EASTER

In a sequel to her earlier Bethlehem (2001), Greenaway Medalist French has created a powerful pictorial rendition of the Easter story. She uses only the language of the King James Bible, which is clear enough for even young children to follow. She illustrates the Word from Palm Sunday until the Ascension, basing her images on English stained-glass windows. These are very beautiful indeed, in their jewel colors and strong graphic outlines. Within that visual idiom, French has managed to make the faces expressive and the gestures unambiguous. She wields perspective like a sword, from the close-up pattern of faces and palm branches to the tumbling of the multitude of fishes, more than the disciples could gather. “And they crucified him” appears as a single sentence on one page swept with stained glass shards; opposite is the image of Christ on the cross, its hieratic solemnity unbroken. Excellent for Christian children and lucid enough for those interested in the beliefs of others. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-8)