Beginner's Bible: The Beginner's Bible (Hardcover)

“The Beginner's Bible Gift Edition is where a child's journey toward a lifelong love of God's Word begins,” the back jacket of this Bible storybook states. ~ What ~ Part of The Beginner's Bible series, this five-hundred-and-twelve-page hardbound targets children preschool and older. The book covers ninety-six well-known stories taken from the Holy Bible. With a few scary or violent scenes, it would best be read out loud to non-readers or beginner readers who like to look at pictures due to their limited reading comprehension level. After an ownership page and table of contents, the book presents forty-eight Old Testament and forty-six New Testament beloved stories that range from four to eight pages each with colorful illustrations. Each story has a title with referenced Bible verses listed and several paragraphs. Having colorful, easy-to-decipher illustrations, the cartoon designs show expressive characters on almost every page; there is ample room under each for one to seven lines of black writing on white backgrounds. ~ Why ~ This is a good starter chapter book for beginner readers since most of the stories are short, to-the-point, and written in a positive way. Although not all the stories told give pertinent facts (Esther does not mention Haman hung or Jesus dying on the cross for our sins), it generalizes the events for a young one to understand. I appreciated that it included the less-often told stories about Moses in a basket, Deborah, Sampson, several of Jesus's miracles, and His last supper and resurrection. ~ Why Not ~ Those who do not want to promote teaching a child about Bible stories will pass on this book. It may be too advanced for beginner readers due to the two- and three-syllable words. It may be sophomoric for the third-grade and above reading level. The scary stories that may concern some might be the ten plagues, Goliath being killed, the fiery furnace, Jonas in the big fish, and Jesus's crucifixion. ~ Wish ~ I wish all pronouns of God were capitalized for reverence. With the book being a gift edition, it is heavy – almost too heavy for young ones to carry or hold on their own. ~ Want ~ If you are looking for a kid's Bible that has easy and simplified stories, your child will enjoy this one. Thanks to Z-Blog Squad for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.