How to Choose a Bible for 9- to 12-Year-Olds

Your pre-teen is on a road to discovery about himself and the world around him. A good, easy-to-understand Bible will help prepare him for his journey.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bible
• Holy Bible: Spirit Filled Life Bible For Students
• NIV Life Application Study Bible
• The International Student Bible For Catholics
• The New Adventure Bible
• The Ryrie Study Bible
• The Treasure Study Bible

1. Select a Bible with a sturdy cover and binding. A binding that is sewn instead of glued will hold up under extreme handling.
2. Study the various versions of the Bible. See tips for a few versions.
3. Choose a Bible with good study tools such as a dictionary, concordance, maps, charts, and a cross-reference.
4. Pick a Bible with a small section to be used for family history and the family tree.
5. Decide if you want artwork and illustrations included with the text.

Tips & Warnings

• The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is written in clear, simple English at the fifth-grade reading level.
• God's Word Bible uses natural English expressions and is written at the sixth-grade reading level.
• The New American Bible (NAB) is written in American English at the seventh-grade reading level.
• The New Century Version/International Children's Bible (NCV/ICB) is very easy to read and can be read by those with fourth-grade reading proficiency.
• The New International Reader's Version uses simple, short words and sentences and is for third-grade readers.
• The New Living Translation (NLT) has commonly used words and language at the sixth-grade reading level.
• The Message Bible is easy to read and uses paraphrased modern language.
• The King James Version (KJV) uses Elizabethan English at the twelvth-grade reading level.