Blog by Alexis Drye, Director of The Grounds Bookstore & Cafe
Who hasn’t ever wanted to travel back in time? I know I have, especially to be an eye witness to the stories of the Bible I have read so many times. I’ve often meditated on how breathtaking it would be to watch the Red Sea part before my very eyes. Or to try to witness exactly how Jesus turned two fish and five pieces of bread into enough food to feed more than 5,000 people. Or to taste the wine that He himself created. Not to mentioned being on the mountain top with Moses when the glory of God passed overhead.
And if you’ve ever had similar desires to time travel, I can guarantee you that your children have as well. And with the help of the Imagination Station book series, they can. Well, at least in an imaginary way. This Focus on the Family children’s series, written by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker, launched five years ago and is still going strong, enchanting children with its tales of time travel and adventure.
It all begins on a Monday afternoon in Whit’s End – the local soda shop for Beth and her cousin Patrick. Beth takes Patrick to meet Mr. Whittaker and his Imagination Station, a time-traveling machine. Within moments they’re seated inside, and the press of a red flashing button transports them to Greenland aboard a Viking ship. They have a mission to accomplish and a mysterious letter to figure out, but along the way they meet notorious Viking Erik the Red and his Christian son, Leif. Through a series of adventures, they see the difference that belief in Christ can make in the life of even a brute Viking.
In the next 16 books, Beth and Patrick travel to places like ancient Rome, Israel, Egypt and Ireland, always with a particular mission to accomplish and supplied by only a small bag of resources provided by Mr. Whittaker. They witness historical events like the battle between David and Goliath, the first Thanksgiving, and WWII, often barely escaping danger. In the most recent book, “In Fear of the Spear,” released earlier this year, they travel to South America to witness the work of missionary Jim Eliot and his team among the Auca tribe.
But the fun doesn’t stop there for your children. They can complete puzzles and games in the back of each book to reveal a secret code. By entering that code on the Imagination Station website, they unlock another audio adventure. There are also vocabulary lists, quizzes, and additional study information on the website that parents can utilize to really help their child unlock the books’ full educational potential.
The series is recommended for children ages 7 and older, but I think parents would enjoy reading them along with their children, together experiencing the wild adventures of going back into time to interact with a timeless God.
From the Ground Up 