Hero (my hubby and homeschool Daddy) and I are editors. There have been many books that we think are important to read aloud to our children. Sometimes, however, the writer's choice of wording must be changed slightly in order to be appropriate for our family. It's not unlikely in our house to walk by the door and hear that a ferocious lion has injured or wounded his prey, rather than killed him. We are very cautious about the subject matter that we choose for our three precious boy minds. Sometimes, especially when dealing with the classics, for example, it's imperative for the book to be read aloud, instead of handing the child the book, in order to protect their young minds and hearts.
"The Terrestria Chronicles allegory series was written with a three-fold purpose: to honor Jesus Christ as King, to challenge young readers to love and serve Him, and to teach them to guard their hearts for Him. The focus of the series is always on the King. " Now I think that's a noble cause if ever there was one, however...
After reading the first two paragraphs of chapter one outloud from The Sword, The Ring and The Parchment, I emphatically decided that this book is not appropriate as a read-aloud for my children. In fact, I came to the conclusion, that I, alone would review the first two books in The Terrestria Chronicles series.
The reason for my decision: Chapter 1. Ed Dunlop goes into great detail describing the horror of being a slave to, who else, but the devil. This allegory by Ed Dunlop, goes on to tell the story of a young man learning to live his life serving King Emmanuel. Now, after laying down the background of the young Josiah, the book does get better. I have really enjoyed the second book, The Quest for the Seven Castles. It tells of the travels of young Josiah, who is tested many times over by King Emmanuel. In fact, I can see allowing my boys to read the books after they turn, maybe 13 or so.
Now remember, I agreed to write this review in exchange for free copies of the two books. The opinions expressed are mine. You may or may not agree. You can read excerpts as well as purchase each of these books for $7.99 by going here. If you'd care to read what other reviewers thought, simply click the banner below.
I also agree that you need to screen certain materials for younger children. They are truly like sponges when they are young and so impressionable.
ReplyDeleteI pre-read our books too.Thanks for the heads up on the first book. We read books 4 and 5, so we got a glimpse of what his life was like as a slave. But it is good to know what to expect. =)
ReplyDeleteSome material of course would not seem as questionable to others as it does to us. We are just very careful with those kinds of things!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how careful you are with your children's hearts. The Lord instructs us not to put evil before our eyes. Also, even if it isn't exactly evil..we need to be sensitive to when our children can handle certain material. Thank you for your view. I love your reviews as I have read a few today! I will be following you to get a heads up on many items. We seem to be on the same page as far as guarding little hearts. As they grow, you can increase exposure and encourage discernment with your efforts. I have found my 12 and 10 year old reject material based on how appropriate it is for them. My daughter often says, at 12, "just because it's at the Christian bookstore, doesn't mean it's Christian."
ReplyDeleteKeep it up even when it gets hard!
Oh and thanks for stopping by Under the Golden Apple Tree! So nice to meet you!
Thanks for your heartfelt comment, Richele. And thank you for your follow too! I hope I'll be able to figure out how to follow you soon. Love your site!
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