Jerusalem Sky: Stars, Crosses, and Crescents (by Mark H. Podwal)

The text is lovely -- simple, gentle, merely hinting at the great mysteries behind the beliefs and legends. It only hints at the fighting and discord that rack the city now. The author focuses on the beauty of the city, and the hope engendered by a place where the three major monotheistic religions of the modern world "meet under the Jerusalem sky and merge their shadows."

The accompanying paintings, while beautiful, may not be as appealing to children as they are to adults. They are semi-abstract, impressionist renderings, lacking the kind of detail that draws kids to spend time poring over them. But the pictures and text make for an appealing book with an important, and nicely subtle, message.