The Mansoul Chronicles by Tyler Van Halteren

This series is a retelling of John Bunyan’s The Holy War for children in which the characters are reimagined as animals. This allegory recounts the battle for the city of Mansoul which is attacked by Diabolus until Prince Emmanuel intervenes.

Reading Level: Ages 6-10
Read Aloud Age: All Ages

This storybook retelling of The Holy War does an excellent job of staying true to the original while using language that children will understand, without speaking down to them. There is much peril and some death, although it is handled well, in a way that won’t terrify children.

“While Captain Resistance was speaking, Belial had been carving a bow and arrow from the tree branches in front of him. Belial leapt out of his hiding place and shot an arrow. It flew through the air, pierced Captain Resistance in the heart and knocked him off the wall, where he fell and did not rise again.”

The illustration style is a bit unique- it’s a combination of medieval and futuristic fantasy elements with a wide assortment of zoo animals for characters, but you quickly acclimate to the visual environment as you read through the story. As with other Lithos Kids titles, the quality of storytelling and the physical book itself are of incredible quality. This story will captivate children’s minds and biblical truth will be reinforced every step of the way. This is a fantastic choice for your home library!

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