The Really Radical Book for Kids continues the exciting dive into the roots of the Christian faith started in The Radical Book for Kids. More Bible exploration, more history, and more faith-filled direction for how to live as a believer in the here and now.
Short chapters on a variety of topics will grab the interest of readers of all ages, from 8 to 80! Kids will learn about ancient kings, legendary battles, and fierce snakes and dragons.They’ll discover unusual food to make, secret codes to break, fun crafts to try, and strange planes to fly. They’ll also uncover exciting ways to read the Bible, factual reasons to believe, stunning truths about God, and incredible examples of “radical” men and women who have gone before them and trusted Jesus in challenging times.
The Really Radical Book for Kids by Champ Thornton will spark curiosity and a love for God’s Word.
AUTHOR
Champ Thornton (PhD) is an acquisitions editor at Crossway. He and his wife, Robben, live in Newark, Delaware, have been married since 1996, and enjoy being parents to three energetic teenage children. He’s the author of numbers of books for kids and families, including The Radical Book for Kids, The Serpent Slayer and the Scroll of Riddles, and Why Do We Say Thank You? Learning to Be Grateful. You can learn more about Champ at www.champthornton.com.
ILLUSTRATOR
Scot McDonald is an award-winning graphic designer and illustrator. Illustrated books include Wings and Feet and David’s Christmas Wish by Lisa Reinicke. He has designed and illustrated Wise Up, Walking with the Wise, and Listen Up by Marty Machowski; The Radical Book for Kids and Radically Different by Champ Thornton; and the Hearts Alive curriculum. He lives with his wife, Betty (a children’s librarian), and a senior cat in Colorado Springs.
“It is imperative for parents to catechize their kids in the fundamentals of the Christian faith, but many struggle with the best way to communicate the beauty and truth of Christian doctrine in a way that is accessible. Champ Thornton offers a creative, innovative resource that communicates timeless truths from church history, apologetics, and theology that will help parents pass down the sacred Scriptures to the next generation. You'll want this book in your home, in your children's ministry, and to liberally distribute among family and friends.”
Daniel Darling, Bestselling author of The Characters of Christmas, The Characters of Easter, and The Characters of Creation
“In an age where Christian values and teaching have fallen out of favor in the culture, it’s more vital than ever that parents are intentional about nurturing biblical literacy in their kids. Toward that end, Dr. Champ Thornton has authored a sequel to The Radical Book for Kids that’s chock-full of interesting trivia, thought-provoking questions, and scriptural truth. Families everywhere are sure to benefit from this rich and engaging resource.”
Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family
“With The Really Radical Book for Kids, Champ Thornton has done it again! The book is simply wonderful! The engaging bits of trivia, stories, biographies, activities, and illustrations connect kids to the biblical truth of the gospel in a way that is engaging and fun. The best part is The Really Radical Book for Kids will help you disciple your children. All you have to do is get a copy!”
Marty Machowski, Family Pastor; author of The Ology, Long Story Short, Wonderful, The Gospel Story Bible and Sunday School Curriculum, and other gospel-centered resources for church and home
“Kids are curious. When they encounter something new, their first instinct is to pick it up, turn it upside down, poke it, and take it apart. In the process, they are learning what the world is like and how it works. In The Really Radical Book for Kids, Champ Thornton capitalizes on kids’ impulse to figure stuff out by dismantling it. But instead of showing them a mere ant hill or snakeskin, he invites them to examine the whole life of faith as it is laid out in the Bible and church history. The Really Radical Book for Kids gives kids tantalizing truths and fascinating hands-on activities that allow them to investigate Christian faith from every angle. It’s extremely fun. And, hopefully, having poked and prodded and disassembled, young readers will then begin to put the pieces back together—closing the pages of this book with a stronger understanding of what they believe, why they believe it, and how it relates to their next adventure.”
Megan Hill, Managing Editor, The Gospel Coalition; author of Meg Is Not Alone; pastor’s wife; mother of four
“I was only a few dozen pages into this book before my nine-year-old self was hooked, just like I was with the first Radical Book for Kids. Secret codes? Check. Colorful charts? The book is packed with them. Qwazy Questions and World Record Wisdom? Yes, it even has those. Pick up a copy for your child and for the child in you.”
Timothy Paul Jones, Vice President for Doctoral Studies, Chair of the Department of Apologetics, Ethics, and Philosophy, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“The Really Radical Book for Kids is more than an interesting book filled with fun facts, colorful illustrations, and a variety of interesting topics. Champ Thornton uses concrete ideas and real-life illustrations to help children understand God and the Bible. Important biblical truths are clearly explained and appropriately applied. This book will not only capture children’s curiosity but has the potential to influence their acceptance of spiritual realities.”
