Recently I ordered this book from Westminster Bookstore for our expected child.
I enjoy this book by Sally Lloyd-Jones immensely. Unlike many other collections of Bible stories for children, The Jesus Storybook Bible has as its predominant theme the account of Jesus and how God saves for himself a people. Even the subtitle alludes to this, Every Story Whispers His Name.
The introduction (cleverly titled ‘The Story and The Song’) begins with God declaring his love for us and implanting his image in us. The introduction continues to explain that the Bible is God’s revelation to mankind. Being God’s revelation to us, the Bible is not a book of rules or a book of heroes to emulate. Rather The Jesus Storybook states that the Bible is about God and what he has done (thus not about us and what we’re to do or rules to obey) and the so-called heroes of the Bible are flawed. In its own words, ‘The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne — everything — to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy that has com true in real life! ¶ You see the best thing about this Story is — it’s true. ¶ There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling on Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.’
Additionally, each episode includes a paragraph explaining how the chapter ties in with this metanarrative of the Bible.
The illustrations by Jago are wonderfully done in a unique [digital] coloured pencil style. The only caveat is that the book’s illustrations include depictions of Jesus. Although Jesus is (fortunately) not depicted as a handsome, blue-eyed, Anglo-Saxon male, the images run counter to historic (confessional) Reformed teaching on the matter*. However with the creative use of some self-adhesive paper notes, this problem should be rectified.
Overall, I’m sure Baby Hall will enjoy hearing and (eventually) reading this wonderful book.
* Future blog post, perhaps.
Just so you know, by six months at least your little one will be grabbing those sticky notes right off. Might be better to leave it as it is, but explain why you think it’s wrong.
Hello
Thanks for mentioning my illustrations, glad you like them. You might be interested to know that the illustrations are actually all produced digitally…no coloured pencils in sight!
All the best
Jago
Liz, what great expectations you have for Baby Hall! You anticipate that his sixth month Baby Hall will appreciate the explanation of the Second Commandment in the Three Forms of Unity and the Westminster Standards.
Jago, now that you mention it, I do remember reading you did digital artwork. Great work in the book, I’m intrigued by the textures in the illustrations. By the way, how do you pronounce your name? My wife and I were thinking ‘Yah-go’.
The textures are a combination of things, handmade paper, real paint scanned in and a few other bits and bobs…my name is pronounced just like it looks… Jay-Go…. :-)
[...] for children, not unlike The Jesus Story Book Bible, about which I’ve also written a review. The Big Picture Story Bible is written for a younger age than The Jesus Story Book [...]