Sunday, February 13, 2011

Faith by Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis, and Cynthia Pon

Faith by Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis, and Cynthia Pon
When I first looked at the book title of the upcoming book we were about to read, I thought Faith…..okay, we are about to read about someone who needed to have faith in order to overcome something… I was somewhat shocked that the book I found was a book about praying. And I liked it. But is more than that.

The book covers many, many religious praying/faith rituals…..depicted by children. It shows a small boy studying the Qur’an, and a boy chanting Torah verses, and young Buddhists making offerings at a shrine, and a young girl in Sri Lanka praying in Hindu. The book shows many more pictures of children of all ages practicing Faith as they have been taught.

If we were looking at adults doing the same thing, would we have the same feeling that we get when we see the innocence of children in their place?

I thought this was the perfect book to read after reading the book Let’s Talk About Race. As Let’s Talk About Race addresses how we are all alike when we get down to our bones, the book Faith conveys the message that even though the religious belief may be different, the acts are so similar, and in this book’s case, precious.

The authors could have used all types of illustrations to show the different practices of faith, but instead photographs were used. I thought this choice made it real (instead of just an idea) and the photographs were so colorful and vibrant. Even the book cover captured the brightness and endearing aspects of a young boy with his hands clasped together and his eyes closed as sunlight illuminates the side of his darling little face. Right away you know you are about to open a book and feel captured.

2 comments:

  1. These photos really do tell the story. I honestly don’t think words could touch the depth that is reached through these pictures. I thought you posed a good question with regards to using adults in the photos. I don’t think it would have the same affect.

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  2. I also stopped and pondered your question regarding adults in photographs. I agree with The Journey. I do not think using adults would have given the same emotional feeling as using children gave us. Using photographs instead of illustrations was the right choice for sending the message--I do not think any other type of media would have given me the same feelings.

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