How God Got Christian into Trouble

by Maia Wojciechowska

God assumes the form of a young child and spends a few days with eleven-year-old Christian Wolny in New York, meeting his family and friends, going to church and school, talking about life, death, and love, and affecting people's lives in various ways.

80 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Maia Wojciechowska was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1927, and later lived in France and England. Eventually, her family moved to the United States.

A writer of books for young readers, in 1964 Maia Wojciechowska wrote the book "Shadow of a Bull", which was named the Newbery Medal winner in 1965.

In 2002 she died of a stroke in Long Beach, New Jersey. She was seventy-four years old.

Reviews

[Pamela Bronson]

11-year-old Christian has been warned his family has a tradition of hearing voices of saints or sages, but is astonished when his voice turns out to be God himself. The first thing the Voice says to him is, "Why do you worry so much, Christian?" He has a lot of worries for a young boy, including his parents' estrangement. Since hearing a voice also worries him, God kindly takes the form of an abused child and lives with Christian for a few days. He displays some surprising tastes (Coca-cola and old movies) and has a profound impact on Christian, his family, and many others, even without miracles.

I was surprised at how much this book affected me. My 10- and 14-year-old daughters also loved it when I read it to them. This is a non-sectarian book that I think anyone who believes in God (and some who don't) could enjoy and be encouraged by. (There are some references to Jesus, but God also speaks well of a 19th century Jewish peasant.) I am an evangelical Presbyterian, whereas the hero Christian is Catholic (presumably the author is, too), but I had few disagreements with what God says and does. The things I didn't agree with were overwhelmed by the things I could accept and grow through.