If you peeked through my bookshelf (er, my Kindle homepage) you would see that I love historical fiction. I absolutely love imagining what life was like for people who lived in the past. It’s like going back in time! If I love historical fiction, I super love Biblical fiction. I know, it sounds like there’s some kind of sacrilege behind it. Putting words into Moses’s mouth? Making a fictional account of Joseph? Or even worse, Jesus?!
It all started when I was in High School and read Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. It is a beautiful love story of Mary and Joseph and made the story of Jesus’ birth come alive for me!
Then, in college I read The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers and could not put them down. When I finished the last chapter of the first book, I screamed, jumped out of the bed and ran to the bookcase (which was really a shelf in the kitchen of the trailer we rented when we first got married) to begin the second book right away.
And of course, my all time favorite Biblical fiction is the AD Chronicles by Brock and Bodie Thoene. I think I’ve gushed about them many times. They literally draw my heart closer to Jesus with every reading.
I cannot wait till Lydia is old enough to read some of these books! For now, I’m waiting just another few months to read the Passages series by Paul McCusker to her. These are Biblical fiction for the 8 and up crowd. But it’s got a little more of a twist!
The stories are set in another world à la Narnia. The far-away world of Marus where kids are transported from our world to be prophets and pivotal characters in life-altering stories. Marus is part early 1800’s, part futuristic–but all adventure!
I picked up the first book, Darien’s Rise several years ago (ok, in 1999!) and devoured it. I am clearly, in the 8+ crowd because I loved it! Halfway through the story, I realize, “Hey, this story sounds kinda familiar. Wait a minute! This is the story of David and King Saul from the Bible!” Sure enough, every book in the Passages series is based on an actual historical event from the Bible. It’s just “dressed up” in this fictional world so your kids get to experience the story for “the first time” so to speak.
In the Note to Parents section in the front of Darien’s Rise, they quote CS Lewis when asked how fantasy can be a tool to promote the gospel, as he did in The Chronicles of Narnia, “by casting all these things into an imaginary world, stripping them of their stained-glass and Sunday School associations, one could make them for the first time appear in their real potency.”
I love this because, as a kid growing up around the Bible, it’s true–sometimes miracles don’t seem like miracles. They just seem like, well, how the story is supposed to be. Passages helps kids look at familiar stories through new eyes.
These books are definitely worthy of a family read-aloud so you can discuss the parallels and similarities to the original stories. They are a little scary–I mean, think about the real story of David and King Saul–battles, murder, father/son rivalry. So, I think the 8+ label is right on and it’s perfect for the all-boys in your family. In full disclosure, I’ve only read the first three books in the series and it was about 14 years ago, so use your own God-given common sense when reading!
I made a little widget with all the books for you because there are a few version and Amazon can make your eyes cross. You can get some of these for ONE PENNY, so grab ’em now!
affiliate links included
Thank you so much for sharing about all the books!! I really needed an outlook at good books to start reading for myself and my kiddos. You are a blessing to us in every post you share!!!
Thanks for the sweet words, Linda! 🙂
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Wait…how do you organize books on your Kindle?
I think you just hold down the book cover/title and it should bring up a menu. Then click ADD TO COLLECTION.
Is that what you meant?
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Oh I can’t imagine anything better than Mark of the Lion!! I can’t wait to try the AD Chronicles. But I get nothing done when I read a series like that! Might have to wait for Christmas break:)!
SO TRUE! I cannot focus on anything else!
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Oh… Amanda! 😉 Two of my favorites of all time is “Two from Galilee” (which I had the blessing of reading when I was pregnant with my first born son ;)and “The Mark of the Lion” series! Amazing, amazing books! Thanks for the latest suggestions! I have been enjoying the “Lion of War” series by Cliff Graham wishing I could find something on a tween level for my son. Passages may just be it 😀
I seriously get excited thinking about Two from Galilee and Mark of the Lion. I need to read them again!!
Let me know how your son likes Passages!
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Oh, Amanda! 🙂 I am so excited about this!!! I too am a historical fiction lover and we have already read the Chronicles of Narnia to our kids and I have been keeping my eyes peeled for a next series to read to them (ha- I always have run-on sentences when I am excited!!!). This series sounds perfect for my kiddos. Thanks much! (loving your 31 day series! )
Yay! Lemme know how you like them.
(am I gonna see you at Allume?)
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Not this year. Bummed, but trusting God’s perfect plan. I will be praying for all of you and living vicariously through some of my very best friends. Wish I could hear you speak!
You can pray for me as I speak!!
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I will definitely be doing that!!! Let me know if there is anything specific that you would like me to pray for. Perhaps that is my role this year? Can’t wait to hear how God uses you. I know He will!
I just want to thank you so much for this 31 series in general. I purchased the Jesus Storybook Bible after I checked it out closer. When we got it, I pulled it out for bedtime reading. He was reluctant to “learn more about God today” because, well, he learns a lot about God everyday at his traditional Catholic school. However, as soon as I started reading he perked up, and kept asking me to keep going, until I finally told him we had to stop and go to bed. We read 100 pages the first night and 100 pages the second night. We will finish the entire Bible tonight. Last night after reading something I told him “I love this Bible.” and he said, “I love it too.” Talk about a winner! Thank you so much for making it easier to approach my son with the loving side of God and Jesus. This whole series has been full of great recommendations!
Jen! How awesome! When I first bought the JSBB, my daughter was teeny tiny and we read 3 chapters in a row—with me crying through most of it!
Thank you for sharing! 🙂
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Oh, and I have cried multiple times. My 6 year old looks at my tears and snuggles a little closer. 🙂
One that I picked up recently is the Kingdom series by Chuck Black … I’ve only read the first so far but it covered much of Genesis in a medieval setting. I’ve also recently read Tessa Afshar’s books and really enjoyed them (the first one was “Pearl in the Sand” which is a retelling of the story of Rahab. There are so many others to list as well, but these are two that I’ve recently read 🙂
Oh, I read that Rahab book! It was good.
I’ll check out the Chuck Black books. Sounds interesting. Thanks! 🙂
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I also read Two from Galilie was I was young. My current favorite is The Ark, the Reed and the Fire Cloud, by Jenny L. Cote. She has a series of five with a new one coming in February. If you haven’t already read any of her books, you are missing out.
Yay! Adding those to my wishlist now! 🙂
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I am LOVING this series! The Passages series sounds fantastic for when my kids are a little older, and I need to read some of your picks for fiction. I am SO bad about starting a fiction book but once I’m in, I’m hooked and wonder why I don’t spend more time in fiction when I love STORY so much!!
By the way, you may have just changed my life by showing a pic of your kindle app — collections?!! I had no idea!!! (I’m feeling guilty now for all the times I complained about kindle’s lack of organization!)
Please tell me you’ve read Tessa Afshar’s Pearl in the Sand (Rahab) book. It is so stinking full of biblical wisdom that applies to New Testament truths. I am reading her book about Nehemiah’s cousin now (Harvest of Rubies). It doesn’t follow a biblical storyline per say (at least not where I am yet!) but touches on Esther and Nehemiah. Her writing is so superb.
I also love The Red Tent. I think it’s a good gateway to biblical fiction although it’s much more secular, if that makes sense.
I’ve loved The Heavens Before by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow, also, but never read the rest of the series.
I tried to read the first Mark of the Lion book while I was pregnant but for some reason it was just too much, maybe too gruesome for me at that point. I will try it again though because I am sure they are fantastic.
Yes, I loved Pearl in the Sand! I loved all the teaching when Rahab and her family get to the Israelite camp—the way they learned what the purpose of the laws were. So good!
Now I have a million more on my wishlist…
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