You don’t have to be faithful to enjoy this collection of re-tellings from the ancient Bible, my third of five recommendations for MG holiday non-fiction shopping. The text has a gentle, lyrical quality making for an easy read. Here’s the scoop from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC:

Treasury of Bible Stories Noah’s Ark, Moses, David and Goliath, the ten plagues, Daniel and the lions’ den, Jonah and the giant fish, and many more of the Bible’s most powerful stories — 28 in all — are compellingly retold in this beautifully illustrated treasury. Readers will be fascinated by the ancient people and events they encounter, surprised by some of the lesser known accounts revealed, and inspired by the lessons these tales impart. Stories cover important ground beyond religion, such as culture, history, and geography, and they touch on issues that remain relevant today–faith, loyalty, kindness, violence, generosity, greed, jealousy, and more. These accessible, readible stories give kids a rich picture of biblical times, which encourages them to think about our role in the world and to learn more.

• The back material is excellent and perhaps a good place to start if you are new to the Bible. There’s a map showing the lands of the Bible; a detailed timeline from 10,000-8000 B.C.E to 539 B.C.E.; and five pages devoted to the people of the Bible, detailing what book to find them in and what they are known for.
• The bold, colorful illustrations seem to jump off the pages. The characters are a variety of skin colors reflecting a more accurate portrayal of the lands’ people at the time.
• Boxed insets serve as a connection to history, culture, and geography. Interesting reading on its own.

This special hardback should appeal to a much wider audience than I first suspected. The stories are engaging and fit in well with the coming holiday season.

For more on author Donna Jo Napoli visit her author website.

You can also checkout illustrator, Christina Balit’s work here.