View source for Simon and the Easter Miracle: A Traditional Tale for Easter by Mary Joslin and Anna Luraschi

{{infobox2
|title=Simon and the Easter Miracle: A Traditional Tale for Easter
|author=Mary Joslin and Anna Luraschi
|reviewer=Ruth Ng
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=Although this is an Easter story, it's different from the usual bible stories since it's told from the point of view of Simon of Cyrene as a traditional folk tale. 
|rating=3.5
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|pages=32
|publisher=Lion Hudson
|date=January 2011
|isbn=978-0745960548
|website=
|video=
|aznuk=0745960545
|aznus=0745960545
|cover=0745960545
}}

Simon is on his way to market with his eggs, wine and bread to sell.  On his way he gets caught up in a crowd watching soldiers forcing a man to carry his cross out of the city.  When the man is unable to carry his cross any longer the soldiers look around for someone else to do so, and they pick on Simon.  After carrying the cross to the place of crucifixion Simon hurries back to get his goods, but he finds they've been spilt, broken and trampled.  He returns home, dejected.  The next morning, however, he discovers there has been a miracle and there are 12 white doves and Spring has come early to warm his crops.

I liked the idea of coming at the Easter story from a different angle.  Apparently the story of Simon of Cyrene has, over the years, been woven into Polish folklore and this is a retelling of that folk tale.  The illustrations are lovely.  I liked the bright coloured clothing, the atmospheric skies and the endearing animals and birds.  I wasn't too sure about the faces of the humans in the story - their features are occasionally so very feint as to almost not be there, but the mount of crucifixion scene is very atmospheric as well as the pages at the end showing the renewal are colourful and beautifully drawn.

The story, for me, felt a little awkward at the end.  Simon puts the unbroken eggs he's left with back in his shed, then the following morning he goes to check on them.  He finds they have cracked open and he's surprised because they weren't eggs for hatching.  He then goes outside and there are 12 doves flying around.  I didn't realise initially that the doves had come from his eggs since I'd still been thinking they were chicken eggs so only chickens could have come from them.  It is explained as being a miracle, but as I read it aloud the end seemed a little stilted.  I think I was expecting more of a tie-in with the story of Jesus.

Although the story does not focus on the crucifixion, this is still a tale of renewal and hope.  It works on a simple level for smaller children, but it would also be an interesting story to share within a Sunday School with slightly older children, discussing with them the parallels between the miracle of the doves in the story and the resurrection.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

Further reading suggestion: [[The Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale by Elena Pasquali and Sophie Windham]]

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[[Category:Mary Joslin]]
[[Category:Anna Luraschi]]