God with Us: Bible Stories on the Road to Emmaus

by Matt Mikalatos, Renjy Abraham (foreword), David Shephard (illustrator)

Follow God’s story of love, hope, and rescue from Genesis to the Gospels in this captivating graphic novel—through stories told by Jesus himself.

The long walk home after celebrating Passover in Jerusalem should be a joyful journey, but this year the travelers are sad and afraid. Then a mysterious stranger shows up and starts telling stories—from many years ago all the way up to the recent death of Yeshua (Jesus) on the cross—and the friends can’t wait to hear more.

This intriguing, funny, and heartfelt journey explores Scripture from Creation to the Resurrection through the eyes of curious children (and grown-ups!) walking with Yeshua on the Road to Emmaus.

Genres: Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Christian

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2025

About the author

Matt Mikalatos writes in a variety of genres, and also writes for film and TV. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area with his wife, three daughters, and a gigantic rabbit named Bruce.

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A graphic novel that narrates stories from the Bible, using Cleopas’s encounter with Jesus on the way to Emmaus as the foundation. Innovative in concept and execution. Excellent (and racially-authentic) illustrations. Might be a bit tricky for the target audience of middle-graders as the narrative isn't linear. But adult supervision will help. Recommended.

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Children are always attracted to books with illustrations. So using a graphic novel to teach them stories from the Bible is a wonderful idea. But this book doesn’t just stop at this basic intent. Rather, its presentation sets it apart from other similar works.

The story uses Cleopas’s trip from Jerusalem to Emmaus as the setting. As the Gospel of Luke mentions only Cleopas by name in its references to this journey that takes place on the day of Jesus’s resurrection, this book adds some fictional characters – Miriam (Cleopas’s wife) and Rachel and Moshe (siblings and Cleopas’s young neighbours) – as his travelling companions. Cleopas and Miriam are grieving after Yeshua’s crucifixion (Jesus is called by his Hebrew name ‘Yeshua’ in this book) and afraid that they might meet a similar fate. So when a stranger joins their group and offers to narrate stories to while away the time during the long walk ahead, they readily accept, not knowing that he was the very person they believed dead: the resurrected Lord Jesus in the flesh.

The Bible never clarifies what Jesus spoke to Cleopas and his companion disciple on the way to Emmaus. So the author has used his creativity to fill in the gaps. And when I say “creativity”, I mean it in the true sense of the word. Yeshua’s narratives and Cleopas and Mary’s discussions bring about a thought-provoking correlation between the stories of the Old Testament and the New Testament. I loved how each of them took a story from one of the Testaments and found a convincing parallel to it in the other Testament. This means that the stories don’t necessarily proceed in chronological Biblical order, but in an order that makes the comparison more feasible: in terms of shared traits with the life of Jesus.

Having two child characters makes a big difference to the storytelling. Rachel and Moshe ask several questions to the “teacher”, which helps us also understand the stories better. There is plenty of humour injected into the narrative, part of which comes through Moshe’s constant references to food.

While the core essence of the content remains biblical, the language is suitably adapted for modern readers. Moshe especially has vocabulary that suits his age. The new, simpler rendition of the Ten Commandments is truly easy for kids to understand. That said, the modified version of The Lord’s Prayer was a little too novel for me.

The parallel storytelling is a clever way of revealing the commonalities between some events of both the testaments. However, no matter how creative, the correlation between the Old Testament and the New Testament needs a certain familiarity with basic biblical stories. The lack of a linear narrative adds to the difficulty of comprehension. Moreover, I felt that the continuity of the panels was a bit off at times. As such, younger children might find the content a bit complicated to understand.

As much as I enjoyed the innovative approach to the story of Jesus, I loved the illustrations even more. The graphics are in digital art with full colour throughout. The flashback scenes come in a different colour scheme, thereby making it somewhat easier to follow the multi-thread narrative. The skin tones and eye colours were racially authentic – no enforced white skin and blue eyes here! Everyone is justifiably Middle-Eastern in appearance. The character features are also suitably rustic instead of catering to modern beauty standards of delicate features and dainty noses. Even the angels aren’t sketched with the standard western “golden blonde” look. I am so used to seeing Mother Mary in blue that seeing her in red garments took some adjusting, but I loved that creative call. The graphic personification of the Word of God was outstanding. A shoutout to that stunning cover with Jesus laughing heartily – I loved it! Books rarely depict this side of Jesus’s personality.

All in all, I loved the creativity of the concept and the illustrations. The execution is also great, but I think it might be a tad complex for younger readers. Adult guidance ought to help.

As current times clearly prove, those indulging in the loudest Bible-thumping are the ones who know least about what’s actually advocated in the Bible. Perhaps this graphic novel would also be a quick way for such ignoramuses to learn the true teachings of God. (Oh, and just so you know, the graphic novel makes the biblical position on women as well as immigrants absolutely clear. And no, it’s not what the current “ruler” of the USA and his stooges want you to believe.)

Definitely recommended to anyone looking to read unusually-structured biblical stories in a graphic-novel format. This book would make a great gift, especially on special occasions such as Easter, confirmation and so on. The official target audience for this book is middle-graders, but it works even better for older readers.

4 stars.


My thanks to WaterBrook & Multnomah for providing the DRC of “God with Us: Bible Stories on the Road to Emmaus” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

God with Us: Bible Stories on the Road to Emmaus by Matt Mikalatos

God with Us: Bible Stories on the Road to Emmaus is a 2025 graphic novel that imaginatively retells key stories of the Bible through the framework of the Road to Emmaus encounter in Luke 24, where the risen Jesus walks with two disciples who do not yet recognize him. Using vibrant full‑color illustrations and engaging dialogue, Matt Mikalatos (with art by David Shephard) weaves together episodes from Creation through the Easter resurrection, all presented as stories Jesus shares during the journey, seen through the eyes of curious characters including two children, making Scripture accessible and alive. This format invites readers to see the continuity of God’s redemptive story and helps connect familiar Bible narratives with the person of Jesus in a fresh way.

I came away feeling both enchanted and reflective, as the graphic novel format and warm storytelling made ancient texts feel surprisingly immediate and personal: I could almost hear Jesus’ voice explaining hope and rescue as the pages turned. The creative structure made me think differently about how the Old and New Testaments are connected, especially for younger readers eager for engaging biblical content. While some narrative leaps ask for a bit of Bible familiarity, the emotional resonance of seeing God’s story unfold from Genesis to Resurrection stayed with me.

Rating: 4 out of 5, for its heartfelt approach to Bible storytelling.

[Beth Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've known the author of this book for ages, and I was excited to finally dig into this new graphic novel. It expands upon events in the immediate aftermath of Jesus's death and resurrection, and does so in a vibrant, full-color graphic novel format. I found it fascinating. The presentation really does added another level to text that otherwise comes across as both mystifying and dry. Jesus (called Yeshua) is depicted as an attentive teacher and storyteller, someone kind toward the two children who walk with him along the road. He is often shown as laughing. I welcome this approach: this is a Jesus who would be pleasant company on a journey.

[Tyler Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a galley copy from the publisher. This in no way impacts my review and what follows is my honest opinion.*

This graphic novel walks through the story of Scripture and how it points to Jesus the Messiah. This is told from the perspective of the resurrected Jesus as he is walking to Emmaus. Luke 24:27 says,
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." This book shows what that explanation Jesus gave could have been like.

Beautifully illustrated and written, God With Us both instructs the reader and brings the reader to worship as the scripture is illuminated in light of the person of Jesus. I recommend this for anyone but particularly those who are visual learners. My almost 10 year old son read a good portion of it himself and his reaction was "we definitely need to get this in April!"

[Kaitlyn Paden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be a part of the galley tour for this book, and though it’s been a hot minute since I actually finished the book, I finally wanted to sit down and write out my thoughts.

I took notes as I read, knowing I would probably forget all the things I was thinking, so forgive me as I try to weave together my random thoughts into somewhat structured, though not very fluid, statements as opposed to spiels about how they had sick burns in Biblical times or my theory on how God is an alien or how David was a rapper prior to starting on the king career path.

God With Us was genuinely a very refreshing book to read. I’ve always been very drawn to God as a friend, as a confidant. God and I have a very personable relationship, and this book is such a good way to explain to others that it’s okay to see Him as the person He was, and not just the Savior He is. I think it’s very comforting, and helps people realize that a relationship with God doesn’t mean you have to know every story of the Bible and every word He ever said, that all you have to do is go to Him and He won’t turn you away. All you have to do is walk with Him and listen to all the things He has to tell you.

One thing I have noted is that Yeshua was so willing to answer the questions of Moshe, how He didn’t just entertain the boy as a way to get him to shut up, but He really just wanted to talk with Him. Specifically, I referenced a part where Yeshua answered Moshe’s question so bluntly yet comedic-ly that it just made me laugh, and I realized that is how I’ve always pictured Him. Personable and patient and genuine.

Another thing it really emphasized, not necessarily through words, but through the characters, was the idea of child-like faith. Yeshua never got upset with the relentless questions or conversations about things most adults wouldn’t want to bother Him with. He welcomed it. Sometimes child-like faith looks like asking every single question that comes to your mind and having absolutely no filter and just rambling on and on about little things. Because that’s what kids do. They ask “Why?” every time someone tells them a simple fact and expect you to tell them why the sky is blue when you definitely don’t have a bachelor’s degree in science, and they ramble about their imaginary friends on and on and “Just because you can’t see or hear them doesn’t mean they aren’t real” until all you can think is that you wish you couldn’t hear or see them. God wants us to come to Him that same way, even if we don’t ask why the sky is blue. And He won’t ever sigh and ask if we want to play the quiet game.

One more thing about childlike faith before I move on to all the other stuff I’ve got written down: Rachel. She (spoiler alert) saw Yeshua for who He was before anyone else. She didn’t see a limit to the power He has and didn’t limit her thinking to what she saw in front of her, to what was considered probable. And sometimes even those with child-like faith can become skeptical. There was one line in the book that said something along the lines of “I need to know more about this ‘Son of God’. This guy heard a story and wanted to seek out answers to see whether or not He could be something worth believing in. God won’t care if you have doubts. He’d rather you be doubtful, yet look for the truth, instead of you just being somewhat curious without making any effort. Something worth believing in won’t give up on you just because you doubt its existence sometimes.

I really loved these characters. I think they were perfect representations of all the people we see nowadays. I also feel like they could all represent different parts of who we are. The combination of doubt and frustration and wanting to believe and fear are so beautiful and a wonderful way to piece together all emotion and still show how much patience and love we are met with. I also really just fell in love with this depiction of Jesus. That guy is my bestie, and seeing Him portrayed in such a way where I could actually picture Him was so touching and comforting, because He’s always right there, but He felt so much closer after this because He just seemed so much clearer. There was an image of Him, with His head thrown back, laughing, and I felt like I could hear His laughter echoing through the pages. I just wanted to be able to jump in and sit with Him and listen to His stories and laugh with Him like everyone else was, but I also left knowing that I can sit with Him, and laugh with Him, and listen to Him right now where I am. I don’t have to jump universes to know Him personally. I was given that gift the second He died on the cross for me. The second I chose to trust in Him to provide for me and love me and care for me is the second our relationship changed to one of pursuit, to one of familiarity.

Another thing I noted was the way everything was connected and drawn together and so circular throughout all of the stories we heard. Sometimes I tend to look at the story I am reading, without considering where it could have tied in elsewhere. You never really realize how many things tie in to other things until, one, it is all laid out in front of you, or two, you seek it out yourself. Everything goes back to something else and that something else clues you in to something that could go down wayyyy in the future. It's so cool to think of how God is working presently in this moment and it could have been hinted at or mirrors something that happened in the past. Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. That isn’t always a bad thing but you need to know the history in order to stop it from happening again or to encourage growth to mimic where it happened previously. It also got me thinking that, just as it is important to remember how all stories can be tied back to another story, all of us and all of our stories are interwoven together and we can see how they affect each other and run concurrently.

Also something I dwelled on is just because someone doesn’t look like they believe in God the same way you do or doesn’t act like how you think someone who believes in God should, doesn’t mean that they don’t know or love Him. You can’t tell if someone knows God by how they look or the people they come from or where they live. You know that someone loves God because they love like God and when they act, they do it like He would.

There was one part where sacrifice was brought, and I’m not quite exactly sure what was being explained, but I know I started thinking about the idea that God gives us something in order for us to sacrifice it to Him. He made the lamb, and Abel sacrificed it out of reverence. He had Noah build an ark with all the animals on it and kept the ark afloat and everyone in it alive, so Noah sacrificed to God out of gratitude. God gave Abraham a son after years of wanting a child, so when God asked, he responded with a willingness to sacrifice. And when God saw this, He provided Abraham a ram, which Abraham then sacrificed out of respect and understanding that God could call him to anything at any time.