Sally Michael, Author; Director of Publishing and Training for Truth78
“Do you want your kids to connect biblical truth to their real life? This sequel to the Christian Book Award-winning Radical Book for Kids will seize your entire family’s attention. They’ll discover dazzling truths about God alongside factual reasons to believe. Packed with engaging illustrations and activities, this book will ignite a curiosity for God's Word. Be amazed as God bridges the gap between biblical truth and real life in your child’s heart.”
Barbara Reaoch, Former Director of the Children’s Division of Bible Study Fellowship; author of A Jesus Christmas and A Jesus Easter
“Champ Thornton is a faithful guide to help families explore the riches of God’s Word. Not that he makes Scripture more accessible—he just has a unique way of showing us how accessible it already is. The Really Radical Book for Kids is incredibly fun and engaging, full of Gospel truths and biblical insights that will spark interest and invite us all to experience the transforming beauty of God’s Word.”
Scott James, author of The Sower, Mission Accomplished, The Littlest Watchman, and Where Is Wisdom?
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Marty Machowski
Champ Thornton
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Champ Thornton capitalizes on the love older elementary children have for facts in The Really Radical Book for Kids: more truth, more fun. From exploring battles in the Bible to a deep dive in some of the books of the Bible. From exploring Bible names and how archeologists have found evidence of them to suggestions for dealing with parents. Thornton explores life in general, history, famous people, science, and more and relates them to concepts found in the Bible. Readers will find out how to live the Christian life. Activities, jokes, and puzzles keep the book interesting if the facts aren’t enough to pull readers in. Scot McDonald used an infographic approach to illustrating the book and presenting the facts. The Really Radical Book for Kids would be a great addition to a K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for old elementary and middle school students. It would also make a great addition to a classroom or home library. Teachers and homeschooling parents will find many uses for the information in this book. I received a complimentary copy of The Really Radical Book for Kids. This is my honest review.
This is a fascinating and engaging book. My oldest child is almost 6 and enjoys sitting and listening to me or his dad read it to him. The fun fonts and illustrations make it eye-catching and the content is solid and biblical. It’s interactive as well, being that there is a recipe and a paper cube making activity included. One of our favorite sections was “The Story of Jesus” which explained the parts or structures of a story, starting with an exposition and ending with a resolution, and used Home Alone and Star Wars as examples! Overall I think this is a really great resource to help make the Bible larger than life for young learners! It’s marketed as being for ages 5-11, but even as an adult I found it fascinating, and my 4 year old enjoyed sitting for brief periods of time looking at the exciting pages, so personally, I think this is a book for families with all ages. Thank you to New Growth Press for an ebook version in exchange for my honest review.
We have used this book as a family devotional. It has captured the attention and minds of my 5-year-old and 3-year-old. Our baby also loves all the colors! Their favorite chapter so far is on page 69 which is titled, “Snakes, Dragons, and the Bible.” The author does not shy away from hard topics and presents them in Biblical truth! The book is laid out in chapters. Each chapter starts with what I would deem a history, science, geography, or fun story. Then the story ties into biblical, apologetic, or spiritual truth. Thornton has expertly figured out how to write in a way that captures the attention of young people and then leads them into a spiritual lesson. There are fun facts sprinkled throughout the writing, such as the fact that 1,089 feet are about as tall as a 77-foot skyscraper (pg 102)! It’s only the writing in part that captures the attention of children, the illustrations are fascinating and take more than a few seconds to soak in. Which shouldn’t surprise anyone since they were done by Scot McDonald, who is an award winner graphic designer. The Really Radical Book for Kids is recommended for ages 8-14, however, I would like to argue that in the right circumstances, those younger can enjoy the content as well. As I am writing this my children are 5, 3, and 9 months. Now obviously my baby would prefer to tear and eat the pages rather than enjoy its true content, however, this book captures the attention of my 3 & 5-year-old. The book is not something that they are capable of reading by themselves as I believe is intended, but they sit raptured at the kitchen table as we eat our breakfast and read out loud a chapter. There are some chapters that go over their head such as chapter 19, which is entitled “Humor in the Bible.” However, most of the chapters are very friendly for all ages and will point you to the gospel. For ages 8 and up, the text is written in short paragraphs, in large font, and visually stimulating. As I have stated before, many of the pages remind me of how an infographic looks. Specifically, I think this could be good for struggling readers who may need a bit of extra ‘jazz’ to make the reading enjoyable for them. This book has one goal and that is to point kids to God. You will never regret teaching your children biblical truths. Champ Thornton does an excellent job writing and creating a book that exceeds expectations. Will you be picking up this book? We are loving it so far!
