When God Made Light

by Matthew Paul Turner, David Catrow (Illustrator)

From the author and illustrator of the best-selling When God Made You comes a new illuminating message about God's design affirming young readers.

'Let there be light!' that's what God said. And light began shining and then started to spread." Wild and creative illustrations from top children's illustrator David Catrow pair with Matthew Paul Turner's lyrical verse in this message of a God-made light that cuts through darkness to bring vision and hope to all young readers. This light radiates, chasing away the shadows, providing the wonder and fun of stargazing or firefly chasing. Most important, this light appears in each child--an inner God-given spark that grows and will be used to change the world.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Christian, Religion, Fiction, Spirituality, Faith

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Matthew Paul Turner has made his mark as a force in the Christian children's book publishing market. With his unmatched gift for rhyme blended with deliberate messages of hope and empowerment, Turner's books When God Made You and When God Made Light have become bedtime favorites for families across America. His latest anticipated release is When I Pray for You, which will debut in February 2019.

Turner's storied writing career started nearly 20 years ago, and he has published a book every year. Called “one of Christianity’s fresh voices” by Publisher’s Weekly, Turner's other notable works include Our Great Big American God, Churched, Coffeehouse Gospel and The Christian Culture Survival Guide.

When God Made You was an Evangelical Christian Publishing Association Bestseller, described as “‘Oh, the Places You'll Go' meets the Divine” by recording artist Amy Grant.

Additionally, Turner is an accomplished photographer and journalist. Turner traveled all over the world documenting National Geographic’s “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman”. For the past decade, he has also traveled extensively with World Vision to places such as Tacloban, Philippines; Entebbe, Uganda; Cochabamba, Bolivia; Gyumri, Armenia; and other locations documenting the vast effects of poverty and the humanitarian efforts of the non-profit. His writing has appeared in outlets that include the Washington Post, National Geographic, USA Today and Daily Beast.

Turner lives in Nashville, Tenn. with his wife Jessica and their three elementary-aged children. In his free time, he enjoys portrait photography, woodworking, and cooking for his family and friends. Connect with him at www.matthewpaulturner.com

Reviews

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have deleted my review because of the author's current stance on Christianity.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Waterbrook, on behalf of the author to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and are freely given.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic children's book written in lyrical verse with colorful illustrations. This book will inspire children to think about how God created light and how it affects all living things. It is suitable for children age three to eight. The book is a wonderful read aloud. I received a copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for a review.

[C.E. Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

When God Made Light is an illuminating children’s book. I am in literary love with the lyrical flow and the adorable illustrations. The story carries an upbeat tone and a powerful message. I read and reviewed When God Made You last year and listed it as one of the most adorable children’s books I’ve ever read! This one goes on that list as well.

The rhymes are fun and the illustrations are so vivid, colorful and impressive. And the icing on the cake is the beautiful message it carries—encouraging young readers to let their inner lights shine wherever they go.

And all that light—every bright golden hue—is the very same light that God put inside you. ~Excerpt

Mathew Paul Turner (author) and David Catrow (illustrator) created a perfect blend of empowerment and wonderment. The rhythmic story inspires young readers to go outside and explore the world. It showcases the lights during the day and at night, and especially the one God placed inside of the reader. It’s fun to read aloud, and the full-page illustrations are bold, colorful, and unique. The children, animals, and nature scenes are incredibly detailed and memorable.

It’s close to impossible to NOT be inspired and uplifted by this book—It is gentle, yet powerful, simple, yet profound. I wish this book had been around when my children were young.

I’m in love with this hardcover children’s book. Highly recommended! (Release day: 02/13/18)


Cover: Love
Title: Love
Pages: 48
Target Group: 3-7 years
Publisher: Waterbrook
ISBN: 978-1601429209
First Lines: Let there be light! That’s what God said.
I was very blessed to receive an advanced reader copy.

[Christine Kallner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful picture book I heard about in a short interview with the author on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast and got for my son for Easter. However, I am left scratching my head as to why 2 pages from the end there was one page that didn’t rhyme like the rest of the book. (If “star” and “dark” are meant to rhyme, sorry, but I’m not convinced!) It felt to me like it could have ended without those last pages anyway, so I can’t quite figure out why it ends on such a clunky note language-wise. That’s the only thing keeping me from rating this 5-stars.

[Susanchitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautiful books for young children I have ever read. The illustrations are breathtaking and the lyrical verse is profound. I highly recommend it to anyone even those without a child to read it to. "Cause you're just like the sun and moon in the sky, as lustrous as twinkles that dazzle the eye. You're as splendid as lightning when it flashes so bright, 'cause on the day you were born, God said, "Let there be light!"

[Lanette Gilbert-Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review:

This book was such an inspiring and uplifting story! My girls (ages 1 and 3) absolutely LOVED this book! They especially loved the rhyming words and the beautiful pictures!
I also loved the illustrations. They were gorgeously drawn and depicted the story in a very unique and aesthetically pleasing way. As a parent and a minister, I love that this was not only about how God Made the light in the skies but also God made the light in each individual as well. That is such an important message to convey to our children.
This is so positive and encouraging for young children and I love that this is now a part of my daughters' collection. I will look forward to rereading this story with my girls and also sharing this with my kids at my church as well!

Read more of my reviews at novelsandhops.com!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous illustrations!

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written and illustrated children's book

[Scott Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to "Multicultural Children's Book Day" I was able to get my hands on an early-release of "When God Made Light." From the author and illustrator of "When God Made You" (Matthew Paul Turner and David Catrow, respectively), "When God Made Light" is definitely another five-star worthy, faith-based children's book. As a teacher, this book was everything I had hoped it would be with its strong scriptural foundation and outstanding art work. This book, published by WaterBrook, is another winner!

"Multicultural Children's Book Day 2017" (Saturday, January 27, 2018) is in its fifth year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Their mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids' books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents, and educators. #ReadYourWorld #MCBD2018 http://multiculturalchildrensbookday....

[Beth | Faithfully Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review on Faithfully Bookish

Each one of our children (ages 5 through 13) has taken a turn spontaneously reading the pages and/or perusing the whimsical illustrations, soaking up each detail and pointing out parts that make them laugh or stop to ponder.

This book blesses my mama heart! It is a joy to see our children pour over the pages of an encouraging and faith-filled book like this one. The engaging artwork and beautiful prose are soothing and heartfelt.

Reading this book aloud is a delightful experience and one I look forward to reliving often for years to come.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the opportunity to review this book and help the author with the book launch came up I jumped at the chance. Turner’s first book ‘When God Made You‘ has become a favorite in our world. I actually purchased a second copy for my niece on her birthday as, despite the initial mixed signals from the Minions, they have all fallen in love with that book. The only problem? Right now I don’t have access to my Minions to get their reactions to this book. I know they would love it. The illustrations are so whimsical and inviting. I really enjoy David Catrow‘s style. The words weren’t as overwhelming and heavy as the first book but more perfectly spaced throughout the book.

Genesis 1:3-5 (KJV) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

This book is a creative play on the creation story in Genesis about how God made light. He made light to shine on the day, he made light to shine on the night, he made light with lightning and bugs, he made light to shine within you. OK, that is not from the book people that’s just my sorry attempt at somethingness. The rhymes in this book are touching and honest. They help to draw you into the illustrations to tell the story within the story. They also allow for deeper conversations about how we are to be the light of God into the world. Every single one of us has a light within us that needs to shine into the world. A light of love, of friendship, a light of talents that all need to be shared. We are a light of purpose.

I got a chance to read this book a few dozen times with Squirt this past week. She’s a bit too young to share her thoughts but she was drawn into the illustrations and she seemed to be caught into the rhymes and words. She brought it too me again and again, but then she does love to be read to and this book was pretty handy since it was in the review stack. This book has the ability to open doors for conversations, not only about the creation, but about our individual creation. This book allows opportunity to open discussions about how each of us as individuals can become lights to the world. This book allows opportunity to open discussions about our individual talents to share our light with the world. It also opens opportunities for discussion about how we can be a light to others through our love and friendship and personality. While wrapped in deeply Christian themes this book is ideal for any child as they grow into their own personalities and embracing those things that light their own life.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Waterbrook Press. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Originally published at https://fizzypopcollection.com/when-g....

[Elizabeth]

I didn't love Turner and Catrow's When God Made You , and while I had higher hopes for this one (I dunno why) I wasn't super into this one either.

I did really enjoy some of the opening illustrations with the exuberant older sibling (our protagonist from When God Made You) and skeptical younger sibling (who gives great face sometimes).

Like its predecessor, this book illustrates the children's adventure, while the text talks about creation (though maybe a third of the way through this book the text pivots to parallel what we're actually watching happen).

The older kid wears a handmade sun crown for most of the book, and near the end of the book the text makes explicit the idea that we each have God's light within us, and that "on the day you were born, God said, 'Let there be light!'"

I did find awkward "and wherever light shined, dark stopped being dark" above an illustration of a brown-skinned kid staring at her brown-skinned younger sibling's closed eyelids and holding a paintbrush. (Yes, I know it's a metaphor, but it hit me the wrong way there. Near the end of the book, talking about how you have God's light within you, when we read, "So beam like the sun; glimmer like a star. And wherever you go, dark will stop being dark." and the text is further away from the child, I could more easily interpret it metaphorically.)

I did appreciate that the book also talks about nighttime -- "And when the light fades and a day ends too soon, wave goodbye to the sun and hello to the moon. Yes, God made the moon to brighten the sky's night, to reflect the sun's shine, to be our world's nightlight." The book goes on to talk about things one can do at night -- go out with your parents and a flashlight, catch fireflies in jars, stargaze, etc.

Near the end, the book says, "And if you ever feel scared in the darkness of night, remember the shadows are no match for God light. Climb into bed, sleep soundly and dream, and now that inside you God's glow is agleam." I would have ended the book there, but the author elaborates over a couple more pages as our protagonist gazes at her jar of fireflies while everyone else sleeps. On the last page, she opens the jar and the fireflies go free.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

: I first encountered author Matthew Paul Turner in his first picture book collaboration with David Caltrow (my favorite children’s illustrator) in When God Made You., which is an adorable book with a powerful message. So, when I saw these two were teamed up for another book I had to read it.

This brilliant book opens with the words “Let There Be Light” each word on a page showing two little girls busy making something creative and fun using markers and scissors, while their cat and dog run around. The story begins, let there be light “And light began shining and then started to spread.”

After reading this book I realized I haven’t thought much about light. It is a wonderful thing. This book is filled with elaborate descriptions of all kinds of light and an array of beautiful color splashed throughout. Here’s a peek inside the book, “When God made light, a universe lit up, a dazzling display of big shiny stuff. And all that light- every bright golden hue – is the very same light that God put inside you.”

The illustrator pulls out all the stops as he shows everyone doing fun things like dancing in the day light, the moonlight and the light in between. The author describes numerous kinds of joyous light and just as many ways to relish it.

The story and pictures will warm your heart and bring a huge smile to your face and your soul. This is a delight and a joy to take in. I shared it on the phone with my daughter I can’t wait to share it with the grandkids in person. This is going to become a family favorite.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from blogging for books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine https://tinyurl.com/y9lwbfrs
SVP Promotion

[June Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhyme, Rhythm, and Repetition: When I was earning my teaching credential many years ago, our professor for our early reading courses told us the three most important elements in picture books were rhyme, rhythm, and repetition. The author of 'When God Made Light' has done a masterful job of including these three components in his manuscript. I particularly enjoyed the higher-level vocabulary words he included in the story: gleamed, streamed, beamed; berries, cherries, strawberries, canaries; camping, stamping, tramping; constellations, formations, creations; etc.

Artwork: The illustrator has made the characters, children and animals, come alive on the pages of this book! His use of color, facial expressions, and light versus dark make the illustrations a supporting character in the story. I especially enjoyed the activities and body language the two African-American girls displayed throughout the book. The dog's exuberance from beginning to end was entertaining and humorous. As I reread the book several times I found different things to look at on each page. Those intricacies make a child want to hear a story and look at its pictures over and over again.

Faith: This story includes a positive view of how God sees the light in each of His children. Not only does the author touch on the creation of the world, but he writes the light at creation is the same light God put inside each of us.

This is an excellent read-aloud book for families to share or for Sunday school teachers to read with their classes. Highly recommended!

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review. I received no compensation from Blogging for Books or any other party for posting this review here or on any other sites.

To view my full spotlight post and read a Sneak Peek excerpt from the book, visit my 'Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic' blog at: https://authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogs...

