Also by this author: Fiona and the Easter Egg Hunt
Published by Zonderkidz on March 1, 2022
Genres: Children's, Bible Stories
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Practice beginning reader skills with your little one while reading eight favorite Bible stories with The Beginner’s Bible Read Through the Bible. Combining the trusted The Beginner’s Bible, which has sold over 25 million products since 1989, with the proven I Can Read format, this My First I Can Read collection combines basic language, word repetition, and great illustrations—and is perfect for shared reading with a child.
The Beginner’s Bible Read Through the Bible is perfect for:
Beginning readers ages 4 and up at the My First reading levelFans of the iconic The Beginner’s BibleBack to school, summer reading, homeschoolers, Sunday school classroomsTeaching Bible stories in an accessible format while practicing early reading skillsThe Beginner’s Bible Read Through the Bible features:
God Makes the World, Noah and the Great Big Ark, David and the Giant, Esther Saves Her People, Daniel and the Lions’ Den, Jonah and the Giant Fish, Jesus Is Born, and Jesus Saves the World
Exciting 3-D artworkHardcover format for longer lasting durability and value-priced at $16.99
In 1989, Mission City Press released the very first Beginner’s Bible©. They had no idea what was to come. The book was so popular that they turned to Zondervan to distribute the book, which led to Zondervan’s eventual acquisition of the series. Over thirty years later, that Bible along with all its associated products have sold over 25 million copies.
Similarly, in 1957, HarperCollins—who bought Zondervan in 1988—released the very first I Can Read!© book, a series that is rated by level and meant to teach children how to read. The series has four stages: Shared Reading, Beginning Reading, Reading with Help, and Reading Alone. There are over 500 I Can Read! Books published.
It took about twenty years, but somebody finally realized that the I Can Read! series would pair nicely with the Beginner’s Bible. And so, in 2007, a new series was born. While there have been several I Can Read Beginner’s Bible stories published since then, Zonderkidz is now releasing this eight-volume omnibus edition filled with all your favorites:
- God Makes the World
- Noah and the Great Big Ark
- David and the Giant
- Esther Saves Her People
- Daniel and the Lions’ Den
- Jonah and the Giant Fish
- Jesus Is Born
- Jesus Saves the World
I’m going to be honest. It’s a little bland. The story choices are predictable. They are the ones you always hear. The Beginner’s Bible: Read Through the Bible is your stereotypical children’s storybook Bible. You get all the greatest hits from the Old Testament coupled with the birth and death/resurrection of Jesus. It’s a formula that’s worked to great success for decades, but I would’ve liked to have seen a greater emphasis on the ministry of Jesus and the church.
Each story is 32 pages long, with one or two sentences on each page. The illustrations are the classic bulging-eyed cartoons that have been around since the beginning—leaving the book looking a little dated (despite the 2006 redesign, because that was somehow 16 years ago). It’s not bad, but nothing really stands out about it, either.
The short sentences and word choices are appropriate for the level. That’s really the highlight of this edition. I would buy this as an I Can Read! book. I would not buy it as a children’s Bible storybook. That’s pretty much the long and short of it. There are better Bible storybooks. (Even ones that Zonderkidz publishes!) If you’re looking for a pre-reading curriculum for a Christian school or homeschool, this might work for you. Otherwise, I’d pass on it.