Children's Book Suggestions | Christian Fiction

Some of our favorite Christian-themed books for young readers, from board books and picture books about God's love to chapter books for older readers exploring Biblical stories and Christian beliefs. While the title says "fiction," we've expanded this list to include some popular nonfiction books as well.

Fiction stories with Christian themes are integrated into our general fiction sections and shelved under the author's last name.

Bible stories, books about prayer and faith, and other religious topics are shelved our Children's Nonfiction section starting at the number 220.

Books about Christmas and Easter are shelved at the end of our Christmas and Easter section under the number 225.

Updated November 2, 2023
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
A spoonful of faith
Holliday, Jena
Paper Book
A sweet rhyming paper-over-board picture book that reminds young readers that to make their dreams come true--"a spoonful of faith is all it takes!"--from debut author-illustrator Jena Holliday. An encouraging and hopeful book, perfect for anyone nervous about activities such as...

Christian influencer Jena Holliday tells a sweet story about using faith to navigate childhood challenges (Picture Books Age 4-8)

Early Sunday morning
Millner, Denene
Paper Book
Early Sunday Morning is the first offering from Denene Millner Books, the new children's line published under Agate's Bolden imprint in partnership with Denene Millner, the noted parenting authority, editor, and New York Times bestselling author. Love and family....

A young girl prepares to sing her first solo with her church choir (Picture Books Age 4-8)

Grand Teton stampede
Fulton, C. R.
Paper Book
"STAMPEDE!" Isaiah yells as the herd heads straight at his and Ethan's tent? Twelve-year-old Isaiah Rawlings wished for only one thing this summer, a camping trip outside of Kentucky. I'm so tired of camping in my backyard, he groaned. Isaiah pleads with his parents to reconsider their usual summer...

Each books in this series takes place a different national park, perfect for outdoor-loving readers (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

What is given from the heart
McKissack, Pat
Paper Book
CORETTA SCOTT KING - JOHN STEPTOEILLUSTRATORAWARD FOR NEW TALENTWINNER This final, magnificent picture book from three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and Newbery Honor author Patricia McKissack is a poignant and uplifting celebration of the joy of giving. ...

A story about generosity by one of the greatest Black children's authors of the 20th century (Children's Holiday Age 4-8)

Best family ever
Kingsbury, Karen
Paper Book
Now an original series on Prime Video Much-loved storyteller Karen Kingsbury's Baxter Family books have captured the hearts of millions who have come to think of the Baxter family as their own. Now Karen Kingsbury and her son Tyler Russell tell the childhood stories of the...

Popular Christian Fiction author Karen Kingsbury takes the characters from her adult Baxter family books and explores the story from the children's point of view (Children's Fiction Grade 3-5)

The vanishings
Jenkins, Jerry B.
Audiobook
The evening begins like many others. Lionel falls asleep while listening to his uncle tell stories. Ryan stays up reading and listening to music. Vicki goes out smoking pot with her friends. And Judd, tired of being told what to do, takes his father's credit card and heads to the airport in search...
A classic Christian apocalypse story from the Y2K era about children left behind following the Rapture (Children's Fiction Grade 3-5)
The Mandie collection. Volume one
Leppard, Lois Gladys.
Paper Book
This five-in-one volume brings MANDIE fans--new and old alike--back to where it all began. Readers will discover anew the charms of the impulsive Mandie Shaw as she faces the ups and downs of first losing her father and then finding her long-lost family in Mandie and the Secret Tunnel. Many...

For fans of American Girl and Boxcar Children, this historical fiction series features a group of young girls solving mysteries in early 20th century North Carolina (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The lion, the witch and the wardrobe
Lewis, C. S.
Paper Book
OPEN A DOOR AND ENTER A WORLD-- A WORLD TRAPPED IN ETERNAL WINTER, AWAITING HOPE . . . AND FREEDOM. Four siblings step through a mysterious wardrobe and into the magical Narnia, a once-peaceful land now frozen in snow and stone by the cruelty of the evil White Witch. Only the...

A sweeping fantasy allegory of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Squirreled away
Nawrocki, Michael
Paper Book
Mike Nawrocki, co-creator of VeggieTales, is back, this time with some furry friends!In the first installment of this hilarious new chapter-book series, ten-year-old Michael and his friend Justin sneak into the Dead Sea caves near the archaeological dig where Michael's dad is working. Michael...

A Diary of a Wimpy Kid-style graphic novel hybrid book that uses humor to help kids learn about Biblical history (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The green ember
Smith, S. D.
Paper Book
Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world. Kings fall and kingdoms totter. Tyrants...

A gentler take on the Redwall series, with animal protagonists in a medieval European-inspired setting centered on a Christian worldview (Children's Books Grades 3-5)

Little pilgrim's progress
Taylor, Helen L.
Audiobook
Fifty-five years ago, Helen L. Taylor took John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and simplified the vocabulary and concepts for young readers while keeping the storyline intact. The result was a classic in itself, which has now sold over 600,000 copies. It's both a simple adventure story and a profound...

