Ellen Frankel, author of JPS Illustrated Children’s Bible, is guest-blogging all week for MyJewishLearning and the Jewish Book Council.

For most of Jewish history, the Bible was “one size fits all.” There was simply no such thing as a children’s version.
The second-century rabbinic anthology Pirkei Avot counsels: “At five years old [one should begin the study of] Scripture” (5:24). For centuries, Jewish children were introduced to the Bible, unexpurgated and unabridged. In fact, Jewish children’s books did not emerge as a separate genre in America until the 1930s, with the publication of The Adventures of K’Ton Ton by Sadie Rose Weilerstein. Until then, Jewish children read the same texts that were meant for adults.

So, do Jewish kids really need a children’s Bible? Or are we just imitating our Christian neighbors, who have been publishing and teaching children’s Bibles since the 11th century?

To read the entire post, visit the Jewish Book Council Blog!