Recommended Reading List for Kids

For Ages 3-8

An award-winning book, The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story of the child upon whom everything will depend. From Noah to Moses to King David, from the Old Testament to the New, every story points to Jesus. He is the missing piece in the puzzle, the one that makes all the others fit together. The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to pick up the clues and piece the puzzle together. As they do, they will discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation—and at the center of their story, too.

For Ages 3-7

Everything a Child Should Know About God introduces children to the most important biblical truths of the Christian faith. Author Kenneth N. Taylor explores profound topics, including sin, the Trinity, and salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in an easy-to-read narrative style written for a child audience. Children will enjoy the colorful illustrations as they gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus is, why He came, and what it means to follow Him.

For Ages 5-8

Award-winning author and illustrator PhiI A. Smouse presents the truth of Scripture to young children through fun, brightly illustrated stories that families will enjoy for years to come. My Best-Ever Book of Bible Stories contains 17 Gospel-centered stories told in humorous rhyme. Clever retellings of key Scripture passages from both the Old and New Testament teach young children about Creation, Adam and Eve, the Good Samaritan, and Jesus and Nicodemus. My Best-Ever Book of Bible Stories is an engaging way for adults to share biblical truth with the children in their lives.

For Ages 4-7

It’s never too early to introduce the next generation to men and women who left their mark in history as followers of Jesus. In Everyone a Child Should Know, youngsters are introduced to 52 heroes of the faith from all walks of life. Profiling missionaries, martyrs, and writers such as Brother Andrew, William Tyndale, and C.S. Lewis, as well as reformers, politicians, and artists like Martin Luther, William Wilberforce, and Rembrandt, Everyone a Child Should Know colorfully teaches children about what it looks like to be a follower of Christ.

For Ages 8-13

Teenagers—and particularly middle schoolers—have a knack for asking the hard questions. As parents, grandparents, or teachers, we may struggle with exactly how to answer in a way that is biblical, gentle, and clear.

Author, professor, and pastor Joel R. Beeke speaks directly to this young audience in his book Tough Questions about the Bible. Writing from a perspective teens can relate to, he responds to 68 commonly asked questions from middle schoolers. Presented in an easy-to-read, Q&A format designed for independent reading, the book is divided into nine sections that include tough questions about the Bible, sin and sadness, God, Christ, salvation, doing what’s right, prayer and worship, other religions, and hope and eternity.

For Ages 5-11

Nearly 2,000 years ago, a simple wooden cross and an empty tomb served as the setting for the greatest rescue mission in history—the good news of a loving Father going to great lengths to save His broken children. Every year at Easter, with a joyful shout of “Christ is risen!” we declare again the climax of this great story. Although Easter Sunday only happens once a year, the truths behind it are big enough to shape our lives every single day.

The family devotional Mission Accomplished starts with the Passion Week and extends into the week beyond Easter Sunday, walking kids through the immediate aftermath of the Resurrection and unpacking the implications of Jesus’ death and resurrection for our own lives. Each devotion takes just ten minutes and is suitable for children of all ages. Included are suggestions for hymns to sing and family activities that give you a chance to remember and apply the truth that Christ is risen indeed!

For Ages 4-5

My 1st Books and More is a compilation from the My 1st Book series by Carine MacKenzie and Philip Ross. Consolidating the content from several titles in one resource, My 1st Books and More gives parents a comprehensive study tool from which to teach children Christian values, the Gospel, the nature of God, the Psalms, and prayers from Scripture. Presented in a devotional-style question and answer format, My 1st Books and More contains more than a year’s worth (371) of questions and answers for parents to discuss with young children. (Not intended for independent reading by children; this book is for families to share God-centered, Christ-honoring, character-building teaching.)

For Ages 3-7

Best-selling author Nancy Guthrie and much loved illustrator Jenny Brake team up on this biblical theology of prayer for children. Nancy explains in child-friendly language what prayer is, how and why we should pray, and the things we can pray about. There is a Bible verse for each topic, and a prayer for children to make their own. What Every Child Should Know about Prayer will introduce children to the gift of prayer and will encourage them to enjoy personal communion with God.

