Review: Board books—with spiritual content—are a rare find.  How Did the Animals Help God? is a richly illustrated board book appropriate even for infants.  The story is simple—God created all living beings except humans and then asked the animals for help in designing our species.  Each animal highlights a characteristic that mirrors their own strengths—the whale says “Make them big” and the cheetah says “Make them fast.”  After humans are created, God explains that they will help Him protect the earth.
While I liked the idea behind the story, there was an uneven tone to the writing.  The original sentences were melodious and rolled off my tongue—but they didn’t work well alongside the biblical passages (which are written in an entirely different voice and are much harder for young children to grasp).

I found myself improvising text to go alongside the lovely illustrations—and that helped sustain my daughter’s interest in this book.