These book and Bible translations have been reviewed by a group of seasoned children's ministers, led by Melanie C. Gordon, Director of Ministry With Children for Discipleship Ministries.
DOWNLOAD the full Books and Bibles list [PDF]
Bibles for Children
Spark Story Bible - Storybook for toddlers through early readers
The International Children’s Bible – Translation that children can read and understand independently
The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories – Bible stories for families to read together
Contemporary English Version of the Holy Bible – Translated on a third- to fifth-grade level
Deep Blue Bible - Common English translation on a fifth-grade level
New Revised Standard Version – Translation appropriate for higher level readers and for reading along with an adult
Baby Bible by Sarah Toulmin
A First Bible Story Book by Mary Hoffman
Children of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Classic Bible Stories for Little Children by Louie Stowell
The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Family Story Bible by Ralph Milton
Biblical Foundations
At Break of Day by Nikki Grimes
God Created by Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones
Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden by Jane Ray
Noah’s Ark by Jerry Pinkney
The Ark by Matthew Reinhart (pop-up book)
Joseph by Brian Wildsmith
The Moses Basket by Jenny Koralek
Exodus by Brian Wildsmith
Psalms for Young Children by Marie-Hélène Delval
Let’s Make a Joyful Noise: Celebrating Psalm 100 by Karma Wilson
Psalm Twenty-Three by Tim Ladwig
The Day When God Made Church by Rebekah McLeod Hutto
Jonah and the Big Fish by Sekiya Miyoshi
On Noah’s Ark by Jan Brett
Cain and Abel: Finding the Fruits of Peace by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
Star of Wonder by Leena Lane
The Friendly Beasts by John J. Blumen
The Nativity by Julie Vivas
Jesus, The Word by Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones
Jesus by Brian Wildsmith
The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith
Easter, Easter, Almost Here! by Kathleen Long Bostrom (board book)
The Colt and the King by Marni McGee
J is for Jesus: an Easter Alphabet and Activity Book by Debbie Trafton O’Neal
The Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
The Miracles of Jesus by Tomie dePaola
God’s Paintbrush by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
The Lord’s Prayer illustrated by Tim Ladwig
Morning Has Broken by Eleanor Farjeon
Tonight You Are My Baby: Mary’s Christmas Gift by Jeannine Q. Norris
Snuggle Time Psalms by Glenys Nellist
Sacraments
Water, Come Down! by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
Come, Touch the Water – A Storybook About Jesus’ Baptism by Daphna Flegal
Come Taste the Bread – A Storybook About the Lord’s Supper by Daphna Flegal
What Is Communion? By G. Lynnette Reed
What Is Baptism? By G. Lynnette Reed
Faith Formation and Spiritual Formation
Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco
Amos and Boris by William Steig
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
When Stories Fell Like Shooting Stars by Valiska Gregory
Looking for Angels by Valiska Gregory
Old Turtle by Douglas Wood
God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu (board book available)
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
In God’s Name by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
Jubilee by Ellen Yeomans
Where is God? by Lawrence and Karen Kushner (board book available)
My Spiritual Alphabet Book by Holly Bea
Good Night God by Holly Bea
Where Does God Live? By Holly Bea
Sleep in Peace by Ingrid Hess
I Wanted to Know All about God by Virginia Kroll
Miss Fannie’s Hat by Jan Karon
Saint Francis by Brian Wildsmith
Stories of the Saints by Joyce Denham
Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend by Julie Stiegemeyer
If Jesus Came to My House by Joan G. Thomas
Does God Have a Big Toe?: Stories About Stories in the Bible by Marc Gellman
First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac
In God’s Hands by Lawrence Kushner and Gary Schmidt
Because Nothing Looks Like God Lawrence Kushner
Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist
Stewardship
Amos and Boris by William Steig
Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World’s People by David J. Smith
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
Kiss For Little Bear Else Holmelund Minarik
Old Turtle by Douglas Wood
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
The Give-Away by Ray Buckley
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
3 Pandas Planting by Megan Halsey
Vegetable Dreams by Dawn Jeffers
Social Justice, Compassion, and Empathy
Oliver and Albert – Friends Forever by Jean Van Leeuwen
Our Big Home by Linda Glaser
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
Brown v. Board of Education: A Fight for Simple Justice by Susan Goldman Rubin
The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern
I’m Your Child, God: Prayers for Our Children by Marian Wright Edelman
Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh
Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen
The Story Of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
Loser by Jerry Spinelli
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams
Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman
Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Peace
Children of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Christmas Moccasins by Ray Buckley
Peace is an Offering by Annette LeBox
Cain and Abel by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
Granddad’s Prayers of the Earth by Douglas Wood
Peace Begins with You by Katherine Scholes
What Does Peace Feel Like? by Vladimir Radunsky
Adoption
The Red Blanket by Eliza Thomas
God Found Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis
We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families by Todd Parr
Creation
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
People by Peter Spier
God Created by Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones
The First Strawberries – A Cherokee Story retold by Joseph Bruchac
Because Nothing Looks Like God by Lawrence Kushner and Karen Kushner
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands by Kadir Nelson
Divorce
Fred Stays with Me! by Nancy Coffelt
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Something to Count On by Emily Moore
Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
Papa, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear: A Read-Together Book for Parents and Young Children During Divorce by Vicki Lansky
Mom’s House, Dad’s House for Kids: Feeling at Home in One House or Two by Isolina Ricci
Was It the Chocolate Pudding? A Story for Little Kids About Divorce by Sandra Levins and Bryan Langdo
Standing On My Own Two Feet: A Child’s Affirmation of Love in the Midst of Divorce by Tamara Schmitz
Grief, Loss, and Trauma
Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley
Water Bugs & Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children by Doris Stickney
The Memory Box by Mary Bahr
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia
Fred the Fox Shouts “No!” by Tatiana Y. Kisil Matthews
Feelings by Aliki
Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll by Franklyn M. Branley
Mom and the Polka-Dot Boo-Boo by Eileen Sutherland
Fire! Fire! by Gail Gibbons
Children Just Like Me by Anabel and Barnabas Kindersley
Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen
To Everything by Bob Barner
Jim’s Dog Muffins by Miriam Cohen
Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban
Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger
Humphrey’s Bear by Jan Wahl
The Tin Forest by Helen Ward
Hurricane by David Wiesner
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams
Intergenerational
Singing with Momma Lou by Linda Jacobs Altman
What’s Happening to Grandpa? by Maria Shriver
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau
The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
Gus and Grandpa by Claudia Mills, series of 10 books
Listen to Me by Barbara Neasi
Life's Lessons
Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
There Is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me by Alice Walker
A Child’s Book of Blessings compiled by Sabrina Dearborn
Military Families
My Red Balloon by Eve Bunting
While You Are Away by Eileen Spinelli
Parent, Child, Grandparent and Grand-pal
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
Papa, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
Joy! by Joyce Carol Thomas
My Grandma / Mi Abuelita by Ginger Foglesong Guy
I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt