Best Devotionals for Kids

Pointing our kids toward Jesus is one of the greatest joys of motherhood — and it can be one of the most daunting. How do you explain the gospel to a four-year-old? What do you say when your third grader asks a question you don’t know how to answer?

Here’s the good news: God is already at work in their hearts even when you don’t have the words to say. And He’s been doing it long before you started reading this blog post and will continue doing it long after.

Also, you don’t have to do this work of motherhood and discipleship alone. There are some truly wonderful books and devotionals for kids that do the heavy lifting for you. These resources can spark the conversations you don’t know how to begin, frame big truths in age-appropriate ways your kids can grasp, and turn ordinary moments into something meaningful.

Here is a list of some favorite Christian books and devotionals for toddlers through tweens. Whether you’re building a bedtime routine around Scripture, looking for a devotional your tween will actually want to open, or just searching for a beautiful story that points to Jesus, we’ve got you covered.

(A note on the ages we recommend: There is a lot of fluidity here! For example, our first recommendation will capture the attention of your toddler and still feels relevant to us as adults. Many of these books can be enjoyed at various ages or as a family, but we’ve placed them where we think they’ll be best enjoyed.)

Also be sure to check out our posts on the Best Christian Books and Devotionals for Teens and Best Devotionals & Christian Books for Women.

Best Christian Books & Devotionals for Toddlers

Jesus Storybook Bible

If you only bought one book on this list, we’d recommend it’s this one. We’ve read this countless times and, even as an adult, I get so much out of it every time.

Each story — from both the Old and New Testaments — points to Jesus and shows how He meets our need for a Savior. While it tells the stories of Biblical heroes, it points to Jesus as the ultimate hero. Your family will treasure it for years to come.

God Counts Christian picture book for kids by Irene Sun.

God Counts: Numbers in His Word and His World

God Counts shows kids how God uses numbers throughout the Bible to teach us about himself. It begins with 1 God and 2 people in Genesis and counts up to the 12 kinds of fruit and 12 shiny gates in Revelation with a different Biblical story or truth for each number between.

Whether your child is learning to count or is fascinated by numbers, this book will remind them that “God created numbers to declare his glory.”

Best Christian Books & Devotionals for Preschoolers

Big Feelings Days

Big feelings are real — and every child (and adult!) has them. Whether it’s big sad feelings, big stomping feelings, or big sleepy feelings, this book gives kids the language to notice what’s happening inside them. And, just like Jesus calmed the wind and the waves, He can calm those Big Feelings too.

With simple grounding tools like deep breaths, playing with play dough, writing a letter, and talking to Jesus, this book gently guides little ones toward peace, one big feeling at a time. It’s a beautiful book for the hard days every family has.

The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross

In just a few beautifully illustrated pages, this picture book traces the greatest story ever told! From the garden to the fall, from the curtain that separated God from his people in the temple to the cross when it was torn in two, all the way to the empty tomb. It’s the entire sweep of the Bible told with wonder and joy.

The end invites children to say “Sorry,” “Thank you,” and “Please help us,” connecting this story to kid’s hearts and lives. It’s an excellent kid’s Easter gift and amazing to read and rejoice over every day of the year!

How Great Is Our God

This devotional is perfect if your kids love science! The short devotionals are engaging and will spark lots of great discussions. Plus, your kids (and you!) will likely learn some new things about God’s greatness in how He created and designed the world, animals, and more!

Stack of devotions and Christian books for kids and toddlers on a wooden desk.

Best Christian Books & Devotionals for Elementary Schoolers

The Friend Who Forgives

Peter got it wrong a lot. He spoke before he thought. He stumbled in his faith. He let his friend Jesus down at the worst possible moment.

And Jesus called him a rock anyway. He forgave him. He loved him. He trusted him with world-changing news.

This beautifully-illustrated picture book captures the unlikely, grace-filled friendship between Peter and Jesus. And it reassures children that the Friend who never gave up on Peter won’t give up on them either. There’s also a board book version for toddlers.

Love Does for Kids

Funny, inspiring, and beautifully outlandish, Love Does for Kids is full of stories that prove love isn’t a feeling; it’s something you do. Bob Goff’s contagious joy and big heart will prompt your family to dream, laugh, and live out their faith.

One of the best parts? The Goff family wrote letters to world leaders after 9/11 and ended up eating dinner with more than 25 of them!

Faith and kindness feel like the greatest adventure in these pages, and your kids will finish this book ready to go live their own adventure.

(There’s also a version of this book for adults — read my review of Love Does here)

Jesus and the Very Big Surprise

The servants are busy preparing for their master’s return… but when he returns there’s a very big surprise. He invites them to sit at his table so he can serve them. “What kind of master would love like that? What kind of God would choose to be a servant?… Surprise! Jesus would!”

Jesus and the Very Big Surprise takes children on a delightful journey through this surprising parable and some of the most unexpected moments in Jesus’ life: His coming as a baby instead of a conquering king. His birth in a smelly stable. His washing the disciples’ feet. His death as a criminal on the cross.

Fun, surprising, and powerful, this book leads kids to the biggest surprise of all: an empty tomb and a risen King. Another excellent Easter book for kids that is worth reading any day of the year.

Best Christian Books & Devotionals for Tweens

The Action Bible

Think comic book meets Bible study here. This retelling of the Bible has bold, comic-book-style illustrations and is an engaging and meaningful way for tweens to encounter God’s Word.

It’s, of course, not a word-for-word translation of the Bible, but don’t let that deter you. In fact, adults might find it helpful, like when trying to understand the cultural context of King Hezekiah’s story during a study of Isaiah.

Each of the 245 stories is about 2-5 pages long and cites Scripture references, making it easy to follow up in a more literal translation whenever you’re ready to go deeper.

Exploring Bible by David Murray, a Bible Reading Plan for Kids.

Exploring the Bible

If your tween wants to explore the Bible more deeply, this is a great workbook. One day a time, your child will read through most of the Bible over the course of a year.

Each week begins with a few sentences about the context for that week’s readings and has a spot to write prayers. Each day suggests about 5 verses to read and one question to answer. There’s also a weekly section for “exploring with others” that encourages children to write brief notes about the Sunday sermon.

I’d recommend this book for ages 8 and up with a parent’s guidance, or from ages 10 and up independently.

The Radical Book for Kids

Part explorer’s guide, part church history deep-dive, The Radical Book for Kids is as cool as it sounds. Vibrantly illustrated and packed with fun facts, this handbook will take tweens on a fascinating journey into the ancient roots of the Christian faith — while inviting them to bring that faith into their real lives.

Your tween will learn SO much reading this book. From famous trips in the Bible to jewels in the Bible. From how to make your own catapult and sling to how to read the Bible and pray. From Latin words you should know to what to do when bad things happen. This book explores the Bible from SO many different angles!

I’d recommend this book for 8 year olds through early teens. You can read it straight through or choose what looks interesting in the table of contents and jump in anywhere! This is perfect for the tween who wants to go deeper and have fun doing it.