DANIEL IN THE LION’S DEN

Marzollo, author of the I Spy series, here turns her hand to illustration as well in the first of a new series of Bible story retellings for young children. Two introductory pages introduce Daniel and include a map with approximate dates and his locations as a boy and as a grown man. The story includes Marzollo’s own humorous interpretation that the lions in the den were silenced by Daniel and the angel singing lullabies to them. The innovative design includes some of the basic story set as regular text and words that are speech or thoughts (or lion roars) incorporated into the illustrations next to each character. Additional information is imparted by an unobtrusive line of tiny ants that parade across the bottom of every page offering helpful comments, definitions, and humorous observations. Though this design sounds overly busy, it all works well together, complemented by Marzollo’s bold watercolor illustrations enhanced with thick black outlines. The next volume in the series, using the same format, is Miriam and Her Brother Moses (0-316-74131-0; Feb. 2004). (Nonfiction. 3-8)