As I Kneel: Every Mother's Prayer

Parental love runneth over in this sweetly illustrated collection of prayers from a mother to her child. Beginning with the first prayer beside her daughter's bassinet to ask God's blessing on her baby, these petitions accompany the progressive stages in the girl's life. The daughter grows through grade school, high school and eventually becomes a mother herself, passing the blessings on to a new generation. Throughout the passage of time, two things remain constant: the love and faith a mother has for her child. Knopf's tender and accessible prayers from parent to child resonate with universal emotion. She includes a repeated refrain that many mothers may well adopt for their own: ""And all the angels everywhere/ Hear mothers love as it fills the air/ Day and night I say this quiet prayer/ Lord, keep my child in your care."" Brooks's vividly hued paintings feature folk-art inspired borders and call to mind the work of Carolyn Croll. A cast of children and mothers from many cultures populate various settings that will prove familiar to many readers: a park, a teen's cluttered bedroom. This pleasant volume will make a welcome baby gift or addition to the family library. All ages. (June)