Synopsis
A young boy experiences the loss of his sibling to miscarriage. He is saddened by the event but witnesses his parents’ beautiful display of courage. They reassure him that while we may not understand why things happen and we don’t always get what we want, we can always try again. Using lessons in Patience, Hope, Faith, and Prayer, the parents teach their growing son lifelong lessons until he eventually has his prayer answered.
Why we love it
I really wanted to take my time with this review. In my house, new books are a thing to be celebrated and my children have developed a pretty sophisticated system to decide if they love a book or not. Illustrations, storyline, and new ideas are all important to them. I can usually tell if a book is hit or not by how often I am asked to read it. At this point, I can recite Patiently Waiting for Hope verbatim.
The vivid images and realistic features of the characters are all aesthetically pleasing, as are all the details poured into the images. The rainbows, the sunrise, the shooting stars, and even the storm clouds were all part of the appeal of this book.
Personally, I love that this is a children’s book that tackles the subject of miscarriage and loss. Not surprisingly, there aren’t that many books covering such a heavy topic for children. When I was writing my book Happy Tears and Rainbow Babies, I noted that there were not that many books that helped explain this kind of loss to children, so seeing another book like this made my heart soar.
Below are the 5 main reasons why I believe that Patiently Waiting for Hope should be a part of your library.
- Genuine displays of grief
In the story, the entire family is plunged into grief with the loss of the baby. We see images of the parents and the main character openly showing their sadness at the loss. These beautiful illustrations speak volumes about how parents can play an important role in teaching their children how to grieve. By not hiding their pain from their son, they are giving him the freedom to express his own sadness and assuring him that it is okay to show genuine emotion.
2. A lovely depiction of family
Patiently waiting for Hope is one of the most beautifully illustrated books that I have seen. The Illustrator draws you into the story with images of characters that are lifelike and realistic. We see a family preparing for the birth of their baby together, grieving the loss of that child together, and praying for the rainbow baby together. And while families may all look different, the idea that they faced their trial and triumph together was really important to see.
3. Lessons for us all
In the book, the main character is taught lessons in patience, hope, faith, and prayer. These lessons were used to help the little boy navigate his person situations but really, these are lessons that we all can benefit from regardless of age or circumstance. There have been so many times since reading this book, that I have had conversations with my own children about having patience or had to remind myself to have faith and trust in God. It is always a lovely experience reading stories with your kids and finding wisdom that you can use in your own journey.
“Faith is like knowing the sun will rise again in the morning to take away the darkness of night.”
Patiently Waiting for Hope
4. Acknowledgment of the experience of infertility
It is easy to assume that infertility affects only the man and the woman attempting to procreate. For anyone who has ever wondered if they would ever have a baby, this can be a devastating and isolating experience BUT what we often forget is that kids sometimes go through these experiences along with their parents. The little boy’s experience of having to go through several birthdays before having his prayers answered, is an age-appropriate look at what infertility may look like to a child. And that offers an opportunity for parents to engage their children in this conversation.
5. Answered prayers
In August we celebrate International Rainbow Baby Day which is a day set aside to acknowledge the journey many families have made to becoming parents. In Patiently Waiting for Hope, this family’s journey ended with their prayers for their rainbow baby being answered, but not before having to learn some important lessons. The boy’s joy at welcoming his new sister echoes the joy this rainbow mama and rainbow families all over the world have felt and I am grateful to Arnold Henry for sharing this wonderful book with the world.
Patiently Waiting for Hope is available on Amazon.com