I love Linda Hill Griffith’s illustration, which is why I picked up Blessingsand Prayers for Little Bears (2002). I’m not surprised to read on the jacket flap that Linda Hill Griffith’s art “...also appears on calendars, greeting cards, and two series of collectors plates for the Franklin Mint.”
This book is exactly what the title says it is. With each turn off the page, there’s a prayer on the left and a full-page illustration of teddy bears on the right. Teddy bears are picnicking, reading, ice skating, gardening, and more. They recall a long ago with obvious gender-based roles. There’s even a Thanksgiving scene that includes a teddy bear dressed in the attire of Native People. This book seems most appropriate for a conservative, Christian family. As bears decorate an outdoor Christmas tree in a snow-covered landscape the prayer is, “Dear Father, hear and bless thy beasts and singing birds, And guard with tenderness Small things that have no words. [author] unknown”.
