Media Matters

 Picture book by Randall Goodgame. Could work as a Christmas or Easter book! Tells a parable from the NT, focuses on the surprising nature of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection, and encourages the reader to be ready for the second coming by loving God and loving others.

 Picture book by Carl Laferton. Relates the story of Elijah and the priests of Baal to the story of the resurrection. A great book for Easter!

 Picture book by Jill Roman Lord. The story is written in a somewhat cumulative style. There are some things about the prose I would have written differently. (Nothing offensive or wrong, just annoying to me from a literary standpoint.) But the illustrations are SO beautiful!!! The animation style is absolutely luminous and captivating!

 Picture book by Anthony DeStefano.  I worry a bit about taking a true story and elaborating on it so fictitiously,  as kids may get confused about what is real and what is fictional. But this is really meant to be more allegorical, with the donkey representing us. We may feel little, weak, and useless, but when Christ enters our story, He can make us strong and fill us with power to do things we otherwise couldn’t do. He uses us, the weak things of the world, to accomplish His work. Allegorically, the story is cute and effective.

 Picture book by Patti Rokus. The text is simple and theologically sound, and each page has a scripture verse as reference if you want to read more about that part of the story. But the real stars of the book are the illustrations. These scenes created entirely from rocks are so well done! My husband even got teary eyed when he saw the one of Christ in Gethsemane carrying all our sins and burdens. A perfect addition to our Easter book collection!

 Board book by Danielle Hitchen. This was a really interesting idea for a board book. Each spread is a simple scene from Holy Week that depicts someone experiencing an emotion (ie. excited-triumphal entry, angry-cleansing the temple, loved-washing disciples feet, thankful-prayer during last supper, overwhelmed-Gethsemane, frustrated-Pilate, scared-soldiers, sad-death and burial, surprised-women at the tomb, and joyful-apostles with Jesus). There is also a simple description/scripture verse about the scene. So you can discuss emotions with very young children and have them pantomime what that emotion looks like or talk about what it feels like. You can talk about the various stories in simple terms and build familiarity with those stories. Parents could tell the stories in greater detail or read the full scriptural accounts as children get older. Note: the book I ordered from Amazon arrived very warped in shape and I suspect it was a manufacturing error, so there was likely a large ...

 Picture book by Lauren Chandler. I loved this book! It tells the story of Lazarus in a way that is funny, appealing, and emotionally stirring, then ties it to the death and resurrection of Christ and His promise that goodbyes are not forever. Destined to be an Easter favorite for sure!

 Board book by Jill Roman Lord. This is a great Easter board book for the target toddler audience. Rhyming prose that is fun to read. Animals aplenty. A joyful, celebratory tone. And a 100% focus on Jesus.

 Picture book by DuBose Heyward. I enjoyed the pro-motherhood message and the idea that the experience she gained as a mother, developing kindness, wisdom, bravery, ingenuity, and even speed, are what qualified her for the job. There is also a strong message that with hard work and patience, anyone can reach their dreams, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or gender.

 Picture book by Helen Yoon. This was a charming way to show the power of compromise. The animals find an egg. Some want to paint the egg. Others want to eat the egg. They argue and think the opposing side is crazy. Then along comes a ginormous bear wearing bunny ears. He takes the egg, blows out the insides and scrambles them into an omelet, then paints the emptied shell, turning it into a win-win for everyone. 

 Picture book by Jordan Robertson. This is a beautiful book, filled with true doctrine. Perfect for a child who has lost a loved one! Could also be considered an Easter book to be read in conjunction with the holiday.

 Picture book by Glenys Nellist. This was a sweet way to explain the concept of hope from the viewpoint of nature and the transition from winter to spring, or death to new life. 

 Picture book by Timothy Robinson. This is a factionalized account of a boy and his family who experience the three days of darkness and Christ’s visit to the Nephites. It is quite well written and illustrated. It is fairly lengthy, so better suited to older kids.

 Picture book by John Hendrix. This is one of my favorite Easter books so far. The writing is unbelievably good, the story is paced well, and the illustration style enhances the experience a great deal. Most importantly, it is written with a reverent sincerity I appreciated. My one complaint is that in telling the story of Jesus, the author chose to skip Gethsemane, jumping straight from the Last Supper to the Betrayal and Arrest. But it is still absolutely worth your time. This book would appeal to ages 7-adult.

 This movie is about an arrogant actor sentenced to do community service at a church. He is unwittingly cast to play Jesus in an upcoming stage production, and the experience changes his heart. Highly recommended for teens and adults, although even younger could watch as it is rated PG.