THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Newbery Medalist Paterson turns her talents and considerable experience as a religious educator to interpreting the life of Jesus in a style that children will understand. In a gentle, simply told fashion, Paterson begins her interpretation with the metaphor of the light of the world before introducing Mary and presenting the angel’s announcement of her forthcoming child. The author continues her well-written narrative in chronological order, focusing on Christ’s ministry and his disciples, with some simple explanations of the political situation that led to Christ’s crucifixion. The story of Jesus is necessarily shortened within this framework, leaving out some key incidents such as Christ’s baptism, but the coherent and smoothly told text succeeds in conveying a powerful and understandable story. Roca’s illustrations, previously used as illustrations in a French volume of a similar nature, are just as polished and accessible as the text, with the individualistic faces and costumes of the characters making them seem like real people. Interestingly, Jesus as an adult is always shown from behind or at a distance, making him a character that readers must interpret for themselves. (Nonfiction. 4-8)