Books on Science and Christianity for Children & Teenagers

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1 Books on Science and Christianity for Children & Teenagers It can be difficult to find helpful books on science and faith for young people, so here are our favourites. Not all are in print, but second hand copies can be ordered from online sellers like AbeBooks or Amazon. Touch-and-feel Creation, Heather Henning, Age 0-3, 2007, Concordia Publishing House, , 6 This colourful and tactile board book provides a fun introduction to the idea of God as creator. The pages roughly follow the order outlined in the Genesis 1 creation story but with no reference to days, timing or process. Each page introduces a new aspect of God s creation by asking and answering a question: Who made the Sun? God did. And God made the moon. God made stars that twinkle; God made planets and fiery comets too. Each page features a different material to touch and feel : Feel the rough surface of the comet. What God Made: The Story of Creation, Allia Zobel-Nolan, Age 0-4, 2005, Candle Books, , 5.99 This colourful and interactive play book features 7 puzzle pieces which fit into the pages throughout the description of God s creation. The pages roughly follow the order outlined in the Genesis 1 creation story but with no reference to days, timing or process: God filled the waters with plenty of fish. He made sea creatures that swim and crawl. Each page introduces a new aspect of God s creation, gradually building up a picture which includes all 7 puzzle pieces. God Made You Nose to Toes, Leslie Parrott, Age 2-5, 2002, Zonderkidz, , 3.50 This colourful board book provides a fun and beautifully illustrated introduction to the idea of God as creator of you, me and many of other things in the world around us including sand, trees, stars and planets. Whilst it doesn t give any detail about how God created these things, it provides an initial introduction to the idea of using tools to explore God s world, from our eyes and ears telescopes and magnifying glasses.

2 Find the Animal: God Made Something Amazing, Penny Reeve, Age 3-6, 2011, Christian Focus Publications, , 2.99 This book introduces the ideas of appreciating God as creator and exploring his creation. Readers are taken on an adventure to discover more about the amazing things that God has made. Bible verses referencing the wonder of God s creation are featured throughout as readers explore, question and use previous knowledge to unravel the mysteries of God s creation. In the Beginning: The Lion Story Bible, Penny Frank, Age 4-7, 1999, Lion, , 1.50 This telling of the Genesis 1 creation story follows the order outlined in Genesis but without direct quotes or reference to days, timing or process. The narrative follows God s thought process through each category of his creation, forming and filling the space he made and giving some description of the sun, moon, animals etc. that he made and their relationships to each other: God knew the plants needed warm light. He made the sun to shine in the daytime. That will keep my plants strong and green, he said. The World that God Made, Jan Godfrey, Age 5-10, 1997, Scripture Union Publishing, , Out of print but available on Amazon etc. This bold and beautifully illustrated picture book is full of surprises for children. The pages roughly follow the order outlined in the Genesis 1 creation story but with no reference to days, timing or process. Each page introduces a new aspect of God s creation, gradually building up a house that Jack built -type poem describing God s creation: These are the plants, the flowers and trees, that grow on the earth, by rivers and seas, under the sky so filled with the lights, that shone in the dark, that right from the start, covered the world that God made. Each page also features a lift the flap full-page spread of beautiful, detailed illustrations to accompany the aspect of creation being described.

3 Wonderful Earth, Nick Butterworth, Age 5-8, 1991, Hunt & Thorpe, , Out of print but available on Amazon etc. This creatively presented book provides a colourful and interactive introduction to God s creation and humanity's responsibility for the planet. The pages roughly follow the order outlined in the Genesis 1 creation story but with no reference to days, timing or process. The narrative describes the wonder, variety and complexity of God s creation in a way which is generally compatible with scientific understanding and draws out the idea that humanity has made a mess of the beautiful creation God put around us. This book provides an engaging introduction to God s creation, our place in it and the challenge of our responsibility to care for it. Sky & Sea (God s Creation Series Book 2), Michael & Caroline Carroll, Age 6+, 2005, Zonderkidz, , 3.99 This series presents a well-illustrated and informative exploration of the natural world within a context which presents God as creator and science as a way of finding out about his creation. Other books in the series include Space & Time, Rocks & Plants and Fish, Bugs & Birds. The books mostly follow the order outlined in Genesis but claim to put a few things in a different order so that we can understand them better. Generally, they present a positive approach to viewing God as creating through the use of natural processes which we can use science to understand. Whilst some references are made to possible interpretations of different timescales of creation the second day may have lasted a long time or been a normal 24-hour day, the books generally follow their stated claim that these books are about the wonders of God s creation, not so much about when each event took place. Sky & Sea presents an informative and interesting introduction to the water cycle, the atmosphere, and various water-related processes taking place on Earth and in space. The story of Noah is briefly told as having referred to a world-wide flood but mostly used to relate learning about water to Biblical teaching about God s promises. The books are wellpresented and colourful with an engaging mix of photos, cartoons, side-notes and relevant Bible verses.

