God's Dream

With warmth and humor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu distills his philosophy of unity and forgiveness into a picture book for the very young.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has a vision of God's dream, which he shares here with the youngest of listeners. It involves people who reach out and hold each other's hands, but sometimes get angry and hurt each other — and say they're sorry and forgive. It's a wish that everyone will see they are brothers and sisters, no matter their way of speaking to God, no matter the size of their nose or the shade of their skin. Aided by vibrant artwork evoking such images as a rainbow and a sharing circle, Tutu offers the essence of his ubuntu philosophy, a wisdom so clear and crystalline that even the smallest child can understand.

Publishers Weekly

Just as children have dreams, say Archbishop Tutu and Abrams (previously paired with Tutu for God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time), so does God: "God dreams that every one of us will see that we are all brothers and sisters-yes, even you and me-even if we have different mommies and daddies or live in different faraway lands." The authors understand that direct prose can often be the most reassuring; they tell readers, "God does not force us to be friends or to love one another.... But when we say we're sorry and forgive one another, we wipe away our tears and God's tears, too." Pham (Big Sister, Little Sister) forgoes much of the impishness that enlivens her best titles, but even though she's working with familiar brotherhood-of-man tropes (a global cast of children, some wearing non-Western clothes, gather in a single, idyllic location to play and worship), she nimbly sidesteps triteness through her velvety, saturated palette and the unassuming sweetness of her characterizations. This is not a book to win converts, but a wide range of believers, including children at the younger end of the target audience, should respond to its heartfelt appeals, Ages 2-8. (Sept.)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his lifelong struggle to bring equality, justice, and peace to his native country of South Africa. He also served as Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, from 1986 until 1996. In 1995, former South African President Nelson Mandela asked him to lead the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which became a model of national forgiveness and coexistence. He is currently the chairperson of the Elders, an international group charged with helping to end conflicts and solve global problems. Archbishop Tutu's most recent book is GOD HAS A DREAM: A VISION OF HOPE FOR OUR TIME. He lives with his family in South Africa.

Douglas Carlton Abrams is the coauthor with Archbishop Desmond Tutu of GOD HAS A DREAM: A VISION OF HOPE FOR OUR TIME. He is also the cofounder of Idea Architects, a book and media development agency working with visionary authors to create a wiser, healthier, and more just world. He lives with his family in California.

LeUyen Pham is the author and illustrator of BIG SISTER, LITTLE SISTER and has illustrated many other books for children, including FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY by Julianne Moore and the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller GRACE FOR PRESIDENT by Kelly DiPucchio. About GOD'S DREAM, she says, "Being a part of this book has been an extremely significant experience for me, considering that I left war-torn Vietnam during the fall of Saigon when I was only a year old. My son was also born during the creation of this book, bringing the lovely message of hope and love full circle." LeUyen Pham lives in San Francisco with her family.