Ori's Amazing Story: Faith in God's Plan

In Ori’s Amazing Story: Faith in God’s Plan, by Mike and Carol Wyrick, Ori is a young donkey. He is sold to a merchant who uses him to pull his cart. Ori isn’t really happy to just pull a cart as he believes he has a higher purpose. One day, a couple of men borrow Ori for a special purpose. Ori becomes the donkey Jesus rides into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday.

There are small black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout the text, with full-size illustrations at the beginning of each chapter.

The authors include a detailed Discussion Guide at the end of the book, with questions relating to each chapter.

What I Like: I like reading Bible stories told from different perspectives other than the traditional one. This one is told by a donkey.

What I Dislike: Nothing, really.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: 8-12.

Publisher Info: Trusted Books, 2014; ISBN: 9781632692498; Paperback, 80 pages, $11.99.

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Saul Is Born Again: The Confession of Paul the Apostle

Saul Is Born Again: The Conversion of the Apostle Paul, by Rev. Jim Reimann, is a retold version of the Saul’s conversion to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus. The story references Luke 1:26-35 & 2:1-20. The story is short, with only six pages of text.

The chalk drawing illustrations by Rony Tamir are somewhat wooden in appearance but they seem to work well with the text.

What I Like: I appreciate the effort the author puts into writing this story.

What I Dislike: However, having said that, like other stories written by the author, the text of this one is in rhyme. Many of you know I am not a big fan of rhyming picture books because it’s so hard to write in rhyme and do it well. Although the ends of the lines in the text of this story do rhyme, the rhythm is forced as the author tries to squeeze too many syllables into some of the sentences just so the end words rhyme. That throws off the rhythm of the words.

Overall Rating: Ho hum.

Age Appeal: I’d say 4-8 would be the appropriate age group for this book, as the story is quite short. However, some of the vocabulary is over and above that normally used for this age group.

Publisher Info: Intelectly, 2014; ISBN: 9789657607190; Paperback, $6.66.

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Special Info: Visit the author’s website. Read our reviews of other books written by Jim Reimann [http://ccbreview.blogspot.com/search?q=jim+reimann].

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

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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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Jesus Heals a Little Boy: A Miracle at Capernaum

Jesus Heals a Little Boy: A Miracle at Capernaum, by Rev. Jim Reimann, is the retelling of the Biblical story of Jesus healing a young boy in Capernaum. In just a few short pages, Reimann relates the events that took place there. The story references John 4:46-54 of the Bible.

The pencil illustrations by Hayim Roitblat Otsarya are very colorful and expressive.

What I Like: I really like the illustrations.

What I Dislike: The text is written of rhyme. Many of you know I am not a big fan of rhyming picture books because it’s so hard to write in rhyme and do it well. Although the ends of the lines in the text do rhyme, the rhythm is forced as the author tries to squeeze too many syllables into some of the sentences just so the end words rhyme.

Overall Rating: Ho hum.

Age Appeal: I’d say 4-8 would be the appropriate age group for this book, as the story is quite short. However, some of the vocabulary is over and above that normally used for this age group.

Publisher Info: Intelecty, 2014; ISBN: 9789657607220; Paperback, $5.99.

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The Kindle edition is available for $2.99.

Special Info: Visit the author’s website. Read our reviews of other books written by Jim Reimann.

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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Jesus Is Born: The Bethlehem Story

Jesus is Born! The Bethlehem Story, by Rev. Jim Reimann, tells the story of Jesus’ birth. The author starts with Gabriel’s visit to Mary and ends with the shepherds finding baby Jesus in Bethlehem.

The story is told in rhyme, in six short verses. The cartoon-like illustrations, by Julia Filipone Erez, are colorful and expressive.

The author used Acts 9:1-20 as a reference for his story.

What I Like: I like the colors used in the illustrations, as well as the details of the drawings.

What I Dislike: However, having said that, I don’t think the illustrations work well with the story. They way they are done makes the whole thing look like simply a cartoon, or a fairy tale.

As many of you know, I’m not a big fan of rhyming picture books as they are difficult to write well. Although the verses rhyme, the rhyme is forced in most instances, making for awkward sentence structures.

Overall Rating: Ho hum.

Age Appeal: I’d say 4-8 would be the appropriate age group for this book, as the story is quite short. However, some of the vocabulary is over and above that normally used for this age group.

Publisher Info: Intelecty LTD, 2014; ISBN: 9789657607008; Paperback, $6.99.

