Dickens & Rumi
Cover of WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

book

WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

Age rating, content warnings & parent guide

Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner

Is WHAT IS GOD LIKE? appropriate for your child? See the reviewed age guidance, content cautions, positive themes, and supporting evidence below.

Exploring the attributes of God. (Ages 3 to 7)

Ages 4+Source checked

Why this age? The language and picture-book structure suit preschool and early-elementary readers. Religious concepts are gentle and abstract, with no significant violence, fear, romance, or mature content. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

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10-second decision

Is this likely to fit your family?

Age guidanceAges 4+
Strongest cautionsReligious themes 5/5 · LGBTQIA characters 1/5
Strongest positivesPositive messages 5/5 · Kindness & empathy 4/5
Recommendation3.8/5

Positive messages; strongest caution: religious themes.

This is the quick scan. Open the evidence and methodology below for the basis behind each rating.

Quick context

What parents should know

The language and picture-book structure suit preschool and early-elementary readers. Religious concepts are gentle and abstract, with no significant violence, fear, romance, or mature content. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ. Positive messages; strongest caution: religious themes.

Readiness snapshotAge guidance: 4+Main watch-out: Religious themes 5/5
Recommendation 3.8/5

Editorial rating

How this review was built

Dickens & Rumi editorial
Source checkedPublication method
8Scored categories
8Evidence notes
0Explicit 0/5 checks
Oct 22, 2026Last updated

Dickens & Rumi describes what is present; families decide what matters to them. Community reactions are kept separate from official content ratings.

How ratings workReport a rating or series issue
Review depth8 scored categories8 evidence notes
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At a glance

Recommended age4+

Strongest cautions

  • Religious themes5/5
  • LGBTQIA characters1/5

Strongest positives

  • Positive messages5/5
  • Kindness & empathy4/5
  • Creativity & curiosity3/5

Keep going

What should you do next?

One review should lead naturally to the next useful choice.

Lower cautionsTry something gentlerMrs Pepperpot Minds the BabyOpen review →Similar fitCompare another titleLITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIENDCompare →Keep browsingSearch for another bookUse age, interests, vibe, or content preferences.Search →

Similar, with lighter cautions

Want something gentler?

These reviewed titles have overlapping age guidance and a lower total caution score than WHAT IS GOD LIKE?. Open each review for the details.

BOOKMrs Pepperpot Minds the BabyAlf Prøysen; Hilda Offen · 2013Ages 4+6 points lighter on published cautionsBOOKMrs Pepperpot and the TreasureAlf Prøysen; Hilda Offen · 2013Ages 5+5 points lighter on published cautionsBOOKFuzzypeg goes to schoolAlison Uttley · 1938Ages 4+5 points lighter on published cautionsBOOKMoldy Warp the moleAlison Uttley · 1940Ages 5+5 points lighter on published cautions

What’s in it?

LGBTQIA characters1/5
Why this rating?

The text focuses on theological attributes rather than identity.

Religious themes5/5
Why this rating?

The book is explicitly about understanding God's nature from a Christian perspective.

What’s good in it?

Creativity & curiosity3/5
Why this rating?

Rich metaphors drawn from nature and everyday life invite children to imagine and interpret abstract ideas creatively.

Diverse representation3/5
Why this rating?

The illustrations feature a diverse range of children and people.

Educational value2/5
Why this rating?

It provides an introductory religious framework for children.

Kindness & empathy4/5
Why this rating?

Kindness and love are presented as core expressions of God's nature.

Positive messages5/5
Why this rating?

The book promotes messages of love, equality, kindness, and spiritual comfort.

Good role models2/5
Why this rating?

It presents compassion, openness and other positive qualities, but offers few developed human characters whose actions serve as clear role models.

Family discussion

Talk about it

Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What message do you think the story most wants you to remember?
  2. What beliefs or religious ideas appear in the story? How do they influence the characters?
  3. Which choice in WHAT IS GOD LIKE? would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in WHAT IS GOD LIKE?, and what caused that change?
Discuss this title with other parents

Community perspective — separate from editorial ratings

What families noticed

Community signal

Community ratings and written reactions are a separate layer. They do not automatically change Dickens & Rumi’s official age guidance or content scores.

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Try something nearby

Related by age fit, format, and catalogue context.

You’re hereWHAT IS GOD LIKE?
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIENDAlice Schertle and Jill McElmurryAges 3+GOOD NIGHT, LITTLE BLUE TRUCKAlice Schertle and Jill McElmurryAges 3+Moldy Warp the moleAlison Uttley · 1940Ages 5+Fuzzypeg goes to schoolAlison Uttley · 1938Ages 4+

These content notes are a starting point, not a guarantee. Review the evidence and use your own judgment before choosing a title.

Something wrong with this guide? Report age, caution, series, cover, or title issues.