NKJV Adventure Bible for children

The flyer that came with the copy of the Adventure Bible the publisher kindly sent me to review calls this “The #1 Bible For Kids,” and I can easily see why!

Zondervan published this particular edition of the NKJV (New King James Version) with 8 to 10-year-old's in mind, but the sturdy hardback cover, colorful illustrations, and kid-friendly features make this a keeper for children in almost every age group.

Written by Lawrence O. Richards, those features include:

• Life in Bible Times
• People in Bible Times
• Did You Know?
• Let’s Live it!
• Words to Treasure

Most of those special features are self-explanatory, but to give you an idea of what to expect in “Did You Know?” an example relating to Exodus 30:7 says, “Incense is similar to perfume, but it is a powder that is burned rather than a liquid that is put on a person’s body. Incense and perfume both smell sweet.”

As an example of “Let’s Live It!” one of these special sidebars appears with a list of the Ten Commandments, giving the meaning for each and also “How I obey it,” which translates each command into everyday acts that are doable. For instance, the fourth commandment to “Keep the Sabbath holy,” means “Rest and think about God,” with an example of “How I Obey It” given as “Pay attention in church.”

An example of “Let’s Live It!” in the New Testament discusses “How to Love Enemies” as mentioned in Luke 6:27-36, explaining “Love is not just a feeling. Christian love means caring about other people and doing nice things for them.” Suggestions then include “Smile. Be friendly. Pray for her. Help him with schoolwork. Say nice things about her. Choose her for your team.”

Other highly appropriate study aids for children include Bible verses in “Word to Treasure” – and maybe even memorize! Also, each book of the Bible has an introduction addressing such questions as:

Who wrote this book?
Why was this book written?
For whom was this book written?
What happens in this book?
When did this happen?

The “Where” of a book often matters, too, so the edition includes several pages of clear, colored maps as well as a concordance to help readers look up key words or topics in the back of the book.

Scattered throughout this edition, however, slick, sturdy page inserts carry along the adventure motif, colorfully illustrating that being a Christian is an ongoing adventure with the Bible as our companion and travel guide.


©2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the church in all its parts. She highly recommends this excellent edition from Zondervan as an ideal gift for children at Christmas time and throughout the year.

NKJV Adventure Bible, hardback



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