The Birth of Jesus

This book is an excellent choice to introduce anyone to the Gospels, particularly the stories of Jesus' birth, early life, and parables. The stories themselves are clearly told, and beautifully illustrated. They are not embellished with unnecessary or confusing additions, and they stick closely to the Biblical original, so that the stories are easily recognizable when the reader is ready to pick up the Bible itself. The embellishments that are included, and which make this book so much more interesting and informative than most, are in the margins. The author has put in small paragraphs, photos, and drawings that tell about life in the time of Jesus. From the old Roman coins to the staff and crook that would have been carried by the shepherds, these notes help the reader identify with the characters and understand the context of the stories. Beginning with the first page (a map of ancient Israel with notes about Jesus' life and the location of each story) and continuing through the wonderful index, this book will delight and educate any child 9-12 years old, and most older children and adults as well. If you are looking for a way to show someone what the Gospels and the life of Jesus are all about, you could not pick a better place to start than this book.