Media release: Noah's dark

Forget the cosy children’s story where cute animals happily entered two-by-two, because Andrew Guyatt’s new account of the Great Flood is nothing like you’ve heard before! The Day the Sky Opened, published by Scripture Union is a gritty and compelling account of the Great Flood, looking beyond the traditional children’s tale and detailing how life would really have been inside the ark – dark, dank, odourous, claustrophobic.

Andrew worked on his novel for 15 years, which gave him plenty of time to consider all the questions posed. Just how would Noah have sourced the huge amounts of timber, pitch and rope? How exactly would he collect all the animals for the ark? How would they all fit in? And how would he feed them – and his family – for long months afloat?

‘When I thought of all the children’s pretty story books about Noah and his pairs of cute animals I felt quite incensed,’ said Andrew. ‘This is actually one of the grimmest stories in the Bible – an account of God’s judgement on a whole civilisation because it missed its opportunity to repent. The Flood is neither a children’s story nor an interesting myth – but a dire warning.’

Launched alongside the book is an online study guide for individual readers or groups who want guidance in thinking further about the issues raised. Scripture Union’s editor Lin Ball believes it will help people look deeper into the story. ‘The Day the Sky Opened is one of those books that is hard to put down and a great alternative way for people to access the Bible. I’m sure people will have questions about it once they’ve read it and hopefully the online study guide will help.’

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Notes to Newsdesk:

The Day the Sky Opened is published on 3 February.

For more information, hi-res images or to arrange an interview with Lin Ball or Andrew Guyatt, please contact Scripture Union’s Communications Manager Adam Petrie on 01908 856030 or email adamp@scriptureunion.org.uk

Scripture Union is an international mission movement working with churches in more than 140 countries to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to children, young people and families, and to encourage them to develop spiritually through the Bible and prayer.