
that formed in the star of red-hot stuff, that burst from the gas in a giant puff,
that spun from the blocks that formed from the bits, that were born in the bang, when the world began.
The pages are filled with engaging rhymes like these, along with more detailed paragraphs that could be skipped for younger children:
In time, some of the atoms in the ocean joined together to form tiny living creatures. At first, these creatures were so simple they didn’t think or even swim—they just floated in the water. But over time they evolved, getting bigger and more complex.
Another book worth grabbing for kids 8 - 12 years is Kids' Guide to God's Creation: An illustrated guide to earth, space, the human body - all of God's creation! (2010) The strength of this book is its accurate but accessible scientific information about our atmosphere, light, oceans, plants, other galaxies, fish, birds, land animals, and humans. Though the topics are organized within the 6 “days” spoken of in Genesis, the emphasis is the interesting science we’ve learned about various aspects of creation. For example, did you know that jellyfish are about 95% water or that the earth’s crust is about 25 miles thick underneath the land, or that when baby African bush elephants are born they weigh in at about 225 pounds? The book contains numerous, full-color photos on every page, like the picture of the Eagle Nebula taken by the Hubble Telescope, or the picture of a blue-spotted stingray from Thailand. There is no mention of evolutionary processes, but the authors do include a statement recognizing different views among Christians when it comes to age of the earth:
Even though all Christians agree that God created the earth and everything in and around it, some of them disagree over how long it took God to do it. Some believe the earth is very young- between 6,000 and 10,000 years old-while others believe the earth is very old...maybe billions of years old.
If you’ve spent significant time around young children, you know that often when they read a book or when you read books to them, they end up asking to read it again, and again, and again. Young children don’t just read books, they ingest them.
When my boys were young, we played a game with them. Their dad or I would come up with a line from one of their books and they had to be the first one to yell out the name of the book it came from. This game worked because 1) Both Dad and I knew enough quotes from their books (from reading them so many times) to be able to instantly come up with lines from them, and 2) The boys pretty much knew their books backward and forward — otherwise, no point to the game. This game was always loads of fun and we created lots of family memories playing it!
I don’t think my experience with our boys is that unique. Children’s books are more than stories. They can become familiar narratives children listen to over and over. So it’s worth asking: Are the books we’re reading doing a good job of portraying God and His Creation? Here are a few things to keep in mind when investigating what’s out there.
- When a book discusses the mechanisms of the development of life, is it drawing on up-to-date, consensus science? We do a disservice to the next generation if we misrepresent or ignore widely accepted scientific claims. Is it legitimate to think we will just correct informational errors when they’re older? With the science/faith literature currently available for children, (and hopefully more on the way), I believe we can present a consistent picture from the beginning. Then, as our children grow and are exposed to ideas from the outside world, they learn we as Christian parents can be trusted. This can also minimize confusion as they mature.
- Is there room for the message that God is both the Creator and Sustainer? Some “secular” materials are great resources to introduce the amazing realities of the world around us. But some may also try to interject the notion that all that exists in the universe is what is observable through science. Sometimes along with that comes the implication 