I can’t imagine any Torah story that has been interpreted so many times and in so many ways. It’s a cute animal story for young children; it’s a devastating story of destruction; it’s a hopeful story of how to carry on.

A broad Google search (which I don’t recommend) turns up 58 million hits for  Noah’s Ark Story.

The Jacobs Library has well over two dozen books on the  Noah theme. They range from picture books to Biblical analysis to Midrashim to novel length interpretations. And that only scratches the surface of what’s out there. Try your public library for other interpretations of the Noah’s Ark tale.

Among my favorites are (items marked with an * are in the Jacobs Library):

For Adults:

*Blak, Sarah.  Naamah, about whom we know little, is Noah’s wife. This is her story.

Harding, Paul. The Other Eden is an island off the coast of Maine on which an interracial family finds a haven which is destroyed by mainland values and a Biblical-like storm.
 

For Younger Readers:

*Bartoletti, Susan.  Naamah and the Ark at Night. Noah’s wife sings to the animals to calm them in this beautifully illustrated book.

*Feiler, Bruce. Walking the Bible. Feiler travels to places mentioned in the Bible. There is also an adult version.

Geisert, Arthur. The Ark; After the flood.  Detailed architectural drawings tell the story.

Gerstein, Mordecai. Noah and the Great Flood. Intricate oil paintings enhance the drama of the story.

Jonas, Ann. Aardvarks Disembark. What happened to the dinosaurs? Read and find out. 

Jules, Jacqueline.  Noah and the Ziz. An awkward, bumbling giant bird attempts to help Noah gather the animals, but his strength is an impediment. 

L’Engle, Madeleine. Many Waters. Part of the Wrinkle in Time series. Sandy and Denny are accidentally trapped back in the time of Noah’s Ark.

*Lunge-Larsen. Lise. Noah’s Mittens: The Story of Felt. A pourqoui (origin) tale.

*Marks, Allison. Og’s Ark. Poor giant Og. He’s helping Noah gather the animals but has no place to sleep. Noah rewards him in a very special way.

*Napoli, Donna Jo. Storm rages and 16-year-old Sebah stows away on Noah’s Ark.

Reid, Barbara. Fox Walked Alone. Fox eventually joins a procession of animals on their way to an unknown destination.

Rounds, Glenn. Washday on Noah’s Ark. Poor Mrs. Noah. Think of all that laundry!

*Sasso, Sandy. Prayer for the Earth. Naamah, Noah’s wife, is called up to bring seeds on to the ark before the storm begins. 

*Singer, I.B.  Why Noah Chose the Dove. Noah listens to the boasts of all the animals but chooses the dove. Illustrated by Eric Carle. 

*Spier, Peter. Noah’s Ark. A meticulously illustrated classic story.