Big Dreams Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV

If you’ve been following these Bible reviews for a while, you know that ZonderKidz has kindly sent me review copies of several children’s editions of the Bible with a different emphasis for each. Now, in the Big Dreams Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV, the focus is on describing prayer and encouraging young readers to develop lifelong patterns of prayer.

For example, the first page, “What Is Prayer?” answers by saying, “Prayer is simply being in a conversation with God – talking and listening – so you can build a relationship with him and get to know his ways.” The page then encourages readers to notice these features:

Highlighted verses to memorize from the New International Version (NIV) text
Conversation with God devotions
Reading plans, offering three options
Prayer Journal with pages in the back of the book to record prayers and responses

Besides the emphasis on prayer, this children’s edition prefaces each book of the Bible with key questions regarding the Who, Why, What, When, and Where of each book. Those brief introductions also list key people in the adjacent chapters and some of the Bible stories to explore, such as “Noah builds an ark” in Genesis 6 and “Joseph becomes a ruler” in Genesis 39-41.

Young readers will also find pages of “Big dreams, Big prayers” interspersed throughout the book. For example, in Numbers a page insert highlights verse 12:13 with Moses’ prayer for his sister Miriam to be healed followed by a contemporary devotional.

Nice, thick, slick inserts can be found, too, with excellent information but, unfortunately, placed randomly, rather than beside the chapters to which they refer. For example, “10 commandments for kids” beautifully explains those important words from God, but the page is placed toward the end of Psalms, rather than in Exodus or Deuteronomy. On the flipside of that page, the Lord’s Prayer can be found, instead of in Matthew.

Despite that perplexing choice, the inserts speak to young readers about deep truths of Christianity in ways they can understand. For example, the insert “The ABCs of becoming a Christian,” shows:

Admit
Believe
Confess

Beneath each of those words, readers will find a clear explanation and relevant Bible verses to encourage them to consider what God has to say and then pray. May we do the same in Jesus’ Name.


©2016, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the Church. .

Big Dreams Big Prayers Bible For Kids, NIV, hardback



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NIrV Study Bible for Kids

A year ago, I reviewed the NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, published by Zonderkidz, who also sent me a review copy of this year’s release of the New International Reader’s Version for slightly older children, the NIrV Study Bible for Kids. Since the NIrV text has a third-grade reading level, this study Bible well-suits children 6-10.

Besides being young-reader-friendly, the edition includes study features appropriate to the age group. At the beginning of the book, for example, a two-page color layout defines the Bible, addresses “What is in the Bible?” and shows the division of “The Old Testament” and the New with categories listed beneath each. The facing page then illustrates that information with a bookcase and each book of the Bible grouped by:

Old Testament
Law
History
Poetry
Major Prophets
Minor Prophets

New Testament
Gospels
Church History
Letters
Prophecy

Seeing that bookcase helps children to realize that many books come together in one Bible. Most likely, the visual will also help children to understand and recall various categories and easily find out which book belongs where. For instance, “Church History” depicts the book of Acts.

As occurs in study Bibles for teens and adults, this children’s edition introduces each book with a quick word telling what to expect overall and in key chapters, such as Genesis 12 where “God gives Abraham a promise.”

Throughout the text, a “Brain Game” reinforces what’s been learned as children read and search the verses for themselves and/or as an adult asks the questions provided in those sections. Similarly, “Soak It up!” highlights key verses to memorize, while “Check It Out” gives children an idea of the culture.

On the page for Acts 10:9, for example, the “Check It Out” sidebar explains: “Houses had flat roofs. People slept on their roofs on hot nights. Some roofs had gardens. People grew fruit and spices on their roofs.”

In the back of the book, children will find even more information in the interesting article, “Life in New Testament Times.” Also, a dictionary and colorful maps will help children to understand more about Bible times and places as will slick, colorful page inserts with lively lists and visually appealing artwork. I wish the art consistently corresponded with the adjacent text. Nevertheless, the informative features throughout make this edition very recommended for young readers.

©2015, Mary Harwell Sayler


NIrV Study Bible for Kids, hardback



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