The Ark [Hardcover]

Arthur Geisert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 24, 1988 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Geisert's etchings dramatize life on the ark at the time of the Flood.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Biblical tale of Noah and the Ark has been illustrated numerous times, but Geisert (who created Pigs from A to Z ) presents an outstanding edition with beautifully detailed etchings. The illustrations open with Noah and his sons laying the keel in the desert in front of their home. As the book progresses, the ark begins to take shape, the animals arrive, the wives prepare for the journey and the clouds begin to gather. The intricate pictures of geometric spaces carved out by thin ink lines are optically dazzling; Geisert's attention to numerous points and details within the etchings provides additional depth and dimension to the spare, fluid telling. All ages.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3 A dignified, somber retelling of the flood story. An introductory paragraph from Genesis sets the stage, but after that, words are minimal. Double-page spreads of cream and black etchings appear above one line of text or none at all. Liberties taken with the Bible narrative increase its appeal. For instance, the book notes that ``The family found time to rest only at dinner''; the accompanying picture shows an exhausted group sitting on upturned boxes at a plank table while monkeys scamper overhead. There is a primitive, barren quality to the world that Geisert depicts. Before the flood Noah and his family live in a cave-like dwelling carved out of black rock. Except for a goat who tries to eat laundry off the line, the animals are not cute or clever. Rather, they seem to be dumb beasts patiently waiting for release. The ark itself dominates most of the pages. Often the artist's angle of vision adds interest to the scene. Pages showing a certain section of the boat include parts of the decks directly above and below, conveying a sense of life chafing under restrictions. This version of the ark story may lack the immediate attraction of Hogrogian's (Knopf, 1986) or Fussenegger's (Lippincott, 1987), but because it forces readers to rethink a familiar tale, it merits a place on the shelves. Ellen D. Warwick, Robbins Junior Library, Arlington, Mass.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 24, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039543078X
• ISBN-13: 978-0395430781
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,713,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Arthur Geisert's unique and exquisite etchings have been widely praised and exhibited at the Chicago Institute of Art, among other museums. His work is regularly selected for the Society of Illustrators', annual Original Art exhibition, and his illustrations are now being collected by the Dubuque Museum of Art. He lives in a converted bank in Bernard, Iowa.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a fine print maker makes a fine book, June 3, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Ark (Hardcover)

This is the best book by this artist-author. He does great prints, and this book is the one with the best prints he has done. The story is the story of the Ark, but really the joy of this book is the prints. They presents great images of life on the Ark done in a way that adults will think kids will like. And the kids will like them

5.0 out of 5 stars Realistic Rendering, December 8, 2011

By 

C. Johnson "Bloomer" (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ark (Paperback)

Most ark books give you the impression the artist didn't really believe it could happen, akin to gigantic jungle animals stuffed in a boat the size of a raft. Geisert's art, however, makes you think. Taking the time to pencil in details like watering troughs, building stages, division of the animals (with birds on the top floor, etc.), results in a realistic rendering. My kids love looking for their favorite creatures throughout. It's kind of of like a "Where's Waldo?" game because of the detail.

Can't go wrong with this book. Great purchase.