The Life of Jesus For The Very Young

The Life of Jesus For the Very Young, by Isobel Tallach, touches on many notable events in Jesus' life. It begins with the journey of Mary and Joseph and concludes as the Risen Christ is carried into Heaven in front of His disciples.

The author tells us the name Jesus means someone who saves. The book points out, "His father was not Joseph. His father was God." This is not always clear in books about Jesus. I also love this wording: "Joseph made a home for Mary and Jesus..."

The book tells us about Jesus as a boy in the temple and describes several of his miracles; including the healing of Jairus' daughter, feeding the 5000, and calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. The parables of building a house on a rock, the Samaritan, and the Prodigal Son are included.

The crucifixion is described briefly and it does say, "His blood poured down." The author gives an explanation for why He was crucified: "Jesus came into the world to die, not for himself, but for those who had done wrong."

The colorful pencil sketches occur with every page and the ethnicity of the characters is true to the region.

What I Like: The words are written in a conversational style, as if you were speaking directly to your preschooler or young grade schooler. The organization of the book and the writing style are unique.

What I Dislike: There are no page numbers, chapters, or a table of contents in the book. This makes it difficult to find a natural stopping point in reading. You'll need a bookmark!

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: Ages 3 to 6.

Publisher Info: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1998; ISBN: 978-0851513454; Paperback $3.74.

Buy it at Amazon.com for $3.74.