A Review of the Kids’ Visual Study Bible (NIV)

Getting kids to read the Bible isn’t an easy task. In reality, it isn’t something that grown ups are great either. But today, there are lots of ways to make the information provided in the Bible more accessible to kids. Without losing sight of the message and the main points, the Kids’ Visual Study Bible brings together great pictures, great information, and great explanations to enhance what readers will get out of the Bible.

The main text is the New International Version of the Bible, one of the easiest to understand and enjoy. But the Kids’ Visual Study Bible takes things one step further by extending the information on each and every page. Sometimes a picture will add to the prose while other times a list of events will help to put the chapter into perspective. This is a great way for readers from a wide range of ages to take advantage of the learning opportunity that the Bible provides.

Once kids are old enough to read through the chapters and verses of the Bible with at least some understanding, they are ready for this book. The notes on the sides of the pages are easy to understand and can help some of the more difficult concepts, including things like parables, make sense. To be honest, as an adult, I liked reading through the pages and then taking in the different points that were presented in the margins. Even the explanation of prophecies that took place in the Old Testament with links to how they were fulfilled in the New Testament were helpful and insightful.

It’s not easy to find a kids’ Bible. Trust me; I’ve looked. This is one that I believe will last a child for several years. It’s still possible to search by book, chapter and verse, but there is more than just the text available to the reader that wants to learn and understand the Bible.

I received a copy of this Bible in exchange for my honest review.

Review of Hello Stars by Alena Pitts With Wynter Pitts

Hello Stars offers a unique tale about Lena, a fifth grader with an amazing opportunity to spend the summer working on a movie with one of her favorite singers. While it sounds like a perfect way to spend the summer, Lena learns a lot about herself and her relationship with God. No matter what the situation, there’s a lot of opportunity to gain a better understanding about life and what it takes to be able to pursue something you’re interested in.

From the very first sentence, Lena’s voice comes shining through. It’s written from her perspective and you can almost imagine getting a glimpse into the mind of an almost sixth grader, complete with exciting moments and disappointments. The different events that are mentioned demonstrate the highs and lows of things that take place in life and I appreciate that there were struggles that didn’t always work out perfectly in the end. It offered a sense of reality that some books often overlook. Lena learned actual lessons, some of them because of mistakes and others because of circumstances.

It was a quick read for me but I was surprised that my ten year old daughter didn’t finish the book. She’s a fast reader but just couldn’t seem to get into it. When asked, she struggled to relate to the main character a little bit. I’m guessing that’s just personal preference as she’s more into fantasy books. I plan to pass the book onto one of her friends as I think that the author really does provide a great character for this age group to enjoy and appreciate. The idea that a series of books will follow is great. As a parent, I love when the kids find a book series they can’t get enough of.

This book was provided to me by Handlebar: Direction for Publishing in exchange for my honest review.