Noah by Mark Ludy

Handlebar Publishing: Review of Noah by Mark Ludy

The story of Noah and the Ark has been retold countless times, in varying media, and with an even greater variance in quality of telling. Authors, filmmakers, and artists have created their own interpretations and told the story of an eccentric man who, at nearly 500 years old, had an encounter with God and was instructed to build an Ark to save himself, his family, and the creatures of the earth from rain; something the world had never seen! Mark Ludy joins this group with his own description of this incredible Biblical account. This book presents an interesting concept in children’s books. It is a wordless picture book but not of the typical board book sort, rather, this is a full size hardcover book with glossy pages, vivid colors, and stunning imagery. The book tells the story of Noah, through pictures, from chapters 5-10 of the book of Genesis. Although this book does contain pictures depicting the darker parts of the story of Noah (including the drowning of those not aboard the Ark and Noah’s fear of God), it is faithful to the text of the Bible. The attention to some of the finer details of the pages is also of note. In the pages illustrating the birth of the sons of Noah, the artist has captured great joy on the faces of Noah and his wife. The author has also included dinosaurs in the pictures depicting the earth prior to the flood which is an interesting point of view for this story. The author also illustrates the timeline of the biblical narrative as he portrays the passage of time through the growth of Noah’s sons and the construction of the Ark. The author pays close attention to the details of the story and illustrates that God spoke to Noah and that construction of the Ark began prior to the birth of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These small details add to the value of this work because in the numerous retellings of this story these details are often excluded.

I was initially skeptical about the value of a book of this type because of its lack of text. However, as I have “read” through the book with my children I have found that the lack of words causes us to peruse the pages more slowly and with more interest. We have been able to tell the story in our own words as well as with the text of the Bible to guide us. The pictures have also allowed the opportunity for smaller children to tell the story from their memory, and in their own words. This book can be enjoyed by adults and children alike; the stunning artistic rendering of this story coupled with the overall quality of the book and attention to detail make this an excellent addition to personal libraries for any age. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Handlebar Marketing as part of their bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." Learn more about this book and the author here.