Animals of the Bible

“Animals of the Bible” is a children’s book written by Helen Dean Fish and illustrated by Dorothy Pulis Lathrop. It was first published in 1937 in the United States.

The book presents a selection of passages from the Bible in which animals appear, accompanied by Lathrop’s black-and-white illustrations. Rather than retelling stories in a simplified narrative form, the text draws directly on biblical sources, focusing on the presence and symbolic role of animals within them.

Lathrop’s illustrations play a central role in the book, depicting animals with careful attention to form and character. Her work emphasizes observation and detail, aligning with the tone of the selected texts rather than embellishing them.

In 1938, Animals of the Bible received the first Caldecott Medal, awarded by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American picture book for children.