A storybook that weaves together the main themes of Scripture so your children will understand how everything in God’s Word works together?
A Bible storybook that uses language guaranteed to make your older children laugh?
Who would put together a children’s Bible storybook that tells the stories and offers insightful commentary at the same time?
A PhD-holding pastor and systematic theology professor with nine kids, that’s who.
The Biggest Story Bible Storybook
Before we get started, I have to tell you that I love this Bible storybook. I love the voice and language used, I love the colors, and I love the way stories are addressed.
I love the commentary, too. How many stories in Scripture do you–as an adult–read and wonder, Why did that happen? What does it mean? How does this help me understand Jesus better? Well, your children are going to read The Biggest Story Bible Storybook, and they’ll have a great understanding about how the Bible fits together into a great big story told to us by God.
Crossway feels The Biggest Story Bible Storybook is most appropriate for ages 6-12. They are absolutely right that this book is most appropriate for older kids, which you’ll notice as you read the quotes below. It is always my hope that 10-12 year olds (at least) have their own adult Bible and that you are doing a family Bible study. That’s the reason I wrote Bible Road Trip™ at five levels–to take your family through Scripture together. That disclaimer out of the way, The Biggest Story Bible Storybook is a great read-aloud for families or a book for older kids to read individually–in addition to God’s Word. The Biggest Story Bible Storybook will help your children better understand the overarching themes of Scripture faster.
The Biggest Story Structure
The Biggest Story Bible Storybook is a whopping 530 pages, roughly divided in half between the Old and New Testament. Each story is around four pages, with lots of pictures, and a short prayer at the end.
The book is divided into seven sections:
- Part 1: The Pentateuch (Genesis – Deuteronomy)
- Part 2: History (Joshua – Esther)
- Part 3: Poetry (Job – Song of Solomon)
- Part 4: The Prophets (Isaiah – Malachi)
- Part 5: The Gospels (Matthew – John)
- Part 6: Acts and Epistles (Acts – Jude)
- Part 7: Revelation
I love that Kevin DeYoung covers each section of Scripture, showing how the Bible points to Jesus as the Messiah, then shows his work as our Savior. The biggest story of all is God’s great plan for salvation.
The Biggest Story Voice and Language
I love, love, love Kevin DeYoung’s writing in The Biggest Story Bible Storybook. What incredible voice and use of language. It can be tough to hold the interest of middle graders (ages 8-12), and he does a great job. His writing is not quite straight story re-telling. It’s more like an age-appropriate Bible commentary, which is wonderful, since DeYoung knows what he’s writing about!
Check out a couple samples of the storytelling in The Biggest Story Bible Storybook:
From Chapter 19, “You’re Not the Boss of Me” (Numbers 16), pages 108-109:
…Well, the Israelites found ways not to like Moses. Not good ways, but lots of them. They didn’t like it when Moses disappeared to be with God. They didn’t like that Moses hadn’t brought them to the Promised Land. And they didn’t like that Moses was in charge. “You’re not the boss of me!” some of the people thought. Except, actually, Moses was kind of the boss of them, not because he was better than everyone else but because God had given him authority to lead. Israel learned the hard way–which was the only way they learned much of anything–that Moses was the man of God’s own choosing.
One day, three men–Korah, Dathan, and Abiram–decided they had had enough of Moses and his brother Aaron. “What makes you so special!” they thought. And, “Where’s the land with honey milkshakes you promised?” The were getting tired of Moses.
But God was getting tired of complainers….
From Chapter 65, “The Voice is Silenced” (Mark 6), pages 336-337:
…We know that the Snake Crusher can’t lose. He’s already stepped on the head of that nasty serpent. But it didn’t always seem that way to God’s people in the Bible. And it doesn’t always look that way to us.
Of all the good guys in the Bible, John the Baptist was one of the best. He was a prophet and a pointer. He was the voice announcing the coming of Jesus and calling sinners to repent.
And King Herod didn’t like that….
See what I mean? Great voice, great use of language, and a fabulous overview of God’s great plan for salvation.
The Biggest Story Illustrations
Don Clark is an artist and designer who has worked with Pixar, NASA, LEGO, Apple, and more. His illustrations in The Biggest Story Bible Storybook are colorful and interesting. They’re also stylized, so people in the storybook are green, blue, and even purple. Every page of the book is colored, with some pages in dark hues and white font and others in light colors with black type. It is truly beautiful.
