Tag Archives: Ted Dekker

A request to the library to buy Christian graphic novels

This week my son “Mike” and I have been discussing graphic novels. Since my triplet boys are 16, getting old enough to learn to make their own decisions, I have been letting him buy graphic novels as long as they aren’t obviously off-track. He’s been buying and reading a Japanese manga series called Fruits Basket. I had scanned it but not read it. This week I read it and was dismayed to find teen sex condoned. It reads a lot like a soap opera, with a few fantasy elements. Yikes. Time to pester the library for something much better.

I would REALLY like to see some Christian graphic novels available to my boys. This requires that 1) the graphic novels be published, and 2) they be bought by the library, or otherwise made known to my kids.

I didn’t get a response from my email to the library about new books, so I am guessing it got nowhere. So I went to the library (Webster Groves Public Library, Missouri) to ask how I am supposed to make these requests. The librarian pointed me to some little green request slips.

The book I just reviewed, Chosen by Ted Dekker, is also published in a graphic novel format, I discovered. So I am requesting that the library buy this Lost Book graphic novel series. I just made out the request slip. In case you are willing to do this at your library, here is the information:

Author: Ted Dekker

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Title: Lost Book Series: Chosen, Infidel, Renegade, Chaos

Note: Prefer graphic novel versions

Chosen by Ted Dekker, a Review

chosen Chosen by Ted Dekker
Book 1 of The Lost Books
Published by Thomas Nelson, 2007, 260 pages.

Worldview: Christian. Good vs. evil with a benevolent God.

This story takes place in a world called “Other Earth” on the map supplied. As the story opens, the protagonist Johnis, age 16, joins the armed bands defending his people, the Forest People, from the more numerous Horde who live in the surrounding desert.

Thirteen years before, the earth had been covered with lush colored forests. But somehow Teeleh, a vile creature and enemy of Elyon (the Lord) has destroyed most of the forests, and evil rules the land. Evil is manifested in a scaly disease that overtakes skin and mind. Forest People will be overtaken by the disease if they fail to bathe in Elyon’s special waters every day. The Horde have already been overtaken by the disease.

As the story unfolds, Johnis discovers he has been chosen by Elyon–he bears a certain birthmark. In addition, he can suddenly see the good creatures, white bats, and the evil creatures, black vampire bats, that others in his tribe have lost the ability to see or hear. A white bat gives him a mission: retrieve six magic books. He must do this with three other teens. If he doesn’t, Teeleh will triumph.

Johnis prays for help in his journey and receives it, in the nick of time. He is able to accomplish part of his mission in this book, with the help of the other three teens. The rest is left for further books in the series.

There are hints of intrigue: who is the traitor to the Forest People who is keeping the Horde informed? And mystery: who is the leader of the Forest People, who seems to have come from our own world somehow?

I like this book a lot and will recommend it to my sons. It is a fantasy page-turner with a Christian worldview, just what I am looking for.–Phyllis Wheeler thumbsup thumbsup