Book Review: The Lightlings

Hello, my dear readers!  I know it has been a while since I've done any sort of reviews...  I'm considering starting up doing them again, so I decided to try with a favorite children's book-- enjoy!

The Lightlings is a children's book by R.C. Sproul, illustrated by Justin Gerard.  A tale of beauty and a simple lesson, with beautiful illustrations-- a work of art both in words and color!  Great for ages 3-10.

The story begins when a young boy poses a question to his grandfather, "Why am I afraid of the dark?"  The grandfather smiles and proceeds to tell the boy, not only why people fear the dark, but also why people fear the light too.  He weaves a story about a great King of Light who rules over a people of Light, but when the people sin against the King, they begin to lose their light-- and hide for fear of facing the King without a Shadow!  But because the King is wise and loves His Lightlings, He provides a Way for the lost Lightlings to have their Light restored so that they might again come and live before Him in the Light.

First of all, I must say-- the illustrations in this book are amazing.  I found myself just wanting to stare at each page, thinking I wonder if they sell prints...!

I appreciated the simplicity of the allegory.  Some allegories that I read that are woven into children's stories are nice, but they can get confusing for the child listener.  This story was beautifully simple-- not to mention, the questions and answers in the back of the book can help the child understand further if need be.  The fantastical setting was not only aesthetically pleasing, but also fully engaging.  The illustrations draw you in to the story, to sympathize with the little Lightlings, to want follow them on their quest to find that Light that they caught a glimpse of at the edge of the forest! This makes the book all the more powerful, because the allegory speaks to each one of us on a personal level as we each have our own journey, seeking after the Light.

The way that this allegorical tale and the whimsical style of the pictures flow together, fully impressing the message of the story into the fabric of your imagination and memory, make this beautiful and simple story hard to forget, regardless of whether you are a child or an adult-- your heart will be encouraged as you shine the Light of the King, and tell others around you where they too can be filled with the Light.

Click here to learn more or to purchase!

I received this book free of charge from Reformation Trust Publishing in exchange for an honest review.