Review
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Title: Baptism, Jesus, and Me: The Who, What, Why, When, and How of Your Baptism
Author: David Butler
Illustrated by: Ryan Jeppesen
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Non-fiction
Year Published: 2016
Number of Pages: 44
Binding: Paperback
ISBN13: 978-1-62972-249-8
Reviewed by Trudy Thompson for the Association for Mormon Letters
Baptism is an exciting time, whether it be for a convert or a child of record’s baptism. With that in mind, the author and illustrator of this new book have set out to provide a resource that could be considered an “all in one” volume.
Parents and teachers can use the book to instruct young children the ways they can prepare for their baptismal day. They will be able to help the child answer the following questions: Who is an important part of your baptism day, and why? What is the difference between a covenant and an agreement? Will anyone miss the chance to be baptized? And many other questions and definitions of various gospel and baptismal terms are covered.
The layout of the book is unique in that it is an interactive, kid friendly small volume that has the child engaged in various activities, such as answering questions, drawing pictures, adding photographs, filling in the blanks etc. It is also a book that an adult can to read with a child, offering an in-depth description of the baptismal process, and the reasons behind it.
While some young children might find reading the book on their own a challenge, and the descriptions and illustrations of death and sin as monsters can be troubling, I am confident that it was the author’s intent that parents and teachers guide the child through this detailed explanation of the why, what, where, and when of the ordinance of baptism.