Bible tales from TV

Press, 4 March 1978, Page 17

Bible tales from TV

(Reviews by Margaret Quigley)

A well received 8.8. C. television series, “In the Beginning,” retold the key stories of the Old ""estament in a vivid and arresting way. Now Collins have begun producing a series of attractive hard-backs based on the series. The first two published are “The Creation” and "The Family of Abraham” (both $6.70). The text is by Molly Cox, who wrote and produced the television series, and the illustrations are by Graham McCallum and Paul Birkbeck. who created the visual effects for the programmes.

“The Creation” retells the Jewish stories of the beginning of the world, of Adam and Even and of Cain and Abel, in simple, but beautiful language and with an introduction explaining how different races wrote different poetic accounts of the beginning of life.

The second book deals with the stories of Abraham and of Joseph. In both the full page illustrations are apt and meaningful and one will watch with interest for further publications in this series, which is suitable for young readers from six to 10. “The Island of Nose,” by Jan Marinus Verburg, has been translated from Dutch by Lance Salway and will appeal to some readers in the eight to 10 group. It is a large hardback which comes tightly encased in plastic and costs a stunning $l4. The full-page illustrations by Annie Schmidt are highly coloured, intricate and grotesque, and will fascinate those children to whom they do not give nightmares. The story is disappointing; a rather confused tale of a little boy whose large ears cause him to be constantly teas.ed. but who becomes a hero on an island where everyone has large noses. Two new publications by Collins in the Young Scientist Series were the books of “Waves” and of “Strength” ($6.95). They are large well-bound, generously illustrated and adequately indexed books which deal with an enormous variety of possible questions on their subjects. Indeed so much miscellaneous information is included, often linked fairly loosely to the subject, that some children may find the books confusing rather than enlightening, a possibility increased by the muddled layout of some pages. In

general, however, the principles of the topics are well explained and the books are interesting enough for raders in the nine to 12 goup to dip into.

"The Gift of the Tarns" (Collins, $5.35), by Elisabeth Russell Taylor, is a small, easily overlooked, but beautiful book about a knife grinder and his wife, who, when their longed for son arrives, settle in an abandoned cottage far back in the hills between two tarns. Tarn Leban which gives good gifts of water, fish and reeds, and lain Tegrof whose waters bring instant forgetfulness. An imaginative and sadly sweet story, simply illustrated by line drawings and suited to readers of eight to 11.

Colin Thiele's Australian classic "Storm Boy.” first published in 1963, has been reissued by Collins in a new edition ($7,951 with beautiful and haunting pictures by the Australian artist. Robert Ingpen. The illustrations perfectly capture the atmosphere of the strange wilderness area of South Australia known as the Coorong where Storm boy and his father live in a shak among the sandhills and befriend a pelican Highly recommended for children from eight to 11, it is a book to keep and treasure for life.

Walt Morey continues to write well crafted stories for readers in the 10 to 13 age group ."The year of the Black Pony” (Collins. $6.70) tell the story of an American family farming out West at the beginning of this century, of the mother’s unusual solution to the problem of keeping the family together after the father’s death, and of the son’s hopeless longing fo a wild black pony. The book is written from the boy’s point of view and is an exciting story which explores with sensitivity some unusual relationships. “Griselda” is another highly readable tale for girls from 10 to 13 by the writer Angela Bull. It is set in her favourite period of the 1880 s and deals with the gradually developing friendship between two very different girls — a primly brought-up. lonely and introspective Charlotte and the unconventional, exuberant Griselda. The author is thoroughly at home in her period and both background and characters had a vividness which suits the exciting and romantic story of a lost heiress and wicked villain.