God is a board book by Devon and Jessica Robyn Provencher, the husband and wife duo of Big Theology for Little Hearts, and published by Crossway in 2020. Like all the books in the series, God aims to familiarize young children with theological concepts. Each two-page spread contains a single theological term with a simple definition, and depicted in a corresponding illustration. Like most board books, this one is short and sweet with ten terms total to give a picture of who God is. The publisher’s recommended age for the book is 1 to 4 years old.

Is it accurate?

Yes, God by Devon and Jessica Robyn Provencher is a theologically accurate board book, that does justice to the character of the Almighty, loving, creator of the universe. Devon, the author, graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, which is well-known for its evangelical commitment to the Biblical text. While the flavor of that particular denomination makes its way into other installments of Big Theology for Little Hearts, that is absent in God, which is straightforward in its presentation of, well, God. Reading this book, it’s clear that Provencher has done his best to take the theological truths and make them accessible to small children.

Is it beautiful?

Yes, the illustrations by Jessica Robyn Provencher are lovely. They are also easy to see and interpret for any adult familiar with the Bible. One thing I love about the illustrations is that they are almost deceptively simple, with the plain backgrounds and the bold colors of the central images. However, if you spend some time observing them (or reading the book to your kids over and over again!), you will notice some of the fine details that Provencher has added. One example is the detailing on the throne that’s featured on the cover; the throne image itself is easily seen from even far away, but looking closely you see the faint lines on the seat for quilted upholstery and a leaf motif carved into the gold, as well as a lion and a heart. While this spread easily reads King, the term it was created for, it also teaches more in its details. The lion image highlights that Jesus is the Lion of Judah and the second-person of the Trinitarian God. One of the other key attributes of God mentioned in the book- God is loving, an idea shown with subtlety in the heart.

While the illustrations are easily interpretable for adults familiar with the Bible, they will need to be explained to young children. For instance, the image for Holy is a white dove holding branches. I get that! I instantly get that! But I get it, because I’m familiar with the depiction of the Holy Spirit as being dove-like at the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3. My 2-year old sees a bird. It will be up to me to explain the connection. This is a good thing.

I don’t consider having to explain the illustrations’ relationship to the theological terms as a weakness of this book. In fact, I consider it a strength, because it creates opportunity for slower-reading and conversations between reader and child. These moments of genuine connection are where real teaching and discipleship formation take place, and God creates opportunities for that in its layout.

Does it capture a child’s attention?

Yes, my 2-year old son has enjoyed reading this book this past week. While it may not be as enthralling as a story can be, he will choose to read this book when given the option and often leans in close to examine the illustrations. It has been on our shelves for a couple years now, and we have gone back to it multiple times to read it.

Is it worth it?

If you want a way to introduce your young child to the various attributes of God and the corresponding theological terms, then yes- God does this very well. It is important to offer children an expansive vocabulary to navigate the world and aid in comprehension later; this installment from Big Theology for Little Hearts adds theology into that mix, and as a Christian parent, I think any tool aimed at aiding my child in navigating their faith and their Bible so that they can grow to know and love God is well worth the MSRP of $9.99.