Bible Stories

God's Will Be Done/The Wall

Book cover: 'God's Will Be Done/The Wall'
Author(s): 
Kim Hohman
Bruce Carroll
Copyright: 
1997
Publisher: 
Regina Martyrum Productions
Subject(s): 
Resource Type: 
Review: 
God's Will Be Done is the story of Jonah and the Whale and The Wall is the story of the Fall of Jericho. Both Bible stories are presented as audio dramas, performed with full casts, music and sound effects. The shorter length and simpler dialogue of these in particular make them especially appealing to younger children.
Perspective: 
Catholic
Additional notes: 

18 min/20 min, audio cassette

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

Jonah and His Amazing Voyage (Bible Adventure Club)

Book cover: Jonah and His Amazing Voyage, Bible Adventure Club
Author(s): 
Janis Hansen
Illustrator(s): 
Wendy Francisco
Number of pages: 
36 pages
Copyright: 
2005
ISBN: 
9781581343267
Publisher: 
Ascension Press
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Subject(s): 
Resource Type: 
Review: 
Set sail on a stormy sea with Jonah and His Amazing Voyage as your young children learn about Bible stories in this light-hearted set from the Bible Adventure Club series.

Each kit includes a hard cover full-color picture story book, activity book, read-along audio cassette, interactive CD-Rom, and parents guide. The picture book is a simple retelling of the story of Jonah to appeal to younger children with bold, colorful, and cartoon-like illustrations. The audio cassette is a dramatized version of the story with original music to listen to while reading along with the book. The activity book includes fun facts, projects, mazes, and more. The interactive CD-Rom includes an animated story, original song, coloring book, word search, matching, puzzles, quiz game and light up puzzle (a scrambled puzzle that lights up when the squares are in order.). Some activities offer different levels of play.

Because of the light-hearted approach and the types of activities, this kit is designed for younger children. My five-year-old and eight-year-old daughters have enjoyed listening to the story many times as well as playing the many creative learning activities on the CD-Rom. Since there are a variety of activities on the CD-Rom and in the activity book, a wide range of younger children can enjoy this kit. Jonah and His Amazing Voyage is just one from a series of Bible Adventure Club kits. Other kits include Other kits include Creation:God's Wonderful Gift, Jesus:the Birthday of the King, Noah and the Incredible Flood, and David and his Giant Battle.

Additional notes: 
Includes Hardcover story book, activity book, CD-Rom and Cassette
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
10-29-05

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

The Mother of Jesus
Book cover: Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Author(s): 
Tomie dePaola
Number of pages: 
32 pages
Copyright: 
1995
ISBN: 
9780823410187
Publisher: 
Holiday House
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Review: 
This is a very nice and very Catholic book about Mary for small children. But don't let its simplicity fool you - there is a great deal for older ones as well. There is a two page "chapter" on each of the following topics: The Presentation of the Child Mary at the Temple, The Betrothal of Joseph and Mary, The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Birth of Jesus, The Presentation of the Boy Jesus in the Temple, The Adoration of the Magi, The Flight into Egypt, The Boy Jesus in the Temple, The Marriage at Cana, The Ministry (of Jesus), Mary's Solitude (the Crucifixion), The Coming of the Holy Spirit, Mary is Taken to Heaven, and a final picture of The Queen of Heaven. Each "chapter" has one or two illustrations - in the Tomie de Paola style of course - a short verse from the Liturgy of the Hours and a simple retelling of the story.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

New Catholic Picture Bible

Book cover: 'New Catholic Picture Bible'
Author(s): 
Fr. Lawrence Lovasik, S.V.D.
Number of pages: 
232 pages
Copyright: 
1988
ISBN: 
9780899424354
Publisher: 
Catholic Book Publishing Company
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
Father Lovasik includes many more stories in this work than Tomie de Paola's work. The pictures are more traditional (although not fine art), yet the stories are still short enough to make this a good choice for preschoolers as well. He explains parts of the Bible in light of our Catholic tradition within the story. For example, in the story "Jesus Appears to the Apostles" Fr. Lovasik explains what Jesus said to the apostles with the following quote:
"In these words Jesus gave the apostles the power to forgive sins, which He had promised them. This power Jesus wished to remain in His Church forever. The apostles passed it on to their successors--the bishops of the Catholic Church. This power is exercised by the priest in the Sacrament of Penance."
Some may appreciate his "additions" to the stories, others may find it a little confusing. The book also contains the Stations of the Cross and photos from the Holy Land.

