Simon Camilleri, who has trekked around Australian capital cities to read and recite the Bible, has produced a new book introducing children to prayers.
It is literally a prayer book.
And the sort of prayers are listed on the title, Wow God! Thank you, Sorry, Please
Each theme gets a picture by Dominic Shi Jie On, a Melbourne Architect/illustration pinting a scenario that fits each theme. For example, a parent bird feeds their young in a nest for the “please” theme.
There’s a short list of prayers that fit each theme. For example, Wow God! suggests kids thank God for creation and for God’s character (the book assumes kids have a Bible background).
“Many, many years ago I’d learned the acts method, I don’t know if anyone’s heard the A CTS, A for adoration, C for confession, T for Thanksgiving and S for supplication,” Camilleri told the book launch. “And so I was trying to use a friendly way to introduce that to my daughter, who was only three at the time, so I came up with this. Now, lots of people have come up with the Thank you, Sorry, Please, but one of the things we often don’t do is start with praise.
“And so I wanted to include that ‘wow God!’ as the opening. The opening of the Lord’s Prayer is ‘hallowed be your name.’ So, starting with a word of praise.”
It’s a simple book that opens up lots of conversations and lots of prayers.
Wow God, Thank you, Sorry, Please by Simon Camilleri, Illustrated by Dominic Shi Jie On, 10ofthose, 2024 Available at The Wandering Bookseller, $11.99