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Special Info: Visit the author’s website. Read our reviews of other books written by Jim Reimann. Visit the illustrator’s website .

My Jesus

My Jesus by Shawn Todd is a simple yet wonderful book proclaiming Jesus. Each page gives a brief of description of who Jesus is, His relationship with us, or what He expects of us and a verse where the faith foundation being taught can be found.

Each layout includes one page with the Biblical concept on one page and a great illustration on the other. The illustrations are also by Shawn Todd and he does a fantastic job of making the illustration as relevant to the concept being taught as possible. The book cover is an example of the illustrations found in the book.

What I Like: I think Shawn Todd did a fantastic job of bringing the basics of our faith to life for children. Between the simplicity of the statements on each page and the illustrations, children will long remember the basic tenants of our faith for a very long time.... which as a parent is something I want.

What I Dislike: It took me a moment to warm up to the illustrations, but as soon as I did, this book quickly became one of my favorites because of the content and how the illustrations match beautifully.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 4-10 years

Publisher Info: Shawn Todd, 2014; ISBN: 978-0615940762; paperback, 40 pgs., $6.95

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Paul, Tarsus to Redemption

For kids who love manga, check out the book Paul, Tarsus to Redemption. This visually entertaining book by Matthew Salisbury and Gabrielle Gniewek follows the life of Saul in his early persecution of the church, his blinding encounter with Christ on the road to the Damascus (and name change), and all the way to his death in Rome. 

Classic manga illustrations by Sean Lam help the reader visualize every step of Paul’s journey. With the binding on the right instead of the left and panels read from right to left in Japanese style, readers can fully immerse themselves in the comic-style experience. The book helpfully provides directions on how to read the text. Ironically, this information is located at the end of the book, making it the first page readers unfamiliar with the genre see! The author also provides an annotated map of Paul’s excursions.

The book is divided into three chapters. Each chapter quotes a verse of Scripture.

What I Like:This is a book that would appeal to my son and kids who enjoy comic books. The artwork is visually spectacular. It’s a thick book, but a fast read, making it particularly appealing to reluctant readers.

What I Dislike: I felt like the text left a few gaps in the story that the pictures were not able to fully clarify. Therefore, I think kids must have a good grasp on Paul’s life from Scripture prior to reading the book. Without that background knowledge I think the tale would be hard to follow. There were also a few places where the writer/artist took some creative liberties which surprised me, but, in general, those served to make the story come to life.

Overall Rating: Very Good, though the artwork is Excellent. So VG with a nod toward EXCELLENT.

Age Appeal: None is suggested. I think it works for ages 8 and older.

Publisher Info: Magna Hero, 2012; ISBN: 978-0983639749 ; Paperback, 312 pgs., $9.99
This book is not currently available at Christianbook.com.
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Special Info: This author or illustrator has other books that might interest your manga reader, including: Pope Francis: I Believe in Mercy, Many Are Called, and Judith: Captive to Conqueror.

Jesus Detective

If your kids love I Spy books or Where's Waldo, they're sure to love Jesus Detective by Peter Martin and Peter Kent, too.

Each two page spread in Jesus Detective offers a scene from the Bible. There's a one paragraph bit-of-a-Bible story, a detailed illustration, and a border of things to find in the picture. For example, one spread features the home of Zaccheaus. The paragraph explains who Zaccheaus was, that Jesus wanted to visit with him in his home, and that when Jesus left, Zaccheaus gave back all he'd stolen from tax payers - and then some. The border around the spread asks readers to search for specific things: "Zaccheaus' ill-gotten wealth meant he had a luxury lifestyle. Spot 3 house servants;" "Those with riches had to lock them away. Find a wall safe;" "A luxury feast might include veal - from a 'fatted calf.' Spot 2 plates of roast meat."

Jesus Detective stories cover lots of bits of Jesus' life, from his birth to the Pentecost. The back of the book has an answer key.

What I Like: This is a fun way to learn a bit about the Bible and what life was like during Bible times.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: The publisher says 7 - 9, but my 6 year old loves it, too.

Publishing Info: Lion, 2014; ISBN 978-0745964447; hardback, 48 pgs., $14.99

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The Love Story

The story of Jesus is one of love and obedience. This idea is the main focus of Stenetta Anthony's book The Love Story.

The book starts with Jesus standing in heaven. God says to him, "I must show my people on earth how much I love them."
Jesus tells God that he will be the one to show them, and then "off Jesus went on his journey."

The next image is the familiar scene of Bethlehem and three wise men greeting a couple with a baby, followed by a page with a crowd of children and adults. From there, the pages progress through some well known events in Jesus life-- a man riding on a donkey, reaching out to another, praying, and the cross.

The story ends with children looking up at Jesus' pierced feet (the rest of Jesus is not visible, so we know he is hanging on the cross).

One final page provides Scripture references. The same verses are given, but from two different versions of the Bible (NKJV and NIRV).  Each two page spread holds a picture on one side of the page and 3 to 6 lines of text on the other. The illustrations are done by Eric Gonzales. They appear to be ink and watercolor images--- simple yet realistic and done in soft pastel colors.  Also notable is that this book comes with a free audio book download.

What I Like:  You can tell the the author loves Jesus, and that it is her best intention to share that love with others. I always appreciate that in a book. One of the biggest selling points for this book is the free audio book download. Everyone loves a freebie! I also appreciate how the smaller, bite-sized chunks of text make it a fast read for young children. Finally, if you are familiar with the New Testament stories of Jesus' life, it could be used as a review of it.

What I Dislike: Please note the emphasis of my last like--- "If you are familiar with the New Testament stories of Jesus' life..."

The book assumes that the reader has a good familiarity with the events in Jesus' life. Otherwise, when Christ goes from a grown man in the opening pages to a baby in Bethlehem, the reader might mistake Joseph for Jesus.  Not only that, many events are referred to, but the author doesn't provide details on what actually took place, to whom, and why. If the reader doesn't know the Bible stories, there isn't enough substance in the book to clarify what happened. (Also, although every other page pictures Jesus, I don't believe the crowd scene after Bethlehem does. So I found that page somewhat confusing.)

Another place where familiarity with the Bible is crucial is when Jesus is praying in the garden. After showing people God's love on the previous pages through miracles and bringing hope and joy (although what the hope and joy was wasn't mentioned), here God tells Jesus again that he must show everyone how much God loves people.

And the way to do that is to die. There is no explanation for why Jesus had to die though, or why it had to be on a cross. (If it were me, I'd pick a less painful option.) There is also no follow up.  We don't learn the connection between how Jesus' death made atonement for sin and repaired our relationship with God. (Within context of the Bible, we know that, and understand why Jesus' death shows God's love. But in this book, Jesus' sacrificial death is not shown as a sacrifice; death is just presented as a way of showing love. To me, that's a dangerous message for kids who might not know their Bible.)

One final note; the last illustration bothered me. Two of the children that are looking up from under Christ's bloody feet hold big smiles on their faces, which to me... especially without explanation... seems confusing.  (Children don't typically react to death that way.)

Overall Rating: Ho-hum.

Age Appeal: No age is suggested, but I recommend the Kindergarten and first grade crowd.

Publisher Info: Tate Publishing, 2014; ISBN:978-1629025087; Paperback, 28 pgs., $9.99
This book is not available at Christianbook.com.
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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.

Jesus

Jesus by Anselm Gron is a simple retelling of the biblical account of Jesus for children by a German monk. The simplicity of the accounts and the simplicity of the illustrations give this book a truly endearing quality.

Beginning with the announcement of the angel to Mary, the account of Jesus as retold in this book highlights specific aspects of his life and ministry such as the Boy Jesus at the Temple, Jesus calling his disciples, the feeding of the five thousand, the parable of the Prodigal Son, the blessing of the children bringing the dead girl back to life, meeting Zacchaeus, the Last Supper, His arrest and death, and finally His resurrection.

Each account is told as simply as possible without an excess of words and without the authors opinion finding its way into the account.

What I Like: As I sat with my children to read this book, I was thrilled that I could give them an overview of the life of Christ. The accounts were told in such a way it left room for my six year old to ask questions I could answer for her. Yet there was not so much room for questions that she was left wondering too many questions. This book definitely leaves room for discussion between the parent and child.

The illustrations in the book were fantastically done. The cover illustration is an example of the artwork in the entire book. The illustrations fill up each two-page spread, yet the pages do not appear busy by any means. The main aspect of each account is depicted in the illustration as simply as possible.

What I Dislike: I did not care for how the last two accounts (Jesus' death and resurrection) were handled. Concerning His death, we are told that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and as a result Jesus was led off to be crucified. The true reason for His death was never mentioned or explained- I had to do that on my own.

