A Review of The First Easter by Carol Heyer

A Review of The First Easter: The Story of Why We Celebrate Easter by Carol Heyer, published in 2002 

Heyer, both the author and illustrator, gets high marks for placing the Easter story in biblical context and detail. She traces Jesus’ birth to the Old Testament prophets’ words who “foretold that God’s Son would come to earth and save the world from sin*.” Her details of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion are comprehensive. She includes the often-omitted descriptions of the earthquake and the sky turning black when Jesus took his last breath. These illustrate that Jesus was no ordinary man. His death shook the heavens and the earth. He, indeed, was the Son of God. 

The illustrations are well-conceived and powerful, from the personable closeup of a camel to the disgruntled Pharisees to the Roman soldier who collapsed on the ground when the sky turned black and the thunder roared at Jesus’ death. 

I have two concerns when I read this lovely book. On the closing page, Heyer writes. “This is why Christians celebrate Easter. We remember that Jesus gave up his life because he loved us. And on Easter morning, we rejoice because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. And we know that because of him, we, too, will live.” 

If she had written the words in bold below and inserted them in that same paragraph, it would be more apparent why Jesus is dying, what He is saving us from, and the needed faith response for salvation. “We remember that Jesus “loved us so much that he took our sins upon him when he died.” And on Easter morning, we rejoice because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. When we admit we need him to forgive our sins and believe in him, we too will live.” 

Another earlier scene concerns me. Heyer describes Peter and John returning from Jesus’ tomb afraid and wondering what happened to Jesus. That is not true. Scripture says that John and Peter believed Jesus had risen when they saw the empty tomb. Luke 24:12 reads “But Peter rose and ran to the tomb, stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. And John 20:6-9 says, “Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; marveling at what had happened.”

The measure of a biblical Christian Bible storybook is determined by asking this question: Does this tell the same story that Scripture tells? This one comes close. Wise parents will clarify and correct issues and, when necessary, compare the text to Scripture. That in itself is a great learning experience for both parent and child. 

*In 1990 Heyer wrote almost the same book titled The Easter Story. In that publication, she wrote that God’s Son would save the world but does not say “from sin” as she does in the newer book.