The Mansoul Chronicles Book Review: John Bunyan Holy War
The Mansoul Chronicles Book Review. This is a beautifully illustrated and adapted children’s book of John Bunyan’s The Holy War. While the edition is adapted for young readers (6-12 years old), the Christian allegory remains True and theologically sound. This is the first book in the series (book 2 coming in 2026).
In a world where “Do as your hearts please” is the constant whisper of culture, let’s share stories with our kids to hide Truth in their hearts, to alight their souls for Christ, and to fill their minds with stories that fuel their moral imagination. This is that story!
A story to challenge you and your young readers to fight the good fight!
The Mansoul Chronicles is fully illustrated with colorful page-to-page illustrations. Each chapter ends with a summary and discussion questions to help readers grasp the allegory. The series is recommended for ages 6-12.
Content Guide
Please note: some of the content may be difficult for sensitive readers. The text is filled with action and adventure, exploring profound themes such as persecution, rioting, fighting, temptation, bullying, deception, suffering, imprisonment, and death. Additionally, it features imagery of dragons, winged beings, and creatures rioting and fighting.
TO THE PARENT
Prepare yourself for conviction and inspiration! Although the text is aimed at a younger audience, don’t be fooled into thinking it won’t resonate with older children and even parents. The writing will prick your heart and ignite your appreciation for sharing quality literature. Even more importantly, The Mansoul Chronicles will spark a profound desire to join and fight the good fight alongside your children!
Parents: No need to Stress (or feel intimidated)
NO NEED TO STRESS! If you’re a parent with young children (ages 6-12), there’s no need to worry if you haven’t read the original The Holy War, as it isn’t necessary. This story is shallow enough for a young reader but deep enough for you.
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The Mansoul Chronicles Book Review
Book 1: The Fall and Rise of Mansoul (2024) written by Tyler Van Halteren, illustrated by Uyen Nguyen, and published by Lithos Kids.
More books published by Lithos Kids {HERE}
Overall The Mansoul Chronicles Book Review
The Mansoul Chronicles is a captivating story that begins at the beginning of time when Saddai (God Almighty) creates the town of Mansoul and fills it with his beloved creatures to enjoy all its goodness. But fallen winged beings devise an evil plan and plant lies into the minds of the people of Mansoul. The narrative is engaging and child-appropriate, filled with TRUTH without dumbing down theology. The gospel is presented clearly. No watered-down theology, here! The text is vibrant with intriguing details sure to appeal for the intended age group. Each chapter concludes with a summary and discussion questions designed to help readers better understand the allegory. This book is cloth bound with gold foil print, giving it a timeless quality that’s truly heirloom-worthy!
Rating
5 out of 5 stars!
Recommendation
I highly recommend this book! Please note that this book contains heavy topics and might better suit kids ages 6 and up. A quick pre-read will help you determine if it’s a good fit for your young reader.
What I LOVE about this Book
- exposure to deep theological concepts and biblical terms
- sparks fruitful conversations
- prompts hard questions (Does God love us? Why do bad things happen? Is Satan defeated?)
- written in kid-friendly language to help them understand the allegory
- ignites the reader’s moral imagination and stores truth in their heart
Our Family’s Read Aloud Experience
At the time, my older girls are 3 and 5. Miss 3 is not quite ready for this book, but she loves to flip through the pages and ask questions. I respond appropriately. As for Miss 5, The Mansoul Chronicles will be a read-aloud for Year One of homeschool. I’ll come back and update our read-aloud experience.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The above are my thoughts and opinions.
The Mansoul Chronicles Book One: The Fall & Rise of Mansoul
From the Publisher: The deceitful dragon Diabolus has rebelled against King Shaddai and convinces the town of Mansoul to betray their true king. Prince Emmanuel must now go to war to free his beloved creatures from the terrible tyrant’s reign. But how will Emmanuel save them from the destruction their sin deserves?
And so the town of Mansoul was corrupted and changed overnight. No longer was there laughter and joy, songs of birds, or sunshine and beauty. What was once so orderly and good had become broken and bad.
Diabolus blew out a great blast of fire. “If I am an enemy of your so-call king, why has he not sent an army to destroy me? Perhaps your king is not as strong as he claims to be? Or maybe he doesn’t love you as much as you think he does?”
Satan remains the father of lies. His same lies plague our culture. He desires to tangle you with his lies, breed pride inside your heart, and blind you to God’s goodness. Let’s call out his lies by sharing the story of Truth with our children.
More Book Reviews are Coming Soon!
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Thanks for Stopping By!
Lastly, thank you for stopping by! This story is a life-giving and soul-igniting story of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty! I hope The Mansoul Chronicles Book Review has provided enough details and encouragement to add it to your home library. Although my comments are currently disabled, I would still love to connect with you. Feel free to reach out on Instagram or subscribe to my newsletter (just hit reply)!
HAPPY READING!
– With Great Joy, Katie
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