Rain Forest Adventures (Adventure Series)

Rain Forest Adventures is comprised of short, two to three page stories that are interesting and informative, depicting the habitat and behaviors of many rain forest creatures. These stories can be read in approximately five to ten minutes or less, and, like other books in this series, each chapter concludes with a short spiritual lesson. Children will likely benefit from further discussion following these lessons as it is somewhat difficult to convey the context and meaning of a Scripture in a few, short sentences.There were a number of times when Banner's theology seemed ambiguous. For example, he wrote:"There is nothing at all a caterpillar can do about its future state. It either becomes a butterfly or a moth, according to its kind. It cannot choose between light and darkness. We can. We can be good or bad. We can obey God or disobey Him. We can be saved or lost. And it is for us to choose...Deuteronomy 30:19, 20" (pg 51).Later, we read:"It is clear to me that there are two natures common to all men. If we are honest with ourselves we can recognize their presence in our own hearts. We can see them at work in our children. In young and old alike is the conflict between good and bad. Few will dare say that they are all good, yet none will denounce themselves as wholly bad...There is a way, not only to get away from sin but also to keep away. Paul gives us the answer: 'I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' " at which point Banner quotes James 4:7, 8 (pg. 54).There were also unclear statements such as "nature" provided emus with long necks (pg. 8) and "As they [termites] contact Mother Earth, they shed their flimsy wings..." (pg. 89).Ultimately, Banner writes to encourage children to lay up treasures in heaven, to follow Christ who is "the Way", and to fight the good fight of faith. Readers will find themselves challenged to count the cost of following Christ and to persevere during hardship. Along the way, children will also learn many surprising facts about rain forest life. With detailed descriptions of hunting expeditions and forest dangers, Rain Forest Adventures will likely capture the attention of many children (around ages 7-12), especially those particularly interested in wildlife, hunting, and/or the rain forest habitat.(Note: Several stories are probably not best suited for the sensitive at heart. There is a description of an anaconda attacking a disobedient boy in the river (complete with sketch), as well as, numerous references to killer piranha fish that only attack where there is bleeding, not to mention wild boars and boa constrictors.)*My sincere thanks to Cross Focused Reviews and Christian Focus Publications for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Horace Banner tells the story of the Eva missionary family in the midst of the Amazon rain forest in his book entitled Rain Forest Adventures. The short chapters are great for young children wanting to get a handle on the animals and culture of the rain forests of the Amazon. In fact, my five year old daughter loved hearing about the stories about tree frogs, anacondas, and the blue butterfly. At the end of each chapter, Horace ties together a particular theme that came out in his stories about life in the Amazon in relationship to a biblical theme. Whether its committing oneself to Christ, understanding the nature of sin and its scars or marveling at God's good creation, these stories bring together the truths found in God's Word that are reflected also in God's first book, the book of nature.In one unique story, a boy named Manuel is fascinated by the deeper parts of the river. Racing down the path and splashing in the water, Manuel has no concern for what lies beneath the deep waters. Horace writes, "Then one day, when Manuel dived, he came up against something long, smooth and supple - something alive! And, before he could come up to the surface, something covered his face and things like knives cut into his cheeks....Manuel's cheeks will always bear the marks of the river serpent's teeth but he has learned his lesson. He is taking no more risks" (11-13). The good thing about this story was that the snake was unable to get ahold of something solid to anchor itself to in order to crush its prey by suffocation. Manuel was fortunate by God's grace to be alive after this incident. Horace bears witness to the weights of sin and its scars that are left upon the human race which are only remedied by the forgiveness in Christ Jesus.One other story that was very powerful was the time that Donna traveled to a leper colony near the mouth of the Amazon. She distributed money, care, and prayed for the lepers there in the colony. One man responded with a letter that `demanded that you make no further visits and no further gifts without his permission' (44). He also complained that Donna was trying to make a Christian of his wife by helping her. Horace makes the point here that whether we take a stand for people by word/actions, we will often be met with disapproval and anger, but this does not keep us from promoting his name.I really enjoyed this book and thought the short chapters were great for younger children. The illustrations went along well with the themes of the chapters also.Thanks to CF4K and Cross Focused Reviews for the copy of this book in exchange for review.

Rain Forest Adventures is a children's book written by a missionary to the tribal Indians in the Amazon Rain Forest of Brazil. Horace Banner spent over 40 years ministering to the Kayapo people. During that period he was able to translate portions of the Bible into a written language as well as hymns for the Indian people. This book contains over 25 chapters/sections dedicated to different animals. In each chapter the author tells a short story about some adventure that involves a specific animal. The stories are usually 2-3 pages and each one has a drawing of the animal that the story is about. The stories are very well written and will surely grab the attention of young children. The author also relates some scriptural truth to the story. For example, in the story about piranhas, the author and some of the Indians catch and eat piranha for dinner and he describes them as killer fish. He then end the story by relating these "killer fish" to the things in our life that are "killer" (i.e. things that God would condemn) and that Jesus alone can give life! Every story draws some conclusion like this as well as ends with a Bible verse. The book is written at a reading level for 7-9 year olds. The stories are captivating and well told and will surely be a great ADVENTURE to any young readers. I definitely recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book from Christian Focus Publications via CrossFocused Reviews.com in exchange for an honest review.