About the Author
Margaret McAllister grew up in the northeast of England and has
enjoyed success with leading publishers as a writer of historical
and fantasy fiction. The first of her Mistmantle Chronicles,
Urchin of the Riding Stars, was shortlisted for the Ottaker’s
Children’s Book prize.
About the Illustrator
Alida Massari’s beautiful illustrations have won her many awards.
She was born in Rome, where she grew up surrounded by art, and
studied Illustration at the European In
Even if you have a fondness for the classic Disney movies, there is
something about the aggressive pink-and-purple princess marketing
machine that is off-putting, to say the least. And yes, I know
that there are modern Disney heroines who have real moxie and
spunk. But it’s also fair to say that young girls deserve a more
diverse range of female role models than the ones you’ll find
dancing through most animated movies.That’s why Women of the
Bible by Margaret McAllister (illustrated by Alida
Massari) is such a gem. It’s a picture book for older readers
(7-11 says the press release, though younger kids could enjoy it
with their parents), and it’s a great way to get ten fascinating
historical women into your child’s imaginative life.One thing I
love about this book is the range of women represented. There
are the expected figures, like Rachel and Ruth and Mary, but the
book also features Mother Noah and the wife of Pilate and
Lydia from Acts of the Apostles. The book moves
chronologically through the women, telling each lady’s story in a
short, first-person narrative. These stories are detailed and
imaginative, fleshing out the ones in the Bible. Mary’s
story, for example, is told through a description of five special
objects she keeps in a box: a feather dropped by a dove right after
the Annunciation, a stone she picked up on the journey to
Bethlehem, a fleece offered by the shepherds, among others.
This creativity makes even the most well-known of the stories feel
fresh and engaging. (They are moving in places, too; the
chapter told by Miriam, the sister of Moses, made me tear up a
bit.)And the illustrations? Well, they are truly gorgeous.
They have a vaguely folk art feel about them, which suits the
subject matter, but they are also wonderfully detailed and pretty
to look at. Each woman has character and beauty and dignity.
If your daughter is used to princess stories, these pictures
will capture her imagination while providing a good break
from pink ballgowns and tiaras.In fact, while the subject matter
makes me think of girls (and I can think of one niece of mine who
will be receiving this as a gift!), this is a book that boys can
learn a lot from, too. I intend to share it with my older son
as I think it’s always good for boys to read stories about strong
women. Even I, a forty-year-old woman, thoroughly enjoyed
this book and loved having a chance to ponder the lives of these
women more deeply. It’s an all-round winner, and a very
welcome addition to the family bookshelf.—Ginny Kubitz Moyer,
Random Acts of
Momnesshttp://randomactsofmomness.com/tired-of-princess-stories-try-women-of-the-bible/
Most traditional Bible stories focus on the men who followed Jesus.
This book highlights ten women who played equally important roles
in the Bible story and biblical history. They were often linked
with the men who were closest to Jesus. The beautifully muted color
illustrations appear throughout the text and add a pleasing
dimension to the women’s stories. The tem women recreate Bible
events by telling their personal stories. Some of the women are
familiar figures; others are less well known. All of the women
share memories of events that focus on the life of Jesus. Young
girls in early grades will especially enjoy these tales of Noah’s
wife, Rachel, Miriam, Ruth, Mary of Nazareth, Martha and Mary, the
Canaanite women, Pilate’s wife, Mary of Magdala, and Lydia. Ages
6-9. —Annette B. Thibodeaux, Catholic Library World
A great addition to your Sacred Story shelves: This book
features the personal accounts of ten women of the Bible: Noah’s
wife, Rachel, Miriam, Ruth, Mary of Nazareth, The Canaanite Woman,
Lady Prcula, the Wife of Pilate, Mary Madalene, and Lydia. This
beautifully illustrated book tells each of their stories from the
first-person point of view. We recommend placing this book on the
bottom shelf of your Sacred Story shelves either in the Old or New
Testament section. When a child asks, “Why don’t we have more
stories about women (or girls) in our room?” you can point them to
this book.
—The Rev. Cheryl V. Minor, Ph.D.
Co-Rector, All Saints' Church, Belmont, MA
Director of the Center for the Theology of Childhood
The Godly Play Foundation
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