The Life of Jesus, by Sophie Piper and Angelo Ruta (2013), and The Light of the World, by Katherine Paterson and François...
First published in Germany, this theologically confusing introduction to the life of Jesus is told through disjointed episodes that don’t have any connecting narrative to help the reader.
The first few pages give short versions of key stories: Gabriel tells Mary she will have a child, the son of God, and this is followed on the next spread by the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Jesus goes abruptly from the manger to the temple, conversing with the teachers there. On the next page, Jesus has begun his ministry, but his baptism, a key event in his life and in the theological structure of Christianity, is omitted. Several of the parables and miracles of Jesus are retold, but the Sermon on the Mount and the Lord’s Prayer are not included. The conclusion is especially confusing, jumping from an account of the Crucifixion that clearly states that Jesus is dead to the empty tomb on the final spread with the concluding words, “Jesus lives and has triumphed over death!” Striking illustrations make excellent use of glowing light and varied perspectives, and the illustrations have enough appeal to somewhat offset the drawbacks of the text.
The Life of Jesus, by Sophie Piper and Angelo Ruta (2013), and The Light of the World, by Katherine Paterson and François Roca (2008), are better introductions to the life of Jesus for a similar age group. (Picture book/religion. 4-8)Pub Date: March 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5438-4
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked...
From a debut author-and-illustrator team comes a glimpse into a young American Muslim girl’s family and community as she walks around in “Mommy’s khimar,” or headscarf.
The star of this sunny picture book is a young girl who finds joy in wearing her mother’s khimar, imagining it transforms her into a queen, a star, a mama bird, a superhero. At the core of the story is the love between the girl and her mother. The family appears to be African-American, with brown skin and textured hair. The girl’s braids and twists “form a bumpy crown” under the khimar, which smells of coconut oil and cocoa butter. Adults in her life delight in her appearance in the bright yellow khimar, including her Arabic teacher at the mosque, who calls it a “hijab,” and her grandmother, who visits after Sunday service and calls out “Sweet Jesus!” as she scoops her granddaughter into her arms. Her grandmother is, apparently, a Christian, but “We are a family and we love each other just the same.” The illustrations feature soft pastel colors with dynamic lines and gently patterned backgrounds that complement the story’s joyful tone. The words are often lyrical, and the story artfully includes many cultural details that will delight readers who share the cheerful protagonist’s culture and enlighten readers who don’t.
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked cultural group . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0059-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Religious-themed affirmation to help steel little ones fretting about school.
Collier, founder of the international women’s ministry Broken Crayons Still Color, and co-author Bak help kids tackle first-day-of-school jitters.
There’s nothing like a new box of crayons, especially when the first day of school is right around the corner. Avery tries to enjoy coloring, but she feels “flippy, fizzy, and fluttery inside.” When Avery doesn’t want to eat dinner, her father realizes she’s nervous and encourages her to pray. Avery replies that she’s too scared; her father tells her, “You can do hard things.” Later, Avery draws with her crayons, but her depictions of her first day reflect her anxieties—attempting to draw the school playground, she scrawls an image of her being hit by a ball while another child laughs. Suddenly, Avery’s crayons break. Realizing she’s made a mess, she begins to sob: “I’m a mess, just like these crayons.” But one of the crayons Avery broke begins talking to her, telling her not to put herself down. The very polite crayons reassure Avery, telling her it’s OK to feel bad, offering her strategies for calming herself, and telling her that “no mess is ever too big for God.” Vasilica’s sprightly illustration are charming and inviting, while the message is a soothing one—though one more likely to appeal to religious, especially Christian, readers. Avery and her family present Black. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Religious-themed affirmation to help steel little ones fretting about school. (feelings color wheel) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
ISBN: 9781400242900
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
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