When Daddy Prays by Nikki Grimes

Bibliographic Citation: 

Grimes, Nikki. 2002. When Daddy Prays. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0802851525

Review:

When Daddy Prays by Nikki Grimes is a compilation of poems that explain a father's prayer throughout everyday life. The poems are written from a little boys perspective and you can sense how much he looks up to his father by the word choice and underlying meaning. The experiences that are shared vary from church to baseball games and even finding missing car keys. All of these events are very down to earth and are easy for kids to relate to. Some of the poems are a little emotional, but for the most part are lighthearted and easy going. 

The poems are very descriptive and easily paint mental images when reading them. The sound and rhythm of the poems help the reader understand the words and encourage them to keep reading. Ladwig's illustrations were very realistic in color and went along well with the poems. The pictures give the reader a better sense of explaining the poems meanings, and even add in a hint of humor to some. 

Spotlight Poem:

Lost and Found

He felt inside his pockets,
He checked the dresser drawer. 
He peeked beneath the sofa 
and felt around the floor.

I offered my assistance
when I found him on his knees
muttering to himself about
a set of missing keys

So why did he start laughing
when I told him what to do? 
"Ask God to help you find it-
like you always tell me to."

Activity: 

One quick activity that you could do after reading this poem, is to have the students share a time when their parents have given them advice. The students can create  problem solution poetry, by listing issues on one side of the paper and their parents solution (advice) on the other side. At the end, they can even mix up their problem and solution poems and have other students try to match the problems to the correct solution.