Thirteen Missiological Books for Kids
It’s no secret that reading to your kids is important. Study after study shows how reading is essential to cognitive development. But even more importantly, the books we share and read to our kids (and grandkids, nieces, and nephews) help with their spiritual development. The stories they learn when they’re young will shape who they are as they grow.
Parents with a heart for missions can help instill a love towards God’s nations through reading. They can train their children to have hearts softened towards the Great Commission.
This is one way for our churches to have more goers. Reading books about missionaries and missions is a simple and enjoyable way to help nurture children towards that goal. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of several good books for children to learn about missions, arranged from board books for the youngest to chapter books for the whole family to read together or for the more advanced readers to read alone.
Go Tell Everyone
Meredith Cook
An interactive board book that contains information both about missionaries and their country they went to with vibrant illustrations. This book will help even the youngest to have a love for Christ’s global Church. It can be purchased here.
Every Nation
Sarah Nunnally
God’s presence is all throughout the world and His creation reflects His glory. This book helps inspire a love of all the nations through an exploration of the world God has created. It can be found here.
God’s Great Big Global Church
Tim Challies
Filled with bright, colorful illustrations, this book explores the churches of ten children who live around the world. This book shows that though we may all be different and from nations on opposite sides, we can be united in worshipping our God. Find it here.
Do Great Things for God
Various
Charmingly illustrated hardback books, this series includes several missionary women who faithfully served. Learn about the great things they did for God here.
Heroes for Young Readers
Renee Taft Meloche
Beautifully illustrated and with simple retellings of various missionaries, this series is well-suited for young children who wish to learn more about ones who are curious about the different missionaries. You can find the series here.
Around the World With 80 Missionaries
Linda Finlayson
While learning about the featured missionaries, readers of this book will also learn plenty about geography. Focusing on various locations that missionaries have gone to, this book is filled with maps and graphs of information. You can purchase it here.
Hero Tales
Dave & Neta Jackson
Each book contains stories of missionaries (and other faithful Christians). For each person, there are around three stories with follow up questions for reflection. You can purchase the series here.
Eric’s Greatest Race
Tim Challies
This book is written as a graphic novel, action packed and expressively illustrated. Young readers will be fully immersed into the life of missionary and athlete Eric Liddell and learn about his many sacrifices that he made to obey the Great Commission. It is available here.
Lightkeepers: Ten Girls Who…/Ten Boys Who…
Irene Howat
Every book in this series contains multiple stories about different men and women who honored God in how they lived for Him. There are various missionaries included in the series, such as Amy Carmichael, Ida Scudder, Lottie Moon, William Carey, Nate Saint, and Adoniram Judson. Find the books about the boys who became great men of God here and the women who became great women of God here.
Missionary Stories from Around the World
Betty Swinford
Full of exciting stories, with questions for reflection, this book examines the lives of many missionaries who risked everything to obey the Great Commission. You can find it here.
Tales of Persia
William Miller
This collection contains missionary stories of those specifically in the Middle East. The missionaries in this story share the gospel to Islamic people, even when it’s illegal. Find it here.
Christian Heroes Then and Now
Janet & Geoff Benge
One of the best known series of missionary biographies. Easy to read for middle grade readers, or for the whole family to listen to, it explores the lives of many faithful men and women who obey the Great Commission. This features many missionaries, including William Carey, David Livingstone, and Amy Carmichael. You can find the series here.
Trailblazers series
Various
This box set (also sold as individual books) for middle grade readers or for the whole family to read together focuses on different men and women God sent to the nations. The series is available for purchase here.