The fact is: not all the stories in the Bible are nice. Some are scary. Some are messy. Some involve hairy guys or guys without any hair. In this zany and fun poetry collection, children learn all about God’s love and how He is willing to do anything to “lift us up and set us free.”
I’ve probably been teaching Sunday school for close to twenty years. I can’t say I’m always the most entertaining or inventive teacher, but I know the kids are learning. The group I have at church now runs from ages five to thirteen. The challenge is in putting together lessons that span these ages. And honestly, teaching the same stories the same way over and again isn’t that fun.
Icky, Sticky, Hairy Scary Bible Stories by Jonathan Schkade has helped me share more of the Bible with my students than ever before. From Jonah and the whale to demon pigs falling off cliffs, from the healing of Naaman to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, from Hezekiah’s plea for God to stop the attack of Sennacherib’s army to the truth in the Book of Revelation and more, these simple and funny rhymes not only engage youngsters, they help kids remember what they learned. Complemented by the wacky artwork of Tuesday Mourning, I find myself using this book time and again to share God’s Word.
Why do I know this works? Because months after reading, “Baldy, the Boys and the Bears,” my students can still tell me the details of Elisha cursing the forty-two boys for mocking him. They can still tell me the story of Esau and Jacob, because “A Hairy Scary Man” made it fun to learn. They also recall the death of John the Baptist, as told in, “Head on A Plate.” Starting off Sunday school lessons with fun allows us to have more meaningful discussions that all the children can participate in.
Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Paperback: 125 pages
Publisher: Concordia Pub House (January 5, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0758626711
ISBN-13: 978-0758626714
