(Part 2) Best religion books for children according to redditors

I cannot recommend this one enough. "Big Truth For Little Kids". It utilizes the Reformed Catechism for Boys and Girls. Also pair this with "Ask Me Whooo" which are the same catechism questions put to song which makes it really catchy and easy to remember.


As a starting point, I would say keep it simple. Little kids get burnt out if you get bogged down for too long. We do ours over dinner, after we talk about our day. I also use "Short Steps for Long Gains" as a conversation starter.


If you need more resources, or have questions in general, hit me up.

[The Ology] (https://www.amazon.com/Ology-Ancient-Truths-Ever-New/dp/194257228X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505141243&sr=8-1&keywords=the+ology)

[The Biggest Story] (https://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Story-Crusher-Brings-Garden/dp/1433542447/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8)

[The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross] (https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Curtain-Cross-Carl-Laferton/dp/1784980129/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1784980129&pd_rd_r=SRJK22K32PDBVHDMVS1V&pd_rd_w=nHBgO&pd_rd_wg=i2BQJ&psc=1&refRID=SRJK22K32PDBVHDMVS1V)

[The Jesus Storybook Bible] (https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Storybook-Bible-Every-Whispers-ebook/dp/B007WRPUFE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505142412&sr=8-1&keywords=children%27s+bible+jago+lloyd-jones)* With caveats. Jesus is depicted in pictures, and I think the redemption-historical expositional method is stretched in places.

[Seeds Family Worship] (https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=Seeds+family+worship)

And so far every faithful Bible translation I've read has been thoroughly Reformed :-P

And then, just for laughs:
Help Mom! There are Arminians Under My Bed!

• http://reformedforum.org/ctc460/
  
• http://www.wtsbooks.com/ulrich-zwingli-william-boekestein-9781783970827?utm_source=reformedforum&utm_medium=blogpartners
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Ulrich-Zwingli-Shepherd-Warrior-Trailblazers/dp/1781918031/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476810960&sr=1%E2%80%931&keywords=william+boekestein+shepherd+warrior&tag=reforum-20

I got a kids version, mostly so I could read it with my children.

Illuminations from the Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad-Gita (For Children and Beginners): In both English and Hindi languages

Here are 3 that I've found:

https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-childrens-king-james-bible.html

https://smile.amazon.com/Little-Hands-Story-Carine-MacKenzie/dp/1845504356/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539024616&sr=1-1

https://smile.amazon.com/New-Childrens-Bible-Colour-Books/dp/1857928385?qid=1539024668&refinements=p_27%3AAnne+de+Vries&s=Books&sr=1-2&text=Anne+de+Vries&ref=sr_1_2

That's a peculiar viewpoint. Research indicates atheists tend to be more informed about religion than true believers. In fact, my personal experience is that most atheists were raised in religious households and are well acquainted with the Bible. The more you know about the Bible, I believe, the more likely you are to be an atheist. Although, to your point, I had a regular non-illustrated Bible as a child. I did enjoy an awesome Noah's Ark picture book though. I still have it, to convey the power of myth to my kids because it's demonstrably false, yet so many people believe it.

Edit: Some possibilities:

1. Read-N-Grow Picture Bible
   
   
2. Bible Story Hidden Pictures
   
   
3. Wild Truth Bible Lessons -- Pictures of God
   
   
4. Bible Story Library
   
   
5. Holy Bible Children's Illustrated Edition
   
   
6. Read with Me Bible
   
   
7. New Illustrated Bible for Children
   
   
8. Doubleday Illustrated Children's Bible
   

I don't know of any UU-specific books, but in the spirit of UU, maybe it's better to offer a variety of perspectives?

• Great Adaptations is a colorful and fun book about evolution and natural selection.
  
• Stories of the Prophets in the Holy Qu’ran is a colorful and fun introduction to the Muslim perspective on familiar (and unfamiliar) stories.
  
• Sitting Still Like a Frog is a child friendly introduction to mindfulness and meditation
  
• What Do You Believe and The Kids Book of World Religions also seem like they might be helpful

"If You Really Trust Me, Why Can't I Stay Out Later?"

uhhhhhhh - it gets better and better

http://www.amazon.com/Really-Trust-Later-Devotionals-Teens/dp/1556612125/ref=la_B001K8DFXK_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1341265248&sr=1-8

Some ones I can think of offhand plus a few lists:

Me & Dog

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/41547.Atheism_and_Religious_Disbelief_in_Children_s_Fiction

http://www.csicop.org/si/show/skeptical_books_for_children_and_young_adults

http://www.atheistrepublic.com/blog/karenloethen/books-your-skeptical-children

There Are Not Monsters Under Your Bed: A Storybook for Skeptical Thinkers

Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong

It Is Ok To Be A Godless Me

Humanism, What's That?: A Book for Curious Kids

I'm An Atheist And That's Ok

Older than The Stars

Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story

Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos

Richard Dawkins’ The Magic of Reality

The Golden Rule

The Belief Book

http://parentingbeyondbelief.com/parents/?p=384

God Is Redundant

/squees at Miss Piranha Pants

The first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) are actually the Torah so you technically have that. If you want another book that is specifically the Torah, here's one.

If the Twin Terrors are anti-Catholic, Tomie dePaola does some very nice books on saints.

If you want Celtic tales, this one looks cool.

Some Native-American tales are here and here.

http://www.amazon.com/Kids-Fun-Book-Jewish-Time/dp/1580233112/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310448001&sr=8-15

• The Belief Book
  
• The Book of Gods
  
• The Book of Religions
  
  ​

If you aren't able to make it to a store or find anything suitable, this compilation of children's Bible stories on Amazon is very inexpensive but looks highly rated.

You can always check out this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Prays-Celebrating-Faith-Around/dp/1937786196

I don't own it, but I've leafed through it, and it's pretty nice. I want to get my own copy eventually. :)

Close enough?

I like this thread.

I'll respond with my favorite story. It is the story where Ganesha and Murugan (also called Kartikeya, different retellings use different names, but I'll stick with Murugan because that's how I read it) both want a mango, so their father Shiva sets up a contest. Whoever can circle the world first will win the mango. Murugan gets on his peacock and speeds away, while Ganesha walks around his parents, and Ganesha explains that for him, his mother and father are the world, and he wins the mango.

Here is a slightly different retelling, where the sage Narada offers a mango to make mischief (since the mango cannot be split equally between Ganesha and Murugan--here referred to as Kartikeya) and proposes the contest.

I read this, and other Ganesha stories in a wonderful book called "The Broken Tusk: Stories of the Hindu God Ganesha" retold by Uma Krishnaswami and illustrated by Maniam Selven.

If you have kids or teens or just enjoy Graphic Novels this one is fantastic.

https://www.amazon.com/Faithfulness-Under-Fire-Story-Guido/dp/1601781024

See Also

I think the best thing you could possibly do is buy Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Read it yourself first. It really is such an extraordinary book for teens. Read some of the Amazon reviews to get an idea as to how important this book can be. Sometimes it is so difficult to explain things ourselves, but this book really can help you.

The Spark Bible is fantastic as others have said. I'll also recommend the Children of God Storybook Bible edited by Desmond Tutu for its lavish illustrations and excellent storytelling. There are a few items missing from it that I'd like to have seen though (notably, Palm Sunday).