The Lightlings

"You know, not only are lots of people afraid of the dark, many people are afraid of the light," said Grandpa to Charlie. In R.C. Sproul's Lightlings, Grandpa tells Charlie the story of the King of Light and His children--the lightlings. The lightlings lived in the happiness and warmth of the light of the king until the day that they sinned. Then their lights grew dim, they became afraid of the King and his light, and they hid themselves in the dark. That is, until the King's Son, the Light of the World, was born. Dr. Sproul's little allegory is perfect for teaching the story of redemption to children. Ours love hearing it, and we love reading it to them. And the illustrations are amazing; Justin Gerard has done a beautiful job. This is one of my family's favorite children's books. It would make the perfect gift for your children, your grandchildren, or the noisy little child next door.

What more can I say about this book than it is absolutely beautiful? The artwork is stunning, the story goes right to the heart and I have added this to the library of "special books" that I keep at my house to read to my grandchildren when they visit. Its a treasure and I intend to buy all of R.C. Sproul's children's books.

This allegory is a wonderful way of presenting the truth of the gospel. My kids love the illustrations, too. Best for kids who are at least 4-years old.

As a parent with small (and medium and large) children, I'm always on the prowl for good books for the kids. And by good I do not mean "NEA Approved". I want something that will not only hold their attention but fire their imaginations and, most importantly, establish them in Scriptural principles. R. C. Sproul's The Lightlings fits the bill. I wasn't really surprised, mind you. Sproul's other children's books, in audio format, are already some of my kids' favorite bedtime listening. But as much as my children love the books, I love them even more. The Lightlings is the story of the Fall (Gen. 3:1-15), retold in a fantasy millieu for kids. The story of the lightlings, special creation of the King With No Shadow, presents the truth about man's rebellion, guilt, and redemption in a way that gives parents some priceless teachable moments. There is even a teaching guide at the end of the book. With that said, this is a children's story, not a theological text (although many of those are also available from Ligonier ministries as well). As such, this story is designed to teach a small set of principles -- and it does so powerfully -- but the details will not stand up to nitpicking. But, then, it's not supposed to. Accompanying Dr. Sproul's words are some of the most beautiful illustrations I have seen in a children's book in awhile. So many times good books are accompanied by mediocre illustrations, leaving our children with a handicapped aesthetic sense. Not so with The Lightlings. Oh, yes, and there's a bonus. This is also the very best book for any Christian parents or grandparents who want to teach little ones not to be afraid of the dark. Pick up a copy of The Lightlings for your kids or grandkids. It's not only a beautiful story, beautifully illustrated; it helps you to teach your little ones about the MOST beautiful story ever told.

Here we have two of my favorites rolled into one--stories about Christmas, and stories for children. R.C. Sproul--pastor, teacher, founder of Ligonier Ministries, and radio/tv personality from Renewing Your Mind--has penned a pleasant little allegory that speaks to children. He teams up with artist Justin Gerard to present this book for children dealing with fear of the dark. I'll start with the artwork. The images are beautiful and inspiring to the young mind. Imaginations will run wild when your children are paging through this book. The book is worth your money and your time for the pictures alone. In terms of literature, the book begins with almost too much detail before the story begins. We are introduced to Charlie Cobb who is afraid of the dark. Even with the specific details into his nightly bedtime routine, we fall in love with Charlie, and want to comfort him. But like his mom, we feel much better leaving the answers to tough questions like "why am I afraid of the dark?" to Grandpa (who conveniently will be over tomorrow for dinner). Grandpa's story, told to a Charlie snuggled into Grandpa's lap, is one that tells of the history of a beautiful people who turned away from their maker and lost their inner "light". People familiar with biblical stories will see the stories of creation, the Fall, and the birth of Jesus all wrapped up in a short readable tale. It is heartwarming and helps Charlie deal with his fear of the dark even offering advice on how to overcome that fear in the future. While the book isn't strictly a Christmas book, it would be a great read during the holiday season because it explains not only the coming of the Son of God, but why He came in the first place. Like many children's books, this one is less written on the child's level for reading than written as a "read to me" book. It provides great time for parents or grandparents to read with their little loved ones. The book includes some learning questions after the story to help guide discussion about issues addressed. Sproul also includes Bible verses to help parents in their discussion of the questions. The Lightlings is an excellent tool to use not only in answering questions about fear of the dark, but also to aid in giving word pictures to help children to understand God and salvation as well. The beautiful pictures, the heartwarming story, and the prospect of spending special time with the little ones makes this a book that should be sought after by parents and grandparents alike. It has made me want to search for Sproul's other children's books - The King without a Shadow and The Priest with Dirty Clothes.