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The story of Exodus is told through the eyes of fish caught in the parted Red Sea in this second amazingly-illustrated children’s hardcover from Davy Liu.

Liu tells the Biblical story through the eyes of fish caught in the parted sea. Sarai, RaaOn and Sesom swim with their parents, trying to find good food. It is a tough day at sea, and the family has to fill tummies with seaweed. Suddenly, a net captures their mother and father. They make a plan to meet in a certain spot before the parents are whisked away.

The three fish face dangerous obstacles as they race to the appointed spot, calling out to the Great Finmaker for protection and the safe return of their parents. As you read, you learn how Israelites fleeing from Egypt actually saved their parents and influenced the vibrant legends passed down through generations of sea life.

I was stunned by Fire Fish. The illustrations are amazing, colorful layers of photographs, 3-D graphics and storyboard sketches. The story is light, fresh, told in a way that children will easily grasp. Liu takes children through Exodus right before the Red Sea crashes together and swallows the Egyptians hunting down the children of Israel. I loved his nod to the real story of the Israelites flight from slavery within the art.

Liu’s extraordinary gift of illustration far surpasses other efforts I have seen in children’s bookstores recently - especially those touting Christian tomes. And with good reason: Liu is a former animator for Disney, Warner Bros. and Industrial Light and Magic. Pay close attention to the illustrations. They tell what the story all their own, and fill in the blanks to Exodus left in the text.

The author also shows incredible creativity in dovetailing the written story with the story told within the illustrations. In the beginning, the fish recall a legend that two-legged creatures wept on the sea banks for children thrown to the crocodiles. (Pharaoh murdered all first-born to keep Moses from living and eventually leading slaves out of Egypt.) As you read and devour the illustrations, you discover that the Fire Fish are actually the torches of the Israelites as they fled through the parted sea. In the end, some fish are worried what will happen when the evil sharks are no longer separated from them. The fish pray to the Finmaker, asking for a great feast for the sharks, so that all fish can live in peace. There are no words, but the final two-page illustration shows the Red Sea crashing over the Egyptians. I really liked how Liu handled this part of Exodus, and the irony was unexpected.

This idea is so unique, I wondered how Liu came to create this book. I found his answer on his Web site:

Many amazing events surround the Exodus. I imagine being a fish witnessing these events. Would I be impacted? The answer is yes. For all history, no fish had ever seen the water divided, nor a school of humans carrying bright torch’s walking on the dry ocean floor. How amazing that day must have been!

What would the sea life think of such a miracle? Had they ever seen humans? Were they so amazed at the bright torches they didn’t pay attention to them? Would they think of the torches as a kind of fish that comes from above? Maybe this unusual event made it into their history books. Maybe these miracles benefited all of God’s creation, so that in the sea there was a celebration much like Independence Day.

Fire Fish is a beautifully-crafted, incredibly balanced presentation, and a definite keeper for bookshelves in homes with children or grandchildren. It will make an excellent birthday or Christmas gift, and is a must-have for church nurseries.

Check out the book’s site. www.thefirefish.com, for free downloads and more information about the featured characters.

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