Review
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Title: A Child of God
Author: Bonner, Chantel, and Mauli
Publisher: Ensign Peak
Genre: Children’s
Year Published: 2021
Number of Pages: 30
Binding: Hardback
ISBN13: 978-1-62972-917-6
Price: $16.99
Reviewed by Michelle Magnusson for the Association for Mormon Letters
I’ll be honest… it is so hard to find Latter-day Saint children’s books that include nuanced religious instruction and a diverse cast of characters that my bar is pretty low. That bar has been raised! Chantel and Mauli Bonner, with illustrations from Morgan Bissant, offer A Child of God as what I hope is the first of many books to bridge this gaping void.
This visually appealing and rhyming read-aloud story helps each child celebrate their own unique cultural background and to value those of other community members. Centered on the daily life of a young Black brother and sister, A Child of God features a positive and faith-filled family dialogue and invites you to continue the conversation in your own home. Responding to a series of questions from their children, the parental characters assert that the way we look like Jesus is by doing what he does, regardless of our gender or the color of our skin. I liked that when the children in the story questioned that the angels in art all had blonde hair and light skin, the parents encouraged the children to draw their own angels, reminding them that people often illustrate what they know.
The book celebrates the unique and special value of each of God’s children, regardless of race, gender, or religion. The authors realize their vision of providing families with a tool to facilitate healthy conversations, with children around individuality and inclusivity. The final page of the book gives parents discussion prompts, scriptural tie-ins, questions to ask, and simple projects to do with children to elaborate on the themes in the book. As a result, even parents that feel nervous or hesitant broaching the topic of race can approach future conversations with tested tools. A Child of God has the potential to draw us all closer to seeing God in each other.