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A Short Guide to the Bible: Exploring the Most Important Book You'll Ever Read
A short, simple guide to the Bible for kids 8+
Reading the Bible on your own can be intimidating. But it doesn't have to be! This short, simple guide will equip and inspire kids 8+ to explore God's word for themselves.
Explanations of how the Bible fits togetherBrief introductions to the various books and genresA timeline of the whole Bible story, showing the big pictureMapsInformation about key characters and a fact file about JesusDefinitions of key wordsThis attractive booklet will provide children aged 8+ with the basic knowledge they need in order to navigate the Bible and see that they can read and enjoy the Bible independently.
Reading the Bible on your own can be intimidating. But it doesn't have to be! This short, simple guide will equip and inspire kids 8+ to explore God's word for themselves.
Explanations of how the Bible fits togetherBrief introductions to the various books and genresA timeline of the whole Bible story, showing the big pictureMapsInformation about key characters and a fact file about JesusDefinitions of key wordsThis attractive booklet will provide children aged 8+ with the basic knowledge they need in order to navigate the Bible and see that they can read and enjoy the Bible independently.
32 pages
Published May 1, 2025
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Katy Morgan
13 books25 followersKaty Morgan is an Editor at The Good Book Company. She is a member of Chessington Evangelical Church in Surrey, UK, where she lives. She holds a master's degree in classical Greek literature, and previously worked in a ministry role as part of a school chaplaincy.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 5, 2025
This review contains affiliate links
I received A Short Guide to the Bible compliments of The Good Book Company in exchange for my honest review.
A Short Guide to the Bible is just that! It's a helpful resource for kids cultivating Bible literacy habits for the first time. This booklet contains hand drawn illustrations similar to infographics, making it a fun, captivating read. A Short Guide to the Bible explores how the Bible came to be, an overview of the story of redemption, and the literary genres of the Bible. It helps readers learn about various people mentioned in the Bible and has a few different Bible reading plans for those new to habitual Bible reading.
The pages Useful Bible Verses contain three columns of verses about various topics, and I love that the first two columns are verses about God. The third column includes verses that address various feelings Bible readers may have, and I love that the order of the verses indicates that reading the Bible is primarily for learning about God and then for applying it to our lives.
The booklet includes pages detailing who Jesus and God are. While the page about God does mention the Holy Spirit, I was a little disappointed to see that there was not an entire page dedicated to Him. In the section, A Very Helpful Habit, readers are encouraged to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help as they read the Bible, which was encouraging, but it would have been nice to see Him receive the same amount of attention as Jesus and God.
Despite this, this booklet is still a fabulous resource that receives my recommendation. This would be a great resource for distribution in children's ministry classes, especially amongst children who can read on their own. At just under $5, A Short Guide to the Bible is worth every penny.
I received A Short Guide to the Bible compliments of The Good Book Company in exchange for my honest review.
A Short Guide to the Bible is just that! It's a helpful resource for kids cultivating Bible literacy habits for the first time. This booklet contains hand drawn illustrations similar to infographics, making it a fun, captivating read. A Short Guide to the Bible explores how the Bible came to be, an overview of the story of redemption, and the literary genres of the Bible. It helps readers learn about various people mentioned in the Bible and has a few different Bible reading plans for those new to habitual Bible reading.
The pages Useful Bible Verses contain three columns of verses about various topics, and I love that the first two columns are verses about God. The third column includes verses that address various feelings Bible readers may have, and I love that the order of the verses indicates that reading the Bible is primarily for learning about God and then for applying it to our lives.
The booklet includes pages detailing who Jesus and God are. While the page about God does mention the Holy Spirit, I was a little disappointed to see that there was not an entire page dedicated to Him. In the section, A Very Helpful Habit, readers are encouraged to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help as they read the Bible, which was encouraging, but it would have been nice to see Him receive the same amount of attention as Jesus and God.
Despite this, this booklet is still a fabulous resource that receives my recommendation. This would be a great resource for distribution in children's ministry classes, especially amongst children who can read on their own. At just under $5, A Short Guide to the Bible is worth every penny.
April 27, 2025
This brief, staple-bound book introduces kids to the basics of reading and understanding the Bible. Each double page spread covers a different topic, such as finding your way around the Bible, understanding who Jesus is, and what the Old and New Testaments are about. The book also introduces some significant biblical figures, answers common questions, directs kids to particular Bible passages to learn more about something, and includes a timeline of the redemptive story throughout Scripture. Katy Morgan encourages kids to feel confident exploring the Bible on their own, and she assures them that it is okay to not understand everything yet.
This is a quick, easy read, and it can help kids better understand the Bible and know where to start, if they want to develop a personal Bible-reading habit. However, the font is sometimes extremely small. The small font size means that everything fits in the two-page layout for each section, but the downside of this is that less engaged readers are likely to skim past stuff without really reading it.
Also, there are a few cases where I thought the author's brevity worked against her. On the Bible dictionary page, she says about Jesus's sacrifice, "...If we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, we already have a perfect relationship with God the Father, and we don't need to do anything else." I agree with what she really means, which is that we don't have to do anything else to earn our salvation. However, the phrasing implies that you can't improve your relationship with God, and that you can just believe in Jesus and then live however you want. This sentence needed more nuance and explanation.
This is a helpful resource for kids who want to learn about the Bible, but who feel overwhelmed when they try to read it. This book can help kids understand and pursue reading the Bible for themselves, and it would be a nice gift for a child who has recently professed faith or been baptized. Also, because of its low price point and the option for bulk discounts from the publisher, this could also be a great giveaway for kids in a church class.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This is a quick, easy read, and it can help kids better understand the Bible and know where to start, if they want to develop a personal Bible-reading habit. However, the font is sometimes extremely small. The small font size means that everything fits in the two-page layout for each section, but the downside of this is that less engaged readers are likely to skim past stuff without really reading it.
Also, there are a few cases where I thought the author's brevity worked against her. On the Bible dictionary page, she says about Jesus's sacrifice, "...If we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, we already have a perfect relationship with God the Father, and we don't need to do anything else." I agree with what she really means, which is that we don't have to do anything else to earn our salvation. However, the phrasing implies that you can't improve your relationship with God, and that you can just believe in Jesus and then live however you want. This sentence needed more nuance and explanation.
This is a helpful resource for kids who want to learn about the Bible, but who feel overwhelmed when they try to read it. This book can help kids understand and pursue reading the Bible for themselves, and it would be a nice gift for a child who has recently professed faith or been baptized. Also, because of its low price point and the option for bulk discounts from the publisher, this could also be a great giveaway for kids in a church class.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
April 6, 2025
Where do you start when it comes to reading the Bible? How can you enjoy it while getting the most out of it? After all, “It’s huge, and the writing is tiny… And it all happened a very long time ago.”
A Short Guide to the Bible: Exploring the Most Important Book You’ll Ever Read by Katy Morgan with illustrations by Patrick Laurent, is here to help!
Wow, I wish I had something like this when I was little. I struggled with reading the Bible. I can’t tell you how many times I restarted Genesis, thinking this time I’ll get it. I also was a shy kid that didn’t like asking questions, so the Bible appeared massive, intimidating, and uncomprehensible. Having a guide that explained the simplest things (like how to find a verse), to the more complicated things (like the overall story of the Bible), would have made a huge impact on my approach to the Bible.
Morgan answers big questions in a clear and engaging way. Some topics include: What is God Like? How Did We Get the Bible? Useful Bible Verses. A Fact File on Jesus. A Bible Who’s Who. There are also maps, definitions, and a glance at the whole Bible as a timeline with books of the Bible and key people.
I love how this guide explains that it’s okay to not understand everything. Read a short chunk and ask yourself: “What am I learning about Jesus here?” Because that’s what really matters- knowing Jesus.
Overall, this short book presents the Bible in an approachable and understandable way that will give kids and adults the confidence to open their Bibles! This book is recommended for ages 8-12, but I think anyone new to the Bible, or still struggling with where to start, can benefit from this handy, information packed guide. The style, set-up, and look of this book is also fantastic as it helps draw you in to keep learning more! I know we'll be turning to this one again and again.
*I was sent a copy of this guide by The Good Book Company in exchange for my honest review.*
A Short Guide to the Bible: Exploring the Most Important Book You’ll Ever Read by Katy Morgan with illustrations by Patrick Laurent, is here to help!
Wow, I wish I had something like this when I was little. I struggled with reading the Bible. I can’t tell you how many times I restarted Genesis, thinking this time I’ll get it. I also was a shy kid that didn’t like asking questions, so the Bible appeared massive, intimidating, and uncomprehensible. Having a guide that explained the simplest things (like how to find a verse), to the more complicated things (like the overall story of the Bible), would have made a huge impact on my approach to the Bible.
Morgan answers big questions in a clear and engaging way. Some topics include: What is God Like? How Did We Get the Bible? Useful Bible Verses. A Fact File on Jesus. A Bible Who’s Who. There are also maps, definitions, and a glance at the whole Bible as a timeline with books of the Bible and key people.
I love how this guide explains that it’s okay to not understand everything. Read a short chunk and ask yourself: “What am I learning about Jesus here?” Because that’s what really matters- knowing Jesus.
Overall, this short book presents the Bible in an approachable and understandable way that will give kids and adults the confidence to open their Bibles! This book is recommended for ages 8-12, but I think anyone new to the Bible, or still struggling with where to start, can benefit from this handy, information packed guide. The style, set-up, and look of this book is also fantastic as it helps draw you in to keep learning more! I know we'll be turning to this one again and again.
*I was sent a copy of this guide by The Good Book Company in exchange for my honest review.*
April 25, 2025
A Short Guide to the Bible by Katy Morgan is a helpful and approachable book designed for young students—especially those around age 8 and up. It serves as a gentle introduction to the most important book they’ll ever read: the Bible.
Illustrated by Patrick Laurent, the book is filled with black-and-white drawings that kids can color in—making it interactive and fun while they learn.
Helping Kids Understand God’s Word
This guide equips kids to read and understand the Bible for themselves. It explains how the whole Bible fits together, gives short intros to each book and genre, and includes a clear timeline of the Bible’s story to show the big picture.
This book would make the perfect gift for young graduations and baptisms. Honestly, it’s the book I wish I had when I was a kid and wanted to dive in to God’s word!
I received a media copy of A Short Guide to the Bible and this is my honest review.
Illustrated by Patrick Laurent, the book is filled with black-and-white drawings that kids can color in—making it interactive and fun while they learn.
Helping Kids Understand God’s Word
This guide equips kids to read and understand the Bible for themselves. It explains how the whole Bible fits together, gives short intros to each book and genre, and includes a clear timeline of the Bible’s story to show the big picture.
This book would make the perfect gift for young graduations and baptisms. Honestly, it’s the book I wish I had when I was a kid and wanted to dive in to God’s word!
I received a media copy of A Short Guide to the Bible and this is my honest review.
May 24, 2025
I love how simple and practical this booklet is. A great resource for young children to teach them how the Bible is put together and how to approach reading it. It also highlights key information about who God is that is so important.
Thanks to The Good Book Company for a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to The Good Book Company for a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
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May 17, 2025A concise, beautifully illustrated & prayer-led intro book for all: small kids, new believers and overseers at church!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews