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All books are in print and available unless designated with an *; all DVDs are available for purchase. Books not in print may be found in public, private, or church libraries, as well as for purchase from http://used.addall.com. Compiled by Marjorie Geissinger, Naomi Kauffman, Clara Landis, and Wendy Westfall, members of the Bux-Mont Librarians in Pennsylvania, with the hope that teachers and librarians would work together to provide some of these rich resources to the children in our Sunday schools.
Guess How Much I Love You, Sam McBratney, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1995.
Sometimes when you love someone very much, you want to find a way of
describing how great your feelings are. Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare
discover love is not an easy thing to measure! However, with the help of endearing
watercolors, we get the message! (God loves us even when we fall short, Session 2)
Jesus for Kids, 50 minutes, DVD, Vision Video, 2004
Delightful, animated stories based squarely on the Gospels, divided into five programs. A free downloadable companion guide in PDF is available
with objects and outlines, key vocabulary words, suggested follow-up activities, and more.
(Sessions 1-4)
You’re All My Favorites, Sam McBratney, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2004.
Three bear cubs wonder how they can all be the best baby bears in the whole wide world.
They couldn’t all be favorites, could they? (God loves us even when we fall short, Session 2)
You Can Do It, Sam, Amy Hest, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2003.
One morning, while the moon is still up, Mrs. Bear and Sam bake cakes for all their friends
on Plum Street. And who do you think takes the cakes up to each doorstep . . . all by himself?
(God calls us to mission, Session 8)
And It Was So, animated, 25 minutes, DVD, Vision Video, 2004
Cherub and Chubby learn that by accepting Jesus’ gift of forgiveness, they can receive Him
as their Savior. Children will see the ultimate act of forgiveness and will marvel at the power
of God in the resurrection. (Easter, Session 4)
Benjamin’s Box, Story of the Resurrection Eggs, Melody Carlson, Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1997.
Benjamin, a very curious boy, wants to follow Jesus to discover who he is. A teacher or a king? With each encounter, he adds a treasure to his box, a piece of leather, a nail, etc. (Jesus is alive and always with us, Session 4)
Bully Bill, Joy Birky, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 2007.
Bully Bill tries to get his own way by fighting everyone. But when he meets up with Happy
Hal, who makes friends by helping others, Bill becomes curious about how this happens.
When Hal introduces Bill to the golden rule, things soon change for the better. (God calls
us to open the doors of faith to others, Session 6)
Easter Party, 27 minutes, DVD, Vision Video, 2006
This film from the Bedbug Bible Gang contains stories of the palm parade, the garden
surprise, and doubting Thomas. (Jesus is risen!, Session 4)
Flotsam, David Wiesner, Clarion Books, New York, 2006.
A 2007 Caldecott Award winning wordless book. The setting is the beach and ocean where
God’s creatures reside and some invented creatures, for which the author/illustrator uses
his God-given gift of imagination. The storyline is another example of an extraordinary,
imaginary, and fanciful tale.
47 Beavers on the Big, Blue Sea, Phil Vischer, Tommy Nelson, Nashville, 2007.
Phil Vischer spins a rollicking tale about 47 beavers who find themselves lost at sea and discover that things go best when they all work together. (God calls us to open the doors of faith to others, Session 6)
Jesus Loves Me, illustrated by J. Pfeiffer, L. Prater, and T. Tenud, Publications International Ltd., Lincolnwood, Ill., 2001.
Board book of songs for little children that express Jesus’ love for them. (God loves us,
Session 2)
Hailey & Bailey’s Silly Fight, Hermie & Friends Series, 60 minutes, DVD, Thomas Nelson, 2007
The twins can’t agree on whether to pack tomatoes or blueberries for their picnic. Will
their sibling spat spoil their good deeds and infect the entire garden or will everybody
learn about getting along? (We are called to a deeper life of faith, Session 12)
Just In Case You Ever Wonder, Max Lucado, Tommy Nelson, Nashville, 2001.
A parent tells a child how special she is, both to the parent and to God.
(God loves us, Session 2)
Little Colt’s Palm Sunday, Michelle M. Adams, Ideals Children’s Books, Nashville, 2004.
Story told in rhyme with rich dramatic illustrations. Colt learns nothing compares with his experience of giving Jesus a ride. (appropriate for Easter season)
Mama, Do You Love Me?, Barbara Joosse, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1991.
This is a tender story of a young Eskimo child testing her independence from her mother,
and a wonderful mother who constantly reassures the child that nothing could ever change
her love for the child. (God loves us even when we fall short, Session 2)
Papa, Do You Love Me?, Barbara Joosse, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 2005.
In this follow-up to Joosse’s original book, unconditional love is the theme and the setting is Africa. The book offers a good introduction to Maasai life. (God loves us even when we fall
short, Session 2)
Oops! Sorry!, Cherub Wings Collection, animated, 25 minutes, DVD, Video Vision, 2003
Using a combination of colorful animation and live action, this film invites children to join
Cherub and his friend, Chubby, as they learn the true meaning of Jesus’ instructions to “forgive from the heart.” (Jesus’ suffering changes us, Session 3)
Shine Your Light, Cherub Wings Collection, animated, 25 minutes, DVD, Video Vision, 2005
Cherub and Chubby explore practical ways to share the message of Jesus’ love with others
in their everyday lives. (To share the good news, start with common ground, Session 10)
Story of the Selfish Giant, animated, 25 minutes, DVD, Vision Video, 2005
A grandfather uses Oscar Wilde’s timeless tale to help explain God’s love to his granddaughter. As the selfish giant learns in this story of love and sacrifice, God’s unselfish gift encourages us to be filled with joy. (Jesus lives again and is always with us, Session 3, 4)
The Librarian of Basra, a true story from Iraq, Jeannette Winter, Harcourt, Inc., Orlando, 2004.
This true story from Iraq of a librarian’s struggle to save her community’s priceless collection
of books shows the difference one person can make even in the hopelessness of war. The
story connects children to world events in an identifiable and non-threatening way. The book
ends on a note of hope. (God calls us to mission, Session 8)
Plant a Seed of Peace, Rebecca Seiling, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 2007.
There are 43 delightfully illustrated stories of peacemaking from today and the past that
will capture the imagination of children of all ages. They tell of people from many nations
whose faith, though small as a seed, made brave choices and stayed true to their God at
great risk. This is a valuable resource for all good story lovers. (God calls us to mission, Sessions 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11)
The Animated Passion Trilogy, 90 minutes on 3 DVDs, Anchor Bay, 2004
Award winning videos which will help youngsters learn about the events surrounding the
betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus, his resurrection, and his promised return. (Jesus lives
again and is always with us, Session 4)
The Oak Inside the Acorn, Max Lucado, Tommy Nelson, Nashville, 2006.
The book written in parable form conveys the message: God made one version of you, so
be the best you can be. Little Acorn grows into a big oak and finds his strong branches
were just right for a special purpose. (Each of us has gifts for the common good, Session 11)
The Story of Jesus for Children, 67 minutes, DVD, BCI/Encore, 2000.
Adapted from the Jesus film, this film depicts the gospel as seen through the eyes of
children. They watch Jesus from the crowds, they follow him to see what this incredible
man will do next. They see him betrayed, wrongly accused, crucified, and buried. But
they remember his promise and believe they will see him again. (Sessions 1-4)
What if Zebras Lost Their Stripes?, John Reitano, Paulist Press, New York, 1998.
Wonderful color illustrations invite children with the question “Why do zebras have stripes?
And what if they lost their stripes?” This is an excellent discussion starter for the absurdity
of racism and prejudice. (Focus on what matters to God, Session 7)
Jesus on the Cross, Victoria Parker, Southwater, London, 2003.
From the Bible Discoverer Series, this volume tells four Bible stories: The first Palm Sunday,
the Last Supper, the crucifixion, and the ascension of Jesus. (Sessions 2-4)
My Best Friend, Joy V. Dueland, Christian Science Publishing Society, 2000.
God is best friend to all his children. (God loves us even when we fall short, Session 2)
Praying With Our Feet, Lisa D. Weaver, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 2005.
Story told by a young girl who takes part in a walk for peace with her parents and church family. (God calls us to mission, Session 8)
Signs of God’s Love: Baptism and Communion, Jeanne S. Fogle, Geneva Press, Philadelphia, 1984.
Simple text and bright pictures explain communion and baptism as practiced in the Christian Church. (God loves us even when we fall short, Session 2)
The Holy Spirit in Me, Carolyn Nystrom, Moody Press, Chicago, 1993.
Another treasure from the Children’s Bible Basics series which carefully defines the
Holy Spirit using simple terms and biblical references. (The Spirit leads us into the
future, Session 13)
The Very First Lord’s Supper, Ballman, Swanee, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo., 1997.
This 16-page book is a delightfully illustrated retelling of the first Lord’s Supper. (God loves
us even when we fall short, Session 2)
Beatrice’s Goat, Page McBrier, Atheneum for Young Readers, New York, 2001.
