God Bless My Friends by Hannah C. Hall

God Bless My Friends by Hannah C. Hall, Steve Whitlow (Illustrations) ISBN-13: 9780718089535 Board book: 20 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Oct. 11, 2016

Source: Review copy from the publisher through BookLook.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Hi, my friend! Come play with me—though we’re as different as can be! Big and small, short and tall, fluffy and prickly . . . these playmates of all shapes and sizes are the best of friends. Share some giggles with your little one about how fun friendships—and differences—can be!


My Review:
God Bless My Friends is a board book for young children. According to the publisher, this book is intended to teach "the importance of being a friend to all kinds of people, including ones who are different from them." The interior illustrations are of the same style as the cover and feature those same animals. The book starts, "Whenever I can be with you, / That's when the fun begins. / On days we play, I love to say, / 'God bless my greatest friends!'"

Each page shows different types of animals playing together. Some pages emphasize playing with people different than you: different talents, different heights or sizes, and different physical appearances. The other pages show these different animals helping each other, sharing with each other, cheering each other up, and simply having fun together ("We romp and stomp. We jump and tromp. / With you, I'm never bored!").

The illustrations can prompt further comments on how people can be different yet still enjoy playing together and helping each other. My niece is currently a newborn, but I think she's going to enjoy this book when she's a little older. Overall, I'd recommend this book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.