The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible is one of the newest storybook Bibles available to purchase from Zonderkidz Publisher and is now available in a Deluxe Edition with an audio CD. Part of the Living Lights series, this book uses the Berenstain characters “to help children learn how God wants them to live every day.”
The major difference between this storybook Bible and the others that I have reviewed is that all of the characters are bears. In looking through the first pages of Creation, seeing a “bear” Adam and a “bear” Eve caught me off guard. Similar, seeing Jesus represented as a bear took some getting use to. The illustrations are typical for Berenstain Bear books except the colors are softer than I have grown to expect. Interestingly, the illustrations for the wise men visiting Jesus show Jesus as a toddler. (Bible scholars believe this is much more accurate than our typical manger scenes.)
Thirteen Old Testament and ten New Testament stories make up this Bible. Also included is a short introduction and closer showing Papa Bear reading the stories to the bear cubs. These makes it seem to be one book instead of several separate stories.
Each of the stories begin with a title and scripture reference. Descriptive words are added into the stories so that they read more story-like. I felt like this storybook Bible did a great job of balancing the true scripture yet making it understandable to younger children.
The Audio Cd contains the 25 stories including an introduction and closing. In contrast with the other the other audio Cd’s which I have reviewed with children’s Bibles, the Berenstain Bear Cd uses a female to voice the stories.
We use Bible audio Cd’s for nap time. The kiddos listen while resting
or reading. It is amazing how many of the stories they can quote back.
Thank you to Zonderkidz for allowing me to review this Bible.
