God's Word for God's Children: In the Beginning

As expected by the title, God’s Word for God’s Children: In the Beginning, by Olin Edward James is a story about the Creation. It is the first book in the KathIrene Kids God’s Word for God’s Children Bible Series, a series of books for young children that focus on individual stories from the Bible.

This is a very short book, written in rhyme, with only nine verses.

What I Like: I like the pen-and-ink illustrations. They are colorful and expressive.

What I Dislike: The book is written in rhyme. As many of you know, I am not a big fan of rhyming text for kids as it is difficult to do and to do it well. Sadly, this is another example of the shortfall of writing in rhyme. Most of the rhyme is forced, which throws off the rhythm of the story.

Also, although this story is supposed to be for children, the author uses the word “firmament” when the word “earth” would have been a more appropriate term.

Overall Rating: Ho hum.

Age Appeal: No age group is given, but I’d say 4-8 years would be about right.

Publisher Info: Life Sentence, 2014; ISBN: 9781622451876; Paperback, $4.99.

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The Battle Begins: The Story of Creation

Introducing a brand new series of Action Bible graphic novels featuring vivid new artwork from Sergio Cariello.

Even as God walked through the beauty of His new creation, and breathed life into Adam, His masterpiece ... a warrior-angel gives into his pride—and commits the ultimate betrayal. Witness Adam and Eve falling into Lucifer's trap, as the battle for eternity begins in this brilliantly presented retelling of Creation, the Fall, and God's promise of redemption.

What I Like: The Battle Begins by Caleb Seeling is a more detailed story of creation than I have become accustomed to. It includes what is going on in heaven before and after creation giving an insight into why the serpent tempted Eve and how fallen angels became fallen angels. I really liked that the book included much more than I usually read.

The book is also created a comic or graphic novel as they refer to it so my 8 year old son was immediately drawn to the "superhero" like illustrations and the layouts of the pages.

What I Dislike:  The layout of the graphic novel includes the wording in speech balloons just like traditional comics. I am not a comic book reader and found the dialogue in balloons slightly distracting. I had to make sure I was reading it correctly which took away from just simply enjoying the book. It was a very minor issue for me, but my son had no issues with that whatsoever.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: The recommended age group is 9-12, but I would say 8-14 is more appropriate.

Publisher Info: David C. Cook, 2014; ISBN: 978-0781411424; Paperback, 104 pgs., $12.99

Special Info: Since the story is about creation, the book does include Adam and Eve being nude. The illustrations use shadows, scenery and "headshots" as a way to keep the story clean and appropriate for children.

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God's Great Creation

As your child learns to read, it's a fantastic thing for them to start learning the habit of Bible reading. You can make this happen by offering your child reading level appropriate books of Bible stories. God's Great Creation is such a book (level 2), and worth considering as an addition to your library.

The book, which is based upon the Adventure Bible for children, tells the story of creation and of the fall. It covers the days of creation, then the creation of Adam and Eve. God gives Eden to Adam and Eve, but tells them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Satan, in the form of a snake, convinces Eve to eat exactly the fruit God has warned them not to. Adam partakes, as well. God punishes the snake, then sends Adam and Eve from the garden.

What I Like: I love it when my kids can read Bible stories! I also like David Miles' illustrations (although they seem a bit dark in my copy of the book). And overall, I think the interpretation of the biblical account is just right for early readers. Best of all, the book hints at God's grace; at the end of the book, after God takes Adam and Eve out of Eden, the book reads: "As they left the garden God was planning how to help his people."

What I Dislike: There is one thing I dislike about this book - something parents should be aware of before giving God's Great Creation to their kids. In this book, after God creates Eve, he says: "Use all you see with respect. And follow my one rule: do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil."

But the Bible does not say God told Adam and Eve to "use all you see with respect." It says (in Gen. 2:15, before Eve is even created) "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.'" So, God's Great Creation is not only a bit inaccurate, but also politically correct, which may bother some parents.

Overall Rating: I struggled with how to rate this book, given the "dislike" above. Ultimately, I think it's a good opportunity for parents to dig out the real Bible and compare the text with this book. Therefore, I'm giving this book a "Good" rating.

Age Appeal: about 4 - 8.


Publishing Info: Zondervan, 2014; ISBN:  978-0310732389; paperback, 32 pgs., $3.99

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Bob Hartman's More Bible Tales: The Unauthorized Version

Bob Hartman's More Bible Tales: The Unauthorized Version, written and illustrated by Bob Hartman is the third book in the author’s series of Bible tales. This one is a collection of Bible stories told from unusual perspectives. For instance, the story of Noah’s ark is told from the perspective of Noah’s dog, and the story of Judas is told by his nephew.

