A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 204

Picture Book: Does God Hear My Prayer?     

Author: August Gold

Photographer: Diane Hardy Waller

Summary: Through a series of questions, this inviting book explores the many ways children can communicate with and experience God. The assurance that God’s love and presence is always available and attentive is emphasized. Photographs highlight the ways we experience God, God’s world, and other creatures created by God.

Hanna’s Comments: In a sense I am featuring 5 books today! This book is representative of a series of 5 books offered by this publisher; all are in the same format and comparable in content. In ways that are neither preachy nor simple, these books offer thought-provoking questions about God’s nature and our relationship with God. Reading these books should lead to some valuable conversations with your children across settings: in their faith communities, in private schools where faith language is welcome, and in their homes. Photographs and other illustrations increase the child-friendliness of these books. This entire series as well as other books from this publisher are "endorsed by Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Buddhist religious leaders." If you are Christian, note that Jesus is not mentioned, but God is represented in a way that reflects Christian values. Here are the other titles in the series and their authors:

Where Does God Live? by August Gold There is another PBT book with this title that you can read about [here.]

How Does God Forgive Me? by August Gold

Does God Ever Sleep? by Joan Sauro

How Does God Listen? by Kay Lindahl

Publisher & Date of Publication: Skylight Paths Publishing, 2005

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 3 and up, Pre and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Tablet

PBT Category: God Book, Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: anxiety/worry, communication, disappointment, doubt, faith/faithfulness, God’s care/providence, God’s nature, God’s presence, God’s will, holiness, honesty, hope, humility, intercession, lamentations, openness, power, prayer, questioning/questions, quiet/silence, reassurance, strength/strength in God, trust/trustworthiness, waiting, wonder

Scripture Connections: You make known to be the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11); behold, I am with you always (Matthew 28:20)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book and the other books in this series anytime you want to explore the nature of God with children in a way that invites their questions and explorations.