Every year, new Bibles are being released. Not all of them are an improvement, to put it mildly, and some of these are downright embarrassing. That’s not the case with two new NIV editions from Zondervan: The NIV Bible for Teen Guys and the NIV Bible for Girls, Journal Edition. Both of these really offer something extra that will speak to teens.
NIV for Girls
Let’s start with the girl version. This is a hardcover journaling Bible, which is a trend that I really love and appreciate. Whole websites are devoted to creative Bible journaling and I’ve dabbled a bit in this myself, though my creative talents leave something to be desired. It’s a practice that appeals to girls, so this edition will offer them the opportunity to bring out the colored pencils and watercolors and start journaling.
The NIV for Girls offers just the text, nothing extra except a short intro. That’s fine, since the prime aspect is the fact that each page has lines next to the next for notes, journaling, and more, as you can see in the sample below.
According to the publisher, the pages are ‘thick’, but I’ve discovered publishers have a different definition of thick than most people do. Most journaling Bibles I’ve seen and felt have paper that’s thinner than I would want it to be. I get why, thicker paper is costly and makes the Bible even thicker, bringing up the cost. But the effect is that certain pens will bleed through the page, just so you know. Don’t let that deter you, as this is the case with most journaling Bibles.
Girls will appreciate the cute covers, which come in four different colors (pink and turquoise are available now, mint and purple will follow in January of 2017) and the elastic closure band. The whole thing looks very girly, which for teen girls is a good thing. If you know girls who are into journaling or who you want to motivate to experiment with this, this Bible would be the perfect choice (assuming you like the NIV translation, obviously).
NIV for Teen Guys
The guy version is completely different, thankfully. No artsy journaling here, but a ton of extras that will help guys understand the Bible better. Every Bible book comes with a short overview of what happened and when it happened. Spread throughout the Bible are dozens of daily readings from well known authors that offer insights and encouragement for teens. I read through quite a few of these and loved the quality and insights they offered. There are also portraits of ‘Men of the Bible’ where guys can learn more about Biblical characters.
It is hard to get teens to read the Bible, guys especially. What I like about this NIV Bible for Teen Guys is the extra content it offers, aimed at helping teens grow in their faith. That also makes it a great resource for youth leaders working with guys by the way.
In short, both of these Bibles would be a great gift for a teen and really offer something extra.
What’s your favorite Bible to give to teens?
[Excerpt taken from NIV Bible for Teen Guys, Copyright 2016 by Zondervan. Used with permission of Zondervan.]
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