My Big Book of Bible Heroes for Kids: Stories of 50 Weird, Wild, Wonderful People from God's Word

My Big Book of Bible Heroes for Kids: Stories of 50 Weird, Wild, Wonderful People from God’s Word by Glenn Hascall is filled with, as the title says, stories of 50 "weird, wild, wonderful people" from the Bible. Hascall writes about well-known Bible heroes such as Noah, Abraham, Joshua and John the Baptist. He also includes stories about lesser-known characters like Shiphrah and Jochebed (Yes, those are real Bible names!).

The author relates an incident that illustrates a special heroic trait of each Biblical character mentioned. Each story is followed by a set of questions called "Learning from a hero." The questions are designed to create discussion about each story so the reader can learn from what the hero did.

Full-color Illustrations by Amit Tayal highlight every story title page, providing life-like representations of the people mentioned.

What I Like: This is a great selection of stories. I especially appreciated that the author included some stories about women from the Bible.

Each story includes a page with the person's name and a Bible reference for the story. It also includes the person's "Heroic Quality." Some of these qualities are endurance, compassion, and respect. I like the idea that being a hero doesn't mean you have to have a "super" power, you just need an "Heroic Quality."

What I Dislike: Unfortunately, the writing style is rather boring. While the author chose good Bible characters to write about, he writes too much with the passive tense, instead of using action verbs. For instance, consider these two sentences: "Samson was the strongest man anyone had ever seen. When he was born, he was dedicated to God." The word "was" is used three times in just these two short sentences. That's okay, but I think it would have been better written like this: "Samson was the strongest man anyone had ever seen. After his birth, his mother dedicated his life to God." What do you think?

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 7-10.

Publisher Info: Shiloh Kidz, 2015; ISBN: 9781634093156; Paperback, 158 pages, $14.99.

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Glenn Hascall.

  

Ten Things I Must Know: Bible Stories

Ten Things I Must Know: Bible Stories, by Elizabeth Akinteye, is a book of 10 Bible stories based on the 10 Commandments. The stories are preceded by an explanation of each commandment.

Colorful illustrations by Kate Solenova, that each make up a two-page spread, are scattered throughout the book.  Each chapter includes a head-shot of a child, which alternates between a boy and a girl.

What I Like: Sometimes it doesn't make a lot of sense to a child when you just give them a rule, like "honor thy father and thy mother." What does that really mean? The author does a good job of presenting the concepts of the commandments, with not only an explanation, but also a story that illustrates the point further.

What I Dislike: The illustrations of the children, both on the cover and in the book, appear to be computer-generated and are not very realistic.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Ages 7 and up.

Publisher Info: Grosvenor House Publishing, 2015; ISBN: 9781781489802; Paperback, 80, $13.99.

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Special Info: Visit the author’s website.

I Want To Be Just Like Jesus: Bible Storybook

I Want to Be Just Like Jesus: Bible Storybook, by Stephen Elkins, is a Bible storybook for children. book contains 40 different short stories about Jesus, each dealing with one of Jesus' characteristics. For instance, some characteristics cited are Jesus Was Responsible, Jesus Was Sincere and Jesus Was Generous.

Each of the short stories is preceded by a Bible verse and followed by a section called "Jesus in Me" that explains what each character trait means and how children can be like Jesus. Each section ends with a "Prayer for Today" and a call to action. One reads: "To be just like Jesus.... I will be sincere."

The illustrations by Simon Taylor-Kielty and Ruth Zeglin are bright and colorful and very kid-friendly.

What I Like: I like the overall design of the book. Although each section is four pages long and is repetitious in terms of what it contains and how it is laid out, the backgrounds, borders and illustrations make each one different and very visually appealing.

What I Dislike: Although I like the illustrations, as the people depicted in them remind me of Precious Moments figurines, I don't like the illustrations of Jesus. He simply looks like a big kid with a beard. He doesn't really look like an adult.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: No no age group is given for the book. It's difficult to determine the exact age group, as the layout and illustrations would suggest a rather young audience, say 4-8-year-olds. However, many of the words used in the stories are way above that age group. I'll say the appropriate age is somewhere between 6 and 10 years.

Publisher Info: Tyndale, 2015; ISBN: 9781496408211; Hardback, 173 pages, $14.99.

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Stephen Elkins.

