Author Lynn Tuttle Gunney dedicates the book to her children, "To know your mother's spiritual roots." There are no male pronouns or masculine images for God here (except for Jesus' life as a man on Earth), and the book is full of questions and wondering: "Some people say that Jesus was the son of God . . . Some people say that Jesus was a wise and beloved teacher, whether or not he was the son of God. They say it is important to remember him because he taught us to treat people with love and to stand up for justice and peace." It's a gentle telling of the life of Jesus, based on what Tuttle Gunney calls "a liberal religious interpretation of the Bible." To some the idea of calling this Scripture will seem blasphemous, but for those who hold the Bible loosely yet lovingly, as I do, it's refreshing.
—Melanie Dennis Unrau, from "Where Are the Girls in Children's Bibles?," Geez (Spring 2013)
"I found Meet Jesus: The Life and Lessons of a Beloved Teacher to be absolutely terrific. It fills a tremendous need in educational material on religion for children. I can't wait to read it to my 4 1/2-year-old twin grandchildren!"
—John Shelby Spong, author of Jesus for the Non-Religious
"Gunney's book presents a straightforward and balanced approach to a very difficult subject for children. Meet Jesus will help parents and teachers who want to bring the biblical Jesus into a contemporary context for their children. The text is clear and easy to comprehend, the illustrations are expressive and inviting. Great read!"
—Etan Boritzer, author, What Is God?
"Taking a liberal approach intended to reach a potentially broad audience that includes non-Christians, Gunney presents a sweeping look at Jesus' life. The author focuses --employing summarized parables and other lessons--on Jesus' role as an accessible and very human teacher rather than on his divinity as the son of God. Jesus' birth, death and resurrection are mentioned briefly in the accepted Christian contexts, including Christmas Day and Easter. But rather than a Biblical timeline, young readers will likely come away with a more general sense of how Jesus might have lived as a man sharing new ideas about kindness, love and respect. The simple presentation can serve as a discussion starter and impetus to further explore either the Bible or other texts. Conteh-Morgan's cartoonish ink-and-watercolor illustrations keep the overall tone of this volume cheery and light. Bible passage references are included."
—Publishers Weekly
"For the first time in decades, here is a book for young children that offers a Unitarian Universalist view of the historical Jesus."
—Christopher Walton, editor, UU World
"This story opens a door for understanding and having conversations with children about Jesus. Our children are growing up in world of increasing diversity. They hear conflicting ideas and views about Jesus. They need to have information and conversations with trusting adults as they begin to explore the many images and stories they see on TV, read in the media, and hear in the school yard. This book will help parents and teachers engage with the issues. We feel the book fills a real need."
—Roberta and Christopher Nelson, authors of Unitarian Universalist parenting curricula including Parents as Spiritual Guides, Parents as Social Justice Educators and Parents as Resident Theologians
"I'm delighted with Lynn Gunney's Meet Jesus. I'm so glad that children can have a book of their own to learn about Jesus from a liberal religious point of view. Meet Jesus belongs in every UU church."
—Charlene Brotman, author of The UU Kids' Book and The Kids' Book of Awesome Stuff
"Meet Jesus ...recounts simple tales from Jesus' life, the parables he taught and the important moral lessons to be learned from him....Meet Jesus places emphasis upon the benevolent teachings of Jesus rather than religious dogma concerning his divinity....Simple color illustrations add a child-friendly touch to this picturebook especially recommended for church libraries."
—Midwest Book Review
"This small book presents the life of Jesus, from his boyhood until his death, and includes a number of his teachings and parables, all in clear, simple language. After the story of the Last Supper and Crucifixion, a few pages at the end explain that Jesus' followers have carried on his teachings, some saying that he was resurrected as the son of God, and others considering him a wise man who taught love, justice, and peace. The book concludes that the best way to celebrate Jesus' life is "by trying to live as he did, with full hearts, loving words, and kind actions." Ink-and-watercolor illustrations in a naive style brighten every double-page spread. Biblical passages are referenced in red type at the bottom of each page, with the full texts of those verses printed in an appended section. Clearly written, this offers an unusually good, simple introduction to Jesus and his teachings."
—Carolyn Phelan, Booklist (Copyright 2007 American Library Association)