THE BIBLE’S BIG STORY
Salvation history for kids
By James M. Hamilton Jr.
Illustrator Tessa Janes
Christian Focus. 24 pages. £2.99
ISBN 978 1 781 911 624
This 8-inch-square paperback summarises key points in the Bible in terms of the gospel message, in 19 steps.
Starting with the creation and Adam & Eve, through to the crucifixion, the resurrection and the establishment of the early church, each page states a learning point in a rhyming couplet. An exemplar verse is then provided (ESV) and most of the page is a contemporary-style picture illustrating the related story. The last three pages take the form of a summary, with notes for parents, and finally a double spread of miniatures of each page illustration.
The author tells parents that his intention is to fix ‘landmarks’ in the minds of children, to enable them and their parents to find ‘where they are in the true story of the whole world, the Bible’.
I love the idea of this kind of overview of the Bible. The key points are mostly appropriately chosen for children. However, I don’t feel that the rhyming couplet statements work! They are somewhat strained, with vocabulary that doesn’t quite match the simplicity of the rest of the book. For example: ‘Land, seed and blessing God promised Abraham, and the nations, also, would be blessed in him’.
I can’t help feeling that the target audience (2-6-year-olds) isn’t reached! I would find the book helpful as a guide for planning lessons for children, or as a timeline for older children to ‘pad out’. The illustrations are great!
