Customer Reviews

How Big Is God? (HarperBlessings)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

How Big is God by Lisa Tawn Bergren and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant is a wonderful, new hardcover children's book that tries to answer kids' toughest questions about God. The story is told through a conversation between Mother and son as he asks how a big God can be so tiny as to fit into his heart. As the mom talks about God, the setting switches from mountaintop to outer space, all in beautiful illustrations. The book doesn't deny that God is too big to understand; instead it embraces the seeming contradictions. God can be with the son in school, but also with every other child in every other school in the entire world, all at the same time. In the end, the son is comforted with the knowledge that God is everywhere at all times, but especially in his heart. My daughter also loved the message. We lingered over each page, and as soon as we finished, we had to go back and read it again. Bergren has been very successful with her God Gave Us You books (I can't read the book at all without crying. We own it, but someone else in the house has to read it to Mia), and this promises to be another terrific book for children and their families to grow in their relationship with God and each other.

When a young boy wants to know where God lives, his mother replies, "Why, he lives in your heart!"

The child thinks for a moment before saying, "If God is in my heart, he must be very, very tiny."

Mom responds, "It's amazing, isn't it? He can be inside, beside us, and all around at the same time."

This begins a delightful conversation between the two in How Big Is God?, written by Lisa Tawn Bergren and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. Throughout the book, the naturally curious child asks all kinds of questions about God, such as: Is he with my friends? Is he invisible? Can he fly?

Of course it's difficult to describe God or to define Him, but this response from the mother says it best: "Think of him like sand, small enough to make its way into your sock. Or big enough to make a whole dune. A whole desert!"

The story is illustrated with colorful, whimsical watercolors; these, coupled with the bright, fast-paced text, make this a very child-friendly book.

What I Like: Everything. The author tackles a difficult subject with illustrations and examples a child can understand.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4-8.

Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review

It is a great book when kids start asking questions about religion. It puts it in their own language and they learn to love God their way too...

I teach at a Christian Preschool and we give this book to our "graduating" children. So appropriate and a great book for them to hear again and again.

A beautiful book for children. Teaches God's love, not fear of him. Recommend it highly.

Beautiful book. Illistrations are lovely, and the story is perfect. This is
the perfect gift for my Great Grandsughter.

This is a wonderful book! Lisa Tawn Bergren and Laura J. Bryant do a very good job at demonstrating how big God is to little ones in an easy to understand way. I have a 3 1/2 year old who really enjoys reading it.

My 3 year old son loves his new book! We read almost every night at bedtime.

This book teaches that God lives in your heart and is IN everything....using nature illustrations. While it seems sweet and harmless, if you carefully consider the words in the book, you can see that it may actually teach your children confusing things about God. For example, God does not live in everyone's heart. Rather His spirit indwells when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior. While that is a concept likely to be difficult for the 3-7 yo range to understand, I think there is a danger in teaching children that God is already in their hearts and also in everything in nature....such as a grain of sand. This is an inadequate illustration of God. Yes, I am sure I will be told to lighten up as this is a childrens' book. However, if you read this book thoughtfully, you will see that it may be teaching your children poor theology about God that could ultimately lead to confusion about the true nature of God. He is the CREATOR of everything rather than IN everything and everyone and he could never be "small" as this book "explains." It is a lovely book and I hate to be critical of it as I am sure the author had good intentions. However, be careful that you don't confuse your children. Also, realize that if you read this book to your children, you may be prompted to explain "God in lives in your heart" to your children before they are old enough to understand what that really means.

The one star I gave is for the artist's beautiful paintings and the authors attempt at a difficult subject. I have to heartily disagree with Him (my God) being considered 'small' in any way. He 'fit's' in our hearts because it is in Spirit and not a physical thing. We will not fully know until we meet God, his size (if this is even a consideration). I felt concerned that my son might misconstrue what the author was saying and start thinking God is literally IN everything (pantheism). When any one who's read the bible, with prayer, knows God CREATED everything. I think any parent even considering this book should first read it and then think about the message it is conveying. I'm guessing this is why the book is now out of print.