Concerning & Potentially Concerning Content

The biggest positive of this book is that it takes kids along in an interesting story and then jumps directly into the Scriptures… but this also presents the biggest consideration for Christian parents. Once they have jumped into the start of Genesis there is a mix of things that do occur in the scripture (e.g., hearing God declare, “let there be…” and “it is good!”) alongside elements that keep the original storyline progressing (e.g., meeting the angel Michael and satan in serpent form, finding out they have 3 days to complete a Bible-centered challenge in order to get home). While there is nothing outright “concerning” in the storyline content, this may confuse some children less familiar with the scriptures. This can be offset if a parent is willing to talk through this with their children afterwards, or even better, read through this portion of the Bible after completing the book. Other than that, there is little to be concerned with here. We do wish the brother and sister’s relationship was better. While not terrible compared to many secular books, there are a few disappointing instances of one sibling rolling their eyes at something the other said. There is also an instance where they hear a noise, go to investigate, realize they are not sure if they are allowed to enter a library. They proceed saying, “no one ever said we couldn’t”. This is certainly something to address with your child. As mentioned above, satan makes an appearance. There is a chance here that the author’s attempt to keep his appearance from being scary will cause children to underestimate the seriousness of this ultimate enemy of our soul.