A kids’ camp needs a team: someone with a flair for administration, another with a talent for drama; and don’t forget the cook, the minibus driver and a first aider! You rarely get all in the same person. It’s the same with children’s books.
You will often find that one title is educational, another has a better narrative, still another has good resources, but the next one has excellent application.
The topic I’ve been looking at recently is the apostle Paul, and is a case in point.
If you’re a fan of Diary of a Disciple: Luke then there is a sequel Diary of a Disciple: Peter and Paul. The Scripture Union website has extra free resources for these titles; some simple animation and workshop pages. This book would be good for a young reader who reacts well to mind mapping (ISBN 978 1 785 065 149; 978 1 785 065 705).
However, I think you need to combine this book with something else, such as Adventures in Acts by David Luckman. A two-volume hardback set that covers the book of Acts chapter by chapter. The author summarises Acts, and uses other Scripture verses from the Old Testament in the ‘Look Back Section’. I know of situations where these books are being used as part of family devotion times. The illustrations are lovely (ISBN 978 1 527 110 182; 978 1 527 111 370).
You can also combine books like this with something a little more encyclopaedic. The Life of the Apostle Paul is part of the 200 Key Facts at a Glance series. Available on Kindle, these pamphlets are often used by adults as part of personal Bible study, but older children will benefit from looking at the maps and timelines (ISBN 978 1 596 360 631).
When I started digging around on this topic I was delighted to find an old favourite by John Pollock: The Apostle – A Life of Paul. Pollock’s flair for biography and storytelling is perfect for the life of Paul. This is a book I would recommend you give to a young adult or older child who is an avid book reader. They will enjoy it (ISBN 978 0 781 405 737). The publishers advertise this book as storytelling for novel-lovers and solid research for scholars. Hurrah! Maybe I should look out for a dramatic administrator-cook who can drive a minibus and has a first-aid certificate?
