Tales from the Back Pew: Mission Trip Impossible
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This puny book is narrated by a young boy whose church is sending him on a mission trip. He's nervous because he knows all about mission trips. "They search the world for the worst places they can find...the more dangerous the better." There are wild animals to eat you, poisonous plants and snakes to kill you, there's no tv, no roof, and no hot water. Sometimes when you bring the needy food, "you wind up on the menu. Those folks are called cannibals because they can-nibble on you. They love to have missionaries over for dinner. It's called a potluck. You're in the pot, and you're out of luck."Despite his concerns, our narrator willingly goes on the mission trip. He tells us Jesus has really changed his life, and he wants Jesus to change other people's lives, too. So early one morning he gets on the church bus...but they only drive for twenty minutes. They don't end up in the jungle or dessert; they go to a place with regular houses and a "Pizza Mut." They get together with some other kids and sing songs, do a puppet show, and hand out toys. Following Mark 16:15 ("Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.") is really cool.What I Like: Mike Thaler and Jared Lee are a genius team. This book, like the others in the series, is fun and creative. Thaler gives us lots to giggle at, while still driving home an important message. Lee's sketchy drawings, full of bubbles allowing characters to speak outside the main text of the book, are wacky, too. I especially appreciate that Thaler has the narrator admit he's afraid of traveling all over the world to tell people about Jesus, but that he'll do it anyway. Too, the idea that we should include mission trips close to home is a welcome one.What I Dislike: Nothing.Overall Rating: Excellent.Kristina Seleshanko, Managing EditorChristian Children's Book Review
June 26, 2009
When it comes to church, kids sometimes think and say the darnedest things. The Tales from the Back Pew series takes a light-hearted look at some of the misconceptions our children may have about church.In Mission Trip Impossible, the main character is a bit concerned about the mission trip his church is about to embark on. He's not quite sure how he'll deal with the wild animals, jungle, cannibals, bad weather, and other harsh conditions. Much to his surprise, this mission trip only goes as far as the other side of town. Even though his trip turned out to be much less exotic than he first thought, he still gets to tell his new friends about his best friend, Jesus.Children ages 4-8 and their parents will enjoy the light-hearted fun found in the Tales from the Back Pew series. As you complete each story, you'll be able to talk about the realities of "church life" and how it really isn't as bad as they maybe thought it was at first. Be on the lookout for two new titles in this series (Walking the Plank to the Baptism Tank & The Three Wise Guys), both scheduled to release later this year.
June 12, 2009
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