Reviews

PreS-Gr 1‘An obviously didactic but nondenominational text centers on God's love and the power of prayer. Emma's mother has taught her from earliest childhood to thank God daily for her blessings and to trust that He will always care for her. Awakening in the night, the child is frightened until she remembers that God is with her. When she is picked on by a boy at school, she prays for his well-being, and he becomes kind and helpful. Emma and her mother have a close, loving relationship in which the child is warmly praised for her faith and concern for others. She is told that she came from heaven to her family, sent by God, who loves all people everywhere. The plot is minimal and obvious but successful as a religious teaching tool. Done in a technique of idealized realism, the attractive full- and double-page illustrations glow with a soft golden light that gives a feeling of happiness and comfort. The angels, mostly young white females, are beautiful in their robes of muted colors and smilingly enfold the children in the story.‘Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA

Best known for her book A Return to Love and her commentary on A Course in Miracles, Marianne Williamson now turns her attention to children. In an epilogue to parents, she writes that she hopes this volume supports parents who wish to teach their children about the power of prayer and forgiveness and the experience of God. Unfortunately, this book will more likely mislead children about the power of prayer, and it may even leave them convinced that they are failures or unworthy of God's attention. The book begins with Emma and Mommy praying together as Mommy tells Emma of God's love for everyone. Emma learns that God is always with her, that she need not be afraid. Later in the book, however, Emma encounters a mean boy at school. Mommy encourages her to pray for the mean boy, and, as if by magic, he is a perfect gentleman the next day. That is an unfortunate impression to leave with children, who will most likely not have such rapid and direct answers to their prayers and will consider that they have only themselves to blame. Ages 3-7. (May)