If you’re looking for good reading material for your children for this summer, I have a recommendation.   Recently I was asked to read and review  The Song of the Bear  by Mark Tungesvik .  I have read it passed it on to my 10 year old granddaughter, who is an avid reader of “real” books (as opposed to electronic books) who declared it “Awesome, the best book I have read in a long time.”

I found the book to be an amazing blend of Pilgrim’s Progress, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and even parts of the Hobbit–and that’s quite a combination!  It took me about the first 50 pages to get into the story but then I found it difficult to put down. 

I appreciated the short chapters and the way things moved quickly.  Like Christ’s parables I wasn’t always sure what the images were referring to, but the story line was wonderful and flowed easily. 

Sometimes I would go back and say, “Oh, that’s what it was referring to!”   But it didn’t matter, because I could still follow the story without necessarily understanding the underlying meaning.

Following John, the main character and his three young friends, as they followed the Bear,  I could identify with John,  and appreciate  his constant singing of the song and his trust in the only One Who can lead us aright.

  I would highly recommend this book to anyone—probably ten or over—for the sheer reading of good literature as well as the spiritual insight it offers. If you want to know more, visit the website http://www.thesongofthebear.com. where there is also a study guide to download.

SCHEA Presidnet,

Gale Farrier