Can
I Pray With My Eyes Open?
Hyperion Books for
Children, October 1999
Illustrated by Garin
Baker
Hardcover:
32 pages
ISBN: 0786803282
THE
INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BOOK
Some stories take
longer to write than others. Can I Pray With My Eyes Open? took over 25
years. The idea for the story came from a frustrating conversation I
had with a minister when I was about ten-years-old. We had differing
views on prayer, including whether or not it was okay to pray with your
eyes open. That phrase, that future title, stuck in the back of my mind
for over 25 years. I can't say what it was that pulled it back to the
front of my mind again, but when I sat down to write it, it came out
nearly complete in a few hours. That's not because I'm such a terrific
writer, but because my subconscious had been working on it for me for
so many years. This book was a true gift.
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ACTIVITIES
REVIEWS
From Publisher's
Weekly:
How
does one say a perfect prayer? A young
girl ponders this question while engaging in the summertime activities
of her rural hometown, her thoughts developing into a prayer that,
while occasionally awkward grammatically, is perfect in its directness
and simplicity: "If I'm skipping rope or playing ball,/ or walking
backward down the hall,/ When building castles on the beach,/ will You
still be within my reach?"
Baker's warm,
vibrant oil paintings blend an
almost photographic quality with impressionistic
details. The people,
the grass, the water, the trees are all energized and moving, the
activity of the compositions reflecting the activity within the girl's
mind. Together the art and text convey the deep yearning of the child
to speak to God during all the moments of the day (at dinner with
family, swimming in the creek, climbing a tree, playing soccer) and in
all her moods (curious, adventurous, angry, hurt); she is seen with
friends, family and by herself. Just as the message is
nondenominational, the characters transcend questions of ethnicity: the
girl is brown-skinned; her family and friends are multiracial.
Perfect in its
directness and simplicity...
a lovely book!
From Booklist:
In an affecting (and effective) rhyming
text, a young African American narrator touches upon many of the
questions children might have about prayer: "When I don't know what I
should do, / is that a time / to talk to You?" She even questions
whether a prayer can be offered when she is angry.
In fact, all the oil paintings are expertly
executed and are at their most successful when depicting the girl in
true-to-life situations, happily rollerblading or pensively looking out
a car window. A nice place for parents and children to start a
discussion about prayer.
From School Library
Journal:
In simple and perceptive verse, a child asks
God if prayers made during all of her various activities will be heard.
The answer is that they will; that no time or place is ever wrong for
prayer. Realistic oil paintings in rich colors beautifully illustrate
the rhyming text. They show a pretty African-American girl swimming in
a gleaming brook, climbing high in a gnarled tree, flying a red kite,
quarreling with her brother, Rollerblading, playing soccer, building
sand castles at the beach, perching on the monkey bars, and gazing out
the car window.
From About.com Books
for Kids:
In Susan Taylor Brown’s picture book poem, a
child wonders about the right way to pray. She begins her inquiry, “I
wondered how and when and where was the perfect place to say a prayer.”
Garin Baker’s paintings that accompany the words are vivid and help
reveal the story associated with the poem.
Can I Pray with My Eyes Open?
is simple enough for very young children, yet profound in its subject
matter. Parents and nurturers will find the message useful in
explaining the true nature of prayer.
From Greenleaf Press:
A pleasantly surprising and simple picture book from a secular
publisher that answers the question, "Is there ever a wrong time or
place to pray?" Whether angry and upset, or playing games and counting
stars, every child is assured that they can pray whenever they want and
they will always be heard. Reading level is 2nd-3rd grade
but even younger ones will enjoy looking at the pictures and having the
book read to them.
From California Kids:
This charming book answers those questions in simple rhyming words with
a story told in vibrant oil paintings filled with the daily activites
that make up a child’s life.
From The Union
Democrat:
Everything about this book is lovely, from the quest to the art. Is it
all right to pray with your eyes open? Read the book. You won’t be
sorry.
SOME READER COMMENTS!"A must for any parent of young
children! A beautifully written and illustrated book that opens the
door to God for people of many belief systems. Let your children know
there is no one right way to talk to God."
"Great encouragement and
compassion. I quite enjoyed the simple way the author approaches the
questions of how, where, and why to pray. I think this is great for
children (and adults) who might not know that other people struggle
with these same questions. This book would be great to start a dialog
with children about God and our relationship to God. Wonderful. Thank
you Susan!"
"An excellent way to introduce
your child to prayer. This book is a wonderful display of artwork and
poetry. A perfect way to encourage children to understand that they can
always turn to their Heavenly Father. I recommend this book to all
parents who wish to give their children a headstart on finding comfort
through divine communications in their lives."
"Some years ago, one of the
wise elders of my life told me that prayer isn't just a thing you say,
it's in the daily dance of living your life. Susan Taylor Brown's book
is a good reminder for all of us that all actions can be done
prayerfully."
--Jane Kurtz, author of The Storyteller's Beads
and I'm Sorry, Almira Ann
"A delightful book celebrating
the privilege and joy of being able to communicate with a tender,
loving God anytime, anywhere."
--Lissa Halls Johnson
Just wanted to
tell you
that I loved your book. I found it at the Barnes & Noble in
Redding, CA, and I had to look. It's straightforward, simple, and
very well illustrated. I read the book aloud to my daughter while
several other children (and their parents) listened in. I hope I
sparked an interest somewhere
there. I have to tell
you that as a Jehovah's Witness, I was worried about the subject matter
beforehand. I'm very glad that it wasn't specific to any religion
and yet still managed to get across
the value of prayer. Keep up the good work. --Tim
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