Being a door to the community
Review of "Downtown Doors" by Natasha Tripplett.
Downtown Doors
Natasha Tripplett
Illustrated by Leah Giles
WaterBrook, 2025.
Young Wendell and Mama walk downtown, each carrying a card. On the way, they pass Mr. David, who is sound asleep on a wooden bench. Wendell loves to look at all the doors they pass – wooden doors, glass doors, metal doors, doors that are at the top of stairs and doors that are at the bottom of stairs, big doors and little doors, and so many more! When Wendell sees his favourite door, the one that leads into the barbershop, he pokes his head inside and says, “Hello.”
When Wendell and Mama come to the carved doors of Shiloh Church, they go inside, and Mama bows her head in prayer. Wendell watches her and wonders what she is praying about.
Open hearts
They leave the church and walk a short distance to their destination: the open doors of the community centre, where they can use their cards to obtain free food. Wendell is excited because today, fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs and cheese are available.
On their way home, Wendell notices that Mr. David is awake. The compassionate and observant boy “thinks about all the doors he sees each week and the people behind them. They all open their hearts and make him feel loved and at home.” Then he thinks, “Maybe people and doors are alike in this way.” Wendell decides he “wants to be a door to people in his community too.”
What Wendell does next and what he learns about how his actions were an answer to Mama’s prayer form the delightful, spiritually uplifting conclusion to this upbeat, vividly illustrated children’s book.
