Review of NOAH'S ARK

Bibliography:

Pinkney, Jerry. 2002. Noah’s ark. Illustrated by author. New York: SeaStar Books.
ISBN 158717202X

Review:

When God decides to flood the earth and “sweep away all living things,” He speaks to Noah and tells him to build an ark, gather food, and then “bring two of every creature on the ark.” Noah does as he is told and once everything is ready, it begins to rain for 40 days and 40 nights, flooding the entire world. When the rain stops, Noah sends a dove to find dry land. The dove returns with an olive branch, and soon Noah, his family, and the animals leave the ark to “care for the earth that God had made.” Jerry Pinkney’s Noah’s Ark retells the well-known bible story in a simple manner, providing details that reflect the enormity of Noah’s task – building an ark that “rose higher and higher . . . The strong wooden beams (embracing) the clouds” as well as the magnitude of the flood in which “water rose over cities and towns (and) whales swam down ruined streets.” Pinkney does not rely on the words alone to tell the story. He has included illustrations, capturing each scene and allowing young readers to actually see the stampede of animals arriving at the ark, and the whales swimming in the flooded cities. For children, these concrete drawings make it easier to grasp the images described. The storyline of Noah’s Ark is so familiar that readers are able to focus on and enjoy the beautiful two-page illustrations that fill this book and bring the story to life. Pinkney’s artwork, created with water colors and colored pencils, is breathtaking and allows readers to experience what life must have been like on board the ark filled with creatures “from aardvark to zebra”. Parents will want to share this book with their children and pass it on for future generations to enjoy.