Where's God?

Rating:
Summary: A Much Needed Book
Review: At a time when God has been kicked out of our schools, offices, and even many of our religious institutions, it's a refreshing change to find a children's book that invites Him back in.  Dr. Laura's book teaches our precious children the power and beauty of prayer.  Her unique writing style and adorable illustrations make this book a special treat for bedtime; and the story is the perfect way to get your kids excited about a relationship with their creator.  I think this book is a must-have for every child's personal library.

Rating:
Summary: great book to read to children
Review: This book is terrific in helping me talk to my children about God. I was actually quite amazed at all the different issues that arose from the "plot." It really opened my eyes to the different concerns my children might have about God. Also, I'm frankly annoyed by the person who gave this book only two stars and gave stupid criticisms - like the first one: Dr Laura's name is on the cover. What is that? I'm tired of those people with knee-jerk hate of religious principles. Loved the book.

Rating:
Summary: Well, where did you see Him last?
Review: [THIS IS A REPLACEMENT REVIEW FOR AN INCOMPLETE REVIEW THAT I ACCIDENTLY SENT EARLIER TODAY.]

Here's a bad sign: Laura Schlessinger PhD ("Dr. Laura") gives herself top billing in "Dr. Laura Schlessinger's Where's God?" her children's book about prayer. God doesn't appear in this book as a character. He's the topic of discussion between a pop-eyed, misshapen creature named Sammy and Sammy's grandpa, who resembles a normal human being. (I can't say that I find Daniel McFeeley's illustrations charming: Sammy is too grotesque.)

Sammy wants to ask God "to go to the hospital and help Mommy's knee get better so she doesn't need surgery and can come home right away." (Well, prayer IS more effective than arthroscopy.) Sammy says he's figured out that he has to know where God is before God can hear his prayer. (Grandpa doesn't think that makes sense, either.) Sammy suggests that God may be in church or in heaven. Grandpa ignores these suggestions but leads Sammy to an answer to his question.

I'll give the author one star for not getting bogged down in a lot of theology. According to this book, God is at one with the universe, God hears our prayers, "God works through all of us." The author presents God as a good habit we can't quite break: whether we choose to be good or to be bad, God is always in us, "loving us and being patient." I'll give the author another star for daring to approach the problem of evil -- but she backs off promptly, with reassurances that this is the best of all possible worlds. Grandpa says we "must trust God" even when He says no to us, even when we're not satisfied with His response.

This approach does have its limitations. A bit ominously, Grandpa tells Sammy that God "let" Sammy get punished because he "earned that punishment and needed to learn from it." Is the implication that when bad things happen to us and the people we care about, we have it coming? That fear of punishment in this life is all we have to keep us honest? As for Sammy's mother, God is helping her through her doctors, and God expects her "to help Him help her by doing the exercises." Uh-oh: divine sanction for working out. This might not be the best book for a child whose sick or disabled parent doesn't have a good prognosis.

Parents who are trying to impart religious doctrine to their children will find a few aspects of this book unsatisfactory. That "Don't Bother God" sign on the wall of Sammy's church must be intended to elicit a chuckle. But what IS Sammy doing in church? Prayer is more than wishing. But there's no hint in this book about prayer as worship or gratitude. Sammy says he felt "funny about eating my salad" after the greengrocer told him that "God was in all growing things." How would Sammy feel about eating a communion wafer? Heaven is just something Sammy heard a TV preacher mention; as Sammy describes the concept, it seems absurd. (Hell doesn't exist for Sammy and Gramps; neither does Satan.) Although Grandpa describes God as the Creator, some may balk at his statement that "everything is part of God - even the weeds." People of a particular faith aren't quite so inclusive and vague in their concept of God.