The most important book our kids could ever read is the Bible. Whether it’s a storybook Bible that is helping a young child grow their biblical literacy or an actual translation of the biblical text for a more advanced reader, it is a unique joy for Christian parents to see their children excited and engaged with the narrative of Scripture!
But which one is right for your child? There are so many options for children’s Bibles now – which is a great blessing – but it can be dizzying to try and figure out which one would be best for your kids. We’d like to help with that.
This is not an exhaustive list of all the excellent children’s Bibles available today – we may expand this list some day in the future. But for now, these are a few children’s Bibles that we recommend along with a little information that might help you decide which one is right for your child.
The Big Picture Story Bible
Best for: 2- to 5-year-olds
This is written at a pre-K level and is intended to be one of the first introductions to the story of the Gospel as it’s interwoven throughout the Bible. It’s written in a very interactive way, using repeating themes and wording, and asking the readers questions as he tells the stories.
Check out our full review of The Big Picture Story Bible.
The Jesus Storybook Bible
Best for: 4- to 8-year-olds
This is probably the most famous children’s Bible. With slightly longer chapters than the Big Picture Story Bible it engages kids up to 8 years old and does a great job showing how the Old Testament points to Jesus.
Check out our full review of The Jesus Storybook Bible.
The Promises of God Storybook Bible
Best for: 4- to 8 -year-olds
This essentially accomplishes the exact same thing as the Jesus Storybook Bible but with a different style of storytelling and writing. While it’s aimed at the same audience, it has a slightly “older kid” feel. Each chapter points to a promise of God, all of which are ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.
Check out our full review of The Promises of God Storybook Bible.
Kaleidoscope Series
Best for: 8- to 11-year-olds
In the words of the creators of this series: “For every parent who has struggled with the transition between the Jesus Storybook Bible and an NIV, ESV, or NASB translation…we are the transitional resource you’ve been looking for.” Each book is a paraphrase of 1-3 books of the Bible. It’s intended to help kids get excited about reading the Bible and staying engaged with longer texts, all while keeping it at an elementary level.
Following Jesus Bible
Best for: 8- 12-year-olds
Unlike the other paraphrases and story Bibles listed here, this one is a full ESV translation of the Bible. The text is accompanied with many helpful tools that are designed to help children interpret individual texts, apply biblical truths to their lives, and see how Old Testament passages point to Jesus.
Again, this is not an exhaustive list of all the well-written and helpful children’s Bibles currently in print. But if you’re scratching your head for where to begin, we hope this helps!