The Beginner’s Bible vs. The Jesus Storybook Bible: Which is Right for Your Child?

Two Bibles are always at the top of the list: The Beginner's Bible and The Jesus Storybook Bible. Both are great, but they do different jobs. At Eden, we want to help you choose the one that fits your child’s heart and mind today.

The Problem: Too Many Choices

Most parents feel a bit of pressure to make sure their child learns about faith. The "villain" here is having too many books to choose from. If you pick a Bible that is too hard, your child might get bored. If you pick one that is too simple, they might miss the deeper meaning of the Gospel.

The Beginner’s Bible: The First Step

For over 30 years, The Beginner's Bible has been the most trusted first storybook bible for millions of families.

Best for: Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 3–6).

The Look: It has bright, happy pictures that grab a child's attention right away.

The Stories: It tells over 90 stories. It focuses on "what happened" in the Bible. It uses short sentences that are easy to read at bedtime.

The Result: A child who knows the famous people and stories of the Bible, like Noah, David, and Jonah.

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Seeing the Big Picture

Sally Lloyd-Jones’ storybook Bible is a modern classic. It is famous for its tag line: "Every Story Whispers His Name".

Best for: Primary school children (Ages 4–10).

The Look: The pictures are beautiful and full of feeling. They look more like art than a cartoon.

The Stories: Instead of seeing Bible stories as separate lessons, it ties them all together. It shows children that the whole Bible, from the very beginning to the very end, is one big story about Jesus.

The Result: A child who understands that they are part of God’s great rescue plan.

The Eden Plan for Success

We suggest three simple steps to help you choose:

Check the Age: If your child is under 4, start with the bright colours and simple facts of The Beginner’s Bible.

Look for "Why" Questions: When your child starts asking "Why did God do that?", move to The Jesus Storybook Bible to show them how it all fits together.

Start a Habit: Whichever one you pick, find a set time, for example, at bedtime, to read together every day.

Which one wins?

There is no "wrong" choice, only a "right now" choice. Many families find that The Beginner's Bible gives children the building blocks of faith, while The Jesus Storybook Bible is the glue that holds those blocks together.

As your child grows, they will eventually graduate to their first full-text Bible and eventually a Youth Bible. But for today, picking one of these storybook Bibles is the perfect way to start.

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