​

(In order of approximate age-range)

 

The Story of Jesus, by Patricia A. Pingry

A short board book that conveys the basic idea of who Jesus is, in a way that’s accessible even to young children.

 

The Christmas Story According to Luke

Picture book with text entirely from the King James Version of the Bible, from Concordia Publishing.

 

The Easter Story retold by Carol Heyer

Picture book that tells of Jesus’ death and resurrection, but also touches upon His birth, prophecies, and ministry. 

 

Hide ‘Em in Your Heart by Steve Green

Audio CD with scripture verses put to music, with a few words of introduction/relevance for children and parents. 

 

Seeds of Courage by Seeds Family Worship

Audio CD or download with scripture verses put to music. The music style probably has an older target audience than Hide ‘Em in Your Heart does. (Other titles are available also, with different themes.)

 

The Twelve Names of Christmas, Who Jesus is to Me

A 12-day devotional with ornaments for the 12 days of Christmas, by familylife.com.  Each day explains one of the “names” of Jesus (for example, Light of the World, or Bread of Life.)

 

The Story of Christmas retold by Mary Packard

An Advent Calendar in which each day is a little book ornament, telling part of the Nativity story.  The calendar/ornament element is fun for any age, but the books themselves do take liberties in order to stretch the story out into 24 parts, so it may be best for children who are able to understand the concept of historical fiction as a genre, and are familiar enough with the story from the Bible to not be confused by the added details. 

 

365 Bible Stories and Prayers by Parragon Books

An illustrated storybook Bible with many more stories than usual, and told with a continuous narrative (as opposed to isolated stories with no apparent connection.)  Leaves out some of the grisliest details. The prayers include some original prayers and some well-known prayers. 

 

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones

Similar to the 365 Bible Stories and Prayers book, but with a stronger “narrator” voice

tracing the thread of Jesus in every story.  Contains fewer stories than 365, but does include, for example, the story of Abraham taking Isaac to be a sacrifice.

 

God Speaks Numanggang by David Hazell.

A picture book about a family of missionaries who lives with a group of people in order to learn their language, create a written form, and translate the Bible into that language.

 

Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan

A collection of hymns (including music and lyrics) with the stories behind their composition. 

Some children may recognize the lyrics and realize that they know the same hymn sung to a different tune!

 

I Heard Good News Today, Stories for Children by Cornelia Lehn

Stories of the gospel reaching people in every area of the world, from different times.

 

Hero Tales, A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes by Dave and Neta Jackson. Similar to above, but not organized by region. Slightly longer stories, of mostly well-known missionaries, etc.

 

Bible Overview by Bristol Works, Inc., Rose Publishing.

An overview of each book and section of the Bible, including timelines, outlines, key characters, key verses, and how each book points to Jesus.  Also contains Bible study instructions.  

 

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller

A pastor of both people and sheep unpacks the 23rd Psalm, pointing out details that non-shepherds might not see on their own.  Not a children’s book, but fairly short, and useful for background information to explain to children.

 

Wisdom for Life, A Proverbs Bible Study by Simply Charlotte Mason

An inductive Bible Study tool leading teens or adults through Proverbs over the course of eight months. 

 

The Narrow Road by Brother Andrew, with John and Elizabeth Sherrill

This book is written for adults, but as a read-aloud with some portions or chapters skipped or paraphrased, it could be enjoyed by tweens and up.  It is an inspiring and adventurous story of a boy (and then man) going through the process of coming to know and trust God, eventually becoming a missionary Bible smuggler.

 

Brusco by Bruce Olsen

Similar to the above (minus the Bible smuggling,) except that the content could be more troubling throughout the book, rather than in portions easily skipped (so teens and up.)

 

Different Children, Different Needs, by Dr. Charles F. Boyd with Robert A. Rohm

A book for parents to help discern their child(ren)’s unique gifts and needs, as well as how they might be similar or different from the parent’s own needs and preferences. 

​

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. A book for parents about the critical importance of discipling your children at the heart-level, rather than focussing on external appearances.  

 

Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

Another book for parents, discussing sibling relationships and how they are impacted by parents, sometimes in surprising ways that differ from what we might assume.  

 

Veggie Tales An animated video series and related resources that humorously retell Bible stories with singing vegetables as the characters.  

 

The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible. An animated video series by Hanna-Barbera, in which archaeologists and a young friend of theirs travel back in time to witness an event from the Bible.  These movies can help older children understand and remember stories that might otherwise seem abstract to them.  (Some parents have concerns about various aspects of some of the episodes, so as always, previewing to determine suitability for your own family is recommended. Previews are available on YouTube.)