MARY HOFFMAN is the author of many books for children, including the internationally bestselling Stravaganza series. She lives in Oxfordshire, England.
CHRISTINA BALIT has illustrated a number of children’s books, including
Atlantis and
Escape from Pompeii. Before becoming a prizewinning illustrator, Ms. Balit studied at the Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. She lives in Kent, England.
Grade 2–5—Seven Old Testament tales featuring kings and queens are retold here, representing the cruel (such as Pharaoh and Jezebel) and the kind (such as Solomon and Esther). While the plotlines have been simplified and the telling is clear, some familiarity with the original stories will aid understanding. Readers will be reminded that the Bible can be filled with romance, violence, and death. The offerings do not combine into a single coherent narrative, but do evoke common themes of wealth, wisdom, prophecy, and power. An introduction provides a contextual overview, and endnotes refer to the biblical sources for each selection. The author describes the tales as coming from the "Old Testament," rather than the "Hebrew Bible," revealing a Christian point of view. The flowing, jewel-toned, stylized illustrations appear to support a Eurocentric perspective: each beautiful picture depicts the Middle Eastern and African characters with pale skin and blue-green eyes. This quibble aside, the illustrations do succeed in creating a fairy-tale atmosphere that supports the text's focus on royalty. This is an attractive volume. However, it should be noted that while "adult" material has been expunged from the stories, the violence remains. If, for example, Queen Jezebel being eaten by dogs will upset your young readers, use with caution.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL
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