Sarah Laughs

by Jacqueline Jules, Natascia Ugliano (Illustrator)

Overview

This biblical story tells of the elderly Sarah who laughs in delight when she overhears three strangers tell her husband Abraham that he will soon become a father. When a son is born to her the following year she names him Isaac, which means laughter, and the world rejoices with her.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781512494198
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2008
Series:	Bible
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jacqueline Jules is an award-winning author and poet. Her many children's books include The Hardest Word (National Jewish Book Award finalist), What a Way to Start the New Year! A Rosh Hashanah Story, and Moses and the Runaway Lamb. She lives in Long Island, New York.
Natascia Ugliano received her diploma at the Fine Arts Academy of Brera, in Milan, Italy. She has illustrated many children's books including Abraham's Search for God, Sarah Laughs, and Benjamin and the Silver Goblet. She lives in Milan.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 3- Through poetic language and sweeping illustrations, this picture book tells the story of the biblical patriarch and matriarch Abraham and Sarah from Sarah's point of view. From her early support of her husband's revolutionary monotheism and throughout their many journeys together, Sarah is portrayed as graceful, loving, and faithful. However, her sadness about remaining childless through the years has made her lose her bright laughter. With the birth of Isaac, when she is gray-haired and wrinkled, she finally laughs again "and the whole world clapped hands and laughed with her." The events of the story have been simplified, and the focus remains tightly on Sarah's feelings. While this version may be short on biblical detail and historical context, it does a beautiful job of exploring the emotions behind Sarah's actions. She is most often portrayed in storybooks as an old woman, and it's a pleasant change to see a pretty, bright-eyed young woman and her handsome husband. Ugliano skillfully ages the characters as the tale progresses, adding a sad patience to Sarah's expression that makes her joy in the final pages all the more compelling. This lovely retelling deserves a place on the shelves of any library that collects religious materials.-Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

School Library Journal

The beautiful and gentle Sarah married Abraham and joined him on his nomadic life where they led families through the desert, teaching a monotheistic faith in "a God who demanded kindness and good deeds." In Canaan, Abraham became a wealthy man, while the couple built a happy life together welcoming guests into their tent to share in their food and company. Even so, the absence of a child "smothered the laughter" in Sarah's heart. Selflessly, she encouraged her husband to father a child (Ishmael) with the servant Hagar in order to realize God's promise of an abundance of offspring. The author/illustrator team continues their Old Testament series with this midrash-inspired interpretation of the older Sarah's late entrance to parenthood with the joyful birth of her own son, Isaac. Mellifluous full-page spreads in tones of green and blue pastel/crayon media depict the lyrically told story of this Jewish matriarch who believed her childbearing years had passed. An accessible rendition of the ancient biblical text for young religiously oriented listeners. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews

The Old Testament says little about Sarah’s feelings, so this moving picture book draws on midrash (legend) and on modern biblical commentary to imagine the inner life of Abraham’s wife. Warm, clear, rhythmic acrylic double-page spreads show the close bond between husband and wife, as well as the larger story of the couple leading peo-ple as nomads until they arrive in Canaan. Always there is the warmth inside Sarah’s tent, with the doors wide open to welcome others and teach worship of one invisible God. But there is sorrow, too. In a dream, God predicts to Abraham that the children of his children will be as many as the stars, but Sarah cannot bear children, and she urges Abraham to take a second wife—until an angel appears to Abraham, and, finally, a son is born to the elderly couple. They name him Isaac, which means ―laughter,‖ and the climactic picture shows Sarah holding her baby in a world circle of joy.

From the Publisher