The Children's Book of Faith [Hardcover]

William J. Bennett (Editor), Michael Hague (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2000 | Grade Level: K and up

A wonderful inspirational treasury of beloved prayers, stories, hymns, Bible
passages, and more--collected in a beautifully illustrated hardcover edition destined to become a classic. A must-have for every family!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Timeless biblical stories are lovingly brought to a child's level in this read-aloud treasury. Editor William Bennett (The Children's Book of Virtues) starts with "Daniel in the Lion's Den," a story that epitomizes the courage it takes to stand firm in one's faith. While he also includes the story of "The Little Lost Lamb" (based on Luke 15: 3-7), Bennett is broad-minded enough to include numerous other stories that touch upon the meaning of faith without being biblical in origin. For instance, young readers will be exposed to great writers such as Leo Tolstoy in the short story "Where Love Is, God Is" and Oscar Wilde in "The Selfish Giant." Although the old-fashioned style of illustrations will no doubt feel nostalgic for some, they are also a throwback to a time when white folks were the only people represented in children's Christian literature. Even Moses has light skin. One of the few characters to actually have color in his face is the bald, brown-skinned devil. A shameful lapse in an otherwise noble attempt.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-This is a m?lange of Bible stories (Daniel, Samuel), prayers, poems, Scripture passages, saintly legends (Christopher, Martin of Tours), biographical material (on Clara Barton, Louis Braille, John Newton), classic writings (by Leo Tolstoy, Hans Christian Andersen, Robert Browning, Oscar Wilde), and patriotic quotations (from Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson). It has almost all familiar material, often retold in clear, basic language. Its purpose, to quote from the introduction, is "to help youngsters learn that we all belong to the Almighty, and that we must strive to live in ways that glorify him." The emphasis is Christian. Organization is nonexistent; all of the different genres are mixed together, with no information as to their origins or if they're based on fact or original stories. The material is presented in a large format with well-spaced type and illustrated with full-color paintings of all sizes, which give interest and drama to the text. However, they have an old-fashioned look that often resembles 1950s' Sunday-school tracts. While some homes and church libraries may want this, most school and public libraries have all of these selections in more attractive, better organized sources.
Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 102 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers (October 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385327714
• ISBN-13: 978-0385327718
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #458,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FAITHFUL!, October 23, 2000

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Children's Book of Faith (Hardcover)

This beautiful, gently written and illustrated book will certainly appeal to all ages. It is a delightful presentation of Christianity and, I think, provides a gentle overview of Christian concepts. Young readers will especially appreciate the illustrations. This book is an excellent teaching tool and a good way to form conversations regarding to Christian faiths. It is a treasure and a wonderful part of any family. I really love this book.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Children's Book of Faith, November 30, 2005

By 

Miryam Shoresh (Adirondack Mountains, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Children's Book of Faith (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful anthology for all Christians. It keeps to the basics that we all agree on and includes prayers, poems, Bible stories, stories of Catholic and of Protestant heroes of the Christian faith and stories which encourage the development of morals. There are delightfully drawn pictures on every page. While preschoolers and kindergartners will enjoy some of these stories, others may take until children are in 6th grade before they understand the world enough to fully get all that can be gotten of stories they may enjoy with a simpler understanding at an earlier age. As you can tell from other reader reviews, even adults will find it an enjoyable and challenging book. I think that if you get it early enough, that it will be a book that children will grow into and love throughout the years.
According to the book jacket, the editor, "William Bennett served as secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Reagan and as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Bush. ... and co-chairs the Partnership for a Drug-Free America." I think that indicates his motivation for writing this book and deciding what he would include in it. As he states in his introduction, "In a world that often seems full of woe, faith produces an astounding amount of good. It is the rock on which so many virtues are founded: honesty, courage, generosity, hard work, responsibility, and self-control. It is a call to kindness, decency, forgiveness, and love. Faith keeps us from drifting by anchoring sour sense of right and wrong. It lifts each person outside himself and offers a larger sense of purpose as we journey through life.... In these pages, we find examples of people who draw strength from above, trusting in God to help them in the large and small tasks of life. We witness them living in readiness to answer God's call and standing steadfast in their devotion to him. By reading and talking about faith, parents help children learn that God loves them, that he cares about what they do, that he has created them for goodness. ... I hope ... this book aids parents in that task and speaks to children as creatures of God who are beginning a spiritual journey."
The chapters in this book include:
Daniel in the Lion's Den
What God Hath Promised
Where Love Is, God Is
The Captain's Daughter
In the Uttermost Parts of the Sea
The Legend of Saint Christopher
Morning Prayers
The Healing of the Paralytic
The Call of Samuel
The Boy and the Angel
The Little Lost Lamb
The Twenty-third Psalm
The Selfish Giant
Babushka
Prayers of Thanks
Ben Franklin's Reminder
Advice from Thomas Jefferson
The Story of "Amazing Grace"
"Amazing Grace" (the song)
The Angel of the Battlefield
A Light to Guide Us
The Boy Who Brought Light Into a World of Darkness
Saint Martin's Cloak
Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace
Miriam and the Floating Basket
He Will Hear
The Seed
The Story of Hanukkah
Why the Chimes Rang
My Gift
Loving Jesus
The Lord's Prayer
Bedtime Prayers
Saint Augustine's Walk by the Sea

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enlightning, October 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Children's Book of Faith (Hardcover)

This is one of the great books for children. Besides being entertaining it is educative as well. It works towards improving ones knowledge and faith. This book is a must read and should be there in every family.Some of the chapters are just great and personaly I just loved the book