God's Dream
PreSchool-Grade 2—Tutu teaches a message of peace and hope in this gentle picture book, echoing the theological ideology of his memoir,God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time(Doubleday, 2004). "Dear Child of God," the narrator begins, "what do you dream about?" While children may dream about "flying high" or "being treated like a full person," God dreams about a world in which all of his children join hands in peace, reconciliation and unity. In simple, eloquent language, Tutu conveys the message that although we come from different lands, have different eyes and skin, and talk to God in different ways, we are still brothers and sisters. By "sharing, loving, caring" and "knowing we are family" we can "make God's dream come true." The incandescent graphite, watercolor, and ink illustrations of captivating multicultural youngsters engaged in the carefree pastimes reinforce the overarching themes of love and inclusiveness. The angelic, trusting faces reflect the hope that Archbishop Tutu holds for all the world's children of God. They hold hands and share welcoming smiles, creating a circle of love and acceptance. Parents may want to pair this inspirational book with Karen Lynn Williams'sCircles of Hope(Eerdmans, 2005) or Alice McGinty'sThank You, World(Dial, 2007), two more stories exploring the importance of love, faith, and hope.—Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.