In her introduction to this helpful resource for families, Jane Breskin Zalben points out that she chose poems, prayers, and quotations from a variety of faiths and cultures that would "wrap readers in comfort like a warm quilt as it helped them understand and appreciate each other's similarities and differences." She refers to the sixteenth century midrash by Rabbi Isaac Luria: "When God made the world He planned to put sparks of light into everything. The holy light was stored in vessels, but it was so strong that the vessels broke into millions of pieces. People were created to find the shards and bring them together to restore the vessels, thereby "repairing the world" (tikkun olam in Hebrew). This is a beautiful concept to share with children.

Zalben is the author and designer of many picture books including Pearl's Passover. For this hardcover, she has created a series of imaginative collages that meld painting, photography, and cut paper. The selections here include pieces from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, and African, Eskimo, and Native American traditions. We like the pairing of the following: "Lift the stone and you will find me; Cleave the wood and I am there" (The Sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of St. Thomas) and "Let me learn the lessons / You have hidden in every leaf and rock." (Native American Prayer). We repair the world as we work together to demonstrate peace, kindness, hospitality, and respect for differences.