The Big Picture Story Bible [Hardcover]

David R. Helm (Author), Gail Schoonmaker (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2004 | Age Range: 4 and up

No child is too young to begin learning about the greatest love story of all-God's love for his people, as portrayed in the Bible. David R. Helm and Gail Schoonmaker collaborate to create a beautifully illustrated book of Bible stories especially for children, written with simplicity. Rather than simply retelling the most familiar short scenes from the Bible, this book presents the "big picture"-the unified story running through the Old and New Testaments. This delightful book will help children learn the Bible's whole story and begin to appreciate the fulfillment of God's promise to his people.

The Big Picture Bible Story Book is perfect for parents to read to their children, and eventually, for children to read on their own. It is an excellent way to introduce them to a book that will guide them through all of life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A powerfully done, relevant book for parents to teach their children about. Buy this book and use it with your children.”
—Dennis Rainey, President, FamilyLife

“Christians parents looking for a Bible story book they can trust will welcome The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm and Gayle Schoonmaker. The biblical story is told well and in a way that will compel the attention of children. Parents, grandparents, and others will see this book as a friend as they teach their children the things of God.”
—R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

About the Author

DAVID HELM is senior pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Chicago. He is coauthor of The Genesis Factor and father of five.

GAIL SCHOONMAKER is an experienced artist who illustrated Noël Piper’s Do You Want a Friend? She lives in Chicago’s Hyde Park with her husband. Together they have four children.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 456 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books (September 17, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581342772
• ISBN-13: 978-1581342772
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 1.1 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #580,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

121 of 122 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a Children's Bible that is Christ-Centered! March 18, 2005

By Alicia Marie Swanson

Format:Hardcover

Among chidlren's bibles, this one stands in a league all its own. Helm refuses to treat the bible as a collection of disconnected stories whose main purpose is to get kids to "be good little boys and girls". Instead He lets the bible be what it is meant to be: the unfolding and often messy story of the creator's plan to rescue this rebellious world and bring it back under the rule of it's rightful king. He masterfully pays attention to the details of the biblical narratives, but always connects it to God's promise to bring blessing to the world through Israel, and finally and completely through Jesus. He writes at a level that is simple and accessible to small children and yet theologically informed. The illustrations are done with excellence and in a way that is appealing to small children. My advice: Toss all your moralistic, theologcially weak children's bibles in the recycling bin and buy this one!

62 of 63 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Gospel for Children (a.k.a Biblical Theology light) June 28, 2006

By Scott Kimbrough

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

How does one start a review of a book like the Bible? How does one review a book written by one's pastor and friend? Well, I can tell you that I am unashamedly proud of this book and wholeheartedly recommend it to ALL.

First and most important of all, this is a very fair and generous rendering of the Bible. This book contains all the key episodes of the biblical narrative from Genesis to Revelation (and more), as others have said. Second, it is a book that is easily and enthusiastically embraced by children. Third, while many children's Bibles, like much Sunday School curriculum, take a biblical story and apply it as a moral lesson, the art, language and layout of this book remarkably captures the THEOLOGY of the Bible in a Christ-centered, Gospel-centered, and redemptively-centered way which is such a much better way of teaching children the message of Scripture.

What's that mean? Well for classical Protestants and even Catholics, that's the way that the Church has read Scripture for thousands of years. In the Old Testament, the themes about God's people, God's covenant, God's King and Kingdom, (namely, God's plan of salvation for the world), emerge in a promisory, national, prophetic and shadowy way. In the New Testament the themes, promises, hopes and plans of God come to their climactic and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. This is how our Bible as a story fits together in a coherent and exciting whole.

Remember when you first really grasped that? For me it was as an adult. I looked back at my art work from Sunday School and found crosses glued together, pictures of Noah and the Arky and that sort of thing.... Imagine for a moment what it would be like if we had learned at a young age to undestand the Bible as a story about God's plan of salvation, involving God's people, under God's king and how Noah, Abraham, Moses, Israel, David, the Prophets and all the rest fit into that wonderful plan!? And even more, how Jesus is the glorious Savior who brings all of God's purposes for humanity and the world to their proper end!?

What's so remarkable about this book is that the author (David Helm) and the illustrator (Gayle Schoonmaker) do an excellent job of using good language and good artistic perspective to grasp what the Bible is all about. There are repetitive kinds of pictures in the Bible, from a "God's eye view," when there are repetitive events in Scripture - like when the patriarchs enter and leave the land of Canaan, and when Israel enters and is expelled from the promised land, and when Jesus Christ enters and leaves Judah. As such, they are capturing artistically what is typologically happening as the narrative of Scripture unfolds. Another illustrative example would be the similarity in artistic rendering of the 12 children of Israel and the 12 apostles. Where we as adults have come to correctly understand links in the chain of God's redemptive purposes - these authors have created theologically accurate visual representations of these themes for children. It's remarkable! And what's more, the God's eye perspective really helps visually emphasize God's plan, design and reign over all these events.

And here's a little bonus. This book is great for adults too.

Five stars. There is no better resource for children available. Now if we can only see to it that it gets the widest possible distribution and acceptance. Read more ›

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Biblical Overview for Kids August 19, 2005

By Anthony Kummer

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This God-centered story Bible brings out the unifying themes of scripture. One might call it Biblical Theology for Kids. The author presents the stories as moving toward the goal of redemptive history: God's people in God's place under God's rule. The influence of the biblical-theological of Grahme Goldsworthy is noted. I am using with my son David who is four. We can cover several sections each evening, allowing time to discuss the themes in each story. I have also read it two special education boys (3rd and 4th grades) who I work with. They can read along with only minimal help with words like sacrifice, Nicodemus and steadfast. Reading with the boys it took about ninety minutes to read straight through. This book is heavily illustrated and is primarily a retelling of the stories. It should not be confused with a Children's Bible. However, it is idea for a beginner's story Bible. The author has provided an essential overview of biblical history in story Bible format. This could be used as a primer and review during story time. Then after reading a story read a corresponding chapter during family devotions. It would also be useful for older children and adults who need to see the Big Picture of the Bible.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illustrations, theologically deep July 13, 2005

By Grace

Format:Hardcover

This is the first story Bible I have seen that brings the whole Bible together into one "big story" instead of lots of separate ones. The theme of the kingship of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation was both refreshing and provocative. I was happy to see some key Bible verses paraphrased throughout. Although a few details of familiar Bible stories were left out, it did, in fact, really focus on the bigger message. As you move through this book, the spiritual themes become more complex. The spiritual depth of the lessons could be greater than the spiritual capacity of very young children, but the colorful and expressive illustrations are instructive on their own. I would sum up the "big picture" as One God, one promise maker and promise keeper, One King, One Sacrifice, One Savior. One great book!

78 of 93 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Wish I could say I loved this . . . August 19, 2009

By S. Warren

Format:Hardcover

I really, really wanted to like this children's Bible. After reading all of the good reviews, I was so excited to get it for my young son. And granted, he doesn't mind it (though he also seems to find the writing and pictures a bit dark; constantly pointing and saying "uh-oh!" as I read it because there were so many pictures of upset people.) AND I like how this Bible connects the Old Testament with the new. Explains how the New Covenant was revealed in the old. However . . . I wouldn't recommend this Bible to children. It omits too much of the main story of Jesus.

Anyway, on to why I don't recommend this Bible:
1)On only one page (p. 249) in the ENTIRE BIBLE does it list Mary and Joseph's name. Mary's twice. Joseph's once. It doesn't ever mention the Annunciation and it speaks of Mary and Joseph as Jesus' parents. Yes, Joseph was Jesus' earthly father but he was not his biological father. I don't know exactly how a Children's Bible might explain that Mary was a Virgin, etc. but this book doesn't ever state that GOD is Jesus' father. It specifically states, "God had told Mary and Joseph that their baby was the one promised long ago." It doesn't imply the mystery and miracle that Jesus' birth actually was.
2)It completely ignores most of the miracles of Jesus, including his first miracle at the wedding of Cana. The only miracles it touches upon is making the blind man see and raising Lazarus from the dead. What about the loaves and fishes? I know that was my favorite when I was a little girl.
3) It NEVER mentions the Last Supper. Ever.
4) It makes irrelevant statements and presuppositions about Pilate. Look, Pilate was not a nice guy, but, according to the Bible, he let the people decide and then physically washed his hands of it.... Instead, this Bible states, "Pilate decided to have Jesus killed. He looked out only for himself." WHAT??!! Come on. And how come Pilate is discussed for several pages with several references to him, but yet Mary is only mentioned once? And the apostles aren't named ever (except a brief reference to Peter, Paul and John, by name, at the very end.) It doesn't seem like the right people are focused on.

For me, the focus of Christianity, and the Bible is the Trinity and how God fulfilled his promises to his people through Jesus, his son. I do like how this Bible expressly shows how Jesus fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament, however there is just too much of Jesus' life, miracles and teachings omitted in this Bible for me to use it often. I'm still on the lookout for the perfect children's Bible, but in the meantime we're enjoying reading "The Miracles of Jesus" by Tomie de Paola, "The Easter Story" by Patricia Pingry and "Beatitudes for Children" by Rosemarie Gortler, among others. Read more ›