More Descriptions and Graphics for Sunday Software's
Awesome Bible Stories CD
(lots of graphics now loading on this page)

Back to the Main Awesome CD Webpage
More about the theology in this CD
View/Print the Awesome CD Study Outline
(190kb pdf file)

When we set out to design a CD for kids, we spend a lot of time thinking about and discussing the style of animation, voices, music and storytelling appropriate for each story and for its intended audience.

The ANIMATION in Awesome Bible Stories is above & beyond what you may have previously seen in other Christian software titles. We've made the characters tremendously appealing, especially to younger children. Gabby himself looks almost bear-like. Xerxes in Esther's story is a bit cross-eyed.

The WRITING in Awesome Bible Stories is some of our best. We have captured the long content of the Jacob and Esther stories in a quick humorous style -that highlights the essential issues of the story for children. The Creation Story comes nearly word for word from Genesis 1 (NRSV), with some clarifications for a younger audience. The Zaccheus story is both the scriptural story, with some storytelling phrases and extensions to explain the scene and meaning. Adam and Eve's story is based on Genesis 2, but compacts what is a long set of verses in the Bible -into a much easier to understand narrative (and with a sense of humor). Adam and Eve's story is particularly deft at explaining what are a complex set of verses for young learners.  

The GAMES ! Several of our stories have unique games which quiz the students on their knowledge of the story which they have just seen, and highlight key ideas for further discussion. In Jacob & Esau's story unit, we've created a two player "Midnight Wrestling Federation Game" featuring "God vs Jacob." They each try to bounce each other out of the ring. But, both players must answer the questions in-between each round in order to continue being able to play. In Zaacheus, students play a Zappin' game in which they zap the wrong answers before they land (sort of like Space Invaders). Like our other quizzes, Zappin' asks questions about "meaning" as well as content. In The Parable of the Talents, we've created a Stewardship Board game for one or two player to highlight daily acts of stewardship young people can do (or not). In Version 2.0 we added "Adam and Eve's Hiding Game". It's a three level game with animated/narrated study notes in between each level.

Esther has a connect four game we call Mordecai vs Haman, with questions tucked into it. It's perfect fit as those two try to outmaneuver each other. The game ends with a few questions to discuss.

Our Zaccheus "How do you Measure Up" game has the kids responding to 10 "Faith Traits" which they score themselves on. Then they compute their overall score and receive a "ranking." It's meant for discussion, and there's even a button to view all the question as a list for further discussion.

When Sunday Software designs a Bible game, it's more than just entertaining --it is germain to the story, has content, has integrity, and has DISCUSSION POTENTIAL !  

 Return to the Main Awesome CD webpage

THE MUSIC ...
The original music for this CD is rich in middle eastern accents and instruments -and fun too. But the music is more than just "original." It's very intentional. For example, as you listen to the Esther story, you'll notice that each character has their own theme. This reminds and reinforces the character's role in the story. GOOD music also creates mood and focus. When we want the kids to feel at ease in a certain section and think, we make sure the music helps them do that.

We believe these are the kind of details that help your kids learn, and make the stories immensely more pleasurable to listen to again and again. Sunday Software-made CDs are full of great original & intentional music. Other companies sometimes just pick off-the-rack music and soundfx without consideration of their effect or potential.

Our intent here isn't to brag.... We want you to know that you've made a good investment in our software.

 

 Hear music sample #1 -
Main Menu Loop

Here music sample #2 -
"Issac's Theme"

These are Mp3 files that will open in a new window.
To hear them, you may need the Quicktime 5/6 browser plug-in to play on both PCs and Macs.
 

THE NARRATION and CHARACTER VOICES
Awesome CD is filled with the professional voice talents of Marc Ankermann. We worked with Marc to arrive at exactly the right voice for each character that would help tell the story, and have some fun with them too. Esau sounds a little like Bullwinkle the Moose, and is almost as dense. Jacob sounds like a young person who could use a dose of God in his life.

Gabby, your onscreen host in four of the stories for Awesome CD (seen right), is another "Marc creation." Gabby sounds like a Jewish rabbi with a bit of a yiddish grandpa in his voice, which was easy for Marc because he himself is Jewish and grew up hearing voices like the ones he so capable and humorously imitates. Lovingly done, the 'dialects' used in this CD will turn your students ears toward listening intently.  

 How did we "handle" the theology of the Creation Story and Adam & Eve?

Our lesson objective was not to use Genesis 1 as a pulpit for our point of view -or yours, about creationism vs science. Rather, because this is a children's CD, we are more interested in having them learn the primary lesson of Genesis 1, --that God is the wonderful and powerful Creator who made them. A secondary objective is to explain the rich poetic vocabulary found in Genesis 1, and encourage them to choose their favorite words of Creation to condense the verses down to its mostly powerful and meaningful words/images, then have Gabby speak them out loud.

In our Creation Narration, Gabby introduces Genesis 1 by saying the following:

"Is the universe an accident?
Did it come into being by itself?
Where did we come from?
And what are we doing here?
Genesis Chapter 1 is not a scientific account of how the world came to be. --It is a much deeper and more important story than that. --Genesis 1 is a powerful poem telling us God is the Creator, shaper and changer of worlds, ...and of human beings. And this is how that story begins...."

In Adam and Eve, we again do not derail the intent of the scripture by arguing whether or not Adam had a belly button (though you're welcome to do it!). Instead, we focus on the story's focus: sin... what it is, and how God reacts to it. One of the study notes does ask the the children whether or not they think Adam and Eve were real people and suggests they talk with their teacher about what they think, and what their church believes.

Order Awesome Bible Stories

Return to the Main Awesome CD webpage

Read the reviews on the Main Awesome CD page

Both the Story of Creation and Esther's Story
have story quizzes to test mastery of presented content.


 The scene where Jacob hears God's voice telling him to return with his family.


A screenshot of one of the three "Gabby Talker" reflection/response creating activities.