Jacob's Gift (Hardcover)

by Max Lucado (Author), Robert Hunt (Illustrator) "Rabbi Simeon brushed the sawdust off his hands and began untying his apron..." (more)
Key Phrases: Rabbi Simeon

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Jacob is a young boy with a gift for carpentry who is busy finishing up a project for a contest. His teacher, Rabbi Simeon, not only instructs him in carpentry, but also teaches him important lessons about God. Rabbi has just taught Jacob that when you give a gift to one of God's children, it's like giving a gift to God. The night before the contest while working on his project, Jacob has fallen asleep in the workshop and is awakened by a bright light. The light is a star which is directly over Jacob's father's stable. As he approaches the stable, he sees a man, a woman, and a newborn baby which is laying in the straw. Remembering what Rabbi Simeon had told him, Jacob returns to the workshop and takes his project (a feeding trough) to the new family. The morning of the contest, the Rabbi pleased to find out that Jacob has acted upon the lesson he learned and has truly given a gift to God.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 22, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 084995830X
• ISBN-13: 978-0849958304
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #806,977 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's not just for children!, February 8, 1999

By A Customer

Jacob's gift is a story that one will not easily forget. It sheds new light on the gift-giving tradition, and causes one to realize that it really is the thought that counts. God obviously put considerable thought into the precious gift given to us: the Christ Child.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Giving is an important part in one's life., November 9, 1999

By A Customer

Max Lucado's "Jacob's Gift" was the best book I've read in a long time! It shows how a young boy gave his project to the couple who needed it. I recommend this book to all young readers and teachers of all grades.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Special Christmas Present, September 21, 2003

By	Timothy Kearney (Hull, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Jacob's Gift (Max Lucado's Christmas Collections)

JACOB'S GIFT is another wonderful retelling of the Christmas story by Christian author Max Lucado. Jacob is a young carpenter apprentice who has a creative imagination. He often finds himself ridiculed by the other children who do recognize his talents, but the master carpenter, Rabbi Simoen, recognizes and encourages the talent of Jacob.

The class gets excited about a carpentry project that will be judged by Simeon's nephew, a carpenter who will be visiting Bethlehem very soon. Jacob decides to build hay troth on wheels. He is busy at work when he hears a cry from a stable. A child has been born, but it has no crib. Jacob wonders if he should ignore the cry, or give the young couple the unfinished hay troth to use as a crib even though it will mean he will not have a project for the contest. Jacob decides to give away the troth. When he begins to tell Rabbi Simeon why he has no project, the nephew arrives. He is none other than Joseph who proudly tells the story of his son as well as the generosity of the Jacob whose gift saved the day.

Lucado is again able to tell the familiar story of the birth of Christ in an interesting and engaging manner. The artwork by illustrator Robert Hunt will capture the imaginations of younger children. The book is also suited for older children as well since Jacob is probably a preteen and has to make an important moral choice