The Fourth Wise Man
by Mary Joslin
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mary JoslinIllustrator: Richard Johnson
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10
ISBN: 0781445450
Number of pages: 32
Publisher: David C. Cook Distribution
Book Reviews of The Fourth Wise Man
Book Review: Fell far short of my expectations
Summary: 2 Stars
This book retells a French legend to show there is more to Christmas than anything money can buy. It begins with four wise men atop the tallest city tower. There they spot a special star and immediately set off to find the great king who has been born. One wise man brings a small box of gold, "the perfect gift to take to a royal baby." The other wise men seek their gifts along the journey. One purchases the finest frankincense, "perfect for a king who is faithful in prayer." Another buys the most expensive myrrh, "a gift for someone who will bring healing." All the while, the fourth wiseman cannot find a gift worthy of this new king.
When they finally reach the birthplace of the holy child, the fourth wise man stays outside because he still does not have a suitable gift. He waters the camels while he waits. Then, on a final trip to the well, he sees in his bucket the reflection of the special star. Excitedly, he runs inside to give this perfect gift to the baby boy. "It's like a little bit of heaven itself." The next day this fourth wise man decides he will use his money to "buy gifts to make children smile."
This book is beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Richard Johnson. Each page is saturated with rich jewel tones.
What I Like: The color! I love how this book is filled with vibrant, lively colors. It's very attractive. The story is nice, too. It's a wonderful tale.
What I Dislike: The writing. This could have been a fabulous book, but the writing falls far short of its potential. Sentences are disjointed and choppy. The flow is unnatural. Also, the ending is extremely abrupt. It seemed a subtle reference to Santa Claus, but incomplete.
Overall Rating: Ho-hum.
Tanya -- Christian Children's Book Review
Summary of The Fourth Wise Man
In this richly illustrated Christmas story, four wise astronomers travel in search of the newborn king. Three of them choose splendid gifts gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But what can the fourth wise man bring? The problem is solved quite by accident when the fourth wise man's special gift is "a little bit of heaven itself." The young astronomer captures the special star's nighttime reflection in a jar of water and offers the glittering gift to the "king of heaven."
Features and Benefits
- A heart-warming retelling of an ancient French legend shows that there is more to Christmas than anything money can buy.
- A Christmas story with a twist: four Wise men venture out to find the Christ-child instead of the traditional three.
- Brilliant, jewel-tone art with lots of detail for children to explore makes this book a perfect gift for the holiday season.
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