Children's Video Bible: The Beginning

Based upon The Lion Story Bible series, written by Penny Frank and illustrated by Eric Ford, John Haysom, and Tony Morris, the Children's Video Bible video series features voiceover narration set to nicely illustrated stills. In The Beginning, ten stories ranging from the Creation to the Exodus out of Egypt, or roughly, the first 1 1/2 books of the Old Testament, are presented. The stories are neither the literal word of the Bible, nor are they merely retranslated into a modern idiom. In the first story "In the Beginning," the narrator says that God made the Sun, which God says "will keep my plants strong and green." If God was environmentally or ecologically minded, we have no record of it--other than nature itself. The Bible doesn't offer the above gloss. Taken as a whole, however, Ms. Frank's retelling of the popular Bible stories effectively captures the spirit and the essence of what are simply some of the best stories we have--regardless of one's faith or lack of it. In addition to the creation, the stories include: "Adam and Eve," "Noah and the Great Flood," "Abraham, Friend of God," "Isaac Finds a Wife," "Jacob and Esau," and stories of Joseph and Moses. In short, the early patriarchs are well covered here, and the only strange omission is the story of Cain and Abel. There are a lot of rinky dink animated Bible story tapes on the market, but this series is both sound and dignified. The four other titles in the series are: The Promised Land, Kings and Prophets, The First Christmas, and Jesus and His Kingdom. Recommended. (Available from most distributors.)