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The One O'Clock Miracle: A True Story About Trusting the Words of Jesus






The One O’Clock Miracle by Alison Mitchell and Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

This wonderfully written and illustrated children’s book entitled The One O’Clock Miracle by Alison Mitchell and Catalina Echeverri is a real treat for those interested in a retelling of John 4 and the Royal Official’s son and his healing.  With illustrations reminiscent of the pictures in The Jesus Storybook Bible, illustrator Catalina Echeverri, the story of the Royal’s son comes to life. 

The writing and illustrations in The One O’Clock miracle all hinge upon Jesus, not only that he healed the Royal’s son but that he was God’s rescue King, the Son of God.  How do the author and illustrator point to Jesus in the story?  For one, at many points in the story the royal official was out of breath, but he kept continuing on his path because he NEEDED to see Jesus and he MUST see Jesus.  The highlighted words bring out the necessity of the Royal official’s plight to see Jesus.  Even more, the response of the Royal official to Jesus when he said, “Go,” helps us see that the man thought without Jesus’ actual presence with his son, his son would not be healed.  Yet, the official hung onto the words of Jesus that his son would live, for he believed Jesus.

The way in which the story ends with the royal official rejoicing to hear of his son being healed at the same hour that he saw Jesus, when Jesus said his son would live is truly an amazing end to the retelling of John 4.  The men of the community come to meet the royal official and they are exclaiming that the son is alive and well again, sending the father into a tizzy as he leaps off his feet.  Alison at the end of the book highlights the fact that Jesus spoke and the son was healed and this because Jesus was God’s Son.  She highlights the continuity that God speaks, as in Genesis 1 and the world never the same after this event.  The story ends with the royal official telling his family what Jesus had done for him and them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and so did my kindergarten daughter.  She loved the expressions on the boy’s face at the end of the story as well.


Thanks to Cross Focused Reviews and the good book company for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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