Turner & Catrow #2

Picture Book: When God Made Light

Author: Matthew Paul Turner
Illustrator: David Catrow

Summary: The same 2 little girls we enjoyed in the first Turner and Catrow book (see my last post) are back!  Here they are celebrating God's creation, beginning with 4... 

familiar... 

words.

Big sister creates her sun costume 

while little sister dabbles in some creative play too. 

Light and shadow are explored via graceful dancing by all sorts of creatures. The beauty and benefits of light are listed... 

warm summers, blooming flowers, golden wheat, and gorgeous sunrises.  

Readers are encouraged to look up to the sun and be grateful to God. 

At day's end, as you wave goodbye to the sun, stick around for the moon and it's beautiful, light-reflecting ways. 

Don't let the absence of the sun, keep you from having fun! There are flashlights for night hikes and fireflies too.  

There are all sorts of light ready to dazzle you, some bolting, some sparkling and bursting. 

All is amazing, but what might be most glorious is God's light inside you. So beam and shimmer, for you are light for the world!

Hanna’s Comments: What a gorgeous book! So many children (and adults) need to hear there is God's light inside of them waiting to be shone in the world for good. Don't let this picture book experience be limited to simple platitudes. Encourage you audience, no matter their age, to talk about how faith, hope, and God's loving presence has shown a light in darkness for them. Tell stories of dark times transformed into loving lessons or hopeful opportunities. These little girls deserve rich conversation about God's glorious and transformational light in nature AND in their lives.

Original Publisher & Date: Waterbrook, 2018

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: And God said, “Let there be light"... And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:3-4); humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27); Let your light shine before others. (Matthew 5:16); Jesus said, "I am with you always..." (Matthew 28:20); The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5); Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." (John 8:12)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children in a lesson about God’s creation story in Genesis or Jesus being the light of the world or that God-given spark of light in all of us.