Jacob’s Travels describes what happened to Jacob when he ran away to Haran and met the lovely Rachel. It is part of the EKS Publishing series of Bible stories.
The author states in her introduction that she omitted some sentences and shortened others, but did not change or add any Hebrew text. Each page offers a translation, not necessarily literal, of the Hebrew. For example, the words in the story read: “Your name will be Israel because you have struggled with God and won.” The literal translation at the end of the book says, “You will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and prevailed.”
The layout serves its purpose although it’s not particularly imaginative (text/picture repeated in double page spreads). The words of the text — first Hebrew and then English underneath — are printed in a clear font that will help children read more easily. Carol Racklin-Siegel, a textile artist who paints on silk, has used this medium to effectively enhance and extend the meaning of the text. Greengard and Racklin-Siegel have previously published other Bible stories with EKS: The Tower of Babel, Rebecca, Noah’s Ark, and Lech Lecha. Let’s hope they continue this superb partnership. Ages 5 – 7.
