11 Excellent Christian Biography Resources for Your Homeschool

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Who are your kids’ heroes? You can find out who they admire by merely listening to the people they talk about. Challenge your kids to live above the status quo by introducing them to great people through the books they read. Give them Christian heroes! Show them a life worth emulating. Reading biographies is a wonderful way to do this. Show them men and women from all ages of time who, by faith, lived their lives for something that outlasted them, something eternal. Here are 11 Excellent Christian Biography Resources for Your Homeschool.

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11 Excellent Christian Biography Resources for Your Homeschool

In this list you will find the eleven resources categorized by genre. I have also tried to give an approximate age level for which each book or series word work well.

#1 Heroes for Young Readers by Renee Meloche

Genre: Picture Book

Age: Young Kids

With colorful illustrations written in four line rhyme, these books are written for young readers. This resource is a picture book version of the similar Christian Heroes Then and Now series (below), both of which are put out by YWAM. Each book is about a different character. If you have children in 6th grade and below, this series would be great to use for all your children. Reading one picture book a week at Morning Time would be a wonderful way to get kids familiar with some of these great men and women.

#2 Trailblazer Books by Dave and Neta Jackson

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction Books About One Character

Age: Elementary

Trailblazer Books are historical fiction books which read much like a chapter book for elementary age kids. Each book features a different hero of the faith. One thing I like about these books is the catchy book and chapter titles and the occasional illustrations sprinkled throughout the books. The books are generally 100-150 pages in length with slightly larger font. Over 32 people are featured in the Trailblazer Series.

#3 Christian Heroes Then and Now by Janet and Geoff Benge

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction Books About One Character

Age: Upper Elementary, Middle and High School

Christian Heroes Then and Now is published by YWAM. Each book is the life story of a Christian hero written in fictional style. The books cover interesting stories in the character’s life as well as some little known facts about the person. I have used these as a read aloud book for my kids, but they could easily be assigned to an upper elementary, middle, or high school child for personal reading as well. They are a little bit longer, 150-200 pages, so it is not a quick read.

#4 Men and Women of Faith Series

Genre: Biography

Age: Middle and High School

The books in Men and Women of Faith series are individual biographies which highlight the important contributions of each person’s life. These biographies are well-suited to give a Middle and High School aged kids to read on their own. We have used them as read aloud books which has been great as well. They are definitely a little deep for younger kids, but bits of the story still trickle down to the littles as they sit in and do some quiet work while listening.

Each book is approximately 125-150 pages long, so by reading one chapter a week, it would be reasonable to cover two-three biographies a. year. Individual books are written by various authors and some of them written as an autobiography.

Here are some of the people featured in the Men and Women of Faith biographies.

Women: Amy Carmichal, Corrie Ten Boom, Florence Nightingale, Gladys Alward, Isobel Kuhn, Mary Slessor, Joni, Hannah Whitall Smith

Men: Borden of Yale, Brother Andrew, C.S. Lewis, Charles Finney, Charles Spurgeon, Eric Liddell, George Mueller, Hudson Taylor, Jim Elliott, Jonathan Goforth, John Hyde, John Wesley, Samuel Morris, Terry Waite, William Carey, Andrew Murray, Charles Colson, D.L. Moody, John Newton, John Paton, Luis Palau

Men and Women: John and Betty Stamm, Francis and Edith Schaeffer

#5 Light Keepers by Irene Howat

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction Series, Books with a Different Character in Each Chapter

Age: Elementary and Middle School

In this five book series, each book has ten biographies which are like ten chapters. The story of the person in each chapter reads like fiction and gives a fairly brief overview of the person’s life. The end of each chapter has a section which includes a short fact, the keynote of the person’s life, questions to think about, and a prayer. The chapters are about 12 pages of light reading, suggested for kids ages 9-14. I think these books would be perfect as a devotional, considering the reflection questions at the end of each chapter. Chapters do not go very deep, but give a short synopsis of the lives of several people in one book.

The books come in a series of five. There is a set for boys and girls .

Ten Boys/Girls Who Changed the World

Ten Boys/Girls Who Used Their Talents

Ten Goys/Girls Who Didn’t Give In

Ten Boys/Girls Who Made History

Ten Boys/Girls Who Made a Difference

A few of the biographies in each chapter include:

Boys: Eric Liddell, George Washington Carver, Billy Graham, Luis Palau, George Muller, Nicky Cruz, Polycarp, Thomas Cranmer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Nate Saint, C.S. Lewis, John Bunyan

Girls: Gladys Aylward, Mary Slessor, Amy Carmichal, Joni Eareckson Tada, Catherine Booth, Sabina Wurmbrand, Ruth Bell Graham, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Blandina, Anne Askew

#6 Trial and Triumph by Richard M. Hannula

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction Series, Books with a Different Character in Each Chapter

Age: Middle & High School or all ages if used as a read aloud book.

This is one book which follows the history of the church and tells individual stories of Christian heroes. Each chapter the story of a different hero of the faith. Trial and Triumph is very well-written. The chapters are not an easy read, but they are an excellent read! Because of this, I have used this book primarily as a read aloud. When I read it to the kids (as opposed to them reading it to themselves), we are able to discuss difficult sections or details that may go over their heads.

The book is divided by time periods chronologically: Early Church, Middle Ages, Reformation, Post-Reformation, Modern Missions, and Recent Times. We have gone through this book twice over a period of several years. I usually read one chapter a week during Morning Time. Sometimes I can get through a chapter in one day. Other chapters may take 2-3 days if they are longer.

#7 History Lives Series by Mindy and Brandon Withrow

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction Series, Books with a Different Character in Each Chapter

Age: Middle and High School

History Lives is a chronological historical fiction series of five books. The books follow the history of the church, each chapter covering a different person. This is an easy read for Middle and High School students. The chapters, however, are longer so that is the reason I have not used these for younger ages. I assign this series to my 7th and 8th grade kids to complete in two years. To finish in this time frame, they have to read a little more than one book per semester which comes out to 1-2 chapters a week. My kids really enjoy these!

#8 Christian Biographies for Young Readers by Simonetta Carr

Genre: Non-fiction Picture Book

Age: All ages, perfect for Morning Time

Christian Biographies for Young Readers would be excellent choices to read for Morning Time with kids of every age. This series is very well done. It reads more like a non-fiction book, but is highly engaging for young readers. The books are roughly 60 or so pages with 5-7 chapters in each book. The thing that I love most about these books is the beautiful illustrations, on-site pictures, famous artwork, and copies of original documents which can be found on each page.

In some of the books you will find the following themes: exposing doctrinal errors like gnosticism and Arianism, actual quotes from the person, books they have written, a timeline of their life, snippet stories of contemporaries who lived during their lifetime.

Here are some of the biographies in this series.

• Charles Spurgeon
• Jonathan Edwards
• John Owen
• Phyllis Wheatley
• Irenaeus of Lyon
• Peter Martyr Vermigli
• Martin Luther
• Marie Durand
• Jonathan Edwards
• John Knox
• Anselm of Canterbury
• Lady Jane Grey
• Athanasius
• John Owen
• Augustine of Hippo
• John Calvin
• John Bunyan
• Julia Gonzaga

#9 The Hiding Place with Elizabeth and John Sherril

Genre: Autobiography

Age: Middle and High School

If I were to pick a book that is a must-read for your homeschool, this would be it! This book is a fabulous read aloud! Sections and chapters end with cliffhangers. Your kids will ask you to read “just a little more”. Corrie Ten Boom tells the story of hiding Jews in their home in Amsterdam during the German Occupation during World War II. She shares the details of their arrest, time in the Auschwitz concentration camp, and ultimately the message that “there is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”

Some of the details in Corrie’s story may be too strong for young readers, so I would suggest this as a read aloud for Middle and High School ages. It would also be a great book to assign for kids to read on their own, but I think that Corrie’s style of writing here is perfectly suited to be read aloud to a group. You really don’t want to miss this reading this story with your kids!

#10 God’s Smuggler with John and Elizabeth Sherrill

Genre: Autobiography

Age: Middle and HIgh School

This is the riveting story of Brother Andrew who courageously smuggled Bibles into some of the most dangerous places in the world. His miraculous encounters inspire kids to live a life of faith in a God who can be trusted! This account will challenge your teenager to rise above the status quo and live for something with eternal value.

The text in this book is 260 pages. I have given this book to our high school students to read on their own. It does contain some adult topics that might be inappropriate for younger readers.

#11 George Muller

Genre: Autobiography

Age: Middle and High School

Reading this book as an adult changed my perspective in the power of faith in prayer. George Muller’s story is one that your kids need to hear before they leave home! Reading from his personal journal, follow Mr. Muller’s personal account of his conversion from a rebellious lifestyle to his call by God to care for thousands of orphans.

This is an excellent book for a high school student to read independently or to use as a read aloud to older kids. It is 235 pages in length. Because I always try to read to the oldest ages and because I have a senior this year, I will be reading this autobiography once a week during Morning Time for our spring semester.

Leave a Comment!

I hope you have found some inspiration in reading about 11 Excellent Christian Biography Resources for Your Homeschool. What resources would you add to this list? Please share in the comment section below. I love hearing from other homeschoolers!

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