JONAH'S TALE OF A WHALE

Jonah disobeys God’s instructions and finds himself in deep trouble.

God has told Jonah that he must go to Nineveh, Israel’s enemy, to tell them to change their ways and display kindness. Jonah prefers to have them punished, so he gets on a ship headed in the opposite direction. God is not happy and whips up severe storms that terrify the sailors, who call on their own gods for help. When they learn Jonah is to blame, he begs them to save themselves by throwing him overboard. Waiting below is the great gray whale, and Jonah floats right into his mouth. With nothing to do but think, Jonah comes to the conclusion that he must follow God’s orders. He needs a second chance, and therefore, so do the people of Nineveh. He eventually carries out God’s will, however reluctantly, and though successful, must learn yet another lesson in compassion. Forgoing traditional Biblical language and employing brief, almost staccato sentences, modern syntax, and lots of direct conversation between God and Jonah, Schwartz, a rabbi, presents the story to a new audience. All the salient action is there, but the important moral holds central importance. Sanchez’s illustrations have the look of modern animation; they capture the distant past in settings and costume, with the gray whale correctly having baleen. God does not appear, but all the human characters are dark-skinned with comically exaggerated facial features, and there is a strong sense of movement and action.

A well-told, accessible Bible tale for young readers.