Caroline Haley reviews Revenge of the Flying Carpet by J.M. Evans.
It is encouraging to see the release of a growing number of Christian fiction books for children and young people, and Dernier Publishing has a range of titles with genres ranging from dystopian and fantasy style to WWI spy stories, and written for a variety of ages.
Revenge of the Flying Carpet is one of these, aimed at 10- to 14-year-olds. It tells the story of twins who inherit a flying carpet which transports them to Bible times, teaching the need for mercy and forgiveness rather than revenge and personal victory over enemies.
The book gives a feel for life in Bible times, considering ideas such as imprisonment of prophets and persecution of first-century Christians. For such subjects, conversation with an adult may be useful, especially if these are unfamiliar ideas to the reader: the discussion questions at the end of the book could be helpful for this.
The main character, Paul, begins the book not knowing much about the Bible, but by the end he has come to understand his own need of forgiveness by God. However, clarity on the gospel is only achieved in the final chapter, and earlier chapters could leave the reader thinking that it is their forgiveness of others which will save them. Whilst this allows the story to build, as you see Paul’s growth in understanding, more allusions to salvation by grace may have been helpful earlier in the book. Additionally, the book ends with Paul’s twin not accepting the gospel, but Paul is told: “She will be given another chance,” which could mean the reader fails to see the urgency of responding to the gospel. Whilst the end notes are clear about what a Christian is and how to become one, it cannot be guaranteed that a child will read them as they are outside of the story itself.
The title and excitement of a flying carpet is likely to be appealing, making this a good gift for a child who is not yet a believer. However, discussion with a Christian to help the child decode the book clearly would be beneficial.
Book information
- Revenge of the Flying Carpet, J.M. Evans, Dernier Publishing, ISBN: 978 1 912 457 472, 178 pages, £5.99
