At Break of Day

At Break of Day, written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Paul Morin, is a fictionalized version of the Creation story, written like a conversation between two people, a father and his son. It begins, "Once upon a time there was no time. There was no earth, or sky, or sea. There was only darkness and the waters of the deep and a father and son who watched over them." The story continues: "The son, knowing exactly what was in his father's heart, asked, "Now, Father?" And the father said, "Yes, Son. Now." Then the son leaned over the darkness and softly blew over the waters. The darkness swirled as though a giant finger had dipped into it and given it a stir. And that's how the universe began." In this version, the universe is being created by the son while the father watches and approves. The story continues as the universe is created according to the Bible story: The father and son use six days to create the universe and then, on the seventh day, they rest. The story references the Scripture, but not the book of Genesis, as expected. Instead, the Biblical reference is from Hebrews 1:1-2, which reads: "Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds." [New Revised Standard Version] The illustrations are a mixed bag of media forms, with some of the pages looking like they were painted and some looking like they were fashioned from bits of fabric. The artist uses bold colors and an assortment of textures to illustrate the text on double-page spreads throughout the book. What I Like: I like the artwork; it's vibrant and original. I also like the idea of a traditional Bible story being told from a different perspective. What I Dislike: However, having said that, I don't like the story beginning with the words "Once upon a time," as that invokes images of a fairy tale, not a story depicting the Creation of the universe. 4 stars. Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review

I got this book for my kids from the library and then had to buy it . I also bought copies for all my friends with children. The art is striking and the way the author retells the creation story highlights the loving relationship between God the Father and God the Son. My kids love it and I think I love it even more! I would definitely recommend this book.

This is an awe-inspiring retelling of the first story of the Bible - the creation story. The poetic text emphasizes the loving collaborative effort of Father and Son (God and Jesus) in bringing the universe into existence.This is the only creation storybook that we have found that addresses the "us" in "Let US make man in OUR image." (Genesis 1:26), by acknowledging the presence of the Son at the time of creation.The illustrations are beautifully artistic, thus taking children into the story. Our Christian Sunday school curriculum company for the Workshop Rotation Model likes this story so much that we have integrated it into one of our lessons.