Wow! How does this book not have any reviews or ratings yet? This is amazing!

First of all, the selection is great. Hymns from different centuries, from different countries, and in different styles all find a home here. There is a nice mix of old and new, and many different cultures are represented. The layout is clear and easy to follow, and someone clearly put a lot of thought into the book's flow. Many hymnals simply follow the church year, which is great, but this one clearly has more of an educational bent, and the result is a lovely compromise. Included with liturgical seasons such as Lent and Advent are more didactic sections such as "People of the Bible." Sections on how to live a Christian life, such as "Walking with God" or "Loving Our Neighbors," are also included.

The music is excellent. Children's books naturally tread a fine line between arrangements that are too difficult to play or too simple to be enjoyable. This looks good. Children who have taken piano lessons should have little to no difficulty here, yet the arrangements are still full enough to make the songs musically interesting. Guitar chords are also given for each song, and many entries contain further joys such as descant arrangements or Orff instrument notation. This has to be the first hymnal I've ever read that includes parts for soprano glockenspiel and bass metallophone. There is a capo chart. Even the spiral binding was designed to be convenient for the musician. Traditional information is also included, of course, such as the composer, lyricist, meter, tune name, and copyright info for the songs.

Someone really put a lot of time and energy into this little volume, and it certainly shows. Fantastic resource. ( )