Missionary Books Kids Love

Introduce your kids to the courageous men and women who spread God’s Word worldwide. Check out our list of missionary books for kids.

Rarely can our family be found without a great missionary book in hand. But it hasn’t always been that way.

When I was growing up, we gave money every year to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. I don’t remember ever knowing what that meant or where the money was going, but I know we gave proudly. I’m sure there were missionaries our church gave to, but I just don’t recall knowing about any until well into adulthood. Honestly, I wasn’t too concerned about my lack of knowledge in this area.

I didn’t know what I was missing.

One day we picked up the biography of Hudson Taylor. I’ll be honest and tell you that I didn’t know who he was. But the lines surrounding that booth at the homeschool convention were really long, so I figured reading missionary books was the right thing to do. (Go ahead and laugh, but I know you’ve done something like that too!)

It took many months for us to crack open the book, but one night we finally did. The kids huddled around me in silence as I read every word of the first chapter. And the second. And the third. After over an hour of reading, I finally had to put a stop to it, and the sighs in the room were heavy. This book could possibly have been the most captivating one that we had ever read!

I was probably the most shocked of all. I had been putting off reading this because I had grossly misjudged the value of doing so. Um, and I kinda thought it would be boring.

By the time we finished Hudson Taylor, I had ordered a dozen more missionary books, and we were changed forever.

There is just something so mundane about our little problems when you start looking at the problems that these amazing men and women faced. They risked their lives time and time again just to share the gospel with the lost. Meanwhile, we are getting annoyed with the guy who pulled out in front of us or the lady who took up the whole aisle at Walmart. It really puts things into perspective, huh?

Studying the Lives of Missionaries Has Benefits

I don’t ever want my kids to have idols, but they need good role models. Sure, parents can fill that role, but I’m convinced kids need to see more than that. We can only live out a small part of what life might have to offer them. They need to see other Christians living out the faith both when times are good and when times are bad. They also need to see Christians truly trusting God. Missionary biographies provide this in a wonderful way, without making the child personally experience the same hardships.

Of course, missionary books reach further than faith too. Kids become exposed to historical events, geography, world culture, church history, and more. There is nothing more fun than reading about an event in a textbook or resource and then having that same event show up later in a biography you are reading. This makes connections for kids and strengthens their knowledge.

Christian Heroes: Then & Now

The first series that we learned about was the Christian Heroes: Then & Now by YWAM Publishing. They have 42 volumes of missionary biographies set in various time periods and countries. They do go in order by date, but you can read them in any order you prefer. The books are written for kids to understand easily, but young kids will need you to read them aloud as they are pretty meaty chapter books. (They now offer these books in ebook, Mp3 and CD format!)

YWAM Publishing also offers a Christian Heroes for Young Readers Series designed to introduce young children to the lives of Christian heroes. These are shorter and make it easier for elementary readers to read the books for themselves. These books are also great to read aloud if you want something shorter— especially for little ones who don’t sit still long! They are written for ages 4-10, and kids just love the captivating rhyming text and unforgettable color illustrations.

To Every Nation

Once I realized how important studying the lives of missionaries was in mine and my kids’ lives, I knew we needed more. To meet that need, and after lots of research and study, I came up with a history curriculum that focuses on the biblical truths we can learn from Christian heroes of faith that use missionary books as its foundation.

The To Every Nation series includes a 12-week study of real missionaries and their walk with God through the struggles of life. There’s so much to learn. Click the image below for more information about this great resource for families!

You’ll love this homeschool history curriculum that gives you a personal view of God’s goodness through the lives of 12 heroes of the faith.

Your family will see firsthand how to trust God even in the most difficult of circumstances as you journey with these missionaries around the world and learn history, language arts, geography, and more!

From perseverance to compassion, To Every Nation is a 36-week study of real missionaries and their walk with God through the struggles of life. Through the biographies of these precious warriors, your family will grasp the depth of God’s provision, deepen their faith, understand suffering, and become equipped to walk through life’s trials.

