The Prisoners, the Earthquake and the Midnight Song Board Book

A True Story about How God Uses People to Save People

By Bob Hartman, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri
from 11 reviews

Discover how the Philippian jailer came to know Jesus in this engaging board book for toddlers.

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Description

Using simple sentences and stunning illustrations, this 16-page board book retells the story of Paul and the Philippian jailer.

From the sounds of Paul and Silas singing at midnight to the scary rumbling of an earthquake, young children are encouraged to imagine each sound as they follow the story. Finally, with the sound of singing, they rejoice with the jailer and his family as they all become followers of Jesus Christ.

This full-colour board book is a simplified version of the popular The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song storybook for 3-6s.

Product details

Specification

Age range: 1+
Contributors Bob Hartman, Catalina Echeverri
ISBN 9781784987008
Format Board Book
First published March 2022
Dimensions 150mm x 190mm x 10mm
Weight 0.19 kg
Language English
Pages 16
Publisher The Good Book Company
Customer reviews


Oct 28, 2023

“A great book!”

Love how it is written in terms young kids can understand. It was a perfect baby shower gift!


Aug 22, 2023

“Perfect for smaller children”

Great story told concisely for babies and toddlers.


Apr 25, 2023

“Beyond the Usual Stories”

I have never seen this story told in a children's book. I love how it tells about the early church. The book calls little readers' attention to the sounds of that night from the rumble of the earthquake, the singing of the prisoners, the crying of the fearful prison guard and again the rejoining of his family after they learn about Jesus. The board book introduces a dramatic story with enough details to intrigue readers, but not enough scare them. The story gives me plenty of leeway as a parent to add in details and explanation as kids become familiar with the story and start asking questions about why the characters are singing, crying, and rejoicing. What a refreshing and well-made board book!


Feb 16, 2023

“Just what we were looking for”

My wife and I love reading to our 15 month old son, but some of the Bible storybooks we've been given somehow just don't measure up to other board books. This one does! It has a good rhythm and he loves to listen and turn the pages unlike one of the storybook Bibles we've read. I can't wait for more from the authors!

We bought it and it was shipped in half the estimated time in the USA. Good service!


Jan 12, 2023

“Great Company”

Order and shipping was quick and precise.


Jul 20, 2022

“Great Gospel Intro for Young Readers”

The Prisoners, The Earthquake, and the Midnight Song was first published as a children’s storybook and is now available as a condensed board book for younger readers. This book is a part of the Tales That Tell the Truth series by The Good Book Company and it is one of my family’s favorite series! The Prisoners, The Earthquake, and the Midnight Song is essentially a paraphrase of Paul and Silas’ imprisonment as detailed in Acts 16:25-40. In this Scripture account, Paul and Silas are imprisoned and God uses an earthquake to free them. Rather than fleeing when free, they remain in prison and share the good news of Jesus with their jailer who ends up becoming a Christian. This simple retelling helps young readers understand the beauty of praising God in trials and in trusting Him for deliverance from them.

This book includes a simple gospel presentation toward the end. It states, “The jailer has a question for Paul and Silas. ‘What must I do to be saved?'” The response is, “Believe in the Lord Jesus. That’s how you’ll be saved.” Although my son is a newborn, I have been reading this book to him and I’m thankful for the early exposure it’s giving him to the gospel. The shorter length of this version is also perfect for my three year old who doesn’t have a very wide attention span when it comes to reading books. I love that while this version of the original is condensed, it doesn’t compromise on the truth of the gospel. The board book contains many of the same illustrations as the storybook and would make a great baby shower or birthday gift. We really enjoy this book and I look forward to reading more from the storybook series as well as the board book series.

I received The Prisoners, The Earthquake, and The Midnight Song board book compliments of The Good Book Company in exchange for my honest review.


Apr 28, 2022

“Seamless, Age-Appropriate Adaptation”

"The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song Board Book" is a toddler-friendly adaptation of a longer picture book from the Tales That Tell the Truth series. Both books tell the story of Acts 16, showing how Paul and Silas's worship of God during their imprisonment witnessed to the Phillippian jailer and led to his salvation, but this edition is shorter and simpler. The original author, Bob Hartman, simplified the text for a toddler's comprehension, and only some of the original illustrations appear, but the book reads in a seamless way and feels complete.

One of the biggest differences between the original book and this adaptation is that it removes references to death and suicide. The picture book shows the whole biblical story, with the jailer despairing after the earthquake and preparing to kill himself, since he believes that the prisoners have escaped and that he will face execution. The board book simply shows him crying and says that if the prisoners escape, he will be in "BIG trouble." This sanitized element keeps the book suitable for toddlers in different settings, without requiring a parent's explanation of dark and difficult topics. Some families may also prefer this as an alternative to the picture book, if death or suicide is a particularly sensitive issue for them.

I would recommend this board book for families, churches, and Christian schools. The gorgeous illustrations from Catalina Echeverri convey the story and its emotions in a vivid way, and the simple, rhythmic text can hold young children's attention. This board book shares a story that is less commonly explored with little ones, and it provides a wonderful launching point for talking more about the gospel. Many families will enjoy reading this again and again, and I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Apr 12, 2022

“Excellent”

The text is easy to understand and encourages children to listen for the sounds and events that are happening in the story.

For example, the text says, “Listen! Do you hear it?”, and then describes the true story of Paul and Silas in jail, with the Philippian jailer standing guard.

The reader is encouraged to rumble and grumble during the earthquake, as these words are typed in a much bigger font to be enforced.

The personal application of the story is easy to understand, as Paul and Silas tell the Philippian jailer and his entire family about Jesus. The book is clear to answer the jailer’s question, “What must I do to be saved?”. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The illustrations in this book and colorful and captivating. Young children will be able to study the pictures and see in a kid-friendly way about Paul and Silas being in jail and the earthquake.

I would highly recommend this book to any family who wishes to introduce their young children to the people in the Bible as well as the gospel message.

This book would be perfect in any Christian home library, Christian preschool, church nursery or Sunday school classroom.
A big thank you to The Good Book Company for the complimentary copy of the book. This has been my honest review.


Apr 5, 2022

“Acts 16”

The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song is a beautiful Bible storybook that teaches young children about the power of the Gospel and the great privilege of evangelism.

Written for ages 3-6, parents will enjoy reading to their children and showing them the excellent illustrations. The story will prove to be exciting and fascinating.

Acts 16

Based on Acts 16, the book retells the story about the Philippian jailer and how his family learned about Jesus. Your children will meet Paul and Silas and see how they bore witness to the Gospel.

Memorable and meaningful, this book will be blessing to your family as you share a beloved story from the Bible. But most of all, it will introduce your children to Jesus, and give you the opportunity to share that they can become children of God.

I received a media copy of The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song Storybook and this is my honest review.


Apr 2, 2022

“Lovely Gift for a Younger Child”

A really lovely board book that's clear on the gospel but very simple. It tells the story in an easy-to-understand way but doesn't lose any of the core message. I'd definitely recommend for a young child who is able to read or could follow along while a parent or grandparent read. Catalina's illustrations are lovely and are my favourite bit!

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The Prisoners, the Earthquake and the Midnight Song Board Book | Bob Hartman, Catalina Echeverri |
$14.99