Books are the perfect Christmas gift. Does your little one like bugs? Look for books about bugs. Do you want your kids to read the Bible? Buy an age-appropriate one. Do you want to hold family devotions? Purchase a devotional that appeals to the whole family. Below are some new (and a few old) releases for children.
Share the Joy! A Christmas Lift-the-Flap Book by Valerie Ellis. With a focus on kindness and generosity, this interactive book celebrates all the wonderful things that bring us joy at Christmastime! Charming rhymes and vibrant illustrations will entice little readers to lift the flap to learn how to share the gift of Jesus’s birth with everyone (ages 0-4).
My Tender Heart Devotions by Laura Sassi. These short devotions are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Each reading includes a short poem, a connection to Jesus, a scripture, and a heart moment where the child can apply what he’s learned. If you want to introduce your little one to basic truths, these 52 Bible-based reflections were created for your family (ages 0-6).
Discovering Christmas by Amanda Jass. This 25-day devotional includes the nativity story, conversation prompts, prayers, and mess-free family activities. Each devotion is written in literal language that kids can understand and features winsome and diverse illustrations. Light a flame of hope in young hearts this Advent (ages 4-8).
Marvelously, Wonderfully Brown by Xochitl Dixon. This gorgeously illustrated book celebrates God’s creativity and combats lies that fuel prejudice. Kids will discover that God designed the perfect skin color for each of His beautifully diverse image-bearers, and He loves every spectacular shade of brown (ages 4-7).
The Compassion Storybook Bible. The authors highlight God’s kindness and compassion in 52 Bible stories. Each story shines a light on the theme of compassion, with God as the originator and provider of this much-needed lovingkindness. It is a tender book with future ramifications of gracious fruit (ages 5-10).
Go Bible is the complete Bible written in the New Living Translation (easy to read and understand). The book introductions and unique features condense complex topics and large amounts of text into small but potent, age-appropriate, kid-friendly concepts. I’m a BIG fan of the Go Bible (ages 5-10).
Moonlite Storytime: The Bible Story Collection. While not a physical book, this relatively new company blends technology with books. Think of the classic View-Master. The Moonlight projector projects each spread of a book on a wall using the light app on your phone. Fun sound effects are included with each book disk. The four stories in this collection are Christmas, Daniel in the Lions’ Den, Noah’s Ark, and Easter. Kids will think grandparents are cool with this gift!
Sally Cressman is the author of “The Dance of Easter.” She’s offering family conversation starters for the holidays when you sign up for her email list at www.sallycressman.com.
