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Cases for Christianity for Kids
The Case for Christ for Kids
You meet skeptics every day. They ask questions Was Jesus really born in a stable? Did his friends tell the truth? Did he really come back from the dead? Here's a book written in kid-friendly language to give you the answers.
96 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2006
225 people are currently reading
529 people want to read
About the author
Lee Strobel
229 books1,808 followersLee Patrick Strobel is an American Christian author and a former investigative journalist. He has written several books, including four that received ECPA Christian Book Awards (1994, 1999, 2001, 2005)[2] and a series which addresses challenges to the veracity of Christianity. He also hosted a television program called Faith Under Fire on PAX TV and runs a video apologetics web site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 5, 2025
I loved reading this with my daughter! Very thought provoking and has follow up questions to talk about. She’s almost 8 so she’s still a little young for a lot of this, but I loved being able to start the process for her to really start thinking through these truths. It even gives scenarios in stories of how a child can engage in conversations with the truths learned about the person of Jesus with their friends.
February 20, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It was a good devotional. I recommend it for kids my age. I loved the stories at the end. That was my favorite ❤️.
January 31, 2019
This book is for kids, and my kids loved. I think it helped ME more than it helped them. Easy, concise ways to defend this Christian faith we live and sometimes feel helpless to defend because of the opposition we come up against. I am so excited to read the other books that go along with this one. Great book for anyone looking to strengthen their reasons "why."
January 26, 2020
A great book! Very encouraging!
November 12, 2025
Reading through Lee Strobel's "Case for" series with my 8 year old. Simple, concise apologetics for the child who has a lot of questions like mine :) I think it's well done. HOWEVER, skip the ending/part 4 with very contrived stories/"examples" that felt completely out of place and irrelevant.
March 19, 2015
Read this aloud with my 11 year old son. He liked it a lot and enjoyed discussing what we were learning. It was easy to understand and had short chapters. We often read a few at a time.
December 18, 2023
Excellent analogy for the young mind.
February 16, 2024
Three stars based on the category of Christian YA non fiction. I think it was a good read for my 9-11 year old boys.
March 15, 2025
Number of pages: 139
Genre: Non-fiction Christian Apologetics
Series: He has other similar versions of his adult books for kids, but they are all independent
Age recommendation: 10-12
Summary: Lee Strobel has taken his apologetics book for adults, and made it accessible to kids. Covering questions such as “is Jesus real?” “is He the Son of God?” and others, Lee shows kids they can be sure of putting their faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died and rose from the dead.
My thoughts: Note: I am reviewing the updated and expanded version from 2010.
I love that authors are trying to make things like apologetics accessible to younger kids. I would have loved having a book like this when I was younger.
The gospel is not clear in this book. There is one spot where Lee almost makes it sound like everyone just goes to heaven, no matter what they do or believe. The book seems to be more targeted at kids who grew up in Christian homes and have already believed in the Lord Jesus, but are interested in learning why they can trust the Bible and the person of Jesus.
I don’t love the way Strobel explains everything or all the examples he uses. A couple of things really stuck out to me. Lee doesn't always address common counterarguments to the arguments he makes. For example, he uses John 10:30 where Jesus says He's one with the Father to prove Jesus called Himself God. I have heard people using John 17 where Jesus says that we are one with Him to say that Jesus' previous claim isn't of deity. However, if you read the context and the fact that people tried to stone Jesus for his statement in John 10:30, it's clear they thought He was claiming deity. All that to say, that I'm concerned kids could easily be thrown off by counterarguments (which also have rebuttals) if they think everyone accepts the arguments Strobel makes as fact. The other thing that bothered me is that in one spot, he writes the story of a kid talking with Jesus, and Jesus says, “there are many roads… [but] all roads lead to the same place” (pg. 93). I think the idea was supposed to be that when you’re saved, there are many different things you can do for the Lord (thus different paths), but as Christians no matter what we do for God we all end up in heaven. My worry is that some kids might take it as it doesn’t matter what you do in life or who you follow, we’re all going to end up in heaven. That’s not what the Bible says, and I don’t think that’s what Strobel is trying to get across, but I see it as something that could very easily be assumed by a child reading this book.
