As a Dad with 6 kids I am always trying to get an edge with solid biblical material for my kids. Over the years I’ve found that solid biblical content paired with creative art seems to work very well. My kids stare at the pictures and listen. The most helpful content puts complex things in a simple, kid-friendly way without biblical compromise. When I heard that Kevin DeYoung was writing a children’s book I was eager to order The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings us Back to the Garden.
Upon receiving it I let the kids (6 & 4) know that a package came for them. They tore it open and began looking at the pictures. One thing you will notice right away with this book is the artwork. The illustrator, Don Clark, did an outstanding job. As you look at the pictures you will see that his brush strokes are theologically intentional. It is a fantastic auxiliary to the written content.
I started at the beginning and kept reading. The chapters are brief but chock-full of content. DeYoung is telling the story of redemption through the biblical narratives. He emphasizes and reemphasize key themes and concepts to prepare the children for the coming of Christ. I asked my kids, “Where did we see this before?” And they answered, “In the Garden when they sinned.” Exactly right. The arrangement of the narratives are intentional to showcase these key themes and prepare the reader to truly see the beauty of Christ unwrapped from his Old Testament shadows.
The book is an obvious win for children, but there was another age group I wanted to deploy it on. Before bed one night I asked my 11 and 13 year-old daughters to read a few chapters to each other. They reluctantly but obediently took the book and did as I said. The next day I asked how the book was. One of them said, “You know this is a children’s book, right Dad?” I said, “I do. But why do I want you to read it?” The other daughter said, “It’s all connected. It shows how the gospel is shown in the Old Testament.” These girls read their Bibles, go to Sunday school, and get the answers right around the table—however, I wanted them to be exposed to the creativity and clarity of the book.
I really like the book and rejoice that biblical theology is making a comeback not only in academic books but also in resources for young people. Would that we would all see the Bible as “all connected” with the snake crusher bringing us back to the garden!
You can pick up a discounted copy of The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings us Back to the Garden at Amazon or Westminster Books.
