(Photo: Zonderkidz)Cover of the "Little Lamb's Bible" by PJ Lyons.
(Photo: Zonderkidz)Cover for the "Little Lion's Bible" by PJ Lyons.
As a child, writer and graphic artist P.J. Lyons was always fascinated with child-centered rhyming poetry that focused on God.
As an adult, Lyons brought her fascinations to print for the first time in 2004 with a children's book, titled The Wonderful World That God Made.
Her latest project involves two books that tell stories from the Bible with couplet poetry and colorful illustrations by Melanie Mitchell.
Known as the Little Lion's Bible and the Little Lamb's Bible, the petite squared shaped works have furry covers with a smiling animal on the front.
Opening the book, a reader will find a poem based on a passage from the Bible on the right page and an illustration of the passage on the left.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Lyons talked about the importance of teaching preschoolers about the stories of the Bible.
Order Online: Little Lion's Bible
"I think very young children have a special relationship with God. Some of the most vivid memories I have from my early childhood are sitting on my front steps, talking to God, and having a very real sense he was right with me," said Lyons.
"As adults, it's our responsibility to nurture and help that relationship grow. It's the perfect age for building a foundation of faith."
Lyons chose fairly popular stories from the Bible, including Noah's Flood, David and Goliath, and the birth of Jesus and poetic versions of each passage.
There is also a poetic couplet verse version of "Our Father," which begins "Greatest Father, God above/ You are perfect, full of love."
Lyons' books are published by ZonderKidz, a division of the major Christian publisher Zondervan. Zonderkidz has also released a third-grade reading level version of the Bible known as the NIRV, or "New International Reader's Version."
The Little Lion's Bible and Little Lamb's Bible will be released to book stores in February 2012.
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