The Parable of the Lily

November 3, 1997
The creators of The Pumpkin Patch Parable team up again on this Easter picture book. Maggie is utterly disappointed when she receives a box of dirt and some gardening instructions in the mail. She would much rather have had a toy or a doll. She neglects her gift all winter long and in disgust tosses it out the cellar door when springtime arrives. To Maggie's surprise, the bulb she hastily threw away produces a beautiful Easter lily in her family's garden. Higgs's simple declarative text, interspersed with short Bible passages about parallel events in Jesus's life, should prove a welcome challenge to beginning readers. Her use of capital letters when referring to the farmer, however, is confusing and invites closer examination of the story's intended meaning. Munger's artwork is unfortunately rendered in an almost-garish palette, though her compositions accurately capture the emotional dynamic between Maggie and her father. In the end, readers will take away a message of new life at Easter and may be encouraged to explore further stories from the Bible. Ages 3-7.