MOSES

Beneduce retells stories from the life of Moses in a fictionalized biography style told in contemporary language, using both the Torah and the King James Bible as references. The freely flowing text includes the story of Moses as a baby with his sister Miriam, a summary of his younger days, and then focuses on Moses leading the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt after many punishments sent by God to the Pharaoh and his people. An epilogue summarizes the remainder of the life of Moses, including the approximate time setting of the events. Spirin’s detailed and light-filled pencil-and-watercolor illustrations bring the old tales to life: Miriam and baby Moses in his basket, the plagues of snakes and frogs, Moses thrusting his rod toward the sky to unleash a storm. The volume’s exquisite design includes some illustrated pages with panels incorporating passages of biblical text and smaller spot illustrations at the bottom of many pages adding details and visual interest. (author’s note) (Nonfiction. 6-10)