Psalm Twenty-Three

by Tim Ladwig

Book Overview

Through poignant, heart-warming images of an urban African-American family, children experience the comfort and encouragement this favorite psalm still offers -- the powerful message that they can rely on the Lord as they thread their way through the risk-filled maze of daily life in the city.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802851630
• ISBN13: 9780802851635
• Release Date: September 1997
• Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 9.8" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 5 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 4

Customer Reviews

A beautifully illustrated book

Psalm Twenty-Three, illustrated by Tim Ladwig, is one of those books that uses Bible passages as its text. (This one, of course, is from Psalm 23.) What sets this book apart from the others, though, is the artwork. True-to-life, vibrant paintings of a contemporary extended African-American family highlight each double-page spread. The images are realistic and three-dimensional, making you feel like you could reach out and touch the persons depicted in the paintings. Set in an urban neighborhood, the pictures correspond in a modern way with a text that is hundreds of years old. For instance, the line, I shall not want, is illustrated with a painting of Grandma and Grandpa sitting at the kitchen table with a young boy and a young girl (and a dog), eating breakfast and preparing for a day at school. Two young boys playing in a mud puddle are paired with the words He leads me beside quiet waters. What I Like: Everything. The artist did a wonderful job in the way he used words from the Bible to illustrate life in an urban setting. What I Dislike: Nothing. Overall Rating: Excellent. Age Appeal: The publisher suggests 4-8 years as the appropriate age for this book. I think youngsters of that age would enjoy the illustrations along with the simple text. But, because of its universal appeal and the way the illustrator ties the text to everyday life, I believe this book is appropriate for all ages. Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review

A Rural Psalm Portrayed for Urban America

Tim Ladwig is the accomplished illustrator of numerous Christian-themed books. In "Psalm 23," Ladwig translates onto canvas the most famous Psalm of all, incorporating stirring paintings of African children in a loving family setting. Ladwig has applied the ancient rural setting of this Psalm to the modern urban world. No Pollyanna portraits, Ladwig combines the bleak nature of potentially menacing city life with the comfort of God's presence. The scenes are not so much "heavenly," as they are depictions of God's earthly provision through "Jesus with skin on"--loving parents, teachers, and other adults and extended family members. Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

A MUST have for today's Child and Adult

This book has brought us to tears on numerous occassions. As urban dwellers (city folk) or those living in rural lands around the world, this book speaks to the eternal power of the Psalms and gives hope to us all. The art is phenominal - cutting to the core of a day-in-the-life for two African American inner-city children. The love, protection and abundance of God's provision is shown through the mundane - or is it the sacred? In God's world there is no difference. My wife and I give this book as a THE staple gift for all newborn children we know and love. Buy, read, re-read, enjoy, meditate, ponder.

An incredibly comforting, life-applicable book.

This book is so special, after reading it I want to get a copy for everyone I know. This is a book not just for children, but for adults who need the constant reassurance and reminder of God's love for us. It is beautifully done, in a manner that should humble all of us.

The ancient song comes alive in a modern urban setting.

The beauty and power of these words originally penned thousands of years ago are fresh, relevant and alive again in the magnificent artwork of Tim Ladwig. This is not the Psalm recited in the pristine pasture of the Mediterranean region. It is the Song of the Urban Neighborhood and it will resonate in your soul. A must get for everyone whether you associate with kids and grandbabies or not.