Because Nothing Looks Like God

by Lawrence Kushner, Karen Kushner

"Where is God?"
“What does God look like?”
“How does God make things happen?” With little hands, and big hands. With young hands and old hands, With your hands.” Mixing sparks of curiosity and spiritual imagination, this wondrous book lights children's creativity and shows how God is with us every day, in every way. It is a vibrant invitation to children and their adults to explore―together―what, where, and how God is in our lives. Multicultural, Nondenominational, Nonsectarian; Endorsed by Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish Religious Leaders

Genres: Childrens, Religion, Theology, God, Spirituality, Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book about how to, well, try to explain God to children. We look for analogies but they are all so limiting. God is so much more than loving Father or Caring Mother, more than a vengeful Dr. Who like character more than.....well, there you are see how that becomes impossible? I have always loved Martin Buber's idea of the "Wholly Other". All the things we can conceive are such a tiny part of God that the only part we really can get our minds around is the love God holds for us and even that seems beyond us. This book loving begins the discussions on how to "show" God to our children and if we do our job right, our children will see not just the simple idea of God as a father, but also see the amazing facets of faith and loving kindness that are the reflections of God's caring self in this creation.

[Margaret Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently I had a student, who just turned six, ask me "How do we see G-d?" Or, "How can we see G-d? I couldn't race to find this book which I knew I owned. My answer was asking her if she could see wind. We agreed that you can see the evidence of wind..the leaves blowing, the feel of wind on your face, a destructive wind's damage but you can't see the wind itself. The same is true for G-d. This book begins to answer three similar questions.

"Where is God?"
“What does God look like?”
“How does God make things happen?” The beginning of the answer is: "With little hands, and big hands. With young hands and old hands, With your hands.” In the style of a Rabbi Sandy Sasso and written by Rabbi Larry Kushner and his wife Karen, this is a great resource for parents, teachers, clergy. Keep this one around!

[Curt Matzenbacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome non-dualistic conceptualization for kids (and adults)!

[Jasmine Ganter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have given a 5 star, but the beginning makes this book sound panentheistic.

[Marcia McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well illustrated. I love the answers to the question "How does God make things happen? "

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for souls of all ages

[Mary]

Read this with Caoimhe at the JCC Book Festival.

I was moved by the poetic language and the notion of God expressed.

Caoimhe said, "Well. I sure picked a boring book, didn't I?"
Then she asked me to read Shabbat Princess.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO beautiful. My mom and I really loved it. We will reread it many times!

[Jeremy · Rating 1 out of 5]

"God is wherever we let God in." Well, that's not true, is it, Kate?

[Joshua Hatton · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter will love this in a couple of years!

[Karla Strand · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the UU church library - good message but I found it just so-so.