The Sweetest Story Bible

With it's sparkly, pink cover and rich, lovely illustrations, The Sweetest Story Bible is sure to please young girls.

Offering short versions of the most well known Bible stories, Diane Stortz' text covers creation to the prediction of Jesus' second coming. The stories are sweetly told - and accurate, although sometimes many details are left out.

At the end of each story is a "sweet thought" for girls' to ponder, as well as an easy to remember Bible verse. For example, after the story of the fall, the "Sweet Thought" is "God's commands are always right." The Bible verse is Psalm 119:110: "Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way." In addition, each story begins with a question or thought. Some of them are light-hearted (for example, before the story of Noah and the ark, the text asks "What do you like to do on a rainy day?), while others have more depth ("Sheep never worry when their shepherd's nearby.").

Sheila Bailey's illustrations are full of beautiful color choices and the expressive people of the Bible, and at the end of each story, near the "Sweet Thought," she always shows a modern day little girl.

What I Like: My four year old daughter was drawn first to the sparkles on the cover of this book, and then to the lovely illustrations. In her words, it's a "super pretty" volume. I also appreciate that some stories that rarely make it into children's Bible storybooks are included, such as the stories of Deborah, Rahab, the woman who washed Jesus' feet, Lydia, and Eunice and Lois.

What I Dislike: Some of the questions or thoughts before each story are too silly for me. For example, before the story of the woman washing Jesus' feet we read: "Bubble baths and lotion keep us clean and sweet!"

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 4 - 7. However, if your child has been reading Bible storybooks for a while, these stories may be much to simple for her. My four year old, for example, while she loved the look of this book, really knew more about each story than the book covered (with a couple of exceptions). As a first Bible for this age group, however, this is a lovely choice.

Publishing Info: Zonderkidz, 2010; ISBN: 978-0310716730; hardback, $14.99

Buy Now at ChristianBook.com for $11.99

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Diane Stortz. Visit Sheila Bailey's webpage for a peek at her illustrations.