The Lion Book of Prayers for Me

June 1, 2013
Preschool-G This brightly illustrated little anthology with a slightly puffy cover offers 40 short prayers for young children. The few traditional selections include an Amish motto, a highly simplified version of Psalm 23, and the Lord's Prayer (divided into two sections and ending, oddly, with the word Adam rather than Amen). Most selections are written in simple rhyming verse, such as this example from Goodings: Dear God, bless all my family, / as I tell you each name; / and please bless each one differently / for no one's quite the same. While she contributed most of the prayers, some come from other writers such as Sophie Piper, whose book I Can Say a Prayer (2011) appeals to a similar audience. Created with crayonlike black lines and flat colors, the pleasing illustrations most often depict kids engaged in everyday activities. Apart from a few Christian references, these prayers could be used with children of many faiths.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)