Tyndale sends us a wide variety of Bibles for review. One they recently sent is the NLT Children’s Bible. This hardcover Bible has the complete NLT Bible text, full-color pictures, and a few other kid-friendly features.
ISBN: 9781496438041 Printed in China
Tyndale provided this Bible in exchange for a review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Construction and Materials
This Bible measures 8 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ x 1 3/8″ and weighs 1 pound, 12 ounces. It is only available in hardback and has a sewn binding.
The paper is soft white, easy to turn, and seems to be fairly thick for such a compact Bible (we’re guessing in the mid to upper 30s gsm).
The pictures are printed on a slightly thicker glossy paper, like the paper most end of the Bible maps are printed on. It makes those pages more durable but it also means they don’t lay flat for very long without help.
Typography
The text is laid out in a double column paragraph format. It is all black letter. The ink is a little lighter than some Bibles but still very readable and very consistent in darkness.
The book name and chapter number are printed in a small bold font in the upper outside corner with the page number printed in a lighter italic font next to it.
This Bible has an 8 point font (a full 6 lines in the height of a penny). Section headings are in a slightly bolder but smaller italicized font. This font is definitely on the smaller side but most young eyes shouldn’t have trouble with it.
The chapter numbers within the text are bold and 2 lines high.
The NLT translation notes are included in the footer. They are the only notes included in the main body of the Bible.
One small but nice feature economy Bibles don’t always include is that every book starts at the top of a right-hand page.
Study Helps
I like to switch children from storybook “Bibles” to real full Biblical text Bibles as young as possible, usually around the time they are reading full sentences. I know it will take most of them a little while before they can follow lengthy stories in the Bible but to me, a Bible is a great place to practice any reading skill.
Unless your church has a specific translation everyone uses the NLT translation is a good choice for a first full Bible for a kid because it is so easy to read.
This Bible has a few pages of study helps in the front. I would have loved this one-page explanation of the Bible and this graphic of the books of the Bible when I was younger.
I also really like this 30 point outline. Each one is described in a single sentence and includes a little icon style picture and page numbers and references to read more about it.
There is also a 2 page “First Steps to Following Jesus” and a 4 page, 10-day “The Next Steps” reading plan in the front of the Bible. Both designed to help children at the beginning of their walk with Jesus and they are the only part of the Bible that is denomination specific. I would recommend parents read through these 6 pages and discuss with their children anything that doesn’t line up with their beliefs. (And maybe make a couple of similarly designed pages for their child to keep with their Bible.)
8 pages of glossy paper colorful maps have been included at the end of the Bible.
I like that all of the extras except the pictures have been kept at the front and back so you can easily direct children to focus mostly on the Bible itself.
Pictures
This Bible includes 32 full-color pictures. (16 pages with a different picture front and back)
Each one includes a caption and both the Biblical reference and the page number from this Bible where the story can be found.
I like that this Bible includes realistically styled art. It will help children realize that the Bible is a story about real people and history and not just another fairy tale.
I’m sure these pictures will be the favorite feature of most children and if they are anything like me or the children I know they will spend quite a bit of time flipping back and forth through the pictures.
Final Thoughts on the NLT Children’s Bible
Tyndale tried to make a Bible that was both kid-friendly and economical and I think they have done a good job with the NLT Children’s Bible. It is Inexpensive enough to not be a major loss if it gets damaged or actually lost, has beautiful pictures to get a child’s attention and is easy enough to read to keep it, and has a sewn binding and thick paper so it should last most children at least until they are ready for a regular Bible. In fact, this Bible doesn’t have to be just a kid’s Bible. I can see anyone who appreciates artwork and likes an easy to read Bible using it.
I still remember my first “real” Bible that was very similar to this one. Thumbing through the pages and looking at the pictures over and over again. Turning to the Bible passages that went with the pictures and trying my best to read them for myself. Learning the general order the books went in so I could look up the passage the preacher or my Sunday School teacher was using for that day’s lesson. I think this Bible is a good choice to provide some of today’s children with a similar experience.
Tyndale provided this Bible in exchange for a review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
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