Title: Noah's Ark
Author: Peter Spier (illustrator)
Filed Under: Picture Books, Religious Books for Children
The fact that this is the first entry in our Library Project just goes to show you that we're serious when we say we're not going to go about this in a rational way. We clearly can't handle that. What we can handle (maybe) is telling you about good books in whatever order we think of them. And Pippo and I are thinking about picture books quite a bit these days!
There aren't too many good religious picture books for very young children — the pre-reading crowd, especially. It's easy to find cartoonish or sugary board books, but instead of presenting something deep in a simple way, these tend to turn it into something silly, lame, or boring. If it looks like a silly cartoon, then children are going to assume that it's not important, even if the words are beautiful. Maybe not right away, but eventually, they will reject beautiful ideas as, well, silly. Though often the silly illustrations go hand-in-hand with dumbed-down text, I wouldn't waste library space on a book that had lovely text but lame pictures. The pictures and the way the book looks are so important!
We have found a few that we do really like, that manage to present what is after all incredibly substantial material (we're talking salvation history here, folks) in a way that a toddler can grasp but still wonder at. These we read over and over again together, and go into Pippo's Mass bag to read quietly on his own during church.
This is one of our favorites (it was one of mine when I was little, too). Peter Spier's solution in this book is to do away with the text almost entirely — he includes his own translation of a 17th-century Dutch poem about Noah's ark on the first page, but other than that there's just a few words framing the beginning and end of the book. The entire story is told in lovely, detailed illustrations: there's so much to look at!
Even the very youngest children can learn the story of Noah from this retelling, and wonder at God's creation as they inspect all the different animals that come onto the ark (Pippo learned his favorite funny word while reading this book: dodobird).
But there's more in there for older children (this is not just a book for toddlers!) and the inevitable extensive rereading, too — the animals who are left behind, the long days and months on the water (long enough for the animals to start having babies), the mess that they all left behind (I can't say I ever thought about that aspect of the story before reading this book so many times in the last few months. Noah — and his wife! — sacrificed more than I was giving them credit for!).
Noah's obedience, God's goodness, His provision, His mercy… they're not named, but they're all there to be found in the story itself. Where, of course, they were all along.
(I wish he had illustrated all the Bible stories this way. In fact, he did also do The Book of Jonah, which is sadly out of print, so if you come across a copy you should definitely snag it. Jonah has the same pretty, detailed illustrations as Noah's Ark, but it also has text, which is pretty much straight out of the Bible without any adaptation or dumbing-down. According to the reviews on Amazon, the text in the 2000 edition is different and inferior, which would be a shame if it's true. Worth double-checking if you do find a copy.)
(He illustrated other, non-religious but still excellent, books as well. We especially love The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night.)
What is the Like Mother, Like Daughter Library Project?
Kate says
Maybe this pegs us as heathens, but our favorite Peter Spier books are “Bored, Nothing to Do” and “Oh, We're They Ever Happy!.” My kids get a real kick out of how innocently naughty the kids are in both.
Anne Marie says
You might like my friend's blog. http://our-little-library.blogspot.com/
Ann Marie says
We got his “Star Spangled Banner” book a year or so ago on recommendation from Auntie Leila. My 4yo loves it. I sing it instead of reading it and he and I have learned 3 verses of the song–it's far more special to me now. (the song, that is)
Btw, the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones is SUPERB. I have to confess that I don't love the pics, but my son does and the way she weaves the redemptive theme into each and every story makes it worth it. It could have zero pictures and still be the best children's Bible ever. In fact, I know an empty-nesting couple who read it aloud to each other. Highly recommended!
Kathy@9Peas says
That book was loved into bits when my oldest was little (his name is Noah). I am so glad to be reminded of it so that I can re-add it to our collection.
Sue in Japan says
We love this one, too! My kids have all loved his “People” book as well. I think they are just fascinated to see all of those different kinds of people and skin colors. Since they are mixed race and culture, yet live in a very homogeneous society they are kind of comforted by it.
Marcia says
Definitely one of our favorite books!
Just now, I am thinking that a good composition assignment for my youngest daughter (we homeschool) would be to write the text for the book. No skipping pages! One quarter's credit!
I am liking your Library Project 🙂 Thanks!
Mary Ann says
Our library has this one!
We also really love Spier's Star Spangled Banner and Erie Canal books!
Anne-Marie says
I agree about the good religious picture books. I'm sorry, but how can a child learn goodness, truth, and beauty from Fr. Lovasik's pictures? Some of our favorites have been Tomie dePaola's various books of Bible stories and saints' lives, Jan Pienkowski's “Christmas” and “Easter” (KJV text, gloriously detailed silhouettes), and Pauline Baynes's “I Believe: The Nicene Creed;” that last was our go-to present for baptisms until it went oop.
Mary Ann says
Thanks Anne-Marie, for your recommendations in addition to Spier's books. Rosie, you mentioned that you found “a few” books that incorporated beautiful art and text. What are the others?
Has anyone seen an illustrated Bible or illustrated individual books of the Bible or even just collections of verses that fits Rosie's description?
_Rosie says
Mary Ann, we also have Tomie dePaola's Book of Bible Stories, which is a little old for Pippo right now (the text-to-picture ratio is a bit high for toddler, but we read one story at a time together and he'll look at all the pictures on his own at church), but is very well done. It has dePaola's sweet, colorful illustrations, and original Bible texts, which I think is really important!
nt12many says
Thanks for mentioning dePaola and his beautiful books for young children! I do so love Peter Spier and will look for Jonah.
Jill
Mary Ann says
Just saw Anne-Marie's Bible recommendation, thanks, didn't see it earlier! Any others?
Amy says
He also did a Christmas book which is beautiful.
Lindsey says
I love the illustrations in “The Story Bible for Children: A Storybook Bible” (written by Max Lucado and others, illustrated by Fausto Bianchi). It has selected Bible stories that have been adapted into an overarching “story,” so if you're looking for direct Bible text this may not be for you. But the illustrations are colourful, vivid, expressive, and to me evoke the wonder and beauty of the the redemption story. It's definitely worth a look!
Michelle says
I love Brian Wildsmith for religious picture books, particularly his Easter Story, which is the best (possibly the only good one) I've found on that topic. There are lots of beautiful saint stories aside from Tomie dePaola. Clare and Francis (can't remember the author, but I think it's the only one with St Clare). There's also a book about Mary that's illustrated with great artwork.
Mary Eileen says
I've been lurking for several months and really just love your blog. I'm inspired to comment by my love for Peter Spier's books – we read “Rain” last night (and Noah's Ark is in heavy rotation). Go library project go!
RubberChickenGirl says
“Noah's obedience, God's goodness, His provision, His mercy… they're not named, but they're all there to be found in the story itself. Where, of course, they were all along.”
That made me cry!
RCG
ellenjohnson824500384 says
I had this book growing up! I had to laugh when you referenced the mess; that's what I remember the most about the book, all that poop!
melaniebett says
Rosie, Have you discovered The Saving Name of God the Son? The most beautiful religious board book ever! The pictures are Fra Angelico. The text is a beautiful and profound meditation on the name of Jesus. I wrote a bit about it on my blog.