JOHN NEWTON:
Amazing Grace
Story by Colin Jones
Artwork by Graeme Hewitson
DayOne. 57 pages. £6.50
ISBN 978 1 846 255 212
This is a wonderful picture book which is very appropriate for children and young teenagers. It tells the story of John Newton, the 18th-century sailor, slave trader and blasphemer who came to Christ through many dangers and is most well known as the writer of the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’.
The language is simple and yet this does not detract from the emotion and power of the tale. The artwork is very up to date, using the kinds of graphics found in computer games, and it illustrates the adventures of Newton’s life in a way that is both sensitive and ‘cool’. Newton had a very hard heart and had to be more or less shocked into faith in the Lord’s grace. This might well make this book extremely appropriate for some young people – even those from Christian families – and help them on the road to seeing their need of Jesus Christ for themselves. There is much to recommend here.
