Brother Andrew: Taking Bibles to the World by Renee Taft Meloche

Brother Andrew’s life comes alive for young readers through the rhyming text in this picture book.

Brother Andrew: Taking Bibles to the World (Heroes for Young Readers Series) by Renee Taft Meloche and illustrated by Bryan Pollard. YWAM Publishing, 2009. 32 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8

Recommended For: Ages 4-8

As a boy growing up in Holland during WWII, young Andrew’s life of adventure began when he joined the Nazi resistance movement. After the war, he served in the East Indes until he was wounded and returned home, thinking his adventures were over. Instead, he began eagerly reading his Bible and attended a Christian training school; then began his new adventures in countries where Bibles were scarce.

He had plenty of escapades getting past border patrol guards, praying that God would make seeing eyes blind, and sometimes “hiding” Bibles in plain sight. He met a Christian who travelled two thousand miles in hopes of receiving a Bible, and a pastor who had none. Every challenge was met with marvelous providence.

Brother Andrew began the ministry Open Doors with the help of volunteers. His efforts to spread Bibles in China included smuggling a million Bibles to a beach and leaving them for Christians to distribute. Although the work of distributing Bibles to persecuted Christians is not over, the fall of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe has brought greater religious freedom for Christians in many countries.

The rhyming text is modest quality, but contains none of the difficult descriptions of Andrew’s struggles before his conversion. This makes it more accessible as a read-aloud for younger children or for slightly older ones to read on their own.

Cautions: none

Overall Rating: 4.25

Worldview Rating: 5

Artistic Rating: 3.5

Take it Further!

1.     Reflect: What do you think was Andrew’s most impossible escape when he was bringing Bibles into “closed” countries?
2.     Engage: How did Andrew’s youth in Nazi-occupied Holland prepare him to be God’s Bible smuggler? Can you think of other Christians who were prepared by trials to better serve God?
3.     Create: You can write a letter to encourage persecuted Christians! Visit https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/advocacy/letter-writing/ for details.