Author: Katie Warner
Illustrator: Amy Rodriguez
Publisher: Tan
Age Range: 2 – 8 years.
Katie Warner is a Catholic children’s author and home-schooling mom. In Listening for God, she has taken a passage from 1 Kings (19:11-12) and recreated it for children. In the passage, the prophet Elijah recounts how he was listening for God in the wrong places, and eventually hears God speak in the silence.
The story begins with Elijah listening for God on a mountain top, in an earthquake, in a storm and in a fire. But God is not to be heard in any of these places. Instead, Elijah eventually hears God’s “still, small voice” in the silence.
Katie Warner explains to readers that we can be still and quiet in order to hear God speak. I really liked how children are then encouraged to play out the story of Elijah.
“Can you be an earthquake?
Stomp your feet and
Rumble the ground
Like a big, shaky
Earthquake.”
Children are then asked to sit quietly, relax and breathe out slowly. Here, children can sit silently for a few moments while they listen to the silence.
There is a note at the end of the book for parents, grandparents, teachers or whoever is reading the book. Katie Warner suggests that if children become disappointed because they don’t actually hear God’s audible voice, then you can speak to them about how much God loves them and encourage them to open their hearts to God’s love. Perhaps this could have been included in the main part of the book.
The hardcover version of this book is an attractive and easy to read picture book. Each double paged spread has relatively simple illustrations which clearly convey the meaning of the story. I like that the text is, for the main part, printed on white pages or white background. This makes the text easier for younger readers. Most pages have only one or two sentence of text which is appropriate for this age group.
I highly recommend this book for Catholic children. It is a simple retelling of a scriptural story that will introduce your young children to the concept of ‘listening for God’ in the silence. Children will enthusiastically play out being the wind, the fire and an earthquake. Sure to be a family or classroom favourite!
You can purchase the book HERE
A preview of Listening for God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Yda_oKS1Y