Illustrated Bibles

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MrsAngelala

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We received/purchased a few children’s Bibles and books of saints before our daughter was born. Now that she’s a few months old and I’m reading them to her, I’m disappointed. Some of the illustrations are nice(ish), but all of them dumb down the stories and minimize or eliminate any unpleasantness or struggle. Even as a small child she’s going to encounter these things, if only in herself, and I don’t want her to grow up believing the Bible is unrelated to her lived experience. Our religious ed director (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) also says that children should read the actual Bible.

Are there any Bibles out there that tell the real stories, but include beautiful illustrations that can capture and hold a child’s attention?

With the saints’ books, I’m left feeling like I’ll have to research each and every saint myself to fill out the stories so I can give her any sense that these were real people. I didn’t buy these books so I could shoulder an enormous research project. I bought them so I could read them to her. Any saints’ books with real stories (not dumbed-down, not sanitized) and also beautiful illustrations would be appreciated, as well.
 
They’re not most people’s idea of “beautiful,” but are you familiar with Gustave Doré’s Bible illustrations? Here are two of them, David & Goliath and the Cleansing of the Temple. I don’t think anyone publishes a Bible with these illustrations now, but there’s a large-format book with just the engravings, all 240 of them.

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The Bible illustrates the human condition. That is a bit challenging to present to a young child without “dumbing it down.”
 
With all due respect, your daughter is “a few months old” according to your post. It is literally years before she will be able to comprehend “the actual Bible” and apply it to her own life, even if you read it to her rather than her reading it on her own.

Most parents do not want their very young children reading stories of gory martyrdoms or watching “Passion of the Christ”. Nor are very young children going to understand the psychological struggles saints went through with things like doubt and chastity. Hence, sanitized versions that are on a level children can absorb. It’s possible for instance to talk about how St. Joan of Arc was a brave young girl who, directed by God, led an army to save her country, without having to explain to a 4-year-old that she was set on fire.

I really think this issue can be set aside at least until your child is past preschool age, at which time I’m sure you can find an adult Bible with nice illustrations and read some of it daily as a family.
 
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Ooo, that approach hadn’t occurred to me! Thank you! I’m not sure I’ll necessarily go with that particular artist, but I’m sure there must be books of art that correspond with Bible stories. Thanks again.
 
@ThomasMT and @Tis_Bearself, thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut. However, neither of you addressed my request, which was for recommendations of Bibles and saint books that have the real stories and also good illustrations. If you have any, I’d love to hear them.
 
Oh, that’s interesting. Thank you. It looks like it might be a little more teaching-oriented than story-time, but I’m going to get a copy and take a look. Maybe it will work now, and at the very least it will be there when it’s time to start teaching more formally!
 
If you really want a recommendation, I loved the Arch Books series on Bible heroes and saints when I was a young child. They have been updated a few times since then. I had several, one was on Noah, one was the Good Samaritan story, one was on Simeon from the Presentation, and one was Jonah and the whale. They were all true to Scripture but told in a style for kids with great illustrations.

Edited to add, here’s a place that sells them so you can see what I mean
https://www.christianbook.com/Chris...MIsMjl4v2f6gIVi4zICh0d7AevEAAYASAAEgLty_D_BwE
 
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Thank you!! Bonus that it’s inexpensive to purchase one of those to check it out. 🙂
 
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