Isaiah Johnson and the Big Game

Esau McCaulley ∙ Illustrated by Emmanuel Boateng

Hardcover

Published on May 5, 2026 | 40 Pages

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Ebook

Published on May 5, 2026 | 40 Pages

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Grades Preschool – 2
Ages 3–7

Join the Johnson family as they learn important faith lessons with the loving guidance of Dad! This sweet and thoughtful picture book features the eldest, Isaiah, and explores how we all need forgiveness—even parents.

Isaiah Johnson’s baseball team has made it to the championships, and he’s up to bat! Most of the Johnson family is in the stands cheering him on . . . but someone is missing: Isaiah’s dad.

When Dad finally shows up, he apologizes for his absence and asks for Isaiah’s forgiveness. But Isaiah is still hurt and isn’t sure if he can forgive.

As a dad who’s made plenty of mistakes himself, Esau McCaulley has crafted a biblically informed story that offers plenty of avenues for discussion on the power of forgiveness.

Don’t miss the other books in the Johnson Family series:

Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit
Andy Johnson and the March for Justice

ISBN 9780593580660 (Hardcover)
Published on May 5, 2026
Published by Convergent Children's
Pages 40
Dimensions 8-1/2 x 8-1/2
Age Range 3-7 years
Grade Preschool - 2
Reading Level Lexile: 610L | Fountas/Pinnell: L

ISBN 9780593580677 (Ebook)
Published on May 5, 2026
Published by Convergent Children's
Pages 40
Age Range 3-7 years
Grade Preschool - 2
Reading Level Lexile: 610L | Fountas/Pinnell: L

Esau McCaulley

Esau McCaulley is The Jonathan Blanchard Associate Professor of New Testament and Public Theology at Wheaton College. He is the author of numerous books, including How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South, Reading While Black, and the children’s books Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit and Andy Johnson and the March for Justice. A contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, his writings have also appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Christianity Today.

Emmanuel Boateng

EMMANUEL BOATENG is a Ghanaian self-taught artist, born and raised in the city of Kumasi in the Ashanti region. See his work on Instagram at @mind.of.el.