The word “unauthorized” in the title refers to the opposite of the word “authorized” or “official”. These are stories that are told from the point of view of someone (or something) that is not mentioned in the Bible.

As can be expected from such a collection of stories, there is humor involved. As the author says in the Introduction to the book, “I tried to tell the stories in a way that would be true to the original, but also in a way that would bring out the humour in them.”

The pencil sketched illustrations are cartoonish in nature, but they are very expressive and work well with the text.

What I Like: I like reading stories like this, being able to hear a well-known story from a different character’s point of view. It provides a whole new perspective to the story

What I Dislike: Having said that, some readers might see these stories as being irreverent. I don’t believe that is the author’s intention, but you might feel otherwise.

I had read one of Hartman’s earlier books in the series, Bob Hartman’s Old Testament Tales, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked most of the stories in this edition, too, but not all of them. The one about Noah was told from the point of view of Noah’s dog. That’s not a problem. But, according to the dog, the ark hadn’t even been built yet (the story took place before the building began), but at the end of the story, the dog gets on the boat. How could he do that if the boat hadn’t been built yet? Little inconsistencies like that in a story bother me.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Ages 8 and up.

Publisher Info: Lion Children’s Books, 2013; ISBN: 9780745964355; Paperback, 95 pages, $8.99.

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Special Info: The book was published in England so the text reflects the British way of spelling and speaking. For instance, “humor” is spelled “humour” and “Mom” is known as “Mum.”

Read our reviews of other books written and illustrated by Bob Hartman.

The Adventures of Danny the Dinosaur

Children who love dinosaurs may be interested in checking out Dr. Kent Hovind’s series The Adventures of Danny the Dinosaur. A young Brachiosaurus narrates the books. This review looks at books numbers one and two in the series. Both books are illustrated by Brent Giles. The kid-friendly, cartoonish pictures have bright, bold colors and are crowded with details.

Book One: In the Garden of Eden. Danny opens the book by introducing himself. Then he talks about his great grandfather, Big D, and the Garden of Eden. Danny sums up most of the creation story by stating “God made everything we see in just six days,” and that God made Big D “just to show how awesome He was.”

We then see the world through Big D’s eyes. We see Adam and Eve in the garden with only one direction: They could eat the fruit from all of the trees there, except for one tree in the middle of the garden.

Adam and Eve play with Big D, climbing on his neck and taking rides around the garden. And then the snake comes and tempts Eve to disobey God. She eats the forbidden fruit, and so does Adam. Then they cover themselves with fig leaves until a fateful conversation with God, which results in their banishment from the garden.

The book closes with a quick explanation of God’s plan to fix the problem of sin by sending his son to pay the price for all of man’s sins. In addition, Danny gives the reader a glimpse into book two.

Book Two: The Big Boat This story picks up years after the first book, where mankind has multiplied but are wicked and sinful. Danny’s great grandfather, Big D, spots Noah building a big boat and wonders why. He soon learns from an owl that mankind has followed the way of Cain, and that because of this, God plans on destroying them in a flood. The book then takes a side trip to tell about the story of Cain and Abel. (This also entails a quick reference to the Garden of Eden.)

Big D helps Noah build the ark, then watches as animals board it. Once the door is shut on leering spectators, the rains come. Everyone on the boat is safe. The story ends with Noah and his family still on the boat. The remaining pages provide a short plan of salvation for the reader and a sneak peek at book three… where we find out what happens after the flood.

What I Like: Although somewhat heavy-handed (and at the same time perhaps underdeveloped), I appreciate the author addressing faith in Christ. It is evident he has a heart to reach children with the message of salvation.

What I Dislike: Yes, I know this is a fictional tale, but it mixes the Biblical account into it. In so doing, the author takes some liberties with Scripture. For example, he speculates on what Adam and Eve saw and which animals they interacted with (including the dinosaur). When Noah builds his boat, Big D helps him pull trees and lift wood. The animals are also given human-like qualities and thought processes.

One annoying feature of the text is the way the author stretches out some of the words. Words like long, great, so, tall, and amazing become l-o-o-o-n-g, g-r-e-a-a-a-t, s-o-o-o-o, t-a-a-a-l-l-l and a-m-a-a-a-z-i-n-g.

