Book Review: Kids Study Bible (David Jeremiah)

I must say right from the start, this Bible is one I would definitely recommend for children! Here's why.

It is the NKJV, which is one our family has come to use most of the time for devotions, study, and history. The NKJV follows the KJV very closely in text, but is a bit easier for young ones to grasp. That being said, it is a true Bible with complete Biblical text--all 66 books are there. I love that because the gospel isn't watered down just because the Bible is intended for children.

In the first few pages, your child will "meet" the crew members of the Genesis Exploration Squad, who "travel" aboard the Airship Genesis. On this ship, they have the ability to travel back into time to delve into the Bible as it unfolds.
Throughout the journey, they point out different truths of God's Word to young readers, which I find does not overshadow the message of the Scriptures.

Some of the key features are Mission Overviews that give a summary and purpose of each book of the Bible; Rupert Reports which gives interesting facts about Bible history; and Bible Blasts which are specially marked Scriptures for children to learn.

It has traditional features as well, such as a Table of Contents, a Concordance, and maps interspersed with the text. It even includes full color pictures of Bible characters and stories, which children will enjoy.

Which brings me to my (short) list of drawbacks. Although the pictures are nice, it always bothers me when I see images that don't try to be Biblically accurate as far as ethnicity. The clothing is appropriate for the time, but the people could use a little work.

Next, the foreword is given by David Jeremiah, which is great, as the Airship Genesis is a brand from his children's ministry. However, I don't think his name should be larger than the words "Kids Study Bible" on the cover and title pages. It distracts from the fact that it is a Bible and not some other book.

Finally, the color scheme--navy blue and orange--may not be neutral enough for girls. When I saw it, I thought of my sons rather than my daughters.

Even still, I am glad to have found this Bible. It is geared towards children ages 7 to 11. I think it can go a little younger to a little older. I plan on giving it to my 5 year old for Christmas, since he's been wanting his own Bible, just like his older siblings. He realizes that his own children's Bible doesn't have the same words as ours and I think it's important to let children hear the the Scriptures without paraphrasing. So I'm excited to see his reaction at having a real Bible with features that are appealing to kids.

What Bible do you use with your children? Do you prefer one version over another?

(I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)