I'm Your Child, God: Prayers for Our Children - Book Review

Black Issues Book Review, Jan-Feb, 2003 by Shawn Evans Mitchell

I'm Your Child, God: Prayers for Our Children by Marian Wright Edelman, Illustrated by Bryan Collier Hyperion Books for Children, October 2002 $19.99, ISBN 0-786-80597-8

Favorite Bible Stories Retold and illustrated by Fred Crump Jr. Urban Ministries, Inc., June 2002 $16.99, ISBN 0-940-95575-X

It's easy to rejoice in the simplistic and unadulterated enthusiasm of God's smaller wonders--children--with their oversized choir robes and talents yet to be realized, they belt out songs of joyful praise! The warmth and security we gain from a child's angelic voice that affirms God's greatness is sometimes just what we need to push through another day. In return, we offer spiritual guidance, words of encouragement and prayer, especially in a world that is growing more frightening and confusing. While there have been a few faith-oriented children's books, often they are designed as instructional material and not entertaining.

Favorite Bible Stories by Fred Crump Jr. is a remarkable collection presented in a storytelling style that respects both the language and the lessons of the Bible. Crump, who has more than 30 years experience as a writer and illustrator of children's books, brings a new approach to 10 different stories from both the Old and New Testaments, including "Adam and Eve" and "A Child Is Born." Children will be drawn to Crump's easy rhythmic language and large, bold colors that frame his ethnic biblical figures that celebrate the beauty of the African heritage.

Marian Wright Edelman, along with illustrator Bryan Collier, offers exactly what you would expect from the founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund: stories of encouragement and hope.

I'm Your Child, God: Prayers for Our Children is Edelman's third book of prayers for children, and one that offers a little ray of hope for those who, as she notes in her preface, "need stronger inner anchors and spiritual grounding" in a world that is "too materialistic, too violent, too busy, too noisy, too secular," she observes, and "where ties to family, community, and the sacred are becoming increasingly frayed."

The majority of the prayers, penned by Edelman herself, are organized in five categories: (1) Prayers for Younger Children; (2) Prayers for Older Children; (3) Prayers for Special Occasions; (4) Prayers for Struggle and Strength; (5) Traditional Prayers. They are short, easy to memorize, and written with childlike problems and concerns in mind:

"God, my hands are small,/but I can help/in many ways./My legs are not long,/but I can run an errand for an elderly or sick/ neighbor who can't./ My voice is not as loud as others/but I can sing a soothing melody and cheer a heart./ Than You, God, for making me useful."

Accompanied by beautifully colorful illustrations, I'm Your Child is a wonderful vehicle in which to transport God's smaller wonders on a journey that is full of spiritual insights and answers many of the serious questions that young people face in trying to understand religious faith.

--Shawn Evans Mitchell is a journalism professor and freelance writer living in Atlanta.