“The Child’s Story Bible” by Catherine Vos
Price: £2.10, by post £2.32½. Available from religious bookshops as The Religious Bookroom, Dingwall, Ross-shire or the F.P. Bookroom, 160 Pitt Street, Glasgow.
This book of 732 pages, first published in America in 1935, has recently been produced in this country by the Banner of Truth Trust. As the title indicates, the book consists of the story of the Bible, re-told for children.
The style of writing is admirable, if not masterly. Mrs Vos is extraordinarily adept at translating the theoretical into the practical, the abstract into the concrete — and this is surely the key to success when writing for children. Another gift possessed by the authoress which ensured the success of her book is her ability to summarise details in a way that is simple, striking, yet accurate.
We regret to say that there are one or two passages in the course of the text which tend to Arminianism.
However, the book will be useful on many accounts. The history of God’s dealings with His people is not merely recounted. Mrs Voss avoids preaching at the reader, but she succeeds in weaving the lesson of an incident into the fabric of her account of it. Her chronological arrangement of Bible history will prove helpful, not only to children, but to grown-ups as well. But perhaps the book’s greatest asset is that Mrs Vos communicates in her writing a sense of the preciousness of the Bible. Her love for Bible characters (for example, Elijah) cannot be hid. The age-group primarily aimed at is that from seven to twelve years of age. The book can safely be bought, however, for reading to children considerably younger.
The book is beautifully illustrated throughout with many full-page colour pictures. These are helpful, and will increase the book’s impact. Happily all pictures of the Saviour have been omitted from this edition.
The quality of materials used in producing the book is high. The board covers are sensibly made strong, and will withstand a good deal of the rough usage expected from children. The text is quite large, and very clear.
We strongly recommend the wide use of this publication. It will help those teaching Bible to children as well as Sabbath-school teachers. For parents teaching their own children at home, this book will prove invaluable.
J. T.