Lisa,
It's interesting that you asked about this book, as we are using it right now with our fourth son (after having done
Genesis: Finding Our Roots three different times with our three older sons).
I did thoroughly enjoy
Genesis: Finding Our Roots every time I went through it, yet I will admit that it was a very challenging book for the 9-11 year old age range in CTC! I sometimes wondered if I was getting more out of the book than my boys were!
The new edition of
Genesis: Finding Our Roots did not retain the beauty, formatting, or layout of the original edition. This new format made the new edition an even more difficult read... making it very difficult for the parent to share with a child in the target age-range within Creation to Christ. In the new edition of
Genesis: Finding Our Roots, all of the full-color images are in one inset in the center of the book. The font size is quite small, and the paragraphing has been changed reducing much of the white space that gave the book an easier feel. The book is no longer a hardback. The page size is much reduced, resulting in dense, text-heavy pages. The index is simply reprinted from the original edition... not matching the new edition at all. Even perusing it with an eye to an adult readership, the book appears challenging.
As we looked for possible replacements for this age-range for the "Bible Study" box within Creation to Christ, I settled upon
The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith. This book is hardback, full-color, and visually appealing. The topics speak to the heart of the child and contain Biblical character training along with life lessons. The book is very different in style and in its goals from
Genesis: Finding Our Roots, so it takes a bit of adjustment in expectations as you use it in order to enjoy it. It does a good job of being age-appropriate, is enjoyable to read aloud, opens discussions with your child, and covers Biblical topics in an interesting way. While the topics in The Radical Book for Kids are more varied than those in
Genesis: Finding Our Roots, they also take you deep into the ancient roots and Biblical theology of the Christian faith. By the time you have completed the book, you will be amazed by all of the topics you have covered. It is surprisingly thorough and engaging! We are enjoying it this year with our son!
Blessings,
Carrie