The Beginner's Bible: All About Jesus Sticker and Activity Book

The Beginner’s Bible: All About Jesus Sticker & Activity Book by Zonderkidz, is filled with very short stories and activities relating to Jesus. The stories are about Jesus’ birth, his baptism, his first miracle, etc. A short story is told on each page, and activities relating to that story are included on that page.

Activities include stickers, tracing objects, coloring and drawing pictures, counting exercises, and several different kinds of puzzles. Colorful, cartoonish illustrations fill each page.

What I Like: This looks like a great book to not only keep little ones busy, but also to help them learn about Jesus.

What I Dislike: Although there are lots of stickers (more than 50) included with the book, and many places where they go throughout the pages, the stickers are not marked according to what page they are supposed to go on. I looks like it would be rather complicated for youngsters to locate the stickers themselves.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: No age group is given, but I would say this is the type of book for children in preschool and kindergarten.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2015; ISBN: 9780310746935; Paperback, $3.99.

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Angels In The Bible Storybook

Where were the angels when God created the world? Why did an angel force a donkey off a road? Who did the angels get out of jail twice? Young readers will find answers to these and other questions in this exciting storybook, written by bestselling author Allia Zobel Nolan with illustrations by Alida Massari. Angels in the Bible Storybook gives children a fascinating look into how God’s powerful behind-the-scenes helpers interacted with Bible greats from Abraham, Lot, and Gideon to Zechariah, Mary, and Jesus himself, acting as messengers, protectors, warriors, and more.

What I Like: Angels in the Bible Storybook, by Allia Zobel Nolan is an exhaustive look of every biblical account involving angels. All of the information is biblically based and follows the order of the bible. The illustrations by Alida Massari are very detailed and colorful helping readers envision biblical stories more clearly.

What I Dislike: Nothing. However, I would say that it is a very long storybook and not one a child could read through before bed.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: 4 - 8 years. A four-year-old would probably need an adult to read through and help them understand the stories.

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2016; ISBN: 978-0310743651; Hardcover, 224 pgs., $12.27

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The Story of Jesus

There are two possible covers for this book.

The Story of Jesus put out by Flowerpot Press is a colorful board book designed to give children a synopsis of the Life of Christ.

The book begins with the birth of Jesus, highlights His teachings and miracles, touches on his death and resurrection, and ends with his ascension into Heaven.

What I Like: This book gives children a glimpse of the life of Christ. It was definitely written with the young child in mind. His story is told in such a way that very young children can easily understand it.

The illustrations are child friendly. Except for the picture of his birth, Jesus is depicted in a red robe so young children can pick him out in the illustrations immediately.

What I Dislike: Unfortunately, the shipping is going to cost more than the book itself.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 3-5 year olds

Publisher Info: Flowerpot Press, 2011; ISBN: 978-1-897533-75-8; board book , 16 pgs., $0.01 + $3.99 S&H

Buy it at Amazon.com for $0.01

Hooked on the Book

Hooked On The Book: Patrick's Adventures Through the Books of the Bible (Morgan James Kids) by Liz and Jack Hagler is a chock full of great information put in a kid friendly way to give children a great overview of what is contained in each book of the Bible.

Each large comic strip styled page of this 96 page book gives a fantastic overview of each book of the Bible along with little tidbits and great connections to give kids not only a book by book view but the overall thread that starts in Genesis and ends in Revelation.

The book is broken into chapters to give logical places to stop to keep children (and adults) from being overwhelmed by all of the content

I do not usually like busy pages in kids books, but the busyness of the pages in this book works.  So much information is given concerning each book of the Bible, I think the authors chose the best format to present it.

What I Like: As a homeschool mom, I try to teach both of my children the same information as much as possible. I was able to read this book to both of my children (ages 4 and 8), and they were both equally engaged.

I also really liked the illustrations. They appear to be hand drawn but they really work with the style of this book. Some of the information has been cleverly inserted into the illustrations, which kept me looking at the pages long after I had read the actual words.

What I Dislike: I really liked this book.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 6-12 years old

Publisher Info: Hagler Publishing, 2011; ISBN: 978-0-615-46549-4; hardcover, 96 pgs., $19.95


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My Big Book of Bible Stories

My Big Book of Bible Stories: Bible Stories! Rhyming Fun! Timeless Truth for Everyone! by Phil A. Smouse is a fun way to introduce your young ones to Bible stories.

The Bible stories are all written in a rhyming fashion which, as the back cover suggests, "sound a lot like Dr. Seuss!" By finding creative ways to rhyme words and with the use of nonsensical words, the author has brought a new way to teach these accounts to children.

