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Jonah and a Very Big Fish
Jonah and a Very Big Fish: For increased reader retention, be sure to encourage your child to point out the main person or object in each exciting Bible story.
28 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 27, 2019
This is not the best re-telling of the well-known Jonah and the Big Fish story from the Bible. It is a nice introduction for a young child to begin with and a wonderful addition to any Sunday school or child's library. The pictures are well done. My children enjoyed and now my grandsons do.
November 8, 2015
Many children’s books about Jesus and God are joyous and leave us feeling light. The way conventional religions portray Jesus and God and interpret their messages, is often discordant. “Jonah’s” story exemplifies this bleak representation. I will discuss the toddler’s version I have read: “Jonah And A Very Big Fish” 1994, retold by Sunny Griffin; illustrated by a single-named type, “Yacoba”. The simple outline is that the Lord asks Jonah to preach in Nineveh. He fears it is a cantankerous town that would result in his peril, so he strikes out for the sea instead.
The right, positive message that our Lord and Saviour intended is to trust in Him, no matter how frightened we are. This is the encouraging, helping manner of God, as I know Him. Despite Yacoba’s bright, whimsical, even goofy pictures; positive encouragement is not what we get. Sunny uses the most basic words in short phrases, posed as questions so that children ponder the Bible. Unfortunately, the message that comes out of her particular adaptation is downright awful. The moral she addresses, to toddlers of all things, is that God will kill us if we don’t do things His way! What kind of a message or lesson is that?
When Jonah chooses the sea instead of Nineveh, which he considers dangerous; he boards a vessel with a smiling group. God tracks him to that boat and is willing to kill all of them, even the bystanders aboard ship; because Jonah went elsewhere. It’s horrible that the people continue to smile, as a storm threatens to capsize them. Only Jonah’s decision to leap overboard saves them and a whale rescues him. God sent the whale but only because Johan recanted and obeyed. That is no way to show our loving Father to children, nor anyone else.
The right, positive message that our Lord and Saviour intended is to trust in Him, no matter how frightened we are. This is the encouraging, helping manner of God, as I know Him. Despite Yacoba’s bright, whimsical, even goofy pictures; positive encouragement is not what we get. Sunny uses the most basic words in short phrases, posed as questions so that children ponder the Bible. Unfortunately, the message that comes out of her particular adaptation is downright awful. The moral she addresses, to toddlers of all things, is that God will kill us if we don’t do things His way! What kind of a message or lesson is that?
When Jonah chooses the sea instead of Nineveh, which he considers dangerous; he boards a vessel with a smiling group. God tracks him to that boat and is willing to kill all of them, even the bystanders aboard ship; because Jonah went elsewhere. It’s horrible that the people continue to smile, as a storm threatens to capsize them. Only Jonah’s decision to leap overboard saves them and a whale rescues him. God sent the whale but only because Johan recanted and obeyed. That is no way to show our loving Father to children, nor anyone else.
December 23, 2019
This is a cute edition of this story. My young niece loves it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews