Customer Reviews

JPS Illustrated Children's Bible

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This is a review purely in response to Keri Mom of 4. I am writing this because I do not want a bad review to stop anyone from buying a great book that can ignite a child's imagination, and knowledge regarding the Torah.

I was worried about this review, the last thing I need is a sexualized rendition of the Bible for my children! But so many have endorsed this book, from the right or more conservative side, plus I have always trusted JPS in the past. I decided to get it any way. The first thing I did, before allowing my children to see it was to check out pages 50-51, Jacob's dream. I am sure that, with 100% assertiveness, their are NO female, NOR nude, figures in this section nor any suggestions of it. All that can be made of the genderless, iridescent and transparent figures, are that they are sitting, and the outlines of heads and arms. I have a degree in Art History, and one in Religious Studies, and was a Religious School Teacher, so I have a very good eye for these things. Perhaps the reviewer means to address another book. In fact, as I go through this book all depictions of angels, or messengers, or supper human beings, are completely cloaked, shown, from behind, and obscured. Also everyone is dressed fairly modestly and covered for the time period, even the Egyptians and Romans. It's most controversial image is that of Samson bare chested and in a loin cloth. I can not fully speak on written content because I have not read it all yet, but what I have read is perfect in length, style, and content to be read by or to a young person. Also of course the pictures should be fine for anyone who is interested in an Illustrated Children's Bible of the Old Testament. I have found that a child as young as three can be engaged by this book.

My daughter actually begged me to buy this book for her after the author visited our synagogue. I ordered it, and was so glad I did. The stories are perfectly written for my 9 year old, and I find her reading it quite often.

Ellen Frankel introduces children and families to the Jewish story through fifty-three uniquely chosen Bible legends capturing the language and cadence of the Hebrew Bible. She succeeds in creating an age-appropriate interpretation of the most intriguing and familiar stories that allow families to gleen the essence of Jewish teachings, ethics, and history. She organizes her work into three larger categories that reflect "The Torah" with stories about Adam and Eve, the Ten Plagues, and the Rebellion of Korah; "The Prophets" with stories about Gideon, Samson, David and Elijah; and "The Writings" which include Ruth and Naomi, Esther, and Daniel. Deep, abstract and detailed full page paintings accompany each selection augmenting the action and adding a visual element to the interpretation. Aware that unlike folklore and fairytales that offer happy endings, Frankel is cognizant of leaving a more classical impression with her readers anchoring the stories in their traditional narratives of the original Bible and presenting them with good storytelling techniques of dialogue, suspense, irony, wordplay and characters. A good addition for the Jewish family bookshelf to read and discuss together. - RITA SOLTAN - WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI

The best Bible for Children that I've seen.
The stories are the perfect length for bedtime and wonderful to read for young children.
The pictures help the younger child visualize the story.
I wish that the language had been a bit less stilted; however, that is a matter of interpretation.
A great foundation on which to start biblical discussions with your children.

There are many adaptations of the Bible written at a child's level. The JPS Illustrated Children's Bible is one of the best versions I've ever come across. Ellen Frankel, the CEO and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society has carefully selected fifty-three Bible classics and crafted them into exciting, easy-to-understand stories for young learners. Complementing the text are the dramatic illustrations of award-winning artist, Avi Katz. His softly brushed landscapes are the perfect backdrops for his vivid portraits of the characters in each scene. Children will be captivated by the pictures as they are drawn in by the words. Most of the stories in the JPS Illustrated Children's Bible are from the Torah, with a smattering included from Prophets and three major tales from the Writings. Each retelling, while true to the ancient version, has been masterfully adapted for the twenty-first century child. Archaic language has been replaced with more familiar vocabulary, yet some ancient terms have been retained to "give children a feel for the special diction that characterizes sacred texts." Throughout the book, care has been taken to balance these two concerns. An "Author's Notebook" at the end of the book explains the choices Frankel made as she translated the Jewish text. Her adaptations accommodate the young American reader without diminishing either the content or the meaning of the original stories. The chapters are dramatic, the illustrations powerful, creating a dynamic children's Bible that will be cherished by the entire family. Recommended for adults to share with children ages 4-8, reading level ages 9-12. Marcia Berneger

In the "JPS Illustrated Children's Bible", author Ellen Frankel engagingly retells fifty-three biblical stories specifically for the edification of young readers, through the means of a simple and effective narrative story-telling style that translates and adapts the original biblical adult language text and themes that are appropriate for children. The stories themselves are additionally enhanced for young readers with Avi Katz's colorful illustrations. Ideal for gift giving, the "JPS Illustrated Children's Bible" is highly appropriate and recommended for school and community library collections for children.

JPS ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN'S BIBLE was nominated for the 2011 Rodda Book Award sponsored by the Church and Synagogue Library Association (CSLA), an international organization serving congregational libraries of all faiths. CSLA's Rodda Award is named for Dorothy Rodda Sargent, a lifetime member and one of the founders of the organization. This award recognizes a book which exhibits excellence in writing and has contributed significantly to congregational libraries through promotion of spiritual growth. The award is given to books for adults, young adults, and children on a three-year-rotational basis. The 2011 Rodda Award focuses on books for children and this year's award will be presented at the CSLA annual conference to be held at the Hilton Embassy Row Hotel in Washington, July 19-22. To learn more about CSLA and the Rodda Award go to [...].

No where in Scripture are Angels depicted as feminine.
This book has been polluted by liberal art and fallen minds.