Unlikely to have wide appeal and far too sophisticated for actual babies and toddlers, this offering will be appreciated by...
A young boy offers a cheery vision of heaven with an evangelical aim.
Three-year-old Colton Burpo came out of an emergency appendectomy with quite a tale to tell, reporting to his parents that he had been to heaven and describing all the wonders he saw there. Colton’s father, a pastor, co-authored a popular nonfiction book for adults about Colton’s experience, which has spawned a franchise of books, DVDs and other merchandise. This board-book version of Colton’s story represents heaven as a beautiful place with rainbows, bright lights and golden streets, where “everyone who knows and loves Jesus gets to go.” In heaven, no one gets scared or sick, and children are told that Jesus will take them there one day if they believe in him. Colton’s voice comes through clearly, reminding readers that they are getting a child’s perspective. For example, when describing the wounds on Jesus’ hands, he says: “Jesus has markers on His hands. A long time ago, He had to die on the cross. But now Jesus is alive!” The illustrations feature a bearded, white Jesus with a crown, purple sash and sandals, surrounded by winged angels of all ages and ethnicities.
Unlikely to have wide appeal and far too sophisticated for actual babies and toddlers, this offering will be appreciated by Christian parents seeking titles that affirm their religious convictions, especially those already familiar with Colton’s story. (Board book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4003-2227-5
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
The Nativity story is retold in familiar, everyday language with a petite, illustrated format in this somewhat unbalanced Christmas offering imported from Great Britain.
The story begins and ends with announcements from angels, starting with the Annunciation of the impending birth to Mary and ending with a warning to take the newborn Christ child to safety in Egypt. The longish text interweaves the story of Christ’s birth as told in the four Gospels, a narrative decision that is not clearly spelled out anywhere in the volume. The back cover copy notes it’s “retold with simplicity and sincerity from the Gospels,” but there should be a clear indication that the text is a compilation from several books of the Bible. Though the retelling is polished and easy to understand, the sentence length and complexity indicate a story for older children, while the soft-focus, rather sweet illustrations seem targeted to a preschool audience. The volume’s small trim size and a cover decorated with sparkly gold stars also give the impression that the book is aimed toward a younger audience than the text would indicate. Suitable for advanced preschoolers who can listen one-on-one to an adult reading a longer, more complex story or for older children who don’t object to a book that seems designed for little ones. (Picture book/religion. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7459-6291-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lion/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For a more reflective illustration of kindness begetting kindness, consider Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness, illustrated...
Patronizing storytelling glosses over a tale of Christian kindness.
Hall retells his biography of inspirational speaker Moore (Same Kind of Different as Me, 2008) as a lesson in charity. Moore grows up on The Man’s plantation during the Great Depression, illustrated with deep colors and eye-catching images, such as a black boy with a sack of cotton as big as he is. After hopping a freight train, Moore is homeless until Hall’s wife dreams about him and finds him at a mission. Moore’s reaction is plainly touching: “Denver had never heard anyone say, ‘God loves you.’ He had never even heard someone say, ‘I love you.’ ” However, Hall’s prose is often glib; he tells without showing, and his description of plantation life borders on benevolent. When The Man gives Moore a bike in exchange for picking 100 pounds of cotton, the blistering labor is described as “extra chores”; asked if he is homeless, Moore reflects that The Man had “given him” a shack. While young children may understand chores and rewards, equating sharecropping with receiving an allowance is hugely problematic without discussion. Moore’s simple, evocative pictures tell his story best, mitigating Hall’s superficial text.
For a more reflective illustration of kindness begetting kindness, consider Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness, illustrated by E.B. Lewis (2012). (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4003-2269-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2013
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