A fresh and in-depth retelling.
A graphic novel rendition of the walk of the resurrected Yeshua (Jesus Christ) from Jerusalem to Emmaus with two of his disciples, adapted from the Bible with some elements imagined by the author.
This volume expounds upon, illustrates, and makes accessible 23 verses of Scripture. Cleopas and his wife, Miriam, who are traveling with young neighbor children Moshe and Rachel, are surprised when a stranger who joins them on their walk doesn’t know about Yeshua’s empty tomb. Walking together offers ample opportunities for the group to share stories from Scripture. The members of the party take turns telling well-known and more obscure episodes from the Old Testament and Yeshua’s life. They talk about Creation, the Garden of Eden, John the Baptizer, Moses, Yeshua’s 40-day fast, and more. The comic book–style illustrations differentiate between the central plotline and the stories being told, presenting the former in vivid color and the latter in more muted, largely monochromatic panels. Prayers or sermons are depicted with a dark background and white text. The presence of the two lively fictional Jewish children helps make the work relatable for young readers. For example, along the road, they meet Baaz, a Persian man who tells the flood story from the Epic of Gilgamesh; Moshe counters with the Old Testament version (“Noah’s kids had to shovel out the stalls. Their dad said it would ‘build character’”). The characters are depicted with brown skin and dark hair.
A fresh and in-depth retelling. (Graphic religious stories. 8-13)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593578100
Page Count: 256
Publisher: WaterBrook
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world.
This wide-ranging collection of short biographies highlights 36 Jewish figures from around the globe and across centuries.
Explicitly pushing back against homogenous depictions of Jewish people, the authors demonstrate the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of Jews. Each spread includes a brief biography paired with a stylized portrait reminiscent of those in Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (2016). A pull quote or sidebar accompanies each subject; sidebars include “Highlighting Jewish Paralympic Athletes,” “Jewish Stringed Music,” and “Ethiopian Jews in Israel.” Kleinrock and Pritchard’s roster of subjects makes a compelling case for the vastness and variety of Jewish experience—from a contemporary Ethiopian American teen to a 16th-century Portuguese philanthropist—while still allowing them to acknowledge better-known figures. The entry on Raquel Montoya-Lewis, an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court and an enrolled member of the Pueblo Isleta Indian tribe, discusses her mission to reimagine criminal justice for Indigenous people; the sidebar name-checks Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The bios are organized around themes of Jewish principles such as Pikuach Nefesh (translated from the Hebrew as “to save a life”) and Adam Yachid (translated as the “unique value of every person”); each section includes an introduction to an organization that centers diverse Jewish experiences.
A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world. (resources) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9780063285712
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Though the tone refrains (barely) from utter didacticism, the values-driven narrative just misses the goal.
An otherwise unremarkable sports biography hammers home the values of determination and hard work with an unapologetic Christian slant.
NHL forward Mike Fisher's professional and spiritual life reveals the physical and emotional battle scars he suffered on the ice. Each chapter addresses a separate season (even hockey aficionados may be shocked by the numerous times his playoff games resulted in defeat). Portrayed as a near-saint, this charity-supporting, gracious athlete received support from his religious mentors, though not with immunity from grief; the illness and then death of a beloved coach results in a cutting loss. Religious fervor is maintained in quotations and repeated references to Romans 12:12. Bubbly, fast-paced commentary hits on each score, while stats naturally blend within text. Words occasionally repeat in close proximity, disrupting the text's fluidity. Overt enthusiasm for the sport lends it a tone akin to a high-drama broadcast, though statements can veer into ludicrous territory: “Like previous years, the unknowns and distractions make life a lot like balancing on Jell-O in a blizzard at midnight.” Small black-and-white action photographs fail to evoke the rink's aggressive drama. A glossed-over review of the pro's recent marriage to singing sensation Carrie Underwood will disappoint both country-music fans and romantic hopefuls.
Though the tone refrains (barely) from utter didacticism, the values-driven narrative just misses the goal. (Biography. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-310-72540-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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