Wayfinding Bible New Living Translation

I am so excited to review this new Bible.  The easiest way to explain how it is new and different is with the publishers description.....
 a trailer can be found here...
What if you had a trusted friend to guide you through God’s Word every day? Whether you want a fast overview of the grand story of the Bible or a deeper exploration of the riches of Scripture, The Wayfinding Bible is that guide.

With an innovative, full-color visual guide at the top of each reading, The Wayfinding Bible provides you with three paths through God’s Word: the Fly-Over Route, the Direct Route, and the Scenic Route. Following the Fly-Over Route, you’ll cover the most important events in the Bible in just 40 readings, giving you a fresh overview of how these events tell the story of God’s redemption. Following the Direct Route’s 200 readings, you’ll develop a better understanding of how God’s story develops through history. Following the Scenic Route, you’ll explore new territory while discovering a richness and depth in God’s Word that you’ve not seen before. All without the discouragement of getting bogged down in any single book.

Whether you are encountering the Bible for the first time or simply looking for a new journey through Scripture, you will always know where you are and where you’re going in God’s Word. Just choose your route, and prepare yourself for life-changing experiences with God.

Special features:

• Getting Your Bearings: These 8 two-page articles occur at major turning points of Scripture and help the reader stay on track
• Side Trips: Explore a known concept in greater depth or read about a topic for the first time
• Scenic Overlooks: Stunning visuals including maps, photos, infographics, and charts that aid in understanding the Bible text

The Wayfinding Bible uses the clear and understandable New Living Translation text.

So here's what I think...

• This would be a great Bible for boys, the flight concept, could easily transfer to a map or pilots uniform with a sticker or badge for milestones.  (Boys in grades 3 or 4 are the hardest age to reach in curriculum, and oh the appeal of the flight, the itinerary, and the images throughout the 40-200 stops!) 
• The reading teacher in me thinks this is an awesome tool for teaching or modeling how to read and understand the Bible.  The built in tools help provide all the key reading strategies for comprehension (connections, imagery, summarizing, clarifying, questions, evaluations, and prediction/inference)
• The paths and options are a refreshing way to get an overview of the Bible, and it lets you pick your commitment.  (I tried the flyover and didn't succeed as I wanted to read all the special touches and other passages marked on a page.)
• The sense of accomplishment and connections could be very empowering to a new Bible reader, and a veteran Bible reader, the New Living Translation is solid yet refreshing perspective. 
• The Bible is filled with scenic overlooks (signified by binoculars) images and maps for major places, connections of this portion of scripture to other portions read, connections to Christ, to history, and info-graphics to help the reader easily connect the Bible to itself, and help gain perspective. 
• Each reading has a special introduction, an observation and an exploration to help the reader think through this part of God's Big Story, and these simple inserts could make it easier for a  novice to grasp the points without a lot of commentaries, concordances, or tools. 
•  I believe that a Bible scholar could enjoy reading through these commentaries and determining if they would prefer a different connection, add a new theological term, or concept, or leave it as the creators of the Bible wrote it.  But it's unique, and it in my book it inspires thinking on many levels.  
• I believe this Bible has features that could help keep you on track in a group Bible study, but still provide a good overview and some critical thinking for lively discussions.  I especially like the infographics and charts. 
• It is not a Bible that teaches doctrinal terms, theological concepts, it's merely a tool to explore the text of the Bible, get an overview of the Bible, and see topics across the Bible (like Angels, Easter Readings, forgiveness, ...)  

I will continue to test this Wayfinding Bible and see how my thoughts change, expand or grow, but the bottom line is, I find it a very useful tool that I want to continue to have on my nightstand with easy access.