From Publishers Weekly
With its gold jacket, small trim size (61/8"x71/2") and sentimental cover art of a cherubic blond boy slumbering with a spaniel, this anthology telegraphs its candidacy for gift-giving. Cotner (editor of adult compilations including Graces and Animal Blessings) assembles prayers and poems from across the centuries written by Christian and Jewish clergy, writers and poets of all ages, from the obscure to notables including Madeleine L'Engle, Robert Browning, Ogden Nash, Albert Schweitzer and Margaret Wise Brown. Poems written by children are interspersed with such favorites as the ancient Breton prayer: "Protect me, O Lord;/ My boat is so small,/ And your sea is so big." Palmer (illustrator of the My First Raggedy Ann and Andy series) favors frontal compositions with Rockwellian overtones: rosy-cheeked children in red boots splash in the rain; a docile boy and girl bow their heads as they sit before food laid upon a child-size table; a woman proudly poses with the pie she's made. Some may feel the pictures border on the saccharine (an illustration of kids sliding down a rainbow, for example, flattens the robust poem it accompanies, Eve Merriam's "Giving Thanks Giving Thanks"), while others may find the nostalgic imagery a fitting tribute to childhood innocence. All ages.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
reS-Gr 4-This mixture of 43 simple, nondenominational, well-chosen prayers and poems includes both perennial favorites such as Robert Browning's "Song" from Pippa Passes and Eleanor Farjeon's "Morning Has Broken," as well as a wealth of newer materials specifically directed to children. The short selections are divided into four categories: morning, mealtime, bedtime, and anytime. Predominating are prayers of thanksgiving for grand things such as Nature's beauties and bounties and homey things such as peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, apple pie, and birthday parties. There are also intercessory prayers on topics such as world hunger, new friends, and good sportsmanship. Cheerful watercolor illustrations in a variety of shapes and sizes show idealized, sweet-faced children engaged in daily activities. An introduction with suggestions for usage and a title index are included. Although there are many fine older prayer collections, this one will be a valuable addition because of its fresh material.
Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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