Available from many sources including those listed below.
Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

Strengthened by God/The Great Deluge

Book cover: 'Strengthened by God/The Great Deluge'
Author(s): 
Bruce Carroll
Kim Hohman
Publisher: 
Regina Martyrum Productions
Subject(s): 
Resource Type: 
Review: 
Strengthened by God is the story of David and Goliath and The Great Deluge is the story of Noah's Ark. Like the other RMP tapes, these are "audio dramas" - dramatic presentations of the stories with full casts, sound effects and music. They really make the Bible stories come alive. The Great Deluge is probably a bit too graphic for small children (the narrator makes mention of people seeing dead bodies in the rivers and the sound effects includes crying and wailing noises). They comment a bit upon the story by explaining that evidence of God's mercy can be seen by the fact that he gave those who perished in the flood enough time to feel sorry for their sins.
Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

The Children's Book of Faith

Book cover: 'The Children's Book of Faith'
Author(s): 
William Bennett
Number of pages: 
102 pages
Copyright: 
2000
Publisher: 
Doubleday
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Grade / Age level: 
Resource Type: 
Review: 
This newest edition presents some colorfully illustrated tales of a more religious nature. Passages from the Bible include "the Story of Daniel and the Lion's Den", "the Healing of a Paralytic", "the Call of Samuel", "the Little Lost Lamb", the 23rd Psalm, and "Miriam and the Floating Basket." Other stories involve St. Christopher. St. Martin of Tours and St. Augustine's famous "Walk by the Sea" where a little boy (believed to be Jesus or an Angel) had a conversation with him about the mysteries of God. Classic tales by Leo Tolstoy and Oscar Wilde, beautiful poems and hymns, and the stories of Amazing Grace and of the historical event which was the origin of the celebration of Hannukah are also included. There are thirty-three stories in all.
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
4-21-01

The Medicine of God

Book cover: 'The Medicine of God'
Author(s): 
Bruce Carroll
Copyright: 
1996
Publisher: 
Regina Martyrum Productions
Subject(s): 
Resource Type: 
Review: 
The Medicine of God is an audio drama (on one cassette) in the style of old-time radio shows - with full cast, music and sound effects. This is the biblical story of Tobit, an upright man who trusted in God and the adventures of his son, Tobias, who was led by a stranger - who turned out to be St. Raphael the Archangel - to a new city and a new life. There is a theme of Divine Providence and the need to trust in God that runs throughout the story. This story is a particularly important one to Catholics as it is one of only a few books that are included in Catholic bibles, but not Protestant ones. Your whole family will be edified and entertained by this production. This particular story is a favorite with my children.
Perspective: 
Catholic
Additional notes: 

45 minutes, audio cassette

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

The Miracles of Jesus

Book cover: The Miracles of Jesus (dePaola)
Author(s): 
Tomie dePaola
Number of pages: 
32 pages
Copyright: 
2015
ISBN: 
9780823406357
Publisher: 
Puffin Books
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 

This book is a beautiful way to help your children learn to know and love Jesus. With many simple pictures (but nicely done) and just enough details of the story, Tomie de Paola relates how Jesus helped others while he was on earth. Stories include: The Wedding at Cana, The Catch of Fishes, The Calming of the Storm, The Loaves and The Fishes, Jesus Walks on the Water, The Paralyzed Man, The Centurion's Servant, Jesus Heals the Lepers and The Raising of Lazarus. (13 stories altogether) My children love to hear about how good Jesus is and how much he loves them. This book is a really nice way of reinforcing that idea.
 

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

The Parables of Jesus

Book cover: The Parables of Jesus
Author(s): 
Tomie dePaola
Number of pages: 
32 pages
Copyright: 
2017
ISBN: 
9780823411962
Publisher: 
Broomfield Publishing
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 

In a similar manner to The Miracles of Jesus, Tomie de Paola presents seventeen of Jesus' parables. This book makes them very accessible to small children and may even be the start of some interesting little discussions with your children about why Jesus told these stories. Some of the text of the parables is very brief.
 