Finally, I wish the author had picked a different name for the dinosaur. “Danny”, for me, is too reminiscent of Sid Hoff’s classic children’s book Danny and the Dinosaur.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: It's listed for ages 3 and up, but I think the text is too long and mature for 3 year olds. I suggest ages 4-8.

Publisher Info: Bridge Logos Pub, 2010 (book one) 2011 (book two); ISBN:978-0882709116(book one), 9781584680741 (book two); Paperback, 25 pgs., $5.95
Buy Book One Now at Christianbook.com for $5.49
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Special Info: God is depicted in the first book. Although his face is not shown (a burst of light beams stemming from where a face should be cloaks His features), a humanoid-shaped body is visible. Also, the book provides a website at www.drdino.com. However, when I went to this site, I didn’t find anything geared for children. Instead, it has products, articles and videos for adults interested in creation. If children expect to see something related to Danny, they will be disappointed.

The Big Fall: The Grandchildren's Bible Journeys

Brenda Ricchi has used her love for her grandchildren, and her passion for Christ to develop The Grandchildren's Bible Journeys series. In the second book, The Big Fall, Ricchi's grandchildren travel back in time to the Garden of Eden, and witness Adam and Eve's first sin.

Bryce and Ella have already traveled back in time through their grandparent's storage closet, but Ireland and Cole are a little scared. They walk through fog until they find themselves in a beautiful garden. Ella quickly realizes it is the Garden of Eden, and they watch as God instructs Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. As the children continue watching, the snake tempts Adam and Eve and God banishes them from Eden.

The children are sad and cry as they watch, but they remember they do things wrong too. Ella asks her brother and cousins to make a pact with her to do their best to obey their parents and God. All of the children are relieved to come out of the storage area and have a cookout with their families.

The third chapter of Genesis is included at the end of the book.

What I Like: Ricchi has a clever idea and she obviously takes joy in her grandchildren. The modern portion of the story is set at a family gathering, and Ricchi's strong sense of family and tradition is clearly evident. Her grandchildren will treasure these books for generations.

Ricchi compares the Garden of Eden to Busch Gardens, and the children are in awe of Eve's beauty. The pictures support the text, and it is fun to see Ricchi's grandchildren, as well as the storage closet their grandpa built.

What I Dislike: Ricchi uses the same computerized image three pages in a row, and simply changes the position of the children. Also, the digital pictures sometimes cast odd shadows on the children's faces.

Ricchi relies heavily on narration, telling us what is going on, instead of using direct dialogue and action. There are too many words on the page, which makes it hard to stay focused on the story.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: 9-12, but the children in the book are younger

Publisher Info: Lulu Press, 2009; ISBN: 978-0-557-38645-1; Paperback, 29 pages, $15.51

Buy it at Amazon.com for $15.51.

Special Info: Check out our review of Ricci's The Creation Story here.

Bible Guess Who?

If your child loves "pull the tab" books, he or she is sure to like Bible Guess Who?, written by Allia Zobel-Nolan and illustrated by Claudine Gevry. This sturdy board book features four rhyming lines on each page, featuring at least biblical figure. The bright illustrations cover two pages and feature die-cut holes, hiding the famous person from the Bible. When your child pulls the tab, the person appears.

For example, one page reads:

"A princess walks to the river one day
to bathe where the bulbrushes grow.
She finds a baby and his sister there.
Who are they? Do you know?"

Pulling the tab reveals baby Moses in his basket, with his sister Miriam watching nearby.

Other people included in this book are Adam and Eve, Noah, Jonah, baby Jesus, the angel revealing Jesus' birth to the shepherds, and the three wise men.

What I Like: The illustrations in this book are colorful and the rhyme is blessedly good. And while my nearly 5 yr. old's tastes are usually more mature, she loves knowing all the answers to the book's questions. And the pull tabs are just plain fun. My toddler also likes this book, although he can't yet pull the tabs.

What I Dislike: The tabs are a bit stiff - too stiff for even my 5 year old to pull easily. Hopefully, they'll get easier to pull with more use.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 3 - 7, but I'd say toddlers to perhaps kindergarten.

Publishing Info: Kregel, 2003; ISBN: 978-0825455087; board book, $10.99

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Special Info: Check out our reviews of other books by Allia Zobel-Nolan.

Adam & Eve, God's First People

As part of their "I Can Read!" series, Zonderkidz has added Adam & Eve, God's First People, with illustrations by Dennis G. Jones. A Level 2 book ("reading with help") this delightfully illustrated volume does a good job retelling the story of creation.

