• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Big Books, Little Ears

Reading chapter books to toddlers, preschoolers, and beyond

  • Books to Read Aloud
  • Tips for Reading Together
  • Book Activities
  • Books for Moms
  • About
  • Contact Me
You are here: Home / Children's Book Review Lists / Pros/Cons of 3 Super Popular Christian Biography Books for Boys

Pros/Cons of 3 Super Popular Christian Biography Books for Boys

May 7 by Kristin Wynalda

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email

It’s always a good idea to remind our kids that we aren’t alone in believing what we do. We have a rich heritage of Christians who did big things for God that we can point them to. Thankfully this heritage has been illustrated (literally!) in Christian biographies for kids.

There are many wonderful compilation books that compile many Christian biographies into one volume. I’m going to review 3 of the most popular Christian biographies for boys. The books are marketed to ages 7 through 12, but see my reviews to see if that’s the best age for them.

I’m going to be comparing and contrasting only “boy” books, because otherwise this review list would get crazy long. However, unless otherwise noted, you can assume I feel the same way about the “girl” versions of these titles. I read both “boy” and “girl” books to all of my children of both genders, so do not take this list as a recommendation to read these books to only boys, it’s just a distinction of how the publishers market them.

This post contains referral links for these products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It does not cost you extra to purchase through my links.

cover image of The Boys Who Used Their Talents

Review of Lightkeepers Boys series by Irene Howatt

These are the Ten Boys Who… books. The title of every book in the series starts with “Ten Boys Who.” They’ve been around for a long time, but they’re still being published and will be front and center in any Christian bookstore.

Pros of Lightkeepers Boys:

The short biographies are written in a story format. This makes them exciting, and more accessible to kids who don’t necessarily love non-fiction. Each chapter can be read in about 10 minutes, so they are not super long, but longer than just a page.

The stories frequently focus on what the person was like as a child. This is a unique spin on biographies for kids.

There are many books in the series. I read the “boy” series and the “girl” series to all of my kids, and think that both are important for both genders to hear.

There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter. You could use these or not. The discussion questions are not helpful for an independent reader, because they are fairly complex and not super accessible.

Cons of Lightkeepers Boys:

No pictures!! There are no pictures at all. Because of that, it can be easy to miss the diversity of people talked about in the chapters. There is a fairly diverse lineup, but you wouldn’t know that just from reading unless you were familiar with all of the people. In order to get around that, I pull up a picture online of each person to show my kids before we read the chapter.

I recommend Lightkeepers Boys for…:

As a read aloud with parental guidance, I recommend it for ages 7 and up. 

To be read independently, I would be comfortable with handing it to children 10 years old and up. The reading level and word choice is younger than 10 years old, but I think that the content is heavy enough that you should proceed with caution with any child under 10.

For example, there are references to someone protesting abortion. Additionally, many of these people had hard lives, including being tortured for their faith. There’s just some dark stuff.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend the series for all children. (With the understanding that the author is definitely a conservative Christian, so if that’s not your particular flavor of faith, use it as a read aloud if you’re concerned about content that’s not right for your family.)

In our family we use it as a read aloud only. That way we can chat about what we read, I can show them a picture of the person before we read, and if there are any terms that need parental guidance, I’m there.

Review of 50 Real Heroes for Boys by Christy Monson

50 Real Heroes for Boys is tricky because it is a secular book. However, I’m including it because it has some serious “Pros,” including acknowledging people who were heroic because of their faith in God. (That’s an important distinction: the book doesn’t just acknowledge that someone believed in God, it tells about how their beliefs led to actions.) The message of the book is that being a heroic man means being yourself, and working hard to be your BEST self.

Pros of 50 Real Heroes for Boys:

Although the book is marketed for boys, and features heroic characteristics aimed at boys, there are both men and women represented in the list of heroes. That’s cool!

The book features 20 character traits that mark heroic men. They are all things that I would aspire my little man to be.

Not all of the people featured in it share our faith. However, it acknowledges Christians who acted heroically because of their faith. For example, William Wilberforce.

There are full color illustrations on every page.

There are no people listed that I would be like, “Well, they fundamentally fought against what we believe.”

Cons of 50 Real Heroes for Boys:

It is a secular book, and God used people who don’t share our faith to make the world better, so they’re in here. For example, Steven Hawking is in there, and he argued that there was no possibility of there being a God. However, the book doesn’t share that, and it’s undeniable that he had some heroic qualities, so I’m comfortable with it.

