I can’t help it. I naturally gravitate towards books that are beautifully designed. As a designer, the feeling of holding a gorgeous book with the perfect font choice, illustrations and layout is incomparable.
But that’s not the only thing that I look for particularly when I’m choosing Christian-themed books for my kids. As a Christian, I want to make sure that the theology presented is Biblically accurate and gospel-centered. At the same time, as a mom, I also want to make sure that the story is told in a way that is engaging and easily understandable to kids.
There are thousands of Christian books out there but it’s not easy to find books that fit all these conditions. Oh, but when you do find one, it is like finding a hidden treasure! Today, I want to share with you 3 books that I believe are real gems. I highly suggest you get a copy for your own kids’ personal library, if you haven’t yet.
The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible
DESIGN: I was so pleasantly surprised the first time I flipped open my copy of “The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible” by Jared Kennedy. In my opinion, the cover doesn’t do enough justice to the beauty of the content inside! Simple illustrations coupled with a minimalist layout makes the book very easy on the eyes. Nothing is too distracting. This is important especially if you’re teaching kids who easily get lost in busy artworks (I know mine does!)
TEXT & CONTENT: You know how there are books where you feel the need to paraphrase as you read them out loud? I’ve encountered a bunch of bible story books that are like that! It can be tedious and such a hassle (depending on your current state and mood as a parent haha!)
So what I really appreciated with this book is how you can read everything straight and it’s perfect the way it is! The words used are not too complicated and the way the sentences are phrased is easily understandable to kids and it encourages them to think and draw conclusions.
Another thing I love about this book is how it features other lesser-known stories from the Bible. Have you noticed that almost all children’s Bibles feature the same stories? It’s always Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, Joseph, David and Goliath then fast forward to Jesus and that’s it! I want books that familiarize them with other stories because all these stories, not just the popular ones, point to God’s saving grace in Jesus.
I understand that there are stories in the Bible that are complex and harder for little ones to grasp. So it’s really important that books present them in a way that’s age-appropriate. This is where this book does an excellent job. It doesn’t sugar-coat the story and the message is there, but the words and images used are relatable to kids.
This is currently the Bible we use during our morning devotionals before we begin studying.
The Biggest Story ABC
“The Biggest Story ABC” by Kevin DeYoung takes you from A to Z and at the same time, from Genesis to Revelation in chronological order.
DESIGN: Minimalist in design, which again, I find very effective in teaching my easily distracted son. I found him asking relevant questions about the illustrations and its relation to the text. And that’s great!
Like for this page, letter “L,” he asked me what those two stones were. He’s familiar with the story of Moses and the 10 Commandments so it surprised me that he didn’t remember the stone tablets. But now I know that maybe, he was always just focused on the other elements of the story.
CONTENT: I love how the whole book beautifully ties it together as one, big story. There are so many ABC board books that have no storyline and are filled with just different, semi-related words. As mentioned, the story takes you from Genesis to Revelation with great emphasis on Jesus’ importance in the narrative.
The book is wonderful overall. But if I could give one disclaimer about it, it’s that it’s not the best ABC book for little ones. The author made use of words that are not easy to teach when you’re just beginning to learn the alphabet/phonics (ex. “Gnats” for G, we are not doing silent letters yet so this is hard to explain!) But if you’re not using this as an alphabet learning book, then this is a good story book for little ones.
The Garden the Curtain and the Cross
“The Garden the Curtain and the Cross” by Carl Laferton is one of the earliest books I got for Luke. I think I got it when he was still a baby. I knew it would be a few years before we’d be able to read it together and appreciate it, but surprise! Those few years flew by so fast and now it’s perfect for his age!
DESIGN: I think the artworks speak for themselves; they are GORGEOUS. No doubt about it. Unlike the books I mentioned earlier, the design for this book isn’t minimalist in style but it works. The colors are vibrant and the illustrations are quirky but it makes the book more interesting than distracting.
CONTENT: The real winner for me about this book is because it discusses the importance of the Temple and the Curtain. This is a topic that doesn’t get studied or talked about often enough, even in church services for adults. I won’t be surprised if most church-attending Christians are unaware of the importance or unfamiliar about the story.
Again, talking about the Temple and the Curtain isn’t easy. But this book does a great job in explaining it in a way that it makes sense in the storyline and is understandable for kids. It’s a great introduction for kids about God’s law and His grace in Jesus, which honestly, should really be emphasised more in children’s books.
That is after all, what the Gospel story is all about, isn’t it?
Where to Buy
I purchased “The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross” on Amazon and had it shipped here in the Philippines, because back then, this wasn’t available in the country. But now, you can purchase these titles at a local online bookshop called KatecheoPH (where I got the other 2 titles.)
Let me know if you have other book suggestions that you think would fit well in this list. Share them in the comments below!
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