When our kids were very young, we started the bedtime routine of gathering on the floor of, most often, our boys’ bedroom before tucking our babies, toddlers, and eventually elementary kids into bed. We read at least one story from an illustrated Bible and would pray for our family. My sweet memories include praying for extended family members, which were chosen each night by drawing a name from the prayer jar (each name was written on a popsicle stick and placed in a pint canning jar). Over the years we read and reread through numerous illustrated Bibles, enough that a couple of the well-loved ones fell into pieces.

With such fond memories, I’m delighted to share a new illustrated children’s Bible with you! I Wonder: Exploring God’s Grand Story is thoughtfully written by Glenys Nellist and beautifully illustrated by Alessandra Fusi.

(There’s also a fun BONUS at the end of this post!)

With 16 stories from the Old Testament and 14 from the New Testament, I appreciate that this story Bible weaves in a blend of both highly popular and some stories that might often be skipped over in a children’s Bible, such as the Rahab and Nehemiah in the Old Testament and The Woman at the Well and the Lady in the Crowd in the New Testament. The stories are also a great length, at typically six illustrated pages – or three 2-page spreads, for a mixed age group of littles … where most families with more than one child find themselves at some point in time.

What else is great about this new illustrated Bible? I Wonder fosters critical thinking, with “I wonder” prompts at the end of every Bible story. These are fantastic conversation starters to promote dialogue about God’s word and to provide clarity when we might be tempted to skip over the life application pieces. This week I had the privilege of interviewing author, Glenys Nellist and I’m delighted to share a small glimpse into what went into writing this lovely book:

What inspired you to write I Wonder?

Several years ago I came across a wonderful Sunday school curriculum called Godly Play. Using this Montessori-based approach, the teacher, or Storyteller, simply retells the stories of the Bible using either small manipulatives or pictures and then the children are invited to ‘wonder’ about what they have heard and seen. Their learning is not directed, and the Storyteller trusts that God is at work in their minds as they ponder these open-ended questions and make meaning out of mystery. Godly Play became the inspiration behind I Wonder. Each of the thirty stories is followed by three I Wonder questions that encourage children to ponder for themselves about God, and what their part might be in God’s grand story.

How did you choose which stories to include?

Firstly, I wanted to include stories, even if they didn’t usually appear in a children’s Storybook Bible, that had an element of mystery and would naturally cause the reader to wonder. For example, the story of Elijah, hiding in the cave, when God comes to him, not in the earthquake, the wind, or the fire, but the whisper is so mysterious to me. Or the story of Jacob who, after cheating Esau and is terrified of meeting him again, finds that he can actually see the face of God in his forgiving brother. Secondly, it was very important to me to include the women of the Bible, who are so often under-represented. You’ll find that I write the story of Moses from the point of view of Miriam, his sister, and in the New Testament, I included the story of the woman who had been ill for twelve years. We don’t even know her name, but yet Jesus called her ‘daughter.’ Surely, her story deserves to be told?

What did you think when you saw the illustrations? Do you have a favorite one?

Oh, goodness! I couldn’t possibly choose just one! The illustrations by the talented Alessandra Fusi are incredible. Through her use of color and vivid detail, she truly brought my words to life. It was important to me that whoever was chosen to illustrate this book would also be able to cause the reader to wonder about the grand stories of the Bible. I think she truly achieved that, and one glance at the gorgeous cover will confirm that.

What are your hopes for I Wonder?

I do hope and pray that whoever reads I Wonder will truly find God in its pages, perhaps in a new way, and will be encouraged to ponder what their part might be in God’s grand story.

Thank you, Glenys, for taking the time to participate in our little corner of the internet! I’m delighted to have you be a part of The Daily Joy Bookshelf, and for your positive contributions to the world of children’s literature.

BONUS: Zonderkidz, publisher of I Wonder, has provided some companion Coloring Pages and an Activity Pack!

Here are your I Wonder coloring pages:

Get your I Wonder activity pack here:

All reviews are completely my own and I only recommend books I truly believe are worthy of sharing with others. (Believe me, I read many books I do not recommend, which means you won’t see me writing about them!)

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