Tea & A Good Book Brewing- Installment 9, The Jesus Storybook Bible
I have a hot cup of tea beside me, two boys in bed above me, the majority of supper preparations behind me and a ladies night out with some friends before me. What more do I need to chase away the gloom of a chilly day when the very fingers of winter are scratching at my window panes?
A good book to review, perhaps?
Elasa has been listening to More All-Of-A-Kind Family on CD and since the book is about a Jewish family (and one I would highly recommend!!!) it talks about the Jewish holidays. When it talks about Hanukkah, also called Festival of Lights, it says that it is "the happy holiday right in the midst of December's bleakness."
Well, that's how I feel about Christmas. It is a time of cheer and festivity in the midst of some pretty depressing weather and days in which we see the least amount of daylight. A little digital weather monitor that we have says that today we only have 9 hours and 34 minutes of daylight. I am no mathematician, and yet even I can see that out of a 24-hour-day, that is several hours short of even a half days worth of light. Not good.
And yet the Prince of Peace came to bring Light and at this special time of year we celebrate His eternal shining. More than good!!!
One special way of showing our children that Light is through Bible-story books, and today I want to introduce you to one that has been receiving some use in our home for close to two years.
The Jesus Storybook Bible, written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jago, is not your typical Egermeier's Bible-story book. Instead, it is a book that brings the Bible to life for children so that "every story whispers his name."
The Jesus Storybook Bible is interesting because it reads like a well-written story instead of just a recitation of facts. The author combines her imagination and writing skills to make all the difference between "boring" and "fascinating," as any great storyteller will do. I look for a certain style of writing (yes, even in children's books!) that is both poetical and powerful, and this book has it.
The first chapter, or introduction, which is titled The Story and The Song says a lot about the book in better ways than I can:
"There are a lot of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.
It takes the whole Bible to tell this story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name.
And this is no ordinary baby. This is the child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day- but wait. Our story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning..."
Doesn't that just make you want to read more? Me, too!
Which is why I am especially glad to have found an advent reading plan, with a free printable reading guide, that uses stories out of The Jesus Storybook Bible, starting with the Creation and ending with the birth of Jesus. We do well to remember that the birth of Christ was not the beginning or the end, and the Advent readings can help remind us of that.
I really like the titles given to the different stories, for example: The Teeny, weenie... true king (Samuel anoints David), Son of laughter (God's special promise to Abraham), Daniel and the scary sleepover (Daniel and the lion's den), Heaven breaks through (the story of John the Baptist) A new way to see (the story of Saul) and of course, He's here! (The nativity)
The author and artist worked seamlessly together to give us a book in which the text and pictures make the perfect combination! Think peanut butter and chocolate! Think tea and scones! Think two people combining their talents to concoct a feast for the eye and the soul. I always feel that I lack the proper vocabulary to describe art with any kind of intelligence, so I will just describe it as free, unfettered and colorful. The pictures are whimsical in nature, but not in a disrespectful or objectionable way, as I find the comic-strip-style to be in Bibles. The pictures do not look "real," and yet I believe that adds to their appeal of being very child-friendly.
Two years ago, I wanted to buy a Bible- story book for both Elasa & Gavin (this was before Parker was born!) and when I was looking through the selection at a bookstore, I noticed something rather disturbing...several of the children's Bible-story books had illustrations verging on sensual and gruesome. There is none of that in this book, I am happy to report, and was, therefore, one of the chosen!!! Elasa was the one who received it and she has enjoyed it. Now that she has a "real Bible" to take to church, Gavin has claimed the book and takes it to church, where Parker also enjoys it.
Need one more reason to love this book? In the very beginning, under acknowledgements, is the lovely addition of this beautiful poem:
A good book to review, perhaps?
Elasa has been listening to More All-Of-A-Kind Family on CD and since the book is about a Jewish family (and one I would highly recommend!!!) it talks about the Jewish holidays. When it talks about Hanukkah, also called Festival of Lights, it says that it is "the happy holiday right in the midst of December's bleakness."
Well, that's how I feel about Christmas. It is a time of cheer and festivity in the midst of some pretty depressing weather and days in which we see the least amount of daylight. A little digital weather monitor that we have says that today we only have 9 hours and 34 minutes of daylight. I am no mathematician, and yet even I can see that out of a 24-hour-day, that is several hours short of even a half days worth of light. Not good.
And yet the Prince of Peace came to bring Light and at this special time of year we celebrate His eternal shining. More than good!!!
One special way of showing our children that Light is through Bible-story books, and today I want to introduce you to one that has been receiving some use in our home for close to two years.
The Jesus Storybook Bible, written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jago, is not your typical Egermeier's Bible-story book. Instead, it is a book that brings the Bible to life for children so that "every story whispers his name."
The Jesus Storybook Bible is interesting because it reads like a well-written story instead of just a recitation of facts. The author combines her imagination and writing skills to make all the difference between "boring" and "fascinating," as any great storyteller will do. I look for a certain style of writing (yes, even in children's books!) that is both poetical and powerful, and this book has it.
The first chapter, or introduction, which is titled The Story and The Song says a lot about the book in better ways than I can:
"There are a lot of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.
It takes the whole Bible to tell this story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name.
And this is no ordinary baby. This is the child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day- but wait. Our story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning..."
Doesn't that just make you want to read more? Me, too!
Which is why I am especially glad to have found an advent reading plan, with a free printable reading guide, that uses stories out of The Jesus Storybook Bible, starting with the Creation and ending with the birth of Jesus. We do well to remember that the birth of Christ was not the beginning or the end, and the Advent readings can help remind us of that.
I really like the titles given to the different stories, for example: The Teeny, weenie... true king (Samuel anoints David), Son of laughter (God's special promise to Abraham), Daniel and the scary sleepover (Daniel and the lion's den), Heaven breaks through (the story of John the Baptist) A new way to see (the story of Saul) and of course, He's here! (The nativity)
The author and artist worked seamlessly together to give us a book in which the text and pictures make the perfect combination! Think peanut butter and chocolate! Think tea and scones! Think two people combining their talents to concoct a feast for the eye and the soul. I always feel that I lack the proper vocabulary to describe art with any kind of intelligence, so I will just describe it as free, unfettered and colorful. The pictures are whimsical in nature, but not in a disrespectful or objectionable way, as I find the comic-strip-style to be in Bibles. The pictures do not look "real," and yet I believe that adds to their appeal of being very child-friendly.
Two years ago, I wanted to buy a Bible- story book for both Elasa & Gavin (this was before Parker was born!) and when I was looking through the selection at a bookstore, I noticed something rather disturbing...several of the children's Bible-story books had illustrations verging on sensual and gruesome. There is none of that in this book, I am happy to report, and was, therefore, one of the chosen!!! Elasa was the one who received it and she has enjoyed it. Now that she has a "real Bible" to take to church, Gavin has claimed the book and takes it to church, where Parker also enjoys it.
Need one more reason to love this book? In the very beginning, under acknowledgements, is the lovely addition of this beautiful poem:
" 'Tis not that I did choose Thee,
For Lord, that could not be;
This heart would still refuse Thee,
Hast Thou not chosen me...
My heart owns none before Thee,
For Thy rich grace I thirst;
This knowing, if I love Thee,
Thou must have loved me first."
-Josiah Conder, 1836
I rest my case. Any children's Bible-story book with a poem like that in the front is worth a place on your shelf and in your child's hands.
Every story whispers His name so that someday the child who hears will shout it from the rooftops.
"Jesus...Light of the world!!!"
Sounds wonderful. Where can I find one ?
ReplyDeleteI found mine at Ken's Educational Joys, but I am pretty sure any Christian bookstore, like Life-Way, would have it! Plus, there's always Amazon! :)
DeleteI'm adding your blog to my list of favorites, since I absolutely love books and am always looking for good ones for my growing children! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete