Big Theology for Little Hearts: A Review for Families Seeking Biblical Depth

By Joshua Mills

Do you have a series of books that you love to read to your children before bed? When your children ask for a story, do they have a favorite you read again and again?

For our family, it is the Big Theology for Little Hearts series, written by Devon Provencher and illustrated by Jessica Robyn Provencher. This series unpacks major theological truths in a concise and accessible way, helping those truths settle into the hearts of young children.

The goal of the series is to provide children with a cohesive theological framework—covering God, creation, humanity, Jesus, and the gospel. To receive that full framework, it is best to read the entire series together.

In doing so, parents are better equipped to obey the command of Deuteronomy 6:6–9:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…”

For this review, we will briefly consider three volumes in the series: The Bible, Prayer, and Heaven, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths

This section is easy to write—our two-year-old daughter loves this series.

Each page is filled with rich theological truth communicated with clarity and simplicity. For example, in The Bible, the meta-narrative of Scripture is summarized in a way both children and adults can grasp:

Old Testament:
“The first part of the Bible tells the story of creation, shows how sin separated people from God, and promises a Savior who will rescue God’s people.”

New Testament:
“In the second part of the Bible, we learn that Jesus fulfilled the promises of a Savior in His life, death, and resurrection. Then He sent His church into the world to spread the gospel to all people.”

Another strength is the memorability of each page. As our daughter begins forming sentences, she is already reciting portions of the books. This familiarity creates natural opportunities for deeper conversations about Christ.

For example, in the book on Heaven, one page describes Jesus as Judge:

Judge:
“When Jesus returns, God will judge all people, forgiving those who believed in Jesus and punishing those who rejected Him as King.”

From an early age, children are introduced to essential truths about heaven, hell, and the lordship of Christ.

In the book on Prayer, children are given a framework for communicating with God, drawing from the Psalms—adoration, lament, confession, petition, and thanksgiving. This helps shape not only understanding but practice.

Finally, the artwork deserves mention. Unlike many children’s books that feel cluttered or distracting, the illustrations here are simple, beautiful, and supportive of the theological message.

Weaknesses

This section is brief, which is a good sign.

From the volumes reviewed (The Bible, Prayer, and Heaven), one concern arises in the Prayer book. On the page explaining the Lord’s Prayer, there is a visual depiction of Jesus.

Personally, I found this uncomfortable and would prefer a different approach to illustration.

In our home, we seek to emphasize the truth of 1 Peter 1:8–9:

“Though you have not seen him, you love him…”

We desire our children to love the unseen Christ now, trusting in Him by faith until they see Him face to face.

Conclusion

I would highly recommend the Big Theology for Little Hearts series for families with young children.

From creation to consummation, the series presents theological truth in a concise and memorable way that serves both children and parents. It is an excellent tool for family discipleship and for pointing children to Jesus Christ.

Use this series as a regular part of your family routine—especially at bedtime—and as a springboard for gospel-centered conversations.

You will not regret it.