What Is God? (What Is? Life Concepts Series, 1) - Hardcover

Etan Boritzer has worked as a journalist for several magazines and his poetry has been published in various European and American journals. Etan's travels and studies in the Far East and other parts of the world, have led to his realization that the numerous and sometimes confusing concepts of God should be synthesized and made more accessible to children. Etan Boritzer currently resides near Santa Monica, California, writing screenplays and more children's books.

Robbie Marantz is a freelance illustrator living in New York City. She grew up in Los Angeles and was educated at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. The majority of her work is editorial illustration for magazines and newspapers, including Time Magazine, Business Week and Cosmopolitan. What is God? is Robbie's first children's book.

Gr 4-6-- A provocative look at the concept of God that differs greatly from the Judeo-Christian idea of God as a person rather than as a vacuous feeling or entity. Major world religions are introduced in combination with the well-known teachers representing them (Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed), and whose words evolved into a library of Holy Books: the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, the Sutras, and the Vedas. Similarities are drawn among these faiths, showing common strands of truth and prayer as a universal tool of communication with God. Brief discussion is given to those believing in multiple gods as well as to those who experience religious persecution. Boritzer's attempt to synthesize and make accessible the many concepts of God results in the New Age concept/belief of pantheism. Marantz' Henrik Drescher-like illustrations are bold and bright watercolors, occupying full pages that face the poetic free-verse text. At times they serve a somewhat decorative purpose, but usually expand and elucidate elements in the narrative. The reasoning process used throughout may occasionally prove too abstract for many children, making this a picture book for older readers. It will be best utilized by religious-education teachers and parents. --Celia A. Huffman, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland

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