Author: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Submitted: November 12, 2023
Tell us a little about yourself. I am an author (writer, illustrator, colorist, translator) of books for all ages, including the Giant Book of Games and Puzzles for Smart Kids, Giant Sight Word Workbook, Sesame Street: Elmo on the Move, and Winnie The Pooh: The Classic Edition. After spending the past five years making adult puzzle books, these days I've also joined the World Alamanc with The World Almanac Book of Crosswords and The World Almanac 2024 Word Search volumes.
What was your motivation behind this project? My motivation was two-fold. On one hand, I wanted to write and illustrate a life of Jesus storybook for modern children that was biblically sound (harmonizing the four gospels without adding to them), and presented in a visually stunning package. On the other, I simply wanted to praise the Lord using the talents He has gifted me with.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I hope children will gain both an understanding of Jesus's ministry timeline, His core message, His sacrifice (very important that!), and ultimate victory over sin and death. I also hope it will help kids connect with the faith of their parents, motivating family conversation. On a side note, I hope it may open a door for everyone to gain wider appreciation for the Christian art of centuries past.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? When I decided to tackle this project, I had stopped illustrating "in bulk" for most of the pandemic, focusing instead on puzzle and trivia volumes. Deep down, however, I understood that this was God calling me to put both my writing and drawing to His service, so how could I refuse?
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? As a writer, my main influence was Bill Mounce's New Testament Survey course at BiblicalTraining.org. On the art front, I combined Eastern Orthodox iconography with the works of Belgian cartoonist Georges Prosper Remi (1907 – 1983), also known as Hergé, the creator of Tintin; but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my past apprenticeship under Argentinian cartoonist Mariano Ramos, which shaped me into an illustration professional.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: If you are craving for a Jesus storybook that doesn't go extra-biblical, a Jesus storybook that doesn't gloss over Christ's Crucifixion, and a Jesus storybook that does away with the drab, "Spaghetti Western" depiction of first century Galilee in favor of a colorful, vivid portayal that will draw kids to His Word, this book is for you!
