Children’s Book Review: The World of the Bible By Jill Rubalcaba

THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE
Biblical Stories and The Archaeology Behind Them

By: Jill Rubalcaba

Published: November 7, 2017

Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books

Non-Fiction/Religion/Reference

Are your children intimidated by reading the Bible, yet you still want them to know the stories and lessons from it? This book tells the important stories from the Bible like Noah and the Flood, Joseph’s Robe, Jesus Walking on Water, and The Good Samaritan in a condensed version based on the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Vivid and detailed illustrations and classical portraits fill the page along with the story to hold your child’s attention. There are also “Did You Know” bubbles on the pages to share other historical facts that go along with the story. The pages also reflect which Book of the Bible and chapter/verse this story came from in case you want to dig deeper into the story.

These brief versions of the stories offer the main points and the lesson God was trying to teach us…as in Jonah’s story (above) after disobeying God, his fellow sailors threw Jonah overboard to his death to stop the raging storm that God had created. Jonah was then swallowed by a whale just before he drowned. After three days, he was spat out onto dry land. The next time God asked Jonah to do something, he complied. This story from the book of Jonah can be found in Chapters 1-4. The “Did You Know” bubble offers factual information on Nineveh and the Hanging Gardens.

The other parts of the book share historical and archaeological finds related to stories from the Bible. Archaeologists in Israel found ancient beehives that uphold the truth of God commanding Moses to lead the Israelites to “the land of milk and honey”. Honey was in high demand in ancient times because it was used for medicine and as a sweetener. I had no idea jars of honey were also placed in tombs as part of a ritual to feed the dead in the afterlife. Many of the other archaeological finds shared in this book are just as fascinating.

As a mom who frequently read her children stories from the Bible and also taught Sunday School, this book would have been a wonderful resource to add more layers to the story. All of the information in this book has been reviewed by biblical scholars to make sure all the facts and details are up-to-date and accurate. This book is a bit larger than normal and the pages are heavyweight paper. It is well-written and full of details, much like any other National Geographic quality book would be. It would make a great addition to a church or homeschool library.

To purchase a copy of THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE, click the photo below:

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama’s regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children’s and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.

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Thanks to the publisher for providing copies of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.