A N N O D O M I N I P U B L I S H I N G FORMAT 44 pages 140 x 192mm (P) Cased NEW FOR 2014 AUTHOR Sally Anne Wright, a trained teacher, has written a number of books for children including several Bibles. Married with four children, she lives near London, England. ILLUSTRATOR Frank Endersby is a well established illustrator whose passion is children s books. He has worked with a number of major publishers in his career and now lives with his family in the Cotswolds, in the west of England. My First Book About Jesus Beautiful pictures and simple words introduce very young children to who Jesus was and some of the amazing things he did. www.ad-publishing.com CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION: info@ad-publishing.com
stories to Read in 5 Minutes or Less My First Book about Jesus sally Ann Wright and Frank Endersby
My First Book About Jesus Copyright 2014 Anno Domini Publishing www.ad-publishing.com Text copyright 2014 Sally Ann Wright Illustrations copyright 2011 Frank Endersby Editorial Director: Annette Reynolds Art Director: Gerald Rogers Pre-production Manager: Krystyna Hewitt Production Manager: John Laister All rights reserved Printed and bound in China Is this a stuck down page? if so title page moves to page 3 (biblio could then go on page 2 we would then have to loose one story spread (the new one that i introduced- 20-21) Sally Ann Wright Illustrated by Frank Endersby
A long time ago and far away, the angel Gabriel came to see Mary. He told her that God had chosen her to be the mother of the baby Jesus. When Mary s baby was nearly ready to be born, Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem so the Romans could count all the people. But there was no room for them to stay. 2 3
Later on that starry night, Mary gave birth to her little baby boy. She made a bed for him in a manger because there was no room at the inn. Soon the sky was filled with angels praising God. They told some shepherds about the baby Jesus, and they ran to see him for themselves. 4 5
The wise men found Jesus with his mother, Mary, and they worshipped him. Then they offered him gifts fit for a king gold, frankincense and myrrh. Far away in the east, some wise men had seen a new star in the sky. They knew it meant that a baby king had been born. They set off to find him. 6 7
Jesus was baptized when he was a grown man. He went to the River Jordan where John was baptizing anyone who was sorry for the bad things they had done. I can t baptize you, said John. You have done nothing wrong! But God was pleased that Jesus wanted to be baptized. When Jesus was twelve, his parents took him to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. Mary and Joseph were on their way home with all their family and friends when they realized that Jesus was missing! He had stayed behind, talking to the religious leaders about God. 8 9
Jesus was also able to heal people. One day he healed a man who couldn t walk. His friends had made a hole in the roof to make sure Jesus noticed him and helped him. When Jesus grew up, he made lots of friends. He was a good man, and a good teacher. But when he helped some fishermen find a huge catch of fish, they saw that Jesus was very special. 10 11
Jesus helped anyone who came to him. Once a soldier asked Jesus to heal his servant because he was very ill. Jesus saw how much the soldier trusted him, and healed the servant without even visiting his house. Jesus told people that God loved them. He told them to trust God, and not worry so much. He told them to be kind and forgiving to other people. 12 13
On another day Jairus asked Jesus to heal his little girl who was very ill indeed. Jesus came to help, and the little girl was soon well again. One day while they were sailing across the lake, a storm blew the little boat up and down so his friends were frightened. Jesus spoke to the wind and waves, and soon it was calm again. 14 15
People loved to be with Jesus. One day Jesus blessed a boy s little packed lunch and shared it with a huge crowd of hungry people and they all had enough to eat! On another day, Jesus healed ten men with a terrible skin disease called leprosy. It meant they could go home and live with their families again instead of being outcasts. But only one man came back to thank Jesus for healing him... 16 17
Jesus told another story about a man who searched everywhere to find his lost sheep. He said that God loved them, just as the good shepherd loved his sheep. Jesus told a story about someone from Samaria who had taken care of a man attacked and hurt by robbers. He told people to be kind to everyone, just like the good Samaritan. 18 19
Jesus also told a story about a father who loved his son very much. When the boy left home and spent all his money on silly things, his father waited and waited until the boy realized he loved his father and needed him. His father welcomed him back and forgave him because he loved him so much. God is just like that father, said Jesus. Don t be greedy, said Jesus. Life is so much more important than the things we own. Share what you have and you will have treasure in heaven. Don t store up things on earth because one day you will die and have to leave all those things behind. 20 21
Jesus had time for everyone old people and young people, mothers and fathers. He loved babies, and children, and never sent them away. Jesus had friends called Mary, Martha and Lazarus. One day Lazarus became ill and died. If only you had been here! Martha said to Jesus. But Jesus said it was not too late. Jesus prayed for Lazarus and a miracle happened. He brought his friend back from the dead! 22 23
Once Jesus healed a blind beggar so that he could see again! The man was so happy that he followed Jesus everywhere. Jesus was also kind to people who had no friends. Zacchaeus, the tax collector, climbed a tree to see Jesus, and once Jesus was his friend, he became kind to other people too. 24 25
One day when Jesus was eating with his friends, a woman came and anointed him with a sweetsmelling perfume. Don t be angry with her, said Jesus. She is showing how much she loves me. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, people cheered, and waved, and called him their king! But some men who were jealous of Jesus started to plot against him 26 27
One night Jesus had supper with his friends, but first he washed their dusty feet. He wanted to show them he cared about them, and he wanted them to look after each other in the same way. When they ate together, Jesus explained that soon the bad, jealous men would take him away and kill him. The bread they shared now would be like his body. The wine they drank now would be like his blood. 28 29
Later that night, soldiers came to arrest Jesus and take him away. But the worst thing was that one of his friends, Judas, was with them. Jesus prayed, asking God to help him. He knew terrible things would soon happen to him. But his friends could not stay awake! 30 31
The Roman governor wanted to let Jesus go. He knew Jesus had done nothing wrong. But the bad men made sure that people shouted for his death. Jesus would have to die! Peter, one of Jesus best friends, followed to see what would happen. But when people asked if he knew Jesus, Peter was so afraid, he told them he wasn t Jesus friend at all! 32 33
Jesus died on a Friday on a cross between two thieves, like a man who had done bad things. But Jesus was a good man. Jesus was God s Son. The soldiers were cruel to Jesus, and then they made him carry his cross all the way to the place where he would die. Jesus hurt all over. 34 35
On Sunday some of his friends went to the rock tomb but the big stone door had been rolled away and it was empty! Angels told them that Jesus was no longer dead God had given him new life! Some of Jesus friends took his body from the cross, and buried him in a rock tomb. They rolled a big stone door across the entrance. His friends were so sad they cried. 36 37
Early one morning, Jesus made breakfast for his friends after he had helped them catch some fish again. Peter knew that Jesus had forgiven him for saying he wasn t his friend. Lots of his friends saw that Jesus was alive after that but Thomas had not been there. He couldn t believe it till he saw Jesus for himself! Then Thomas knew it was true 38 39
Jesus went back to stay with God in heaven. Go and tell everyone how to live the way God wants them to, Jesus said. I will send the Holy Spirit to help you. The Holy Spirit came at the Festival of Pentecost. Before this the disciples were afraid, but now they could talk to anyone, and share the good news about Jesus with them. It was as if Jesus was there to help his friends all the time. 40 41
My First Book about Jesus Everyone should know about Jesus. Beautiful pictures and simple words introduce very young children to who Jesus was and some of the amazing things he did. This is his story. My First Book about JEsus stories to Read in 5 Minutes or Less My First Book about Jesus AN s ally Ann Wright and Frank Endersby BOOK sally Ann Wright and Frank Endersby