We "gift" the NIV Adventure Bible to our 4th graders as part of their Bible study commitment class each spring. At this age we want them to have a "real" Bible - with the full text to let them know that the stories we teach them do come from the Bible. We also teach them how to use it. This is not to say that there isn't a place for the storybook and paraphrased Bible stories still for this age, but we want to have them have a Bible to call their own, to start getting used to using (and in some families we don't know where the family as a whole is at in their faith, especially when we only see them on Sundays).

Generally, we do use storybook versions for rotation. But many are to "young" for our 5th/6th graders. Except for one that I forgot to mention in my previous post!

"The Children's Illustrated Bible" - stories retold by Selina Hastings, c 1994, Dorling Kindersley Ltd. ISBN 1-56458-472-0.  It has 76 OT and 62 NT stories. Most are contained on 2 pages. It has realistic (not cartoon-y) drawings on every page and has side notes with historical info on a variety of things and actual photos on every page. It also has the verse references listed and a key verse. The text is more geared toward upper elementary, we don't use it for 2nd grade & younger, sometimes not even 3rd & 4th.

Jan @ FPC Napa