Young PilgrimA reader, and a parent
I am a seminary student, and I also work full time. At the end of the day, I want to make a little room to read a good story to my children. I was looking for thoughtful Christian bedtime reading: something the children would want to hear, and the whole family would want to return to.
Our whole family loves the pilgrim’s story. Its burdens, fears, companionship, and hope give us a world we want to enter together. There is an adventure for the children, and room for us adults to reflect and talk along the way.
Why make another version?
There are already many English versions of The Pilgrim’s Progress. But when I looked for something to read with my own children, I could not find a Chinese version that felt quite right for us: one that worked well aloud and made the children want to follow the story. Finding one with a high-quality accompanying audiobook was harder still.
So, with AI’s help, I rewrote the story as Young Pilgrim and created a series of illustrations to go with it. I wanted to make the version I had been hoping to read to my children, then bring the Chinese and English reading editions and audiobooks together in an easy-to-open website.
The starting point was a need in our own family. My hope is that another family might open it one evening, read a little, listen to a chapter, and talk about the story together.
Who is this website for?
- Families who cannot easily access printed books
- If suitable Chinese books are hard to find where you live, or getting a printed copy is difficult, I hope this website offers an accessible place to read.
- Parents looking for Christian stories in Chinese
- If you are searching for a children’s adaptation of The Pilgrim’s Progress to read aloud at bedtime, this is a place to begin.
- Children and families who enjoy listening together
- Part One has Chinese and English audiobooks. Listen to the story, or follow the words and illustrations as you read.
- Families who share more than one language
- Chinese and English adaptations let family members read in the language that suits them and share the same story.
- Readers curious about the original works
- Alongside the children’s adaptations, you can read the complete historical English texts of A.L.O.E.’s The Young Pilgrim and John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress.
A small personal project
This is a personal, noncommercial project. I hope it can help parents and children who cannot easily access printed books, as well as families who enjoy hearing a story told aloud.
If you prefer a printed book, I encourage you to choose one of the editions already available from established publishers and support the translation, editing, and publishing work behind those books. Choose the way of reading that works best for your family.
More ways to enter the story
I also plan to make videos and games based on this adaptation, giving parents and children more ways to explore the story together. Future updates, releases, and details will be shared here on this website.
Begin with a little tonight
You do not have to finish a whole chapter at once. Start with the small light Chris sees in the distance. Or continue into Part Two, where Christiana and her children set out on their own road.
I hope Young Pilgrim can keep your family company, as this story has kept ours. If something in your reading stays with you, or you have a suggestion for the text, I would love to hear from you.