Doing Something New: A Prayer for Beginnings

Mitali Perkins (mitaliperkins.com) has written many books for young readers, including You Bring the Distant Near (nominated for a National Book Award) and Rickshaw Girl (adapted into a film), all of which explore crossing different kinds of borders. Her goal is to make readers laugh or cry, preferably both, as long as their hearts are widening. She lives and writes in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Andrés Landazábal is an illustrator, production designer, and art director based in Colombia. His work has appeared in animation films, TV shows, and numerous children's books. Andrés's love for drawing and painting was instilled at a young age reading classically illustrated children's books.

"By interweaving lines from the Beatitudes alongside the child's prayer, author Mitali Perkins creates a thoughtful structure that respects a young child's emotional intelligence. The tender, rhythmic narrative flows naturally when read aloud as the rhyming couplets are accessible and unforced, and balance the vulnerability of childhood fears with hopeful, reassuring truths. Doing Something New: A Prayer for Beginnings is a deeply comforting and inspiring picture book that highlights the strength found in faith during times of change—ideal for Christian families, educators, and ministry leaders looking for a reassuring read-aloud to share with children navigating new routines, milestone transitions, or moments where they need a little extra courage."