When God Made Light

January 1, 2018
Turner and illustrator Catrow team up again for a fresh follow-up to When God Made You (2017).The book opens with two young black girls with hair in cornrows, a rambunctious mutt, and a playful cat engrossed in creative indoor play. The rhyming text seems to draw the girls outside as sunshine spills through their large window. "Dance in the grass. / Go climbing in trees. / Build castles with sand. / Face the wind; feel its breeze." Ebullient illustrations in Catrow's signature style depict the two girls and their pets as they frolic and explore in their own backyard and beyond, employing chiaroscuro with often dramatic effect. Throughout, both pictures and text revel in God's creation, light in particular and its glowing presence in the sun, moon, and stars as well as within the children themselves. This recurring theme of God's divine light residing in each person may feel a little New Age-y for some mainstream adult readers; Quakers, however, will recognize the sentiment as a core tenet. Such theological quibbles would likely be far above the heads of the intended audience, who are sure to identify with the protagonists and their childhood curiosity.A life-affirming exploration of the common grace of creation and appreciation of the miraculous in every day. (Picture book. 3-7)

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