Growing Up with God: Using Stories to Explore a Child's Faith and Life

Steven Greenhalgh is the research librarian in the Department of Public
Health Sciences at the University of Alberta.

Nancy Cocks is Canadian Presbyterian minister who has used storytelling
in her ministry for more than 20 years. Moreover, she has done extensive
research into the role played by stories in developing faith among
children.

Growing Up with God is divided into three main parts. Part 1 addresses
listening to children, imagination and curiosity about God, childhood
prayer, and, most importantly, how to kindle a child’s interest in and
closeness to God. Part 2 is a compilation of 25 stories for children of
various ages. All of the stories are centred on one of three characters
created by Cocks—Fergie the frog who lives in the swamp and is in the
Frog Scouts; Sherman the hound dog and the human family with whom he
lives; and Jackie Rabbit, who works for a circus magician. Part 3
provides an index to the 25 stories as well as follow-up resources for
the reader.

Cocks’s knowledge of storytelling and childhood faith is apparent
throughout the book. Advice for creating a curriculum, as well as for
combining biblical stories with the 25 included in the volume, is
offered. Aside from the stories, Cocks cites her own experiences of
speaking to children about God, and notes the children’s curiosity and
often unique perspectives. While the book does possess an index to the
stories, it lacks a general one, which may prove problematic for some
readers; however, such an oversight is minor.

Growing Up with God is an insightful and entertaining book for children
and adults alike.