Holy Bible: Love Letters from God

The New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) of the Bible sprang from the ever-popular NIV but with shorter words and sentences to make this, not a Bible storybook, but a simplified version of God’s Word. In the NIrV, for example, the opening verses of the Bible say:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth didn’t have any shape. And it was empty. There was darkness over the surface of the waves.”

To make this particular edition even more child-friendly and personal, Zondervan included pages of Love Letters from God, written by Glenys Nellist, who obviously has a heart for children.

Since I’d previously read and appreciated Glenys’ work, I requested a complimentary copy of the Holy Bible: Love Letters from God from BookLook Bloggers, who kindly sent me a free copy to review.

To give you an idea of the “letters,” a page-insert referencing Genesis 1:31 says:

Your Love Letter from God
Genesis 1

Dear __________

Do you like making things? Have you ever made something you felt really proud of, something you thought was so good it made you smile? That’s how I felt when I made the world. I had so much fun! But do you know the very best thing I made? It was you! And everything I make is good. So remember this – I made you, and you are good. I love you.

Your Creator,
God

In the adjacent column, the page includes a section to “Write Back,” which encourages children to: “Write a letter to God telling him about something you made – a story, a painting, a science project, a building-block city… may even a tree house!” Immediately beneath that text, double-spaced lines have been provided for each child’s personal response.

In addition to 80 “letters,” the edition includes slick, colored page inserts on such topics as “The Ten Commandments,” written in child-speak, and “What Is…” definitions of sin, repentance, forgiveness, grace, and more. Another such page discusses “How to Pray.”

Younger readers might prefer a slightly larger font than this edition has, but all readers will see colored maps in the back matter, along with space for notes and a ribbon bookmark to show where the child has left off reading a Bible that clearly speaks to them and encourages them to keep on reading.

Bible Reviewer, Mary Harwell Sayler, © 2017

Holy Bible: Love Letters from God, hardcover






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Faith Builders Bible for children and new readers

Unlike a Bible storybook, the Faith Builders Bible for children and new readers includes the full text of the reader-friendly, New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) – a translation based on the NIV, but with new readers and elementary school-aged children especially in mind. For example, the beloved 23rd Psalm begins:

“1 The LORD is my shepherd. He gives
me everything I need.
2 He lets me lie down in fields of
green grass.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He gives me new strength.
He guides me in the right paths
for the honor of his name.”

You’ll find that kind of clarity throughout this edition published by Zondervan, who kindly sent me a copy to review.

The readable text works well as do the illustrations, which will appeal to children who enjoy Legos or Minecraft, neither of which has any connection to this unique edition. For generations, though, children of all ages have played with building blocks, and so, undoubtedly, the publisher played with that idea to connect Bible reading with activities having child-appeal. And it works!

For instance, the opening two-page spread in the front matter shows “Building With Books Of The Bible” by stacking titles of those individual books above their particular category. Beginning with the Torah titles above the category “Law” and ending with “Revelation” above the category of prophecy, readers can see how the Bible comes together as one structure with many parts.

In the back matter, a “Dictionary to the New International Reader’s Version” helps to build vocabulary heard at home, church, or church school. For example:

“anoint 1. To pour olive oil on people or things. This sets them apart for God. 2. To pour oil on people as part of praying for their healing.”

The back of the book also lists “Great Bible Stories” by topic and the book, chapter, and verse(s) where they can be located, but the addition of page numbers might have helped readers who aren’t yet familiar with the Bible.

I also would have liked a larger font for younger readers and a page in the front or back listing the titles of illustrations and their page numbers. For example the illustration and story “Noah Builds An Ark” has been inserted between pages 120 and 121.

That building-block drawing helps children to envision the scene and, perhaps, inspires them to build an ark of blocks. More importantly, that illustrative page, like others in the book, gives a brief version of the story with reference to the chapters where the full account can be found before ending with a character-building “Building Block Verse:”

“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
Genesis 6:22”

The text on those pages has a larger, readable font, which encourages new readers to read the stories themselves. In addition, the pages provide a Bible storybook within the Bible, giving children and new readers the opportunity to read more when they’re ready.

©2015, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the Church in all its parts.

Faith Builders Bible, hardback



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NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers

Until Zondervan sent me a review copy of the NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, I hadn’t read the New International Readers Version of the Bible, which relies on the NIV but uses shorter words and sentences to encourage children to read the Bible themselves. Great idea! and well-done....

More than a Bible storybook that retells stories for children, the NIrV might be called an English translation for school kids. For example, Genesis 1 begins: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth didn’t have any shape. And it was empty.”

This child-friendly edition also includes inserts and sidebars to highlight or explain Bible principles. For example, “Words to Treasure” features key verses such as Genesis 1:1 to memorize and “Did You Know” to clarify words and concepts such as “1:1 The word create means to ‘make something new.’ Genesis tells us that God is the creator of all things.”

Also in the beginning, “Live It!” articles begin with such titles as “You’re Special” followed by an encouragement to “Read Genesis 1:26-27. God made us in his own image. We are God’s very special creation./ Look at pictures of your mom or dad when they were children. How were they like you? How were they different?... / God made you in his image too. You are special to God. He loves you. Write a message to God to thank him for loving you.”

Other child-friendly features include full page inserts such as the “Ten Commandments for Kids” and small sidebars such as “Life in Bible Times” and “People in Bible Times.”

In Acts, for instance, we read about “Purple Cloth,” which explains that “Purple dye came from crushing the shells of tiny purple sea creatures. Hundreds of these shellfish were needed to make enough purple to dye one robe. So purple cloth was very expensive….” Then, on the adjacent page, “People in Bible Times” talks about Lydia, who “sold beautiful purple cloth. One day she heard Paul talk about the gospel. Lydia believed what Paul said….”

Believing comes from hearing and receiving the Word of God. With this Bible to accompany children throughout childhood, they can hear on their language level then read and re-read God’s word as though the Bible were written especially for them.


© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a lifelong lover of the Bible and traditionally published author of many books in all genres.


NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, paperback



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