Review of God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren

God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren is a picture book that answers the question, “Where did I come from?” from a Christian point of view. The illustrations are sweet and colorful and the text offers comfort to little ones. This book is likely popular with Christian families with young children.

Image

Image of God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren; Bryant, L. J. (2000). [Cover image of God gave us you]. Retrieved from http://lisatawnbergren.com/books/god-gave-us-you/

Evaluation

Most children wonder, at some point or another, where they came from. In God Gave Us You, Little Cub (a polar bear) asks his mom that question one night before bed. Mama answers, “God gave us you” (Bergren, 2000, p. 4). As the story progresses, the mother bear explains a bit more about how Little Cub came to be. She describes her tummy getting bigger and rounder and going to the doctor to hear the heartbeat. Throughout the story, it is clear that Mama and Papa love their little one. They answer her questions, always with the refrain, “Because God gave us you.” This serves to reassure Little Cub, as well as young reader, that they are wanted and that God has a plan. Near the end of the story, Little Cub starts to wonder if Mama and Papa ever wanted a different baby, one like Samuel the seal or Frederika the fox (Bergren, 2000, p. 30). Of course, the answer is “Never, ever, ever. Your papa and I wouldn’t trade you for the world… because God gave us you” (Bergren, 2000, p 30). Little Cub finally falls asleep, safe in the knowledge that she is wanted and loved.

Laura J. Bryant’s watercolor illustrations establish the mood of God Gave Us You. The color palette is soft and warm. There are no harsh edges and the colors are muted pastels with a soft, smudgy feel. The warm feeling of the artwork mirrors the cozy, loving emotions evoked by the text. Even nighttime scenes radiate warmth and love; when Mama tells Little Cub that she and papa were alone and wanted a baby, the illustration shows the two adult bears cuddled beneath a blanket at night. The night sky is purple and the snow-covered ground is a soft pink (Bergren, 2000, pp. 4-5). Throughout the book, the soft watercolor images reinforce the warm, loving message of the text.

The illustrations also provide interesting asides and different viewpoints. Little Cub is told the story of how she came to be as she is getting ready for bed. The story of her arrival is shown in the majority of the images, but illustrator Laura J. Byrant includes small images of Little Cub snuggling in her bed, fluffing the pillows, and waiting to hear more. This reminds the reader that the story is being told to Little Cub and shows that she is absolutely entranced. In many of the images, the mother polar bear is surrounded by other wild animals who are both curious and caring; this reinforces the idea that Little Cub was indeed wanted, not just by her parents but by the entire community. Other small details reinforce the text: the books on the shelves have titles like “Angel Bears” and “The Velveteen Bear,” and the toys in Little Cub’s room are foxes, seals, and other arctic animals. Bryant’s illustrations add a lot of detail to the text.

Response

God Gave Us You is a sweet story aimed at families with young children. When my own children were little, I enjoyed reading them similar books, such as On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. These stories, like God Gave Us You, are sweet stories that parents can read to their children to let them know they are loved and wanted. Unlike the other two books, God Gave Us You is obviously told from a Christian point of view, so the intended audience is much narrower. While I am a Christian, this book was not appealing to me. I don’t believe that God chose my children specifically for me, and this is not a book I would have ever read with my own kids. For me, there are much better choices to show children that they are loved and desired. The book also completely ignores any scientific explanations about how babies come into existence, relying only on the belief that “God gave us you.” I can see the appeal for some families, but I disliked the book as a whole. In addition, I had some problems with the text. At one point, Little Cub asks, “So then I was borned?” (Bergren, 2000, p. 26). This kind of grammatical error is unnecessary; though Little Cub is young, the author does not need to use incorrect grammar to showcase her youth. Another issue I found was that there are pictures of penguins gathering with the polar bears. Polar bears only live at the North Pole while penguins inhabit the southern hemisphere, so they never live together. I found this minor detail distracting. Overall, I can see that some Christian families with very young children would enjoy this sweet story as a read-aloud before bedtime. Young children will likely find it reassuring and calming to know they are loved and wanted. However, it was not to my taste. I am unlikely to read anything by this author again, as my kids are well past the toddler stage and because the book wasn’t appealing to me.

Conclusion

God Gave Us You is a sweet, comforting story that gives a simplified Christian explanation of where babies come from. The watercolor illustrations are done in calming pastels and set the mood and tone for the book. The art also serves some interesting asides to engage the reader while reading. Overall, I did not care for the book; it is too saccharinely sweet without having enough substance. It is clearly told from a Christian point of view without any attempt of an outside or scientific perspective. I don’t recommend this book for public school libraries, though Christian parents may want to add it to their collections as a bedtime story, if it fits with their family’s beliefs. 2 stars.

Citations

Bergren, L. T. (2000). God gave us you. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press.

Bryant, L. J. (2000). [Cover image of God gave us you]. Retrieved from http://lisatawnbergren.com/books/god-gave-us-you/