Module 3 Noah's Ark

Summary: God is unhappy with how uncaring the human race has become so he decides he is going to wash away all the evil by creating a flood.  He chooses Noah as the designated person to build an ark that will protect his family and two of each animal. 

Pinkey, J. (2002). Noah's ark. New York, NY. SeaStar Books.

My Impressions: I was very pleased with how this book stayed true to the original biblical story. I was especially impressed with the beautiful watercolor paintings that earned this book a Caldecott in 2003. The illustration of the underwater view of the ark and the sharks swimming through buildings is breathtaking.

Professional Review:
Gr. 2-5. One of the best-known Old Testament stories gets a powerful traditional interpretation by an artist who seems utterly comfortable with the majesty of the tale, in terms of both meaning and visual scale. The deep rumble of a distant voice can almost be heard in the strong, straightforward text ("God was not pleased with the people of the earth. They did not care for one another. They did not care for the land that God made. And they did not care for God"), and the muscular pencil-and-watercolor art, in Pinkney's familiar style, stands up well to the telling. Scenes crowded with people and animals never seem too busy; and there's exciting drama in the rising water and the blowing winds. But the art is uneven, with a sameness to a few of the spreads, and sometimes the fascinating pencil underpinnings of the pictures are lost beneath the washes. Like the jacket art, however, there's much that is exceptional here, especially an impressive, quiet view of the ark sitting patiently as rain pounds the earth and the swirling sea begins to engulf the whole world. Definitely make room for this on the shelf.

[Review of Noah's Ark]. (2002, October 1). Booklist. Retrieved from www.booklist.com

Library Use: Since this story is of religious nature, the only library use it could serve would be as an example of illustrations that make a Caldecott winner.