Are you looking for a way to get your child interested in reading the Bible? The Action Bible may be just the solution for you!
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Earlier this year, Apollo started getting very interested in reading the Bible himself. I started scouring the internet for a Bible that would be a good fit for him. The big problem with kids and Bibles is 1) small print and 2) thin pages. I ended up buying two Bibles off of Amazon, but both proved to be a bit beyond what he was ready for. I read him a few chapters, but both had small print and they weren’t something he picked up to read on his own.
The Action Bible Extended Edition
A couple of months ago I saw the Action Bible on Timberdoodle’s website and was thrilled to have the opportunity to review it (I do not get paid for these reviews and all opinions are my own…and Apollo’s).
The Action Bible is a graphic novel-style rendition of over 230 Bible stories. The graphic novel style means a child *ahem, Apollo* can reasonably read this book and get an incredible overview of the Bible as a whole. At age 11, even if Apollo were to read the Bible cover to cover, there is a lot he wouldn’t understand (and he has definitely be held up by all of the “begets”. The Action Bible gives him a way to see the Bible as one long, epic battle of good vs. evil and the redemption of mankind.
The Action Bible tells over 230 stories directly from the Bible. This book is a massive 832 pages long, but because of the beautiful graphics, the size isn’t intimidating at all. Each story is 2-6 pages long and can be read in just a few minutes. We usually read 3-4 stories before bedtime each night.
The Bible story book has a sturdy hardcover and thick glossy pages. The binding of this book is sewn rather than glued for added durability.
Action Bible Quick Facts
Reading level: Ages 9 and up
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 832
Publisher: David C. Cook
Illustrator: Sergio Cariello
Copyright: September 1, 2020
Language: English
Price: The Action Bible is priced at $29.99 but is on sale for $14.99 on the Timberdoodle website right now!
The Action Bible Pros and Cons
Pros:
The Action Bible lists the reference to each story just under the title. This means if Apollo wants to read the story in the Bible looking for more clarification or details, it is easy to find the text in the Bible.
The graphics are well done and quality-wise compares to other graphic novels. Let me just say I am not a fan of those goofy comic book style Bible stories with the giant eyeballs (please tell me you know what I’m talking about). I don’t think we should make jesus look silly or cartoonish.
The stories are told in ways that are interesting and exciting. One thing the Action Bible will not do is bore your child. No lengthy paragraphs or pages of text. Every single page is filled with vivid illustrations and bright colors. If you child already enjoys graphic novels (which Apollo does) they will love this book.
The Action Bible has clear, easy to understand table of contents in the front so you can find exactly what you are looking for.
The back of the Action Bible has an index you can use to look up stories in specific books of the Bible. This is really useful if you are studying a specific book of the Bible or to use along side a Bible study with your children.
Cons:
This is not a Bible, but a telling of hundreds of Bible stories. If you are looking for an actual Bible for your child, this isn’t it (but keep reading, I link to a couple down below).
A lack of ethnic diversity. My biggest complaint about this Bible storybook is that there is not much ethnic diversity in the characters. While the Bible characters aren’t blonde-haired and blue-eyed, they also don’t look Middle Eastern, Egyptian, or African.
Overall, I like the Action Bible, and more than that I am thrilled that it has sparked an even greater interest in the Bible for Apollo. More than once we have had questions and wanted to know more, so we have looked up and read the story from the actual Bible.
Action Bible FAQ’s
Is the Action Bible a good Bible?
The Action Bible is not an actual Bible, but rather a collection of Bible stories. The good news is, if you are looking for an actual Bible, the publisher has published several study Bibles (linked below).
What version of the Bible is the Action Bible?
The Action Bible is not a Bible but a collection of Bible Stories. You can however purchase
Does the Action Bible include the New Testament?
Yes, the Action Bible includes the New Testament.
Does the Action Bible include Revelation?
The Action Bible includes two pages (pictured above) from the book of Revelation.
Bibles for Kids and Other Resources
The Action Bible Coloring Book
Be sure and check out The Action Bible on Timberdoodle’s website and take a look at their other amazing Bible resources!
Like you, I really dislike the cartoonish renderings of Jesus and other biblical figures. The Action Bible artist finds a good balance of expressing emotions and drama while still being respectful. This book really expanded my sons’ knowledge of the Bible and its amazing stories, and was a good springboard for actual Bible reading and studying as they grew older. I discovered they were more knowledgeable than many of their peers when it came to Scripture.
This looks so intriguing! Like an update to The Adventure Bible that my kids used when they were Apollo’s age. I’m very tempted to buy it and I don’t even have kids this age! But I am definitely going to suggest it to my Sunday School kids’ parents.