The World Jesus Knew

October 15, 2017
A lightweight survey of what Jesus--or at least his local contemporaries--ate, drank, wore, cultivated, celebrated, and venerated. Aiming to remind young readers that "Jesus was a real person who lived in a real place during a specific time in history," this overview offers general pictures of first-century life and society in what Olson calls Palestine, with particular attention paid to the era's Jewish practices and Scriptures (properly noting that the latter, at that time, were not yet "firmed up"). Though the author uses depersonalized terms like "peasants and slaves" in assigning people to social classes, he also casts sidelights on plenty of crowd-pleasing topics such as the "amazing and scary" Roman army, how grape juice was fermented to make it "safe-ish" for drinking, and execution methods from (natch) crucifixion to stoning: "the go-to punishment for sins against God." Along with simplified maps and diagrams, Maybank adds stylized cartoon images of characteristic flora, fauna, common goods, artifacts, and people (with slight but perceptibly varied tones of brown or olive skin) in diverse styles of period dress. A closing gallery of everyday items mentioned in the Gospels, with chapters and verses, serves as at least a partial source list. Simplistic in spots but engagingly tongue-in-cheek. (Informational picture book. 10-13)

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Starred review from November 15, 2017
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* Curious kids, as the subtitle calls readers, will learn plenty from this comprehensive, handsomely designed oversize book. The introduction declares, This is a book about Jesus. Sort of. And while Jesus appears throughout, this is mostly about his world, one that is depicted in fascinating, crisp detail. Almost every topic one could think of is covered here: the structure of society, Jews and Romans, occupations, agriculture, ways of death and burial, the lives of women, the Jewish Temple, the Jewish calendar, Jewish scripture, and more. Each subject receives a two-page spread and is strongly depicted in bold colors and interesting graphics (the only quibble is that some captions are microscopic). The illustrations are both eye-catching and informative, whether it's a Roman soldier or a mustard seed being depicted. The detail in some of the pictures is quite impressive; for instance, the spread on homes and housing not only showcases each part of a family compound but also details the materials used in homes for various strata of society. Olson does an excellent job of presenting all these facts in a narrative that at times uses a colloquial cadence to add freshness to material that might otherwise feel dry. This is a complete package that will have wide appeal and puts a clear focus on biblical times.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)