The book begins when "everything was dark" and "God was all by himself." Then he makes light, water, ground, plants, and so on. "It was all very good." Finally, God makes a man called Adam and a woman named Eve and "everything was very, very good." God gives Adam and Eve a perfect garden (called Eden) to live in. "There was only one rule: Don't eat from the tree of good and evil."

All is well until one day a snake slithers into the garden, succeeds in some trickery: Eve and Adam both eat the fruit from the tree of good and evil. Suddenly, the two realize things aren't perfect any more. They hear God coming and try to hide from him, but end up having to admit their sin.

"God told Adam and Eve to leave Eden. They couldn't live there because of sin. But God had a plan. His son, Jesus, would come to earth and save us from sin."

What I Like: Jones' illustrations are wonderful. They have a humorous feel much of the time and are colorful and engaging. This is also the best recounting of Adam and Eve I've read for children; the author (who isn't credited) explains sin and - unlike some retellings of this story - reminds us God was already planning to send a Savior to earth.

What I Dislike: I'm bothered by the statement that God was alone before he created the earth. The Bible says "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..." (Gen. 1:26), which most Bible agree means Jesus and the Holy Spirit were with him. John 1: 1-2 also says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He [Jesus] was in the beginning with God." The Bible also says God called all his creation "good" and didn't call anything "very good" until he made people. Otherwise, however, I think this book is a great choice.

Overall Rating: Despite the problems mentioned above, I give this title a rating of Very Good.

Age Appeal: 4 to 8.

Publishing Info: Zonderkidz , 2010; ISBN: 978-0310718833; paperback, $3.99

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Dennis G. Jones.

Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden

Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden, written and illustrated by Jane Ray, is a basically a retelling of the story in the book of Genesis. However, although the author includes all the elements of the Biblical creation story, this version differs from the Biblical story.

As the publisher says in a blurb on the book’s jacket flap: “Jane Ray’s beautiful version of the familiar story takes into account creation myths the world over.” Thus, her story includes features never mentioned in the Bible, such as a fountain in the middle of the garden. Also, in this version there are two trees called the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life; the Bible says there was one tree called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

After Adam and Eve are banished from the garden, the text says: “God gave Adam and Eve warm clothes to wear. He handed them some seeds and cuttings from the garden. Then God sent them out into the world.” When they leave the garden it says, “IN the bear earth beyond Eden, Adam and Eve planted anew garden for their family.”

The illustrations in this book are truly beautiful. They provide a feast for the eyes with a plethora of colors and shapes. All of the pages have borders, some of which are greatly detailed with line drawings, pieces of musical scores, etc., giving the edges a quilt-like effect.

What I Like: The artwork is my favorite part of the book. Be warned, though, it might be considered by some to be a bit sophisticated or inappropriate for children, as both Adam and Eve are clearly naked until they are removed from the garden. In one of the illustrations, one of Eve’s naked breasts is rather prominent.

What I Dislike: I like the different approach to the creation story, but I’m uncomfortable with the idea of the author using ideas from different “creation myths” for the book, as this implies the Biblical story is not true, it’s just a myth.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 5-9.

Publisher Info: Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, 2005; ISBN: 0802852785; Hardcover, $17.00

Buy now at Amazon.com $12.75.
Special Info: Visit the illustrator’s website.

The Fall Into Sin

The Fall Into Sin is part of the bestselling Arch Series. This volume, written by Nancy I. Sanders, retells the story of Genesis 2-3 in rhyming verse.

In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve a good life with only one restriction: they could not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge and Evil. A sneaky serpent, however, questioned God’s instructions. He convinced Eve that God had lied and that she and Adam were foolish for obeying Him. Eve ate the fruit, then passed it to Adam who also ate. Immediately they noticed their nakedness and ran to hide. When God called for them, they blamed each other and the snake for their disobedience. God showed them their new home outside the garden and set angels to guard the entrance. Then he gave them a big promise:
”One day I will send My own special Son to love and forgive all of sin. And He will have victory over this death so Satan can no longer win.”

The story concludes with a picture of the Nativity, the fulfillment of this great promise. The last page of the book offers a note to parents that explains the story further and offers suggestions to help children understand.

This book was illustrated by Joe Van Severen. Full of interest, high contrast and color, they present a fresh look at the familiar story. Please note that the last illustration shows the face of Jesus as an infant.

