This review was also posted here - https://cavetothecross.com/blog/the-garden-the-curtain/

One of my favorite books in the past decade has been "God Dwells Among Us" by G.K. Beale. In that, he takes us through the motif of the garden from Eden to the Tent to the Temple to Christ to the Church to the New Heavens/New Earth. It is a phenomenal, brain-breaking (in a good way) book. This is almost that book - for kids.

While focusing on the division of man from God as the result of sin that leads us out of Eden and causes division even in the Tent/Temple and then the destruction of the separation in the work of the Man-God Jesus, we have that thread that reaches back to the Genesis of it all to the End. The book doesn't get too heady, but calling it a service-level undertaking would be inaccurate. In fact, it would have been good to see a little more of that thread in other parts of Scripture but that is nitpicky. I would put this right on the shelf next to DeYoung's "The Biggest Story" as far a story structure and art. The art here is wonderful. Gone are the days of dentist's office, bland depictions of Jesus and children or simple round-faced drawings - there is frameable art here.

A good introduction to soteriology theology for kids! Final Grade - B+ ( )

BEAUTIFUL book that encapsulates my faith. ( )

This is a beautifully illustrated and well-thought-out retelling of the Gospel in a way that even small children can understand. It’s true that it sums up the entire Bible seemingly quickly, BUT it also paints the Bible story for what it is—the grand plan of a loving God to save a lost and dying world. I loved the imagery and how it engaged my 3 year-old, while the wording was perfectly understandable for my almost 5 year-old. Both were engaged the entire time, and there were questions galore afterward. This one will definitely be in the regular bedtime rotation! ( )

With beautiful illustrations and very short, simple sentences, this book takes the reader on a journey from the Garden of Eden to the Resurrection.

I am a father of four kids eight and under. So I read to them a lot. As far as religious kids' books, I like books that tell the old, old story well in a way that is both age appropriate and compelling. The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross is a great book. It gives kids age five to eight (my test group) a big picture sense of why Jesus died and rose again. Author Carl Laberton tells a story which is accessible for my kids and true to scripture. His story is beautifully illustrated by Catalina Echeverri's stunning illustrations. On the first day I got this book, I already read it several times with my kids. It opened up a great conversation with my eight year old about what the Bible tells about sin and we loved talking about what was happening in the pictures.

Here is a brief synopsis of the book [spoiler alert]: It begins in the garden where there was nothing bad, ever and there was no one sad. . . ever. And best of all God was there. Unfortunately the people did a terrible thing and decided they wanted a world without God in charge. Because of their sin, God sent them out of the garden and put warrior angels in front of it like a big KEEP OUT sign. People still kept sinning because they didn't want God in charge. God wanted to remind people how wonderful it was to live with him, so he had his people build a temple. In the center of the temple was the wonderful place where God was. But around that wonderful place was a curtain with pictures of warrior angels—God's big keep out sign telling them that because of their sin, they couldn't come in. After hundreds of years God sent his son as a person (Jesus) to open the way to God's wonderful place. The people put Jesus on a cross. Jesus took all our sin—the bad things we do and the sad things they cause—and the curtain in the temple tore in two signalling God's wonderful place was open again. Jesus rose three days later and welcomed all who trust in him back to God's wonderful place.

I like this book a lot and my kids all liked it. It is a perfect book to explore the meaning of Easter with kids. Another plus for the book is that Jesus isn't depecited as another blond haired messiah. He has dark hair and some color. The final pages depict the post-resurrection Jesus with bright face with a glowing white hair and beard nd a golden sash (see Revelation 1:13-16).I give this book high points for biblical and theological accuracy but it was the art work that initially grabbed me. There is a Youtube video of illustrator Catalina Echeverri reading the story alongside her illustrations of the book (this is worth watching). I give this book five stars. ★★★★★

Note: I received this book from the Good Book Company via Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for my honest review.

 

 
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