Monday, February 23, 2009

Joshua: The Brave Leader


Joshua: The Brave Leader, written by Carine MacKenzie and illustrated by Duncan McLaren, is part of the Bible Time series of books by Christian Focus Publications. Although there seem to be plenty of books about Moses, there aren’t as many about Joshua, Moses’ main helper during the Israelites 40 years of exile in the wilderness. And, most of the ones about Joshua focus only on his part in the battle of Jericho.

But, Joshua did so much more than win the battle of Jericho. The author faithfully retells the story of Joshua’s life, beginning with the Israelites' journey into the desert and ending with his death at the age of 110. Joshua not only helped Moses lead the people through the wilderness, he also led the Israelites in their battles to conquer the land of Canaan, which the Lord had promised he would give to Moses’ people.

The illustrations are bright and colorful and sure to hold a youngster’s attention.

What I Like: I liked being able to read a book about Joshua that gave more depth and meaning to his role in the Bible.

What I Dislike: The publisher gives the age level as 4-7-year-olds. Although the book’s format is set up for this age group, the language used is too advanced for them. I think simpler language and shorter sentences would have been more appropriate.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 4-7 (see above note).

Publisher Info: Christian Focus Publications, 2006; ISBN: 1845501667; Paperback, $2.99.



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