Moses’ Memory Book By Allia Zobel Nolan

• 04/14/2014
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Moses’ Memory Book: How God Led His People and Me out of Egypt and into the Promised Land
Allia Zobel Nolan
Harvest House (2010)
ISBN 9780736925433
Reviewed by Madison Schlarman (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (06/10)

This diary-composed book travels through Moses’ journey with God’s people. From the time of the burning bush, Moses accounts for his travels, fears, doubts, and amazement in God’s provision. Learn about the plagues that led the Israelites out of Egypt and the years they spent complaining and wandering in the wilderness before finally listening to God and finding the Promise Land!

Madison: “Moses meets God. Moses had a snake stick. He dropped it on the ground and it turned into a snake. Then the magicians made snakes. God sends his people. They turn the river red, they send frogs and flies and thunder and lightening and snowballs coming from the sky. The king doesn’t let them go. The kids died, he let his people go. They leave and get stuck at the water. The water makes a path and then crashes back in when Moses puts his stick down. The people complain because they are hungry. God rains food from the sky that taste like honey. Moses goes to the mountain and God gives him the ten rules on the big rocks. The people still don’t listen. God takes care of his people and sends them to the promise land.”

“I liked the snakes! I also liked the different chapters, there were 99! It was a long book. The pictures were pretty, I liked the frog picture; the frogs liked the kids.”

Questions Madison frequently asked: “Why does the stick turn into a snake when he drops it?” “How did the magicians make snakes?” “Why did the kids die?” “Who’s Pharaoh?” “What is a sea, why can’t they walk across the water?”

Mom: I thought this book was really cute and I enjoyed the idea of it being set up as a diary. While I realize some of the issues in the Bible seem harsh and hard to understand for little kids, I don’t necessarily agree with using phrases such as “tickled to death” to sugar coat what would have really happened to Moses. I think it helps for kids to know that Moses trusted the God to take care of him, and that by doing what God told him he was risking his life for others. There are a couple instances in this book where this takes place. Aside from that I think this is a great book for the right age group. I would suggest ages 6 – 9. I had a really hard time getting Madison to understand the book.

She wasn’t interested in reading it with me and when she did decide she wanted to read it, I had to really explain most of the book and coax her to tell me what happened back in her own words. I think given a couple more years she will really like this book and better understand it. She did love the chapters! She was very excited to start a new chapter! The pictures were another favorite part of “Moses’ Memory Book” for her, and I agree. They were cute and childlike, but helped explain the words.