What I Like: I really enjoyed the formation of the rhymes. It has been great to read these to my children and see them smile just as widely as me as the words used to make the rhymes complete.

The illustrations are simple, colorful, and cartoon-like which perfectly matches the Dr. Seuss style of writing.

What I Dislike: I wish the stories had been left in chronological order. While it starts out with "Creation" and "Adam and Eve", it then jumps to "Daniel and the Lions" and back to "David and Goliath."

One of my main goals in teaching my children God's Word is to develop a deep respect for the Bible and the Heroes of the Faith inside. I personally felt that some of the approaches to the characters were too light-hearted for my taste (I am not a super uptight person). I understand that some of this was due to the need to make the verse rhyme.

Overall Rating: Very good

Age Appeal: 3-8 years old

Publisher Info: Barbour Books, 2011; ISBN: 9781607428947; e-book, 256 pgs., $14.99


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The Play- Along Bible

My almost four-year-old daughter Ella loved the Play-Along Bible by Bob Hartman!  


Before we even had a chance to read it to her, my daughter loved looking at it on her own during her "nap" time in her bed. The colorful and kid-friendly illustrations by Susie Poole invited her into this hardcover storybook. There were 50 carefully chosen stories from both the Old and New Testament that each had a beautiful drawing to accompany it.

At bedtime, my husband always reads to my daughter. She has several different Bibles and devotionals that we have used. What was different about this book was the multi-sensory approach.  Each story had motions that the parent models as they are reading to encourage the child to participate with during the story. 

For example, while reading the story of Noah, in parentheses the book guides the parent by telling them when to encourage the child to make motions. They suggest the reader make animal noises, slap their hands on their legs to mimic the sound of the rain coming down, pretend they are hammering like Noah building the ark and more!
 
What I Like: I like how this Bible storybook will hit more than one of your child's senses when reading this book. Not all children learn the same. Some are visual learners and will learn best through looking at the pictures. Some are auditory learners and will learn best through hearing the story read to them. These two types of learners can have their needs met through most Bible storybooks. I liked how this Bible storybook meets the needs of the kinaesthetic learner who learns best through movement. These learners are often left out with traditional storybooks. This book would not disappoint. It is a great way to enhance a child's understanding of God's Word at a young age.
 
What I Dislike:  Nothing
 
Overall Rating: Excellent
 
Age Appeal: 3-6 years old
 
Publisher Info: Tyndale Kids,  2015;  ISBN: 978-1-4964-0864-8 ; Hardcover, 104 pgs.,  $12.99

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The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible for LIttle Ones

For Berenstain Bears lovers everywhere comes a storybook Bible for toddlers. The thick-covered The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible for Little Ones, by Jan and Mike Berenstain, is a sturdy board book that highlights eight stories from the Bible: Creation, Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, The Birth of Jesus, The Good Samaritan, Palm Sunday, and the Resurrection. In true bear fashion, all the characters are portrayed as bears, including Jesus.

What I Like: I love the Berenstain Bears, so of course this book appeals to me. Seeing Biblical characters in bear-form is interesting.

 What I Dislike: For me, there is a disconnect between the format and the text. The text is geared for preschoolers through age 8, but boardbooks are typically intended for the toddler age group. In addition, some of the stories had major gaps; however, parents willing to expand on the story can easily fill in the missing details.

 Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: ages 4-8

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2015; ISBN: 978-0310749417; Boardbook or Kindle, 30 pgs., $9.99

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Suzette Gives Thanks for Instant Bible Lessons for Nursery: Give Thanks to God

Last year brought some changes not our home and family in a wonderful way. After being members at our current church for (at the time) six years, I was asked to step into the position of Interim Director of Children's Ministry until a full time Children's Minister could be found. I continue to serve in this capacity, and it has been a blessing to our family in so many ways.

I am thankful for the extra income it has blessed us with. I am thankful for the people I have met. I am thankful for the glimpse of our wonderful staff and all of the hard work they do behind the scenes so our Sunday mornings are flawless. I am thankful for the friendships I have made which will carry on long after my services are no longer needed. I am thankful for the children I have the privilege of serving each week.

When I received today's book, I knew God had led Kristina and Cynthia to pack it in my box because it was so relevant to the ministry I am currently involved in.

