*The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung

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A vibrantly illustrated retelling of the story of the Bible: Jesus’s redemption of God’s people.

*The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Gardenby Kevin DeYoung. Illustrated by Don Clark. Crossway, 2015. 132 pages.

  • Reading Level: Ages 4-8
  • Recommended For: All ages!

Beginning in the Garden of Eden, DeYoung retells the primary storyline of the Bible in expressive, contemporary language. God, clearly the hero, constantly rescues his wayward people, fulfills his promises, and works toward the eventual, final heavenly reunion. Vibrant, richly symbolic illustrations fill every page, enriching and extending the brief text. Characters are stylized, yet recognizable; there are no images of Jesus’s face. Dark and light are used to great effect, and the illustrations will invite readers to keep coming back.

DeYoung hoped to “retell the familiar advent story in a way that was fresh and faithful to the biblical text.” He succeeded! Condensing the Bible to a mere 118 pages necessarily involves some editing decisions; DeYoung manages to keep the essentials and also mixes in plenty of theological insight along the way. This is not a Bible story book that retells each individual story (such as Samson, David and Goliath, or Paul’s shipwreck); rather, the overall theme and storyline of Scripture are the focus. Rare is the book in which both text and illustration are excellently crafted; the merging of the two in The Biggest Story is a true delight for both eyes and heart.

Considerations: none

*indicates starred review, the best of the best in its field

You may purchase The Biggest Story from Westminster Books!

You may also purchase The Biggest Story from Amazon.

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Betsy Farquhar

Betsy is the Managing Editor at Redeemed Reader. When she reads ahead for you, she uses sticky notes instead of book darts and willfully dog ears pages even in library books. Betsy is a fan of George MacDonald, robust book discussions, and the Oxford comma. She lives with her husband and their three children in the beautiful Southeast.

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