MY POP-UP BIBLE STORIES

I received a copy of MY POP-UP BIBLE STORIES by Juliet David, illustrated by Daniel Haworth from Candle Books through Kregel Publications. In case you can’t tell from the title, it’s a pop-up book – of Bible stories! I’d never seen one like it before, and I by the time I finished reading it, I had mixed feelings. Originally, I was thrilled. Children and adults love pop-up books. They bring the stories to life in a 3-D sense that a mere picture book can’t do. When I was subbing and doing my student teaching in local elementary schools, children loved the pop-up books best. The school library even had a few that were always out. Since they delight children so much, it’s a great idea to make one about the Bible.

Sadly, I wasn’t as thrilled when I finished reading it. Each page was a different Bible story, such as Daniel in the Lion’s Den. While I loved all of the stories, integral to understanding the Christian faith, the single page that included only a few paragraphs didn’t do the story justice. It felt rushed and incomplete, leaving me with more questions than answers. A parent or teacher reading this to a child could then go to the Bible and continue the lesson, but since the stories are so sparse, they don’t capture the imagination or hold interest.

On a more positive note, the pictures are eye-catching and child-friendly. As a supplement to a lesson, this would be a great resource. Despite my misgivings, I did enjoy the book, and recommend it to teachers and parents.