The Rhyme Bible Storybook

When I first got my hands on the 1996 or 2000 edition of this Bible storybook illustrated by Toni Goffe I was in love. (My physical book says 1996, while the ISBN online shows 2000). When I heard it was being republished with new illustrations I was ecstatic and could not wait to see it! I am not disappointed, as a matter of fact I'm thrilled and even more in love.For me it all started when I ended up with the toddler version by accident, also illustrated by Toni Goffe. I ended up with the toddler version by a blesseded accident as I meant to get the full version for participation in the Animal Play Curriculum for our two-year old homeschool year. I could not be more pleased in the end. The rhymes are a perfect length for my [at the time] toddler to repeat after me and really get some of the stories and learning new words. [At that time we would] start the morning with a section from the Rhyme Storybook Bible and the in the afternoon (when there is a toddler version of said verses) we read along together in a repeat-after-me fashion in the toddler version. I love this special time with her!After realizing that I really needed the full version to go along with the curriculum I ordered myself a copy. After reading and reviewing the toddler version I knew that this would be worth every penny and I was not wrong. This [2000 edition] is bigger and thicker. There are about eight to ten lines per page as opposed to four three word phrases. It's like taking the next step up and it's fabulous. This will be great for years to come. [When I wrote this review in October of 2011, she would listen] to this one and doesn't repeat the rhymes, but I think one day she'll be ready for longer ones and this one will be perfect.And now for this newer, 2012 edition... :) Right not Zondervan is on a roll with their Zonderkidz storybook Bibles all being the same size. I love it and my girls love it. While we enjoy The Rhyme Bible Storybook the copy I bought was big as I said, too big and bulky for my now preschooler to tote around and for her to snuggle with. However it was great for lap reading. Yet that is not the case with the perfectly sized 2012 edition illustrated by Laurence Cleyet-Merle! I already knew I loved the rhymes from Linda Sattgast and now that my daughter is a little older they are more appropriate for her, and she does repeat them back. ;)The Cleyet-Merle version is not as thick as some text that took up two or three pages is now on one. But do not think that over-crowds the pages because it doesn't at all. The 2000 version had a lot of blank empty white space so if you trimmed all that and combined some things you could see how they got to here.Cleyet-Merle's illustrations span the two pages open to the reader and fill the imagination with vibrant colors of bold lines for nature, animals and people. If I had to choose between these two versions I'd jump for this new one easily!With most pages having eight lines per page and some as many as twenty this is a great way to both introduce poetry, rhythm and rhyme as well as a great way to hear and possibly memorize scripture. All around win. :)Thanks to Zondervan for providing a copy for review.Included in my blog post scheduled for December 27th, 2012, are images that I took to compare the artwork in the 2000 edition versus the 2012 edition. scheduled: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2012/12/27/the-rhyme-bible-storybook/Other good recommendations is also: [bc:My Read and Rhyme Bible Storybook 7154929 My Read and Rhyme Bible Storybook Cindy Kenney http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347259361s/7154929.jpg 7420817]