There are so many books about the story of Noah. And for awhile, I was collecting Noah books in particular, so I have over a dozen, but only a few joined us in Scotland - our very favorites. So here are the ones we read over and over.
:: Noah's Ark by Jerry Pinkney: This book is beautifully illustrated. I love Pinkney's style and the text does the story justice. I love the way he fills the page with animals giving a sense of chaos and giving a sense of what having all those huge animals piling onto a boat might have felt like.
:: Noah's Ark by Lucy Cousins - Lucy Cousins' bright, childlike illustrations are so popular among children (as seen with the Maisy series) and her Noah's Ark is equally appealing. Simple and bright it is the best Noah's ark I've found for a very young child. Pictured below is the board book, but I highly recommend buying another version, because the board book is abridged and some of the most literarily fun pages are omitted.
:: Noah's Ark by Peter Spier - This is my very favorite! I love Spier's illustrations! The book begins with a poem, but is otherwise wordless. He asks so many questions with him images and really engages the reader's imagination. We have spent so much time pouring over this book, looking at the owls eyes staring out from blackness, wondering what all the animals would eat, and generally marveling at the story. I also love that Noah is shown tending the 'garden' at both the beginning and the end, showing God's original intent for mankind to be keepers of creation.
:: On Noah's Ark by Jan Brett - This is certainly NOT the first book I would recommend buying on Noah, primarily because she gets the story all wrong. I don't mind that Noah's granddaughter is telling the story, after all, it is quite possible that there were grandchildren who just aren't mentioned, but I do think the fact she forgets to mention God changes the story considerably! So why do I mention this book? Because, I have found it a wonderful teaching tool. After telling children a good acount of the story where God is seen as the rescuer and promise maker it is a lot of fun to read this beautifully illustrated (I love Jan Brett's work) version ending with the question, so what did the author leave out? The few times I've done this someone first points out that she only has one bird go out, then the fact the granddaughter is telling the story is discussed, and then, someone realizes that God isn't in the story. It is a wonderful discussion to have with older children asking "How does that change the story?, Is God an important part of the story?, What is the big idea in the Biblical account and how is this story different?"
Do you have a favorite Noah book? What do you like about it? Please share in the comments.
3 comments:
Our favorite is "The Story of Noah and the Ark" by McCarthy. It has a negative review on amazon, but our family has loved it. It has beautiful illustrations and it is written in rhymed verse and stays close to the genesis story. We like it because it doesn't feel didactic, there's a lot to discuss and a sense of mystery that's left alone and not dumbed down for kids.
Thanks, we'll have to see if we can find a copy of that one to enjoy!
I love your idea of a "what is left out" discussion with the children - especially with regard to the story leaving out God. What great guidance for a life in but not of the world.
Post a Comment