Meike Roth-BeckReseñas

Great short biography for children who can read longer books. Martin Luther the Reformer was instrumental in what we now called Protestants. This book provides a short biography to his life.

We can't just feel satisfied with truth as it is told to us by others; we need to be able to read and think for ourselves, even about important things like God. This is the message Martin Luther felt compelled to give to people, even amid the stranglehold the Catholic Church had on Europe of 1517.

This book is a powerful story of a powerful and daring man, Martin Luther, who was able to crack open the ironclad rules imposed upon people by the leaders of the Catholic Church during times when to do so would bring heavy repercussions, even death. It reminds us that we need to always bring Martin Luther's freshness of thought to all the institutionalized dogma we are presented with today, even though we may challenge those who may try to crush us and marginalize us.

A beautifully illustrated and beautifully written introduction to a great man.

I was completely captivated by this book. First, even though it is for young readers (not small children because the vocabulary is not simple), I learned a great deal that I didn't know about Martin Luther. The illustrations are delightful. I studied each one carefully, in context with the reading and also just for the pleasure of seeing the detail and the colors. I appreciate the glossary at the end also - very helpful for a younger audience. This is a book I will keep on my shelf and enjoy myself and, hopefully, with a grandchild in the years to come.

Publishers are issuing many books on Martin Luther as we celebrate the 500th anniversary on the Reformation. Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenburg Church October 31, 1517. The action led to one of the greatest religious movements in history--the Protestant Reformation. Roth-Beck has written an engaging account of Luther's life for younger readers. He explains the religious culture of the time, how Luther came to be a monk, and how his studies led him to question the teachings of the church. The illustrations by Ensikat are well-done. There is a key to the illustrations at the end of the book, explaining each in further detail. While some younger readers would not be able to handle some of the vocabulary terms on their own, the book would make a great read-aloud book for parents to read and discuss with their children. The book will be very useful in Christian schools and home-schools. Even though it is aimed at a younger audience, it would provide a good overview for teens and adults interested in learning about Luther. I received an advance review copy of this title through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

The Life and Time of Martin Luther is an entertaining way to introduce children to Martin Luther during the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The wonderfully detailed illustrations are captivating for young and experienced readers alike. In addition to providing an overview of the major events in Luther's life, I appreciated that several pages are devoted to explaining the content of some of the 95 Theses. I would recommend this book to families interested in teaching their children about this time period in church history.

Received free from Early Reviews.

For young people it tells the story of Martin Luther. It is easy to understand and beautifully illustrated. I learned things I hadn't knowned.½

I received this book in a librarything giveaway. I was very intrigued by the concept of a graphic novel on church history. This book's target audience is children. The illustration is beautiful and the content very educational. I would recommend this book to people with children. I believe this is a good way to interest them in the subject of church history.

I can't say enough good things about The Life and Times of Martin Luther by Meike Roth-Beck with English translation by Laura Watkinson, an illustrated book geared towards elementary-aged children. As an adult reader, I loved it. It's a wonderful introduction to the reformer and some of his teachings, including the "Ninety-five Theses." What really sets this book apart, though, are its magnificent illustrations by German illustrator Klaus Ensikat. The drawings are detailed, the colors vivid, faces expressive, and cityscapes charming. I look forward to sharing it with both young and adult readers.

I was excited to read and review this because I’ve studied Luther and the Reformation in college courses and through my international travels. I’ve read (okay, skimmed) several biographies of Martin Luther, and I lived in Wittenberg, Germany, for two months and visited the Wartburg Castle, Eisenach, and Erfurt.

The publisher’s website notes that The Life and Times of Martin Luther is intended for children ages 7 and up. While there are certainly sentences that cater to this age (“Martin Luther was born into a world where life was very different than it is today…”), the text is a bit heavy and lacks the context necessary for younger readers. This book is probably best suited for ages 10-12 and up. Most children this age don’t want to read picture books, but I think this concern can be mitigated by the quality of the illustrations.

The illustrations in The Life and Times of Martin Luther are not childish or cartoonish; rather, they’re realistic and very detailed. Older children can appreciate them for the depth of symbols and characters that they included. The town hall depicted alongside the Stadtkirche was actually built after 1517, and its inclusion on page 4 implies that it existed in 1517, but other than that, the details are impressive.

Ensikat details the Exsurge Domine and the bridge leading into the Wartburg Castle quite well. The colors and depictions of German churches and towns are true to life. Ensikat obviously studied drawings of Luther extensively, as Luther’s face throughout the book looks very similar to the many portraits we have of him. The likenesses of other figures, including Katharina von Bora and Philip Melanchthon, are also historically accurate. There was only one anachronistic detail that I could find: The town hall depicted on page 4 alongside the Stadtkirche was actually built after 1517. Its inclusion on page 4 implies that it existed before or during 1517, but other than that, the details in Ensikat’s illustrations are stunning.

Read my full review here: http://carolinavonkampen.com/life-and-times-of-martin-luther-meike-roth-beck/

The Life and Times of Martin Luther by Meike Roth-Beck is a wonderful children's book with awesome illustrations by Klaus Ensikat. This is a book to be read to young children or read by older children. It is a clear and concise story of Martin Luther, his life and what he was all about. He changed the history of the western world. I highly recommend this rewarding book for adults as well as children. I collect children's picture books with outstanding illustrations and this book qualifies.

I am so excited about this book. It is very informative about the life of Martin Luther. It is written for older elementary students to understand but the information is so thorough that Middle and High School students could use this book for an introductory learning about Martin Luther. I also love how some of the Theses are explained. I am excited to share this book with my students.

This is a quality, well-illustrated children's book about Martin Luther and his work. It would be too wordy for young children, but would work for older elementary to middle grade (and also for adults who want an overview/reminder).

It provides a brief introduction to the "times," then chronicles Luther's early years leading to his decision to become a monk, and then the circumstances which led to him nailing his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

It highlights and briefly explains about 20 of the theses, focusing on indulgences and how their sale affected the state of the poor and people's understanding of grace.

The book then gives an overview of some of the aftermath of Luther's actions. There are no additional educational resources/recommendations here, but there are a couple pages at the end which provide notes about some of the illustrations. I didn't know anything about the "Luther rose" or the swan imagery, so those and other details were interesting.

I appreciate that the book was able to thoroughly explain what was at stake without moralizing. This helped refresh my memory about Luther's place in history, but should also be accessible to those with little religious background.

(In compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received this book for free through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I was not required to write a positive review.)