Where Does God Live?

An inquisitive girl searches high and low for the answers to some difficult questions in this pleasantly satisfying picture book. When Hope begins to wonder where God lives, she interrogates everyone she knows, hoping to figure out the mystery. Hope's mother says that ""God lives in Heaven, way up in the sky,"" and Mr. Frog and Mrs. Fish agree that God lives in the stream and the nearby flowers and trees. But it is Grandma Rose who puts Hope's curiosity to rest with such explanations as, ""And when God makes a person, a star or a wave,/ A part of God stays with whatever God made./ So God lives in the sky, in the meadow and stream-/ God lives everywhere, and God isn't a dream."" The rhyming, occasionally sing-song text contains many comforting, child-friendly responses to questions about the presence of God in the world. Parents may also welcome this book as an additional resource when confronting the questions of children who are just beginning to encounter issues of faith and belief. Howard's folksy, stylized illustrations are awash in strong color and feature textured brush strokes. Her expressive human and animal figures keep the mood light, though they are occasionally clunky and misshapen. Ages 7-10. (Mar.)