4 Does God like to paint? (Kindle), Alana & Branyon May, Age 7-11, 2012, Apologetics Press, ASIN: B00ATVXTT4, approx This imaginatively presented book promotes the idea of God as creative and creator. The book does not focus specifically on ideas from Genesis but uses different elements of scripture regarding God as creator and no focus or discussion is given to timescales or methods of creation. Scientific exploration of space is presented as a way of exploring God s creativity and finding out about his universe. I Love God s Green Earth, Michael & Caroline Carroll, Age 8+, 2010, Tyndale, ISBN , $12.99 This devotional book teaches kids about the importance of creation care and how it can draw them closer to God. Each devotion includes a Scripture verse, a Connection section to help kids apply both the biblical and environmental lessons, and a What Can I Do? section with a takeaway activity. Jokes and fun facts are also included throughout the devotion to make this book fun, informative, and interesting to readers. Absolutely Awesome, Michael & Caroline Carroll, Age 8-12, 1999, Tyndale Kids, , weeks of Bible based devotions for curious 8-12 year olds that link lessons from the Bible with facts and figures about things like dinosaurs, volcanoes, or stars. The devotions encourage thanking, praising and talking to God, relating to Him through exploration of his creation. Some of the connections are a bit unusual, and some of the facts a little out of date or misleading. The language is also very much from the US, but this book will provide a great springboard for curious young people to explore God and his creation. If they like it there is a second book, Absolutely Awesome #2.

5 Glow-in-the-Dark Fish and 59 more ways to see God through His Creation, B.J. Reinhard, Age 8-12, 2000, Bethany House, , 12 This book of 60 devotionals introduces young readers to the biological sciences as a way of inspiring wonder and exploration of God s creation. Each chapter includes hands-on activities a Bible verse and a devotional thought that link the scientific idea to our relationship with God. Some of the connections are a bit unusual, and some of the facts a little out of date or misleading. However, this is a good, science-friendly introduction and encouragement to use biology to see, understand and enjoy God and his creation. The Bible & Science made easy, Mark Water, Age 8-12, 2000, Hendrickson Publishers, , 2.99 This tiny (A6) book is an excellent short introduction to science and Christianity. It s full of pictures and diagrams, with a good coverage of many important elements of the discussion and a strong focus on Biblically-based and scientifically-inspired wonder at God s creation. Dinosaurs: Exploring the Scientific Mysteries of God s Creation, Michael & Caroline Carroll, Age 8-12, 2000, David C Cook Publishing Company, , Out of print but available on Amazon etc. This book provides an informative guide to learning about dinosaurs as part of God's creation. With direct Biblical references to God as creator and coverage of different ideas about age of the Earth, flood etc., this book champions the interaction of Gospelbased faith and mainstream science. Various ideas concerning the formation and discovery of fossils, the history of palaeontology and religion and the evolutionary relationship of birds and dinosaurs are covered in addition to specific facts and ideas about particular dinosaur groups and fossils. It also highlights many areas in which research is ongoing and as yet inconclusive. Although some of the content and presentation are now a little dated, this book presents a rare and informative opportunity to learn about a range of extinct animals as part of God s creation. It inspires wonder and scientific exploration of the history of life on Earth as a way of discovering more about God and his creation.

6 User s Guide to Science & Belief, Michael Poole, Age 14+, 2007, Lion, , 6.99 A well-presented, in-depth guide to the science and religion dialogue for young people written from a Christian perspective and supporting a mainstream view of scientific exploration and discovery. This book offers a great introduction to the interactions of science and faith throughout history and today for interested young people and adults! A Sneaking Suspicion, John Dickson, Age 14+, 2004, Matthias Media, , 6 This well-written and readable question-based book covers a range of topics relating to common questions about God and Christianity. Amongst topics such as life, death, relationships, sex, suffering and meaning, a chapter is devoted to the question But didn t science get rid of God? This chapter provides a general introduction to the science and religion dialogue, promoting compatibility on a basis of mainstream science without going too deeply into the details of any particular area. This provides a good introduction for young people exploring Christianity and how it relates to the world.