For Every Little Thing by June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling

For Every Little Thing invites children to celebrate each moment of the day through poems and prayers drawn from a wide range of religious and faith backgrounds.

For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day, selected by June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling and illustrated by Helen Cann. Eerdmans, 2021. 96 pages.

Reading Level: Picture books

Recommended For: Ages 4-8

The average preschooler of my acquaintance needs little incentive to celebrate the day: stopping to observe an earthworm after last night’s rain becomes cause for a mother’s frustration if they’re late for the doctor. Maneuvering food around on a plate to build castles and turrets out of peas and mashed potatoes, marveling at a rainbow, or curling up for storytime—we could all take a lesson in “celebrating” the little moments from our young friends.

This is the spirit behind this gentle collection of poems and prayers. Although there are some gems in this collection, the quality of the poems is uneven, and the theology represents a broad array of faith traditions (including Christian, Jewish, Native American, and more). Childlike illustrations match the feel of each poem or prayer, and they depict a nice representation of races and country/city life. This is a book to look for at your local library, bring home and enjoy the poems you resonate with most, and allow your children to explore the illustrations.

Considerations:

• Religion/World View: As mentioned above, the texts are pulled from a wide range of faiths and religious traditions.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

• Worldview/Moral Rating: 3.75 out of 5
• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4 out of 5

Read more about our ratings here.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• A Review: Sing a Song of Seasons (a large, coffee-table book of nature poetry for children)
• A Review: Kiyoshi’s Walk (a picture book about poems)
• A Resource: It’s National Poetry Month—Let’s Write a Poem! (free download)

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