2023-06-22
A misunderstanding ensues between angels and ravens in author Bradford Ingram and illustrator Syria Ingram’s children’s book.

A husband-and-wife team writes and illustrates a story of a group of child angels living in an idyllic forest, where they play and sing with deer, beavers, cats, and a skunk. Ravens, who live nearby, are described as “plain on the outside and not very smart,” but as full of love as the angels. After hearing from a mouse about the angels’ beautiful song, the ravens, whose song “wasn’t pretty but pure as the snow,” journey to see what it’s all about—only to find that the angels, who were unaware of the ravens’ existence, are terrified of them. The birds try to impress the angels with their song but tire themselves trying until one falls to the ground dead. This causes the angels to recognize the value of the ravens’ lives; each chooses a bird, holds them, and sings songs to them. God then intervenes and revives the dead raven, who was trying “to sing and not merely to scream.” This fantasy has engaging worldbuilding regarding the innocence and ignorance of angels. It also intriguingly addresses the harm that even an angel’s fear can inflict, although it also promises that God can immediately and easily undo harm. The assertions that God loves all creations equally, and that all actions done in love are beautiful, are useful messages for young readers. However, Bradford Ingram’s narrative doesn’t always treat ravens as objectively equal in beauty to other creatures. Syria Ingram’s images of angels give them a range of skin tones, though most are coded as young, thin girls, with lipstick-red lips and long eyelashes. The pen-and-watercolor illustrations illuminate a mild, spring-green playing field with cute, domesticated-looking creatures.

A sentimental religious tale that promises universal redemption while offering practical messages.