A young girl’s dream of attending school in her small Ugandan village is fulfilled after her
family is given an income-producing goat. (Each of us has gifts for the common good, Session 11)
Boxes for Katje, Candace Fleming, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2003.
A young Dutch girl writes to her new American friend in thanks for the CARE package sent
after World War II. Many more packages followed the first one. When the hard winter was
over, a package was sent from Olst to Indiana. Based on fact. (God calls us to mission, Session 11)
Easter Eggs for Anya, Virginia Kroll, Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2007.
Anya gets a big surprise when she finds abandoned goose eggs, which she then plans to use
for the traditional Ukranian pysanky for Easter. Instructions for making pysanky for Easter
and information about the tradition. (Jesus lives again and is always with us, Session 4)
Easter Story, Brian Wildsmith, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1993; also
Jesus, Brian Wildsmith, 2000.
True to the biblical accounts from which they are drawn, they are written in a straightforward
and simple manner. The superb illustrations are a visual feast. (Sessions 1-4)
Johnny Appleseed, Reeve Lindbergh, Little, Brown, New York, 1994.
John Chapman, alias Johnny Appleseed, was a Christian missionary. Book contains eye-catching illustrations, rhymed text. (Each of us has gifts for the common good, Session 11)
Sarah’s Grandma Goes to Heaven, Maribeth Boelts, Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2004.
A young girl comes to understand about death, funerals, and heaven when her beloved grandmother dies of cancer. (Jesus lives again and is always with us, Session 4)
Saying Goodbye to Lulu, Corinne Demas, Little, Brown, Boston, 2004.
When her dog, Lulu, dies a girl grieves but then continues with life.
(Jesus lives again and is always with us, Session 4)
The Birds’ Gift, Ukranian Easter Story, retold by Eric A. Kimmel, Holiday House, New York, 1999.
Villagers take in a flock of golden birds nearly frozen by an early snow and are rewarded with beautifully decorated eggs the next spring. (Jesus lives again and is always with us!, Session 4)
The Children’s Illustrated Bible, Eve B. MacMaster, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 2006.
This collection is rich in stories that teach, fascinate, and encourage young people. It retells the Bible stories with clear, simple language and has colorful artwork that takes children from reading to discovery. (Sessions 1-13)
The Legend of the Easter Egg, Lori Walburg, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1999.
While preparing for Easter in his small prairie town, Thomas hears the story of the resurrection
of Jesus and discovers the meaning of new life through the symbolism of the Easter egg. An information page about the traditions and symbols of Lent and Easter is included.
(Jesus lives again and is always with us!, Session 4)
The Story of Easter, Christopher Doyle, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo., 2005.
Includes the Lord’s Supper, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and Pentecost. (Sessions 2-4.)
3 in 1: A Picture of God, Joanne Marxhausen, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo., 1973.
Using an apple, this picture book explains God the Father, the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (The Holy Spirit leads us to the future, Session 13)
Who is Sam Harrington?, Rick Osborne & K. Christie Bowler, Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2000.
All over Coledale, children were doing nice things for each other because they had learned
in Sunday School that’s what good Sam Harrington (Good Samaritan) would do!
(God’s people turn the world upside down, Session 9)
You are Mine, Max Lucado, Crossways Books, Wheaton, Ill., 2001.
Punchinello, first introduced in You Are Special, learns a hard but necessary lesson in his new adventure: it’s not what you have that counts, but whose you are. (God loves us even though we fall short, Session 2)
Because of Winn-Dixie, 106 minutes, DVD, Twentieth Century Fox, 2005
A very wise 10-year-old girl and her preacher father move to a small southern town where
she adopts a stray dog she names Winn-Dixie. The special bond between them grows and
rubs off on the eccentric townspeople. Conflicts are resolved, hardened hearts softened,
and community healing takes place. (Each of us has gifts for the common good, Session 11)
Brother Juniper, Diane Gibfried, Clarion Books, New York, 2006.
Brother Juniper lives with seven other brothers and is the most generous of them all. Sometimes the others think he goes too far, but he truly reminds us all of what it means to be “the church.” Based on a true story. (God’s people turn the world upside down, Session 9)
*I Heard Good News Today, Cornelia Lehn, Faith & Life, Newton, Kan., 1983.
Mission and service stories from around the world. (God calls us to mission, Sessions 5-13)
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, Carole Weatherford, Hyperion, New York, 2006.
“I set the North star in the heavens and I mean for you to be free.” Harriet Tubman, who was
born into slavery, felt she heard these words from God one summer night and she decides to escape. Kadir Nelson’s emotionally charged paintings accompany Weatherford’s lyrical text
telling of Tubman’s spiritual journey out of slavery as she feels she hears the voice of God
guiding her north to freedom. (God calls us to mission…, Sessions 8, 9, 11)
The Loving Arms of God, Anne Elizabeth Stickney, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2001.
