Customer Reviews

The True Story of Noah's Ark (with audio CD and pull-out spread)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

When I first recieved this book in the mail, I was excited at the potential I thought it had. I had seen some of the artwork over the internet, so I knew I was in for a treat at least visually. I opened it quickly and started thumbing through it. The first thing that I noticed was that the artwork was even better when you are holding the pages in your hand. Clearly, this is some of the best artwork of Noah's Ark ever produced. And that's not an exaggeration. I stood in awe as I looked at the great size of the inside of the ark, and the ark floating in the midst of a global flood. It really put into perspective the reality of the situation.

After looking at the brilliant illustrations, I started reading from the beginning, and I just couldn't put it down. The account that this book gives of Noah's story is so eye-opening that any doubts you might of had about the story of the flood slowly drift away, and you realize that it all was possible, and what Noah probably felt. I was really excited by the end of the book; it was thoroughly entertaining and informative.

I enthusiastically recommend this book, and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I have.

This book is simply wonderful! The story is told in such a way as to aid you in truly believing the flood really happened. You can almost see the story unfolding before your very eyes. You can feel what Noah and his family must have felt, the awesome wonder of such an event! The pictures are so incredibly beautiful! Gorgeous, full-color, very detailed, real-to-life drawings! My only "warning" is this-Mr. Dooley uses some rather large "adult-type" words like "formidable" and "cataclysm", so this is not a book for small children, definitely written for older children and adults.

I am so impressed with this book. It starts with beautiful pictures on really nice paper. The book is very well written and brings you into the time of Noah. The author has obviously spent a lot of time pondering this time period and brings you along with him to see what life may have been like for Noah, his family and those around hime. My kids loved the book and ask to have it read to them again and again.

My 6 year old grandson specifically asked for a book about Noah. After searching every bookstore within 50 miles and finding only the cartoonish type board books, or "legends" or no books at all. I ordered another book by Rein Poortlet and it was too adult (although it also is a beautiful book and very thought provoking).....and still not finding exactly what I was looking for........I ordered this book and prayed that it would be "THE BOOK." The book was delivered yesterday and it is "PERFECT." The language may be a bit over his head, but when read to him it can be paraphrased or how about this one.......explained. Mr. Looney's illustrations are beautiful......not your typical baby book animals marching in 2 by 2.......giraffes, lions, and elephants hanging over the sides of the ark.....but dogs and cats, birds, and even mammoths. The diversity is wonderful. This is "the Book" I was looking for. Beautifully written and illustrated, definately not your typical cartoonish story of Noah. The Ark is presented as it is described in the Holy Scriptures. I am going to purchase a second copy for my bookshelf.

Until I had read this book the cute versions of Noah's Ark were my only image of this story despite having read the Bible's precise description many times. This amazing book has changed all that. I was fascinated to read and see that the exact dimensions of the ark, make it similiar to a box not a boat. It is not self propelled, but made to keep its passengers safe in the most severe conditions. The drawings are magnificent, and the story fresh and insightful. The only part I question is just how developed society was before the flood. Still, I recommend it highly.

(by Ligia Qahoush) This book is a great resource for both children and adults. My boys who are 4 and 8 enjoy hearing/reading this story (some paraphrasing is needed for my younger son). The story is told very nicely; it carefully fills in some details that the Bible doesn't record. The artwork is beautiful. The author does say that this story "has many different versions around the world" (a confirmation that the flood was universal rather than regional...). However, he also goes on to say that for this reason "to get an accurate account, we must go to the original source... the Bible". At the end of the story the author also says that "Today, God has provided another Ark of Salvation so people can be saved-the Lord Jesus Christ...". This reference to the "Ark of Salvation" truly makes this book complete! Aside from the Bible, this is a great book for those of us who want to make sure that our children's minds and hearts are filled with The Truth (not the "wisdom" of those who claiming to be wise became fools)!

We purchased this book as part of the Tapestry of Grace homeschool curriculum for this year and it has been one of our favorite selections. I read this aloud to my younger children and then they and my older children enjoyed listening to the CD. My four year old has asked for it several times. We have a number of Noah's Ark stories and this is by far the most accurate. When the text infers something that isn't directly indicated in the Biblical account, they indicate this by stating "This MAY have happened" (emphasis mine) or something to that effect. The pictures are beautiful and take children (and adults!) beyond the playskool cutesy image of this true Biblical account. Our copy is missing so I am ready to shell out again for this book as it is definitely something I want in our library. I plan on purchasing additional copies for gift giving.

First of all...I appreciate your review and respect your honesty. I do wonder however how much of the bible you have actually read? Mr. Skeptic...I too at one time was skeptical of many bible stories. I wanted to pick and choose what I actually believed to be real. For a time I believed I was right. But then some amazing things happened in my life. I began reading the bible and realized that the bible was full of extraordinary stories. I tried to prove the stories were bogus. The more I tried, the more I realized they couldn't be. I became angry. Until one day I said to myself...why am I so angry? I didn't even know why. But anyway, enough about me. If you want to be the ultimate skeptic to the story of Noah, you have to read the story of Noah in the bible (Genesis 5:29-9:17). I also suggest learning all the arguments and see how they are defended in the book "The Genesis Flood: The Biblical Record and Its Scientific Implications"

Noah's ark and the worldwide flood of Genesis are amongst the Bible events most often retold in children's picture books. Despite the fact that you likely have a copy of one (or more) Noah's ark picture books/board books etc. on your bookshelves, if you hold to a literal, young earth understanding of the book of Genesis this is one rendering of the historical event that you'll want to purchase.

Recounted in an in-depth, factual manner, author Tom Dooley presents the pre-flood world as it is sketched for us in the Bible, and realistically examines the design, dimensions, and logistics of life aboard the ark. As such, the books strength lies not in it's narrative re-telling (which is a bit dry) but simply in the fact that Dooley takes the flood seriously and treats it as history.

The True Story of Noah's Ark reads a bit more like a well-illustrated middle-school textbook than it does a storybook. Because of the reading style, we normally need to read through this book in two or three sittings. There is a lot of text, and my children can zone out after awhile.

Illustrator Bill Looney uses computer-illustration for the copious numbers of detailed pictures included in the book. While computer-illustration is never my favorite style, Looney manages to approximate traditional, realistic, detailed artwork with that medium than any other children's illustrator I've seen.

This lovely hardcover also comes with a CD complete with a reading of the book's text with background music and sound effects. If only there were indicators of when to turn the page, then pre-readers could have the book read to them by the author on CD.

What really sets this book apart is the strong emphasis on the historical reality of Noah and the flood. Dinosaurs are shown boarding and on board the ship (something rarely found in traditional books about Noah) and the sheer scope and scale of the area available for transporting animals is clearly on display. Our family really appreciates the visuals provided at the back of the book that compare the real ark dimensions with the boats normally shown in children's literature. We also appreciate the connection between Jesus being our ark of salvation and the Old Testament ark that God provided for the salvation of His people.

I'm passionate about teaching children Bible events as history, and am always quick to assure my four-year-old when she asks, "Was Noah real?" that yes, indeed, he was! If you only have room in your library for one picture book about Noah, and presenting the events that took place in his life as historical fact is important to you, take a good look at this title, I think you'll be well pleased.

My children and I love this book. The art work is stunning. And let me just add that the cd that is included is great too. As the narrator speaks you hear the sounds of the animals and the storms. My children were enthralled as they listened to the story. They were even a little nervous when they heard the sounds of the storm,hehe.