Status
Coming Soon
Call number
Collection
Genres
Publication
New York : Scholastic Press, 2002.
Description
When people and animals try to climb ladders to Heaven to escape problems with snakes, God, His secretary Bruce, and the angel Shaniqua decide that Heaven needs to be much further away.
User reviews
LibraryThing member claireforhan
This is a book about how God made heaven far away to prevent people and animals from climbing up ladders to heaven when they had a problem, initially because the snakes started attacking people.
I really did not care for this story. The author combined two African-American folktales, "How snakes got
Additionally, I did not like how God was portrayed in this book. I felt that God was portrayed as careless, stupid and unaware of the earth's problems and how to fix them- and being a Christian, this was very different than the perfect, omniscient God I believe in.
I did like the bright illustrations.
I really did not care for this story. The author combined two African-American folktales, "How snakes got
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their rattles," and "Why the sky is far away," and I did not feel that these stories meshed together well. I thought that the author forced the two stories together, and was so focused on the snake story, that he added in the heaven aspect last minute.Additionally, I did not like how God was portrayed in this book. I felt that God was portrayed as careless, stupid and unaware of the earth's problems and how to fix them- and being a Christian, this was very different than the perfect, omniscient God I believe in.
I did like the bright illustrations.
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LibraryThing member epoche
This book discuss how heave and earth are so far apart. The topics are religious but very fictional when compared to religious belief. The characters include Shaniqua, God and Mrs. God, I would not suggest reading this book to a class with multiple religions or to a student in a private school.
LibraryThing member kitbraddick
This book is a representation of heaven, God, and angels from Africa. I appreciate the multi-cultural view and illustrations, but I am not the biggest fan of this book mostly because I find it a bit wordy. I think the representation of God in this book contrasts with my own view, but as an adult I
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can get past that. With that being said, I don't know if children could. If I were to share this book with a class, I would wait until they are a bit older because it is a bit difficult to understand for younger readers, and they might not understand that this is a view of heaven and God, not necessarily the only view. I do think it is important to expose other religions and cultures, but I would have to be careful with this one, mostly concerning age. Show Less
LibraryThing member tsmom1219
Excellent illustrations and use of language. Very popular with second and fourth graders as a read aloud.
Language
Physical description
30 cm
ISBN
9780439178716