How many dusty, damaged, faded books do you have on display or in the book tub? How hard is it to get the current generation to pick up a book not a phone or iPad? And that is not helped when the alternative is faded, dusty well thumbed books. Do you want to touch them? let alone read them. Our youngest children are enticed by books that are visually exciting, and we are so lucky to have such wonderful books to stir their imagination and explain difficult concepts. So while the holidays’ are still keeping many families away from our suburban churches take the time to check the books, maybe decide on more exciting ways to display them, sprinkle them around the pews rather than in a box tucked under a pew, have a few children’s story bibles in each pew ( a sincere apology to the person who first suggested this as I can not find who first posted this suggestion) display some in the foyer, especially if you have outside groups sharing your premises (ie ballet, drama, singing or craft groups etc)
There are some great blogs to check out http://storypath.upsem.edu or http://www.picturebooktheology.com for inspiration.
Or you can look at the list I’ve used to create basic book collections in 3 congregations and see if they suit your needs Or better still add to them and make some great suggestions for others to use.
Bibles and Storybooks
I Recommend the Beginners Bible NiVR as it is restricted to 500 common words, easy to read and good pictures, the study Bible version works well for older primary.
The Beginners Bible timeless Children’s Stories
The Rhyme Bible StoryBook by L.J. Stattgast illustrations by Laurence Cleyet-Merle
The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones illustrations by Jago
My First read a loud Bible by Batchelor and Boshoff
The Lion Picture Bible
Frolic first Bible (available by special order through Mediacom)
Books
The Day the Church was made
Any of the Max Laconda, Wemmick series, in fact any of his picture books
Any of the Lost Sheep books by
Any of the Stories Jesus Told by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Bread Bread Bread by Ann Morris
Any of Susie Pooles board books
Any of the Frolic board books (available by special order through Mediacom)
Why do We Have to best Quiet in Church by Clare Simpson
The Lord’s Prayer by Rick Warren
Found by Sally Lloyd Jones and Jago
The storm that stopped by Alison Mitchell and Catalina Echeverri
When God Made you by Matthew Paul Turner illustrator David Catrow
any of the LOVE Letter from God books
For Parents
Parenting in the Pew by Robbie Castleman
5 love languages by Gary Chapman
The psychology of Babies by lynne Murray
Try
https://www.paracletepress.com (an American site with great books that will ship to Australia, some of their books are available at Mediacom)
The Cross in My Backyard 
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