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My Father's House
Oh my father, thank you,
for all your many mansions. . . .
From woodland halls to painted desert walls, from mountain porches wrapped in snow to rain forest attics catching clouds, this exquisitely beautiful poetic tribute to Earth’s creator is grand in its gratitude and sure of the love found throughout the natural world.
Filled with award-winning artist Raul Colón’s jewel-toned illustrations, My Father’s House imparts a refreshing and uplifting message that is necessary today more than ever. This is a book both to give and to treasure for years to come.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 17, 2007
About the author
Kathi Appelt
61 books551 followersLives in College Station, TX with husband Ken and four adorable cats.
Two sons, both musicians.
Serves on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.
Two sons, both musicians.
Serves on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 30, 2017
Could have been a pretty enough ode to nature... but instead it's an ode to Creation, which denies science, which I will not tolerate. Even worse, the opening and closing use the phrase "many mansions" which, yes, is a quote, but the mansions in the rest of the book are the different natural habitats, and yet they're drawn, beginning and end, as human houses. Which would be ok if there were people living with nature in those images, but again, we've got the whole implication going of man apart and superior, created in His image to have dominion over the earth.
I'm telling you, even if you are a Christian, if you read this carefully you're going to have problems. Unless you deny evolution, in which case why are you reading my reviews....
But I can't bring myself to give it one star. It is, after all, well-intentioned and appealing, in its own way.
I'm telling you, even if you are a Christian, if you read this carefully you're going to have problems. Unless you deny evolution, in which case why are you reading my reviews....
But I can't bring myself to give it one star. It is, after all, well-intentioned and appealing, in its own way.
November 3, 2021
A soothing chant of a book, grateful for and celebratory of this beautiful world. Gorgeous illustrations by Raul Colon.
January 2, 2017
Beautiful prayer of thanksgiving for all the places on earth (and in space).
January 7, 2015
Summary
Oh my father, thank you, for all your many mansions. . . . From woodland halls to painted desert walls, from mountain porches wrapped in snow to rain forest attics catching clouds, this exquisitely beautiful poetic tribute to Earth’s creator is grand in its gratitude and sure of the love found throughout the natural world. Filled with award-winning artist Raul Col n’s jewel-toned illustrations, My Father’s House imparts a refreshing and uplifting message that is necessary today more than ever. This is a book both to give and to treasure for years to come.
Note - An illustrated children's poem which thanks the Creator for the ocean, the tundra, the forests, and all the other parts of nature.
Subject:
God -- Juvenile poetry.
Fathers -- Juvenile poetry.
Nature -- Juvenile poetry
Children's poetry, American
"Introduces the metaphor: "Oh my Father, thank you,/For all your many mansions-/For the one you call the Ocean/With its salted silver spray-." - School Library Journal Review
Oh my father, thank you, for all your many mansions. . . . From woodland halls to painted desert walls, from mountain porches wrapped in snow to rain forest attics catching clouds, this exquisitely beautiful poetic tribute to Earth’s creator is grand in its gratitude and sure of the love found throughout the natural world. Filled with award-winning artist Raul Col n’s jewel-toned illustrations, My Father’s House imparts a refreshing and uplifting message that is necessary today more than ever. This is a book both to give and to treasure for years to come.
Note - An illustrated children's poem which thanks the Creator for the ocean, the tundra, the forests, and all the other parts of nature.
Subject:
God -- Juvenile poetry.
Fathers -- Juvenile poetry.
Nature -- Juvenile poetry
Children's poetry, American
"Introduces the metaphor: "Oh my Father, thank you,/For all your many mansions-/For the one you call the Ocean/With its salted silver spray-." - School Library Journal Review
June 22, 2013
I really liked this book and for myself would have given it four stars. The illustrations are very soft and soothing and the text describes beautifully how God dwells everywhere. The connection of God's spirit with natural spaces all over the world really resonated with me. However, my kids haven't shown much interest in it since the first time we read it together. Even my two 1/2 year old who loves poetry didn't take much interest in the rhyme scheme.
May 12, 2008
Format: 32 pages. Approx. 250 words. POV: First person, present.
Rhymed poetic prayer of thanksgiving, which interprets the biblical metaphor of God's mansions as the different parts of nature, from trees to birds to animals and different landscapes and temperatures. Rhymes are simple but not predictable nor given to sounding like Dr. Seuss in cadence.
Rhymed poetic prayer of thanksgiving, which interprets the biblical metaphor of God's mansions as the different parts of nature, from trees to birds to animals and different landscapes and temperatures. Rhymes are simple but not predictable nor given to sounding like Dr. Seuss in cadence.
January 5, 2017
Poem of thanksgiving for all different types of nature with beautiful illustrations.
There were a couple of places where I thought the rhythm was awkward. Also, ignore the verse it says it's based on (which is taken very out of context); this would pair better with some of the psalms.
There were a couple of places where I thought the rhythm was awkward. Also, ignore the verse it says it's based on (which is taken very out of context); this would pair better with some of the psalms.
April 7, 2010
The art in this book is beautiful. It IS a religious book, to some extent, but it is not preachy (the book just thanks "our father" for the beauty in nature).
April 10, 2013
This book just reaches down... Such gratefulness. I love the artwork. It's one that I want to buy. :) Raul Colon is quickly becoming one my favorite illustrators. Watch out Kadir Nelson.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews