Jesus

Jesus by Anselm Gron is a simple retelling of the biblical account of Jesus for children by a German monk. The simplicity of the accounts and the simplicity of the illustrations give this book a truly endearing quality.

Beginning with the announcement of the angel to Mary, the account of Jesus as retold in this book highlights specific aspects of his life and ministry such as the Boy Jesus at the Temple, Jesus calling his disciples, the feeding of the five thousand, the parable of the Prodigal Son, the blessing of the children bringing the dead girl back to life, meeting Zacchaeus, the Last Supper, His arrest and death, and finally His resurrection.

Each account is told as simply as possible without an excess of words and without the authors opinion finding its way into the account.

What I Like: As I sat with my children to read this book, I was thrilled that I could give them an overview of the life of Christ. The accounts were told in such a way it left room for my six year old to ask questions I could answer for her. Yet there was not so much room for questions that she was left wondering too many questions. This book definitely leaves room for discussion between the parent and child.

The illustrations in the book were fantastically done. The cover illustration is an example of the artwork in the entire book. The illustrations fill up each two-page spread, yet the pages do not appear busy by any means. The main aspect of each account is depicted in the illustration as simply as possible.

What I Dislike: I did not care for how the last two accounts (Jesus' death and resurrection) were handled. Concerning His death, we are told that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and as a result Jesus was led off to be crucified. The true reason for His death was never mentioned or explained- I had to do that on my own.

As for the resurrection, the illustration depicts the inside of the tomb with two angels inside announcing to the two women that Jesus had risen. The account goes further to explain that Jesus appeared to the disciples later that evening, but Jesus is never depicted in an illustration as being risen. The book seems to abruptly end after this account. I think if there had been one final illustration of a risen Jesus, the book would have felt complete to me.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: 5-10-year-olds

Publisher Info: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2014; ISBN: 978-0-8028-5438-4 ; hardcover, 26 pgs., $16.00


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Zacchaeus Meets Jesus (I Can Read! / Bible Stories)

Many kids understand just how Zacchaeus felt when he was too short to see over the heads of people in the crowd. Many are delighted when he climbs a tree… perhaps, to them, it’s akin to sitting on daddy’s shoulders at a parade to actually see what’s going on. But when Jesus stops to talk to Zacchaeus…well, that’s something special indeed.

Zacchaeus Meets Jesus, written by Crystal Bowman and illustrated by Valerie Sokolova, is part of a series of I Can Read books that explore familiar Bible stories. This New Testament tale tells about a small-bodied and small-minded tax collector who grows quite tall in faith and generosity after meeting Jesus.

While the story sticks closely to Scripture, Bowman uses short, simple sentences, easily decoded words, and bright illustrations to make it easy for beginning readers to tackle on their own. She even includes a phonetic key to help readers sound out Zacchaeus’ name. Each page holds one to four complete sentences.

Bowman includes a reference verse prior to the start of the story: Today salvation has come to your house. Luke 19:9 NIrV.

What I Like: The book closely resembles many mainstream I Can Read books in both format (including size of cover) and complexity of text. The larger font size makes it easier for young readers to track individual words. The illustrations were pleasant and realistic in nature.

What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: 4-7

Publisher Info: ZonderKidz, 2012; ISBN:978-0310726739; Paperback,32 pgs., $3.99.
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Special Info: Read other CCBR reviews of books written by Crystal Bowman. Check out other books in the series: Joshua Crosses the Jordan, Jesus Raises Lazarus, and Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand.

Tiny Readers Zacchaeus

Tiny Readers Zacchaeus, by Juliet David, is a wee little board book about a wee little man. Instead of having a two-page spread, each page holds one or two lines of text and an image. The illustrations, done by Hannah Wood, are bright and kid-friendly. For example, the buildings of Jericho are purple in hue and comprised of simple geometric shapes with windows the only added detail. Each person has light-colored skin tones and pink circles on their cheeks.

