The best-selling children’s Bible in history is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The Beginner’s Bible, one of the most trusted names in early religious education, has been sharing the Word of God with young children for a quarter of a century.

The brand’s recognizable characters and easy-to-read content make stories from the Bible accessible for children ages 6 and under.  

Originally developed in 1984 as Dovetales, the 48-page booklet included audiocassettes. In 1989, the brand name was officially changed to The Beginner’s Bible and the full 94-story storybook Bible was released into the market. It was an instant best-seller.

The Beginner’s Bible created the Bible storybook category at retail and was the first branded Christian children’s property. In 1994, ancillary and licensed products began releasing. The Beginner’s Bible had 52 licensees, multiple channels and over 250 products with over $100 million in retail sales.

Taking the brand to the next level, Sony Wonder produced The Beginner’s Bible animated videos in 1995. The popular videos are still used today by parents and children’s ministries.  

In 2005, The Beginner’s Bible received an art and text update that refreshed the look of the brand for a whole new generation of young readers. During that same year, The Beginner’s Bible products became available in more than 20 languages worldwide, and had over 15 million units sold in all formats.

The Beginner’s Bible has received the Retailer’s Choice and the Children’s Nonfiction Book of the Year awards. Launching the brand into the digital age, the website, thebeginnersbible.com, was developed in 2008 with online games, teaching resources and product information. The brand’s official Facebook page was created in 2010.  

Formerly published by Zondervan and owned by Mission City Press, The Beginner’s Bible brand found its home in 2011 when Zondervan purchased it from Mission City Press and made it part of the Zonderkidz family of products. Under Zonderkidz, The Beginner’s Bible brand grew with new various formats including devotionals, picture books, I Can Read books for early readers, coloring and activity books and an all-new, free, interactive app available with stories, audio, coloring pages, games and popular purchasable story packs.  In 2014, The Beginner’s Bible brand reached a sales milestone of 7 million units sold, in all formats.  

A 25th anniversary celebration event for the brand was hosted by Zonderkidz at the Nashville, Tennessee, Zoo on March 3.

The Beginner’s Bible continues to be a family and ministry favorite resource. Parents, who have grown up with The Beginner’s Bible, are sharing it with their own children. Fans of The Beginner’s Bible brand can expect to see more great books and products in the coming years. For more information on The Beginner’s Bible, visit thebeginnersbible.com.  

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