Reviews

"Glory be to God for fluttering wings,/ for chickadees and butterflies/ that dot the skies/ like words,/ dragonflies and hummingbirds." So begins Carlstrom's (the Jesse Bear books) nondenominational song of praise, which never falters in its timing and flow. Jenkins's (I Wanted to Know All About God) inventively conceived illustrations, meanwhile, create a narrative that easily engages readers. Against a buttery gold background, a thick, red, wavy brush stroke begins on the title page and ends on the back cover. On that red wave travels an extravagantly colorful parade of animals: a pink giraffe, blue elephants, a green zebra. An early spread introduces a girl in a black leotard, first seen creating her own pictures. In graceful transitions, she dons varying costumes butterfly, ladybug, lion and dances beside the creatures. Swept along by the music of the song, readers will find a contagious energy in these exultant pages. "All creatures large,/ all creatures small,/ that dance and leap/ and curl and crawl,/ the wild, the tame / All creatures by their being/ praise their Creator's name." The creators of this illustrated hymn provide a joyful opportunity for their readers to participate in praising God's name as well. Ages 3-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

PreS-Gr 2-Carlstrom explains how fish, fowl, and furry creatures all celebrate God in unique ways. Beetles dance, the untamed roar their praise, and some beasts "sing to God in silence." Jenkins's double-page spreads that arc animals against a brilliant band of red paint are a jolly match for the author's blissful poem of thanksgiving. A realistically painted, pony-tailed girl occasionally counterpoints the flow of yellow toads, blue panthers, and pink giraffes that honor the Creator "by their being." This unusual prayer will please animal fans, and serves as a gentle reminder of how good it feels to be alive.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.