It is surprisingly difficult to find good children's books covering Jesus' parables, but The Seeds That Grew and Grew by Jeffrey E. Burkart is worth adding to your family's bookshelves.
Drawing the text from Matthew 13:1-9 and 18-23, in simple, rhyming language we hear how Jesus climbed out of a boat to teach a crowd. The text then fully covers the parable of the seeds, describing seed that falls upon good ground but is eaten up, seed that falls on stony soil, seed that gets chocked out by thorns, and seed that falls onto good soil.
"The people said, 'That story's keen,
But tell us, please, what does it mean?'
Then Jesus said, 'Now lend an ear.
I will make this story clear.
'The word of God is like the seed
That's scattered to a world in need.
But some who hear God's Word don't know
What it means, so faith doesn't grow..."
And so on.
Throughout, illustrations by Chris Sharp add humor and interest.
What I Like: This is a basic book that sticks closely to the Bible. It is short (only 15 pages) and holds the attention of toddlers on up. The illustrations are detailed and fun.
What I Dislike: Nothing, really. The rhyming is sometimes a bit forced, but overall, this is a great retelling of Jesus' parable.
Overall Rating: Very Good.
Kristina Seleshanko, Managing Editor
Christian Children's Book Review |
