God Loves Me More Than That by Dandi Daley Mackall, illustrated by David Hohn

This hardcover picture book would be a great addition to any library. It conveys one of the most important truths that the world needs to know, namely that God loves us. The book begins with a little boy asking the question, "How much love does God have for me?" The answer, as he stands atop enormous letters and strains to see all the way to the end of the alphabet: "More than the letters between A and Z." Whimsical illustrations and rhyming texts take this boy across every page, with more questions and answers, affirming the magnitude of God's love. We see the boy ride a bumble bee, explore outer space, ride a horse across the prairie, dive to the ocean floor, and perform with circus elephants, among other things. The last pages show him tucked into bed with his teddy bear, sleeping soundly, and the text reads, "Nice to know that my whole life through, God loves me more than that!"

There is a page near the end where the little boy is sitting at the edge of his treehouse. The golden just-before-sunset light is shining through the trees onto his upturned face, and the text reads: "Lord, it's great to be loved by you. Hope you know that I love you too." The illustrations really capture that personal moment of connection to God, surrounded by nature.

I recommend this book to all parents, teachers, and picture book aficionados.

*Full disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to review from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group via Blogging for Books.

The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner

This week, I'm on a steady diet of Susan Meissner novels. This is #3. It doesn't feel like an overdose; it feels nourishing, strengthening, enlightening. In addressing timeless questions, Ms. Meissner creates characters who feel like real people. She juxtaposes the past with the present in a context of faith and shows us that there is much to learn from history, that our lives and relationships have meaning, and that our choices matter. All this couched in an enjoyable storyline that leaves the reader in a pleasant state of self-examination.

The Shape of Mercy is both agonizing and irresistible, the kind of book that you close to give yourself a break from the emotional intensity, but open again after 10 seconds because you want to keep reading. Lauren is a college girl who wants to choose her destiny, rather than having it dictated to her by her affluent parents. She loves books and accepts a part-time job with Abigail, a retired librarian whose ancestor, Mercy, was killed in the Salem witch trials. As Lauren transcribes Mercy's diary, she grows increasingly troubled by its contents and by her own assumptions. Her life and relationships are forever colored by what happens next.... Pick up the book to discover the conclusion!

And then, if you love it, I just discovered a Susan Meissner blog, where the story continues!

Why the Sky is Blue by Susan Meissner

If you only have time for one book to read, this is it. An intensely personal, heart-rending story of a mother and her two daughters, one who is conceived as the result of a sexual assault. This book recounts the miracle of how Christ's atonement can transform ugliness and violence into love and hope, and how we can reconcile God's love with the reality of life. It tells of choices, regrets, dreams, hopes, consequences, and feels very real.

Susan Meissner is my new favorite author. I liked this one so well that I may read it again right away.

Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner

Lady in Waiting is the captivating story of two women who share the same name. Jane Lindsay, married for 22 years, occasionally wonders how her life would be different if she had married a different man. When her doctor husband takes a job out of state and says he needs some time apart, she is forced to examine what, if anything, she values in him and in their marriage. A beautiful, centuries-old ring with her own name inscribed inside the band puts her on a path of discovery and change, in her view of herself, her relationships, and the course of her life.

The parallel story of fifteen year old Lady Jane Grey is fascinating. (Lady Jane is a real historical figure, although this story is mostly fictitious.) Through the perspective of her seamstress, the reader becomes acquainted with Lady Jane, her family, her studies, and her dreams. Her future seems set by her parents and the English court. Ultimately, however, Jane determines her own destiny.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is clear and inviting, drew me in, and made me feel like I knew the characters. I especially liked seeing the varied relationships (parent/child, husband/wife, friend/friend) and how they affected the outcome of the story. Although previously unfamiliar with Susan Meissner's writing, I hope to find many more of her novels at my library!

*Full disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to review from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group via Blogging for Books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Under the Overpass - a journey of faith on the streets of America

Nice guy Mike Yankoski shares his experiences from choosing to live homeless for 5 months in Denver, DC, Portland, San Francisco, Phoenix, and San Diego, a personal mission he felt called to fulfill. One of his goals was to get an insider's view of being homeless and especially to see how Christian churches treated homeless people. Another was to support others in living their Christian faith. His third goal was to test his own faith.

Mike encounters what you might expect in terms of people and circumstances. He gets hungry, cold, wet, dirty, smelly, and tired. He meets druggies, alcoholics, people with mental illness, Christians, people who ignore him, people who buy him dinner... At the end of it all, when his time is done, he goes home.

The writing is not beautiful or powerful; it is full of I said, he said, I said, he said, I asked, he said. One thing I appreciated was that the language was very clean. The author deliberately omitted that aspect of street living, although in doing so, he removed some of the authentic grit which might have made the book more compelling.

I admire Mike for doing what he felt called to do, for sticking it out when he was hungry and cold, and for trying to live his faith. It did seem strange to leave his money home and go begging for 5 months, and I was quite surprised at the sense of entitlement he felt from churches. I would recommend this book to the curious and to those who'd like advice on how to respond to homeless people from someone who knows.

*Full disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to review from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group via Blogging for Books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”