Mr. and Mrs. God in the Creation Kitchen

by Nancy Wood, Timothy Basil Ering (Illustrator)

What will this cosmic couple cook up next? Nancy Wood’s lively take on how a duo of married chefs got all of us started is magically and hilariously brought to life through Timothy Basil Ering’s extraordinary illustrations.

Deep in the heavens, in the space between the clouds, Mr. and Mrs. God are hard at work in their Creation Kitchen. They’ve got frying pans and mixing bowls, beaters and whisks, and an oven big enough to roast a star - which is just what they are doing! After the sun and earth are finished, all kinds of interesting creations come next, with beaks and claws and growls and roars baked right in. When each creature is cooked to perfection, they set it down on Earth. But that’s only the beginning. . . .

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Religion

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 14, 2006

About the author

Nancy Wood / Nancy C. Wood

"It is a tale of the universal spirit of all living things, and their eternal connection to each other," says Nancy Wood of OLD COYOTE, her simple story of a wise creature's final journey, masterfully illustrated by Max Grafe. These words could apply to virtually all of Nancy Wood's books, from inspirational collections of her own poetry and prose to an anthology chronicling the history of the Taos Pueblo Indians, her friends for more than thirty years. The author of more than ten books for children, teens, and adults, Nancy Wood has garnered such honors as a prestigious Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and an International Reading Association Teacher's Choices Award for her stunning SPIRIT WALKER: POEMS, illustrated by Frank Howell. Indeed, many of her poems have had such a powerful impact on readers that they are often read at weddings and funerals.

Nancy Wood says that she wrote the story of OLD COYOTE when her seven-year-old grandson came to her, grief-stricken, after his dog was run over by a car. "He wanted to know if Buddy had gone to heaven," she says. "I explained that Buddy had dreamed himself into another world; that he was, at that very moment, beginning a new life, maybe as a horse this time, or a bear. He had begun a new and natural circle." Certainly the deeply moving OLD COYOTE suggests a universal meaning as well. "OLD COYOTE is a book about beginnings, and endings, and love among all creatures of the earth," Nancy Wood says. "It is a metaphor for the mystery, beauty, and certainty of death. How easy life would be if, like Old Coyote, we accepted death as a natural part of life. Life may be long or short, happy or sad, but whatever we're given, we should make the most of it, the way Old Coyote does as he changes one world for another, unafraid."


Most recently, Nancy Wood penned HOW THE TINY PEOPLE GREW TALL, an original creation tale illustrated by Rebecca Walsh. Of her fanciful tale, Nancy says, "We are all Tiny People at heart. Though the story of these Tiny People is based on an American Indian emergence myth, it could be about people and animals anywhere."


The award-winning poet, novelist, photographer, and children's book author Nancy Wood lives near Santa Fe, New Mexico where she still occasionally glimpses Tiny People dancing in the wilderness.

Reviews

[Kyran Pittman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In which Mr. God creates a giant pelican that eats all of Mrs. God's prized sea creatures, and "Mrs. God did not speak to Mr. God for a thousand years."

Pure whimsy, through and through. Great read-aloud and wonderful art.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite fun to imagine creating fireballs and creatures in the kitchen, even if tails don't fit all the way in the frying pans and the creators don't make things quite as they expected to (I rather think that Mrs God could express herself in better ways than not speaking to Mr God for a thousand years, but the overall message of imperfect experimenting is a fun one).

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book and so do my kids. Mr. and Mrs. God are very sweet and it is a wonderful mix of the duality of Paganism, the Christian idea of God creating the universe and the the scientific Big Bang theory.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!!! Finally, a gender-equitable retelling of the creation story!

[Miri Gifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was absolutely fantastic. "Mr. and Mrs. God." So funny.

[Charlotte S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Mr. and Mrs. God in the Creation Kitchen, Nancy Wood creatively imagines Mr. and Mrs. God working in a kitchen-laboratory. The sun, earth, each enormous, ugly dinosaur-monster, and other animals are cooked on a heavenly stove or baked to perfection in a heavenly oven. Timothy Ering’s whimsical sketches show Mr. and Mrs. God’s enormous kitchen implements, jars of eyeballs, and boxes of bones—the perfect place to experiment. As the book progresses, Mr. and Mrs. God admirably learn from their mistakes as they go through the creation cooking process.
Despite the fantastic illustrations and unique concept of a creation kitchen laboratory, I felt the text missed the mark in one spot. Like any couple, Mr. and Mrs. God have disagreements about how to fill the earth with creatures. But instead of talking through their disagreement in a healthy way, Mrs. God gives Mr. God the silent treatment for a thousand years. Although this might be seen as a funny moment, I would hope Mr. and Mrs. God are better at communicating and settling disagreements than simply not speaking for a thousand years. That said, I did enjoy the book as a whole.
If you do choose to read this book with your children, I’d suggest pairing it with a conversation about working through disagreements and learning from past mistakes.

