Eleven familiar stories from the Christian Bible are presented for a preschool audience with bright, simple illustrations and just a few sentences encapsulating each story.
The enticing cover shows Noah and his ark along with several pairs of animals, with a rainbow curving behind the title. The first two pages retell the Creation story in just five simple sentences, showing the sky, the land, the sea and Adam and Eve strategically positioned behind green bushes. Other stories include baby Moses, David and Goliath, and Daniel in the lions’ den. The life of Jesus is explained with his birth, two parables, the story of Jesus welcoming the children and a concluding spread that summarizes the crucifixion and resurrection. Each story is simplified to just the most basic characters and plot elements but retains enough meaning to serve as an introduction for the youngest listeners. Children will be drawn to the vivid illustrations done in collage style with simplified shapes and cheerful characters. There is no other collection of Bible stories available with the combination of such simple retellings and attractive illustrations, making this an excellent starting place for younger children. (Picture book/religion. 2-5)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7459-6342-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Lion/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The inferior book design and dense text do not serve this Bible verse well.
An exegesis of John 10:14-16 for toddlers.
The biblical text, which begins “I am the good shepherd,” is meted out in short lines on the right-hand side of each double-page spread, written in type meant to look like a child’s handwriting. Below the Scripture on each spread there is a paragraph explaining what a shepherd does, how Jesus is a shepherd and that his followers are his “sheep.” On each facing page is a large photo illustrating the ideas in the text with images of sheep, shepherds and ethnically diverse children at play. The cover, as well as the first two and last two pages of the book, features amateurish cartoons of young children, likely composed on a computer, which jar startlingly against the photos. A note for grown-ups appears at the end describing how to share the book with children of different ages and encouraging parents to let the book grow “with your child.” This suggestion is helpful, since much of the text will likely go over the heads of typical board-book readers. Literal-minded toddlers may be confused by such assertions as, “You—and other people who believe in Jesus are His sheep!”
The inferior book design and dense text do not serve this Bible verse well. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9854090-2-9
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Graham Blanchard
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
Charming and joyous but not for the uninitiated.
Preparing for the Friday night Shabbat ceremony and meal is a joyous expression of faith and tradition.
Shabbat is the most important ritual observance in Judaism, beginning on Friday night at sundown and lasting until Saturday night at sundown. It is a day of prayer and rest, an abstention from all forms of work. “Shabbat Shalom, Hey” is a song that children sing in anticipation of Shabbat, and here, the song lyrics are the only text. The slight tale is told solely via the illustrations, which are viewed by turning the book vertically. Bright color blocks surrounded by white provide the backgrounds. A lion states the Sabbath greeting and is startled to hear a response of “Hey!” from a toucan peeking over the top edge of the frame. Repeating the greeting elicits the same response from a monkey and a snake, this time at the bottom edge. The lion continues his greetings with increasing levels of excitement until the other creatures join in with him, bringing the traditional accouterments of the Shabbat dinner in the form of candlesticks, a wine goblet and the traditional braided bread called challah. It is lively and entertaining, but it presumes an audience that knows the traditions. A recording of the song can be downloaded via QR code on the back of the book.
Charming and joyous but not for the uninitiated. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4677-4917-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
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