Illustrator: Amy Grimes
Publisher: Tyndale Kids, 2023
ISBN: 978-1496446541
Reading Level: 9 to 12 years
Plot: Una sets off in the fog, and Mother helps her feel brave with a simple song. She finds new friends during her day, and the fog lifts.
Why 4 Roars? This is a great find for children experiencing anxiety. This book emphasizes that you are loved, and you belong. I loved the beautiful illustrations that blend perfectly with the story.
"The start to Una Rayne’s day is a metaphor for her
feelings; the thick fog keeps her from seeing the way forward. But before Una
Rayne can express her fear, her mother is there saying that in the child’s
heart 'lives the biggest and greatest song. The one that makes you brave.' And
as Una Rayne dons her backpack and sets off, her mama sings it to her: 'Jesus
loves you, / Makes you strong. / In Him you’re brave / And you belong.'
As the song reverberates, the fog disappears. When Una Rayne
can’t find a place to belong at lunchtime, her song leads her to make her own
space, and she attracts new friends to her, to whom she teaches her song.
Toward the end, the book turns toward overt religious teaching, though the
messages are welcome and needed: 'Jesus . . . is Love Himself. And His whisper
beats inside our hearts.'
A final scriptural quote from Zephaniah ends the book on a
page with space for a child’s photo. Grimes’ illustrations are full of
marvelous textures and patterns, especially in the leafy green trees, and
facial expressions and gestures do a lot of the heavy emotional lifting. Una
Rayne presents Asian; her mother has light skin and straight, light-brown hair.
Background characters are diverse"
~~ Kirkus Reviews
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