Chris Raschka
Eerdmans, 40 pages
The author is a two-time Caldecott Medal winner who has now turned this talent to the letters of the Apostle Paul. This book is in the Eerdmans Books for Young Readers series and it is a whimsical and accurate way to capture Paul’s insight for developing disciples. Honestly, this book is so well done that I think many parents will enjoy it as much as children. I certainly do. What makes the book so delightful is the interpretive skill of the author to find the gold in each of Paul’s letters and bring it to light. Rather than give readers a full letter, Raschka lifts up the bright lights of each in a way that children and adults follow Paul’s advice. Of course, what makes books for young readers great is the calligraphy and art. This is absolutely true for this one. I can imagine parents having a conversation with their children about each of the letters summarized in this book. That is something that is likely never to happen if one were to read through the standard biblical text. This is a book for faith formation. We need more of them. I’m grateful for it and will recommend to parents in my congregation.