Instant Bible Lessons for Nursery: Give Thanks to God by Mary J. Davis is a consumable book of eight lessons, complete with reproducible coloring pages, songs, and Bible lessons.

The lessons in this book are designed for nursery aged children with simple lessons which go over the same concept repeatedly so little ones can remember it. Each lesson can be broken up to be spread over an entire month which is great in giving little ones consistency in their lesson.

As is implied in the title, this lesson book focuses on thankfulness. The lessons include:

• Thank You God for My Family
• Thank You God for My Friends
• Thank You God for My Home
• Thank You God for My Pets
• Thank You God for My Food
• Thank You God for Water
• Thank You God for Clothes
• Thank You God for My Church

The last chapter of the book includes extra "Give Thanks" activities, including games, rhymes, and crafts.

Even children in the infant nursery can be taught to be thankful just by having the caregiving adult repeating the simple themes and verses while being rocked.

What I Like: I love the simplicity of the these lessons. Nursery curricula put together by larger groups often include "too much" stuff, and little ones are not designed to sit through and listen to a long drawn out lesson. The length of the lessons in this book are the perfect length for little ones. All of the pages in the book are also perforated for easy removal and photocopying.

As the Children's Ministry Director at our church, I look forward to implementing this book in our nursery.

What I Dislike: I liked everything about this book.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 0-2 year olds

Publisher Info: Rainbow Publishers, 2012; ISBN: 978-1-58411-119-1; paperback, 96 pgs., $13.95


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God Helps Me Bible

God Helps Me Bible by Juliet David is a darling little Bible  book for toddlers. It is chunky in size, which is perfect for little hands. The illustrations by Claire Caddy are beautifully simple and toddler appropriate.

Each Bible account is two half pages long which is perfect for a toddler's attention span. At the end of each account, the reference of where the account can be found is included.

Twenty-five accounts are included, and each accounts with the phrase "God helped....." The author states her goal at the beginning of the book. "As you read the story with your parent, perhaps you can repeat the last sentence of the story: 'God helped...'"

What I Like: I like that this book is spiral bound so the pages lay flat, which makes for easier reading by parents and toddlers.

What I Dislike: I like everything about this book.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 1-3 years.

Publisher Info: Candle books, 2012; ISBN: 978-1859859162; spiral-bound hardcover, 104 pgs., $12.99.

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Weird & Gross Bible Stuff

Weird & Gross Bible Stuff by Rick Osborne and Quentin Guy is a completely different take on what most people think of when they think of a Bible based book for late elementary through middle school aged boys.

Let's face it. Boys like things that are gross and generally unappealing to most others. Rick Osborne and Quentin Guy have taken the time to go through the Bible to find all of the gross and weird things that would completely interest a boy.

So many times we try to explain to our children that the Bible is relevant to them and where they are in life right now, but this book goes even farther to show boys from 4th grade- 8th grade that the Bible does hold all types of adventures that will hold their interest. As a mom, that is exactly what I want! I want my son (who is almost 4) to look forward to what new weird little tidbit he will learn. The more he reads, the more he will be interested to follow the Bible reference added to give the completed background to each account he is being exposed to.

I read this book with both of my children (girl: 7 and boy: 3.5). I was fascinated with all of the stories, some of which I had forgotten because as we "grow up" we steer away from those accounts to more character building passages. I loved being reminded of stories like Ehud and the "fall" of Jezebel. My daughter found this book to be gross- which is exactly what the title says it will be. My son thought it was cool- total boy!

The book is put together in chapters and puts accounts with similarities together. As you read each subsection within each chapter, Scripture is given to correspond with the weird or gross part that was pulled out (which would make for a great devotional for boys to make their way through the Bible). At the end of each chapter is a two page focus on a Bible hero and something amazing that was done for the glory of God.

What I Like: I love Rick Osborne's writing. This is my second Rick Osborne book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Rick Osborne takes one right to Scripture to show what God's Word says about any subject.

What I Dislike: You definitely have to have a stomach for the gross part of the book.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: Late elementary through middle school aged, 8-14 years old

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2002; ISBN: 0310704847; paperback, 128 pgs., $7.99
Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $6.29
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My Big Bright Bible Board Book

If you want to introduce your baby or toddler to some favorite stories from the Bible, Christina Goodings’ book My Big Bright Bible Board Book may be just what you are looking for. Built with a thick, soft cover and sturdy pages, the book covers stories of creation, Noah, Baby Moses, David and Goliath, Jonah, Baby Jesus, Jesus and the Children, Lost Sheep, and the resurrection. Stories are told over a two-page spread using generally only six lines of text. Each tale is accompanied by simple, bright illustrations done by Stephen Barker. The pictures are cute, and will appeal to young kids with their easily recognizable, child-friendly figures. All people in the book appear fair-skinned.

