*The Promise by Jason Helopoulos

The Promise takes readers from the beginning of God’s story through the fulfillment of his redemptive purpose, with striking illustrations and compelling prose.

*The Promise: The Amazing Story of Our Long-Awaited Savior by Jason Helopoulos, illustrated by Rommel Ruiz. Crossway, 2021, 64 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 5-10

(NOTE: Unfortunately the publication date for this book seems to have been pushed back. Rather than early April, it will be available mid-May.)

“In the beginning, God was there. And God created the heavens and the earth.” Day by day, starting from light, he builds his perfect world and crowns creation with two image bearers, and all was very good—“Until it wasn’t!” The terror of sin and separation comes through in a scene of chaos as the first man and woman turn not only from God but from each other. But there the promise begins: someone would come and undo the great damage they’d done.

“Who will this one be?”

The text takes us through the Old Testament, proposing various candidates for the Promised One: a good man like Noah, a faithful man like Abraham, a great prophet like Moses, a conqueror like Joshua, an impressive king like Saul, even a “man after God’s own heart” like David. But all reveal their flaws. No one can keep God’s law perfectly; no sacrifice is sufficient to pay the debt. All seems lost when the promise is finally fulfilled: the perfect prophet, conqueror, judge, king, law-keeper, and sacrifice.

The recurring theme of “Who can save us?” provides a pattern that even young children can relate to and remember. The illustrations are stylistic, bold, and colorful, with some recurring symbolism (such as the snake, representing evil, finally conquered on the cross). The figure of Jesus is represented symbolically, as a generic figure suggesting strength and victory (see cover image). The cross is more prominent than the empty tomb, and there’s no specific mention of the resurrection—that seems odd, but readers can fill in that blank. A list of Bible passages related to each OT figure is included; these could serve as family devotional readings for Advent or the two weeks leading up to Easter.

Overall Rating: 4.75

• Worldview/moral value: 5
• Artistic/literary value: 4.5

Also at Redeemed Reader:

Reviews: For more books on the Redeemer story, see our reviews of The Garden, the Curtain, and the Crown, The Ology, and The Biggest Story (all starred).

Review: One of our favorite Resurrection-story books: He Is Risen: Rocks Tell the Story of Easter.

Reflection: Our thoughts on Easter during a pandemic, with ideas for family-centered celebration. Also, a handy download with suggestions for a “reader’s theater” presentation of the Passion narrative.

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