Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Flyby Review: Noah Wordless Picture Book

I have been privileged to review three items from Flyby Promotions in a short period of time, so I am bringing you all three reviews today.  There are some giveaways and Christmas gift ideas, so don't miss anything!

First, I received a beautiful, hardcover, 64-paged, absolutely stunning picture book of the story of Noah.

The story of Noah and the Ark was always a fun one in Sunday School when I was a child.  Marching the animals up the ramp into the boat on the flannel graph, then adding the waves and pretending to make the boat sail on top of them.  It was just a fun Bible story.

As I grew older and studied more, I began to realize that the story of Noah was a pivotal one in the Old Testament.  It is one of the stories that many people say is simply not possible, and therefore the Bible must not be true.  Over the recent decades, however, more and more research has shown that the story is very possible.  And if it is possible, then it is even more likely that it is true.  Why?  Because it is unlikely that someone in ancient times would write a false story about something that did not happen that could be proven to be so possible in modern times.  Is that confusing?  Take the measurements of the Ark given in Genesis 6.  It has been demonstrated in recent times that not only could two each of all the known species of animals at the time fit into a vessel of that size along with eight people, but also that a vessel of those proportions would be excellent at navigating the tsunami-sized waves it was sure to encounter.  Now, if someone who had never built an ark of such a size, nor sailed it through enormous waves, nor loaded it with pairs of every known species of animal, were writing a fictional story for children, is it likely or even possible that the dimensions would be so fitting?

If, then, this incredible story is true, it is so much more likely that the entire Bible is true and literal.  And if it is true, what did it look like?  What did the ark look like?  What did the earth and its cities look like before the Flood?  What did the people look like?  What did Noah look like?  Noah was 500 years old when he started to build the Ark, and it took him 100 years to build it!!  I am in my fourth decade, and I've got to tell you that the responsibility of building a colossal structure on which my family's lives depended when I was past my fourth century would be a little intimidating!

In the wordless picture book Noah, Mark Ludy has asked these questions and has given us his own artistic interpretation.  "A picture is worth a thousand words," and he has given us an artistic novel demonstrating how these things may have appeared.  The beautiful illustrations have enriched my appreciation of the story and have made me look at some things in a different way.  He has used his outstanding, God-given talent to bring this amazing story to life for us.

My kids and I love this book.  Its interest spans all ages.  I'd love to have one for every story in the Bible!  It is lovely to keep on your school shelf or your coffee table.

I highly recommend Noah, by Mark Ludy.  It would also look lovely under the Christmas tree!

A hundred years before the Great Flood, a man named Noah came home talking crazy. God wanted him to build the biggest ship the world had ever seen. The future of humanity depended on it. How would his wife respond? What would the neighbors think? Was it even feasible?
This lavish reimagining of one of the greatest stories of all time will fascinate children and adults alike. Nuanced and playful, yet meticulous in following the biblical narrative, Mark Ludy’s world-class art digs deeper than the Sunday-school tale of cuddly animals, exploring noah’s relationship with his family, the natural world, God - and a formidable engineering challenge.
Immerse yourself in this stunning wordless epic. Whatever your age, you’ll never read this story in the same way again.
Bonus: Find Squeakers the mouse on every page! 
About the author:
Mark Ludy has written or illustrated eight children’s books including The FarmerThe Flower Man, The GrumpWhen I Was  a Boy I DreamedWhen I Was a Girl I Dreamed, and Jujo the Youngest Tribesman. When he’s not immersed in his sketchbooks, you’ll find him in schools promoting art and literacy. He lives in Colorado with his wife, daughter, and two sons.
Mark’s website: http://www.markludy.com  
Official NOAH websitehttp://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/n/noah

In addition, I have a lovely copy of Noah to give away!  Comment here or on my Facebook page with the name of your favorite picture book to enter the drawing, which will be held next Wednesday, November 19!
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

For more information on the story of Noah and the Ark and its modern-day research, see:









Also, if you'd like to use the picture book Noah as a Christmas gift, you may want to pair it with one of these for hours of fun:




Happy Picture-booking!

This post contains affiliate links.
 

1 comment:

  1. I bet Xander would love to look through this with me. :)
    ~Kim A.

    ReplyDelete