This beautifully illustrated picture book faithfully retells the story of the prodigal son. Elements of the story may be beyond young children’s grasp, but can open a discussion with the adult who reads it to them. It would be a great addition to a home or church library. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Great artwork. Phenomenal writing. Read this to my five-year-old and he enjoyed it. Stunning images and brings the Prodigal Son to life for younger children to enjoy and learn from.

First sentence: Jesus told them this parable...There was a man who had two sons.

Premise/plot: The Lost Son Comes Home is a picture book adaptation of one of Jesus’ most well known parables that of the Prodigal Son. This picture book uses the (actual) text of Scripture (in the New International Version, 2011) as found in Luke 15. It is illustrated by Tim Ladwig.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this one. In bible story book collections, readers often find more text than illustration. One story might have one or two pages of illustrations. It was a wonderful treat to read this one. The story is familiar, yet with so many illustrations it felt new.

This story is a great one to share with little ones. In my opinion, you are never too young or too old to learn from this parable, to have it speak to you of God’s grace, mercy, and love. It reminded me that one of my very first favorite songs was Benny Hester’s When God Ran.

Text:5/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Total: 10/10

What a beautiful book. Told with the words from the Bible - not abridged but alongside the stunning artwork, this really works, even for young listeners. Thank you for taking such care over a very special and important story.

Stories Jesus Told: The Lost Son Comes Home is a short children’s book written with biblical text related to the parable of the prodigal son. This story teaches children that a parents love is unconditional. As parents we teach our children right from wrong and expect them to heed our lessons but they make mistakes and bad choices. But, like God, there is nothing our children can do that we as parents won’t forgive and this story depicts that beautifully. I read this story to my 4 month old and will continue to read it to her as a way to teach her that Gods love and forgiveness is forever and so is mine! 5 stars!!!!!
*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book for my honest review. I read this Bible Story with my 4 year old and she gives it 4 stars. The story is easy to understand and the illustrations are appropriate for a 4 year old. This story stays true to the Biblical parable of the prodigal son.

Want a story that tells Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son to kids? This is it. This illustrated children’s book is on one of my favorite parables that Jesus taught. And now I get to share this with my children!
Several pages into reading this book to my girls it occurred to me that the wording from this book comes straight from the Bible in the Gospel of Luke. I appreciate this being a picture book of Scripture! The artwork is well done. It was illustrated in a way that reflects what we would imagine the parable would be like and I appreciate that since that’s not taken for granted today where even Christian children book has artwork that swerve to the weird and abstract. While illustrated for kids it still portray just how low the lost son and the older brother is like. I love the one illustration where the prodigal comes back home and the servants are changing his clothes and giving him what the father told them to give and one of them even made a face with the son’s dirty clothes! I read this a few times and a few weeks afterwards one of my daughters asked me to read it to her again with the other girls affirming they want me to read it aloud again, which thus affirm this book is worthwhile to purchase!
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Discovery House and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

I am very familiar with this story. I can remember sitting in my Sunday school class on a tiny chair and watching my Sunday school teacher putting characters and scenery on a felt board as she told us the story. The illustrations were simply beautiful and helped give a visual aid without distracting from the story/lesson. I would have loved to see the book go a little father, but for my youngest nephews, I believe this is a great teaching tool for them. I love the discussion questions at the end to see what my nephews remember and how they feel about the story.

This book is a simple, elegant, and well executed idea. Christian parents will almost certainly love this book.

The text is word for word the parable of the Prodigal Son as translated into the Nee International Version. The illustrations show an imaginative rendering of what this tale might look like.

Tim Ladwig’s art is gorgeous. There is simply no other word for it. It’s quality and attractiveness is what first drew me to review this book. The expressiveness of the characters and the details draw the reader in. They have a feel of historical authenticity. I also appreciate the fact that the characters look Middle Eastern, something still too infrequently done in these kinds of renderings.

A concluding page aids parents with questions to consider. Using these is a good starting point for parents to help their children engage with the biblical text. Children of Christian parents get this chance more rarely than we’d like to think. It is an excellent way to start a lifelong dialogue with scripture.

This was an enjoyable book taken from the parable in the Bible of the Prodigal Son. It is written in a way that children will be able to understand it. It also teaches that real love is unconditional - no matter what we have done, the Father will welcome us. A good life lesson that hopefully the children would remember as they grow up into adults.

The parable of the prodigal son comes alive in this picture book. Realistic artwork helps children connect to the characters’ emotions: the prodigal’s discontent, the father’s heartbreak, the brother’s jealous anger, and more as the story unfolds. As children understand these emotions, they begin to grasp God’s unconditional love and forgiveness as demonstrated by the father welcoming his son home.

