19.9.17

A Little Note For Homeschool Families


A Book Review, a Challenge, & a Giveaway!

by Sally Matheny

Kids' Visual Study Bible
(photo courtesy of Zonderkidz)
The Book

Is there a visual learner in your family--someone who lingers over graphic charts and notices the fine details of an illustration? Some folks just prefer using their eyes more than their ears to learn. I know. I’m one of them.

That’s why I am delighted to review a children’s Bible published by Zonderkidz in 2017. The Kids’ NIV Visual Bible has many features your child will enjoy, whether he’s a visual learner or not. And it’s not just for kids. In fact, I’d say it’s best suited for ages 10-18ish. I’m well over eighteen and I find it captivating.

There are over 700 colorful photos, illustrations, maps and some very cool infographics. Plus, there are helpful notes in the sidebars.

Each book of the Bible is introduced with information about the author, the primary purpose of the book, whom it was written for, the key person of the book, where it took place and some of the key stories in the book.


I like the layout of one, wide column of text per page rather than the typical two-columns. I think kids might find that easier to read. It doesn’t state the size of the font but I’m guessing it’s a 10 point font, maybe an 8.

Located in the back of this nice, hardcover Bible are more helpful resources:

Table of Weights and Measures
Infographic Index
Maps Index
Additional Set of 12 Maps

Often times I like to share the books I’m given to review and offer them as giveaways to my blog readers. However, this book will be a great resource for the class of 5th-7th graders I teach each Sunday so I’m keeping this one.


Kids' Visual Study Bible infographic

But, I do have a challenge for you and I do have something to give away!

The Challenge

Some of you may have heard about “Bring Your Bible to School Day.” The event sponsored by Focus on the Family is on October 5th this year. 

Let's encourage children to carry their Bibles to school that day. Not as a cell phone app, not an e-book, but an actual Bible book as a testimony of their Christian faith. For many students, this will take an enormous amount of courage, so begin talking and praying about it with them now.

For Christian homeschool families, we are blessed beyond measure to speak and teach, using the Bible as our guide throughout our day. We bring our Bibles to school every day! So, I want to ask homeschool students to do something just as courageous as the public school students.

I’ve designated October 4th as “Give a Bible Away Day.” 

Give a Bible Away Day - Oct. 4