The truth is... the Bible is a bit barmy

If you’re going to convince your 8s to 12s that the Bible is the truth, you have to admit the truth about the Bible. And from your 8s to 12s point of view, the truth is... the Bible is a bit barmy.

For one thing we grown-ups call it a book – even The Good Book. But then we say it’s made up of books – 66 in fact, and some of them have the same name. Then even though it’s not a poem we tell them it’s all cut up into verses. And even though the Bible has over 700,000 words we adults call it ‘The Word’. Barmy or what?

This is where Andy Robb starts: either the Bible’s barmy or grown ups are. And as this is where 8s to 12s start too, there’s no better place to begin opening and explaining the Bible. The most important thing about all of Andy Robb’s ‘50 Bible Stories’ series is that this isn’t where his stories end. Told with simple words and short sentences, Andy grabs the attention of young readers by highlighting what appeals to them most. Full colour cartoon images capture the action of the story, but don’t give away the whole story – you have to read the words.

Even the words don’t give the whole story; this is not a Bible substitute. To really get what the story’s about, and to realise the truth – that the Bible isn’t barmy at all, you have to go to the Bible to see how the story ends. It’s like a huge signpost pointing young inquiring minds to the pages of the Bible. 50 Barmiest Bible Stories is only one in a series of lively, colourful and engaging 50 Bible Stories compilations, all cheap enough to give as gifts and prizes. Given along with a Bible, and a young reader has the truth in one book, and an in the other an irresistible tool that’ll get them to open it all for themselves.