What I Like: I like the sturdiness of board books. I appreciate that this particular one tells us “You can find out more about this story in your Bible in Luke 19:1-9.” For young kids, this book is a great introduction to a beloved Bible story. I’m happy that it is part of a series too, which includes stories about Jonah and Noah.

What I Dislike: Nothing really, but I will point out two very minor items. There is one page where I didn’t feel like the illustration accurately depicted the text. It said, “One day people heard that Jesus was visiting Jericho. They crowded the streets to see him.” Besides Jesus, there are only three other people in the picture. While it’s true that three is a crowd, I don’t think it works here. Also, three words seemed too old for the book: complained, perched, and astonished.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: The publisher lists ages 4-8, but to me, the book format and limited text make it better suited for a 2-5 age group.

Publisher Info: Candle Books, 2011; ISBN:978-1859858813; Boardbook, 18 PGS., $4.99

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Special Info: Read a CCBR review of another book in the Tiny Readers series, Loaves and Fish.

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.

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Zacchaeus Meets Jesus

The Happy Day Books series offers several titles that teach Christian values and encourage early literacy. Zacchaeus Meets Jesus is from the Bible Stories section of this series.
Written by Diane Stortz, this small volume tells the well-known story from a fresh perspective. Rather than simply talking about climbing trees, this retelling dives into the heart of this story: Zacchaeus's need for a Savior and Friend. The author tells why most people didn't like tax collectors (like Zacchaeus) and how Jesus taught this tax collector a better way. The story's final words are similar to its first, but reflect the hope found: "Now Zacchaeus was a rich man, a short man, and a happy man because he had met Jesus and decided to do right."
The illustrations by Hallie Gillett are simple and colorful.
What I Like: My kids love this book, partly because my son's name is Zach, but also because it's just a fun story. The author does a great job making this short tale relevant to today's readers. I also like the happy illustrations. Finally, the price is great!
What I Dislike: It doesn't provide any Bible references, not even on the back cover. This would be nice.
Overall Rating: Very Good.
Age Appeal: 3-7
Publisher Info: Standard Publishing, 2005; ISBN: 0784717192; Paperback; $1.99
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Zacchaeus and the Happy Day

Zacchaeus and the Happy Day, by Rhonda Gowler Greene, is a retelling in rhyme of Luke 19, where a chief tax collector climbed a tree to get a peek at Jesus Christ, then hosted a meal for Jesus and donated his ill-gotten gain to the poor.

Greene does a good job of helping us feel the anticipation crowds must have felt while waiting for Jesus to walk by, then explaining the biblical story in an entertaining way:

"He tried to find
the perfect spot
where he could see. But he could not.
He tried this way,
that way too.
What could small Zacchaeus do?
Oh, how he wished
that he could see.
Then he spied -
a sycamore tree!"

The author emphasizes that while Zacchaeus was a man of sin, Jesus showed him only love. Then:

"His greedy heart
grew BIG that day.
He said, 'I'll gladly repay
money I took from the poor -
all I took and even more."

Zacchaeus is converted from a man who cruelly takes from others to a man who is "kind and giving."

What I Like: I love that Greene chose a story from the Bible that is rarely told to children. Too, the tale is told clearly, and without preaching.

What I Dislike: Santiago Cohen's illustrations are bold and modern, but the colors are rather dark and muddy.

Overall Rating: I hemmed and hawed about whether to give this book a "Good" or a "Very Good" rating. Although I dislike the illustrations, I am delighted to see this biblical story told for children. Therefore, I give it a "Very Good."

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 4 - 8, but many toddlers will like this book, too.

Publishing Info: Zonderkidz, 2007; ISBN: 0310711002; hard back, $9.99.

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Special Info: Visit the author's website for more information about her books and school visits, teaching ideas, writing and publishing tips, and more. To take a peek at Cohen's art, check out his website.