Today I want to tell you about another great children’s fantasy book for all of you parents out there who are beyond the stage of being thrilled that your kids can read. Now what? You want something more — you want to know they’re filling their mind with “good things.” Well, the Landon Snow series is definitely one you’ll want to add to your bookshelf.

It’s written by R.K. Mortenson, a navy chaplain-dad-turned-author based in Jacksonville, Florida. I picked it up having no idea what it was about — but I knew it took place in an enchanted world. I wondered what my kids would be getting into if they started reading this series. What about all the magic? So, I questioned the author about it, and he wrote back to me (which I quote here with his permission):

As I was writing it I kept wondering, “Is it okay to do this? Can I use the Bible in the story and include fantasy?” My fears, I realized, were over what other people would think. When I looked to God and asked the same questions, the questions fairly evaporated. I felt reassured by a sense of God telling me: I gave you my Word; I gave you a vivid imagination; I gave you the talent to write. Use them.

I think the Bible today has lost its “magic.” I’m not talking about spells and such. I’m talking about its appearing special and unique as the Word of God: as a means–or window–into another world beyond our own. There is power in the Word of God and it does transport us to another place. It also ignites the imagination. I thought, if kids open their Bibles to find some of this “magic,” then that’s a very good thing. (If kids–and adults–open their Bibles at all, that’s a good thing.) I also thought, even if they don’t open their Bibles, at least they’ve read a few lines of Scripture in the novel itself.

Here’s an author who really cares — deep down — what his readers will experience spiritually as they read his books! I definitely have no reservations now about our family jumping into the Landon Snow series. It’s so exciting to me that Christian publishers have discovered the family fiction market — we want our kids to read high-quality literature that reinforces our values. I know there are some parents who think their children should only read the classics — books written before 1950 — but what does that teach? That God isn’t relevant today? That there are no talented authors writing great new books? No way! Let’s give them an up-to-date story that shows God is connected to His people yesterday, today, and forever!

So who is Landon Snow? When we meet him, he’s a kid living in Minnesota, on the way to see his grandparents to celebrate his 11th birthday. His two sisters beat him to the window seats, and since his mom’s SUV is in the shop, they’re crammed into his dad’s sedan with “no DVD movie to watch.” Landon would have preferred passing the time with a good book, but he gets a headache reading in the car. (Sound familiar?) You’re going to love his two sisters, Bridget and Holly. They’re smart and witty — and all the Snow kids are interested in math and foreign languages. The vocabulary is rich and stimulating for intelligent readers.

The back cover of the novel warns you: “Don’t fall in — this book may swallow.” Well, I can tell you — I fell in and couldn’t stop turning the pages. Landon gets two things for his birthday: a Dream-Stone and an old Bible that belonged to the founder of the town’s magnificent library. That night, when he goes to sleep on the couch in his grandfather’s study, a strange breeze flips the pages of his new Bible to the book of Joel, where Landon reads, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” Then the pages turn again to Acts, and Landon sees the same verse here, along with faint handwriting: “Acts 2:17 = the prophecy of Joel 2:28 — fulfilled.”

So, Landon begins to wonder — is this a coincidence? He likes to know a reason for everything. He soon discovers a secret doorway behind a bookcase in his grandfather’s study, and as he grasps tightly to his Dream-Stone, we go with him into an enchanting new world — where riddles abound. In fact, discovering the secret of the Auctor’s Riddle is what drives Landon’s quest:

Could it be chance, mere circumstance
That man eats cow eats grass eats soil
And then man dies, and when he lies
To soil he does return?

You’re going to love this book! The plot and characters are fascinating, and it’s so fun to read. Mortenson’s a master at his craft — the prose and dialogue are fresh and delightful. Kid readers will love phrases like, “He felt his mouth hanging open and his heart galloping like a hamster in a wheel.” Chess-playing readers will love it when Landon finds himself in the middle of a giant chess board with talking pieces. Everywhere, Landon is surrounded by surprise, mystery, and riddles. It’s such an engaging plot!

What I also like about this book is the packaging — everything is top quality — the cover, the illustrations, the thick, creamy pages with brown font. It’s a book that can withstand backpacks and road trips by many readers.

I highly recommend LANDON SNOW AND THE AUCTOR’S RIDDLE — and since there are still two more books in the trilogy, it looks like we’ll be seeing plenty more adventures from this author in the years ahead.

Click here to see what Christian Fiction Review has to say about it.

You may contact the author via Barbour Publishing.

P.S. [11/29] I just discovered some really cool pictures of the illustrator, Cory Godby of Portland Studios. Any aspiring artists and Landon Snow fans will be interested to see artwork on Book 2 in progress.