What I Like: I think this book will appeal to its intended target audience. It seems solid, the pictures aren’t too busy but still catch the eye, and the text is simple enough for the short attention span of a baby or toddler. This author also has a wide variety of other books for this age group, so if your youngster enjoys this book, you can easily find another similar book to expand your household library.

What I Dislike: If you are wanting the “full picture” of a Bible story, you won’t find it here. Due to their brevity, the stories have many informational gaps. That means a child who is unfamiliar with the Bible story will likely have many questions. Of all the stories, I think “The Way to Heaven” will be the most likely to cause confusion. As long as parents are ready to fill in the holes, they can still use this book as a springboard for discussion or introduction to a Bible story.

Overall Rating: Good, although sturdiness is very good.

Age Appeal: Infant to toddler.

Publisher Info: Lion Hudson, 2014; ISBN:978-0745965253 ; Board Book, 10 pgs., $9.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $8.19
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Special Info: Check out CCBR reviews of other books by this author. You may also enjoy looking at these books by this author: My Little Bible Boardbook, My Look and Point Story of Jesus Stick-a-Story Book,My Look and Point Story of Jesus Stick-a-Story Book,My Look and Point First Christmas Stick-a-Story Book, Bible Stories for Girls, My Look and Point In the Beginning Stick-a-Story Book, Guess Who? Noah's Ark: A Flip-the-Flap Book, Hands-On Bible Craft Book, The Lion Book of Prayers for Me, My Very Best Bible Stories, or Bible and Prayers for Teddy and Me, just to name a few!

The Story of King Jesus

People of God pass their faith to the next generation by telling the story of how God rescues his children. This richly illustrated book continues to tell that story—from the creation of the world to Jesus’ victory over death. Designed for children ages 4 to 8, The Story of King Jesus is the gospel told in a single story—a story meant to be read from start to finish in one sitting.

 The Story of King Jesus will captivate your child’s imagination, nurture their spiritual curiosity, and draw them into the full Bible story as they embark on a lifetime of following Jesus the King.

What I Like: It is a rarity for me to find a book for children where Jesus is referred to as King Jesus. It opens up the door for children to understand the divinity, majesty and greatness of Jesus before and after his life here.

The illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous and full of so much detail. The bright colors and details are captivating and add so much to the story.

The story covers Creation, Abrahamic Covenant, the creation of the Nation of Israel, Jesus' birth, ministry, death, resurrection and return and a few other stories in a very condensed version.

The story is sure to invoke lots of questions and create opportunities to discuss Jesus as he relates to stories of the Old Testament like the Abrahamic Covenant and the prophecy being fulfilled as well as his return.

What I Dislike: Nothing


Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: 4-8 but I would say its better suited for 6-8.

Publisher Info: David C. Cook, 2015; ISBN: 978-1434707727; Hardcover, 48 pgs., $14.99

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Special Info: The book mentions Jesus being stripped of clothing.

Power Bible

It can be tough to find a Bible or Bible storybook for a reluctant reader. But comic books are often something reluctant readers love - and that's why Green Egg Media created the Power Bible series. This 10 book series covers the entire Bible in comic book format with illustrations by Shin-joong Kim. Today, I'll be reviewing volume 1 in this series.

The book begins with an introduction to the people kids will learn about later in the book. There is a full color image of the person, and a few sentences about him or her. Then the book plunges straight into the story of creation. Every page is full color, comic book style with anime characters. When the book switches to a new Bible story, it offers a biblical reference, so parents or kids can consult and compare with the Bible. The book ends with the story of Old Testament Joseph, hinting at trouble to come in book 2 of the series.

What I Like: My children really enjoyed the comic book aspect of this book and were eager to start reading book 2 as soon as possible.I found book 1 in this series quite accurate - and that means it's a fantastic way to get kids who aren't interested in reading the Bible more knowledgeable about God's word.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8 and up

Publishing Info: Green Egg Media, 2011; ISBN 978-1937212001; paperback, 208 pgs.,$13.49

Buy book 1 at Amazon for $13.49 or at ChristianBook.com for $10.99
Buy the complete series at Amazon for $86.46 or at ChristianBook.com for $89.99
Find other, individual books in the series on Amazon or here, at ChristianBook.com 

Special Info: To see kids talk about the Power Bible, and to see samples of the pages, click here.

