All about that grace

The Garden, The Curtain and the Cross – written by Carl Laferton, Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri. Published by The Good Book Company (originally in 2016)

The first time I read this book, I was at my Mum’s house. She had found this book at a Christian conference or exhibition she was working at, and brought it home. My daughter was about a year old and when I read it to her, my voice caught in my throat and it brought tears to my eyes.

It was the first time I had read a book which clearly explains, in words a child can understand, the whole story of the Bible. As the tagline states, this is “The true story of why Jesus died and rose again”.

It starts “A very long time ago, right here in this world, there was a garden”. It traces humanity’s journey, starting in the wonderful garden with “nothing bad, ever” and “no one sad, ever”, where they can walk and talk with God. It then describes how humans decided not to follow God, so they had to leave the garden and live in our broken world where bad things and sad things happen. But God never gave up on his people, giving them first the Temple and then his own son, Jesus, whose death and resurrection means we can join him forever in eternity, where there will be nothing bad and nothing sad forever.

I love the use of the imagery of the angels at the garden of Eden as the keep out sign, which is echoed on the embroidery on the curtain in the Temple, which is ripped when Jesus dies to show that “God’s wonderful place is open again! Because Jesus died, we can go in!”

I also love the refrain, which builds through the book and culminates:

“God says it is wonderful to live with him.
Because of your sin, you can’t come in.
BUT I died on the cross to take your sin…
So all my friends CAN now come in!”

Catalina Echeverri’s detailed illustrations really add to the story. Everything in God’s perfect world (both at the beginning and the end) is bright and bold, while the broken, sinful world, there’s a more muted colour scheme and a grainy overlay. There are some great details, including some of the animals playing hide and seek in the Garden of Eden, while Adam and Eve swim! Don’t miss the pictorial references on the cross to some of humanity’s worst sins, detailed pictures of the first Easter Sunday, and the “Keep Out” Angels cheering when King Jesus welcomes someone to come and live with him!

All in all, a great read for any child or adult, which summarises the Good News of God’s Kingdom!

For more of my favourite books, see my Book Nook.

Bee’s review (age 6): “It’s not one of my favourite books. I just didn’t like when God sends them out of the Garden. But I do like the part when they’re swimming in the river. I also like the part where they have body paint” [in the Garden].