Are you looking for a book for some special young person that isn't filled with vampires, zombies, werewolves, and magic? Are you looking for a book that has a real hero? If so, I highly recommend this extremely entertaining read by Vince Stone. Elijah was one of the major prophets of the Old Testament. People tend to set these prophets of old upon pedestals and think that they were superhuman, that they didn't have the same problems that we have today, or that they had some sort of supernatural strength.

In Elijah: the Prophet Child, Vince Stone shows us that Elijah was a very human boy. Not much is told of Elijah's life as a child in the Bible, so the author uses literary freedom to create a possible childhood for this man and make it appealing to the youth of today. Elijah wasn't perfect, just as none of us are perfect. He shows in a very humorous fashion that Elijah had fears, doubts, and troubles just like the rest of us. He also shows how a very powerful God used him in a mighty way that has never been forgotten.

When the story opens, we find Elijah being told that his mother always thought there was something special about him. Elijah just doesn't see it and neither does his father. He isn't especially well-known in their village of Tishbe. His father is a leather maker, a very malodorous job, so their house and clothes always smell. There is one outstanding feature about Elijah, though. He has a really big nose. The life of this ordinary boy with a huge nose is about to change forever in a very dramatic way.

We know from reading the Bible that Samuel heard God calling to him as a child. In this story, that is also when Elijah first hears his voice. Who knows? It may actually have happened that way since we know next to nothing about his childhood. This voice he hears at night puzzles him. He tries to ignore it, but it won't go away. That voice instructs him to warn King Asa about a coming invasion. Even Elijah's father becomes convinced of the need for him to speak to the king. Not only does Elijah get to speak to the king, he makes many discoveries about his father along the way. When they are attacked by robbers on their way to see the king, Elijah wonders how his father is so easily able to defeat them.

There are many things that the author has created to give the story its contemporary humorous quality. Donkey races, camel licenses, and pork barbecues during the worship rituals of Baal probably didn't actually take place, but who knows for sure? Yes, there is Baal worship in the book, as well as what is possibly the first school of prophets.

When the book ends, Elijah is on his way to rescue a princess, the daughter of King Asa, who has been kidnapped by the Baal worshippers for sacrifice. I, for one, cannot wait to read the next book. Though I believe it was mainly written to appeal to the youth of today, it should appeal to adults everywhere, too. There are references laced throughout the book that most children wouldn't understand, but just about every adult would. They aren't bad, just humorous. For example, the winemaker in Tishbe is named Pinot, his wine is Grigio. Since I am a wine lover, I immediately picked up on that one. I found it awesome that the author managed to work Pinot Grigio into the story of Elijah.

I bought my own copy of this book just because I wanted to read it. If you would like to read Vince Stone's fictional account of the childhood of Elijah in Elijah: the Prophet Child, I have included a link to Amazon below. There is also a link for the sequel, Elijah: the Sidonian Conflict, a book which hasn't yet been released, but can be pre-ordered.

,