The Third Gift
Linda Sue Park, illustrated (splendidly) by Bagram Ibatoulline
ISBN: 9780547201955
Read February 7, 2014
Picture Book: A boy works with his father to harvest the 'tears' of the shrubby, dull myrrh trees that grow in their mountains. The boy watches as his father inspects leaves and branches and bark before selecting which trees to milk, all the while thinking of the skill needed to harvest large, desirable tears full of the expensive sap. When the selected tree produces a tear the size of a hen's egg, the boy is honored to be allowed to harvest it from the tree. Once back in town, he is further honored when the tear is purchased by three richly-dressed strangers, as a present for a baby.
I'm no longer religious, but I do think that it is vital to have a background in Biblical mythology to understand a lot of the underpinnings of western culture. Because of this, I'm always delighted to see stories and fragments of Biblically-related concepts that focus on the story itself, rather than on the proselytizing aspects. Even in the afterword, the book is careful to ascribe only historical and biblical referents to the story, instead of moral or religous undertones.
Truly beautiful.
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