God Rescues and Taste & See: 2 Picture Books

God Rescues and Taste & See, new picture books from New Growth Press, offer parents colorful ways to introduce big theology concepts to children.

God Rescues: Moses and the Exodus by Jared Kennedy and illustrated by Trish Mahoney. New Growth Press, 2022. 30 pages.

Reading Level: Picture books, ages 3-8

Recommended for: Ages 3-8

Part of the Beginner’s Gospel Story Book series, God Rescues is a bright, colorful retelling of Moses and the Exodus. As with his other texts, Kennedy’s words are child-friendly and gospel-focused. God is the hero in this story (as He is in Scripture*), rescuing His people from Pharaoh. The 10 plagues are depicted clearly, but in a childlike manner: a lamb has a thermometer in its mouth to show illness. The pictures won’t frighten children, but the message isn’t sugar coated. One feature I especially appreciate is the small reference square on the top of many pages: Bible references so parents can look up the Scripture passages and read them to their children (or for their own edification). A sturdy board book format means this book can be read and re-read, handled by many children (such as in a church nursery!), and still last.

*God IS the hero of the Bible, but many Bible storybooks are entirely man focused, making men (such as Moses) and women the hero. We appreciate Bible storybooks that keep God as the hero.

Overall Rating: 4.75

Taste & See: All about God’s Goodness by Irene Sun. New Growth Press, 2022. 32 pages.

Reading Level: Picture books, ages 3-8

Recommended for: ages 5-10

Rhyming text takes young listeners (or readers) on a vibrant journey through Scripture, focusing on the many stories of God’s tangible provisions for His people. The story begins with Adam and Eve in the garden and moves to Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness, to the years of the prophets, to Jesus’s time on earth, and ends with our anticipated time in heaven. Although the story feels a little uneven (the amount of time spent with Moses and Jesus makes the in-between-times feel rushed and abrupt), the pictures are lively and feature ethnically diverse characters in keeping with the scenarios. For instance, Egyptians look Egyptian and heaven includes people of all races. Scripture references are included for more study and clarification. Back matter includes a “recipe” for teaching your child biblical theology. All in all, Taste & See is a nice resource for parents and churches, particularly because the lens of “tasting and seeing” is not a common one in Bible storybooks.

Overall rating: 4

Read more about our ratings here.                 

Also at Redeemed Reader

• Review: The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible by Jared Kennedy (one of our most recommended story Bibles!)
• Review: God Counts by Irene Sun.
• Reviews: Baby Believer Board Books (another highly recommended resource!)

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