You Have Been Invited

You Have Been Invited! by Brian Howell is a beautifully simple book which teaches children what God has invited them to through Scripture.

Each two-page layout features one passage of Scripture and a complementary illustration with and invitation to the child. For example, the page I am opened to right now features Proverbs 3:5-6 and invites the child to trust God's promises.

At the end of the book, the author offers one final invitation- the invitation to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. It is truly the perfect way to end this book!

What I Like: I loved that the author chose so many verses to feature in such a child friendly way.

I am thrilled that this is a book that can go into my daughter's library, and when she pulls it out, I know that she will be reading God's Word.

I was excited as I read this to my children that it reminded me of Scripture songs that I had learned growing up, and I was able to share those songs with my children because of this book.
 
What I Dislike: I liked everything about this book.


Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 4-10 years old

Publisher Info: Wheat State Media LLC, 2013; ISBN: 978-0988289208; hardcover, 38 pgs., $18.99

Buy it at Amazon.com for 5.94

Bible Stories for Boys/Bible Stories for Girls

Bible Stories for Boys (written by Peter Martin) and Bible Stories for Girls (by Christian Goodings) are a beautiful set, nicely illustrated by Simona Bursi. Each tells a handful of Bible stories, re-written for children and punctuated with lots of illustrations to help hold their interest.

Bible Stories for Boys includes the story of Old Testament Joseph and his difficult relationship with his brothers; Gideon, the reluctant solider; David and Goliath; Jonah; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; the parable of the rich and poor man from Luke 16; Zacchaeus; and Paul in prison.

Bible Stories for Girls includes the story of young Miriam; Deborah and Jael; Naomi and Ruth; Esther; Mary and Martha; the parable of the widow and the judge from Luke 18; the parable of the foolish bridesmaids from Matthew 25; and Lydia.

What I Like: The illustrations are appealing, and I love the fact that Bible Stories for Girls includes some stories my daughter - who is intimately familiar with a wide range of Bible storybooks - didn't know, like the story of Jael. (Which, admittedly, is pretty violent, although the author doesn't go into grotesque details.)

What I Dislike: My children are really familiar with Bible stories typically told to children, and as I read these books, they were constantly asking, "Does the Bible really say that?" Most of the time, my answer was "no," because these books are so full of extra-biblical information. That is to say, they take creative license and tack on information about what people were thinking or what they said that simply isn't in the Bible.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 5 - 9.


Publishing Info: Lion Hudson, 2014; ISBN:  978-0745963709 (boy's), 978-0745963716 (girl's); hardback, 48 pgs., $13.28

Buy Bible Stories for Boys at Amazon for $13.28
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Buy Bible Stories for Girls at Amazon for $13.49
OR buy it at ChristianBook.com for $11.99

99 Stories from the Bible

99 Stories from the Bible by Juliet David is a beautiful, well illustrated children's story Bible.

This was one of the books that my children loved me pulling out in the evenings and reading from before bedtime. My 6 year old reader loved that she was able to follow along with me as I read to her, and my 2 year old loved the colorful, child-friendly illustrations on each and every page.

As the title suggests, this book covers 99 of the more familiar Bible accounts in a very summarized way. Each account takes no more than one to two pages recount each story. Many of the accounts are broken up into smaller accounts which is how there are 99 stories. For example the account of Moses is broken into six separate stories: A Baby in a Basket, God Speaks to Moses, Moses Meets the King, The Sea Dries Up, Moses Climbs a Mountain, and Giants.

What I Like: Illustrations are a huge selling point for me (not that content isn't important in any way). Children usually tend to gravitate to whatever is beautiful, colorful, and well-drawn. I love how almost each account has a two page illustration with the words being placed in areas that are not busy but still colorful. The illustrations on the cover (pictured) are examples of the full page illustrations in the book.

I also like that children are made familiar with the Bible accounts that they may skip over otherwise such as the story of Hannah. The summaries are short but give enough information to children so they have a reference point to go back to.

What I Dislike: I liked everything about this book.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 2-8-year-olds

Publisher Info: Candle Books, 2013; ISBN: 978-7-85985-847-9 ; hardcover, 192 pgs., $14.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $11.99


OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $13.49