What is God like?

Popular progressive Christian memoirist Evans' posthumously published children's picture book encourages children and families to explore the attributes of God. It's a big question to ask. What is God like? Many people have asked across time and around the globe, and there have been many answers, too. Here, a Black brother and sister and their diverse group of playmates explore both what God is like and how we can know. From God's revelation in nature to the stars in the sky, and above all through love, God is depicted as an omnipresent yet benevolent mystery. Throughout the text God is given male, female, and nonbinary pronouns and attributes. While many of the characteristics described come from Scripture, especially Psalms, belief in the Bible as Scripture is not a requirement to enjoy this book. Indeed, though the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is very lightly alluded to and the author self-identified as Christian, this is not an explicitly Christian text. It is well suited for diverse theistic audiences with varied beliefs about the creator, their nature, and identity. Tan's bright illustrations employ soft, rounded shapes and swirling compositions to emphasize the comforting and all-encompassing nature of God's presence. Notably, when the text compares God to three dancers, their grace and precision are interpreted by figures who are not stereotypically skinny and do not hew to conventional U.S. standards of beauty. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A colorful and diverse exploration of God's character, with an emphasis on love. (Picture book/religion. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Foreword Woven throughout this book, you'll find Rachel's heart for people, love of words, and the solace she discovered in the unknown. It was March of 2019 when she started outlining and writing drafts of children's books. As new parents, Rachel and I were in a fresh chapter of life. Our son, Henry, had just turned three, and our daughter, Harper, was still a baby. Rachel was excited to write stories they could enjoy. We had big plans and were building a house. But the crushing reality is that life doesn't always go according to our plans. Rachel wasn't able to finish the ideas for all her books. She got sick in April and passed away on May 4, 2019, two weeks before Harper's first birthday. Matthew Paul Turner was often with me at Rachel's hospital bedside in the days before her death. His personal connection to Rachel and her words permeates the poetic fabric of art and text that you now hold. It's an honor to work with Matthew, who has championed Rachel and her work from the beginning of her career, before New York Times bestseller lists, before media appearances, and before he was known as a children's book author. It's also a privilege to work with Ying Hui Tan, who ensures with breathtaking beauty that the ideas of Rachel and Matthew are seen. I'm grateful to Rachel, Ying Hui, Matthew, and the team at Convergent for their hard work. And I'm excited to share the collaboration of these artists with you. We are all fellow travelers through this life. Together, we learn to care for one another. Join me in these pages to discover ancient imagery, history, love, dedication to what's good, and acceptance of all people. Together, we wonder how we're simultaneously insignificant and grand in this vast universe. Together, let's explore the question: What is God like? Daniel Jonce Evans Excerpted from What Is God Like? by Rachel Held Evans, Matthew Paul Turner All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.