I recommend 50 Real Heroes for Boys for…

The nice thing is it’s a secular book, but feels like it was written by someone who, if they don’t follow our faith, at least respects it. That can be hard to find in secular round-up bibliographies. Therefore, I recommend it highly for everyone, ages 7 and up. (It is an excellent option for those looking for secular books for school that still line up with your values.)

The content is written at an age appropriate level and, although there are some hard things that these people went through, there was nothing overly upsetting. There was nothing that I felt like I needed to guide my son through, he could definitely read it independently. It would work well as both a read aloud book, or to be read independently.

(This is exactly the type of book that if we were reading in our home, after reading every person’s biography I would ask, “How did you see Jesus in this story?” Then I would also answer the question myself. I talk about the ease of using this simple question instead of discussion guides HERE.)

Review of Brave Heroes and Bold Defenders: 50 True Stories of Daring Men of God by Shirley Raye Redmond

Pros of Brave Heroes and Bold Defenders:

The illustrations are in full color and truly wonderful.

There is a good mix of ancient and new people featured, and a diverse lineup.

You can also check out Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God.

Cons of Brave Heroes and Bold Defenders:

The author throws around the term “hero” pretty loosely. Like, Jeremy Camp has a Grammy, but is he a hero?

Also, a friendly reminder that being a man of God does not necessarily mean you will agree with all of the theology or life choices of a person. There were a few men included that had me like, “We will probably see them in heaven…but their theology does not line up at all with our particular flavor of Evangelicalism.”

My understanding is that the original edition of this book had a page about Ravi Zacharius. Clearly that aged like milk… I purchased our copy in December 2021, and it is not in there, so if you buy new you should be good, but if you buy a used copy, maybe peruse the table of contents to make sure you don’t need to glue a couple pages together.

I recommend Brave Heroes and Bold Defenders: 50 True Stories of Daring Men of God for…:

Pick up this illustrated Christian biography book for 8 through 12 year olds who you KNOW like reading biographies. The text is non-fiction biography, and not told at all in a story format.

It could also be a good read aloud for all ages, especially as part of your normal routine. Perhaps you could read about one person every day.

You should also know about this less popular option, if you’re looking for Christian biographies for boys

I also recommend the series Christian Biographies for Young Readers for ages 8 through 12. (Although, honestly, I’ve learned a ton from them that I didn’t know about church history, so you could definitely bump that age up.)

I don’t hear a lot about this series, and it isn’t quite as flashy as the others. That’s why I wanted to share it here. Admittedly, the design style gives off pretty heavy “home school text” vibes, but I encourage you to not discount it just because it doesn’t match the current graphic design style.

Heads up that the series focuses mainly on the ancient fathers (and a few mothers) of the faith, with less modern believers in the mix. Think Augustine of Hippo and John Bunyan…no sports stars or scientists. There are some diverse options in the series, but not a ton.

Each book is written about only one person. The stories are told solely in past tense, so it is a different vibe from the others on this list. However, there are color illustrations, and the theology is sound, so they could be a great option for introducing your child to Christian biographies. I highly recommend it for those with boys who devour interesting non-fiction books!!

I personally think the covers are somewhat lacking in the wow-factor, so cover it with Christian memes or comic strips to get your 10 year old to pick it up. (That’s a joke. But also, I have a 10 year old, so, don’t knock until you try it. Speaking from personal experience.)

I also have a curated list of not-cheesy Christian books for tween boys that AREN’T devotionals, so check that out, too. There are a few more non-fiction options that might fit what you’re looking for.

Related: How to have a read aloud life when you DON’T home school.

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Children's Book Review Lists, Children's Books

More stuff to help you…

Pros/Cons of 3 Super Popular Christian Biography Books for Boys

The Chicken Squad

Book List for a Monk’s Meal

Primary Sidebar

Hello! I’m Kristin.

It can be hard to find good Christian books, so I do the work for you through thorough Christian book reviews! That doesn’t mean I only look at Christian books – it means that I review all types of kids’ books through the lens of my faith. Let’s find you something to read aloud!
  • Join the conversation on Facebook!
  • Follow me on Instagram!

There's more to read!

Join the newsletter list to receive the latest content from Big Books, Little Ears. Get tips, book suggestions, and deals that are only sent out in my newsletters!

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

I won't send you spam, and I'd never sell your information. You can unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Looking for something?

More articles you might like:

  • What Age Can Read the Enola Holmes Series?
  • Pros/Cons of 3 Super Popular Christian Biography Books for Boys
  • Conservative Christian Mom review of I Am God’s Dream

Footer

Legal Stuff

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

Website Disclaimer and Disclosures

Copyright Big Books, Little Ears© 2022

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT