Og's Ark Paperback – Picture Book, January 1, 2016

I ordered this for a Christmas toy drive, and think it is a happy, colorful, and satisfying book that small children will love. It tells a story that has a lesson within but is not the least bit preachy, and the illustrations are wonderful. It's good to see new books like this for this age group. This one will leave a warm and fuzzy feeling that is sure to ensure sweet dreams.

This is a great read--my 2 year old son loves it and the story and illustrations are great. We've got a stack of books and he always seems to go for this one. He also enjoys chewing on the edges...I don't know if that's a selling point, but worth mentioning!

This is a fictionalized story for children about the Biblical character Og. He was the King of Bashan. It brings in some elements of the facts presented about Og in Deuteronomy (Devarim) 3 and adds some fictionalized information about his as well. It ties his story in with the Noah's Ark story, showing him to be a friend of all kinds of animals as he helped them and allowed them to take shelter in different nooks and crannies they crawled up to on his body at night. Even though their noises kept him up sometimes he was still very loving towards them.I think this story will be a good introduction to the Biblical character of Og to children and will open up their minds better to his role in Scripture. Adults that read this book to children might want to point out the fictionalized parts of this story so the children will be understand better what is Biblical in the story about his character and what is fiction. I think it will show children that even big, scary looking people can often be very kind-hearted. It will also show them that humans should be kind to animals.I received this book free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

What would you do if you were a giant who just wanted to sleep in a nice cozy bed? That’s all Og wanted to do. Og came into the world when God separated the earth from the sky. When he cried forests swayed and when he cooed boulders fell from mountain tops. It took the milk of 100 cows and goats to feed him. It wasn’t long before he grew and broke all of the beds that were made for him from the tallest cedar trees. Sleeping on the ground was uncomfortable especially when the animals decided to snuggle up on and around him. One day Noah came to him and told him about the ark he must build. He knew that Og had a way with the animals and he wanted him to gather one male and one female of every kind throughout the land. Once the rains came Og was forced to ride on top of the ark because he was too big to fit inside. And still Og got no sleep. When the rain stopped and the ark was on land Noah asked Og how he could repay him for all of his help. Og replied, “All I want is a good night’s sleep in my own bed.” Noah looked up to the heavens and said, “Perhaps God will reward you for your good deed.” Do you think Og got what he wanted?Authors Allison and Wayne Marks have spun a tale from the biblical character of Og, the King of Bashan. Vivid illustrations by Martina Peluso add a softness to this story making it perfect for bedtime or a read-a-loud in a classroom. Parents, teachers and caregivers will appreciate the biblical references. Young readers will enjoy the simple sentence structure and the pictures which can tell the story all on its own.

When Og the Giant was born, it soon would be obvious that he did everything in a BIG way. It wasn’t long before everyone in the village realized that he just wasn’t your average baby. When he cried everyone knew it and even “villagers miles away covered their ears to block out the noise.” Waaaaah! Waaaaah! It was so bad that even the mountains rained boulders into their valleys. And eat! Og had the biggest appetite in the land and gurgle, gurgle, gurgled, down buckets of milk. Og the Giant was a baby like no one had ever seen before or since that day he arrived.Unfortunately Og was so big there was no bed that would ever fit him. Crunch! Chairs and beds simply collapsed beneath his weight and it wasn’t long “until his shoulders touched the top of the tallest cedar tree.” Og had to sleep on the ground, but there was no comfort for him. As the days passed, he grew grumpier, but he really had the “heart of a gentle giant.” Animals gathered ‘round him during those long nights seeking shelter in everything from his busy beard to the arches of his BIG feet. All the animals chattered away until they “nodded off to sleep ... except Og.”Noah noticed that Og had a love for the animals and came to him saying, “A Great Flood is coming soon.” It was no concern of Og’s because he was too BIG to drown in a flood, but Noah needed him to gather the animals. “God’s other creatures are not so lucky,” Noah had explained and Og, the gentle giant, agreed to help. The storm was approaching and it looked like a bad one with heavy rain and winds. It looked like Og would need some help, but he didn’t fit in Noah’s ark. Could he weather the storm on the top of the ark or would he drown during the deluge?This is a fun tale of the legendary biblical giant, Og, that young children will fall in love with. Og has a wonderful personality that not only appeals to the innocent creatures of the Earth, but to young and old alike. The character is based on Og, the King of Bashan, a king discussed in the Author’s Note. He’s a grumpy sort of fellow, only because no one can really understand him. In his heart, he’s a loving giant that children can easily relate to. Og will teach children that it’s not always what people look like that counts, but rather what is in their hearts. The artwork is beautifully rendered and, at times, is rather humorous when Og is that BIG baby. A fun blended tale that is a uniquely special one.Reading Grade Level: 1Interest Grade Level: Pre-K-3Ages: 3-8This book courtesy of the publisher.