Picturing God

by Ruth Goring

With poetic language and gorgeous handcrafted mixed-media collages and mosaics, Picturing God brings to life the many metaphors for God found in the Bible. God is the light, living water, a father, a mother, clothing, a rock, wind, comforter, a door, the Good Shepherd, and more. Poet and artist Ruth Goring invites children and adults alike to revisit the beautiful imagery found in Scripture and provides an opportunity for children to develop their imagination about who God is.At the end of the book, a list of Bible references is provided for each image depicted for families to look up and learn more about the Bible's many ways of picturing God.

Junior Library Guild Selection

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Christian

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2019

About the author

A poet and an author-illustrator of children’s picture books were the first things I remember wanting to do when I grew up. A lot of life had to happen to me before those dreams could ripen—straddling two cultures, adopting and birthing children (one each way), love and loss, poverty, beauty, spiritual searching. I’m grateful for it all, and I’m hungry for more (as the song goes, “more love, more power, / more of You in my life”). My books and poems are expressions of that hunger.

Dearworthy, my little book of meditations on the beautiful writings of Julian of Norwich, each with a botanical image, was published in 2024 by Anamchara Books.

Isaiah and the Worry Pack, a children's picture book, was an inaugural IVP Kids publication in 2021. My author/illustrator debut, Picturing God (Beaming Books, 2019), was a Junior Literary Guild selection. And my beloved first picture book, Adriana's Angels / Los ángeles de Adriana, was published in 2017 by Sparkhouse Family / Augsburg Fortress; the Spanish edition won a silver Moonbeam Award that same year.

Yellow Doors, my first poetry collection, was published by WordFarm (2003-4); my second is Soap Is Political (Glass Lyre, 2015). I got to discuss Soap Is Political and read a few poems from the book in an interview with Jerome McDonnell of Chicago Public Radio’s Worldview program here: https://www.wbez.org/stories/ruth-gor.... My poems have appeared in CALYX, Pilgrimage, Comstock Review, RHINO, Iron Horse Literary Review, New Madrid, Crab Orchard Review, numerous other journals, and several anthologies. It's a privilege to have a poem in Martín Espada's 2019 anthology What Saves Us (NWU Press).

I grew up in Colombia and in recent years have traveled back to provide accompaniment and advocacy to Colombian peace communities and human rights defenders. And just to be with dear friends and glory in rivers, waterfalls, and the Andes mountains.

Reviews

[Sundry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dynamic mosaics in this beautiful book may inspire you to get creative too! I can just imagine cuddling up with a kid to pore over these wonderful illustrations again and again.

[Shan Salter · Rating 5 out of 5]

If ever there was proof that picture books are an art form, PICTURING GOD is a perfect example. Goring pairs simple yet poetic language with rich, textured visuals.

The mixed-media mosaics and collages used to illustrate this book are truly incredible—from fragments of stone and shell to beautiful pieces of fabric and jewelry. Readers will find hours of entertainment pouring over the minute, almost palpable details in every scene.

Just sublime!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book just arrived! What a glorious way for kids of all ages to be reminded of God’s superpowers! The artwork is both meaningful and inspiring as it helped me picture God in new ways. Can’t wait to share Picturing God with my grandson on Friday! 😊

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very creative. Ms. Goring thinks outside the box with her illustrations and style of writing. She is quite gifted in the visual arts, evident in each page.

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Picturing God” by Ruth Goring is an incredible new picture book: each page depicts an aspect of a biblical metaphor for God using rich, detailed mixed-media mosaics. Children and artists alike will spend hours examining each one, learning a little more about God as they do so. Each one is directly taken from Bible passages, as is clear from the references at the end.

It's truly amazing and worth your time!

(By the way, this review comes from my recent Ames Tribune Library Notes column and is quoted/listed in the Editorial Review section of the Amazon listing for the book! Cool, eh?)

[Hannah Rasmussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous and colorful mixed media description of who God is. Goring explains complex theological metaphors for God in simple language for children without deviating from the biblical meaning, and it gives worn phrases a fresh perspective for adults wanting to meditate on God too. I’m a huge fan of mixed media, and Goring does it really well. Get this book for children in your life, or just pretend it’s for children in your life but actually it’s for you!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, designed for children and adults, to be read and meditated on.

[Dotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite art and moving words!

[Jennifer Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book, I hope, will become a classic in children's literature. It's incredibly fresh, creative, and life-giving.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Goring's multimedia collages are really lovely, and my 3-year-old requests this book often at bedtime. A favorite is the illustration with grapes on the vine that my kid pretends to eat each time. The spiritual lessons are easy enough for young children to grasp and hold deeper meaning for older children (and adults!) I applaud Goring for utilizing inclusive images of God from Scripture, including Mother Hen and Comforting Spirit. The illustrations are deceptively simple, but when you return to them you find new highlights that delight. A great addition to any Sunday School classroom or bedtime story shelf.

[Kristen Thorp]

349/365

blah!

[Jessica Whipple · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed how the author explored the different images used to describe God in the Bible, and the creative ways she depicted them.