PreS-Gr. 3. Clearly designed for reading aloud and discussion, these chatty retellings of Old Testament stories combine big, bright, thick-lined watercolor pictures with lively dramatic narratives that bring the stories to kids today. At the bottom of the pages stream tiny creatures--ants in Daniel's story, fish in Miriam's--that ask questions and make comments that will encourage listeners to talk about the issues ("Daniel is loyal to both God and the King. That's hard to do"). Daniel's story doesn't downplay the thrilling drama of facing fierce, roaring lions, but the hero is saved by an angel who works for God, and the message is that Daniel's faith gives him the strength to stand up for what he believes. Miriam's story begins with Pharaoh's terrible order to "throw all Hebrew baby boys into the river," and then retells the famous story from the viewpoint of the brave, wise, older sister. Kids will enjoy acting out the various roles and talking about the moral issues, then and now. Hazel Rochman
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