Bible Bling

I received the Sequin Bible to review as part of my participation in booksneeze.com from Thomas Nelson publishers.  It is cute, and my three-year-old knew it was for her as soon as she saw it.  The sequin flowers and hearts are very nice, but the background looks a little cheap in constrast.  It seems like it is a fabric-covered piece of cardstock.  The colors and design of the background are not as nice in person. 

I had never heard of the International Children's Bible.  Apparently, this translation is the result of a team of translators including those who worked on the NKJV, NIV and NAS versions.  The point of this version is to make the Word more accessible to children by shortening sentences, simplifying difficult vocabulary and changing terminology to modern equivalents- e.g. ounces in place of shekels. 

The following is a passage from John 1 from both the International Children's Bible, icb, and the New International Version, NIV.

icb:   Before the world began, there was the Word.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning.3 All  things were made through him.  Nothing was made without him.4 In him there was life.   That life was light for the people of the world. 5  The Light shines in the darkness.  And the darkness has not overpowered the light. 

NIV:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning.3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.


Reading it, the passage doesn't seem to flow as smoothly in the icb due to the shortened sentences.   However, I feel that the integrity of the passage is preserved.  I enjoy reading this translation if I want to read quickly through a passage and get the overall meaning.  While I've read a little from this to my preschooler, this would be an ideal Bible for a child learning to read.