4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Religion isn't typically very fun for kids. Going to church, staying still, being quiet, listening to a bunch of big words they don't even understand... It all adds up to children (like myself when I was younger) treating their faith as an obligation, not a blessing. In Adam and Eve: Grandma Shares Her Faith Book 1, author Laura Lipari takes on the task of explaining the story of Adam and Eve to 5 of her grandchildren, a dog, a cat and a parrot that frequently interjects things like "praise the Lord!", "Amen!" or "good bird!"
What makes this story so unique is the way it's told. This isn't some dry retelling of one of the most famous Biblical stories, it greatly succeeds as its own story. The five grandkids - Marie, Loren, Jade, Desy and Angela from youngest to oldest - are full of personality. Marie and Loren often argue with one another while Grandma plays referee, and the younger kids often need concepts like God's omnipotence explained to them. The dialogue between the kids is charming and incredibly real; I wouldn't be surprised if the characters were based on Laura's real family.
Because Grandma interacts with the grandkids so much, the story of Adam and Eve is far from the only topic covered. The kids discuss their dislike of church, the Bible in general, what a soul is, why God rested on the 7th day of Creation and more. The topics are all handled masterfully; Grandma doesn't force them to blindly believe and even encourages questions, and at the end of the book when the concept of evolution is raised Grandma doesn't dismiss it.
The book is less than 50 pages and only has one image, a coloring page before the story begins that shows Granny with the five kids. Because Grandma explains everything so well it works both as a book for a parent to read to their kids or as a book for a child to read on their own. The way the grandkids ask so any questions and Grandma answers them is both educational and opens up the way for kids to ask questions of their own. I found only 5 errors throughout the book, meaning there was only one error every 10 or so pages.
I really enjoyed Adam and Eve: Grandma Shares Her Faith Book 1. The series promises to be excellent if Laura can keep it up, and her 102(!!) years of life experience shine in the pages. I'd give this book 5 stars if I could, but since the max is 4 I'll have to give it a mere 4 out of 4 stars. If you have kids who could use a lesson in the Bible, I couldn't recommend a book more than this one.
******
Adam and Eve
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like CataclysmicKnight's review? Post a comment saying so!
