Trust & Obey

At the old age of nine or ten, my mom introduced me to two books that would forever live in me heart. I was disheartened when they ended and thought of them years after. Now, my little brother is reading them and I have all of this nostalgia and love that fills my mind. It transports me to a simple time, to a time of discovery.

Kingdom Tales by David and Karen Mains is one of the most unique children’s stories I have ever heard. I read and reread it so much my parents got the book for me on audio so I could listen to them whenever I wanted.

The overarching plot focuses on Scar Boy -later known as Hero- who lives in the city where a dark and cruel emperor resides. After his mother dies, Scar Boy and his little brother run for safety fearing the Emperor and what he’ll do to them. That’s how they get to Park Place and meet some incredible people that will change their lives.

Kingdom Tales retells the life and death of Christ in a way similar to C.S. Lewi’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” but it’s much darker and has so many themes. Since I was small, I have been attracted to stories about the dark, because of the beauty of the light. The light is the greatest when surrounded by darkness, and Kingdom Tales shows us this spectacularly. I would like to warn you, though, that it probably will make you cry. It has some hard topics (like trauma) that can make ya tear up.

The other book I loved was The Tales of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. This book tells the story of Despereaux, a small mouse with the heart of a warrior. He dreams of being the hero and saving the princess in the castle! When he gets that chance he leaps for it and it takes him on an adventure he never imagined.

This is another book that tackles themes that can be heavier at times for elementary school children. A rat is deeply wounded and becomes bitter and vengeful. A maid of the princess dreams of being a princess and becomes jealous of her mistress. Despereaux is treated as small and insignificant by peers and adults.

Even though I read many other books as a little girl like The Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, and The Best Worst Christmas Pageant Ever, these books have stood the test of time. Their plots have remained branded into my heart and I plan to read these to my kids when I’m a parent.

What was your favorite book as a child and why? Please tell me all about it in the comments!