In addition to deep biblical truth, To Every Nation provides practical life application, history, reading skills, and even penmanship. This unique homeschool history curriculum comes in two volumes To Every Nation and To Every Nation 2 studying 12 different missionaries in each volume. This study is great for multi-aged learning as it features activities for both elementary and upper grades and can be used in any order, providing flexibility for your family! You may use the YWAM Christian Heroes: Then and Now novels as recommended, or choose any other excellent books about missionaries. We have included daily lesson plans to help guide you either way.

Volume 1 Includes Missionaries and Character Traits of:

• Hudson Taylor – Endurance (Young Readers version)
• Gladys Aylward – Virtue  (Young Readers version)
• Eric Liddell – Honor (Young Readers version)
• Corrie ten Boom – Forgiveness  (Young Readers version)
• George Müller – Faith  (Young Readers version)
• Nate Saint – Sacrifice (Young Readers version)
• Elisabeth Elliot – Focus (Young Readers version not available yet)
• David Livingstone – Perseverance (Young Readers version)
• Mary Slessor – Service (Young Readers version)
• Amy Carmichael – Compassion (Young Readers version)
• William Carey – Patience (Young Readers version)
• Adoniram Judson – Contentment (Young Readers version)

Volume 2 Includes Missionaries and Character Traits of:

• Jonathan Goforth – Willingness (Young Readers version)
• John Flynn – Resourceful (Young Readers version not available yet)
• Ida Scudder – Obedient (Young Readers version)
• Jacob DeShazer – Redeemed (Young Readers version not available yet)
• Betty Greene – Passionate (Young Readers version)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer – Courageous (Young Readers version not available yet)
• Lillian Trasher – Boldness (Young Readers version not available yet)
• Francis Asbury – Committed (Young Readers version not available yet))
• Samuel Zwemer – Fervent (Young Readers version not available yet)
• William Booth – Devoted (Young Readers version not available yet)
• Paul Brand – Tenderhearted (Young Readers version not available yet)
• Charles Mulli – Transformed (Young Readers version not available yet)

* Note: Not all missionary heroes books are available yet in the “Young Readers Version” but feel free to mix and match, find another age-appropriate source, or leave out any missionary that does not suit your homeschool. We made this curriculum stand-alone to use with or without these books, so if one book doesn’t work for your family, you won’t be left behind!

More of Our Favorite Missionary Books

We make the study of missionaries an integral part of our homeschool history curriculum from the beginning by either using a curriculum focused there or just adding in some of our favorite missionary books.

Missionary Stories with the Millers

These missionary stories are a great place to start, especially with little ones, because they are a little more gentle. They are also shorter in length. But don’t mistake that for weak. This book is packed full of adventure-filled stories that the whole family will love!

Trailblazer Books

We inherited a few of these missionary books two years ago in a bag of clothes that was given to us. What a gift they have been! The stories are much shorter than the series above, making them a good fit for middle elementary age to read alone should they choose. My 3rd-grade son really enjoys them.

The Adventure Series

This series is unique in the way it shares God’s amazing creation through stories about missions. There are 15 books in the collection, and they promise a great geography lesson along with inspiration that will melt your heart toward missions.

Hidden Heroes

A true series suitable for ages 9–12 to read, Hidden Heroes promises all the adventure and history of a missionary biography. Enjoy some well-known stories as well as some that are not as commonly shared.

Jungle Doctor Series

I haven’t read this series yet, but I’ve heard nothing but good things from trusted resources. Unlike the others mentioned here, this series is FICTION. It doesn’t represent the actual biography of a specific missionary, but the stories are amazing. What a captivating way to teach children about missions!

Torchlighters Videos

Okay, so these aren’t missionary books, but they are still a favorite around here. We actually watch these on Pureflix. It’s a Christian version of Netflix, and we’ve been very pleased with our membership. You can find every single video in the series available there for live streaming. You will also find the series available in DVD format here.

The Brinkman Adventures

This series has provided countless hours of wholesome entertainment while we travel in the car. So far, there are two CD sets, both containing about 5 hours of audio drama based around real stories, but fictitious characters. You can check them out here: Season 1 and Season 2.

Life-Long Impact

I saw a marked difference in the way my kids viewed the world once we began studying missionaries. It’s my hope that any of these suggestions do the same in your family (though of course, the To Every Nation curriculum is a particular favorite of mine). There are so many great resources out there, so feel free to leave a comment with your favorites if they didn’t make the list!