[Ngaio · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Beautiful art, but I wish the story had been a tiny bit longer

[Hendrix Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cool, I would've really enjoyed this as a child and did think of God in this way sometimes

[Kathrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I learned from this book:

-Dinosaurs were Mr. God's mistake

-Humans are made from Mr. and Mrs. God's leftovers

[Jen Peper · Rating 5 out of 5]

My girls were still toddlers when I bought this. I was unfamiliar with Nancy Wood at the time and just slightly familiar with Timothy Basil Ering’s illustrations (incidentally-I contacted him via email and thanked him profusely for his illustrations. And he wrote back! So kind) Nights and nights of bedtime reading ended up loosely defining our spiritual leanings toward divine creativity in a beautiful, universal way. What else can I write? This book managed to help define a chapter of love for my young family. Highly recommend.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, absolutely charming!

Mr. and Mrs. God work together in their cosmic "Creation Kitchen" to come up with, well, the creation. They make a delightfully whimsical team with Mr. God baking the sun, and Mrs. God cooking the boiling-hot earth and then cooling it down with clouds.

I love the fun, experimenting feel of the story. Mr. God goes a little overboard the first time he creates creatures to populate the earth. He uses "Growls and roars. Sharp teeth. Huge feet." And he creates "enormous, ghastly things [with] the biggest tails imaginable." They do not meet with Mrs. God's approval at all, so Mr. God flings a hot coal at the Earth and they start over. Mrs. God fills the oceans with beautiful, colorful fish and then...well, I don't want to spoil it for you, but I just love the personalities Ms. Wood gives this couple.

After all the creatures were made, "Mr. and Mrs. God were pleased with the results." Just one thing left to create. They assemble these last two creatures, place them on Earth, and end with such a beautiful, hopeful note.

For more book reviews, visit my blog Build Enough Bookshelves.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought, given the title, that I would like this children's picture book more than I did, but I didn't, and neither did my children. Granted, they're 10 and 14 years old and beyond picture books, to some extent, but I think no one is beyond truly beautiful and charming picture books, and this simply isn't one of them.

I love the idea of Mr. and Mrs. God sharing the same kitchen, using unusual ingredients and creating our world, and arguing over what animals should populate it. The two fought like children, though, and revenge and pettiness ruled for a time. Ultimately, they exhibit love (otherness) and forgiveness, and all ends well. Maybe that is how we will learn to become gods ourselves. Hopefully, though, our learning time will be more beautiful than the mostly gray and ugly illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering.

I just wasn't a fan. Maybe you are or will be. I'm interested in hearing your opinion.

[Danica Midlil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very light-hearted look at creation for children. I especially like that there is a Mr. AND and Mrs. God working in the creation kitchen side by side. The illustrations are pitch perfect for the subject since the splatter watercolor technique makes the reader think of space. I also liked that the "people" created at the end were not the typical Homo Sapien Adam and Eve but Neanderthals! And as a final delight, the end pages look like blue prints for creature creation in a very strange laboratory!

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that too many people will take a look at this book title and immediately want to remark on their opinion of creationists and evolution and religion and it will just get messy. I'm saying that this isn't that kind of book. I think this is just an opportunity for readers to laugh a little at this comedy of the heavenly version of the Honeymooners. More ancient Greek than Christian; Mr. God and Mrs. God are more Zeus and Hera than God times two. It's a funny picture book that basically encourages the reader to remember his or her sense of humor. Nice, short, and funny.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. The echo of Noah and the flood in destroying the dinosaurs was interesting. I liked the page with the tale of the whale hanging out of the frying pan. I do like having a Mrs and Mr God, and I like the lightheartedness of the book.

My favorite creation story picture book, though, is still Big Mama Makes the World!

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in LOVE with this book, and so are my kids. Such an adorable, light-hearted account of the creation, with Mr. and Mrs. God as a lovely couple who make mistakes (dinosaurs, etc.), but try, try again.

[Chris Cutler · Rating 1 out of 5]

A creation story designed, apparently, to offend everybody equally. I saw this at the library over 18 months ago, but it made quite the impression on me. If you need practice raising your eyebrows while you roll your eyes in stunned superciliousness, this may be worth a look.

[Tracy Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I loved the concept of the creation story, I felt some key elements of the creation story were left out, like stars and moon among other things. being all created in a kitchen was cool, but have God be married was a bit much. That being said fantastic illustrations for this book

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 4 year old's favorite book! Discusses creation in a way children can easily understand, and I love that Mrs. God is included - finally She gets some recognition!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love this funny take on the creation story--amazing art, my kids liked it too.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe not Biblically correct, but definitely a fun quick book to pick up that brings a smile. The illustrations are wonderful as well!

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure glad I bought this book on a whim...it's really cute and clever; and of course, like all of my children's books, the illustrations are wonderful.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was going to be about mr and mrs god help each other cook something like a roast, but it is actually about them cooking up stars and people.

[Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and delightful

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, rather light, creation tale.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pen and acrylic illustrations. My six year old and I really enjoyed the story as well.