The Ark - Softcover

Arthur Geisert’s unique and exquisite etchings have been widely praised and exhibited at the Chicago Institute of Art, among other museums. His work is regularly selected for the Society of Illustrators’, annual Original Art exhibition, and his illustrations are now being collected by the Dubuque Museum of Art. He lives in a converted bank in Bernard, Iowa.

Kindergarten-Grade 3 A dignified, somber retelling of the flood story. An introductory paragraph from Genesis sets the stage, but after that, words are minimal. Double-page spreads of cream and black etchings appear above one line of text or none at all. Liberties taken with the Bible narrative increase its appeal. For instance, the book notes that ``The family found time to rest only at dinner''; the accompanying picture shows an exhausted group sitting on upturned boxes at a plank table while monkeys scamper overhead. There is a primitive, barren quality to the world that Geisert depicts. Before the flood Noah and his family live in a cave-like dwelling carved out of black rock. Except for a goat who tries to eat laundry off the line, the animals are not cute or clever. Rather, they seem to be dumb beasts patiently waiting for release. The ark itself dominates most of the pages. Often the artist's angle of vision adds interest to the scene. Pages showing a certain section of the boat include parts of the decks directly above and below, conveying a sense of life chafing under restrictions. This version of the ark story may lack the immediate attraction of Hogrogian's (Knopf, 1986) or Fussenegger's (Lippincott, 1987), but because it forces readers to rethink a familiar tale, it merits a place on the shelves. Ellen D. Warwick, Robbins Junior Library, Arlington, Mass.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.