The Story of the Ten Commandments

 The Story of the Ten Commandments
by Patricia A. Pingry
Illustrated by Stacy Venturi-Pickett
Copyright 1999
Format: Boardbook
Status: Not currently in print, but many pre-owned books are available on ebay
Conclusion: Keep

The ten commandments seems like an important story for any Christian to know, even young children. It surprises me how few versions are out there for kids to read.  This book that we have was well-loved before it ever came to be part of our Bible story library, and about half of the pages were drawn or written on. My kids don't seem to mind though, they enjoy pointing out the scribbles and saying how sad Oma would be if she saw it. (Oma is their Grandma, who was a librarian before she retired).

This book begins with a super-condensed version of the exodus from Egypt, followed by a more detailed story of Moses on top of Mountain Sinai, and concludes with a very simplified version of God's ten rules. It's so condensed that the story is a bit choppy and abrupt, but it does give some context.

The Good Points:

• The book follows the Bible pretty well.
• The book begins by asking the kids to think of rules they have to follow at school or in their homes, so they already making personal connections and relating the story to their own lives.
• Because the book gives a simplified version of the Exodus, it helps kids to place the story in a context with some other Bible stories they might already know.
• The language is simple and easy to understand.

The Discrepancies:

• The Bible describes the day Moses went up Mount Sinai as having thunder, lightning, and dense clouds. It says Mount Sinai was covered in thick smoke and shook violently.  This children's book doesn't say anything about the weather in words, but the illustrations show pretty blue skies with butterflies as Moses climbs the mountain, and blue skies with sunbeams as he speaks with God. The only image with dark clouds and lightning is the one showing God actively writing the Ten Commandments on the stone.
• Two of the commandments are simplified to the point were the meaning shifts slightly. The commandment not to commit adultery is phrased "Be faithful to your family." The commandment not to bear false witness is simply "Do not lie."  The book explains in a note to parents at the end that these changes were done to make it easier for young children to understand.
• This book ends after the commandments are given. It does not include the story of the Golden calf, Moses breaking the original commandments, or God writing a new copy.

So is this book a keeper?  Yes. It's not perfect but it is a book designed for very young children.  If the introduction story of the Exodus is so condensed that it's a bit choppy and maybe a little hard to follow, most young kids won't mind.  And if the commandments are a little too simplified, at least the general meaning is still there in a way that young children can understand (and this way you can skip the difficult conversation about what "adultery" means until they are older).  I would recommend this book for ages 3-6.