Strobel does go into some detail about what crucifixions are like. It’s not quite as much as his adult book, but it’s still not a pretty picture describing what crucifixion was actually like. Parents might want to read Chapter 7 “A Body on the Cross” beforehand to see if their child can handle it. Personally, I think it’s dealt with well for kids, and it’s also pretty short.
Overall, I like the idea of the book, but would only recommend it to kids who have a clear grasp of the gospel and want to know more about why we can trust the Bible and the person of Jesus.
My personal rating: 2.5/5 stars.
Genre: Non-fiction Christian Apologetics
Series: He has other similar versions of his adult books for kids, but they are all independent
Age recommendation: 10-12
Summary: Lee Strobel has taken his apologetics book for adults, and made it accessible to kids. Covering questions such as “is Jesus real?” “is He the Son of God?” and others, Lee shows kids they can be sure of putting their faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died and rose from the dead.
My thoughts: Note: I am reviewing the updated and expanded version from 2010.
I love that authors are trying to make things like apologetics accessible to younger kids. I would have loved having a book like this when I was younger.
The gospel is not clear in this book. There is one spot where Lee almost makes it sound like everyone just goes to heaven, no matter what they do or believe. The book seems to be more targeted at kids who grew up in Christian homes and have already believed in the Lord Jesus, but are interested in learning why they can trust the Bible and the person of Jesus.
I don’t love the way Strobel explains everything or all the examples he uses. A couple of things really stuck out to me. Lee doesn't always address common counterarguments to the arguments he makes. For example, he uses John 10:30 where Jesus says He's one with the Father to prove Jesus called Himself God. I have heard people using John 17 where Jesus says that we are one with Him to say that Jesus' previous claim isn't of deity. However, if you read the context and the fact that people tried to stone Jesus for his statement in John 10:30, it's clear they thought He was claiming deity. All that to say, that I'm concerned kids could easily be thrown off by counterarguments (which also have rebuttals) if they think everyone accepts the arguments Strobel makes as fact. The other thing that bothered me is that in one spot, he writes the story of a kid talking with Jesus, and Jesus says, “there are many roads… [but] all roads lead to the same place” (pg. 93). I think the idea was supposed to be that when you’re saved, there are many different things you can do for the Lord (thus different paths), but as Christians no matter what we do for God we all end up in heaven. My worry is that some kids might take it as it doesn’t matter what you do in life or who you follow, we’re all going to end up in heaven. That’s not what the Bible says, and I don’t think that’s what Strobel is trying to get across, but I see it as something that could very easily be assumed by a child reading this book.
Strobel does go into some detail about what crucifixions are like. It’s not quite as much as his adult book, but it’s still not a pretty picture describing what crucifixion was actually like. Parents might want to read Chapter 7 “A Body on the Cross” beforehand to see if their child can handle it. Personally, I think it’s dealt with well for kids, and it’s also pretty short.
Overall, I like the idea of the book, but would only recommend it to kids who have a clear grasp of the gospel and want to know more about why we can trust the Bible and the person of Jesus.
My personal rating: 2.5/5 stars.
October 23, 2025
Four star
Very good!
Theologically, historically, and logically accurate.
Dislike: page 102:
“Come on, let's go!" The bus driver looked up in the rearview mirror and yelled at her." And if you're late again tomorrow morning, you're going to have to find your own ride — or walk." Lydia held the tears in - just barely - scooped up her books, and scrambled off the bus as fast as her legs would take her.
"Speak English much?"
She didn't turn to see who had yelled the insult, but she could guess. Mandy Witherspoon, What did that girl have against her? She wished she didn't hear some of the taunts at school, wished she understood why some of the kids looked at her with so much hatred sometimes.
