The Story of Noah and the Ark (According to the Book of Genesis, from the King James Bible) [Hardcover]

Gennady Spirin (Illustrator)

Book Description

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring
into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.

A magnificently illustrated edition of a favorite Bible story

The story of Noah: he builds an ark, gathers his family, and brings the animals two by two into the ark to save them from the flood. From the tumultuous waters to the dignity and beauty of the animals, Gennady Spirin's sumptuous illustrations are a feast for the eyes and the imagination.
Mr. Spirin has drawn on his classical training and his Orthodox Christian faith to create a lavish book that people of all ages and faiths can enjoy.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Gennady Spirin, illustrator of Moses: The Long Road to Freedom, written by Anne Beneduce, and Simeon's Gift, written by Julie Andrews Edwards, creates sumptuous paintings depicting the beloved biblical story of Noah and the ark. Just a few pages of text, drawn directly from the King James Bible, are interspersed with lush two-page spreads featuring highly detailed, earth-toned paintings of Noah, his family, the ark, and many, many pairs of animals. Readers will want to hunker down and study these glorious pieces of art, discovering snakes and parrots among the giraffes, baboons, and frogs. The illustrations of the storm and subsequent flood are dark and tremendously dramatic, while the image of the humans and animals emerging after the flood couldn't more perfectly portray the term "beatific." A long horizontal poster accompanies this exquisite book, which will make an ideal gift for any child--or adult--who loves the Noah's Ark story. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-Spirin uses excerpts from the King James Version of Genesis to accompany his watercolor paintings of Noah's story. God is remote and majestic, an old man with flowing white hair and beard. He towers above the world, pronouncing watery judgment, and remains aloof even beneath his rainbow sign of promise. The enormous ark dwarfs Noah, his sons, and even the elephants helping with its construction. The panorama of animals boarding the vessel is more impressive in the accompanying poster, which opens to more than three feet, than in the sequence of spreads. Teeming with exotic animals, these images bring to mind the work of early masters such as Jan Brueghel. When God summons destruction, the palette darkens further, and the paintings recall the apocalyptic deluge scenes by artists such as John Martin. Spirin includes the flights of the raven and dove, the disembarkation, and Noah's prayers of thanks. Perhaps parents or church-school teachers in search of a picture book using the KJV of Genesis will welcome this offering. However, the old-fashioned language and dark, formal paintings offer little to entice most children browsing the shelves themselves.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805061819
• ISBN-13: 978-0805061819
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #769,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Children's Books > Religions > Christianity > Noah's Ark

More About the Author

Gennady Spirin was classically educated at the Moscow Art School at the Academy of Arts and at the Moscow Stroganov Institute. Influenced by Russian Renaissance painters, Mr. Spirin has developed his own unique style of illustration using traditional Russian art techniques. His work appeared four times on the annual New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year list. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Story of Noah and Ark, March 3, 2010

By 

barbara r (NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Story of Noah and the Ark (According to the Book of Genesis, from the King James Bible) (Hardcover)

Aside from the King James verses about Noah and Ark, the reason to buy this book is Gennady Spirin's illustrations. All of his illustrations in so many books hark back to the great Russian illustrators like Bilibin. The one fault I find with the book is the use of a repeated illustration spread for every other spread. But even so, the illustrations are lovely.

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ships Ahoy, February 10, 2008

By 

Angel (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Noah and the Ark (Hardcover)

very good book for young and old alike. Good value as well as a speedy delivery.