The story is full of traditional motifs from various countries. Readers will see multi-ethnic people praying in their different churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples. One vignette tells of a Latino baby boy who was born from the center of a cornstalk and of his elderly grandmother who helps to raise him. There is so much symbolism in the book that younger readers may not understand all of the nuances about suffering and strife in the world.
