A Review of Found by Sally Lloyd-Jones, Illustrated by Jago

Found is a beautiful, thoughtful book that shows us God as the Shepherd of Psalm 23. The text also appears in the Jesus Storybook Bible by Lloyd-Jones on pages 132-134. However, Found takes those same words and expands them to 20 pages each illustrating the gifts and care that God as the shepherd provides. By creating this as a separate book, the author allows adults and children to slow down and contemplate the giver of these inimitable gifts of rest, peace, safety, and quiet.

There are many books for children on Psalm 23. This one shines for three reasons: Lloyd-Jones’ text is clear and poignant; Jago’s illustrations portray the goodness and risk-taking love of God the Shepherd from the lamb’s point of view; and the title of Found gives us a beautiful glimpse of the Gospel in which God seeks us, his lost people. Without his tender protection, we would starve, be lonely and lost, without a rescuer.  

While I affirm the simplicity of Found, I wonder what it would look like if it was expanded to reference two more critical passages in Scripture about sheep. In Isaiah 53:6 all of us are wayward sheep and “the man of sorrows” will soon bear our sins. In John 10, Jesus names himself the Good Shepherd who calls the sheep by name and later will give his life for them. 

There is another reason why I am delighted with this book. The story of the Good Shepherd is considered central to a young child’s spiritual formation. I use Sonya Stewart’s Young Children in Worship curriculum to teach a similar Good Shepherd story. I include objects pictured to the left and in the basket below: green felt grass, blue felt water, a sheepfold made of brown-felt strips, rocks representing danger, sheep, and a shepherd figure. We sing several “Good Shepherd” songs such as “In God’s Green Pastures Lying;” “Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down;” and “Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us.” The book Found is one more resource I now use to illustrate the intimate love and care of Jesus our Good Shepherd.