Customer Reviews

The Easter Angels

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

 

 

The Easter Angels captures the very essence of our Christian faith and focuses on the beauty of the Risen Christ. For children, it tempers the lessons of the Crucifixion with the true joy and beauty of the Resurrection. I especially loved the ending to this beautiful story. It offers so much hope to all of us who believe in Jesus as our Savior.

This edition is far and away the best one to buy. The other one isn't even close! Illustrations of the angels in this edition were very touching.

This book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the day of Jesus' resurrection. Rather than following the soldiers or women at the tomb, the gardener or even the disciples, this book tells a story about the angels involved in that day.

Two angels, one a guardian angel, the other the Angel of Death, are paired up for a mysterious mission. While waiting for permission to open their orders, they discuss their vastly different experiences.

When three women approached, they read their charge. The guardian, strong and beautiful, was ordered to roll away the stone and reveal an empty tomb. The other angel, so well acquainted with the sadness and loss of death, was to share the good news with the women. When the Angel of Death saw the empty tomb and recognized that Jesus was alive, he changed. No longer dark and mournful, he instantly became healthy, bright and joyful.

Quoted from the book: "The soldiers said it was an earthquake. They said they saw a flash of lightning. But Candriel knew different. The sound that cracked the morning stillness was a sad whisper exploding into a shout of joy... the Angel of Death became, for evermore, the Angel of Life."

Illustrator Sophy Williams uses dynamic colors and high contrast to infuse the pages with emotion. The illustrations are not crisply defined; they're also darker than most children's books, but these details correspond well with the tone of the text.

WHAT I LIKE: This is an interesting story that depicts the thoughts and experiences of angels, something rarely done in Christian literature. I especially like the redemptive elements. This book clearly shows the power of Christ's resurrection to change individuals!

WHAT I DISLIKE: It's really dark for a kids' book. More importantly, the somber tone of this story implies fact, but there is little to no biblical foundation. The text even suggests there was no earthquake which directly contradicts the account in Matthew 28. Because Jesus' resurrection is a vital foundation to the Christian faith, stories related to it should be obviously fact or obviously fiction. This book walks a dangerous line between those two.

OVERALL RATING: I like it as a fantasy tale or legend, but because its genre is not clear to readers, my theological convictions forbid me to rate it higher.

Tanya -- Christian Children's Book Review