There are depictions in the book of Jesus, angels, and Satan. My 2CV (2nd Commandment Violation) friends feel strongly about this issue. For others, here is what Kevin DeYoung has to say (from page 11):
Let me say a word about the pictures. They are amazing! The colors are vivid, the action is arresting, and the attention to detail is remarkable. Besides being incredibly talented, Don Clark put years of his life into this book. I’m thankful to partner with him in such an important work. You may notice that, unlike The Biggest Story, this book includes pictures of Jesus. That presents certain dangers. Some children’s books present Jesus in ways that are culturally unrealistic, cartoonishly silly, or lifelike in a way that can lead children to think “this is what Jesus looks like.” We tried hard to avoid those dangers. In the end, we thought it would seem strange, if not theologically misleading, to have a big book where Jesus never shows his face but appears only in shadows and silhouettes. We believe that by presenting Jesus in a way that is obviously artistically stylized, we are not depicting the God-man or trying to say this is what Jesus was like as much as we are trying to tell the story of the Bible without keeping the main character offstage for every scene.”
There you are: all the information you need to make a decision.
Grab a Bible study kids’ free printable sample! You AND your kids will love this puzzle-based Creation Bible study for kids.Kevin DeYoung
Pastor Kevin DeYoung holds a PhD from the University of Leicester. He and his wife, Trisha, have nine children. In addition to serving as the senior pastor at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina, Kevin DeYoung is an associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. Check out a few of his many books below!
Purchase The Biggest Story Bible Storybook
I have to report that this is my favorite Bible storybook ever. In fact, I’ve given a copy to our grandgirls, and I plan to continue gifting it! It’s hard to believe the price for the size of the book and the fact that it’s full-color. It’s an amazing bargain!
Related Resources
There are a number of wonderful resources that go with The Biggest Story Bible Storybook. I love that there are verse cards and posters available. For younger kids, The Biggest Story ABC board book and The Biggest Story picture book are perfect.
Kevin DeYoung Books
I have really appreciated a number of Kevin DeYoung’s books. In fact, I quoted Taking God at His Word and Crazy Busy in Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible. Pastor DeYoung has many books available, but here as a few I think you may enjoy. The two at the end (The Story and The Biggest Story) are 25-packs of tracts that we give out with candy on Halloween (or Reformation Day, as we refer to it!).
Bible Resources for Your Kids
Learn More HereLearn More HereLearn More HereLearn More HereLearn More HereLearn More Here
Puzzle-Based Independent Bible Study for Kids!
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2, ESV
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- Observe: They pay attention to what they’re reading.
- Interpret: They figure out what the Bible means in that section.
- Apply: They decide how the truth of God’s Word impacts their life today.
There are a great many truths in life to be found—some interesting, some boring, and some that really matter. You can be the kind of investigator who spends time puzzling out important truth so that you can know all the knowable knowledge that God has given us. That’s right. God, the Creator of the Universe, gave you a great big letter from him to explore and study so that you can discover the truths that really matter to your life!”
Bible Investigators: Creation, (The Good Book Company, 2024), page 7
The Bible Investigators: Creation Bible study for kids, written by Danika Cooley and published by The Good Book Company, is 272-pages of learning, puzzles, and fun activities designed to help your kids become amazing independent Bible investigators–observing, interpreting, and applying God’s Word as they learn what the Bible teaches on a particular subject.
Bible Puzzles for Kids
Middle grade kids, aged 8-12, love puzzles. After all, their brains are just built for figuring things out and memorizing facts. Puzzles are a wonderful way to help kids develop logic skills and retain important information. And, the book is written in a fun, conversational tone your children are sure to love!
What types of puzzles and activities will you find in Bible Investigators?
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- Word Searches
- Crosswords
- Rebus Puzzles
- Dot-to-Dots
- Logic Puzzles
- Missing Letter Puzzles
- Cryptograms
- Word Sudoku
- Mazes
- How-to-Draw Pages
- Matching Pairs
- Word Scrambles
- Journal Pages
Every child is sure to find activities they’ll love!
Elementary-aged kids need hands-on middle grade resources that engage them and equip them to process important truths.
Bible Investigators is the perfect resource to teach your kids about an important biblical doctrine, while helping them apply God’s Word to their lives today.
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