Joslin, Mary 1953-

(Lois Rock)

Personal

Born 1953; married; children: three children.

Addresses

Home—Oxfordshire, England.

Career

Storyteller and author of children's books. Leader of church children's groups.

FOR CHILDREN

The Good Man of Assisi, illustrated by Alison Wisenfeld, Lion (Oxford, England), 1997.

(With Danuta Mayer) Do the Angels Watch Close By?, Loyola Press (Chicago, IL), 1998.

The Goodbye Boat, illustrated by Claire St. Louis Little, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1998.

(Reteller and compiler) Miracle Maker: A Life of Jesus, Retold and Remembered, illustrated by Francesca Pelizzoli, Lion (Oxford, England), 1998, Lion (Colorado Springs, CO), 1999.

(Compiler) Twilight Verses, Moonlight Rhymes, illustrated by Liz Pichon, Augsburg Press (Minneapolis, MN), 1999.

Our Father: The Prayer Jesus Taught, illustrated by Gail Newey, Lion (Oxford, England), 1999.

(Selector and reteller) Classic Bible Verses for Children, illustrated by Tom Saeker, Lion (Oxford, England), 1999.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, illustrated by Alison Wisenfeld, Loyola Press (Chicago, IL), 1999.

The Tale of the Heaven Tree, illustrated by Meilo So, Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1999.

The Minstrel's Tale, illustrated by Geoffrey Patterson, Lion (Oxford, England), 1999.

(Compiler) Now the Day Is Over: Rhymes and Blessings for Children, illustrated by Liz Pichon, Augsburg Press (Minneapolis, MN), 2000.

God Bless the Moon: Rhymes and Blessings for Children, illustrated by Liz Pichon, Augsburg Press (Minneapolis, MN), 2000.

The Shore Beyond, illustrated by Alison Jay, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2000.

The Story of the Cross: The Stations of the Cross for Children, illustrated by Gail Newey, Lion (Oxford, England), 2002.

Saint Nicholas: The Story of the Real Santa Claus, illustrated by Helen Cann, Lion (London, England), 2003, Pauline Books & Media (Boston, MA), 2006.

(Selector and reteller) Best-Loved Bible Verses for Children, illustrated by Tom Saeker, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

The Story of Easter, illustrated by Jackie Morris, Lion (Oxford, England), 2005.

On That Christmas Night, illustrated by Helen Cann, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2005.

On That Easter Morning, illustrated by Helen Cann, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2006.

The Fourth Wise Man, illustrated by Richard Johnson, Lion (Oxford, England), 2006.

FOR CHILDREN; UNDER PSEUDONYM LOIS ROCK

A First Look at God (also see below), illustrated by Carolyn Cox, Lion Publishing (Batavia, IL), 1993.

(Reteller) The Lord's Prayer for Children, illustrated by Liz Pichon, Lion Publishing (Batavia, IL), 1993, revised edition, Lion (Oxford, England) 1999.

A First Look at Jesus (also see below), illustrated by Carolyn Cox, Lion Publishing (Batavia, IL), 1994.

(With Carolyn Cox) A First Look at the Bible (also see below), illustrated by Carolyn Cox, Lion Publishing (Elgin, IL), 1994.

(With Carolyn Cox) A First Look at the Church (also see below), illustrated by Carolyn Cox, Lion Publishing (Elgin, IL), 1994.

The Ten Commandments for Children, illustrated by Liz Pichon, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1995, new edition, 2000.

(With Carolyn Cox), A First Look at Prayer, Lion Publishing (Elgin, IL), 1996.

Festivals of the Christian Year, Lion (Oxford, England), 1996.

The Christian Life, illustrated by Carolyn Cox, Lion (Oxford, England), 1996.

All Year Long, illustrated by Louise Rawlings, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1997.

(And compiler) Glimpses of Heaven: Poems and Prayers of Mystery and Wonder, Lion (Oxford, England), 1997.

(Reteller) The Gentle Carpenter, illustrated by Cathy Baxter, Lion (Oxford, England), 1997.

(Reteller) Before the Stars Were Made, illustrated by Cathy Baxter, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1997.

Bright Star Night, illustrated by Louise Rawlings, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1997.

The Little Angel's Joyful Christmas, illustrated by Sonia Canals, Lion (Oxford, England), 1997.

Little Chick's Easter Surprise, illustrated by John Wallace, Lion (Oxford, England), 1997.

Sad News, Glad News, illustrated by Louise Rawlings, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1997.

Safe This Night, illustrated by Louise Rawlings, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1997.

(Selector and reteller) Words of Gold: A Treasury of the Bible's Poetry and Wisdom, illustrated by Sarah Young, Lion (Oxford, England), 1997, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (Grand Rapids, MI), 2000.

