The Beginner's Bible Review

We received The Beginner's Bible from Zonderkidz. Our version is the new version, with updated 3D artwork. The classic edition was originally published in 1989 and has been a best seller with over 25 million copies sold. 
The Beginner's Bible contains stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament, including: Noah's Ark, Ten Commandments, Jonah and the Big Fish, Baby Jesus is Born, Lazarus Lives Again, and The Last Supper, among many others. There is a total of ninety-six stories. The stories vary in length, usually from three to seven pages. There is 511 pages, with the final few pages used for a dictionary. 
This Bible is ideal for beginner readers and younger elementary aged children. My own children are aged six, five, and 7 months. We read some of the stories, which they picked out based on the pictures in the book. They aren't as familiar with the stories, because we don't practice this faith, however we do learn about Christianity because most of our family are believers. This way my children know about the faith and teachings. They enjoyed the stories and we printed out coloring pages and activity pages from the website to work on after reading some of the stories. The reading suggestion list was helpful, since it had recommendations on stories to read during Christmas: An Angel Visits Mary, Baby Jesus Is Born, Shepherds Visit, Simeon and Anna Meet Baby Jesus, The Bright Stars & Three Visitors. The reading list also has suggestions on what to read on Easter, during spring, summer, and on Thanksgiving, and New Years.

My oldest reading to my youngest.

There's even a snack ideas printable, if you want to pair food with a story. Such as animal crackers while reading Noah's Ark, or goldfish while reading Jonah and the Big Fish (Stauffers actually has Whales Crackers, which would be more fitting).


I think children will be drawn to this book because the artwork is colorful and inviting. The stories are short, which is good for younger children with shorter attention spans. The font is large enough for a beginner reader to read easily. Each story also tells you where you can find the story in the Bible. Example: The Brave Queen: Esther 1-10. So as children get older, they can transition to the Bible and read the full story. This also helps families with children of different ages. Younger children can read the story in this book, while older children can use a regular Bible.

This book would also be perfect for children attending church, since they can look at the pictures and read the stories while their parents listen to the sermon. Church groups can also use the printables found on the website to keep younger children busy.


This children's Bible contains all the stories Christian children are familiar with, from Noah's Ark, to David and Goliath, to Jonah and the Whale. There were also a handful of stories I didn't recognize, such as "Chariot of Fire" and "Naaman is Healed."


We've read about two dozen of the stories in this book so far. My daughter has been more interested than my son, and I've been about to teach her more about the people and time periods in the book. We were able to add events to our "History of the World" timeline.


You can also find games and activities, a section for parents and teachers, and additional products on the website. There are lots of great coloring pages, mazes, and games for kids. There's also a free iPad app with stories and games. Homeschoolers can use these materials for lessons.

Overall, we enjoyed this product. The stories were kid-friendly and did a great job introducing the people and events that are important to Christian faith. We will continue to read the stories through the year and use the coloring pages to go along with them. 

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