Tim Ladwig is a published author and an illustrator of children's books. Some of the published credits of Tim Ladwig include Tonight You Are My Baby: Mary's Christmas Gift (HarperBlessings), Probity Jones And The Fear Not Angel (Paraclete Poetry), Good King Wenceslas.

The Lost Son became available for sale August 7, 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in ebook style from NetGalley for this review.

This is one of my favorite parables, and I love finding new interpretations of those treasured verses. This book definitely did not disappoint. The words I practically knew by heart, but the images led me to pause and reflect. The drawings in this book are stunning. Each page is filled with beauty and detail, and I found myself studying the images even more than the words. The picture of the father, with a tear on his cheek, watching his son leave stopped me in my reading tracks, and I will for sure be reflecting on that image for a long time. Thank you for publishing such a beautiful retelling of this story!

*thank you to Netgalley, Discovery House Publishers and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars.

What a lovely story. I really enjoyed reading this but not only that, the illustrations are so well done. Nicely coloured and detailed. I thought that this was beautifully told and it teaches children a bit more about love. The fact that the father saw his youngest son the way he did, shows children how God loves. It also shows the older brother feeling anger over the father's reaction to the younger son, and while that is understandable, it is then told that love, not punishment, is the answer. 

I like that the expressions shown on the faces of the character clearly resemble each emotion that is being felt. This is definitely a story that children can enjoy, religious or not, it is well told and easy to understand and follow.

Religious books for children generally suffer from poor illustrations. Enter Tim Ladwig. He is a superb illustrator
who uses his talent to produce religious books of quality. The story, while familiar, has been given a fresh interpretation by Ladwig.

Portraiture is his specialty. The faces of the main characters are studies of the emotions within. The jealous brother is .shown straight on with his frustration written all over his face. Ladwig is also good with animals. His
pigs are appealing, and the ending picture of the Lost Son embracing the family dog - who obviously hasn't forgotten him either - is a satisfying touch.

But while he was still a long way off , his father
saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The prodigal son is the perfect picture of God's love for us. In this children's book with colorful illustrations, we are introduced to two sons with different responses. In each of these responses we can be both sons. Selfish and bitter. This story is a great conversation piece to have with your child on our response to God. How can we be selfish when it comes to the things of God? How can we become bitter when we covet others? And how does God's love shine thru when we do?

These type of books build relationships that can have an eternal impact. Highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Discovery House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

This book tells the biblical story of the lost son—one of Jesus' parables found in Luke 15. Using gorgeous illustrations and wording that children can understand, this book and the parable in it teaches that God (our heavenly Father) loves us deeply and celebrates any time one of His children return to Him.

The lost son parable coincides with Jesus' lost sheep and lost coin parables also in Luke 15, in which Jesus says, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents,” and "there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents" than over any "righteous persons who do not need to repent." We are all sinners, and God rejoices when we—in the free will He has given us—make the decision to turn away from the sin in our lives and turn toward His unconditional and never-ending love and grace.

"The Lost Son Comes Home" is visually stunning and opens the door to meaningful and inspirational conversation with children.

"The Lost Son Comes Home" by Tim Ladwig takes the Scripture directly from the New International Version in Luke 15:11-32 to tell the story of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This is one of my favorite parables Jesus told. I am the Prodigal. I have turned away and thought only of myself and yet God's love never fails and never gives up on me.

God the Father is that Father, waiting for us. Not to scold us. Not to punish us. But running to us. Running to meet us along the way. Cutting us off in our pity party and rehearsed speech about our mistakes. He throws a robe on us. He kills the fattened calf. He throws a party for us. He celebrates our resurrection from death to life.

The illustrations that accompany the Scripture are beautiful.

This is an excellent story to teach kids about God and His character and what He is like as a loving, forgiving, gracious Father, whose love never abandons us or rejects us.

This is a beautiful adaptation of the prodigal son. The images throughout are stunning and child-friendly.

A short children's story and a sure winner for parents who want to share biblical stories based on, and using biblical texts.
The lost son is an updated adaptation of a parable of Jesus the older generation know as the prodigal son. It carries the message of the story in an engaging story beautifully illustrated with pictures that carry more information and areas for discussion.
The fascial expressions also clearly convey the feelings here, especially the face of a longing Father.
I love best that in this story the Father must have been in the habit of scanning the horizon. Imagine the joy of a parent who is re-united with a lost but not forgotten child. The Father could not wait and runs out to embrace his son.
The author ends the book with notes to parents and questions related to the story.