A guide through the Book of Ruth for kids
Christian children's book review by Jane Finch.
Probably the best known love story in the Bible
I chose this book to review because I was attracted initially by the title. More than just a love story was intriguing.
I have read the Book of Ruth in the Bible several times and thought it was quite familiar. I was surprised that this book by Helen Clark encouraged me to look at aspects I had not previously considered.
Ruth: More than a Love Story is aimed at age group 9-12 year olds but I think it would be suitable for teens also. This is because of the way the author has cleverly taken parts of the story and likened it to life today.
I like the approach to the story. Helen Clark gives a brief background so that the reader is aware of the history of Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth.
The story tells of Naomi’s difficult life as she loses her husband and two sons. It tells how Ruth was bereaved at a young age and had to leave her home and family to support Naomi in her time of need.
It shows that throughout all the trials and struggles God had a plan for Ruth as eventually she meets her husband-to-be, Boaz.
This is a step by step journey through the Book of Ruth and helps the reader to have a clearer understanding of the story.
The book is divided into twelve sections and has a puzzle section at the end including crossword and wordsearch.
Each section starts with a phrase that is relevant to living in today’s world and is thought provoking. For example, Chapter 3 begins “When things look so bleak, it is sure to test anyone’s faith in God”.
The individual sections take specific parts of the Book of Ruth and examine them in an interesting way and with clearly defined headings. There is also a Message for Today with each section, looking at how the story relates to living in today’s world and society.
Each section also has a Think Tank, and gives things to think about relating to the passage that has been read.
It would be easy to just dismiss the story of Ruth as a simple love story, but Helen Clark has taken that extra step to show that the title really does this book justice – Ruth: More than just a Love Story.
More than anything this book confirms that God has a plan for everyone and it helps the reader to grasp this concept in an easy to understand way as the story of Ruth is discussed.
Ruth: More than a Love Story is part of the Pocket Bible People series published by Day One Publications. The Pocket Bible People series examines the lives of Bible characters and brings them to life for the reader through the well thought out sections and the in-depth approach.
The author, Helen Clark, was born in England and now lives in South Africa with her husband, Stuart.
For those wishing to know more about the characters in the Bible, and have a deeper understanding of God’s love and His purpose for each one of us, Pocket Bible People is a great resource, and Ruth is a great place to start.
Published by Day One Publications.
Our reviewer was provided with a copy of this publication.
Read more of Jane's book reviews.
New! CommentsHave your say!