Shem’s Lost Notebook

illustration by Viktor Miller-Gausa

Dale Mason
Publisher

What if one of Noah’s sons had kept a journal while building the Ark? What might it say? That’s the intriguing question this issue’s kids section asks. Whether you have children at home or not, you’ll enjoy reading “Shem’s Lost Notebook” in Kids Answers.

The eight-page kids section tucked inside every issue of Answers magazine is designed for six- to ten-year-olds, and its popularity continues to grow! As our culture rapidly changes, parents and grandparents need more of the wholesome, Bible-centered fun and teaching that is in Kids Answers.

Shem was the middle of three sons, and we know from Genesis that Noah was about 502 when he was born. It’s easy to imagine the excitement of Shem’s big brother, two-year-old Japheth, at the thought of having a sibling to play with. The happiness that filled their home was surely a tremendous encouragement to this “preacher of righteousness” and his wife as they guided their boys to trust and worship the Creator.

In time a third son, Ham, was also born, and God told Noah to lead the construction of a massive vessel. Only his family, and the animals God would send, would be saved from a catastrophic flood. The boys became men and grew under the training of their godly father. The Ark was eventually finished, and animals came from all directions to escape the Flood. A year later, Shem was not yet 100 when his family left the amazing vessel behind, somewhere on the mountains of Ararat.

What might it have been like to build the Ark? What did Noah know about shipbuilding? Did friends or cousins help? You may never have spent time wondering about such questions, but we enjoy them. And we think “Shem’s Lost Notebook” will lead to some great discussions about the Bible at your house!

So take a quick look at Kids Answers. It has all the fun stuff that makes it so good for our younger readers—a matching game, a find-the-shape game, a family devotional idea, and a truly intriguing main feature article. And grown-up kids are very likely to get a lot out of it, too.