For many of us, 1 Corinthians 13 is a verse close to our hearts. In fact, I am sure that many of us have it memorized and enjoy sharing it with those we love. Today I am sharing a book that was published in 2001 yet is timeless. I keep my copy near and often take time to read and reread it.
LOVE IS…
Adapted from the Bible and illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin
Simon and Schuster 2001
The book begins –
LOVE… is patient. Love is kind.
Paul’s beautiful words are combined with intricate water color and pencil illustrations that create a picture book that draws the reader in. Each spread has a simple line of text from 1 Corinthians 13 verse below panels. On the left side of each spread, we see people behave with anger, selfishness, and cruelty. On the right pages show people acting with kindness and caring for others with love.
The people depicted are of all ages, races, nationalities, and depict different physical attributes.
Illustrator Wendy Anderson Halperin’s end note sums it up well when she writes “How we respond to any person, any object, any situation is our choice. We can choose to approach these things with envy or arrogance, impatience or selfishness… … or we can choose to act with love.”
These thought-provoking illustrations bring a contemporary touch to biblical concepts. Use this with the children in your life and let them point out the differences in people’s behavior and the consequences. As with the best of all children’s books, LOVE IS will be enjoyed by all ages.
Enjoy this coloring page that I made for you. Just copy, past, and print.
This older book and its much older inspiration prove that love never goes out of fashion. I love how the illustrations depict the contrast in people’s behavior. Perfect for younger children’s understanding!