Friday, July 27, 2007

David and Goliath (The Beginner's Bible)

The Beginner's Bible series, illustrated by Kelly Pulley, has an interesting concept: Take some major stories from the Bible, make each into a board book with colorful illustrations, and offer them as a first glimpse of the Bible for very young children. One of the books in this series, David and Goliath tells the familiar tale with great simplicity. The text is straightforward; the book begins:

"Goliath was a mean giant. He was in an army that came to fight King Saul's army."

The illustrations are extremely simple, too. In fact, they are comic book-like in their rendering. The important details of the story are intact, and the conclusion, that "God is great," is appropriate.

What I Like: I appreciate the accurate retelling told in simple words and the vivid, highly colorful illustrations.

What I Dislike: I admit I'm not terribly excited about this book, but my two year old really loves it. I find the text a bit boring, and while the illustrations are colorful, they are too cartoonish for my taste. Still, if you want a basic introduction to this biblical story, this isn't a bad choice - especially if your child likes cartoons.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: Infant to preschool.

Publishing Info: Zonderkidz, 2006; ISBN: 0310711134; board book, $5.99.

Buy Now at Amazon for $5.99.

Special Info: Read all our reviews of The Beginner's Bible series by clicking here.

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