Devotionals by Age
The right devotional is the one your kid will actually open. These are sorted by age, each one short enough to survive a school morning, with one honest caveat so you know what you are getting.
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Prices were checked on October 16, 2026 and may have changed.
Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids
This is the kids’ version of Sarah Young’s bestselling Jesus Calling, adapted into language an elementary kid can actually follow. Each of the 365 days has a short devotion written as if Jesus is talking directly to the reader, plus a few short Scripture verses to look up. The entries are short enough to read at breakfast or bedtime, and the daily rhythm is easy for a kid to keep up on their own once they start. The price is friendly for what you get: 384 pages, hardcover, ages 8 to 12. It’s the book to hand a kid who says they want to start reading a devotional but doesn’t know where to start.
One caveat worth knowing: the devotions are written in first person, as though Jesus Himself is speaking. Some families are uncomfortable with putting words in Jesus’s mouth, even when the writing stays close to Scripture. If that’s a concern in your house, flip through a few entries before you buy and decide for yourself.
Why we picked it: The standard recommendation for elementary kids for a reason, short, daily, and it holds up over a full year.
Price: $9.33 See it on Amazon
The Purpose Driven Life Devotional for Kids
Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life boiled down for tweens. Same idea as the adult version, God made you for a purpose, but rebuilt for ages 8 to 12. There are 365 entries, each around five minutes: a short message, a thought for the day, and one Scripture verse. It comes with a ribbon marker, which sounds like a small thing until your kid actually uses a devotional every day and needs to find today’s page. The five-minute length is the real selling point here. It respects a tween’s attention span instead of fighting it.
The caveat: it inherits the Purpose Driven framework, and that framework has a programmatic feel. Some days read more like a lesson plan than a conversation. Kids who want something cozy and reflective may prefer Jesus Calling. Also, the “what on earth am I here for” theme can feel weighty for the younger end of the range. Eight-year-olds do best reading it with a parent, not alone.
Why we picked it: Best short-daily-devotional option for tweens, and it works well read together as a family.
Price: $10.19 See it on Amazon
New Morning Mercies for Teens
Paul David Tripp’s New Morning Mercies is one of the most respected adult devotionals out there, and this is the version rewritten for teens and young adults (ages 13 to 21). There are 366 entries, one for every day plus leap day, each with a one-sentence gospel summary, a longer meditation, Bible verses, and a discussion or reflection prompt. Tripp also added a Q&A chapter answering hard questions teens actually ask: anxiety, depression, pornography, social media, church. It doesn’t talk down. That matters more than you’d think at this age.
The honest caveat: it reads like a pastor talking, not a teen talking. The entries are longer and more theological than most teen devotionals, and a kid used to five-minute reads may find it wordy at first. This is the devotional you buy for the teen who’s ready for something meatier, not the one who just started reading Scripture on their own.
Why we picked it: The strongest option for older teens, real theology in language they can handle, with discussion prompts built in.
Price: $12.99 See it on Amazon
Jesus Calling: 50 Devotions to Grow in Your Faith
Same Sarah Young formula, devotions written as if Jesus is speaking, paired with Scripture, but in a small 128-page book of 50 topical readings on spiritual growth for ages 13 to 18. It’s part of a three-book teen series (the others cover thankfulness and busy days). The short length is deliberate. Fifty days is a realistic commitment for a teen who has never finished a devotional, and finishing one matters more than starting a 365-day one and quitting in February. Hardcover, giftable, under $15.
The caveat: it’s only 50 devotions, so it is not a year-long habit. Think of it as a starter or a gift, not a daily routine that carries a teen through the school year. And the entries are repurposed from the adult Jesus Calling, adapted rather than written fresh for teens. That isn’t a dealbreaker, but don’t expect it to reference teen life the way a book written for teens does.
Why we picked it: The lowest-commitment entry point for a teen who hasn’t done a devotional before, 50 days beats 365 for a first try.
Price: $12.61 See it on Amazon