Animal protagonists take the spotlight in this retelling of John Bunyan's Christian classic, The Pilgrim's Progress (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The beginning
Thomas, M. J.
Paper Book
A mysterious scroll transports a brother and sister back in time to God's creation of the world in the first installment of this action-packed chapter book series for emerging readers. The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls series follows siblings Peter and Mary and their dog, Hank, as...

A Magic Treehouse-style time travel story about two siblings and the scroll that transports them to their favorite Bible stories (Christian Fiction Grades 3-5)

Ways to make sunshine
Watson, Rene?e
Paper Book
From Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Award winner Renée Watson, the first book in a young middle grade series about Ryan Hart, a girl who is pure spirit, kindness, and sunshine. Ryan Hart can be and do anything. Her name means "king", that she is a leader, and she...

A modern story inspired by Beverly Cleary's Ramona books, this series features familiar Portland-area landmarks and seamlessly integrates the Hart family's Christian faith into descriptions of their everyday life (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Wishing upon the same stars
Feldman, Jacquetta Nammar
Paper Book
This powerful and poignant coming-of-age middle grade debut novel follows an Arab American girl named Yasmeen as she moves to San Antonio with her family and navigates finding friendship--and herself. Perfect for fans of Other Words for Home, Front Desk, and American as Paneer...

An interfaith story about a Syrian Christan girl finding her place in a new community (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Heart of a shepherd
Parry, Rosanne.
Paper Book
From acclaimed author ofA Wolf Called Wander, Rosanne Parry welcomes readers into the Heartland in this tender coming-of-age story. When Brother's dad is shipped off to Iraq, along with the rest of his reserve unit, Brother must help his grandparents keep the ranch going....

Set in eastern Oregon during the Iraq War, a young boy struggles to support his family while his father is deployed overseas (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Pilgrim's progress : a retelling
Schmidt, Gary D.
Paper Book
This volume offers a superb retelling in contemporary language of John Bunyan's beloved classic, masterfully illustrated with fifty watercolor paintings by Barry Moser.

An illustrated retelling of John Bunyan's Christian classic The Pilgrim's Progress by an award-winning children's author (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

The bronze bow
Speare, Elizabeth George.
Paper Book
In this Newbery Medal-winning novel, Daniel bar Jamin will stop at nothing to seek revenge for his father's death at the hands of the Roman Empire. After Daniel bar Jamin's father is crucified by the Roman Empire, Daniel wants nothing more than to rid his land of Israel of...

An award-winning historical fiction novel by the author of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, telling the story of a young boy who comes to Christianity during Jesus' final days (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

God's smuggler
Andrew, Brother
Ebook
A true-life thriller that will leave you breathless! As a boy, Brother Andrew dreamed of being an undercover spy working behind enemy lines. As a man he found himself working undercover for God. His was a mission filled with danger, financed by faith, supported by miracles. Told it was...

A memoir by a Dutch Christian who smuggled Bibles into Communist countries during the Cold War (Children's Nonfiction Age 9-12)

How to pray : a simple guide for normal people
Greig, Pete
Paper Book
2021 ECPA Award Finalist in the Christian Living Category"An instant spiritual classic." ―Christianity TodayIs prayer the most challenging area of your Christian journey? It doesn't have to be. Pete Greig, one of the founders of 24-7 Prayer International, is...

A fun, interactive guide to helping elementary-age kids develop a daily prayer habit (Children's Nonfiction Age 8-11)

What are the Ten Commandments?
McDonough, Yona Zeldis
Paper Book
Learn the story behind the ten laws that have been the guiding light of Judeo-Christian belief. Not just about Moses, whose origin story leaves open questions, this book looks back at the time when the commandments were written, how the belief in one all-powerful God set the...

The popular Who HQ series includes a couple of books featuring Bible stories, including the Ten Commandments and the life of Jesus (Children's Nonfiction Age 8-11)

When I talk to God, I talk about you
Metz, Chrissy
Paper Book
A New York Times bestselling book! "Gorgeous...Inspired by both of their grandparents and their guidance on prayer, the book is full of thoughtful details...Full of messages for parents, grandparents, or anyone reading." - Romper From...

A loving tribute to parental love written by one of the stars of This Is Us (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)

God, I feel sad
Nietert, Michelle
Paper Book
Kids have big feelings, but none of their feelings are too big for God. In this picture book from licensed counselor Michelle Nietert and Tama Fortner, young readers will explore what it means to feel their sadness and discover how to manage their emotions in a healthy way. ...
A social worker provides a model for helping kids handle big feelings from a faith-based perspective in this new series for young children (Children's Parenting Age 4-8)
Lullaby for the King
Grimes, Nikki
Paper Book
An awe-inspiring Christmas tale from multi-award-winning poet Nikki Grimes. The caravan traveled through wilderness, uphill and down, for hours that spun into days. Then at last, glittering diamond-bright, Bethlehem appeared through the haze. With...

Acclaimed poet Nikki Grimes tells a story of animals processing to Bethlehem for the birth of Christ. Find more picture book retellings of the Biblical Christmas story at the end of the Christmas section in CHR 225)


Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.