Book Review || Mostly What God Does is Love You (2025)
"Poetic reminders of God in the world around us & the heart that beats, He reminds readers of His love for them."
Via the soothing song of the paintbrush, the poem wanders across the page. Readers of this book will find what their religious teachings have, on occasion, fathomed to recall; that above all things God loves them, He loves humanity, & He appreciates his creation. Yet, what God also does is perhaps altogether outside of the mortal’s comprehension, whether He exists or not.
Although the material of this book—the lovely & tender illustrations—welcomes young readers to the poem that walks with them across diverse perspectives & imagery, the poem itself does not necessarily delve into the complexity of the world in which the reader exists. Certainly, for some readers, the simple reminder that God loves them, will suffice, they need not trouble themselves with how He might do so or why.
I find myself at the crossroads. I enjoy reading these little books & although my religious tendencies leave me engaged with ghosts, I am heartened to see young readers allowed to feel the warmth of their beliefs. One is often reminded of the harsher lessons given by the religious institutions wherein one comes to talk with God. Books of this style & approach have value in that they remind readers that their relationship with God is their own.
While the imagery was my favourite aspect of this book, I can also appreciate the simple nature of an easily worded poem. Readers of all ages might open this book & find themselves, their friend, their loved one, or a familiar face in their community; the author & illustrator have endeavoured to ensure that no matter what a person looks like, where they live or what they do, the essence of their rhyme remains true—God loves them, & He loves you, too.
Thank you to Edelweiss+, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, & Savannah Guthrie for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
C. 💌