reS-Gr 3-Lanning's straightforward retelling of the Old Testament story includes Jonah's unsuccessful flight from God's command that he preach to the people of Nineveh. A violent storm at sea followed by three days inside a whale convinces him to accept the assignment. The book ends with the people's repentance that averts their impending doom. Unlike Mary Auld's The Story of Jonah (Watts, 1999) and Mordicai Gerstein's Jonah and the Two Great Fish (S & S, 1997; o.p.), Lanning's story does not include Jonah's displeasure at God's mercy or the lesson he learns from the growth and destruction of a sheltering vine. Consequently, this version might satisfy younger listeners wanting just the basic account. Watts's landscapes and seascapes are bright and use available white space well. The people are somewhat goggle-eyed and stiff, and not as interesting as the fish and other animals. If demand warrants another volume about Jonah, this one is worth considering.
Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Product Description
When Jonah, refusing his Lord's request to spread the Word to the people in the corrupt city of Nineveh, heads for the high seas, the Lord summons up a terrible storm that threatens all aboard and sends Jonah into the watery depths where he is swallowed by a whale. Trapped for days in the belly of the whale, Jonah sees the error of his ways and is mercifully set free to fulfill his mission. The story of Jonah is an exciting tale of danger and adventure that offers children a direct and satisfying lesson in disobedience, punishment, forgiveness, and redemption. Bernadette Watt's illustrations, done in a gentle naif folk art style, exude warmth and childlike appeal, making this simple retelling of the Old Testament story accessible to a young audience.
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