Home by Another Way

September 24, 2018
Three “very wise men who were all sitting in their own countries, minding their own business,” find a common purpose: “a bright star lodged in the right eye of each one of them.” So begins theologian and Episcopal priest Taylor’s version of the Nativity, which she casts as the Magi’s quest for enlightenment. She imagines their journey in great detail, including the men’s encounter with King Herod, who is described as “lumpy and rumpled... His skin looked a funny orange color and sickly, as if his bile had gotten the best of him.” Though Taylor’s tone occasionally strikes an overly adult note, her contemporary turns of phrase, paired with mixed-media paintings by Cataldo (The Stranded Whale) set against a backdrop of biblical times, provide an intriguing approach to the oft-examined story. Ages 8–10.