Special Books People Love: A First Look at World Religions
All around the world, people keep special books in their homes and places of worship. They hold these books gently, read from them out loud, and sometimes even kiss them before putting them away. Let's meet four of these special books and the people who treasure them.
What You'll Learn
- The names of four holy books from four different religions - Where each book is read and by whom - That different families can believe different things and still be friends - One way each holy book is treated with special care
The Bible and the Torah
Christians read the Bible, a big book with two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. It has stories, songs, and letters written a very long time ago. Jewish families read the Torah, which is often written by hand on a long scroll of paper called parchment and kept inside a fancy cabinet at a synagogue called the Ark. When someone reads the Torah, they use a special pointer called a yad so their fingers never touch the delicate scroll.
The Quran and the Guru Granth Sahib
Muslims read the Quran, which they believe holds the exact words given to the Prophet Muhammad. Many Muslims memorize whole chapters, called surahs, by heart, and they often keep the Quran on the highest shelf in their home as a sign of respect. Sikh families treat their holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, almost like a living teacher. It rests on a small throne in the gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), and it is even put to rest under a cover at night, the same way you might tuck in a stuffed animal.
Some kids' families read the Bible, some read the Torah, some read the Quran, some read the Guru Granth Sahib, and some don't read any of these at all. All of that is okay! We can be curious and kind about what other families believe.
Match each holy book to the religion that reads it.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
Why do people use a special pointer called a yad when reading the Torah?
Which holy book is kept on a small throne in a gurdwara and even covered up at night?
My Special Book Poster
Draw or find a picture of a book that is special to your family, whether it's a holy book, a favorite storybook, or a book passed down from a grandparent. Write one sentence about why it matters. Share your poster with a classmate and ask them about their special book too.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
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