Gennady Spirin, illustrator of Moses: The Long Road to Freedom, written by Anne Beneduce, and Simeon's Gift, written by Julie Andrews Edwards, creates sumptuous paintings depicting the beloved biblical story of Noah and the ark. Just a few pages of text, drawn directly from the King James Bible, are interspersed with lush two-page spreads featuring highly detailed, earth-toned paintings of Noah, his family, the ark, and many, many pairs of animals. Readers will want to hunker down and study these glorious pieces of art, discovering snakes and parrots among the giraffes, baboons, and frogs. The illustrations of the storm and subsequent flood are dark and tremendously dramatic, while the image of the humans and animals emerging after the flood couldn't more perfectly portray the term "beatific." A long horizontal poster accompanies this exquisite book, which will make an ideal gift for any child--or adult--who loves the Noah's Ark story. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter