Simon and the Easter Miracle by Mary Joslin

When I get the opportunity to review a children's book, I often display it on a side table in our dining room, especially when the book is a lovely hardcover one such as Simon and the Easter Miracle.

I was pleased to receive this story; being a follower of Jesus, Easter is my favorite holiday, and I'm always looking for good books that reflect my faith to share with my daughters. I was immediately attracted by the lovely illustrations on the cover, courtesy of  Anna Luraschi.

One positive aspect of displaying books on the table as we do, is that it catches the eyes of my girls, and is within easy reach when they want to take a look. Such was the case with this tale. I mentioned to my 8 year old that I wanted to sit down with her and read this book together and hear her thoughts. She replied, "Oh, the Easter one? Yeah, I read that a few times. I like it." Fun. :)

What I enjoyed about the book:

I love the illustrations. How to describe them, hmmm...peaceful, pleasant, not whimsical exactly, but well, simply lovely.

I thought it interesting to consider the Easter story from Simon's viewpoint. Here he is, wrapped up in his own world, earning a living, and God just kind of drops in on him. ( God does that with us sometimes , doesn't He? )
All of a sudden, Simon is a part of the biggest event in the history of man. How did that affect him? It just opens up some good discussion.

What I didn't like so much:

I found Simon's initial encounter with Jesus disappointing. The Easter story was diluted, with the reason given for Jesus dying was that He brought a message of peace. At the end, there is the suggestion of a miracle with the empty eggs that Simon finds, but no mention of the Resurrection itself, which is what Easter is all about!

So, I'm actually still pondering the book and how I feel about it. At the very least, it makes for some interesting conversations with my girls.


Simon and the Easter Miracle written by Mary Joslin, illustrated by Anna Luraschi

Price: $14.99


* I received a free copy of Simon and the Easter Miracle in exchange for my honest opinion, with no additional compensation.