As for the resurrection, the illustration depicts the inside of the tomb with two angels inside announcing to the two women that Jesus had risen. The account goes further to explain that Jesus appeared to the disciples later that evening, but Jesus is never depicted in an illustration as being risen. The book seems to abruptly end after this account. I think if there had been one final illustration of a risen Jesus, the book would have felt complete to me.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: 5-10-year-olds

Publisher Info: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2014; ISBN: 978-0-8028-5438-4 ; hardcover, 26 pgs., $16.00


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Our Father

Our Father, written by Sophie Piper, uses the text of The Lord’s Prayer, Psalms 23, as the basis for book. The book’s introduction gives further explanation: “It is here presented line by line alongside prayers and reflections that shine a light on the meaning.”

Each two-page spread starts with a line from this Psalms, and adds other Bible verses, some poems/prayers and some quotes. For instance, for the line “Hallowed be your name,” she uses a quote from Psalm 8:1, 3-4, a prayer from St. Patrick (who lived from 389-461), and a poem from Lois Rock.

The book is intended as a gift book.

The illustrations by Angelo Ruta are beautifully done.

What I Like: Everything.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8-young adult.

Publisher Info: Lion UK, 2013; ISBN: 9780745963815; Hardcover, 46 Pages, $10.99.

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books by Sophie Piper.

My Story Time Bible

My Story Time Bible, retold by Sophie Piper, features just twelve stories, six from the Old Testament and six from the New Testament. The ones for the Old Testament are: God Made the World; Noah and the Flood; Moses and the Princess; David and Goliath; Jonah and the Whale; and Daniel and the Lions. The ones for the New Testament are: The First Christmas; Jesus and the Fishermen; Jesus and Prayer; Jesus and the Miracle; The Lost Sheep; and the First Easter.

The book is 319 pages in length, so each story averages nearly 26 pages. These pages are filled with a mixture of illustrations and text.

The illustrations by Estelle Corke are colorful and expressive. Some cover a two-page spread complete with text, while other layouts have a full-sized illustration on one side, and a smaller illustration with the text on the other.

What I Like: I like the illustrations. I think they are especially suited for a book of this nature.

What I Dislike: I’m a bit uncertain as to the targeted age group for this book as none is stated. The stories are rather long and most of the vocabulary seems suited for older readers, but the format, i.e., a small book with pictures on every page, seems more suited to younger readers.

Also, no Bible references were given for any of the stories.

Overall Rating: Okay.

Age Appeal: 6-10?

Publisher Info: Lion Children’s Books, UK, 2012; ISBN: 9780745962146; Hardcover, 320 pages, $14.99

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Special Info: Read our reviews of other books illustrated by Estelle Corke. Read our reviews of other books written by Sophie Piper. Visit the illustrator’s website.

The Lion Children's Bible

The Lion Children's Bible offers an extensive collection of paraphrased stories from both the Old and New Testaments.

The author, Pat Alexander, has labeled the two sections with subtitles: the Old Testament as "the story of God's people" and the New Testament as "the story of Jesus and his followers."

With over 70 chapters, most of the major stories of Scripture are included. Most just 2-4 pages. Some, like the life of Daniel, include sub-stories and extend to as many as seven pages. All contain full-color illustrations by Carolyn Cox.

What I Like: The watercolor drawings are quite attractive. The do offer some white space in speckled form, similar to what you'd find with block printing, but I really liked them. They were skillfully done. This is book parallels Scripture well. Over the years I've grown wary of this publisher, having seen too many inconsistencies, inaccuracies and condescending tones of atheist skepticism in their books. This one, however, surprised me with its level of reverence and biblical consistency. It even includes biblical references (book and chapter) at the beginning of each chapter.

What I Dislike: The writing lacked a smooth flow. It often felt stilted or clipped. Also, the book ended with Paul's shipwreck (Acts 27). While this provides a solid historical account of the Apostle's life, the remaining 22 books of the New Testament, most of which were written by him, are never mentioned. I understand the difficulties of translating epistles for children, but still consider this a grand omission. If you're looking for a first introduction to Scripture, this book will fit the bill nicely. If you want a full children's Bible, this isn't it.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: The publisher says 7-12. I feel this refers more to the reading level than the age appeal. My kids are 7 and 9 and were not interested in this book at all. I would say 4-9, depending on your child's interest and existing Bible knowledge.

Publisher Info: Lion UK, 2012; ISBN: 0745919391; Hardback; 256 pgs.; $ 12.99

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Special Info: We have reviewed a number of books by this publisher including The Lion Graphic Bible and The Lion Book of Prayers to Read & Know (both of which received our highest rating), Baby's Little Bible, and The Lion Encyclopedia of the Bible.