Christian Author & Story
Little Pilgrim's Progress: The Illustrated Edition
VERDICT: HIGHLY Recommended
Concern Level: Low
Christian Parent Review
Concern LevelLow
Concerning & Potentially Concerning Content
This one is adapted for children to follow, but it is not sugar coated. While there are endless chances for lessons and application, including a call to salvation, we will give a few examples here of the most perilous parts so parents of younger, less mature children can make sure they are ready for the story. While it is a great and true point allegorically, young readers hear early in the book that the wicked city of destruction “will be burned, and all the townsfolk in it will be killed”. A character representing self tells Christian he will kill him. A wicked governor has Christian and his companion Faithful beaten (no details are given) A giant also is said to beat Christian and another traveler Helpful. When the boys are extremely hopeless, the Giant offers them poison to end their life. Christian is so down he considers it until Helpful tells him they should not. Later the Giant shows Christian the bones he claims to be the bones of other pilgrims he has killed. That is the most “intense” content of the book that we want to make you aware of. Note that the illustrated version may add a bit to a child’s ability to picture this so be aware of that as well. One additional note here, while the “Little’ version of this book was aimed to bring this book to children it does use a lot of terminology we no longer use today. It may be worth finding a more current retelling or reading it with your child and helping decipher as the names of the characters are meant to help with the allegory.
VerdictHIGHLY Recommended
Our Thoughts
Note: While there are many different options/editions for this book, we selected this illustrated version to highlight. The illustrations are stunningly beautiful and delivered in a hardcover format. These drawings really help younger readers picture the unfolding journey. Little Pilgrim’s Progress by Helen L. Taylor is a simplified children’s adaptation of The Pilgrim’s Progress and it does a beautiful job making Bunyan’s message accessible to younger readers. The darker and heavier spiritual elements from the original are softened quite a bit. There are still moments that talk about danger, temptation, and spiritual struggle, but they are presented gently and in a way children can understand without being overwhelmed. There is very minimal violence (see above), nothing graphic, and most of the conflict is clearly allegorical and toned down. The theology remains very solid. The book clearly teaches personal salvation, the narrow path, heaven and eternal reward, and the reality of sin. Good and evil are clearly defined, without any moral confusion, and sin is not excused or justified. There is no irreverence toward God. The Lord is treated respectfully throughout the text. There is no crude language, no sexual content, no substance issues, and no modern gender confusion themes. Authority is not mocked, and parents are not portrayed negatively. Obedience, humility, and perseverance are modeled well. And this is all done through an engaging story. Overall, this is a wonderful introduction to the heart and theology of Bunyan’s original work. It keeps the eternal focus while presenting the journey in a way that young hearts can grasp. It encourages children to think beyond this world, reinforces that the Christian life has purpose, and reminds them that following Christ requires perseverance. For families wanting to plant seeds of eternal perspective early, this is a strong and safe choice. It works especially well as a read-aloud or alongside family devotions where you can pause and talk through the symbolism together. A faithful and gentle children’s adaptation of Bunyan’s classic. Clear moral distinctions, strong biblical themes, and a great choice for family reading. We will leave you with a note from the dedication, “For little pilgrims – long is the journey, good is the King”. May He be glorified.
Plot SummaryNote: This information is typically from the publisher.
A classic work of literature, adapted for children and beautifully illustrated. Perceiving the need for a simpler version of a timeless classic, Helen Taylor faithfully adapted John Bunyan’s allegory of the Christian life, The Pilgrim’s Progress, for young readers—hoping to bring its treasury of wisdom nearer to children’s hearts and minds. That version has sold over 800,000 copies! It preserves the original plotlines of Bunyan’s classic while telling the story of Little Christian and Christiana in a way that kids can understand. In this fresh, imaginative new edition, bestselling illustrator Joe Sutphin portrays the characters of Bunyan’s tale as animals living in a woodland realm. Children will delight in the lavish illustrations, reading alongside their parents or interacting on their own with the timeless words and beautiful imagery that they discover on every page. This book will help children see the trials and triumphs of faithfulness with fresh eyes, leading them to declare along with Christian, “I am going to the King!”
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Scripture Reflection
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
— 2 Timothy 3:14-17
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