Simon and the Easter Miracle by Mary Joslin

The gospels tell of Simon of Cyrene--"a man coming in from the country"--who was ordered to carry Jesus' cross. Over the centuries, his story has been woven into a Polish folktale. In the tradition of The Three Trees this folk tale gives a fresh perspective on the Easter story.


When Simon the farmer brings his wares to market, little does he expect how he will be involved in the events of that very special day, nor how his items--bread, eggs, and wine--will become important symbols of Jesus' passion and resurrection, remembered throughout the ages.

This picture book retelling of a traditional tale is both thought-provoking and engaging.

My review:

This is a fictional telling of the events of Good Friday from the viewpoint of Simon of Cyrene. Its geared for young children, so it isn't very long in length, but is one of those books with a lot of pictures and a short story.

The idea of the book is neat, and I like the end result. It is easy for a child to read, or be read to, and the illustrator did a great job illustrating the book. I would recommend this for parents who want to help their young children understand the events of Good Friday a little better.

About the author:

Mary Joslin, published exclusively by Lion, is known for her children's books on belief and spirituality. Her books, which include The Story of the Cross and On That Christmas Night, have sold more than 200,000 copies.

About the illustrator:
Anna Luraschi has illustrated a number of books for Usborne. 

Simon and the Easter Miracle is available from Kregel Publishing.

Thanks to Kregel for the review copy.