Angels Watching Over Me

by Julia Durango (Adapter), Elisa Kleven (Illustrator)

Every hour...
every minute...
every second...
angels...
watching...
over...
me.

What better way to reassure a young child than with the words of a soft, soothing spiritual exuberantly expanded by author Julia Durango and intricately illuminated by award-winning artist Elisa Kleven.

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Angels, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 27, 2007

Reviews

[Beth Honeycutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mom got this signed for the girls and I saw it after my workout today...it called me to pick it up and read it. Beautiful artwork.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angels Watching Over Me is an adaptation of the African-American spiritual by the same name. There are many variations of this song, and this contemporary rendition is just fine. But what makes this book truly exceptional are the illustrations by wonderful Elisa Kleven, whose work may be familiar to you because of her award-winning books, such as Sun Bread and Abuela (the latter written by Arthur Dorros).

Kleven’s exuberant and colorful mixed media illustrations – dominated by watercolors accentuated with collage - combine visions of both the inner and outer worlds of children. Her multicultural characters soar through the pages and convey joy and love and caring and the magical imagination of children of all ages.

The children in the book, watched over by smiling angels, engage in all manner of play, secure in the knowledge that angels are watching over them:

"Sky says race, I chase the wind.
Wind blows on ‘til meadow’s end.

Wind says soar, I take up flight.
Bird beside me gathers height.

All night, all day,
Angels watching over me."

Evaluation: I love this book, and I especially love that for once, angels are depicted as something other than white blonde cherubs. All the colors of the earth are represented by Kleven, and all the world is shown rejoicing with them.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, Angels Watching Over Me, is about a young child who is talking about all the beautiful things she does in nature while angels are watching over her and watching her do all her things. The themes are nature, adventure, creativity, and independence. The genres are contemporary realistic fiction, picture book, and the grade is kindergarten to fourth grade. I gave it a 4 out of 5 because overall the pictures in the book are beautiful and show what a child sees in the world when they are innocent.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story adapted from an African-American spiritual "All Night, All Day".

Sun is a-setting in the west;
angels watching over me, my Lord.
Sleep my child, take your rest;
angels watching over me.

All night, all day,
angels watching over me, my Lord.
All night, all day,
angels watching over me.

Magical illustrtions.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I had this book when my children were younger - a lovely bedtime send-off that delivers a sense of safety as well as a guarantee to make dreams full of colors and creativity.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, beautiful book. I sang part of it, and read the rest, and that worked. And the illustrations are divine. :)