Originally published in hardcover as A Child's Good Night Prayer, this gentle title, Bless Me by Grace Maccarone, illus. by San Williams, now appears in board-book format. Spare text follows an array of multiracial children as they bestow blessings on toys, family and the "water, earth, and air." Of the original, PW noted, "God stays unnamed, which allows parents to decide how to adapt the verse to their own spirituala practices and leanings." (Scholastic/Cartwheel, $6.99 24p ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. ISBN 0-439-62332-4; Sept.)
Culled from the 1998 title, In Our Image: God's First Creatures, comes the board book How Did the Animals Help God? by Nancy Sohn Swartz, illus. by Melanie Hall. In this nontraditional version of the Creation, God asks the animals for suggestions in making humans: " 'Make them playful,' laughed the dolphin. 'With good appetites,' gulped the shark." According to PW, "Hall combines soft watercolors with black-and-neon—toned scratchboard work... the effect is both complex and magical." (SkyLight Paths [802-457-4000], $7.99 24p ages 6 mos.-4 yrs. ISBN 1-59473-044-X; Aug.)
Two new board books take inspiration from the bestselling Purpose-Driven Life series by Rick Warren. Little One, God Loves You and Little One, God Made You by Amy Warren Hilliker, illus. by Carol Thompson, emphasize God's love for and the uniqueness of little tykes. Hilliker (Warren's daughter) contributes reassuring rhyming couplets ("Little one, little one, God loves you./ Share God's love/ with others, too") that pair with bright illustrations of multicultural families. (Zonderkidz, $6.99 each 12p ages 6 mos.-4 yrs. ISBN 0-310-70971-7; 0-310-70959-8; Oct.)
Celebrating its initial publication 60 years ago, the Caldecott Medal—winning Prayer for a Child: Diamond Anniversary Edition by Rachel Field, illus. by Elizabeth Orton Jones, reappears in a paper-over-board format. The complete prayer, written in rhymed couplets, appears on the first page; then a few lines per page accompany serene illustrations of a girl in tender moments—stargazing out a window or smiling up at her parents. "Bless the lamplight, bless the fire/ Bless the hands that never tire/ In their loving care of me/ Bless my friends and family." This lovely book lends itself to nightly repetition (a reference to Jesus tags it for a Christian audience). (S&S, $10.95 32p ages 3-7 ISBN 0-689-87356-5; Sept.)
Two paperbacks by Jonny Zucker, illus. by Jan Barger, expand the Festival Time! series: Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story and Fasting and Dates: A Ramadan and Eid-ul-FitrStory. The first details the traditions of the Hindu New Year, including the exchange and offering of sweets and lighting of diyas (small lamps). The second relates the ritual fasting during the month of Ramadan, followed by the joyful celebration and feast of Eid-ul-Fitr. An endnote with more detailed descriptions of each faith's tenets and traditions rounds out each title. (Barron's, $6.95 each paper 24p ages 3-7 ISBN 0-7641-2670-9; 0-7641-2671-7; Sept.)
Bruce Feiler adapts his adult title, Walking the Bible, which recounts his trek through the Holy Land, in this kid-friendly version, Walking the Bible: An Illustrated Journey for Kids Through the Greatest Stories Ever Told, illus. by Sasha Meret. The author's photographs as well as Meret's line illustrations cover the sites of his route and maps as well as swirling, fantasy-influenced images of desert travelers surrounding Old Testament passages. He combines vivid regional descriptions with his own musings and revelations: "The Nile is to rivers what the Bible is to books: big, long, and important." (HarperCollins, $16.99 112p ages 7-up ISBN 0-06-051117-6; Oct.)
The storyteller behind Stories from the Life of Jesus delivers Stories from Adam and Eve to Ezekiel, retold by Celia Barker Lottridge, illus. by Gary Clement. Recounting the Old Testament tales in a voice tailored to children, Lottridge provides a straightforward translation ("Then Moses stretched his hand out over the sea. And God sent a strong east wind that blew all night and divided the water and made a path of dry land through the middle of the sea"), citing the biblical passages from which the stories originate. Clement (The Great Poochini) contributes illustrations characterized by loose pen-and-ink lines and watercolor wash. (Groundwood [PGW, dist.], $24.95 144p ages 7-up ISBN 0-88899-490-7; Sept.)
The seventh in the series, The Kids' Catalog of Hanukkah by David A. Adler is a comprehensive paperback guide to the holiday. Sections include "All About Hanukkah," "Hanukkah Stories" and "Hanukkah Fun" and feature blessings written in Hebrew followed by translations. Also in the mix: jokes, occasional "Hanukkah Bummer" cartoons and an abundance of quizzes, games, recipes, songs and more. (Jewish Publication Society [215-832-0600], $16.95 paper 218p ages 8-up ISBN 0-8276-0805-5; Sept.)