This is a very welcome sequel to Thornton's first The Radical Book for Kids. It doesn’t fit any clear category – and as such, it hits a whole lot of them. Overall subject themes include: * exploring parts of the bible (e.g., Proverbs & Romans) * historical people of faith. (e.g., Eric Liddell, Hannah More) * faith questions (e.g., How does prayer work? Why go to church?) * living faithfully (e.g., speech, how to become a Christian) * life skills & info (e.g., how to deal with parents) * fun jokes & silly stuff (e.g., how to make a secret code) Thornton presents biblical material and matters of faith in a fun, different and digestible way for kids. The approach is based around topics and questions. It will be great for children (aimed at 8-14 year olds) who know their bibles well, but may not have linked it together thematically; and it will also appeal to those who want more facts and details about bible accounts, enabling further explanation and a different angle of understanding. The 41 chapters are all mixed up, keeping readers interested as to what might come next. Colourful illustrations and diagrams are engaging and assist the reader in their understanding. It’s beautifully produced, with highly quality printing and a great embossed cover. Kids will be drawn in with language that is appropriate to their lives, but doesn’t dumb things down. The challenges of life are recognised. The questions that we all ask are openly acknowledged. Simplistic answers aren’t given, but the reader is given the truth from the words of God.
The Really Radical Book For Kids by Champ Thornton is a marvellous book for children aged eight years and over. It is a book looking at various aspects of the Christian life and the Bible to help our children grow their faith in God. I think it is a book that is relevant for any age especially if you are a new Christian. This book is accessible for all. For young children, you will need to read it for them. To be honest, I recommend reading this book alongside your children so that you can discuss the content. It is a perfect book for Sunday schools and also for connect groups to work through. The book is brightly coloured, making the pages inviting. We want to read and explore the content which is vast and rich. We learn about prominent figures and how they lived good Christian lives – Pandita Ramabbai, Hannah More, Eric Liddell to name but a few. I was educated as I read. The author tells us that the Bible is like a window – we look outside beyond the stories. It is like stained glass and we look into the stories. And it is like a mirror – we can see ourselves within the stories. All three concepts will help us to see God’s Word clearly. Within the pages, the author helps us to delve deeper into Proverbs, Genesis, Romans and Mark. This gives us a greater understanding, helping us to apply the Bible to our daily lives. How will we live with the days God has granted us? We see how to make wise decisions and how to separate the truth from lies. We learn about Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit and the true meaning of Easter. We learn to trust God and His plans rather than trying to organize our lives with the face in the mirror. “We don’t need to believe in ourselves… we need to trust the only One who can rescue us from ourselves.” The Bible is a book we can approach in 3D. It is literature, history and theology. The stories are fully rounded. Mentions in the Bible can be backed up by items found in archeological digs. There is humor in the Bible. God likes to have fun. The author has included some jokes and stories to amuse our children. There is a section on prayer and how it works. Prayer is speaking to God and it builds relationship as we learn to trust God with our lives. The whole book has a universal appeal. I am nearer sixty than six but I found myself totally engaged with the book. I learnt new things and I was encouraged by the fresh approach from the author. He has the ability to engage with his audience and explain things in a way that children will understand. If you want to build your child’s faith, grab a copy of The Really Radical Book For Kids today. In fact, if you want to grow your faith, whatever your age, this is a great book for you. I will leave you with my favourite quote in the book from John Stott: “We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.” So go into all the world and spread the Good News. I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun by Champ Thornton is a really fun infographic book full of facts about the Bible and mini bios of people that made an impact living for God. The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun is the second infographic book that Mr. Thornton has written. Broken down into short chapters, The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun discusses a wide variety of things that are written in the Bible–like battles that the Kings in the Bible had to explaining what Sin is and how it separates us from God. Each infographic does it’s best to explain the why’s and the how’s of the Bible with hands-on activities sprinkled through out. The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun is a book not only for young ones ages 8-12 to learn more about what’s in the Bible, but adults as well. I really love the infographic visuals that are in The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun! The infographics included helped make the topic being discussed make sense. Some of the Biblical fact that were shared in the book did not make sense to me when I was younger, but now as an adult with the infographic to help, those Biblical Facts make sense. I love the Christian profiles that were through out the book. Most of the Christian profiles were of people that I did not know about and I enjoyed learning about the impact they made on the world and appreciated the sacrifices they made so that others could know Jesus. I believe The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun is a great resource to have on hand at a Church, Christian educational setting, and at home. Champ Thornton always writes fun, exciting books of Truth that will make you think and The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun is no exception. If you are looking for a book that will help the kids in your life, or even yourself, to understand more of what’s in the Bible, then I highly recommend The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun by Champ Thornton! I would like to thank New Growth Press for giving me a copy of The Really Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Really Radical Book for Kids is a terrific sequel to The Radical Book for Kids. Both volumes provide church history, closer analysis of specific books of the Bible and biblical characters as well as apologetic insights. Written in a highly approachable and enjoyable manner, this book could be enjoyed by learners of all ages. While this complimentary book was provided for review by New Growth Press, no other compensation was given. All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.
