THE BOOK OF BELONGING

A collection of stories of God’s love inspired by the Bible.

This collection of 42 kid-friendly stories pulls from the Old and New Testaments. Starting with the creation story, it covers Exodus, follows Jesus’ life, and ends with a tale from Revelation. Readers will encounter a variety of both better- and lesser-known stories. Each entry emphasizes one of three main messages God has for us: “You Belong. You are Beloved. You are Delightful.” Clark retells episodes from the Bible in accessible text using her original dialogue and phrasing to convey her messages. Each chapter opens with a title that may trigger recognition of the original story (“She Laughed,” “Jesus and the Party People”), the Bible verses the story stems from, and notes on the characters’ Greek and Hebrew names. “Mindful Moment” sections describe God-focused mindfulness activities, while “Wonder Moment” segments pose thoughtful questions for readers to reflect on. Throughout the Old Testament section, two-page spreads explain key groups of people, such as judges and prophets, and their roles among God’s people. Ample illustrations throughout feature beautiful embellishments and borders, breathing color and life into the descriptive text and adding cultural context. God is depicted in golden hues and given human facial features and a more amorphous body; the human figures are racially diverse.

Biblical stories presenting a moving message, contemplative questions, and captivating illustrations.