Customer Reviews

Book of Jonah, The

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

The 1985 Doubleday editon of Jonah by Spier is a wonderful book. It merits 5 stars, and I agree with everything that reviewer Joan Koelle Snipes says about it - adding that the 1985 edition very closely paraphrases the text of Jonah from the bible, with great illustrations to match it.

However the 2000 Baker edition, while retaining the same illustrations, replaces the bible text with a poorly done fictionalized story about Jonah. Don't get it. Track down the original instead.

This is a wonderful retelling of the story of Jonah. It's a good choice for preschoolers AND elementary school aged children. The illustrations are very detailed, so it is an especially good choice when you are reading aloud to just one or two children. (You need to be close to the book to see and talk about Spier's great pictures.) Our two daughters enjoyed this book when they were young, and I count it as a classic which should be in every home where parents want to teach Bible stories. As a parent and a long-time Sunday school teacher, I highly recommend this book.

Peter Spier has again brought us an enthralling rendition of a beloved Bible story. Unlike his wordless Noah's Ark, this book includes text that closely parallels the biblical story, but the intricate detail and visual drama are interesting enough to keep pre-readers engaged long after the story has been read aloud. For older readers, there is a postscript containing a fair bit of historical background, maps and archaelogical information about the historical Nineveh.