"You don't belong here!"
"Get back over the border where you came from!"
But we're not going back. Lydia stood in her muddy front yard for a minute, catching her breath and letting the rain wash the tears from her face. She didn't really miss what they'd left behind in Mexico. Except back there, everybody else was just as poor as Lydia and her mother.
Just as poor, and just as desperate to find something better. At least here ...
"At least here what, Lord?" she prayed out loud as she pushed open the front door to their
Page 103:
apartment. Her thirteen-year-old sister wasn't home, as usual. And her grandmother would not return home for another two hours, maybe later, depending on what shift they gave her at the burger place. "What do we have now that's better than back home?"
Well, plenty, when she stopped to think about it. She sat down at the wobbly kitchen table and spread out her soggy books. Books, for one thing.
A school to go to, and not all the kids were as mean as Mandy Witherspoon. A tiny apartment with a bathroom and a telephone. Three small rooms, which was not much compared to what a lot of other Americans had.
But compared to what they had back in Mexico? She would not soon forget the tar-paper shack they used to live in, her and a dozen other relatives: aunts and uncles and nieces and neph-ews, and all without a bathroom. She rested her head on her open English textbook for a minute, telling the Lord she was sorry for the way she complained. He had brought them here for a rea-son, she knew. She and Grandmother had prayed about it, looked for the answer.
"I'm sorry, God. Help me to know why I'm here, and what you want me to do."
But she was tired of trying to figure it out.
Page 108: More people than ever speak Spanish in the United States! In fact, between the years 1990 and 2000, the number of Hispanics (people whose families came from Latin America) quadrupled in places like Georgia and Tennessee. We'd better learn to say a little more than just "Hola!"
Here’s my problem with that: what THE HECK is divisive political junk doing in this book?
It adds NOTHING to the story.
So it loses one star.
Still four star!
Very good!
Theologically, historically, and logically accurate.
Dislike: page 102:
“Come on, let's go!" The bus driver looked up in the rearview mirror and yelled at her." And if you're late again tomorrow morning, you're going to have to find your own ride — or walk." Lydia held the tears in - just barely - scooped up her books, and scrambled off the bus as fast as her legs would take her.
"Speak English much?"
She didn't turn to see who had yelled the insult, but she could guess. Mandy Witherspoon, What did that girl have against her? She wished she didn't hear some of the taunts at school, wished she understood why some of the kids looked at her with so much hatred sometimes.
"You don't belong here!"
"Get back over the border where you came from!"
But we're not going back. Lydia stood in her muddy front yard for a minute, catching her breath and letting the rain wash the tears from her face. She didn't really miss what they'd left behind in Mexico. Except back there, everybody else was just as poor as Lydia and her mother.
Just as poor, and just as desperate to find something better. At least here ...
"At least here what, Lord?" she prayed out loud as she pushed open the front door to their
Page 103:
apartment. Her thirteen-year-old sister wasn't home, as usual. And her grandmother would not return home for another two hours, maybe later, depending on what shift they gave her at the burger place. "What do we have now that's better than back home?"
Well, plenty, when she stopped to think about it. She sat down at the wobbly kitchen table and spread out her soggy books. Books, for one thing.
A school to go to, and not all the kids were as mean as Mandy Witherspoon. A tiny apartment with a bathroom and a telephone. Three small rooms, which was not much compared to what a lot of other Americans had.
But compared to what they had back in Mexico? She would not soon forget the tar-paper shack they used to live in, her and a dozen other relatives: aunts and uncles and nieces and neph-ews, and all without a bathroom. She rested her head on her open English textbook for a minute, telling the Lord she was sorry for the way she complained. He had brought them here for a rea-son, she knew. She and Grandmother had prayed about it, looked for the answer.
"I'm sorry, God. Help me to know why I'm here, and what you want me to do."
But she was tired of trying to figure it out.
Page 108: More people than ever speak Spanish in the United States! In fact, between the years 1990 and 2000, the number of Hispanics (people whose families came from Latin America) quadrupled in places like Georgia and Tennessee. We'd better learn to say a little more than just "Hola!"
Here’s my problem with that: what THE HECK is divisive political junk doing in this book?
It adds NOTHING to the story.
So it loses one star.
Still four star!
December 12, 2022
I bought this book for my 8 year old. He is constantly asking Bible questions and he likes reading. It’s a fine book that keeps things pretty simple. It will definitely need to be the first of many because this is more of a caricature of the Case for Christ. That’s okay with me because I just wanted to introduce these topics to my son.
The 2 stars are for the ridiculous ending. Part 4 contains four stories that are supposed to encourage the young reader to be bold for their faith in the midst of tough objections. At least that is how they are set up. Instead, they are all over the place.
One of the stories is about a boy who helps with the family circus. How does he make a bold stand for Jesus? He tells some snickering cool kids that his dad is in the circus. That is a rather loose connection to evangelism and apologetics.
Another story has a girl who is paired up with a drug using classmate for a class assignment. Evidently, he is better at using the internet than her because of all the “raunchy websites” he visits. Why is this detail in the story? How does it move the narrative along? What’s the point? To be relatable?
The last story involves a skeptic who is an Elvis impersonator. My son will not understand this reference.
This last section of the book is such a missed opportunity. My son has actual spiritual conversations in his actual school with actual non-Christians, and he asks me all the time what to say. It would have been great if the book gave some direct and instructive scenarios. Instead, it has very tenuously relevant stories that are overly concerned with kids who want to be cool.
I think we will read the book and skip the last part.
The 2 stars are for the ridiculous ending. Part 4 contains four stories that are supposed to encourage the young reader to be bold for their faith in the midst of tough objections. At least that is how they are set up. Instead, they are all over the place.
One of the stories is about a boy who helps with the family circus. How does he make a bold stand for Jesus? He tells some snickering cool kids that his dad is in the circus. That is a rather loose connection to evangelism and apologetics.
Another story has a girl who is paired up with a drug using classmate for a class assignment. Evidently, he is better at using the internet than her because of all the “raunchy websites” he visits. Why is this detail in the story? How does it move the narrative along? What’s the point? To be relatable?
The last story involves a skeptic who is an Elvis impersonator. My son will not understand this reference.
This last section of the book is such a missed opportunity. My son has actual spiritual conversations in his actual school with actual non-Christians, and he asks me all the time what to say. It would have been great if the book gave some direct and instructive scenarios. Instead, it has very tenuously relevant stories that are overly concerned with kids who want to be cool.
I think we will read the book and skip the last part.
August 23, 2021
3.5 stars so I'm rounding up to 4. I think this is a good starting point for middle school students, but the information is just not presented as convincingly as it is in the original Case for Christ. For example, Strobell does an excellent job in the original explaining how the disciples obviously believed what they were preaching, because it led to their violent deaths when they wouldn't recant. In the kids' version, this information is presented in almost an off-hand, afterthought kind of way. I felt this way about several parts of the book that I remember being so much more put together in the adult version. But this is a great primer. Just make sure you are there to discuss with your child and guide them to a deeper understanding of the reliability of Scripture and Jesus Himself.
November 9, 2022
This is simple and a good discussion starting point for kids. I felt that if you don’t believe the Bible is a historically accurate work that these points don’t stand as well since most of the evidence presented comes from the Bible itself. I would have liked more on the historical reliability of the Bible. I also felt that some of the real life scenarios at the back of the book were more appropriate for middle schoolers. This book would be more appropriate for 8+ age range I believe.
Overall though this book actually made me think quite a bit about my own faith and interactions with others about it.
Overall though this book actually made me think quite a bit about my own faith and interactions with others about it.