Sacrifice isn’t just about giving God something to keep Him satiated. It’s about responding to the things that He has given to you with a willingness to give it all back to Him. It’s about recognizing that everything you have was given to you by God, and that sometimes when you come to that realization you are struck with this immense feeling of gratitude and humility and unworthiness, and all you can do is fall on your knees and surrender it all back to Him.

I don’t even know where this thought came from honestly, but it was written down with everything else so I’m just gonna stick it in here: Sometimes we get so caught up in the things we don’t have that we don’t even realize that God is providing the things we had been begging and pleading for previously. Look around at what you have, then look back to see where you started, and realize exactly where God stepped in and provided just what you wanted (or sometimes just what you needed)

A part that genuinely struck me deeply, something that was so relatable that it was almost emotional, was toward the end, when Rachel gets kind of angry with Yeshua, and kind of demands answers from Him. She knows Him personally now, walked beside Him, and now she has to go back to where everyone will look down upon her, all the while discussing the very One she just walked beside. It was so touching to see how it was handled, and I think something that so many people need to actually hear.

Reading new books is always so thought provoking, especially when they are written in such a way as this one. It’s so beautiful how simple things will be said about something you’ve always known, but the way it’s said opens up a whole new door of knowledge and realization. You get to see whole new viewpoints and things you never would have considered. God With Us made me think. About how the world was. About how it is. About how it was supposed to be. About how it could be. About how we can change the outcome if we just serve others and love each other in the meantime. Just like how Yeshua said at the end of the book. Until He returns, until He calls us elsewhere, we just have to live like He did.

[Ericka Caufield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a giveaway for this book that I entered with my 10 year old son in mind. He doesn't love reading like I wish he did, and instead tends to opt for graphic novels. I thought this was a great compromise, and I was right. He loved reading this and had only good things to say about it. I also flipped through the pages and thought the format and illustrations were great. I would recommend this to anyone who has a hard time getting their tween to read traditional books, but you still want them to read the Bible.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"God with Us" is a Christian graphic novel for those already familiar with the Bible stories. A lot is left out of each story. For Creation, we get the words, "Let there be..." but there's no text for what God commanded into being, only a picture of it. You need to be familiar with the Bible text so you can follow what's going on, otherwise it'll be confusing. Also, the point they made about Creation was that the WORDS God speak become reality, so it's strange not to include the actual words.

Also, this is framed as Jesus/Yeshua on the Road to Emmaus. However, instead of "beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself," Jesus told only a small portion of the stories. And some of them were parables or didn't point to Him as the Messiah. His fellow travelers often told the stories, usually about something they saw or heard that Jesus did. For Noah's Flood, a foreigner first gave a pagan flood legend, then a boy told an inaccurate version, and finally Jesus told the Bible version. No reason was given for providing 3 different versions nor explanation given for why the pagan version was similar to the biblical account.

I didn't agree with some of this novel's theology. After the Flood, God/Jesus puts his rainbow-colored war bow in the sky. "This is my war bow. I'm setting it aside forever. I'm placing it in the sky where you can see it. No more will there be war between God and humanity." This isn't what the Bible actually says, and it's portrayed as God forgiving humanity, which basically means there's no need for Jesus. Then after the story of Jesus getting baptized, someone says, "Humanity was saved by Noah's trip through the water, and Yeshua did the same thing" like it's baptism that washes away sins and saves us. The author did make a point that God provides the sacrifice, and "if we look to Yeshua, we can live," but there isn't really a gospel message about accepting what Jesus did on our behalf (or exactly what that was).

The novel did use language a child can understand. The illustrations did have a brown-skinned Jesus, but they didn't always stay true to the Bible. For example, for Jesus' tomb and Lazarus's tomb, people mentioned rolling away the stone, but the stone was shown as a rectangle plug inside the doorway. When Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, the angel was portrayed as a gigantic, red eye with four blue wings instead of the biblical "cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth..." The angel that came to Mary was initially about the size of a child, with blue wings and a yellow tunic with wings on the front, and blue pants. He had to get Mary's attention because he's so unimpressive. Not quite how angels are described in the Bible. And though some animals were shown loading onto Noah's ark, the interior was shown as practically bare, with the people sitting on the floor and a few animals roaming freely about.

This novel did try to link the Old Testament to the New in the sense that we're told of prophets raising people from the dead and then of Jesus raising the dead. Or how Elisha caused there to be more oil in the jar as the widow poured it into empty jars, and Jesus fed a crowd with only a few loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus seemed like just another prophet at times. The novel wasn't really about Jesus fulfilling the prophecies about the Messiah.

I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Bethany Siu · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read Imaginary Jesus back a few years ago I really enjoyed it. It prompted me to think about how I understand Jesus, and my relationship with him, in a fresh way. In God with Us Matt Mikalatos, David Shephard, and Whitney Cogar do this again. The premise of this graphic novel is taken from the story in Luke 24 where Jesus joins a couple of his followers while they are walking along the road towards Emmaus. They don’t recognize Jesus, but start exchanging stories about the recent death of Jesus of Nazareth.

God With Us playfully expands this journey, adding a couple of kids to the conversational mix and really having fun with Luke 24:17, “And beginning with Moses and the Prophets, he explained to the what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself.”
Basically, the conversation becomes a thematic telling of the grand story of scripture, conveyed in conversation with Jesus.

Here are a couple of the things I really enjoyed about God with Us.
First of all, the art was delightful. I really enjoyed the comic-booky style of the art, which has both grit and grace to it. I especially loved the use of color to distinguish different timelines. Jesus and the present day characters are always in color, while many of the past stories are illustrated with a specific monochromatic color palette. This makes it easier to keep track of the non-linear narrative and is also just pretty.

Second, I love the way that this book emphasizes both the humanity of Jesus and also his God-ness. He’s a regular guy, walking along the road, chatting with friends. I always love to be reminded of this, that Jesus is human, and that he experienced life on earth like the rest of us. But he’s also God. When he tells a story and God is involved, generally Jesus is there, in the past story, being God, and saying God’s lines. I loved the fusion of Jesus humanity, with his eternal divinity.

If you’re looking for a book to refresh your faith, or if you’re interested in meeting Jesus for the first time, I think this book is a great one to pick up. I can imagine there’s somebody somewhere who will read it and complain that this or that theology is not clearly explained. But honestly you weren’t planning to base your entire theology on a graphic novel, were you? I’m going to go on reading my Bible and an occasional commentary, but I’m also going to enjoy God with Us and its lovely imagining of what walking with Jesus could be like.

Thanks Matt, David, and Whitney for your creativity and hard work!

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.~ John 5:39

One of the names given to Jesus is Emmauel or God With Us. This new graphic novel depicts just that. Jesus is on the road with Cleopas, his wife, and grandchildren. They are on their way to Emmaus. Along the way, Jesus (the Word - John 1:1) shares stories that are all about Him. From Genesis 1:1 --In the beginning -- to Revelation 22:21 (The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen) there is one story.

Matt Mikalatos does a wonderful job of seamlessly switching from the Old Testament to the New throughout. I loved the details like the Word at creation -- a glowing figure filled with the names of Jesus-- connecting to the end page with Jesus once again a figure filled with His names. Often, handwritten letters are inserted to show what God, a prophet, or Jesus himself had to communicate. The words are paraphrased and help kids understand the intent of the speaker. There are two kids in the story and they behave very much like any kid would on a long, dusty journey.

Unfortunately, the journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus was not as long as depicted in the book. It was about seven miles. Granted, to walk that far takes much longer than for us in our modern modes of transportation. The biblical narrative in Luke 24:13-35 tells us that Cleopas and another disciple were returning to Emmaus after the Passover. They are joined by a stranger who shares stories with them. Once they reach their home and break bread with their travel companion their eyes are opened and they recognize their Savior. Immediately they return to Jerusalem to tell the disciples in the Upper Room.

For those interested in the biblical narrative and some helpful notes, I am sharing this Bible Hub article:
https://biblehub.com/topical/c/cleopa...

A big thank you to my GR friend Rosh for bringing this new read to my attention. I really loved the storytelling so much! This book reminded me of a beloved comic book I read at my grandmother's house as a child. It was the story of Esther and my grandmother's name was also Esther. Reading this book brought back those memories so vividly. The style was very similar to this book.

I also want to thank WaterBrook & Multnomah and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[P.L. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am normally not one that likes comics, having not read them since I was a kid. But this book took me back to my childood and my time spent reading comics each day after school. I found myself turning pages quickly as I followed along with the story. I actually enjoyed the time I spent reading. The various Bible stories were short, but well written for such limited wording. I was able to progress through the book quickly due to the length of each chapter and the format. Each story was told by Jesus and was peppered by questions from the children accompanying Him. The questions were typical ones kids might ask and were explained alongside the stories. I did find it a bit confusing at times, but was still able to understand the stories for the most part. The thing I liked the most about this book is the choice of stories that were included. I appreciated seeing stories like the dry bones coming to life because they were ones I never heard as a child. We all hear the typical stories - Jesus feeding the 5000, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, etc. But we don't hear other stories and I appreciated seeing them brought to life in this graphic novel. I am glad to see that my own 8 year old daughter has connected with the stories as much as she has. It has not only taught her new things, but has driven her to her Bible to read the story from God's Word and to compare the difference between the graphic novel and the Bible itself.  I am so appreciative of this, as a parent. I am glad to see her learning about God's love from so many different stories. This is a well written, nicely designed comic book that contains the truth of God's Word in a format that younger readers will enjoy and find entertaining. The illustrations were nicely designed, as well, and added a nice visual appeal to each story. I am eager to see what new questions my duaghter gives me. So far she has asked a lot of questions, but hasn't yet made it through to the end. As a parent, I am thrilled to see her so eager to read God's Word and to verify the stories. She has enjoyed it even more than I did when I read through it!

[Dawn De Wulf · Rating 4 out of 5]

God with Us is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that reimagines the biblical story of the road to Emmaus through the eyes of Cleopas and his family. Framed around their encounter with the resurrected Jesus, this book skillfully interweaves key Old Testament stories and the teachings of Jesus into a cohesive and meaningful narrative.

What makes this book stand out is its imaginative structure. Since the Bible doesn't detail exactly what Jesus shared with Cleopas and the other disciple on the road, Matt Mikalatos fills in those narrative gaps with creative and thought-provoking dialogue. The result is a series of compelling parallels between Old and New Testament events that illuminate deeper theological connections. These pairings are smart, reflective, and often moving.

The presence of two child characters, Rachel and Moshe, adds accessibility and helps younger readers engage more deeply with the stories. Their curiosity prompts natural explanations that enhance the teaching moments without becoming overly didactic.

The graphic novel format makes this an appealing choice for young readers who prefer visual storytelling. The illustrations are striking—emotionally resonant, visually rich, and respectful of the gravity of the stories being told. The artwork is sophisticated and best suited for older children and up.

While the book is largely excellent, there were a couple of minor instances—like the use of the term "war bow"—that felt slightly out of place or modern for the biblical setting.

Overall, God with Us succeeds both as a work of biblical storytelling and as a devotional tool. It invites readers of all ages to consider the connections between the Testaments and see familiar stories with fresh eyes. Highly recommended for families, church groups, and anyone interested in experiencing the Bible through a creative and accessible lens.

Thanks, #PRHChristian (@waterbrookmultnomahkids) for the complimentary review copy of this book!

[Joel Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Disclaimer: I was given a mostly black-and-white (beyond eight color pages) Advanced Uncorrected Proof of this book via a Goodreads giveaway, so my review is based that copy, not the published full color hardcover version.]

This book took a while to grow on me. I was initially thrown off, because it was not what I expected. I was expecting something much more serious in tone, but this is a much more lighthearted story aimed at kids. There are lots of little jokes scattered throughout, and two of the main created characters added to the story (beyond the Biblical record) are children.

Once I got into it, the story and format were enjoyable. I had expected more of a serious Old Testament survey, with a cryptic/cosmic unpacking of how it speaks about Jesus. But this book was much more straightforward, and maybe half of the stories told are New Testament stories (the annunciation, John the Baptist, Jesus' miracles and parables and friendships, the crucifixtion and resurrection). For the most part in this book, Yeshua tells the OT stories, and Cleopas and his wife tell the NT stories in response, because the way Yeshua tells the old story reminds them of a story about Him. It's pretty effective, and I like the array of Old Testament stories that are covered. The main, explicit ones from the Bible are covered (Jonah, the Bronze Serpent), as well as several others. Communion/Eucharist is covered only briefly, with almost nothing about Passover.

I was hoping for some more deep, direct connections, but I suppose that this book only alludes to these things in the way that perhaps the Bible does as well. So I can't fault it there. The artwork is beautiful (I especially love the facial expressions!).

[Chesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novel imagining what it could have been like if two kids traveled with the two people who walked with Jesus (Yeshua) on the road to Emmaus. Stories are told from both the Old Testament and the life of Jesus. Engagingly (sometimes humorously) and meaningfully told—my boys (6 & 7)and I read this together and often they didn’t want me to stop reading. The young boy in the story was wonderfully relatable to my boys. Well done on that score. Best you are already very familiar with Biblical stories because the flashback stories jump around so much in a whirlwind fashion. Emphases are on Jesus fulfilling ancient types and prophecies, gift of eternal life, light displacing darkness, forgiveness of sins, love of God. I would have liked to see more emphasis on Jesus’ message about the kingdom of God. I did enjoy the portrayal of Jesus himself. Anyway, worth reading and having in our home. The illustrations are 5 star.

[Lanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

God With Us by Matt Mikalatos is a graphic novel to appeal to all ages. I read an advance copy. It’s a wonderful retelling of Bible stories from the point of view of Jesus (“Yeshua” in this story) on the road to Emmaus as he meets Cleopas and companion. The pictures are vibrant and realistic. The fictional characters, a boy and girl, ask questions that prompt more stories and illustrations from Jesus.

Occasionally, it’s hard to tell the sequence of the boxes the pictures are in, but that’s true of many graphic novels. This one, where Jesus relates stories ranging from creation to raising Lazarus from the dead, sweeps the reader along with the fascinating depiction of the stories. I especially love the way Jesus is drawn—just the way I like to picture him.

[Susan Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

God with Us is a great new retelling of the story of God in the Bible, as told in an imagined interaction among Jesus, two disciples, and two children on the road to Emmaus. Jesus tells stories from the Old Testament and his disciples are reminded of things Jesus did during His ministry. I love the connections this method makes, showing how the Bible is not just a collection of stories, but the continuing story of God's plan of redemption.

The style of the book is kid-friendly with delightful illustrations that show a real, approachable Jesus. It is easy to read, making the Bible accessible to kids who are not likely to wade into a full version yet. I have already purchased a copy for my grandsons. I think they will enjoy reading it--and understand the Bible better through it.

[Shilo · Rating 5 out of 5]

God with Us by Matt Mikalatos is a comic book/graphic novel version of the Bible that seamlessly connects the Old Testament stories that children hear in Sunday school to the New Testament and Jesus. I would highly recommend this book to children around ages 7-14. It is a very informative look at the life and death of Jesus. Some of the wording is different than what I was used to such as the Lord's Prayer, but it does not take away the meaning or enjoyment of it.

Thank you to the Publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC. This in no way impacts my review. The thoughts expressed are my honest opinions.

[Ashley Salgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoy the spiritual book the comics made the biblical stories more enjoyable! Highly recommend

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novels are usually not my preferred genre, however, the content was of interest, so I gave it a try.. and I won it from a Goodreads giveaway, thank you! I enjoyed this book.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novel of the Bible.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

God with Us is a beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully crafted graphic novel that reimagines the biblical story of the road to Emmaus through the eyes of Cleopas and his family. Framed around their encounter with the resurrected Jesus, this book skillfully interweaves key Old Testament stories and the teachings of Jesus into a cohesive and meaningful narrative.

What makes this book stand out is its imaginative structure. Since the Bible doesn’t detail exactly what Jesus shared with Cleopas and the other disciple on the road, Matt Mikalatos fills in those narrative gaps with creative and thought-provoking dialogue. The result is a series of compelling parallels between Old and New Testament events, presented not in strict biblical order but in a way that illuminates deeper theological connections. These pairings are smart, reflective, and often moving.

The presence of two child characters, Rachel and Moshe, adds another layer of accessibility. Their curiosity prompts explanations and clarifications that help readers—especially younger ones—engage more deeply with the stories. These interactions feel natural and genuinely enhance the teaching moments without becoming overly didactic.

While the graphic novel format makes this an easy and engaging read, the artwork is sophisticated and best suited for older children and up. The illustrations are striking—emotionally resonant, visually rich, and respectful of the gravity of the stories being told.

God with Us succeeds both as a work of biblical storytelling and as a devotional tool. It invites readers of all ages to consider the connections between the Testaments, reflect on the person of Jesus, and see familiar stories with fresh eyes. Highly recommended for families, church groups, and anyone interested in experiencing the Bible through a creative and accessible lens.

Thank you to NetGalley, WaterBrook & Multnomah | WaterBrook, and Matt Mikalatos for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.