What I Like: I really like the tie-in to Jesus’ birth and the fulfillment of God’s promise in the Garden. The illustrations are not my favorite, but they are colorful and my kids like them. I do like the illustration of the angels guarding the entrance to the garden. It emphasizes a detail often overlooked in this story.

What I Dislike: The rhyme is forced and, in some places, simply doesn’t work well. More importantly, though, is the encouragement given in the editor's note to parents: “Stress the fact that God does not punish us for our sin.” The text emphasizes Jesus' atonement for sin once and for all. What the editor failed to mention is that we must believe in Jesus in order to have His blood cover our sins. Without personally and individually accepting His gift of salvation, all are condemned to death and an eternal punishment for sin. This truth, however, is never mentioned.

Overall Rating: The text by itself, I would rate "Good." However, my rating drops to "Poor" when the text is coupled with the editor's note. The misrepresentation of the Gospel is a grievous error.

Age Appeal: 5-9, but my 4-year-old liked it more than my 5-year-old.

Publisher Info: Concordia Publishing House, 2004; ISBN: 0758606184; Paperback; $2.49

Buy it at Amazon.com for $2.49.

When God Made the Animals

When my two year old daughter saw When God Made the Animals sitting on my desk, she thought I was the meanest mommy in the world because I wouldn't read it to her. (Sorry, dear girl! This book is for a reader giveaway!) Like many young children, my daughter adores googly eyes books...and like most children, she also loves animals. So this neat little board book is right up her alley.

Each two page spread of this short, eight page board book features either sea creatures, birds, "big land animals," or a variety of animals with Adam and Eve. These are rendered in a vivid way by Warner McGee. Each spread also includes a four stanza rhyme, written by Jill Roman Lord. A Bible reference is included with each of these stanzas, but this is not a biblical account of how God created things. Instead, it's a simple reminder that God made all creatures. The last page reads:

"Creating was fun. But God still wasn't done.
He had one more thing up his sleeve.
He took dirt from the land and created a man,
then created a woman named Eve.

What I Like: All of Multnomah's googly eyes books have strong kid-appeal. The illustrations are eye-catching and interesting, the googly eyes irresistible, and the rhyming text very good.

What I Dislike: I wish all the googly eyes books by Multnomah were a bit longer, even though their shortness may appeal to restless readers. Also, for some reason, in this book Warner McGee's illustrations aren't as crisp as they are elsewhere. Still, none of this should keep you away from this fun book.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 2 - 5, but many younger (and slightly older) kids will enjoy it, too.

Publishing Info: Multnomah, 2006; ISBN: 1590527143; board book, $7.99.

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Special Info: Check out our other reviews of Multnomah's googly eyes books.

Adam and Eve: A Story About Making Right Choices

Part of the "I Can Read the Bible!" series, Adam and Eve: A Story About Making Right Choices is a board book that crossed many age groups. With it's bright colors and bold illustrations, the book is perfect for infants, and the DVD, which accompanies the book, is filled with activities for early readers.

The creators offer an easy-to-comprehend version of this very important Bible story, one that is often overlooked in children's books. Instead of focusing on creation and all the different plants and animals, this book emphasizes the choice Adam and Eve made to listen to the serpent (depicted as a snake in this book) instead of obeying God. A cute little monkey follows Adam and Eve through the garden and clearly identifies for children when the wrong choice was made.

The DVD which accompanies the book contains more than 100 activities including an animated version of the book, games, vocabulary builders, Bible verses and a musical version of the story, in karaoke style, encouraging kids to make right choices.

What I Like: The illustrations are fantastic. Similar to stained glass, the feature bold outlines and vivid colors. Also, the text is large and clear, perfect for early readers. My kids love this book with or without the DVD. The story is told in a clear fashion. I really like the emphasis on choices. The book highlights the fall of man as being a decision made by Adam and Eve rather than a heartless surprise punishment. The book does a wonderful job explaining consequences being directly related to choices we make.

What I Dislike: The story repeatedly states the consequences of eating the forbidden fruit as: "have to leave this garden." That's not what God said; it's not what Scripture says. I understand children's books don't like to talk about death, but I feel this is a key element in Christian doctrine and faith. Simply "leaving the garden" does not identify the spiritual death of humanity, nor does it create a need for Christ to redeem sinners on the cross. Some clarification by parents may be necessary.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 3-8, though my 18 month old loves it.

Publishing Info: Candy Cane Press, 2006; ISBN: 0824966600; board book & DVD; $14.95

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