Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
I am always on the lookout for excellent books to help our children understand the amazing life of Jesus. So, I was very excited to read and review The Easter Storybook: 40 Bible Stories Showing Who Jesus Really Is written by Laura Richie and illustrated by Ian Dale with our two younger children. It is a very colorful hardcover book of 93 pages that focuses upon the life of Jesus and not just His final days published by David C Cook.
About The Easter Storybook
This is a beautiful hardcover book designed to be read during the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday. There is a table of contents that you can use to find specific stories if you wish. The Easter Storybook does not just focus upon the last days of Jesus but on the many events in Jesus' life such as:
- Jesus in the Temple as a boy
- The temptation of Jesus
- The parable of the Lost Son
- Jesus walking on water
- The parable of the Good Samaritan
- The story of Lazarus
- Jesus clearing the Temple
- The tearing of the curtain in the Temple
- Jesus meeting with the Disciples
Each page of text lists the day, a title, references to the Bible, a quote from the Bible, the text of the story itself, and a question or two at the end. Accompanying each day's story is a full-page illustration of the story.
Let's look at Day 18 – The Son of Man Shines. After a quote from John 17:24, we read the opening sentence of the day: "When Jesus lived on the earth, many people tried to understand who He was." We then continue reading about the time when Jesus asked his friends who they said He was and the time when they saw Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah. Day 18 continues with relating how God named Jesus as his Son and the fear of Peter, James, and John. Finally, it closes with Jesus telling them not to share what they had seen "until the Son of Man is raised from the dead." We then are presented with a very thought-provoking question: "What do you think it was like to see Jesus' glory and to hear God's voice?"
How Did We Use The Easter Storybook in Our Homeschool
I tried to read one day's story each day with our children either during lunchtime or before bedtime. The stories are easy to read aloud and provide great discussion points as each poses a question at the end. One could also use The Easter Storybook as part of your morning basket routine or story time or include with your devotions or Bible Study.
What Did We Think?
I love the vibrant colors in The Easter Storybook. The illustrations are so engaging and relate so well to the text on the opposite page. The text is very easy to read. And the book is easy to hold in my hands even with both kids sitting on my lap. And it is easy to hold if I am reading it to them while they are eating lunch. Because everything is contained on two pages, there is no need to flip pages which can be difficult when children are sitting on your lap.
Our first grader enjoyed the questions at the end of each day's reading. He also likes when there are answers within the reading. He also enjoys the verses that begin each day's reading. He said: "Some pictures look like the story." His two favorites were the story of Jesus walking on water shared on Day 8 and the story of Jesus calming the storm which was shared on Day 10. He would recommend The Easter Storybook to other children.
Our four-year-old daughter is enjoying the stories in The Easter Storybook. She likes that the different stories remind her of her lessons from Sunday School such as the story of the Good Samaritan. As she was looking through the table of contents, she also came across stories that reminded her of some of the songs they sing in Sunday School. I like the fact that she can relate easily to the book as well and can read some of the stories to me with help.
I would highly recommend The Easter Storybook from David C Cook. It will make a perfect addition to your bookshelves and help bring the story of Jesus to life. I can easily see the reading of this book becoming a very welcome Easter tradition in many families.
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We also had the privilege of reviewing The Action Bible Anytime Devotions from David C Cook. If you are looking for a devotional for your children ages 8-12, please visit my review of this nice softcover book.
Other members of the Homeschool Review Crew also enjoyed reading The Easter Storybook in their homes during the past several weeks. Please remember to check out their thoughts on this lovely book.
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