A book review

#StandStrongerforBoys #NetGalley

There is no shortage of children’s devotional books around, but I always think the real test is quite simple: would a child actually pick this up and read it without an adult standing over them? Stand Stronger for Boys is aimed at boys aged eight to twelve, and its purpose is to help them develop their own relationship with God, particularly as they negotiate the sometimes complicated preteen years.

Each of the ninety devotions follows a fairly predictable pattern. There is a suggested Bible reading, a short story, some reflection, a prayer activity and a fun fact. Predictable, though, isn’t necessarily a criticism. For a child beginning to develop a devotional habit, knowing what to expect can be quite helpful.

Will Boys Actually Want to Read It?

Visually, I think the book works. It doesn’t look like something intended for very young children, but neither is there a daunting wall of text. The strong headings, muted colours and little features such as the “Fun Fact” boxes break the pages up nicely.

More importantly, the individual readings are short. That matters. There is enough substance to give the reader something to think about without making spending time with God feel like another piece of homework.

The language is also straightforward without talking down to the reader. That is a difficult balance to get right with this age group.

Same Story, Different Audience

One thing particularly caught my attention because I had just been looking at Stand Stronger, the companion devotional for adult men.

One of the devotions here, “Don’t Be Afraid”, uses Jeremiah 1:4–10 and the extraordinary survival story of Louis Zamperini. The adult devotional uses essentially the same starting point.

That makes comparing the two fascinating.

In the children’s version the story is shorter, unfamiliar terminology such as “POW” is explained, and the focus moves quickly towards something a child can understand personally: what am I afraid of, and what difference does believing God is with me make?

For me, that is where the book is strongest. The writers haven’t simply shortened an adult devotion and used easier words. There is an attempt to bring the biblical theme into the everyday world of the child.

Something I Really Liked

I particularly liked the section headed “Just You and God”.

At the end of this devotion, children are invited to complete a prayer by naming something they are afraid of and asking God to be with them as they face it.

It’s a very small feature, but possibly one of the most valuable.

We can be very good at telling children what they ought to believe. Giving them space to talk honestly to God for themselves is something rather different.

And perhaps that is one of the best things a devotional book can do. It shouldn’t become the child’s relationship with God. It should help the child develop one.

But I Did Wonder…

I kept returning to one question: what makes this specifically a devotional for boys?

There is nothing wrong with producing resources specifically for boys, of course, and some children may particularly appreciate knowing that a book has been created with them in mind.

But I would have liked to explore whether the content genuinely reflects something distinctive about the spiritual lives and experiences of boys aged eight to twelve, or whether many of these devotions could just as easily be offered to children more generally.

Perhaps that is something parents, grandparents and children’s ministry leaders will want to decide for themselves.

Would I Use It?

Yes, I would.

I can easily imagine giving this to a child who is beginning to explore reading the Bible and praying independently. I could also see individual devotions providing useful starting points for conversations at home or in children’s ministry.

And I like that the book continually points beyond itself towards the Bible. A children’s devotional has succeeded, I think, when eventually the child discovers that the most interesting book on the bedside table isn’t the devotional at all.

My Verdict

Stand Stronger for Boys is attractive, accessible and genuinely manageable for its intended age group. The mixture of Bible, storytelling, interesting facts and personal prayer gives children several different ways into each theme.

My one lingering question concerns how specifically the book needs to be marketed towards boys. But that does not detract from what it does well.

For an eight to twelve-year-old beginning to take some ownership of their faith, this could be a very useful companion, particularly if it opens the door not simply to ninety devotions, but to a lifetime of opening the Bible and discovering God for themselves.