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A Feast for the Whole Family: A Review of The Storyteller’s Bible

BySarah Hohner

Our kiddos are no strangers to children’s Bibles. I received The Jesus Storybook Bible as a gift for my first baby shower, and it has long been a frequent read-aloud for all five of our children when they were little. We’ve also enjoyed Catherine Vos’ The Child’s Story Bible as they’ve gotten older, and we needed something that could provide depth and content that stretches across their ages. Now that their ages range from five to thirteen, we’ve spent countless hours living in and being enriched by these classic works, and so this summer, we have been excited to try out a new family devotion with our mid-day break.

During these long, hot days in the Valley we call home, our family has been enjoying Kathryn Butler’s The Storyteller’s Bible with our midday tea and treat time. What we’ve encountered has been a delight: the rhythm and length of the readings fit in well with the attention span of my youngest children. The stories are told in a compelling, richly beautiful narrative style that contains luscious details and descriptions that lend themselves well to their creative imaginations. Each selection takes about five to seven minutes to read, but contains reflection questions midway through and at the end that allow for extended conversations.

As much as we loved the stories themselves, our experience with the book was made infinitely greater by the illustrations it contains and the conversations those illustrations engendered. The Storyteller’s Bible has artwork from thirty-two different visual artists from around the world. As we read and enjoyed the book, the effect of picturing these stories from all of these different creative perspectives was magical. Our kids couldn’t wait to “see” the story imagined in a new style, and talk about why this style looked a little more real, or a little more cartoon-y, or darker, or brighter, or softer, or sharper. We’ve had conversations about why one story (like of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness) was best captured in a dramatic, darker, more realistic rendering, and why the story of David and Goliath looked a little more gentle, a little more approachable for a young audience used to cartoons and bright action scenes. In this way, The Storyteller’s Bible transcended the role of storybook and became a total creative experience for all of us. It has caused more conversations about art and style, how creative God is, how His creation is vast and multifaceted and endlessly beautiful. We’ve shared how all of us contain some of His image, and reflect it when we, too, create art through writing, painting, and drawing to His glory.

If you are new to reading aloud, or maybe intimidated by the idea of leading your children in a discussion about The Greatest Story, then this book is created specifically with you in mind. The mid-and-end-of-story questions offer a way for you and your children to intentionally engage with the material. Each illustration is rich with opportunities for imaginative reflection and delight. There are even endnotes to parents after the book with good guidelines on keeping the Gospel central. There is good counsel on using this or any other children’s Bible as a tributary that should ultimately lead them to the river of living water, God’s holy word.

I am grateful for the time our family has already spent in Kathryn Butler’s book, reflecting on the old, old stories made new once again, and enjoying the visual, multicultural feast spread out on every page. As my son said, “It reminds me that there are Christians all over the world.” Yes, The Storyteller’s Bible reminds us that Christ belongs to everybody, and for all time, telling the ancient, eternal tale with the Gospel held fast at its core. We’re looking forward to more time spent on this new family favorite in the months and years to come.

Sarah Hohner
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