God and Me

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“You know,” God said, “I must confess: / Of all the people in all
the world / I like children best. When they laugh, it comes right from
their toes. When they’re angry / the whole world knows. And, unlike
parents who are run off their feet / I like kids best when they’re not
asleep.”

This is the title poem of this ingenuous collection of short verse
celebrating the Christian belief that God and children enjoy an
especially close relationship. Of the 17 poems in the collection, all
except the title poem are written from a child’s point of view. The
author writes with insight and gentle humor as she examines everyday
themes of jealousy, nature, loving families, and talking to God. In a
poem called “No Sense,” for example, a child cannot understand why a
pet snake isn’t allowed to share her room but a yucky fish is allowed
on the dinner table.

Although the publisher says that this book “is not about any
particular religion,” orthodox Christian values are unmistakably
present on every page. Families are all loving and unthreatening. God is
mentioned only as a masculine presence. The fact that only Caucasians
appear in the seven illustrations may limit its appeal for the broader
Canadian audience. Recommended with reservations.