What Is God? (What Is? Life Concepts Series, 1) - Hardcover

Etan Boritzer

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0920668895 ISBN 13: 9780920668894

Publisher: Firefly Books, 1990

Synopsis

What is God? is an eloquent introduction to the ideas behind God and religion, and brings forward complex ideas in a way children will understand. It is written with a simple clarity and beautifully illustrated with just the right blend of seriousness and humor.

What is God? compares different religions -- Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism -- and their holy books, looks at misunderstandings and arguments among people of different religions, and talks about praying as well as feeling connected to everything in the world.

If you want to talk about spirituality with a child, or introduce them to philosophy or religion, or just help them to begin to center themselves and their feelings about the world, this book is a great beginning.

About this title

About the Author

Etan Boritzer has worked as a journalist for several magazines and his poetry has been published in various European and American journals. Etan's travels and studies in the Far East and other parts of the world, have led to his realization that the numerous and sometimes confusing concepts of God should be synthesized and made more accessible to children. Etan Boritzer currently resides near Santa Monica, California, writing screenplays and more children's books.

Robbie Marantz is a freelance illustrator living in New York City. She grew up in Los Angeles and was educated at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. The majority of her work is editorial illustration for magazines and newspapers, including Time Magazine, Business Week and Cosmopolitan. What is God? is Robbie's first children's book.

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-- A provocative look at the concept of God that differs greatly from the Judeo-Christian idea of God as a person rather than as a vacuous feeling or entity. Major world religions are introduced in combination with the well-known teachers representing them (Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed), and whose words evolved into a library of Holy Books: the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, the Sutras, and the Vedas. Similarities are drawn among these faiths, showing common strands of truth and prayer as a universal tool of communication with God. Brief discussion is given to those believing in multiple gods as well as to those who experience religious persecution. Boritzer's attempt to synthesize and make accessible the many concepts of God results in the New Age concept/belief of pantheism. Marantz' Henrik Drescher-like illustrations are bold and bright watercolors, occupying full pages that face the poetic free-verse text. At times they serve a somewhat decorative purpose, but usually expand and elucidate elements in the narrative. The reasoning process used throughout may occasionally prove too abstract for many children, making this a picture book for older readers. It will be best utilized by religious-education teachers and parents. --Celia A. Huffman, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland

Copyright 1990 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0920668895
• ISBN 13: 9780920668894
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Robbie Marantz