Title: Grandma Tell Me The Easter Story
Author: Marlene L. Burling
Illustrated by: Greg L. Smalley
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media LLC
ISBN: 978-1-63871-924-3
Genre: Religion / Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 46
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
In the dedication of Grandma Tell Me The Easter Story, author Marlene L. Burling expresses her wish to her ten grandchildren, 8 great-grand-children, and any others which may have arrived since penning this book, wishing each to have a special gift. The gift of eternal life, given to us by our faith in the glorious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The story of Easter, as told by this Grandma, with a loving and maternal tone, exemplifies the miracle of resurrection; a story which is needed to be taught to the younger generations.
Beginning with the picture of a comfy family scene, where children ask Grandma to be told a story, readers are memorized of a drawing of Jesus Christ in a pen-and-ink, black-and-white fashion on white paper. These drawing, throughout the book, can be used by children to color in with crayons or markers, which was a detail which came to my mind when viewing the pictures. Cleverly, within the dialog of the text, Grandma uses a “blank” for the children’s names, enabling an adult reading this book to insert the name or names of the immediate audience, personalizing the message.
Onto the Easter story, each page embellished with scriptures from the Bible. Readers see the Passover supper, they are introduced to Judas turning against Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and Caiaphas asking Jesus, “Are you the son of God?”
The book goes on the when Jesus was brought to the governor, Pontius Pilate and put on trial. The following scenes of the crowd chanting, “Crucify Him!” brings the brutal ending of Jesus’ life to a graphic and emotional focal point.
The final episodes are quoted from the Book of Mark and the Book of Luke, showing the disappearance of Jesus’ body from his grave and emerging into heaven, to take his righteous seat on the right side of God, His Father. “He is risen! Jesus is alive!”
Ending with a prayer to be read by the youngsters, and putting a picture of them into the back page of this book, highly personalizes this book to become a keepsake for the family. Teaching this story prior to having it told many times again will instill the foundation of faith to help them through the turmoil of life on Earth, and have them groomed for eternal life themselves.
