Resources are powerful tools to encourage our elementary children to grow deeper in their faith and mature in their character. I have found this to be true with my own children, and I hope that you find this to be true as well!  Here is a list of resources that I hope you will find helpful. I pray that these will be great tools to bring God’s Word and truths into your home as you create an environment of knowing, loving, and following the Lord with your children.

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The following reviews are based solely on my opinion from having read through the content and gathered feedback from other like-minded moms.  Some of the age ranges were taken from the author’s description, while others are my own opinions based on the vocabulary level, amount of words used in the text, and observations from having used them with children.  Be sure to check back for more great resources to come! 

 

Picture Bibles


The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
Zonderkidz Publishers

Best for ages 4-8

When I asked friends about their favorite resources for kids, this book was the most frequently commented on as a favorite.  I borrowed a friend’s copy, and I have been reading the stories with my children.  Unlike most picture Bibles, this unique paraphrase of the Bible tells a poetic story whose central theme on every page is the need for our Savior.  Explanations are used to help children understand the meaning behind each story, which I thought was really well done, and each story easily transitions to the next to make it feel more like one big story. The author did take the liberty of adding embellishments about what the people may have felt or spoken in each story, but are not actually taken from scripture. As a parent, I want my children to understand that some of the things added are what the author thinks might have happened, but that we don’t know for sure, because I want them to remember the events of the Bible in an accurate way.  As long as you understand this and are able to explain this upfront, I think you will find it a beautiful story Bible for elementary children.  It will help them understand the gospel and how the stories in the Bible all fit together in a meaningful, cohesive way.


The Big Picture Interactive Bible Storybook, Hardcover: Connecting Christ Throughout God’s Story (The Gospel Project)
Holman Bible Publishers

Best for ages 4-8

This is a picture Bible with 145 short stories from the Old and New Testament with an illustration for each.  There are several fun and unique features about this Bible.  First, each story contains a Christ Connection point that relates the story to Jesus and our need for His salvation.  A comprehension question and answer are also given after each story to go through with your child.  There is also a downloadable free app that you can use on your phone to view a pop up animation of the Bible illustration and hear a short audio of each story, making it very fun and interactive for the kids.


The Complete Illustrated Children’s Bible (The Complete Illustrated Children’s Bible Library)
Harvest House Publishers

Best for ages 5-8

This Bible is very comprehensive and its best feature is the realistic and vivid images on every page that bring these stories to life. The stories are short summaries but have some higher level words used in the text, making this Bible most appropriate for 5 and up.  I especially recommend this book for children with short attention spans and those that love visual pictures when reading. 


The Action Storybook Bible: An Interactive Adventure through God’s Redemptive Story (Action Bible Series)
David C Cook

Best for ages 5-8

This picture Bible is the junior version of The Action Bible and contains action-packed Bible stories written in comic book form.  This version for younger children is less graphic and more age appropriate for the younger crowd.  My severn-year-old son loves it and enjoys to tell me about the stories he read each day! 


The Story Bible
Concordia Publishing House

Best for ages 5-10

We received this Bible as a gift years ago, and it is one of those classic Bibles you will want to pass down to the next generation.  We have read through the whole thing, and I really love how the text is taken directly from scripture (English Standard Version). There are 130 of the best known age-appropriate stories, each with a full-length picture.  The illustrations are AMAZING- so rich and realistic, that your children get a true picture of what the Bible times would have looked like.  I love how key words from the text are placed in the margins, so parents can discuss the meanings and help build their children’s vocabulary.  There is also a question to ask, an activity to do, and a prayer in the margin of each story.  Its a beautiful first Bible to read through for elementary age.


The Action Bible
David C Cook Publishing 

Best for ages 9-12 

If you want to get your pre-teen boy excited about reading the Bible, then this is a great resource! I have had moms tell me their boys who typically are not interested in reading anything, just love reading this Bible because of its comic book style that captures their imagination.  The illustrations are amazing and were done by Sergio Cariello, a famous Marvel comic illustrator.  The content comes directly from David C Cook’s famous Picture Bible and is based on scripture, so your children will glean the truth and wisdom every pre-teen boy needs.

Full Text Bibles

NIrV, Adventure Bible for Early Readers, Hardcover, Full Color NIV, Adventure Bible, Hardcover, Full Color

Zonderkidz Publishers 

Best for ages 6-10, NIrV or 8-12, NIV/NKJV

This is a classic first “grown up” life application Bible, once your child is ready to learn the books of the Bible and find chapters and verses themselves.   My daughter is reading from this Bible both at her Christian school and at home.  Because this is a study or life application Bible, some of the great features include text boxes of key verses and interesting facts about people and life back in the Bible times. There is also a  “Live It” section that encourages children to apply what they have read to their own lives. There are introductions to each book, a subject index, a dictionary to look up words, and different charts and maps.  What a great way for kids to study God’s word in an in depth way! 


The Big Picture Interactive Bible for Kids, Hardcover: Connecting Christ Throughout God’s Story (The Gospel Project)
Holman Bible Publishers 

Best for ages 8-12 

This Study Bible is the full text version of the Big Picture Interactive Bible Storybook mentioned above.   It contains all the books, chapters and verses of an adult Bible, but with 146 illustrated pictures throughout.  The same unique feature to download an app and hear the story read with the pop-up illustration is available.  A good friend of mine introduced me to this Bible, and her 8 year old son loves reading it on his own! Other special features include boxes interspersed throughout the text with answers to different “why” questions kids may ask, 100 key verses to memorize, and a parent connection section that gives parents topics to discuss about the stories.  There is also a Christ Connection feature that helps children understand how the story relates to Jesus and His gift of salvation.

NIrV, Discoverer’s Bible for Early Readers, Large Print, Hardcover: A Large Print Bible for Early Readers NIV, Discoverer’s Bible: Revised Edition, Large Print, Hardcover

Zonderkidz 

Best for ages 6-10, NIrV or 9-12, NIV/KJV 

This is another great choice for a child’s first full text Bible, and what makes this one unique is that it has larger print than the Adventure Bible and Big Picture Interactive Bible.  While this one is not a “study” Bible, it does contain the full Bible translation, thirty full color pages, a dictionary of key words, and colorful maps.  Its a great choice if your child is more comfortable reading with a larger font and you want just the basic Bible for you child to read or follow along.