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January 17, 2003/Shevat 14 5763, Vol. 55, No. 21
Bible stories add substance to any library
BETH OLSON
Staff Writer
What is the key to a good children's book? An engaging story, of course. And some of the best stories are those found in the Bible.
In America, stories of the Old Testament are not only religious text, but also part of our culture. From a baby's room done in Noah's Ark d‚cor to a Best Picture Academy Award nomination for "The Ten Commandments," the stories are not only important to our children as part of Judaism, but also so they may become culturally literate.
With this dual significance, it would be hard to find a home library complete without at least one collection of Bible stories. Here a few quality titles to choose from.
"God's People: Stories From the Old Testament" retold by Geraldine McCaughrean, illustrated by Anna C. Leplar (McElderry Books, $19.95 hardcover)
From "Canterbury Tales" and "The Odyssey" to "Moby Dick," McCaughrean has made a name for herself in children's literature with her compelling retellings of great works. In this book, McCaughrean has transformed more than 30 stories of the Bible into great reading for young people.
While this book is a wonderful collection of tales from the Old Testament, purchasers should be forewarned that the retellings are based upon the King James version of the Bible. References to events in the New Testament are infrequent, but they are present. Parents can explain these references by reading these stories aloud with children or prereading for children who will be reading on their own.
This collection is recommended for ages 8 and up.
"Young Heroes of the Bible: A Book for Family Sharing" by Kirk Douglas, illustrated by Dom Lee (Simon & Schuster, $15 hardcover)
If any of your children are resistant to reading Bible stories, this collection, written by actor Kirk Douglas, is a great option. The five stories from the Bible and Midrash are all about young people - a subject much more interesting to children than the trials and tribulations of a bunch of adults who lived a really long time ago.
And the biggest selling point? The book is just plain funny. From the story of Abraham ("What to Do with a Very Sharp Ax") to Joseph ("A Spoiled Brat Who Grew Up to Be a Hero") and David ("The True Origins of Rubber Bands and Spitballs"), Douglas gives a contemporary feel to these timeless stories of courage. Douglas also weaves humorous anecdotes about his own childhood within the Bible stories.
This book is recommended for ages 8 and up.
"Daughters of Fire: Heroines of the Bible" by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Uri Shulevitz (Harcourt, $20 hardcover)
This is a collection of 10 Bible stories - all about women. The author, Fran Manushkin, says that she was inspired to write this collection because as a child, her brothers attended religious school and she was not allowed, so the only heroine of the Bible she knew growing up was Esther. She learned the stories of these women as an adult and was touched by their importance in history: "The brave and fierce women of the Hebrew Bible give us much to ponder about loyalty, love and faith. Each of them embodies sparks of the divine spirit: They are all Daughters of Fire," she says in the introduction.
This collection would appeal to girls ages 8 and up.
Do you have a favorite Jewish children's book that you would like to review for Jewish News? Whether it's a story you remember from your youth, a picture book you like to share with your young children or a contemporary novel for teens, send your review in 200 words or less to Beth Olson, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, 1625 E. Northern Ave., Suite 106, Phoenix 85020; or e-mail beth_olson@jewishaz.com.
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