Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Paterson, who spent four years as a missionary in Japan, begins her life of Jesus with words that harken back to the prophet Isaiah: people living in darkness will someday see light. This is the story of light coming into the world. The snowy-white text pages have a paragraph or so of text, facing one of Roca's striking, framed paintings. Paterson is a judicious editor of her material, conveying much in short bursts of words: The people only knew of kings and rulers whose power was selfish and cruel. But Jesus explained that God's kingdom was not like the kingdoms on Earth. The incisive text (though sometimes modern words like hotel jar) deftly moves through the story of Jesus' life and death, and also highlights several of the best-known parables. For the most part, the paintings, shaped with a solid weight, beautifully support the text, although one, meant to show the bread and wine that symbolize Jesus' body and blood, barely resembles what it is supposed to represent. Roca presents two kinds of art here, close-ups of the various people surrounding Jesus and, most successfully, handsome landscapes that give import to events. Interestingly, Jesus is seen only in the distance in these paintings, allowing readers their own vision of him. An effective version for children of the greatest story ever told.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As Newbery Medalist Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia) distills key events in the life of Jesus, her unfettered prose is sure to prove inviting to young readers. Blending accessible language and memorable, age-appropriate imagery, she skillfully encapsulates familiar Bible passages and parables: "Jesus was hung on a cross on a hill outside the city, between two men who were thieves. His frightened friends had run away. He felt very alone./ When Jesus died, darkness covered the earth. The light of the world had gone out." Roca's (The Yellow Train) stylized oil paintings, a series of warm-hued portraits and scenes deceptively spare in their composition, seem to use light as an organizing motif, too. Sun illuminates Jesus as he leads his disciples across tawny desert, and light from an unseen source falls upon the lame man whom the offstage Jesus heals; the palette darkens when Roca shows disbelievers and as the crucifixion nears. The illustrations, unconventionally, preceded Paterson's text, originally appearing in a French children's book and inspiring this book's editor to seek out an American author. The pairing works seamlessly, with both author and artist highlighting elements of the story (the cup of wine, the bread eaten when Jesus "gathered his closest friends to celebrate the feast of Passover"), and illuminating them anew for children and adults alike. Ages 4-8. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-Paterson introduces her retelling with the simple statement, "This is the story of light coming into the world." Beginning with the angel's visit to Mary and her baby's birth in Bethlehem, the story concentrates on the years Jesus and his disciples travel "through the towns and countryside, telling everyone about God's kingdom." When they go to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, he is arrested and crucified, bringing darkness to the Earth. After Jesus rises from the dead, the light returns and "still shines through everyone who, like Jesus, lives the good news of God's loving kingdom." Paterson's eloquent narrative is accompanied by lush portraits painted in subtle earth tones that evoke the ancient atmosphere of biblical society. The illustrations glow with a light of their own. The picture of Mary and Joseph adoring the newborn baby is especially poignant. The author beautifully illuminates the themes of love, faith, and goodness in this retelling, which may be paired with Martine Blanc-Rerat's more extensive All About Jesus: The Life and Teachings of Jesus in the Bible's Own Words (Loyola, 2000).-Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA (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
(Preschool, Primary) Paterson's graceful rendition of Scripture for children is well matched by Roca's glowing illustrations. The text relates the major events of the life and death of Jesus in simple, accessible language while preserving the central metaphors of the New Testament: "God, Jesus said, is like a shepherd who has a hundred sheep, but when he realizes that one of them is missing, he searches everywhere until he finds it." Roca's elegant compositions echo these images -- the miracle of a single sprouted seed in a plowed field that sweeps toward the horizon; three crosses under a dark, foreboding sky when the "light of the world had gone out." The large square pages showcase Roca's formal portraits. Jesus's followers bask in the warmth of his light; the stony stares of his persecutors are immovable. Writer and illustrator lend their crafts to an earnest and artful expression of faith. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Newbery Medalist Paterson turns her talents and considerable experience as a religious educator to interpreting the life of Jesus in a style that children will understand. In a gentle, simply told fashion, Paterson begins her interpretation with the metaphor of the light of the world before introducing Mary and presenting the angel's announcement of her forthcoming child. The author continues her well-written narrative in chronological order, focusing on Christ's ministry and his disciples, with some simple explanations of the political situation that led to Christ's crucifixion. The story of Jesus is necessarily shortened within this framework, leaving out some key incidents such as Christ's baptism, but the coherent and smoothly told text succeeds in conveying a powerful and understandable story. Roca's illustrations, previously used as illustrations in a French volume of a similar nature, are just as polished and accessible as the text, with the individualistic faces and costumes of the characters making them seem like real people. Interestingly, Jesus as an adult is always shown from behind or at a distance, making him a character that readers must interpret for themselves. (Nonfiction. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
