When God Made You - Matthew Paul Turner

Through playful, charming rhyme and vivid, fantastical illustrations, When God Made You inspires young readers to learn about their own special gifts and how they fit into God’s divine plan as they grow, explore, and begin to create for themselves. (publisher)

Matthew Paul Turner, blogger, speaker, and author of Hear No Evil, The Coffeehouse Gospel, What You Didn’t Learn from Your Parents About… series, and more says that he noticed that when he read children's books that dealt on topics of faith, they did not seem as imaginative as secular books. So, he wanted to write one that would be more creative and appealing to children. Illustrator David Catrow is primarily an illustrator/author of children's books but has also been involved with several animated film/television projects. (website)

When God Made You is probably more suitable for 6-8-year-old kids since there is quite a bit of text that may not hold the attention of younger kids. Perhaps the author and I simply have different speech patterns, but I did not always find the words flowing as smoothly as I expect with a rhyming book, and a couple seemed a bit forced. Frankly, I got a bit bored with some of the repetition, but I am many years past the recommended reading level. The bright illustrations did demonstrate a sense of joy and fun as the child was assured that she was uniquely designed by God. For that age group, the message is okay, but I can't overlook the emphasis on the child being the center of attention rather than being created in the image of God to reflect Him. It's okay, but not great.

I received a copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah's Blogging For Books program in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions are my own.