For Ages 3-6

The book The God Contest: The True Story of Elijah, Jesus, and the Greatest Victory invites young school-age children to learn about the prophet Elijah and his contest with the prophets of Baal—which ended in victory. The author uses this engaging story to fast-forward to another victory—Jesus’ victory over sin and death on the cross.

Young children will enjoy the bright, colorful illustrations and the charming, energetic characters that bring this ancient story (from 1 Kings 18:16-40) to life. Using language kids will easily understand, the author tells how Team Baal frantically gives their best effort against Team Yahweh at Mount Carmel. The God Contest then leaps forward several centuries to the final God contest and Jesus’ ultimate victory on Mount Zion. In both contests, not everyone liked the results, and some who’d initially rallied around the victorious hero quickly lost interest. It’s a poignant reminder of how easily some reject the Gospel or gradually turn from faith.

For Ages 3-7

Best-selling author Kenneth Taylor was well-known for his faithful retelling of Bible stories in a way which engaged young children. This newly illustrated collection of more than 120 Bible stories from his Classic Bible Storybook presents the truths of the whole Bible in a language that is understandable for kids. Each story has 3–4 comprehension questions to help children easily grasp Biblical concepts. Reading this book will help young ones love stories of the Bible and may even help adults fall in love again with God's Word.

Explore God's grace with your young children.

It can be hard to know how to help small children understand the Gospel. But with the help of His Grace Is Enough: How God Makes It Right When We’ve Got It Wrong, you can share truths about God’s grace and mercy with the little ones in your life.

This colorfully illustrated book uses characters that are relatable to a child's everyday life. They make wrong choices like telling a small lie or not doing chores and learn that they can’t make things right on their own.

Perfect for reading to children preschool-age or slightly older, His Grace Is Enough teaches that God is a forgiving God and His grace makes a way for us to put our mistakes behind us.

Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey brings John Bunyan’s classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress, to young audiences! This is a colorful picture book that retells the story of Christian as he makes his way from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. In this children’s adaptation, the main character is Little Pilgrim. He visits many of the same places in the original story, including the Bog of Despair, Vanity Fair, and Doubting Castle. Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey is a beautiful hardcover book perfect for reading to elementary-aged children. The captivating story provides many hours of bedtime reading and will introduce your children or grandchildren to the common struggles, trials, obstacles, and distractions inherent in the Christian pilgrimage.

In this adaptation of John Bunyan's sequel to the classic book Pilgrim's Progress, the main character Christiana and her brothers set off in search of the eternal city. School-age children will not only be captivated by this exciting allegory but will learn about the importance of trusting God through life's challenges and difficulties.

This colorfully illustrated, hardcover book teaches young children about the perseverance that marks the Christian life. Your children, grandchildren, or Sunday school students will look forward to each adventurous chapter and gain a deeper understanding of what it means to trust in God's faithfulness.

For Ages 7+

This colorfully illustrated family devotional will help you and your children reflect on the events we remember at Easter, from Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem through to Pentecost. Each reading ends with a few questions to discuss with your family.

All fourteen daily readings in Darkest Night, Brightest Day are drawn directly from the Gospels. The unique design of this devotional tells the salvation story by visually dividing the historical events into two parts. The first half of the book is titled “Darkest Night,” and it records the last week of Jesus’ life.

To read the second half of the book, you flip the book over to continue with “Brightest Day.” The readings in this half of the book detail Christ’s resurrection, His visit with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Christ’s ascension, and, finally, the mighty rush of wind that accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The clever visual reversal of the book will help children see how the world was turned upside down when Christ rose from the dead.

For Ages 6-10

The Big Book of Questions and Answers about Jesus is a teaching book to help adults guide a child between the age of five and ten through thirty-four questions and answers that provide a clear understanding of who Jesus is and why He came.

Questions include “What does the name Jesus mean?” “How can Jesus make me wise?” “Why can Jesus alone offer true happiness?” and “What does Jesus promise to those who follow Him?” This book is great for working through one question and answer at a time. Author Sinclair Ferguson accompanies each question and answer with a brief memory verse, a prayer, a Scripture reading, a discussion prompt, and a drawing or craft activity.

The Big Book of Questions and Answers about Jesus is an oversized, hardcover book that includes colorful illustrations and is written in language young children will easily understand.