If I Lived with Noah

A playful peek into Noah s Ark that will spark a compare-and-contrast conversation about the traditional Bible story. --Kirkus Reviews

If I saw the animals boarding the ark
As Noah stood by with his staff
I'd say, 'I can help with the animals, sir.'
He'd welcome me on with a laugh.

What would you do if you could meet the animals on Noah's ark? Would you make friends with the monkeys? Read stories to the cows? Play games with the chickens?

Maybe you'd set up a diving board so you could all swim in the sea together. Come climb aboard the ark, and let's find out! For ages 3 to 6.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS

A young boy imagines being sequestered with Noah and all the animals on the ark.

When the story begins, the protagonist is distracting his stuffed animal friends with a story as they shelter in a blanket tent during a big rainstorm. In the story, Noah (his family is absent in text and illustrations) welcomes the boy onto the ark. Some of the narrator s tasks on the ark are predictable, like bathing the animals, sweeping, and mopping, but others, such as building a diving platform on the ark so bored animals can play in the sea, are unexpected and entertaining, if not in keeping with the usual Bible story. The boy imagines learning how to speak / Every animal s language / So we d understand one another. // At times we would argue. / But mostly we d play. / I d be like an animal brother. That s a good thing, since Noah and the protagonist need the animals to help fix a leak in the ark and, later, to hand out the tissues and tea to a boatload of sick animals.

Brightly colored animals with cuddly stuffed-animal appeal fill the pages. Even the snake and toothy alligator seem friendly. Finally, a speck of land is sighted and confirmed, but the animals love the boy so much that he must encourage them to leave the ark and build new homes. Both boy and Noah have pale skin. An author s note explains the mitzvah of treating animals and one another kindly.

A playful peek into Noah s Ark that will spark a compare-and-contrast conversation about the traditional Bible story. (Picture book. 3-6) --Kirkus Reviews

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pamela Moritz is a children's book writer and English teacher.  She is also the recipient of the SCBWI PJ Library Jewish Stories Award and the PJ Library Author Incentive Award for If I Lived with Noah.  When not writing or teaching, Pam can be found hiking or reading to her grandchildren.  She lives in Israel with her husband and children. 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

MacKenzie Haley has been drawing her whole life and even flunked a math test in the third grade because she used the test time to draw characters and faces out of numbers. Her books include Snitchy Witch by Frank J. Sileo and A Flicker of Hope by Julia Cook. MacKenzie lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her cat, Booger, who has final say on all projects.