E. Keith Howick

NCLA Review: The Christ Child and The Visit of the Magi are the first two of a series of 24 volumes called “Mosha: The Life of Jesus for Children.” The stories insert a shepherd boy, Mosha, into the Biblical stories of Jesus, and he becomes a part of the narrative. In The Christ Child, Mosha, an apprentice shepherd, is one of those who see the angel announcing Jesus’ birth. He goes with the group of shepherds to find Jesus in Bethlehem. The Visit of the Magi tells the story of the Wise Men with Mosha and his family present as residents of Bethlehem. Mosha helps guide the Wise Men to the Christ child. At the back of each volume is a helpful template for how to use the book in a family Bible study. Another unique and positive aspect of the Moshe series is that the author has inserted historical details into the story. These give historical and geographical context to the events in the life of Jesus. Overall, though, the retelling of Jesus’ life with the fictional character of Mosha (and others) included is likely to confuse children. They may not know which characters are from Scripture and which ones are not. There are many children’s books on the market today that tell the Biblical story of Jesus in a kid-friendly way without changing or embellishing as this series does. Church libraries would do well to seek those out and pass this series by. Rating: 2 —AMG… (more)

NCLA Review: The Christ Child and The Visit of the Magi are the first two of a series of 24 volumes called “Mosha: The Life of Jesus for Children.” The stories insert a shepherd boy, Mosha, into the Biblical stories of Jesus, and he becomes a part of the narrative. In The Christ Child, Mosha, an apprentice shepherd, is one of those who see the angel announcing Jesus’ birth. He goes with the group of shepherds to find Jesus in Bethlehem. The Visit of the Magi tells the story of the Wise Men with Mosha and his family present as residents of Bethlehem. Mosha helps guide the Wise Men to the Christ child. At the back of each volume is a helpful template for how to use the book in a family Bible study. Another unique and positive aspect of the Moshe series is that the author has inserted historical details into the story. These give historical and geographical context to the events in the life of Jesus. Overall, though, the retelling of Jesus’ life with the fictional character of Mosha (and others) included is likely to confuse children. They may not know which characters are from Scripture and which ones are not. There are many children’s books on the market today that tell the Biblical story of Jesus in a kid-friendly way without changing or embellishing as this series does. Church libraries would do well to seek those out and pass this series by. Rating: 2 —AMG… (more)