Review of "Wagon of Worries" by Ruthie Godfrey

Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)

How much of your day do you spend worrying?
We spend a lot!

We worry about work. We worry about family. We worry about the weather, our clothes, our hair, whether we shaved, whether we showered, whether we remembered to turn the stove off or the faucet in the sink. We worry about being able to review enough of these books in time to judge them for this 2026 Spring Contest. We worry about upcoming contests. We worry about potentially moving. We worry about the rent or the mortgage. We worry about taxes. And, of course, we worry about money.

Life is full of worries, big and small. But, in the narrative of Wagon of Worries, Christians have one place to go, one person to turn to, and one worry they'll never have to worry about.

Wagon of Worries by Ruthie Godfrey tactfully confronts the topic of worries using the metaphorical motifs of coins and the titular wagon.

Now, to be perfectly honest, this gimmick gets introduced in a way that initially confused us. A little girl named Mable is out for a stroll with her adorable Oreo-colored dog when she comes upon a coin with the words "DAD" on it. So, this had us thinking: is this coin some kind of novelty coin that someone bought for their parent and lost? Is that going to be the plot?

But Mable continues to find coins everywhere. She finds one that reminds her of her best friend with whom she had a misunderstanding over tetherball. She then proceeds to find coins that remind her of a much broader and less personal range of problems from the poisons on/in food, climate change impacting polar bears, the life expectancy of people her great-grandmother's age, pollution, the fear of flying in an airplane, and even aliens!

And it gradually guided us to the realization that these coins are likely not physical, they are metaphorical, allegorical.

This is actually a very timely book.

With social media dominating public consciousness and being influential in the lives of children, it's easy for children (and adults) to be disturbed and alarmed by the sensationalism and buzz spread by these platforms. It can create a lot of fear and anxiety. It can cause one to worry.

But Wagon of Worries is not content to simply name anxiety. It wants to redirect it.
That is where the Christian heart of the book really comes into focus. Mable eventually learns that she does not have to keep collecting and carrying every fear that crosses her path. She can give those worries to Jesus. And, in the book’s worldview, that changes everything. What began as a growing collection of fear slowly becomes an invitation to let go and make room for something better: peace and joy.


With Jesus, there's hope for forgiveness, redemption, salvation, and eternal life. With Jesus, there's something beyond all the problems and worries of this mortal world. It really puts things into perspective.

The illustrations help sell this too. Mable is adorable, her spotted dog is adorable, and the soft storybook aesthetic keeps the subject matter from becoming too heavy or frightening. Even when the book touches on surprisingly big concerns like food safety, climate issues, aging, illness, and mortality, it does so in a way that still feels child-centered and gentle. Jesus is portrayed in a very friendly, loving, and endearing light.
Ruthie Godfrey is also the author of God Made It All, a phenomenal children's Christian book. Together, these two books are incredible at sharing the marvelous wonder of God with children.

Check it out on Amazon!