Children's Pilgrim Progress

[blossom]

I just read my 6 and 4 year old a children's version of Pilgrim's Progress. They loved it. They didn't get all the lessons to be taught. I'm going to leave it for a few months and then read it again more slowly discussing things as we go. I've never read the adult version but I may now.

Does anyone know any other good books to read to this age group? I've bought some missionary stories for young children but the kids have not found them interesting. I think they are too basic.

[orvals]

Hi Blossom,

I read Pilgrims Progress in college and still did not catch everything the writer wanted to convey and I have read it since and still do not grasp all of it.

From a religious stand point there are probably some books available that other parents could suggest but from my perspective most children?s books written prior to 1950 have great moral teachings woven into the fabric of the stories themselves.

Swiss Family Robinson, The story of Lafayette, Little Women, one of the books our children loved was Hearts Courageous by William Herman (1949) which was a collection of 12 people who overcame tremendous physical handicaps to rise to the top of their professions. Included in the list is Glenn Cunningham (the first great miler) Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Robert Louis Stevenson, John Kitto, John Milton, Demosthenes and may others. Stories like these open the heart to not quit.

As they get older and for you there is Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter (who died in 1850) if I remember correctly it is around 400 pages and I read it in about 4 days and my wife in about a week. It is probably the greatest historical novel ever written (IMO) a action romance that is filled with scripture quotes from beginning to end.

Here is a Google book mark where you can read online.

http://books.google.com/books?id=xTo1AA ... &ct=result

I trust this is a help

Orvals

[blossom]

Thank you I will look into them.

[1Timothy115]

I just read my 6 and 4 year old a children's version of Pilgrim's Progress. They loved it. They didn't get all the lessons to be taught. I'm going to leave it for a few months and then read it again more slowly discussing things as we go. I've never read the adult version but I may now.

Does anyone know any other good books to read to this age group? I've bought some missionary stories for young children but the kids have not found them interesting. I think they are too basic.

You need to read Bunyan's original just for yourself. I read it years ago but, it would be one I would read again.

[Annie]

My kids LOVED Little Pilgrim's Progress. Another edition (illustrated) of that story for children is called Dangerous Journey.

Other Christian-focused books we've enjoyed: Dave and Neta Jackson's missionary books; Patricia St. John's books (especially Treasures in the Snow); the series about the Miller family: Wisdom and the Millers, Prudence and the Millers, School Days With the Millers, Missionary Stories With the Millers; all of the books in the Grandma's Attic series; the American Adventure series; Little Pilgrim's Progress, The Chronicles of Narnia, Alone Yet Not Alone (by Tracy Leninger); and so many, many more I'm not thinking of right now!

The ones in bold print are, IMO, simple enough for children as young as yours to understand. I sympathize with your struggle to find quality Christian literature for that age group. IMO, there's far too much cartoony, dumbed-down stuff out there that is meant to be for that age. There is a lack of classic beauty, both in language and in art/illustration. Let me encourage you that they will pick up more than you think they will, especially if you read the same books repeatedly to them. Feed them with"nutritional" literature that will build their vocabularies and nourish their souls, not "light and sugary" stuff that has no real or lasting value for them.

For family devotions, we really like Leading Little Ones to God by Marian Schooland, and A Child's Book of Character Building by Ron and Rebekah Coriel, The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Kenneth Taylor...and more, of course.

Happy reading! You are doing a great service to your children by reading to them. Don't ever stop, no matter how busy things get!

[blossom]

Dave, I will get to reading it sometime this year. Not now too busy at the moment.

Annie, thanks for your list of books. I will try to track some of them down. It's a little harder in Australia we don't seem to get many christian books here. With the economy the way it is, it is too expensive to have anything shipped.

I will see what I can find. Knowing authors etc help alot so thankyou once again.

Blossom

[orvals]

Blossom,

Try half.com for books and films. I have been using them for years and that they usually beat other prices on the internet by quite a bit. Ebay bought them out a few years ago but they're prices are still great.

Orvals

[HappyChristian]

To add to Annie's list, look into A Hive of Bees and Another Hive of Bees. These are chapter stories about the same kids, at their grandparents' farm, and the life and spiritual lessons they learn along the way. Really very good!

I agree that Pilgrim's Progress would be a worthy read! I love that book (along with Holy War)! We are getting ready to teach it at our nursing home - it has been turned into a practical story with page size illustrations.

When I graduated college, I was given the book, along with Spurgeon's Pictures in Pilgrim's Progress. That might be a good book to read afterwards!

[Annie]

Go to www.addall.com for great prices on new and used books. It is a search engine which accesses the best prices for the books you want. (Half.com is included in the lists it searches.) Ive bought books on there for less than a dollar before. Even with shipping added, the book is under $2.00.