Book Details:
- Author: Simonetta Carr
- Illustrator: Matt Abraxas
- Category: Children's Books
- Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books (2011)
- Binding: Hardcover, picture book
- Page count: 64
- ISBN#: 9781601781512
- Review Date: 11/4/11 by Bob Hayton
- Rating: Must Read
Review: Athansius is one of the most important early Christian leaders, perhaps the only one with a Creed named after him. But like many Christian young people, I grew up without learning much about him at all.
Simonetta Carr hopes to remedy this problem through her latest addition to the “Christian Biographies for Young Readers” series from Reformation Heritage Books. In Athanasius, Carr gives young readers a vivid account of Athanasius’ life. Complete with beautiful illustrations from Matt Abraxas, the book also includes a timeline, maps and lots of background facts about the time period of Athanasius’ life.
Written for kids aged 7-12, this book will appeal to kids of a wide age-range. The story is set in the 300s AD in Alexandria, but Athanasius takes us from the deserts of Egypt, to Tyre, Rome, and Trier, Germany among other places. His life criss-crosses that of several emperors and he finds himself in and out of exile constantly. Athanasius is most remembered for his role in helping formulate the Nicene Creed and solidifying orthodox teaching on the Trinity, which is enshrined in the Athanasian Creed. His life also stands testament to the awful reality of persecution which so many Christians of ages past endured.
The book is arranged like a cross between a coffee-table book and a story book. The quality of the book will make it more suited for the mantle or special bookcase than a kids’ playroom. The art is beautiful and the story stays accessible for young readers. This book will serve well in Sunday Schools or homeschool classes and takes its place alongside other titles in this series, which includes John Calvin, John Owen and Augustine of Hippo. If you are looking for wholesome reading material for young readers, this volume and the entire series from Reformation Heritage deserves your consideration. I highly recommend this book.
For this book, you’ll really want to see this 16 page preview from Westminster Bookstore. It will enable you to get a better feel for the artwork and overall quality of the work.
Author Info: Author, Simonetta Carr was born in Italy and has lived and worked in different cultures. A former elementary school teacher, she has home-schooled her eight children for many years. She has written for newspapers and magazines around the world and has translated the works of several Christian authors into Italian. Presently, she lives in San Diego with her husband, Thomas, and family. She is a member and Sunday school teacher at Christ United Reformed Church.
Illustrator, Matt Abraxas has traveled from California to France, studying different approaches to art. He enjoys creating and teaching art, and currently exhibits his work at the SmithKlein Gallery in Boulder, Colorado. Matt lives with his wife Rebecca and two sons, Zorba and Rainer, in Lafayette, Colorado.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Reformation Heritage Books for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
Additional Resources:
- Book Excerpt: Available here
- Other Book Reviews: Available here
- Purchase Links: Westminster Bookstore, Amazon.com, or direct from Reformation Heritage.
- PDF Copy: Download a PDF copy of this review
