TOS Review: Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids

The Bible is the most important book for children to read, learn, and understand. We put our Bible time first everyday and out of all the "subjects" I teach it is the most important to me. I often wonder though how much they really are reading and understanding, or just repeating back to me what I have told them. I remember being a child and although I knew the Bible, I believed it to be "stories" not factual imformation about real people (something I have tried to correct in my children.) I wonder if children have a hard time with this because it is hard to relate to places and things that they have never seen and words that they don't understand.


LifeWay Christian Stores has the Hollman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids which is a great help in combatting this problem. This hard cover book has 212 pages and is $14.99. It was written for ages 5-10 but I think that age range could be expanded for both older and younger children (I know I enjoyed looking and reading through it and so did my 3 year old.) This Illustrated Bible Dictionary contains 750 essential Bible words with kid friendly definitions, a pronounciation system, and alternative spellings for King James version. There are 500 full color photos, illustrations, and maps. Some other special features include:

• Different names of God



• Descriptions of the 12 Apostles



• 10 Plagues on Egypt



• Jewish feasts and festivals



• Names of Jesus



• Parables of Jesus



• Different plants, animals, and foods of the Bible



• Musical Instruments of the Bible

For a look inside the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary For Kids, click here.

Did you know that the Dead Seas' high salt content makes it almost impossible for a person to sink in its waters? Or what exactly a cubit is? After reading through this Bible Dictionary, we know exactly what a cubit is, information about the Dead Sea and many more things we have never known before. The beautiful illustrations, photographs, maps, and loads of information makes it an enjoyable, educational book to read and explore. It is a very sturdy, well bound book that will last through many children searching through its covers. One of my favorite parts of this book was the sections where they showed the different Animals of the Bible, Foods of the Bible, and Instruments of the Bible. I also loved the maps so I could show the children exactly where the places were that I was talking about. We used this book alongside our Bible curriculum loking up things like the descriptions of the twelve apostles and what was meant in our Bible passage when they talked about an altar. I also just made the book available for the children to look at and read (for those who can read) in their spare time and they all have spent time looking over the pictures and asking questions.

I asked the children if there was anything they didn't like about the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids, because I could not think of any negatives and wanted to hear their perspective. One of my children had just one thing he didn't like (and it is a very small thing.) On the pages where they have things like Insects, Animals, and Foods of the Bible they are listed under A for Aninmals, I for Insects, and F for Food. But, not every entry on those pages are given it's own seperate entry under its letter. For example Fish is on the Animals of the Bible page under A for Animals and has its own entry under F, but only one other animal on the page (serpent) has its own entry under its own letter. The definition and scriptures references are given on the page under Animals along with an illustration so it is not really nesessary for it to have another heading under the letter. It just didn't make sense to my 9 year old old why it didn't.

To see what other crew mates think click here.

I received a complimentary copy of the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation.