The Christian creation story is retold in simple but lyrical prose in this exquisitely illustrated interpretation full of swirling primeval ferns and stylized trees highlighted with touches of gold. God’s presence in Eden is gracefully handled in the illustrations by showing just his hands as he creates Adam from clay or his watchful eyes as Adam and Eve tend the garden and meet the serpent. Ray’s intriguing paintings reward the unhurried reader with subtle details and touches of humor; for example, a playful monkey sticking his finger into the end of Eve’s wooden flute. Many of the spreads feature intricate borders that introduce additional elements such as the earth under the garden, subtly illustrating the renewal of the life cycle, and some of the borders also incorporate symbols of creation stories from other cultures. Children who delight in highly detailed illustrations will enjoy searching the lush views of Eden packed full of every sort of creature, right down to the earthworms crawling underground. (Nonfiction. 5-9)
