Please or to access all these features

What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties

88 replies

Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 19:12

DS aged 11 is enjoying RE at school and we’ve been discussing bible stories, particularly the creation myths at the beginning. We aren’t religious so his knowledge of the bible is scant. He is very interested in it all.
I was taken to church as a child, was bought a bible and read it again and again, so my knowledge of the bible is good.
I want to get hold of a copy of this bible I had as a kid as they just don’t make them like that any more. They’re all rated U these days, whereas mine was more of a 12 certificate! I’ve looked on eBay but I can’t find it because I can’t remember the publisher.
It was:
Owned and read by me in the eighties
A4 sized and thickish
Had some of the more obscure Old Testament stories, eg. Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego in the fire (great illustration!)
Illustrated on every page - some almost full double-paged illustrations, eg the flood.
Illustrations highly detailed and realistic
Here’s the main clue - the illustrations were graphic, and I mean pretty violent, horrific and memorable. It didn’t shy away from the nasty bits and that’s particularly why I loved it.
Can anyone help me? I reckon if you had it and took a photo of one of the illustrations I would probably remember it.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:31

@SilenceOfThePrams
Yes, that’s the picture I remember of the guys in the fire. Just amazing.
And yes, the stuff of nightmares.

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 01/12/2021 20:30

I don't even know where to start on the pic of John's head. I think the creepiest bit is the man who is clearly checking out the woman's bum.

Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:30

@SilenceOfThePrams
Oh that’s quite funny. She looks so wistful.

OP posts:
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:29

that picture shock it looks like some of the photos of refugees trying to cross the channel
Yes, it’s really horrible isn’t it? It’s just like that.

Hard to believe it’s a children’s book.

OP posts:
SilenceOfThePrams · 01/12/2021 20:28

John’s head.

Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:26

Do you want the picture of the slaying of the children under Herod - horrifying stuff.

Oh please do.

OP posts:
PlanktonsComputerWife · 01/12/2021 20:26

Do you want the picture of the slaying of the children under Herod - horrifying stuff.

Please!

SilenceOfThePrams · 01/12/2021 20:26

This one.

Stuff of nightmares!

Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties
GlitchStitch · 01/12/2021 20:22

Tombliboosrule that's the one I had, I think I still have it somewhere.

banivani · 01/12/2021 20:19

Ha I knew it had to be this one when you said about the pictures. My copy is super dingy and I don’t have the dust cover or anything, but inside it says
The Bible for Children retold by Bridget Hadaway and Jean Atcheson
First published 1973 by Octopus Books ltd (my copy from -76)
ISBN 0706402677

Foreword by the Archbishop of Canterbury! And ours a catholic home and everything.

Do you want the picture of the slaying of the children under Herod - horrifying stuff.

Belleager · 01/12/2021 20:17

www.adverts.ie/children-babies/1st-edition-ladybird-bible-story-book-hardback/12443245

I don't think so for sure, but maybe this? You can click on the cover for more illustrations. I had a version of this with a different cover. The illustrations were really dark. There was definitely a John the Baptist on a plate, and lots of dark waters and lurid skies. Mine had a better layout though. Ladybird / Scripture Union collaboration, words Jenny Robertson.

BertieBotts · 01/12/2021 20:15

Wow that picture Shock it looks like some of the photos of refugees trying to cross the channel :(

viques · 01/12/2021 20:13

If you can’t find it can I recommend City of Gold, a retelling of Bible stories, often from another participants viewpoint. I used to use it when I had to do a religious assembly but didn’t want to go full Bible!

Tomliboosrule · 01/12/2021 20:11

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Illustrated-Childrens-Bible-Vintage-Hardback-Large-Collectors-Nostalgia-/224382317476?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

This one? I’ve got a copy somewhere in the loft - used to scare the life out of me!!

Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:11

@banivani. Yes! That’s the exact one!! What is it please? Publisher, date etc.
Thank you thank you.
That picture is so awful.

OP posts:
HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 01/12/2021 20:11

We also had this one

The bible in pictures by Ralph Kirby

Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties
Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:09

Thanks @HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule I’ve checked that out. It’s not it. That one looks great actually, but mine wasn’t like a comic strip style.
There would be a double-paged massive picture, dark and gloomy and horrible, almost (but not) like a photo of what the actual scene would have been like.
Whereas most bibles would have just shown the happy lovely Noah’s ark with all the lovely animals, mine just had the ark in the background with all the horror of God’s wrath in the foreground.

OP posts:
Youhavesomethinginyourteeth · 01/12/2021 20:09

Was it The Lions Childrens Bible?

karmakemmie · 01/12/2021 20:09

I had this one too! I used to love reading it and looking at the pictures.

Driposaurus · 01/12/2021 20:08

Was it hardback with a light blue spine?

I had one with grizzly pictures. I doubt I’ve chucked it out but I can’t think where it is in the house.

minipie · 01/12/2021 20:07

Ebay is a good place to look, lots of the listings have photos of inside pages with illustrations

banivani · 01/12/2021 20:05

This one? Sorry for rubbish photo.

Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties
minipie · 01/12/2021 20:04

I had this one

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 01/12/2021 20:03

Well if you don’t find the one you’re looking for, I can highly recommend this one. I read it cover to cover many times as a child/young teen.

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 01/12/2021 20:02

Ah ok

Swipe left for the next trending thread