The Deep Blue Children’s Bible series is one of so many options out there. It’s easy to feel unsure which is best for your bookshelf. So, we’ve compiled our thoughts in this blog series of some of today’s most popular children’s Bibles. Once you find your fave, check out our post on ways of reading scripture with your child. And share what resources you love in the comments below!
What’s in the Deep Blue Children’s Bible Series?
The Deep Blue Children’s Bible series is made up of four distinct resources. First, the Deep Blue Toddler Bible Storybook introduces toddlers to a selection of core biblical stories.
Second, the Deep Blue Bible Storybook offers children ages 3-6 more detailed versions of those stories and exposure to some new ones.
Third, the Deep Blue Kids Bible (not pictured) delves even more deeply and broadly with children ages 7-11.
Fourth, the Deep Blue Kids Bible Dictionary defines for children ages 7-12 a wide range of biblical terms. However, I can see it being helpful also for younger children and adults, too.
Shared Qualities Across the Series
Our other Bible reviews have focused on one product. However, this review will focus on the Deep Blue Children’s Bible series. So, I’ll give a more general overview of the elements you can expect when purchasing any or all of the series resources.
A Closer Look
There’s no perfect choice for all children everywhere or even for your own child. Each children’s Bible is a mix of aspects to love as well as those that invite palm to forehead moments. In this series of reviews, we’ll always include what we think to be the pros and cons. And we’ll end with whether or not we’d recommend it to our friends.
So, let’s dive in and take a closer look at the Deep Blue Children’s Bible series.
Pros of the Deep Blue Children’s Bible Series
Nameplate Included: Each Bible includes a nameplate page. This makes each great for gifting the bible to a child. A parent, children’s director, teacher, or family member would appreciate this.
Appropriately Illustrated Characters: Figures are shown with olive skin and dark hair, honoring the Bible’s Middle Eastern context.
Same Characters between Bibles: The same four children appear in each of the three Bibles, though they age along with the reader.
Table of Contents Included: Tables of contents are in all but the Deep Blue Toddler Bible Storybook. This makes for easy reference, especially if a child has favorites they like to return to repeatedly.
Scripture References Included: The associated scripture is listed in the table of contents and at the start of each story. This helps parents and children learn where to find the biblical text they’re reading about.
Interactive Elements Included: The three Bibles include age-appropriate interactive elements. For example, the Deep Blue Toddler Bible Storybook includes a prayer at the end of each story. The Deep Blue Bible Storybook includes a question with each story along, a prayers and songs section, and an intro for children, and tips for adults beginning each book of the Bible. The Deep Blue Kids Bible includes commentary, devotionals, and Bible trivia.
Digestible Story Length: The stories’ lengths are age-appropriate. This aspect makes it easy to hold the attention of readers and listeners at any age.
Classic Stories Included: The three Bibles include the classic stories you’d hope to see. Each consecutive Bible includes more of them. This progressively exposes children to the foundational texts of the faith.
Non-Gendered Language: Throughout the stories, the author refers to the Divine as God, neither male nor female. Children can then imagine God more expansively and are more likely to understand that, no matter their gender, they are made in God’s image.
Appropriate Font Size: The font size is scaled in size to the age of the reader the Bible is designed for. This makes it easy for them to stay motivated and focused on the story.
Questions Included: At the end of each story, there is a question for children to explore. These neither moralize nor editorialize the story but simply invite participation.
Bible Dictionary Available: The Bible dictionary defines hundreds of terms and offers dozens of other special features to offer children more understanding of context and content.
Cons of the Deep Blue Children’s Bible Series
Repetitive Illustrations: The depictions of characters and animals are repetitive. This makes for somewhat uninteresting illustrations. For example, the giraffe from one page to the next is the same copy and pasted illustration. This is true for animals, Jesus’, and the disciples’ faces. From an aesthetic perspective, this aspect makes the product seem lower quality.
Table of Contents Lacking in Toddler Bible: This is, of course, the shortest of the three Bibles. However, it would still be nice for parents to have that for even easier reading.
Conclusion
Children’s Bibles are all different, each with good qualities. Deep Blue, as a series, has a lot going for it. The pros for this review far outweigh the cons. For that reason, we’d highly recommend this series to our friends for use in the home and the church. It’s fantastic.
We hope this review has been helpful and has given some food for thought. Share what children’s Bibles you have and love in the comments below!
Leave a Reply