The Big Picture Story Bible (Book with CD) [Hardcover]

David R. Helm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 18, 2010 | Age Range: 2 and up | Lexile Measure: 590L (What's this?)

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 Helm and Gail Schoonmaker have together created a colorful book of Bible stories written especially for children ages 2–7. Rather than simply retelling portions of the Bible, this book presents the big picture—the unified story running through the Old and New Testaments. Twenty-six stories together form parts of this big picture.

Simply written and beautifully illustrated, this book teaches children the Bible’s whole story so they can begin to appreciate the fulfillment of God’s promise to his people. The Big Picture Story Bible is perfect for parents to read to their children and for older children to read on their own.

First published in 2004, The Big Picture Story Bible has been widely praised and used by parents. It now comes with an audio recording of the book, read by the author and presented on two CDs, one each for the Old and New Testaments. Great for Sunday school classes and trips in the car, children can listen to the text and follow along in the book.

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

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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.

Product Details

• Age Range: 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 456 pages
• Publisher: Crossway; Har/Com edition (November 18, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433523914
• ISBN-13: 978-1433523915
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 1.3 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Children's Books > Religions > Christianity > Bible
  • #42 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Children's & Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 117 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!

60 of 61 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.

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.