In this post, I'm not going to debate whether or not fantasy and magic are appropriate for Christians (although that would make for an interesting post!); but I am going to share what I think is a very compelling reason to be reading fantasy books aloud with your kids.

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Why is reading fantasy to important?
There are several themes that are found in fantasy stories that I think are really good themes for our kids to encounter. And it's even better when we read aloud these fantasy stories and encounter these themes with our kids and have the opportunity to discuss them.
The battle between good and evil
Every good fantasy story has at its core the theme of good versus evil. The struggle between good and evil is one that our kids will continually face in real life. When they can encounter this struggle in a book and have the opportunity to feel a little of the fear of the evil side, a little apprehension as the story approaches a climax, they can be prepared- in a small way- for the feelings they may fear encountering evil in real life. When they experience the thrill of good triumphing over the evil, they learn that good wins. And while good might not evidently win in every situation in real life, as Christians we do have the assurance that God's ultimate good will triumph in the end.
The strength to face fears and live nobly
Reading about brave heroes helps kids to feel brave. Reading about noble deeds and noble characters helps kids to desire to live nobly. When we present our kids with strong, brave characters in a story, we are giving them models. And even though the stories are make believe, as the kids soak them in, they really do feel stronger and more inspired to do right- even when it's difficult.
The ability to deal with defeat and struggles and keep trying
Although most fantasy stories have a happy ending, there are sometimes really difficult experiences on the way. Characters suffer defeat and loss. Main characters die or lose loved ones sometimes. And as we read these stories with our kids, we can talk about these moments. We can look together at how the characters dealt with the struggles they encountered. What did they do when they faced difficulty and defeat. The theme of overcoming these obstacles and triumphing in the end is a prevalent one in the fantasy genre and can provide opportunity for some really good, thoughtful discussion.
Before I share with you some of our favorite fantasy stories, I have another recommendation to share. Andrew Pudewa from IEW has an audio talk- Fairy Tales and the Moral Imagination. This is an excellent and thoughtful presentation about the benefits of fairy tales and fantastical stories. This isn't an affiliate link. It's just a talk I've heard him give and loved. It's only $3, so it's very worth checking out to hear his thoughts about sharing fairy tales with our children,

And a few of our favorite fantasy stories:





Reading aloud provides an excellent opportunity to very good discussion, and fantasy books lend themselves to big thoughts and deep perusal. I encourage you to read them aloud with your kids.
What's your favorite fantasy series for family read aloud?
hmm.. you listed a new one to me.. Kingdom Tales ... I'll have to look those up. (annette @ A net in Time)
ReplyDeleteWe found it just through the My Father's World curriculum. We all really enjoy it.
DeleteLove this, and I totally agree! Thanks for sharing at What to Read Wednesday-- yours was my favorite post last week & I featured it this week! :) http://untoadoption.org/what-to-read-wednesday-boredom-bustersroadtrip-books/
ReplyDeleteThank you for featuring me!
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