Prayer is a beautiful, essential part of the Christian life. Through it, we know our God better. We see ourselves more clearly. And yet, it is confusing. And hard. And we hardly ever want to do it. Why pray about things when God already knows everything? Why talk to someone we can’t see? How do we know he’s listening?
These are questions kids (and adults) ask. So it’s helpful to have great resources on hand to help us parents as we do our best to answer our children’s questions. (It is also helpful to offer up a bumbling prayer: God, I don’t know what I’m talking about. Or what my child is hearing. But you know! Please help! I am a big fan of the bumbling prayer.)
On this list, you’ll find a few books about prayer, a few books of prayers, and a few books that help guide your family’s prayers—bumbling and otherwise.
Loved, by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Sally Lloyd-Jones’s lovely paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer is a delight to read together. Loved introduces the youngest readers to the beauty of simple, open, childlike conversation with God. (Read the full review.)
Everything a Child Should Know About Prayer, by Nancy Guthrie
This is a topical book that looks at prayer from all sides. Nancy Guthrie uses short, warm readings to help guide a family discussion. (Read the full review.)
The Prayer Map for Girls: A Creative Journal
This guided journal helps children learn to pray by giving them simple prompts and lots of space to write their prayers. (We, of course, have the edition for girls, but Prayer Map journals are also available for boys and for adults.)
The Lord’s Prayer, by Tim Ladwig
Like Loved, this book looks at the Lord’s Prayer, but Tim Ladwig tells a parallel story through his illustrations that shows what it looks like to live out that prayer. (Read the full review.)
Psalms of Praise, by Danielle Hitchen
A sweet board book to start the youngest readers praying from Scripture! (Read the full review.)
A Child’s Book of Prayers, Illustrated by Michael Hague
A classic compilation of traditional prayers, hymns, and passages from Scripture.
Window on the World, by Molly Wall & Jason Mandryk
This prayer guide introduces readers to different countries and people groups in the world, sharing both practical stories about life in that country as well as ideas for how to pray for that country’s people. (Read the full review.)
Psalms for Young Children, by Marie-Helene Delval
This paraphrase of selected psalms introduces young readers to the range of emotions the psalmists explore and invites families to pray through passages of Scripture together. (Read the full review.)
Prayer for a Child, by Rachel Field
This classic picture book is a beautiful prayer for the littlest readers. (Read the full review.)
But grown-ups like books about prayer, too, right? Right! Here are a few of my favorites:
A Praying Life, by Paul Miller
Prayer, by Timothy Keller
Every Moment Holy, by Douglas Kaine McKelvey
The Divine Hours, by Phyllis Tickle
The Valley of Vision, ed. by Arthur Bennett