All Year Long, illustrated by Louise Rawlings, Lion (Oxford, England), 1998.

(Selector and reteller) Best-Loved Parables: Stories Jesus Told, illustrated by Gail Newey, Augsburg Press (Minneapolis, MN), 1998.

(Reteller) A Little Life of Jesus, illustrated by Roger Langton, Lion (Oxford, England), 1998.

The Time of Jesus, Lion (Oxford, England), 1998, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1999.

The Lord's Prayer: The Prayer That Jesus Taught Two Thousand Years Ago, illustrated by Debbie Lush, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Easter ("First Festivals" series), Lion (Oxford, England), 1999.

Christmas ("First Festivals" series), Lion (Oxford, England), 1999.

Harvest ("First Festivals" series), Lion (Oxford, England), 1999.

My Very First Christmas Story, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Lion Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1999.

I Wish Tonight, illustrated by Anne Wilson, Lion (Oxford, England), 1999, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2000.

Prayers to Know by Heart, illustrated by John Wallace, Lion (Oxford, England), 2000.

The Ten Commandments: Words of Wisdom from the Bible, illustrated by Debbie Lush, Lion (Oxford, England), 2000.

I Wonder Why?, illustrated by Christopher Corr, Lion (Oxford, England), 2000, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 2001.

(Compiler) Heaven in a Poem: An Anthology of Poems, illustrated by Christopher Corr, Lion (Oxford, England), 2000.

Celtic Prayers to Guard and Guide You, illustrated by Amanda Hall, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2001.

Simple Prayers of Love and Delight, illustrated by Katarzyna Klein, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2001.

The Path That Runs by the Church, Lion (Oxford, England), 2001.

Everlasting Stories: A Family Bible Treasury, illustrated by Christina Balit, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 2001, published as The Lion Bible: Everlasting Stories, Lion (Oxford, England), 2001, portions published separately as Easter: The Everlasting Story, Lion, 2004.

Everyday Prayers for Children, St. Anthony Messenger (Cincinnati, OH), 2001, published as The Lion Book of Everyday Prayer, Lion (Oxford, England), 2001.

Cos You're My Friend, illustrated by David Sim, Lion (Oxford, England), 2001.

Cos You're My Grandma, illustrated by David Sim, Lion (Oxford, England), 2001.

Cos You're My Mum, illustrated by David Sim, Lion (Oxford, England), 2001.

Cos You're My Sister, illustrated by David Sim, Lion (Oxford, England), 2001.

God Bless Me, God Bless You, illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello, Baker Books (Grand Rapids, MI), 2001.

This Amazing World, illustrated by Ruth Rivers, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2002.

A Child's First Book of Prayers, illustrated by Alison Jay, Augsburg Press (Minneapolis, MN), 2002.

Now You Are One, illustrated by Gabriella Buckingham, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2002.

Now You Are Two, illustrated by Gabriella Buckingham, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2002.

Now You Are Three, illustrated by Gabriella Buckingham, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2002.

Now You Are Four, illustrated by Gabriella Buckingham, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2002.

What Will You Wear to Go Swimming?, and Other New Poems for the School Year, Lion (Oxford, England), 2002.

Learning about God, illustrated by Maureen Galvani, Lion (Oxford, England), 2002, Little, Brown (New York, NY), 2003.

Learning about Prayer, illustrated by Maureen Galvani, Lion (Oxford, England), 2002, Warner Faith (New York, NY), 2003.

Learning about Jesus, illustrated by Maureen Galvani, Lion (Oxford, England), 2002, Little, Brown (New York, NY), 2003.

Learning about the Bible, illustrated by Maureen Galvani, Lion (Oxford, England), 2002, Little, Brown (New York, NY), 2003.

My Very First Bible, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2003.

My Very First Prayers, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2003.

A Calendar of Prayers for the Seasons of the Year, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2003.

(Reteller) The Christmas Story, illustrated by Diana Mayo, Lion (Oxford, England), 2003.

(With Carolyn Cox) The Christian Faith (includes First Look at God, First Look at Jesus, First Look at the Bible, and First Look at the Church), Lion (Oxford, England), 2003.

The Lion Book of Tales and Legends, illustrated by Christina Balit, Lion (Oxford, England), 2003.

(Reteller) My Book of Bible Stories, illustrated by Carolyn Cox, Warner Faith (New York, NY), 2003.

(Compiler) My Little Bible Box, illustrated by Katherine Lucas, Little, Brown (New York, NY), 2003.

The Lion Book of 1,000 Prayers for Children, illustrated by Ruth Rivers, Lion (Oxford, England), 2003, revised, 2006.