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

The Prince of Egypt

Book cover: 'The Prince of Egypt'
Copyright: 
1999
Publisher: 
Dreamworks
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
Three Other Reasons to See Prince of Egypt: racially truthful, stealthily pro-life, realistic portrayal of sin
I admit, our family went to see The Prince of Egypt because of William Donahoe's recommendation. The Catholic League plugged the newly-released animated picture on the story of Moses in its newsletter as well as in an Internet message. So we joined my family at Christmas in a rare trip to the theater, along with my dad (who was going to see it because Chuck Colson had recommended it).

When we emerged from the theater, all of us agreed that there was more reason to like this film than the facts that a.) it was completely clean b.) and it was not by Disney.

I had been told of the technical perfection of the animation and special effects. This is true - the film is stylistically executed by DreamWorks with the perfection of any Disney movie. The parting of the Red Sea is spectacular. It has its share of chases, escapes, and comic moments, with strong female characters and funny animals. The story is simple to follow - so clear that my toddler son burst into tears when baby Moses had to leave his mommy to be adopted by a strange lady. I had expected all these things.

But I wasn't expecting any more than an exercise in clean filming of a token Biblical story to please the Christian market. Prince was more than that. Here's three reasons to go see the film that have nothing to do with the political battle over children's movies.

First, Prince is racially truthful. This is the first Biblical movie I have seen in which none of the characters - none - were Caucasian. Personally I am tired of depictions of our Biblical fathers and mothers that insist on giving them fair skin and sometimes blue eyes. Both the Hebrews and the Egyptians in Prince have the bone structure and skin color of their races, which I found refreshingly (not politically) correct. Aren't the Jews and Africans sometimes right when they accuse American Christians of making the Gospel into "a white man's story?" Certainly these are the images we usually give our children. Prince was a definite step in the right direction.

The filmmaker's choice to tap the heritage of the black community in using a music style inspired by Gospel spirituals was wise and effective. For its audience of children, it provided a further link between the Biblical characters and the African heritage. The Hebrew songs - particularly the children's hymn which heralds the day of Israel's freedom - were wonderful touches. My personal favorite was "Through Heaven's Eyes," the song of Jethro, Moses' future father-in-law, done in Arabian style.

Second, there was the undercurrent of a pro-life message. The catalyst of Moses' transformation from a selfish prince of Egypt who never looks twice at his servants to the deliverer of Israel is when he discovers that his "father," the Pharaoh, commanded the slaughter of the infant Hebrew boys. His father justifies this as population control: "the Hebrews were too numerous." Moses, who can't imagine being related to slaves, begins to feel compassion first for these countless baby victims, whom he narrowly escaped joining. A sense of the enormity of the crime is overwhelming in different parts of the film. While not explicit, a pro-life message comes through. The last line of the film "Deliver us!" became for me a personal prayer for an end to our nation's holocaust.

Third, the movie shows clearly the effects of the most deadly of sins - pride. This film underscores the fact that the bulk of the plagues upon Egypt were the result of one man's selfishness and unwillingness to change - the Pharaoh Rameses. What makes this moral tale so believable is that the film explores the character of the hard-hearted Pharaoh in his boyhood friendship with Moses. "Don't be the weak link in the chain," Rameses' father tells him, unfairly punishing him for things he didn't do. The fact that Moses truly loves his foster brother and has compassion for his internal struggle even as the two face off as adults raises the caliber of the storyline. Moses begs Pharaoh to yield for the sake of the Egyptians suffering from the plagues, but Rameses, tormented by the sores and pests of the plagues himself, remains bitter and unyielding. He has lost the ability to feel compassion for anyone else. When he announces that the slaughter of Hebrew children will begin again, he brings down the plague of the death of the first-born upon himself. Faced with unwittingly causing the death of his young son, he temporarily agrees to let the Hebrews go. The stark portrayal of the effects of mortal sin has probably never been rendered to this depth in cartoon form before.

Having seen the movie, I would nominate it for an Academy Award. And along with William Donahoe and other Christian leaders, I can now say that I certainly hope that the movie industry makes more movies like Prince of Egypt (how about a sequel?). If you go to see Prince of Egypt, you'll "send a message to Hollywood," but you and your family will enjoy yourself as well.

Additional notes: 

Rated PG, 99 minutes

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Katzenberg

Director: Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner and Simon Wells

Featuring the voice talents of: Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Sandra Bullock and Michelle Pfeiffer

Regina Doman is the author of The Shadow of the Bear: Snow White and Rose Red Retold, reviewed on this site and the mother of five children. She writes from Front Royal, VA.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
1999

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