Review of Who is Jonah? and Who is Mary, Mother of Jesus? from Barbour Publishing

Barbour Publishing Kingdom Files series is a great way to teach children about people in the Bible. We were so excited to read Who is Jonah? and Who is Mary, Mother of Jesus?  Both books are by Matt Koceich. 

This is not your typical biography because it is a Kingdom File.

Each biography starts with a Fact File covering the basics of the person's life. In "Who Was Jonah?," we learned that Jonah was a prophet from Gath-Hepher, just north of Nazareth. He was active in ministry from 786 B.C. to 746 B.C. God called him to preach to his nation Israel's greatest enemies, the Assyrians whose capital was Nineveh. The Fact File also had a map and small timeline. We learned that Mary was from Nazareth, gave birth to Jesus, and prayed with believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 

Both biographies were interesting and readable. I enjoyed reading them on my own. My grandson enjoyed them, too. Sketches and maps made it more fun. My grandson like the clue boxes the best. The clue boxes, scattered throughout the biography section contained were like little devotionals giving insight into what was happening and inspiring children to think deeply. I would say,, "Here's a clue!" and we would get excited!

At the end of the book, there were ten Power Ups. Each Power Up contained a short application lesson along with a memory verses. They were very practical and geared to children. 

Though this book was geared for children, I found that I was inspired by both Kingdom File biographies. They made Jonah and Mary come alive for me in a new way. I am excited to add Who Was Jonah? and Who Was Mary, Mother of Jesus to our homeschooling library. 

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What Makes These Books So Great?

What makes these books so great? 

The layout is awesome and attractive. The sections and even their titles (Power Ups, Fact File, and Clue Boxes) are just plain cool. 

The content is biblical and readable. Children of all ages will enjoy learning more about Jonah and Mary by looking at them as people who had a relationship with God. 

There is so much application for children to read and apply to their personal lives. 

I recommend reading these books aloud to attentive four and five years olds, as well as six years old and up. 

Once children can read, they will soon be able to read these books on their own, but older children will enjoy them, too. 

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There are more in the Kingdom Files series than just these two books. I found four more for sale on the website. 

What Do You Know About Jesus? 
What Do You Know About Daniel?
What Do You Know About David? 
What Do You Know About Esther? 

All of the six books in the series are very popular children's stories. It's nice to add some meat to the stories they have heard over and over. 

You can learn more about Barbour Publishing on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

​You can read more reviews about Who is Jonah? and Who is Mary, Mother of Jesus? here. 

Until next time, Happy Homeschooling! 

Warmly, 
Meredith Curtis

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