Book for All Children!, January 17, 2003

By 

Elizabeth B. Allan (Wichita, KS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Can I Pray with My Eyes Open? (Hardcover)

I am the librarian at my church. I recently read this book to a group of children during their monthly visit to the library during children's church. They really enjoyed it! It's a book that generates a lot of questions, comments, and thoughts! What I personally like best about it is that it is suitable for all children,whether they go to church or not. It's non-denominational. It's suitable for Protestamts, Catholics, or Jews. The drawings are truly beautiful and realistically portray a young girl. I highly recommend this book for all church libraries, children's Sunday School classes, and homes.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for all God's Children, October 15, 2004

By 

Nancy French (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Can I Pray with My Eyes Open? (Hardcover)

This book's wonderful, lyrical text will lull any child into an interested participant. I just read it to my 5 year old daughter who then asked me, "If I'm in bed and get scared, is it okay to go to the window to pray?" When I assured her that she could, she smiled, and said, "I thought so." This book is one of those perfect little reminders of the things you already know, but need to hear again.