December 15, 2019
I read this before passing it on (that's why I was reading the "for Kids" version). I was very impressed by the way the arguments for central Christian tenents such as the resurrection were presented simply.
There is possibly a risk that it is too simple and a child may think they've seen the most sophisticated form of an argument when they haven't, but as a starting point it's excellent. Would probably be best used by reading and discussing it with a child rather than just giving it to them to read.
There is possibly a risk that it is too simple and a child may think they've seen the most sophisticated form of an argument when they haven't, but as a starting point it's excellent. Would probably be best used by reading and discussing it with a child rather than just giving it to them to read.
June 12, 2025
This isn't my favorite kids' devotional series we've ever done, but I appreciate its succinct presentation of the main thrusts of Christian apologetics arguments. Compared to Cold Case Christianity for Kids, it goes over the same arguments but has less fluff (Cold Case has a mystery about a skateboard that might gain interest--but also might distract from the main purpose of the book). Both books come from powerful testimonies, as both authors were won over by setting out to disprove Christianity yet eventually became Christians who share what convinced them.
September 25, 2019
Lee Strobel is a journalist who was an atheist. He researched Jesus and the claims made about Him as he would any other journalism assignment. In this book, he presents his findings in a kid appropriate way. Strobel factors in the way kids think, the questions they would have, and presents a logical explanation. This is geared for the upper elementary and junior high aged kids.
I bought this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.
I bought this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.
May 14, 2017
I loved this book. It gave evidence that Christ died for us and that he is the Son of God. At the end of this book it gave examples about how you can talk about Christ in real life situations. If you are a Christian I recommend you read this book.
February 5, 2020
Honestly, I was a little disappointed in this. Maybe it's because I read it with my 7-year-old, and it's targeted for kids 8+. It just seemed a little clumsy and not the best put together. It had a lot of good info in it, but was a little hard to follow, even for me.
April 25, 2022
A really great book to read to your kids about the historical data on Jesus and logical questions about a man who claimed to be the son of God! I’m going to read it to my boys for homeschool next fall, I just wanted to pre-read it first!
Want to read
July 17, 2024Soft DNF for now. We started this and it would be fine to read this and have conversations with my 6 year old, but it was way above the head of my 4 year old and she was distracting everyone and not into it. We'll try again when everyone is older.
February 11, 2025
I'd read Lee Strobel's book a few years ago in college, and found it edifying - this is a solid kid friendly version of it that covers a lot of good ground.
VT Reading Challenge 2025: A book about Jesus written for kids
VT Reading Challenge 2025: A book about Jesus written for kids
November 22, 2025
After finishing The Case For Christ about a month ago I was recommended this as a kids ministry resource. It is an incredible resource and walks kids through the liar, lunatic, lord argument at a level that is invitational to kids. Top 3 kids resources I have ever read.
November 25, 2017
Good for adults, too
Read it for my kids, and the adult version as well, and they’re both great for getting back to the basics and sharing with others.
Read it for my kids, and the adult version as well, and they’re both great for getting back to the basics and sharing with others.
April 14, 2019
My 11 year old son loved it
I read the original book and decided to buy the kid version for my son. I even see me using it to speak to adults on the subject. Excellent book.
I read the original book and decided to buy the kid version for my son. I even see me using it to speak to adults on the subject. Excellent book.
December 2, 2020
The beginning was awesome, but the last section was super random and brought down my rating for the whole book.
August 3, 2021
The last book of the summer for Uncle Taylor’s book club with my nieces! We liked discussing this one!
January 23, 2022
It was over simplified for my taste, not surprisingly. The over simplification lead to some gross stereotypes which was disappointing.
August 6, 2024
Some good foundational things to think about and understand giving insight on questions children might have.
October 8, 2024
Great book for my students to strengthen their faith.
December 21, 2024
I expected more. I read this with my kids and we found it too simplistic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews