Exploring the Many Ways We Pray: Q&A with Mary Wagley Copp 0

Jaliza Burwell of Charlesbridge in conversation with Mary Wagley Copp, author of Sometimes We Pray

In Sometimes We Pray, author Mary Wagley Copp invites readers to explore the many ways people pray—through movement, stillness, reflection, and community. The book celebrates the diversity of prayer practices around the world while highlighting the shared human longing for connection, hope, and belonging. Available as both a picture book and a board book, Sometimes We Pray encourages young readers to appreciate spirituality in many forms.

I spoke with Mary about the inspiration behind the book and why this topic feels especially meaningful for children today.

What inspired you to write a book exploring prayer across cultures and beliefs?
As an ELL teacher working with recently resettled newcomers from many countries and cultures, I tried to create space for them to share their stories—their traditions, daily lives, and beliefs—with one another. Those conversations often blossomed into questions about both the differences and the surprising similarities among the cultures in our classroom. I was amazed by the students’ curiosity and generosity of spirit. Despite their different backgrounds, they approached one another with openness and respect. Their willingness to listen, to ask, and to learn from each other became one of the most powerful lessons in the room. It was after one particular class—in which two women gathered their prayer rugs and went off to a corner to pray—that I tucked away the idea of writing about prayer for a young audience. It was really my students who inspired me!

How did your travels influence the story?
I have traveled extensively and lived abroad. Each time I interact with people from other cultures, I’m reminded that despite our different traditions, our deepest yearnings are remarkably alike. We want to be loved. We want to belong. We want our children to be safe. We strive for happiness. I also believe that in many forms of prayer there’s a shared longing—one of which is a desire to connect to something larger than ourselves and to care for one another while we are here. Travel and living abroad can certainly strengthen this perspective. But so can the simple act of getting to know someone whose story unfolds differently from our own. And I hope Sometimes We Pray inspires readers to do just that.

Your approach to writing this book makes it seem so welcoming to religious and nonreligious readers. Why was that important to you?
I appreciate the use of the terms religious and nonreligious rather than believers and nonbelievers. After all, we all believe in something. Many people who pray do not consider themselves religious. They may not attend services, belong to a formal faith community, believe in a supreme being, or observe traditional holidays. Yet they still trust in the power of prayer—in reflection, intention, connection, and/or hope. Accepting the value of prayer, within or outside of religion, acknowledges the wide and nuanced ways people make meaning in their lives.

How did you approach representing many cultures respectfully?
I interviewed people from many different backgrounds and faiths with varied ways of praying. I also asked readers to review the manuscript and share their thoughts. I’ve strived to do this with the utmost respect for the faiths represented. Because this is a picture book—with a necessarily limited word count—I couldn’t explore any one form of prayer in depth. In some ways, that constraint was helpful. It encouraged me to speak simply and spaciously, leaving room rather than filling every corner with explanation—something young readers would not have appreciated! I certainly didn’t capture every culture or spiritual tradition or all the ways people pray. But I hope the book—both text and illustrations—hold enough diversity and recognition for readers to feel both seen and curious. My deepest hope is that Sometimes We Pray is a springboard for conversation, inviting readers to share their own practices, questions, and stories about prayer.

I think one of the most beautiful parts of this book is that it shows prayer as something that connects people, rather than something that separates them. Was that an important element for you to work in?
So often, we see prayer as connected to religion. And so often, we see religious differences as lines that divide us. Yes, we are different. We eat different foods. We raise our children in different ways. We dress, worship, celebrate, and mourn in our own traditions. But beneath those visible differences runs something deeper—something shared—something I believe is often embodied in our prayers. We all long to belong. We all hope for love. We all wish for happiness and good health. Those shared longings are our common ground, the threads of our shared humanity. When we choose to look for that common ground, we see beyond what divides us. And in that realm, we discover not just who others are but who we can be.

In what settings do you hope this book will be shared—at home, in classrooms, or as part of special celebrations?
Everywhere! All the time! I think Sometimes We Pray is appropriate in all venues. It is meant to pique curiosity and to invite inquiry.

At Charlesbridge, we were so excited to release this book simultaneously as a picture book and a board book. It makes the story so unique. Are you excited to be reaching a wider audience? Was this choice important to you?
I love that Sometimes We Pray is a picture book and a board book. It was not my decision, though! Board books are so important for our youngest children and when we introduce words, concepts, and pictures early on, we can lay an important foundation for literacy and learning.

This book feels so timely. What do you hope young readers will take away from this story?
Today we have such deep divisions at so many levels: globally, nationally, and within our own communities. And the tone is divisive—often unkind. I believe the earlier we begin to listen, to try to understand, to honor differences and our shared underpinnings, the greater chance we have for more peace in this world.

Mary Wagley Copp is the author of Yoshi's Big Swim and Wherever I Go. She loved exploring the world with her parents and studying Spanish in Guadalajara, Mexico; visiting the symbol of ancient Greece, the Parthenon; and imagining how the Incans built Machu Picchu in Peru. When she is not reading and writing stories, she’s an ELL teacher working with recently resettled newcomers, and she recently traveled to Ethiopia and beyond.

Sometimes We Pray

Available in both hardcover and board book format.