Champ Thornton released his first book in this series, The Radical Book for Kids, nearly nine years ago. Our family enjoyed this book. It was a unique take on theology, Church history, science, history, and random fun facts and activities. It was filled with truth that was captured in beautiful illustrations. The follow-up of Thornton's book was more of the same. (Here is a link for 40% OFF!!) I love how Champ connects the beauty and the mystery of our world to the greatness of our Creator. His work in this book reminds me of Abraham Kuyper's famous quote: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” Champ has something for everyone through engaging graphic layouts for various activities and subjects. He has a unique blend of curiosity and gospel fluency as a parent or ministry leader looking for activities or a model for scripture engagement in a fun and relevant way. Something for my girls Here is an example of a section my daughters would enjoy. One of my daughters is an avid baker and would find herself drawn to the recipe but would also learn about foods mentioned in the Bible. What is so great about this particular lesson is the 4D nature of the lesson. You will learn facts about food in the bible but make biscuits and do something to remind them of what they learned. Finally, they will smell and taste the biscuits they made, and those smells and flavors will cement truth in the heart and senses of any young baker with a passion for knowing the truth. Something for my boys My boys loved joke books. They would read them on road trips and laugh out loud. They would read me the knock-knock jokes and try to get me to guess the punch line. My boys are older now, but they would have loved this section in Champ's book. How cool that our God cares about the essential parts of our world and loves to hear us laugh. I know, as a parent, there is nothing better than hearing your kids laugh without restraint. The unbridled joy of young laughter is something I will miss as our kids grow up and move away. Something for all of us Champ's grasp on Theology is solid. This is something that you only sometimes find in Christian books for kids. So often, adults writing books for kids do those kids a disservice by writing the truth about God that is so simplified that it loses the heat and the light that orthodoxy brings. As someone who has worked with kids for over two decades, I can tell you that kids can wrestle with deep things. We honor them and God when we speak clearly and directly to them about the deep things of God and when we discuss their need for God's mercy and his endless supply. Christian Worldview Finally, Champ does something that is going to be increasingly important. He addresses worldview issues our kids are facing and will face one day. With the increasingly secular culture, we find ourselves immersed in the need for our kids to recognize the lies we hear and tell ourselves. The only way for us to see them as lies is to place them beneath the blazing light of truth. Champ does that throughout his book with both wisdom and grace. Your kids need to know how to respond to lies like "Love is love," "You are enough," and "Follow your heart." I highly commend Champ's book to you. It is a book you can either walk through with your kids as part of your bedtime routine, or it can be a book you hand to them, and they can enjoy the beautiful layout that contains life-giving truth. I pray that the effort my friend Champ expended will encourage your child to see everything in light of the saving mercy of Jesus.
Champ Thornton’s newest work, The Really Radical Book for Kids, is truly radical – as in fantastic, awesome, and unique! It’s filled with rich gospel truth and wonderful spiritual gems, but it doesn’t read like a boring textbook or dusty curriculum. The age-appropriate writing style, witty humor, and playful illustrations make it easily accessible for kids. In Really Radical, Champ explores important biblical concepts such as sin, prayer, and how to become a Christian, but the book is also filled with fun factoids that kids will love (e.g., Did you know Jesus asked more than 300 questions in the gospels? Really Radical explores this.). There are also great kid-centric sections on dealing with parent problems, how to understand certain books of the Bible, evidence for God’s existence, food in the Bible, battles in the Bible, interesting mini-bios of historical heroes of the faith, and so much more. I highly recommend this book for any child ages 8-14.
The Radical Book for Kids: More Truth, More Fun, by Champ Thornton, is an exciting, unique, and informative book that answers many of the questions kids have about the Holy Bible. It’s a treasure of information for kids who love history, trivia, and learning fun facts. Tweens and teenagers will be fascinated by the book’s unique design and layout. Each section of the book is filled with detailed illustrations, vivid colors, and bold wacky fonts, It has a scrapbook/notebook feel to it that appeals to this age group. Thornton strategically teaches kids about Bible truths, debunks myths, answers common and uncommon questions all while weaving cool historical and biblical facts with a long string of humor. This is a book I would have appreciated reading as a young teenager. Oftentimes the questions I asked were met with unsatisfying answers that only scratched the surface of my curiosity and left me wanting more. This book will not only satisfy the inquisitive teenager’s laundry list of questions but it may also strengthen his(her) faith in God. The Radical Book for Kids is a a necessary book for this generation. It is an excellent resource for local church assemblies, house churches, Christian schools, and homeschoolers alike. The target audience: kids ages 8-14.
