Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 3-5. Demi has used her considerable artistic talents in books about many great religious figures. Now, she turns her attention to Jesus, using as her text pieces from the four gospels, and lacing them into a touching narrative of life, death, and resurrection. Anyone familiar with children's books will immediately recognize Demi's style. All of the hallmarks of her art are here: striking design, diminutive figures, jewel-tone colors, intricate borders, and brilliant streaks of gold signifying holiness. Jesus is something of a disappointment--a blond, wispy Lord, whose strength comes from the golden rays that surround him and are emitted from him. But the scenes, each a small play of its own, are thoughtful and often moving. The text does not use the exact language of the King James Version of the New Testament, but the simplified presentation adds to the child appeal. Using the most vivid sections from the different gospels, Demi creates a brisk yet profound rendition of the greatest story ever told. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Demi adds to her fine canon of religious picture books with Jesus, a compendium of passages from the King James Bible, paired with the artist's intricate, gild-accented paintings. Precisely designed frames surround each scene as a single column of text designated by headings such as "Jesus Walks on Water" or "Flight into Egypt"Aon either side tells the chronological story of Jesus' life, crucifixion and Resurrection. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-Brilliantly colored artwork and text based on the King James version of the Bible tell the story of the life of Jesus, beginning with the prophesies and the annunciation and ending with his ascension into Heaven. Demi's paintings are full of bright, intricate patterns, and bold touches of gold produce a feeling of awe and splendor. The images are somewhat traditional in their depictions of winged angels and a white-haired God figure above the frame of several illustrations. This book is a beautiful creation, and a reverent tribute. However, it does not have a lot of appeal for children. The art, all enclosed in a series of frames, looks static and self-contained. The small size of the text makes it difficult to read. The biblical passages have an undeniable beauty, but no adjustments or simplifications have been made to make the language more accessible to a young audience. This volume will be a source of inspiration for readers already familiar with the story of Jesus. To introduce the topic to children, consider Sally Grindley's The Life of Jesus (DK, 2003) or Brian Wildsmith's Jesus (Eerdmans, 2004).-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Paired with lengthy passages from the King James version of the Bible, which serve as the entire text of the book, Demi's meticulous paint-and-ink illustrations portray key events in JesusG++s life. The old-fashioned language and occasional lack of sufficient context for the quotes mean this volume will be most appreciated by older readers already familiar with the biblical accounts. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Demi continues her series of biographies of world religious figures with this exquisitely illustrated life of Jesus, using selections from the King James Bible as her text. Major events and stories unfold in chronological order, using short excerpts from all the Gospels. The text is set on soft golden-yellow backgrounds with the words of Christ highlighted in red type. Demi paints her small-scale illustrations in glowing jewel tones, with gold highlights and patterned borders surrounding each vignette from Christ's life. The slightly flattened perspective, stylized arrangement of figures and limited backgrounds impart an ancient feeling, echoed by the traditional wording of the text. Her approach to symbolic representation of Christian figures is also traditional: God is shown in one illustration as an elderly man with a white beard at the top of one panel, and the devil is shown with wings, horns and a tail in another. The striking illustrations and thoughtful design add up to another winning addition to this series. (Nonfiction. 5-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
