Are you struggling to keep up with a Bible reading plan? Zondervan released the NIrV Journal the Word Bible for Girls, the latest edition of the New International Readers Version Bible for girls ages 6-12. (Don’t think it’s just for girls.) The translation is simplified from the NIV Bible translation. The text is printed in two columns for easier reading and includes a third lined column to write thoughts and notes or create illustrations to accompany the text. There are two table of contents pages, one with the books of the Bible in the order they appear and the second with the books in alphabetical order making it easier for beginning Bible readers to find them.

What I like most about this Bible: The focus of this Bible is on the text of the Bible and it is easier to read than the NIV. It doesn’t overwhelm its readers with too much additional material to distract the reader from the Bible text rather than drawing them into it. I say this after providing other youth Bibles for the students in my Sunday School class. They were overjoyed with all the extra things to read. I sensed they were more interested in the supplements in those Bibles than in reading the Bible itself.

What I like least about this Bible: There are no pictures, drawings, or maps. There is nothing to “bait” a young reader to read the the Bible.

General Observations: This is an excellent choice of a Bible for any of a number of situations. A reluctant reader would be more likely to read this translation than the full NIV. It is also great for anyone who speaks and reads English as a second language. A new Christian or anyone who has just begun to take an interest in reading through the Bible would find this edition less overwhelming to read. The journaling space on the sides of the text would also be great for a new reader to take notes. This Bible is also helpful for getting a quicker overview of a long passage. I can also imagine a parent or grandparent spending time embellishing this Bible with drawings and highlights to help the child find favorite passages. This could begin when the child is an infant making it a very personal gift by the time they are able to read it.

I received a free copy of this book as a member of BG2, the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid. This review expresses my honest evaluation of this book.

#BibleGatewayPartner