Five-Minute Bible Stories, illustrated by Richard Johnson, Augsburg Press (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.

Let's Read the Christmas Story, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

The Lord Is My Shepherd, illustrated by Ruth Rivers, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

My Very First Bedtime Storybook, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2004.

Now We Have a Baby, illustrated by Jane Massey, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2004.

Saintly Tales and Legends, illustrated by Christina Balit, Pauline Books & Media (Boston, MA), 2004.

(Compiler) Lion Christmas Favorites: Stories and Prayers for the Festive Season, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

All about the Bible, illustrated by Anna C. Leplar, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

All about God, illustrated by Anna C. Leplar, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

All about Jesus, illustrated by Anna C. Leplar, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

All about Prayer, illustrated by Anna C. Leplar, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

When Good-Bye Is Forever, illustrated by Sheila Moxley, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2004.

Our Father in Heaven, illustrated by Ruth River, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004.

Let's Read the Lost Sheep Story, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004, published as The Lost Sheep, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2005.

Let's Read the Noah's Ark Story, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Lion (Oxford, England), 2004, published as Noah and the Ark, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2005.

Baby Jesus, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2005.

Saint George: Patron Saint of England, illustrated by Finola Stack, Lion (Oxford, England), 2005.

Saint Andrew: Patron Saint of Scotland, illustrated by Finola Stack, Lion (Oxford, England), 2005.

Saint Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland, illustrated by Finola Stack, Lion (Oxford, England), 2005.

Our Father, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2005.

The Jesus Encyclopedia, Lion (Oxford, England), 2005.

A Child's Book of Graces, illustrated by Alison Jay, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2006.

My Very First Christmas, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Good Books (Intercourse, PA), 2006.

Tell Me about Jesus, Lion (Oxford, England), 2006, published as Who Is Jesus?, Pauline Books & Media (Boston, MA), 2007.

Sidelights

British-based writer Mary Joslin, who also pens books under the pseudonym Lois Rock, primarily focuses her children's books on the topic of religious faith. In dozens of published books for young readers, Joslin covers a variety of religious topics of interest to children and young teens. In Noah and the Ark, Our Father in Heaven, Baby Jesus, and Five-Minute Bible Stories Joslin introduces her readers to well-known stories from the Judeo-Christian tradition, while The Shore Beyond presents what Booklist contributor Shelle Townsend Warner described as a "sweet parable about a girl's passage into adulthood" through its fictional story. She also writes on sensitive topics of a more personal nature, such as death, in books such as When Good-Bye Is Forever, published under her Rock pseudonym. Focusing on the topic of death, Whey Good-Bye Is Forever introduces the different type of farewells a young child may encounter in life, from the short good-byes of visiting friends and relatives to the forever departure of death. Within her text, Joslin interweaves the topic of heaven as a way to reassure younger readers that sadness is eventually replaced by happy memories.

Based on the Gospels of the New Testament, Joslin's On That Easter Morning presents an account of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. A Kirkus Reviews contributor wrote in a review of the book that the author's narration of "Christ's crucifixion is handled delicately in both text and illustrations," citing Joslin's simple, age-appropriate prose for enabling young children to understand the true meaning of the story. Linda L. Watkins, writing in School Library Journal, commented on Joslin's use of "interesting details about the culture of the time," noting that they "enrich the writing." In conclusion, Watkins deemed On That Easter Morning a delightful "celebration of the New Testament story."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 1, 1999, Ilene Cooper, review of The Goodbye Boat, p. 1599; October 1, 1999, review of The Tale of the Heaven Tree, p. 374; December 15, 1999, Hazel Rochman, review of Twilight Verses, Moonlight Rhymes, p. 788; December 1, 2000, Shelle Townsend Hudson, review of The Shore Beyond, p. 72.

Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2005, review of On That Christmas Night, p. 1194; March 15, 2006, review of On That Easter Morning, p. 293.

Publishers Weekly, February 22, 1999, review of The Goodbye Boat, p. 85; July 26, 1999, review of Twilight Verses, Moonlight Rhymes, p. 83; August 30, 1999, review of The Tale of the Heaven Tree, p. 75; September 26, 2005, review of On That Christmas Night, p. 87.

School Library Journal, July, 1999, Patricia Pearl Dole, review of The Goodbye Boat, p. 116; March, 2000, Patricia Pearl Dole, review of The Tale of the Heaven Tree, p. 209, and Selene S. Vasquez, review of Twilight Verses, Moonlight Rhymes, p. 226; December 1, 2000, Karen Land, review of The Shore Beyond, p. 102; May, 2006, Linda L. Watkins, review of On That Easter Morning, p. 113.