​5 Gospel-Centered Books For Little Hearts & Minds

One of the passions that my husband and I share is a love for books and reading. Additionally, we take great joy in sharing this love with those around us. My husband is constantly loaning out or simply giving away theology books from his seminary days to friends and family. While we tend to be more minimalistic when it comes to possessions or things, we make an exception when it comes to books! 
 
When we became parents to our daughter Emersyn we agreed we wanted not only to instill a love for books but especially for books that would deepen her understanding of the Bible and cultivate a desire to know God. Therefore, from the very beginning, we’ve been building her little library with books that reveal God’s character, who we are as His creation, and how we can know and love Him better. 

Even at the tender age of three, we can see how these Gospel-centered books have captured her attention and have given us, as her parents, precious opportunities to teach the truths of God’s Word to her young heart. Here are our top five Gospel-centered books for little hearts and minds.

1. First Bible Basics: A Baby Believer Counting Primer by Danielle Hitchen

This was one of the first books we bought and began to read to our daughter when she was just a baby. It is a wonderful introduction to what the Bible is. Using the numbers 1-10, it presents foundational concepts like the Trinity, the Old and New Testaments, Creation, and the Ten Commandments. With beautiful illustrations and simple text, this primer helps little ones learn the beginnings of Biblical concepts. As our daughter has gotten older, we’ve been able to have more in-depth conversations about each topic to build on her understanding. 
 
This book is part of a series by Catechesis Books. Other books similarly present Biblical themes like Holy Week, Psalms, the Apostle’s Creed, and Creation. They make wonderful gifts for little ones or as a baby shower gift for expectant parents!  ​

2. The Biggest Story ABC by Kevin DeYoung

This board book is a condensed and toddler-friendly version of Kevin DeYoung’s book The Biggest Story, which is more geared toward elementary-age children. Using colorful illustrations of the alphabet, DeYoung tells the story of the Bible and presents to little ones the Fall, the outworking of God’s redemptive plan through history, and the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. 
 
We love that it presents a basic overview of the Bible for our daughter. Additionally, it has given us multiple talking points with her, especially when we have to engage in times of correction and discipline. We’ve used this book to help her recall the concepts of sin, how it separates us from God, and ultimately sent Christ to the cross on our behalf. Having such a simple and memorable visual to help us teach her the Gospel has been incredibly valuable!

3. The Gospel by Devon Provencher

This book is part of a three-book series called Big Theology for Little Hearts including God and Jesus. While we have and enjoy all three, The Gospel is by far Emersyn’s favorite! Each two-page spread covers a word relating to the Gospel along with a short explanation. Each page also features pictures that are simple yet vivid illustrations of the concept. This book explains who God is, the sinful state of every person, how Jesus is our perfect substitute and sets out our necessary response to Christ’s sacrifice. 
 
The way this book presents a simple introduction to the concepts of the Gospel has allowed us to have targeted discussions with our daughter about each of the topics. For example, when we speak with Emersyn about her disobedience, anger, or dishonesty, we are able to use the themes set out in this book to help both Emersyn and us as parents articulate the truths of the Gospel. She understands what sin is — breaking God’s Law. This has helped us to get to the heart of a matter when we are seeking to instruct or correct her with simple and straightforward truth. This book is a wonderful tool we use daily in our home!

4. Near: Psalm 139 by Sally Lloyd-Jones

This book is based on Psalm 139. It uses the same themes and ideas to teach children about God and His faithfulness. This book has been specifically helpful as we have been striving to teach our daughter about the character of God. Near has allowed us to talk with Emersyn about how God is always with us, He knows everything about us, He cares for us, and we belong to Him. 
 
Not only has this been helpful as we seek to lay a good foundation for her about God’s character, but it’s also been a practical tool in everyday situations. Emersyn has recently entered a phase that’s seen her become fearful about being separated from us or sleeping alone at night. This book has been a welcomed reminder to her that God loves her and is always taking care of her. 

 5. The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible by Jared Kennedy

This is a Bible story collection that is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers! It has 52 stories laid out across the Old and New Testaments. The focus of the Old Testament is the promises God made, while the New Testament shows how God has kept and fulfilled His promises. 

Emersyn loves the colorful illustrations and stories! The language is simple, straightforward, and age-appropriate. Additionally, the book provides questions for parents to ask that facilitate further instruction and discussion. This book would be an excellent way to introduce a quiet or devotional time to little ones. 
 
I particularly appreciate that this book helps children begin to make the connections between the Old and New Testaments and how Christ can clearly be seen in both! It also gives a platform to talk about topics like obedience, gentleness, kindness, honesty, and faith. 

Like all Christian parents, our desire is that our daughter comes to personally know Christ and experience His saving grace. We want her to love God and His precious Word. These books and many others are stepping stones along that path. We can already see how God is using them to whet her appetite and capture her young heart and mind. Sometimes it is easy to think that little ones cannot understand these big truths, but they are able to grasp more than we know. As parents, we are tasked even now with cultivating the soil of her heart and planting good seeds! These books are great tools for teaching and allow us to be intentional with imparting Biblical truth to our children! I hope and pray they will be a blessing to you, too!

What stepping stones have you used to help your children grasp the big truths of God's Word?

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​You may also be interested in ​5 Gospel-Centered Podcasts For Little Hearts & Minds​ and 4 Gospel-Centered Music Resources For Little Hearts & Minds.