Simmons, wife of Reverend Run (a founder of musical group Run DMC) and costar of the Simmons family's reality series on MTV, Run's House
, has penned a Q&A-style picture book to offer children a loose template for dealing with issues about which they might pray or talk to God. On alternating pages, a child voices a concern and Simmons serves up a reassuring, if sometimes-pat-sounding, answer, as if it were coming from God. A sample exchange reads: "Mommy and Daddy argue all the time. Do they still love each other?/ God, can you hear me?/
Mommy and Daddy may argue, but they still love each other. And they love you, too." Papp's crisply realistic oil paintings—many of them look like artistically manipulated photographs—feature a multicultural cast of kids and families in a variety of backdrops from beach to playground to city streets. This wide-ranging volume has potential as a starting point for family sharing as well as inspiration for young readers who may be looking for guidance or for ways to begin a spiritual dialogue. Ages 4-9. (Feb.)
