Noah's Ark

February 23, 2015
Recounting the Great Flood by using several centuries’ worth of images, many from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a terrific idea, and much in these pages rewards close viewing. In one painting, a robed and white-bearded God leans out of the clouds to tell a stunned Noah of plans to destroy the Earth; beyond these figures, all manner of licentiousness is underway, including a man mooning a group of women. In another, Noah’s family gathers under a tree to prepare themselves for next 40 days, while the ark, fully built and bathed in diffused light, sits far in background, its ramp ready to receive the animal pairs—including two unicorns—that prowl the scene. But the book also represents a missed opportunity to teach a little art history: the only text accompanying the pictures is from the King James version of Genesis 6–9, and the identifications of paintings at the book’s end are aimed at adults. Without more context, readers won’t gain much of an understanding of why Noah’s story has served the urges of artists throughout the ages. Ages 4–8.

March 2, 1992
Creator of Gnomes, Dogs and Dutch Treat, Dutch artist Poortvliet tackles the Biblical story of Noah and the flood in this oversize, lavishly produced album. We watch as Noah and his family build the ark with a big wooden crane, then see how the animals adjust to cramped conditions on the boat, until they finally go forth onto dry land. While this imaginative, pictorial retelling shows empathy for the animal kingdom and gently preaches reverence for life, the pictures (223 pages in color) are sentimental to the point of anthropomorphizing the animals, and the handwritten commentaries are frequently coy or trite. Besides continually proclaiming his awe at the infinite variety of creation, Poortvliet devotes pages to comparative studies of beaks, eyes, ears, snouts. He annoyingly mixes in boyhood reminiscences and musings on being an artist.

January 15, 2015
A wide variety of works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection and those of other museums serve as the illustrations in this retelling of the Old Testament tale of Noah and his Ark.An introductory page explains the significance of the story, describing how it is found in many cultures and is a part of Christian, Jewish and Islamic traditions. The serviceable text for this retelling is adapted from the book of Genesis in the King James Version of the Bible. Text blocks are set off on tan, textured backgrounds that suggest parchment and are surrounded by attractive, patterned gold borders. Each spread features a different style of illustration, ranging from tapestries to oil paintings and lithographs to engravings. Concluding pages offer thumbnails of the illustrations with complete information about the artists and current locations of the works, along with interesting comments about the artists' styles and the eras represented. This wide range of artistic interpretations is a relatively sophisticated approach to retelling Noah's tale, and the intriguing, high-quality reproductions ranging from the 15th to the 20th centuries are both a visual delight and a minicourse in art history. Children may need an adult's help to understand the significance of the illustrations, but this thoughtfully designed book deserves attention and a place on the crowded shelf of Noah's Ark retellings. (Picture book/religion. 5-9)

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August 1, 2015

Gr 1-4-Step inside the story of the flood that destroyed humankind in this retelling of the classic biblical myth, told through notable paintings from some of history's most important artists. An introduction establishes the parable's universality. Brief passages from Genesis chapters six through nine are complemented by corresponding works of art, many of which are from the museum's collection. Although the story follows the biblical text almost verbatim, the language is simplified and the passages are short, giving the book a storybook feel and engaging readers enough to see the work through to the "rainbow among the clouds" at the end of the storm. Since this tale has for centuries inspired artists, many different periods, styles, and painters are represented, including large, full-color, quality reprints of work by Giulio Bonasone, Gustave Courbet, Joseph Anton Koch, Jacob Bouttats, and Marc Chagall. The book's final pages pay tribute to each piece, serving as a visual glossary for young art history novices. VERDICT Adults and children alike will be fascinated by this tribute to one of history's greatest parables.-Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2015
Grades 2-4 This attractive book tells the story of Noah's ark in a simple but dignified text adapted from the King James Version of the Bible. On each spread, a beautifully reproduced work of art appears on one page and sometimes extends onto the facing page, which also carries the text within a decorative border. The book was published in association with New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and most of the artworks are in their collection, but Mexican, English, French, and Italian museums are represented as well. The range of periods is evident in the two pictures representing Noah releasing a dove: a 1931 painting by Chagall and a fifteenth-century illuminated manuscript. An appended Credits section offers a small picture of each artwork as well as information about the painting, print, or tapestry and its artist. Each narrative picture is original and beautiful in its own way. A visually rich, majestic version of the familiar story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)