Lily, the Lemur and the Lamb King: The Me Tree and Other Adventures

In this whimsically illustrated and delightfully narrated chapter book for children ages 5 to 11, Lily and the Lemur engage with the Lamb King, who invites them to play in a marvelous playground replete with strange creatures and enchanting happenings. In 12 episodes, Lily and the Lemur get to know the Lamb King, a king like none other they could have imagined.

Without explicitly teaching, the Lamb King shows Lily, the Lemur, and a menagerie of their unusual friends—Bella the tiny elephant, Bigg the bunny, Grubby the grub, and slow Boris the Loris—by his words and actions that beauty, peace, and joy characterize the playground when its inhabitants serve each other instead of putting themselves first, just as the Lamb King looks for ways to serve the creatures he encounters.

In an introduction, author Bob Hartman writes, “The stories you’re about to read are inspired by another, bigger story. You might want to just read them and enjoy them as they are. But you can also find out what inspired each story at the back of the book.” There, Hartman writes, “The stories you’ve just read were all inspired by a real person: Jesus. A little like the Lamb King, Jesus invites us into a kingdom where not everything is quite as you might expect.”

This chapter book can be enjoyed by a child on his or her own. It could also serve as a unique family devotional resource, perhaps daily reading one of the 12 stories and concluding with the explanation of how it is connected to Jesus and his kingdom. (The Good Book Company)