As a fan of sci-fi, fantasy and graphic novels, this
devotional caught my eye. Although it was a quick, easy read with a few good
questions, I was disappointed by the superficial lessons and simplified story
lines. For example, Robin Hood is provided
as an example of charity, while ignoring that Robin’s charity came from
criminal gains. Jake Sully is listed as “protecting
others”, which is similar to the listed trait for Katniss.
Another problem I have is some of the author’s sources. His
chapter on Eustace is drawn entirely from the film adaptation, including
quotes. And for the Hunchback of Notre
Dame, he refers to an old film very few people will have access too.
While I can admire
the author’s intentions, I did not find this book useful. It might be useful for upper elementary
children, but older kids would benefit more from reading the books or watching
the movies mentioned for themselves. Parents
might use this book to movies to watch,
but the oversimplification annoyed me. Stories, while they may have good
lessons, should not be boiled down to those lessons; students should be allowed
to explore stories for themselves. Perhaps they’ll find something new that no
one else did.
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