Books in Brief

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Four Books for Children

Four new children’s books merit the attention of BAR readers seeking good Biblical fare for children.

The True Cross (Oxford University Press, 1977, 28 pp. $7.95) by Brian Wildsmith is a short but wide-ranging story about the history of Jesus’ cross which mixes Biblical episodes, historical facts, and legend into a charming tale for the young reader to listen to, or, better yet, to read himself (pages 6–8). Every step in the story is illustrated simply but imaginatively by this master of children’s book illustration in colors that challenge the rainbow. The print is large to aid the young reader whose only problem with the prose may be the unfamiliarity of such proper names as Calvary, Siloam, Nazareth, and Maxentius.

A second beautiful book for children is by another longtime children’s author, Madeleine L’engle. Ladder of Angels (Seabury Press, 1979, 125 pp., $17.50) is a collection of children’s paintings illustrating Old Testament events. Executed by children between the ages of 8 and 14, the paintings are the result of an international competition sponsored by the mayor of Jerusalem in honor of the International Year of the Child. L’engle has re-written the scriptural passages pertaining to each picture. While the young child will respond warmly to the art, it is only the 12-year-old or older who will be able to appreciate the prose.

For the older child (10 and up) with an interest in art Art Tells A Story: The Bible (Doubleday, 1979, 80 pp., $6.95) is an instructive new publication by Penelope Proddow, lecturer at the Junior Museum of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Using 12 examples from the Met’s collection, Proddow first recounts the Biblical story, then knowledgably, but clearly and conversationally, discusses the art work on a youngster’s level. The works themselves range in time and form from Byzantine silverwork to a sixteenth century A.D. Swiss tapestry, from Tintoretto to Ben Shahn. Principally illustrated in black and white, this informative text is printed in good-sized type and contains 12 color plates of the art discussed.

The fourth new release is a different kind of book for the questioning young adolescent (10 and up). In Search of God (Atheneum, 1979, 133 pp., $10.95) is, in author Marietta Moskin’s words, “ … a book—not about any one particular faith among the world’s—but about the quest of the human race to come to terms with the unknown and the unknowable.” Ten well-written chapters explore such topics as the beginning of religious expression and practice in early civilizations, issues of death, good and evil, sin, the service of God, ethics and great religious teachers. Excellent black and white photos of religiously inspired art objects enliven the text.

This Is Israel

Sylvia Mann

(Palphot Ltd., Jerusalem, 1979) 160 pages $6.95

(special price for BAR readers $5.65)

A brand new fully up-to-date 160 page picture filled guide to all of Israel. The text contains a wealth of Biblical and other historical references, together with relevant archaeological data. Laced with color photographs of many aspects of ancient and modern Israel, this guide dramatizes the contrasts of Israel—from modern city squares to lush tropical watering holes, from Jerusalem’s diverse religious landmarks to Mount Hermon’s snow-covered ski slopes. Included in the opening pages are such helpful tourist aids as international time tables, tables of distances between major points in Israel, information on dietary laws, and even a shopping guide.

From the Poetry of Sumer—Creation, Glorification, Adoration

Samuel Noah Kramer

(University of California, Berkeley, 1979) 104 pp. $10.00

Through his translation and analysis of a small portion of the large corpus of Sumerian poetry, the world renowned Sumerologist, Samuel Noah Kramer, provides us with an entree into the world of ancient Sumer. The creation myths hint at the evolution of a society where men and women are equal, to a society where men dominate; the glorification myths describe the attributes of the ideal king who ultimately becomes the model for the ideal man; the adoration myths describe the often promiscuous and entertaining adventures of the goddess Inanna, the most ubiquitous deity in Sumerian literature.

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As a service to readers, BAR will order any of these books. Please add $1 to the price to cover postage and handling and mail your order to 3111 Rittenhouse Street N.W.; Washington, D.C., 20015.

Four Books for Children

Four new children’s books merit the attention of BAR readers seeking good Biblical fare for children.