Kids’ Books – Witkowski Blog

ESV Student Study Bible: Crossway

This colorful Bible equips students to better understand God’s Word. The Bible contains notes that help your older elementary child understand cultural nuances of the Bible. It also contains illustrations, genealogies, maps, and pictures that help your child visualize the images and histories of the biblical text. The Bible also includes, “Did you Know?” sections on almost every page that help your child think about and apply what they are reading. If you are looking to buy your child a Bible that will aid them in their studies of the Scripture, I encourage you to get them a copy of the ESV Student Study Bible.

Other Great Bibles:

If you are looking for a Bible for a younger elementary student or for an advanced preschooler, I encourage you to check out the ESV Big Picture Bible. The Bible contains the full text of the Scripture. All of the headings are colorful and a multitude of colorful pictures will help your visual learning connect with the text of the Bible. If you are looking to buy your child her first Bible, I encourage you to give the ESV Big Picture Bible a look.

If you are a New King James or Christian Standard Bible fan checkout The Big Picture Interactive Study Bible, that contains many of the pictures and notes find in Lifeway’s popular Sunday School curriculum, the Gospel Project. This is the perfect Bible for older preschoolers to elementary age children.

Exploring the Bible: David Murray

David Murray created an amazing devotion for your children. Murray takes your children on a rapid Journey through the Bible’s story line. Each day your children will read a passage of Scripture and will write down a brief statement about what they have learned. Murray caps each week with a page for Sermon notes that are designed to help your child apply what he hears on Sunday morning. This book is the perfect gift for the child who desires to have his own quiet times. I encourage you to get a copy of Exploring the Bible.

Luther: Stephen McCaskell and Aaron Armstrong

McCaskell and Armstrong have given kids a stunning and compelling look at the founder of the Reformation, Martin Luther. The book is strikingly illustrated with black and white pictures that resemble a graphic novel. The text that surrounds the illustrations walks your child through the history of Luther, explaining how an imperfect man saved the fading light of the gospel in Western Europe. If you have a child who loves history or reading, or interacting with a compelling story, I encourage you to place a copy of Luther under her Christmas tree.

The Radical Book For Kids: Champ Thorton

Champ Thorton presents the history of Christendom in a fun, exciting, and compelling matter that is almost sure to connect with your elementary student. He discuss everything from John Bunyan, to the “Books of the Bible,” to the “Hedelberg Catechism” to “Bible Games” to “Lottie Moon.” Every chapter has illustrations or quotes, or photo’s, or comics, or crafts, or charts that help bring the pages to life. If you have a child who loves to learn or who wants to understand more about their faith, I encourage you to buy him a copy of The Radical Book For Kids.

The Ology: Marty Machowski

Marty Machowski invites children to join Carla and Timothy as they unwrap and read the rare children’s book that began with the early church. Machowski uses the next 231 pages to explain what Christians believed about God, people, sin, and salvation, using illustrations, analogies, and readable text that will connect with your elementary student. All of the book’s 71 chapters run two to three pages and feature a picture and Scripture references that will help your child understand key biblical truths. If you want to expose your child to the truth of the Bible and if you have a reader in your family, you will want to place a copy of The Ology under your Christmas tree.

What gifts will you by giving your children this Christmas?

The Biggest Story

Beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden, DeYoung recounts the story of fall. He then

touches on Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets. Describing how each man failed to ultimately crush the snake. Though they led well at times, they and God’s people were always overcome by sin and never returned to the garden. DeYoung clearly shows his readers that they – as the people before them – can’t make way their back to God on their own. But thankfully, humanity is not left alone. Christ arrives on the scene as the perfect deliverer, judge, and conqueror. He crushes the snake’s head and leads his people back to the Garden via the cross. As DeYoung writes:

Our story is the story of God doing what we can’t, in order to make up for us doing what we shouldn’t. Christ suffers for our sin, that we might share in his sinlessness.

And so deliverers are born to die. Things fall apart so they can come together. God kicks his own people out of Paradise and then does whatever it takes to bring them back – p.107.

DeYoung then focuses on how the Holy Spirit empowers believers to interject elements of the garden into today’s world through godly living. Lastly, he extols his audience to eagerly anticipate the wonderful day on which Jesus will return, ushering all of his people into paradise.

Strength And Weakness

website ready book the big picture interactive storybook bible

Admittedly, DeYoung’s book is not as thorough as the Big Picture Interactive Bible Storybook. Joseph gets a sentence, Hosea is never mentioned, and Jesus’ earthly ministry is reduce down to one page. If you are looking for an in-depth kids’ Bible study that covers all 66 books in detail, you will need to look elsewhere. Checkout the afore mentioned Big Picture Bible or grab a copy of Long Story Short and Old Story New by Marty Machowski. And readers shouldn’t be too surprised by this reality, given the books purpose.

The Biggest Story is not meant to be commentary; it’s designed as an overview of the scriptures. The book could almost be said to be the kids’ version of The Message of the Old Testament and The Message Of the New Testament by Mark Dever. Both adults and kids benefit from both in-depth studies and overviews of the Bible. We shouldn’t lose the tree for the forest nor the forest for the trees. As a helicopter soaring over the forest of scriptural narrative, The Biggest Story delivers.

Conclusion

Using only 10 chapters and 129 pages, DeYoung has captured the heart of the gospel message by exploring the themes of sin, repentance, and restoration as found the biblical narratives (A phenomenal accomplishment, especially for a preacher!). The book can easily by read in under an hour. I would encourage parents with preschoolers and gradeschoolers (and/or those looking to understand the grand scheme of the Bible) to purchase a copy of this delightful book. There are few better resources.