Thanks Be to God: Prayers from Around the World [Hardcover]

Pauline Baynes (Compiler)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

An illustrated collection of prayers from England, Japan, India, and other nations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Between "Dear God," the appropriate opening words of this reverent book, and the closing "Amen" of the Lord's Prayer lies a wealth of carefully selected religious material. The prayers range from a short, movingly direct English child's prayer ("Thank you, God, for this sunny morning, it makes me happy.") to a longer--again English--paean to many creatures and things, including "Bless the minnow, bless the whale, / Bless the rainbow and the hail. . . ." Baynes's choices represent such diverse countries as Italy, Poland, Japan and India; Hebrew and Muslim prayers are also included. The book is beautifully designed: the prayers, generally beginning with an ornamented letter or small piece of art, occupy the top portion of each page, while the bottom is devoted to an abundance of widely varying paintings. These range from a Chauceresque banquet scene (suitably placed beneath an English invocation of 1527) to a stylized seascape with lurking monsters to a rhapsodic nature scene replete with cavorting animals. Child or adult, of whatever religious belief, it is difficult to remain unmoved by this splendid, life-affirming collection. All ages.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreS Up-- This collection of 35 prayers represents 13 different countries and/or cultures. Although none of the choices is unusual--22 have been taken from other published sources, and others are traditional--the selection and presentation are effective and attractive. Most of the prayers are short and read aloud well. Only one specifically mentions God's "dear son." Although the collection ends with the Lord's Prayer, it is suitable to any monotheistic, ethical religion. The majority of the selections originated in England; however, France, Germany, Japan, India, Poland, Italy, and Spain are represented, as well as Moslem, Hebrew, and African prayers. The sumptuous, colorful illustrations are busy, yet elegant and delicately detailed, and filled with active, swirling lines. Paintings are formally arranged across the bottom of each page, with small, beautiful vignettes decorating and softening the text, which is printed in a large, readable typeface. The scenes of Japan and India show figures in gorgeous traditional costume. Other pictures are fantasias of flowers and animals, modern or medieval scenes. A fine beginning for a religion collection. --Patricia Pearl, First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Juv) (February 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0027085414
• ISBN-13: 978-0027085419
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,047,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)