Catholic Actor David Henrie Slays Bedtime Fears in New Faith-Filled Picture Book| National Catholic Register
Disney alum David Henrie and his wife, Maria, turn real-life bedtime questions into a Scripture-filled picture book proving no fear is too big for God.
Catholic actor and director David Henrie — widely recognized for his breakout role as Justin Russo on Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place — and his wife, former Miss Delaware Maria Henrie, are taking their personal family journey to a national audience with their debut picture book for children, Is God Bigger Than a Dragon?
The project grew directly out of real-life bedtime conversations with the couple’s young children. When their little son repeatedly asked just how big God really is, the pair decided to turn his imaginative questions into a cozy, Scripture-filled storybook.
“The book was inspired by the questions our own children ask about God, faith, and the world around them,” David Henrie said in a video announcing the release. “We wanted to create a story that sparks the imagination, directs families to Scripture, and reminds children that no matter how big their fears are, God is greater.”
Bringing their children’s curiosity into the pages was a deeply meaningful experience for the whole family. “It has been a special experience for our family,” Henrie shared, emphasizing how the book bridges two parts of a child’s bedtime routine.
“There are two very separate things: There’s story time and then there’s Bible time. This book brings both of those together,” he explained regarding the vision behind the title. “This book is a unique experience that sparks a child’s imagination while also bringing families back to Scripture.”
Illustrated by Adam Gustavson, the 32-page book follows a young boy and his father exploring everything from roaring dragons and towering dinosaurs to stomach-dropping roller coasters. Each imaginative wonder leads to a rhyming, Bible-grounded answer showing that while God’s presence spans the vast universe, He is never too big to be close to a child’s heart.
The book has earned warm praise ahead of its release, including praise from The Chosen actor Jonathan Roumie, who wrote in an endorsement that David and Maria “beautifully and poetically distill the timeless wisdom of Scripture into a cozy, accessible, family-centered storybook, revealing to children the enormity of God’s love for them.”
Published by Ascension Press, Is God Bigger Than a Dragon? is scheduled for release on November 10, aiming to give families a fun colorful tool for bedtime read-alouds and catechetical conversations.
