The last ten years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of Christian board books to read with your young child. The problem now may not be that it is not difficult to find such resources, but to choose which ones will be most helpful to you and to the faith nurture of your children.
At the Center for Faith and Children, we’ve sorted through the board books, and we can bring you our favorites. These are carefully selected in light of the importance of belongingness development as well as wonder, beauty, and theological richness.
Disclaimer: CFC earns money for items purchased through our Amazon associate links.
Our Selection Criteria
Every book we recommend, we stand behind. We promise that someone on our team has read these books and evaluated them on these four criteria. Books that make it onto one of our lists show strength in at least one of these areas:
Baby Believers Series
This extensive series of board books pair toddler-friendly concepts (think shapes, emotions, colors, movements, etc.) with Biblical and theological content.
Why We Recommend It
These beautifully illustrated and well-made board books help parents notice and share the richness of theology with their children. The author and illustrator are from the Anglican tradition, and this is reflected especially in the books that deal with the church, but parents of various denominations will find the books helpful as they share their faith with young children.
Best For:
Excellent for parents of young children who are a little more traditional and want to share the richness of the Anglican church tradition with their kids.
Some of Our Favorites:
Big Theology for Little Hearts Series
These sturdy board books offer a great introduction to various theological concepts and ideas about the Christian faith.
Why We Recommend It
These are similar to the previous series, but more broadly evangelical in their theology. They may have wider appeal in Baptist and Non-denominational contexts, while serving a similar purpose to Catechesis Books.
Best For:
Excellent for parents of young children in non-denominational or Baptist churches who want to share theological concepts with their young children in an accessible way.
Some of Our Favorites:
Jesus Storybook Bible Series
These child-friendly paraphrases of Psalms and other passages of Scripture are excellent descriptions of God’s love and care. The accompanying illustrations by artist Jago help bring the Psalms into the life of a child.
Why We Recommend It
These books help young children connect with Scripture, and the illustrations help to make the message of the Psalms connect to the life of a young child.
Best For:
Excellent use as a bedtime story, for nurseries or Sunday school classes of young children, or to give as a baby dedication or baptism gift.
Some of Our Favorites:
Seek and Find Series
These sturdy, brightly illustrated board books are a fun, playful way to engage with the stories of the Bible. They make a great activity to spark conversations, a fun way to integrate faith into the routines of waiting, or a fun gift for kids who love seek-and-find, and I-Spy books.
Why We Recommend It
Each spread in the book includes a story from the Bible and interesting pictures to explore. They’re well-made and sturdy, and we like the variety of topics, including both the Old and New Testaments and Christmas.
Best For:
These are great for parents to store in the car or diaper bag, or for children’s ministry leaders to include in your nursery or early childhood classrooms, or in an area with worship tools and resources for children to use during the service.
How to Make the Most of These Board Book Series
The wealth of resources available for young children now can be overwhelming! As a parent or ministry leader, we know you want high-quality resources that will help kids grow and delight in God and the world he has made. We’ve selected these series because they meet several different needs, from books to stock your nursery shelves, to gifts you could give at baptisms or baby dedications, to excellent options for a storytime or bedtime read-alouds. As you read through the recommended books, find a series that resonates with your needs, choose one or two books to start with, and go from there.
Sharing stories with a caregiver is one of the primary ways young children develop and grow. As you nurture their brains, nurture their faith by sharing some of these rich board books with the preschoolers in your life. What board books have you loved sharing with the preschoolers you know?