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[Sarah Poling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm, endearing pictures, with a rhythmic, joyous verse of a story about God making light.
The light isn't just the light of creation, the sun, moon, and starts it's much more than that, it speaks of the light that lives inside you with God in you.
It celebrates living in the light (God) and outdoor living with family as the light brings different adventures, and teaches not to fear, as God is here when the light is night.
The book is empowering, melodic, and brings a smile to the readers face (showing YOUR light!).
The illustrations are detailed, lifelike, family friendly, fun/silly, and child friendly. The children are children of color likely siblings, with the best facial expressions that show true light and joy. And they are beautiful girls and the pets look animated. So appealing.
There are so many natural connections and educational opportunities to expand on this book, I can't wait to share more details, but here is my list: As an educator, you could use this book to hook kids into learning about shadows, seasons, universe, sun/moon/stars/constellations, and showing love to others by being the light.
The hardcover book is well made, has heavy, thick shiny pages that won't tear easily when little hands explore alone.
Visit my blog: www.whisperingtheword.blogspot.com for educational connections and bible connections to go with the book. Posted February 12 & 13 2018.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When God Made Light is a lustrous follow up to When God Made You. I may have enjoyed it even more than the first book. The illustrations are colorful and vivid. They captivated my son as we read this book together. Each page is a beautiful display of color. There is not a space that is not portrayed to its greatest advantage. The cadence of the story was smooth and easy to read aloud. The rhymes made sense, and contained in those words was a heartwarming message. It is not only about when God made light, but it is also about the light God puts inside you. I was not expecting that angle and was surprised and pleased to find it in there. Almost every word that can be used to describe light, sky, space, and everything contained within it were used in this story. It impressed me how flawlessly these many descriptions of light were woven throughout the book. I also appreciate the opportunity for children to expand their vocabulary by learning all of the different words that can be used to describe one concept. The story itself was fun and entertaining. I loved all of the wonderful references to playing outside, experiencing God's creation, and participating in nostalgic childhood activities. I can't wait to continue to read this book to my son and other children as the years go by. I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

[Connie Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Shimmer and shine, be a beacon so bright, ' cause when God made you, child, God made light." These are the final words of "When God Made Light" and I absolutely love them but I also love all of the words preceding them! Author Matthew Paul Turner uses rhyming verse to tell how God gave light to the world after declaring "Let there be light" and illustrator David Caltrow uses bright, vibrant colors to create pictures of children and animals that are fun, creative and just a little quirky. These characters are encouraged to enjoy the light that God made for the day and reminded that they can feel safe at night because of the light that He made for the darkness. But the most important lesson comes from hearing that the God who created the world and gave it light also created them to be filled with light. God made all of His children to be filled with His light.

This book is filled with words that hypnotize and images that capture the imagination and it is perfect for all ages. Young children will love listening to it, older children will enjoy reading it and adults will experience joy in sharing it. Definitely five stars for "When God Made Light"!

I chose to review this book and all comments are my honest opinion.

[TheConsultingWriter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another adorable and inspiring book from Matthew Turner. I'd previously read and reviewed another of his books: When God Made You. The first thing that caught my eye with this book was the cover illustration. David Catrow manages to capture the story told by Matthew Turner. And the hardcover will hold up to rough hands ( though the pages may not).  While it starts with "Let there be light", the book is so much more than that. It's not the story of creation, but rather what happens when the light touches and affects everything, including us. "That very same light is in you." What an encouraging book for a young reader! How the life filled rays bring so many things. The book even notes that the moon is like our nightlight, reflecting the sun's shine. And the good that comes out of shiny things, light comets, fireflies, and so on. The illustrations within are cute and colorful for daytime scenes and cool and beautiful for the night portion. Two barefoot kids with their dog and cat explore and play with light and shadow in this adorable and uplifting book, perfect for any toddler to early reader. My daughter is 8 years old and the cover immediately caught her eye. I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a gorgeous book full of color and fun illustrations along with a wonderful story! It features a couple African-American girls, one a toddler and the other maybe a four or five-year-old, along with their pet dog and cat as they play inside and out, paint, create and go on adventures. The book talks about God creating light, how some lights spark, some flare, etc. The sun's purposes are to warm things up, make flowers bloom and light up our days. Then you should play games outside, go swimming, climb trees and build sand castles. Enjoy the sun and thank God for it. God also created the moon and you can enjoy it by going out camping and walking through the woods with a parent and a flashlight, catching fireflies and looking at stars.

The story also reminds you that if you're scared in the dark, that God's light is stronger and it's inside you. You are another light that God created and you can shine out wherever you go. I loved the encouraging message and the beautiful colors. Imagination was portrayed so well here as the girls dance and do crafts, float in space with fireflies along with their pets. It was just gorgeous! I highly recommend it for ages three to eight!

I received this book free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

When God Made Light
By Matthew Paul Turner
Illustrated by David Catrow

This is a delightful lyrical story that has a rhythm that will enchant the reader no matter what their age. For example, this line
"Light glared and glimmered,
it flared and sparked,
and wherever light shined,
dark stopped being dark."

How perfectly this describes how it must have been when God spoke light into existence. But light comes in more than one form and each should be celebrated whether it be the sun, the moon, fireflies, or the light within you.

Then there are the illustrations - they say a picture is worth a thousand words - well that couldn't be truer than with this book. A couple of delightful children playing both in the house and outdoors with their dog and kitty. The colors are soothing and the transition from day to night goes from yellows to blues.

A lovely book perfect for sharing with the little ones in your lap. Those who have read When God Made You will enjoy this newest offering from the same creative team.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Catrow's exuberant illustrations bring Matthew Paul Turner's text to life in a wonderful homage to the inner light of each child. When God Made Light captures the impression of light as a living thing that "flickered and dashed...blinked and flashed" when it began to spread. The children on the pages enjoy using all the beautiful colors that light brings out of darkness to paint costumes. They go outdoors to soak up the sun's light and taste the fruit that grows in the warmth. They dance under the moonlight and search for fireflies. And as the day slowly comes to a close and eyes start to droop, there is a gentle reminder: "And if you ever feel scared in the darkness of night, remember the shadows are no match for God's light."

Anyone familiar with Catrow's style will immediately recognize the round-cheeked and bright-eyed children in the illustrations. The many variations of light he includes throughout the book capture the ways we experience light indoors, outdoors, by day and by night. The variety perfectly depicts the many examples of light that Turner writes about. As he says, "When God made light, a universe lit up." This book certainly will light up the lives of readers, helping them appreciate all the warmth and brightness they experience daily in so many ways.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

[Sarah Poling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm, endearing pictures, with a rhythmic, joyous verse of a story about God making light. The light isn't just the light of creation, the sun, moon, and starts it's much more than that, it speaks of the light that lives inside you with God in you.

It celebrates living in the light and outdoor living with family as the light brings different adventures, and teaches not to fear, as God is here when the light is night.

The book is empowering, melodic, and brings a smile to the readers face (showing YOUR light!). The illustrations are detailed, lifelike, family friendly, fun/silly, and child friendly.

As an educator, you could use this book to hook kids into learning about shadows, seasons, universe, sun/moon/stars/constellations, and showing love to others by being the light.

The book itself is rooted in scriptures from Genesis 1 creation of light, to the light in you, because God is in you- which opens you up to the gospel story, and the New Testament light comparisons. Jesus is the light, being a light to the world, being bold as you are--as you bring the light even in a dark world, how God made you with purpose/intent (Psalm 139).

[BookzBookzBookz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you love bedtime stories?
Do you love to allow your imagination to run wild while you read them with your little one(s)?
Do you love when the illustrations follow your own heart, as if the author knew you?
When God Made Light

There aren't many children's books that make your heart soar. With each Turner book, I fall more and more in love with the little girls. My Ewoks love them too! There's something about seeing the world through the eyes of the little ones again. Hearing about how safe and loved and protected you are, while painting, collecting fireflies and smiling into the eyes of others ... I just love this book!

When God Made Light, you share in rhyme and David Catrow's illustrations, the beauty in God's world and discover how we are the light. There's a light in us, but it comes from The One who made it all. Even those without a spiritual bone in their bodies can find appreciation in this one.

I think what attracts me most is how the little girls are happy in their own skin and life. There's nothing ugly, they stand tall in their innocence, they even wear braids! I love them! Catrow's artwork brings them all to life! My few image shares aren't enough. You have to get these books. I reviewed When God Made You (August of 2017) and gave it a ringing endorsement as well. Check out Turner's books and if you've seen Horton Hears a Who? and Despicable Me, then you've seen Catrow's work! I'm on to the next read. Cheers!

When God Made Light
Matthew Paul Turner
Illustrated by David Catrow
Published by Waterbrook, Feb. 2018
Check the full review here: https://buff.ly/2IxvZ6i

[Laura Dallas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Matthew Paul Turner's first children's book in this series, When God Made You. This book, When God Made Light, is a follow-up to the first book with the same illustrator and featured characters. Both books are gorgeous with splashy, colorful, full-page illustrations that match well with the abundant, powerful, loving God being described. This book is about God as the creator of light and all of the wonderful properties of light. The story builds to the message that God also created the light in the child reader and that the child can use their light to shine in the darkness. The rhyming verses use big, descriptive words to expand vocabulary and cover all that is great about light. I hope there will be more books in this series. I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A call to celebrate the various forms of light that God has given us from the sun in the sky to fireflies to the way we are supposed to be figurative lights in the world.

Adults will likely need to explain the metaphor of how we are supposed to be lights in the world. The book doesn't try to explain it. It just celebrates that we also can dispel darkness where we are if we are God's lights. It might be good to look at the actual Bible verses with kids, like Matthew 5:14 that talk about this and further explain what it means. I can see many misunderstanding the book and thinking they can glow in the dark. The illustrations in this are active and fuel the celebratory thankful feel. The rhyme is ok. I felt like some sections were a little weak, but it was ok for the target audience. A good book for a Christian family's bedtime or Bible time.

[Annie Gbaford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of how God made light by commanding for there to be light. The light fills the earth and all the shadows of the heart, It brightens space by creating stars, the light that od filled the universe with is inside of you. This is a beautiful bible story and the illustrations are just out of this world. I loved this book I don't have anything to critique on this book I would strongly recommend people looking for books to teach students about the creation of earth whether or not you believe it or not. The book also uses pictures of two beautiful African American children playing around its not as boring to read like the typical bible stories we read. I would keep this in my classroom for students who would like access to this type of book to learn about religion and other biblical things. I could use this to teach my students about different religions and cultures.

[Patti Whitson Stephenson She Lives to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bright colors, fun illustrations, and rhymes that make you smile! These three things come together to make this an excellent reading experience for your child.

“And if you ever feel scared in the darkness of night, remember the shadows are no match for God’s light.”

You and your child will enjoy reading together about God creating light; the different ways we encounter light in our world; and reminds us of the fact that we ourselves are “beacons for God’s light.” I predict that this will become a family favorite to read over and over again.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of this book.

[MT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bright, bold colors infuse illustrations that evoke childhood wonder. The book starts with proclamations of light from God. The story told in poetry form describes all the marvelous ways God gives us light. These range from the summer sun to fireflies to the moon and twinkling stars at night. The ways the light helps us is explained through word and picture of plants growing and children playing. Then the book takes a turn to spiritual light. In terms that are child friendly the author explains how God’s light keeps us safe and free of fear. The book ends with a promise of the gift of God’s light being in us to shine out to other.

I received this book from Blogging for Books but was not required to write a positive review.

[Beth-Anne White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. With its delightful illustrations by David Catrow you are guided along the truths of this book through two precious girls as they discover God making light, not only in the world, but in them.



This book is thought provoking and clever. Matthew Paul Turner starts with an idea that Christians, and non-Christians, are familiar with. God made light. It is the beginning of creation. But that is not the focus of the book, instead Turner develops the idea of light beyond just the physical light we see to the light we carry inside. God makes the light inside of us when He made us.



This is a beautiful book in illustrations and message. I highly recommend it to others.



I received this book from the publishers. All opinions are my own.

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliant, entertaining, uplifting, and beautiful. With colourful and unique illustrations and poetic, uplifting words, this book should be on every young Christian's bookshelves. As with any book that is not the Bible itself, it should not be the sole source of theology in a child's life, but part of a larger library and discussions with parents. This contributes the beautiful idea that not only did God create the world, and the beautiful light in it, but also you, with a God-given spark of light in each of us. Wherever we go, "dark will stop being dark" - what a beautiful sentiment. When we bring God with us into a place, we don't need to cower from the dark - it cowers from us. Beautiful!