Title: The Jesus Storybook Bible
Author: Sally Lloyd-Jones
Illustrated by: Jago
Number of Pages: 351
Why Did I Read It?
I bought the Storybook Bible for my kids when we were visiting family in Alabama in 2012. Nathan was 9 and Aubrey was 6. I had heard good things about it and I was searching for a kid’s Bible that was more of an in-between a normal “My First Bible” type book and an actual Bible. I started reading it to them, and became intrigued by it. By the storytelling, and how each story was beautifully crafted, telling how much God loves us. It brings tears to my eyes just writing about it. From the very first page to the last, each story points you to the love of God. So, needless to say, I may have been reading them a story from it each night at bedtime, but this sweet book became my morning companion piece with my Bible, my journal, and my cup of coffee.
About the Book
The tagline of The Jesus Storybook Bible is, “Every story whispers his name”. Every story is beautifully crafted to point to the love of God. Every single one. It weaves many of the stories of the Bible together from Genesis to Revelation.
Why do I love it??
Sally Lloyd-Jones is an amazing story teller. The way she took the Bible and put it together in simple language, with beautiful artwork, is magical to me.
Before she even gets into the story of creation, she begins with telling you that the Bible is not a book of rules, but a story about God and what He has done. She explains about the people in the Bible, who we can look at today as heroes, but in their day, they were just regular people, making mistakes and fumbling around just like us to love and follow God. She explains that all of this, all of these stories, these lives, are telling the story that has a center, Jesus.
She begins with creation, with God speaking everything into existence, leading into the dream of his heart, Adam and Eve. She writes, “You look like me,” he said, “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever made!”
She talks about the deception and the fall. She tells about Noah and the Ark, the tower of Babel, Moses and the plagues, never once leaving you feeling like you have missed a part of this amazing story. She tells about the annointing of King David, his battle with Goliath, about the mission of the prophet Isaiah, and then she tells about the promise of Jesus coming. Every single story leads to the next, building your excitement and reminding you how much God loves you.
From the angel, Gabriel, appearing to Mary and Jesus’ birth, the shepherds, and the wisemen, you see all of his plan coming together. She paints pictures of Jesus calming the storm with a, “Hush,” and others of the parables he told. She tells about the day that the sun stopped shining, the day that Jesus died on the cross. And then how he ascended from the grave and then walked with his people for days afterwards. She tells about Saul becoming Paul, and continues through Revelation.
Do I recommend the Jesus Storybook Bible to everyone I have ever spoken to??
That is a big, huge YES from me. Between Wade and I and our church, I cannot even count the number that we have given away. We keep them on hand to giveaway at Element. We give them to every single baby who we dedicate. I have even grabbed them off of our Connections table to give to anyone who asks me where to start reading the Bible, no matter how old the person.
I am a strong believer that if we don’t understand how much God loves us, we will never be able to see ourselves through the lens of his amazing love. This book tells you over and over again about the love of God, all while leading the way through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, helping us to see Jesus in all of it.
So, whether you are a mama of littles reading this to your sweets or you are a 45 year old woman who just needs to know how crazy about you the God of this universe is, you need this book. They even re-covered and re-titled it a couple of years ago so that if you feel like you are too mature for the “storybook” you can buy it under the title, “The Story of God’s Love For You,” but you are going to miss out on some great pictures!! (Go for the original, just do it!! Don’t be too mature, it’s not any fun at all!!)
But it now on Amazon