Book Review of Abigail and the Waterfall
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The Children’s Book Review
Abigail and the Waterfall
Written by Sandra L. Richter
Illustrated by Michael Corsini
Ages: 4-6 | 32 Pages
Publisher: IVP Kids (2025) | ISBN: 978-1514008928
What to Expect: Nature, hiking, Biblical learning, creation, environmental stewardship, family.
With its emphasis on stewardship of the world created by God, this picture book serves as an educational tool, introducing young readers to both the joy of spending time in nature and the responsibilities humans have to maintain and protect the environment.
Abigail loves the first Saturday of each month because that’s the day that her mom and dad, who are passionate about nature, take her and her brother Levi on a hike! Abigail loves the hike because the woods are full of beauty and wonder. From the lovely smells and sounds to the animals, fish, and insects that live in the creek, there is so much to see and enjoy.
Then there’s a delicious picnic to enjoy (being careful not to leave any trash in the woods) and the creek to splash in (being careful not to disturb the animals and fish that live there). When the sun starts to set, it’s finally time to head home—what a delightful day Abigail and her family have had!
Abigail and her family are conscientious and fun-loving, modeling for readers what good stewardship looks like through their kindness and consideration for the environment and the creatures they encounter. The text employs sensory description and simple first-person narration to help readers feel immersed in the hike as they follow along, while biblical quotes interspersed throughout the main narrative keep the story grounded in Christian principles.
Abigail and the Waterfall is ideal for families who want to teach their children about environmental awareness through biblical learning.
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About the Author
Sandra L. Richter (PhD, Harvard University) is the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College, a member of the Committee on Biblical Translation for the NIV, and widely recognized for her work in Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic history. She is best known in the church for The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament, the video courses that have grown from that project, and Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters. Her newest project, Abigail and the Waterfall: Loving God’s Good Earth, is a children’s book about stewarding the gifts of God’s creation.
About the Illustrator
Michael Corsini is an artist and illustrator with a BFA in illustration from Ringling School of Art and Design and an MTS from the John Paul II Institute in Washington, DC. His mission as an artist is to renew the church with works of beauty and music, and he has illustrated several children’s books including The Night the Saints Saved Christmas. Michael lives with his wife and their five children in northeast Pennsylvania where they are growing a small family homestead.
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