The author uses stories from the Bible to teach children important truths about how God continues to work with and care for his people today. Each chapter also includes a section
called “Meeting God,” which offers a verse to remember, some questions to discuss, and a suggestion for prayer. (Sessions 4-13)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Kate DiCamillo, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2006.
Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated
from the little girl who adores him. He goes on a journey that takes him from pride through humiliation, heartbreak, and near destruction to a joyful ending. Even the heart of the most
selfish kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again. (God loves us even when we fail, Session 2)
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, Jeanne Birdsall, Knopf, New York, 2005.
This 2005 National Book Award winner tells the story of the Penderwick family during a
summer vacation at a rental cottage on Arundel, a sprawling estate in Massachusetts. The
spirited happenings of the four very different sisters and their botany professor father, who
takes his daughters’ adventures in stride, illustrate a family who experiences love.
(God loves us even when we fail, Session 2)
The Very First Easter, Paul L. Maier, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo., 1999.
Christopher learns important details about the miraculous Easter story that help him
understand the season’s celebration. Available in paper and hardcover. (Jesus lives again
and is always with us, Session 4)
Coals of Fire, Elizabeth Bauman, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 1954.
A collection of 14 stories of men and women who lived what they talked by doing good
for evil. (God calls us to mission, Session 8)
Forbidden Gates: A Story of Stephen, the First Martyr, Denise Williamson, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Brentwood, Tenn., 1990.
An engaging fictional story of a young Jewish boy who learns how to become a real man for
God when he meets Stephen the martyr. (God calls surprising people, Session 5)
Nory Ryan’s Song, Patricia Reilly Giff, Delacorte Press, New York, 2000.
It is 1845 and Nory Ryan’s family has lived in Ireland for generations. A terrible blight attacks
the potato crop. Faced with starvation, Nory must summon the courage and ingenuity to
find a way to help her family survive. Also the sequel Maggie’s Door about the family’s
emigration to America. (Each of us has gifts for the common good, Session 11)
Cups Held Out, Judith L. Roth, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 2006.
A girl and her father drive from South Dakota to Mexico where they encounter poor children
and beggars. They ponder their feelings of guilt and their responsibility to those who live in poverty. An excellent resource to begin a discussion on how responsible we are and what can
we do to help. (God calls us to open the doors of faith to others, Session 6)
Coming Home, Max Lucado, Crossway Books, Wheaton, Ill., 2007.
Allegory on the second coming of Christ. Coming Home teaches faith, patience, God’s great
love, and mercy. (Jesus lives again and is always with us, Session 4)
Daily Life at the Time of Jesus, Miriam Feinberg Vamosh, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2001.
The purpose of the book is to bring the reader as close to life as it was lived in the time of Jesus. The many vivid, original illustrations complement the text.
Food at the Time of the Bible, Miriam Feinberg Vamosh, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2004.
The book contains an in-depth, easy-to-read survey of every aspect of food in the Bible accompanied by fascinating illustrations and photographs. Also includes authentic recipes
from the time of Jesus.
International Children’s Bible Dictionary, Ronald Youngblood, Tommy Nelson, Nashville, 2006.
This is a fun and easy-to-use guide to the words, peoples, and places in the Bible.
Manners & Customs in the Bible, an Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times, Victor H. Matthews, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Mass., 2006
New color illustrations, maps, photos and diagrams make it easy to picture the world of
Bible times. The third printing of this popular resource will help readers gain invaluable background information on the Bible’s culture, its people, and how they live. Reading level is middler and youth.
Nelson’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Bible, John Drane, Nelson, Nashville, 2001.
The Jesus Encyclopedia, Lois Rock, Tommy Nelson, Nashville, 2005.
This is a well-illustrated and informative resource by a frequently published author, which
would be very helpful to explain many aspects of life and customs in Jesus’ time. (Sessions 1-7)
The Nazareth Jesus Knew, Joel Kauffmann, Nazareth Village, Nazareth, Israel, 2005.
Nazareth Village was constructed to show believers and non-believers alike what Nazareth
would have looked like in the days of Jesus. The book contains pictures and illustrations
of the village, which can be visited today.
Welcome to Israel, Geraldine Mesenas & Frederick Fisher, Gareth Stevens Publishing, Milwaukee, Wis., 2001.
Presents information on the geography, history, government, economics, people, and culture
of Israel.
