The Friend who Forgives Storybook - A true story about how Peter failed and Jesus forgave - Hardback

Do You Ever Mess Up? Let People Down? So Did Peter.

Every child knows what it feels like to get things wrong. To say something before thinking. To let down someone they love. To make a promise they couldn’t keep — and feel the weight of that failure long after.

Peter knew that feeling too. In fact, Peter knew it better than most. He was one of Jesus’ closest friends — and he let him down not once, not twice, but three times. At the moment when it mattered most, Peter pretended he had never known Jesus at all.

He felt terrible. He thought all was lost. And then Jesus rose from the dead — and went and found Peter.

The Friend Who Forgives tells this beautiful and breathtaking story for children. With warmth, simplicity, and the stunning illustrations that have made Catalina Echeverri one of the most beloved voices in Christian children’s publishing, this picture book shows children that Jesus is the kind of friend who forgives — not once, not twice, but again and again and again. Because his death took the punishment for all of Peter’s failures. And his resurrection showed that the penalty was lifted.

Children know all about failing. But they don’t always experience true forgiveness. This book points them to the one who offers it — freely, fully, and forever.

What This Book Covers

The book tells the story of Peter and Jesus with clarity, warmth, and gospel faithfulness:

• Peter’s love for Jesus — How Peter was one of Jesus’ closest and most devoted friends — and how much he genuinely loved him
• Peter’s failure — The painful story of how Peter denied Jesus three times, at the very moment his friend needed him most
• The cross and resurrection — How Jesus died, bearing the punishment for Peter’s failures — and every person’s failures — and rose again, showing that the penalty was lifted
• Jesus finding Peter — The stunning moment when the risen Jesus goes to find Peter and forgives him — fully, freely, and without reservation
• The gospel explained for children — A clear, accessible, and age-appropriate explanation of why Jesus died and rose, and what that means for anyone who trusts in him
• An invitation to trust Jesus — How Peter spent the rest of his life telling others that if they put their trust in Jesus, they could be forgiven too — again and again and again

What Children Will Learn

• That everyone fails — and that failing does not put us beyond the reach of Jesus’ forgiveness
• That Jesus is the kind of friend who goes looking for those who have let him down — and forgives them fully and freely
• Why Jesus died — to take the punishment for all our failures and mistakes
• Why the resurrection matters — because it shows that the penalty for sin has been fully lifted
• That forgiveness is not just a feeling but a fact — grounded in what Jesus did on the cross and proved by his resurrection
• That they can trust Jesus for forgiveness too — again and again and again, no matter how many times they fail
• That Peter’s story is an invitation for their story — a picture of what it looks like to be found, forgiven, and sent out to tell others

How to Use This Book

The Friend Who Forgives is beautifully produced and immediately usable:

• Family reading — A wonderful book to read together at home, opening up conversation about failure, forgiveness, and the gospel
• Sunday school and children’s ministry — An ideal resource for teaching children about Peter, the cross, the resurrection, and the forgiveness Jesus offers
• Bedtime reading — Short enough to read in a single sitting, rich enough to return to again and again
• Evangelistic gift — A gentle, gospel-centred gift for a child who is curious about Jesus or beginning to ask questions about forgiveness and faith
• Easter reading — A natural choice for families and churches wanting to help children engage with the cross and resurrection in a warm, accessible, story-driven way

Who Should Read This Book

This book is for:

• Children of all ages who know what it feels like to fail and need to hear about a friend who forgives
• Parents wanting to open up conversations about the gospel — about sin, forgiveness, the cross, and the resurrection — in a warm and story-driven way
• Sunday school teachers and children’s ministry leaders looking for a beautifully illustrated resource to teach children about Peter, Jesus, and the meaning of the cross
• Churches wanting a gospel-rich picture book to give to families at Easter or at any time of the year
• Any family that wants their children to grow up knowing: Jesus is the friend who forgives — again and again and again

About the Author and Illustrator

Catalina Echeverri is an author and illustrator whose vibrant, warm, and joyful artwork has made her one of the most beloved voices in Christian children’s publishing. Her books are known for their ability to make profound gospel truths feel accessible, beautiful, and genuinely exciting for young children. Catalina brings to The Friend Who Forgives both her distinctive illustrative gift and a genuine love for helping children encounter Jesus — the friend who goes looking for those who have failed and forgives them completely.