Designed to be read aloud, this book will take children and adults on a rich journey of discovery. It reinforces strong female self-images, told from the perspective of women who break stereotypes, unconventional women, women committed to justice, women as victims, women warriors, women in relationships, and much more.
The 62 stories are of women in traumatic circumstances who remained true to themselves, women who wielded political power, and those who were powerless in an often unjust society. Each story has background notes with an in-depth look at the underlying biblical passages, and suggestions for further reding.
"At no point did we try to whitewash the biblical characters, or make them models of purity fit for the ears of children. The failings and the ugly side of women are presented as well as their triumphs and their beauty. It is important not to betray children by reading to them only the palatable, good things. Their knowledge is beyond their years, and by age five children have posed every theological question that exists, including "Why do people die?" and "Is there a God?"
Excerpt:
Walking on the ceiling,
What a crazy clown!
A most surprising feeling,
Being upside down!
If Hannah had a child,
Then dragons can be mild.
If lion and lamb together lie,
The poor are lifted high.
"I love this book - for its humor, its simplicity and its courage." -Timothy Findley
Reviews in the Media
"This collection's great strength is its rich blending of past with present, of scripture with contemporary life, of simplicity with an underpinning of sound feminist biblical and theological scholarship. Explore it with a child you love: both of you will learn much." - Catholic New Times
"...digs into the male-dominated biblical text and brings the women forth ... recreates the ambience of the ancient campfire where grandmothers told their cherished stories to their granddaughters." - The Observer