The 10 Must Know Stories

Heather Butler

Rating:

This book is part of a series, using what SU feels are the ten most important Bible stories, with volumes for each Key Stage. I’m not sure who the intended market is. SU books aren’t available in mainline shops where non-Christians shop. Most church children will already know these familiar stories. 

Although the jacket is eye catching and colourful, the inside has dense print and only line drawings. It looks very old fashioned. The stories don’t read well and speaking them aloud doesn’t improve the pedestrian retelling. In the story of the Prodigal Son, looking after pigs is for “no-hopers.” That will not go down well in Suffolk where we farm pigs!!! There is nothing in the text to show that pigs and pork is against the Jewish religion. The language used in the retelling of the feeding of the 5,000 makes it sound like magic. However the device of using a lizard to tell some of the stories was good, but spoiled by the idioms which sounded stilted and don’t quite work.

I gave this book to several pupils; a Christian girl knew all the stories and who said it was boring; a boy lifted it up and put it down again, “rubbish” he said; another girl’s comment was that she didn’t really understand the first story; a poorer Year 5 reader couldn’t read it at all.

There are so many better retellings of these stories. I can’t see any reason why I would want to buy this volume, even at £3.99.

Reviewer: Moira Kleissner, School Librarian and Supply Teacher, Hillside Community Primary School, Ipswich, Suffolk

Review posted on: 12 June 2008

Product information:

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