I jumped at the chance to receive this book for free from BookLook bloggers in return for my honest review. Isn't it cute? And of course biblical! Over the last few months Reuben and I have enjoyed reading through it. I would say it is perfect for the 2-6 age range, with lots of detailed pictures and good prose. The stories are short, and they do gloss over a lot of the "murder, death, blood and gore" that is in the bible. For example, in the story of Daniel and the Lions Den, they just say that the advisers that plotted to kill Daniel got "in trouble" after Daniel was rescued from the den. And in the story of Joseph with the coat of many colors, they don't go into how he was accused falsely of rape--only saying that he was in jail for a crime he did not commit. I guess that is one way of putting it. We adults know the stuff behind the words. We all know King Darius' advisers were thrown into the pit and devoured--a little bit harsher than "trouble"! But perhaps not something you want to tell a two year old, yet? Yet it does seem a bit "too watered down" at least from my perspective. I know that there are some unpleasant things in the bible, and I know it must be age appropriate--but I think Reuben can handle most of it already. I think it is important to God's redemptive story not to remove so much of the hard things, but rather give your child the full truth (when they are ready) and talk them through it.
What things did I like? I like the cute pictures, and the diverse people groups shown. I liked how each section was short and to the point, and the binding opens easily. I hate it when I can't lay a book flat, guys. Its a struggle as sometimes I am nursing a baby and reading a book at the same time. This book is able to be laid flat without the pages closing!
I have another children's bible: the Jesus Storybook Bible. I couldn't help but compare Tiny Truthss to my Jesus Storybook Bible. I like the Jesus Storybook Bible better, but it might just be because I owned that one since Reuben was born and we have been reading it for three years now. I can't exactly pinpoint why. It feels like the JSB is more "biblical", but I would have to read them together and I don't have time for that. I know the JSB doesn't gloss over as much of the blood and gore as Tiny Truths does.
However, we are thrilled to get it and I will be keeping it in our home library just for further reading with Reuben. He loved it! If anything, it opens the door to conversations and I find myself picking up my bible and reading the original version.
