by Cynthia Rylant
ages: 12+
First sentence: um… it’s a book of poetry. This doesn’t really fit.
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I picked this up because the title, of all things, cracked me up. Sure, God went to beauty school. What’s with that? I needed to know.

It turns out that it’s a collection of poems about things — human things — that God experiences. It’s simply written, thoughtful, and at times both hilarious and moving. I like Rylant’s version of God: an interesting combination of human and divine; wondering at all the little things that we often take for granted. It’s a delightful collection, spiritual in nature, yet not overly religious. And, above all, thoroughly enjoyable (And I say that I don’t like poetry!)

One of my favorites:

GOD BOUGHT A COUCH
He ordered it from Pottery Barn
and He had a little trouble
because His credit card
billing address didn’t match
the delivery address.
They weren’t totally convinced
He was God.
Because for one thing
He got His credit card
bills in Hell
(just His quirky
sense of humor)
and He wanted the
couch shipped to Heaven
(the old one was too hard),
but they didn’t buy it
until He told them
how He made the first
rhinoceros.
He had it all down,
the DNA, the chromosomes,
and especially the
Holy Spirit.
Nobody is as convincing
about the Holy Spirit
as God.
They asked Him did
He want corduroy or leather.
He said, “What do
you think?”

One of the best ways to spend 30 minutes, I promise.