Exodus = [Hardcover]

Miriam Chaikin (Author), Charles Mikolaycak (Illustrator)

Book Description

Retells the Biblical story of Moses leading his enslaved people out of Egypt.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Exodus, the second book of the Bible, tells the story of Moses, the baby who grew up within the pharaoh's palace walls and later led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to Canaan. Chaikin has adapted this story with great sensitivity. She consulted many translations of the Bible, recreating the poetic cadence of earlier versions while providing an immediacy of tone tht is sometimes lacking in modern biblical retellings for children. The illustrations by Mikolaycak, in muted browns and blues, add to the historical authenticity and beauty of the book. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1 Up Chaikin's dignified text and Mikolaycak's magnificent bold illustrations make this a treasure for all ages and religions. Exodus relates the stories of Moses, the ten plagues, and the wanderings of the Israelites in the desert until the Ten Commandments are received. The language flows smoothly and is accessible to young readers. The text and the use of white space are masterfully incorporated into the design of each page. Each sweeping double-page spread is framed in a rust earth tone, bringing to mind a desert setting, with the illustrations extending beyond the borders, giving a larger-than-life flow to each scene. Golden highlights predominate in the detailed mosaics and jeweled patterns in the Egyptian scenes and as the flames symbolizing God in the desert. Appended is a map of ``the probable route of the Exodus'' and the names and symbols of the 12 tribes of Israel. This book would make a good companion to Warwick Hutton's Moses in the Bulrushes (Macmillan, 1986). The Chaikin/Mikolaycak collaboration is a superb blend of text and illustration, yielding a book well worthy of the subject matter. Micki S. Nevett, Temple Beth Emeth Library, Albany, N.Y.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (May 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823406075
• ISBN-13: 978-0823406074
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,255,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good retelling of the Moses story, April 21, 2011

By 

Will Riddle "and Jaime Riddle" (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Exodus = (Hardcover)

I was looking for a meatier version of the Moses story for my third grader. He's very accustomed to hearing the stories in Sunday School, and of course has seen all the kids' movies about Moses. But since we were studying Old Testament history, I was looking for something that would challenge him a little more.

I liked this book by Miriam Chaikin more than I thought. After checking out some of her other books and not liking them as much, I was a little wary of what she would put into this story. But it walks through the basic plotline in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers very well. It begins with Moses' birth and ends with the construction of the Tabernacle (i.e. NOT Moses' death). And it is a higher reading level than most kids' books on Moses, without being too difficult. It is perfect for 3rd-4th grade, actually.

That said, it does skip some parts of the story, especially the complaining sequence through Numbers. It seems slightly abbreviated overall.

Moreover, I did not like the illustrations at all. In fact, it is the one reason why I would not purchase this book. They are, frankly, quite ugly. The colors are dark, the faces are usually angry, and there is a chaotic feeling on each page, as many figures are lumped together and overlap. Perhaps this was a conscious choice by the illustrator, since Moses and Israelites were quite a crowd! But it was hard to make sense of most of the pictures without really studying them. Moses does look Middle Eastern, which is nice, and he looks strong and the right age as well (i.e. forty). But you'd think there could be a nice picture of the Tabernacle or Moses up on Mt. Sinai or something.

In conclusion,I have to recommend Leonard Everett Fisher's "Moses" for the same story with much better eye appeal.