Synopsis: There’s a wealth of life behind the stories of the Bible. Far more than just words on a page, they are stories of people, places, events and traditions. The Lion Read and Know Bible brings Bible stories and reference work into one to make an informative but very engaging non-fiction read.

Review: By coincidence, my school library was clearing out some dated RE books and asked me if I knew of an easy children’s Bible to buy. The next day, the review copy of The Lion Read and Know Bible arrived at my door and it seemed to fit the bill. Well loved Old and New Testament stories are told in a simple, but not patronising way by Sophie Piper. The word used by the publishers for its style is ‘conversational’. Although the poetic beauty of the Bible has been lost by paring down the prose, the flipside is that each story is clear, fresh and accessible. Full references are given, so that readers can look the stories up in the ‘adult Bible’ when they wish.

Anthony Lewis’s bright eye-catching drawings will also appeal to children. He has captured all the key moments that you would hope to see in a children’s Bible; the snake tempting Eve, the dove approaching the Ark with its olive leaf, the children of Israel walking through the Red Sea, John baptising Jesus, the Last Supper and the Crucifixion.

The book has one unique feature. As well as easy to read Bible stories, it includes information pages that help put the history into context. Children can therefore link the stories with the illustrated pages of information about nomads, prophets and priests, weddings and trades and crafts. My favourite information pages included the ones with priests busying themselves in the temple and the joyful depiction of a wedding. Illustrated maps, such as one of St Paul’s journeys, and diagrams also help children to understand the context of the stories. The publishers make the point that the miracle story of the Hole in the Roof – where a paralysed man is lowered through a hole in the roof to meet Jesus – would not make sense without children realising what homes looked like in biblical times.

I think this would be a useful book to have in a primary school or special school library, particularly because of the reference elements. The colourful, lively illustrations and its cheery style would draw many children to it. There are many other books that convey the spirituality of the Bible better but you cannot argue with the readability and accessibility of this version.

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2008-06-27