Dragon Seed By Marty Machowski

Dragon Seed
by Marty Machowski
Publisher: New Growth Press
ISBN:

I really love when I get the chance to review books for youth! I received this one from Litfuse Publicity and shared it with my 14 yr old.

Summary:

An angry teen, a desperate mother, a missing father, and a shadow lurking in the background.

Things were going from bad to worse for Nick and his family. Tempted to run away after yet another argument with his mom, Nick receives a handwritten, leather-bound copy of an old book-a family legend passed down to him from his great grandfather. The book, called Dragon Seed, leads Nick deep into his family's history and introduces him to another angry young man who lived in the shadows (the shadows of the tombs). Like Nick, you'll be shocked to discover where he fits in this story of epic proportions!

This page-turning, young adult fiction story invites older children and teens into the real-life struggles of Nick. But it also ushers them into an imaginative exploration of the life of the young man Jesus saved as he wandered through the tombs. Best-selling author Marty Machowski uses both stories to introduce the reality of spiritual warfare and how its shadows affect and change us.

Machowski, a trusted teacher for children of all ages, presents a thoroughly biblical view of spiritual warfare that emphasizes the importance of humility and dangers of pride. Teens will be drawn to the story of Nick and his struggles and will learn, as they read, to also identify the shadows in their own life and turn from them. While the biblical teaching is evident throughout the narrative of Dragon Seed, Machowski also includes a twelve-lesson Bible study at the end of the book to help teens ground their understanding of spiritual warfare on biblical principles.

Youth pastors, leaders, and parents will also want to explore with teens the small group study at the end of the book with its unique take on spiritual warfare that emphasizes the biblical theme of humility. This is a perfect book to read with a group and discuss together the implications of Nick's struggles for their lives.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

My Review:

I thought this was an interesting book. The idea of it initially reminded me of The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. I wasn't sure how my son would take to an allegory book, but he seemed to like it. This would be a good book for pre-teens and teens.

I think the family that's represented is very relatable. Kids from the same family react differently to life situations. Nick is mad at the world and takes it out on his family. His sister, Martha, is putting all of her effort into being a fabulous student. Mary, along with her mom, is trying to keep what's left of her family from falling apart.

A story has been passed down through the family in the form of an allegory. I love how these kinds of stories work to really help the reader understand through the hidden meaning of how important our faith is. Through Nick reading this story, teens are able to understand the spiritual world. In fact, I really appreciate authors who point out the things that happen around us that we're rarely aware of.

Now, I thought the names the author gave the demons were a bit cheesy. I thought for this age group he could've gotten a bit more creative. The names seemed more like you'd find them in an elementary story than a story like this. There were a few spots where I thought the story was trying too hard to be allegorical. Can a story sometimes be too descriptive? Then again, this book is geared to young teens so maybe that's more to their liking.

At the end of the book there's a 12 day prescription to help the reader work through uprooting what the author refers to as the dragon seed. You'll have to read the book to find out what he's referring to. It's a good way for the kids finish the story and really attempt to relate it to their own lives.

I think this would also be a good book for teen youth groups to work through as a small group.

About the Author:

Marty Machowski is the Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for over 25 years. Marty leads Promise Kingdom, the children's ministry of Covenant Fellowship. He is the author of a systematic theology for children entitled "The Ology," "Long Story Short," "Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God," "The Gospel Story Sunday School Curriculum" and the companion "Gospel Story Children's Bible." He and his wife, Lois, and their six children reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania area.

Find out more about Marty at martymachowski.com.