All about that grace

The Christmas Nativity (Word for Word Bible Comic version). Illustrated by Simon Amadeus Pillario, Colours by Leslie Simonin Wilmer and Ryan Esch.

Available from https://www.wordforwordbiblecomic.com/shop/the-nativity-word-for-word-bible-comic and other online retailers.

I was hoping to get this review published before Christmas, but better late than never! At least this way, there is plenty of time to buy copies to give away for next Christmas!

What is it?

The Word for Word Bible Comics are an amazing resource by Simon Amadeus Pillario. Every single word of the Bible story is included and brought to life by stunning and well-researched illustrations.

This is the Nativity story – Jesus’ birth, and childhood – told exclusively in the words of the Bible from Luke, Matthew and John. It includes everything that is told in the gospels surrounding Jesus’ birth: Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story, Mary and Joseph’s encounters with angels, the shepherds, meeting Simeon and Anna at the temple, the Magi and the flight to Egypt, and Jesus as a boy visiting the temple in Jerusalem. Simon even includes both Matthew and Luke’s genealogies!

3 reasons to love this book

1: A faithful, visual account of the Bible story of Jesus’ birth which can be enjoyed by the whole family

As mentioned above – all of the story is included. Nothing is added or taken away. All three accounts are included in a coherent narrative. Visual storytelling can be a great way to engage if you find it hard to focus on long passages of text, and is much easier to remember!

While I suspect that older children and adults are likely to get the most out of it, my daughter Bee has loved it since she was 5. It is still her favourite retelling of the Nativity story, and (as you can see in the photo above!) our copy is very well worn!

2: You will see the Nativity story with fresh eyes

The Nativity story can get so familiar, it becomes… dare I say it… Boring. We know all the events so well that they begin to lose any meaning. With a visual novel, the pace changes, and you can focus on details, and really get a sense of the narrative.

For example, when reading about Jesus staying back at the temple, it is easy to skim over the first three words in Luke 2:46, “After three days they found him…” But these three words are represented beautifully across a whole page and bring home to me all the emotions Mary must have been feeling, including her relief and anger on the following page, when they find him!

I also really get a sense for the feelings of the characters, in a way that is easy to miss with such a familiar story. Like the range of emotions Joseph shows when he finds Mary is pregnant.

3: So well researched!

All the Word for Word Bible Comics stand out because of their attention to detail. So much work has been done to ensure everything is as accurate and clear as possible. For example, Simon has done extensive research into where the Magi came from and what they would have looked like, what Herod’s palace would have looked like, and what a first century home looked like. I also love the skillful inclusion of maps as part of the images.

BONUS REASON: The Appendices!

The appendices are not to be missed! They delve into details that are easy to miss, like why there are two different genealogies, and explore fascinating revelations from the evidence available. They also highlight some of the in depth work required to develop such a high quality resource.

There are ten different short articles:

• Why does Jesus’ genealogy in Luke differ from Matthew?
• Focus on Joseph (a more detailed look at what we know about Joseph and his conundrum from the Bible and other sources)
• Prophecies fulfilled by Jesus’ birth
• Joseph took Mary as his wife (wedding celebrations at the time)
• Who were the shepherds? (A fascinating observation that the shepherds who came to visit Jesus may have been those who inspected sheep for the sacrifices and judge whether they were acceptable… Confirming Jesus as the “unblemished sacrificial lamb”, perhaps?)
• No Innkeeper? No stable? (Was Jesus born in a stable?)
• Who were the Magi?
• King Herod I
• What year was Jesus born?
• Was Jesus born on December 25?

The appendices are so good, they make the books worth getting, even if you think you are someone who wouldn’t enjoy a graphic novel. However, I suspect that there are few people who would not enjoy experiencing this familiar story in a new way, rendered with such faithfulness and care.