To Everything There Is a Season [Hardcover]

Jude Daly (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

The well-loved words of Ecclesiastes take on new life and meaning in the sun-baked rural setting of a South African homestead. Sowing, planting, and reaping through the wet and dry seasons, going to market, day-to-day dealings with neighbors and acquaintances, love and hostility, the sadness of mourning and the joy of celebration with family and friends - Jude Daly portrays an ageless world, studded with color and miniature detail, in this very special book.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. With sunny watercolors created in a delicate, almost-miniature scale, Daly interprets the familiar words of Ecclesiastes. A small farm by the sea provides an evocative setting for the life cycles of the natural world and of a family. As the simple text reads "A time to be born," a pregnant woman rests outside the farmhouse while the patriarch works on his fishing net and their daughter plays with a doll. Above the words "and a time to die," readers see only the boots of an old-woman neighbor (observed previously tending her cow), outside of her darkened, shuttered hut. As time passes and seasons change, so does the family change and grow with its surroundings. All the while, readers are whisked away to what is presumably the artist's native South Africa via the soothing and enormously appealing illustrations. A final page spotlights the full Biblical passage Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. All ages. (Feb.)
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From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5–This inspirational passage is presented through a series of simply drawn, softly colored illustrations. Rather than represent the duality of humanitys existence with an overview of world cultures, as Leo and Diane Dillon did in their interpretation (Scholastic, 1998), Daly concentrates on one particular culture, depicting rural life in South Africa. Beginning with an overarching view of the four seasons, each pair of succeeding lines is illustrated with vignettes of the farmers on their farms. Readers see them plant and harvest their crops, raise their children, and experience lifes simple pleasures and sorrows. Women and children are shown in most of the scenes, and the land, sea, and sky dominate each picture; the miniature stature of the people calls to mind their relative insignificance against the awesome forces of nature. The carefully detailed images convey the importance of unity and family. The layout of opposing lines of verse on separate pages or in different frames works well. The entire verse, taken from the King James Version of the Bible, is printed at the end. A subtle interpretation of a well-known piece of scripture.–Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (February 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802852866
• ISBN-13: 978-0802852861
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #557,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bible verses and illustrations that make you think, October 24, 2007

By 

Joan K. Snipes (Shepherdstown, WV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Everything There Is a Season (Hardcover)

The first eight verses of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes constitute the text of this lovely picture book. This is a book to look at carefully, to think about, and to discuss. The biblical passage contains some challenging concepts, including hate and killing, but tackling the ideas with your children in this picture book format makes the teaching job easier.

The words are from the poetic King James Version of the Bible, and Jude Daly's scenes of life on a seaside farm in South Africa are gentle. For example, her illustration for "a time of war" is simply a field of crosses. It is part of a two-page spread and paired with the phrase "and a time of peace." The larger illustration features a wonderful, long rainbow that family members admire.

Although aimed at young children, all ages will enjoy thinking about this Bible passage and looking at the illustrations by this South African artist.

Below are the familiar words used in the book:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars for little ones and adults, July 17, 2010

By 

Janet K. "luvapug" (baltimore, md) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: To Everything There Is a Season (Hardcover)

I've purchased this book twice now for gifts for adults, so it isn't just for little ones. It's a simplistic book - full of beautiful color drawings, depicting life experiences that anyone, children and adults, could understand and relate to. I happen to love the passage from ecclesiastes to begin with, and this book just brings each line to life.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An picture book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, February 4, 2009

By 

Christine M. Irvin (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: To Everything There Is a Season (Hardcover)

To Everything There Is a Season, illustrated by Jude Daly, uses the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 as its text. The text is broken down into sentences, and partial sentences, throughout the book. Each section of text has its own illustration. Some pages contain a single illustration; some are divided into two separate ones. The words, "A time to love," are illustrated with a drawing of a family standing together in a doorway, with their arms around each other, the family dog beside them. A picture of a youngster losing hold of his kite string is used for "a time to weep." The full text of the Bible passage is given at the end of the book.

What I Like: I like the illustrations. Each picture is simply drawn and colored, yet filled with action and/or emotion.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Reading level for ages 4-8.

Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review