Good Morning, Little One (Book Review)

Several months ago, I came across the book Good Morning, Little One on a social media post from the publisher. Before I’d even read the book, the Lord used the cover image to minister to me. The cover features a dog, a lamb and a rabbit– and I was astounded by the amount of love I could see shining through the eyes of that little dog on the cover. I don’t usually connect this way with illustrations, but the dog felt so reall and loving to me– all the more so because our own dear Chihuahua, Lillie, went home to be with the Lord in January of 2021.

I requested a review copy from the publisher and was absolutely delighted to receive my copy of the book, last week. This was a much anticipated title and definitely lived up to my excitement.

Scriptural Connection

The author includes various Scriptural allusions, throughout the text, and hides fourteen references within the pictures. Each of these verses points to one of God’s promises. Additionally, the inside covers feature multiple complete verses: Luke 15:4, Isaiah 46:4, John 8:32, Psalm 103:4-5, Isaiah 40:11, Matthew 28:20, John 8:12 and Zephaniah 3:17. And, there are even more on the pages before and after the text of the book!

Any of these verses could be noted as the “Scripture Connection.” For the purposes of this review, I’ll use Matthew 28:20:

Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28:20

The book overflows with this beautiful truth that Jesus is always with us, regardless of our setting or circumstances, and it also highlights His presence in specific moments of the day.

Spiritual Themes

As mentioned above, the book specifically references fourteen different verses! For this reason, I am not going to list every single theme, here, but I will include some of my favorites.

• God seeks and finds us when we’re lost
• God sings over us
• Even the trees worship Him!

What I Liked

I really appreciate how much the illustrations drew me in. Typically, when I am reading picture books, I’m more “in it” for the story, and the pictures are more secondary, but these illustrations truly blew me away. They are so cozy and… safe.

Overall, the book’s design is simply gorgeous, with gold foil on the cover and splashes of pink, throughout. There are also lots of floral/greenery accents included, lending a gentle feminine touch to the book and making it such a great choice for little girls. This is one of the prettiest picture books I’ve seen!

As mentioned above, I was enamored with the illustrations before I even read the book. In addition to writing the story, Amy Kavalaris is also the artist behind each of the lovely characters and scenes. And wow! Her artwork truly amazed me.

Each page features some of the very sweetest animals I have ever seen– from bunnies and lambs to puppies. Their eyes are full of innocence and love as they receive words of encouragement and blessing from the Heavenly Father. The scenes are delightful– in the sense that they are full of, and inspire, delight. Illustrations frequently include the creatures basking in sunlight or resting in a place of safety and protection. There’s also a softness that characterizes each of the illustrations. This artwork is certainly memorable and, paired with the story, crafts a safe space for young readers and listeners.

The “story,” which was written as a rhyming poem, was so full of truth– and I feel that the illustrations SO strongly complemented that truth, inviting readers into it.

Recommendation Status

I predict this will be one of my favorite children’s books of 2022. I recommend this title for parents of young girls, to be read for morning story time or even family devotionals. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I think this would make a fantastic gift for February!