Amon's Adventure: A Family Story for Easter

by Arnold Ytreeide

From the bestselling author of Lent and Advent children’s books, Arnold Ytreeide! Following in the footsteps of his widely popular Advent series-- Jotham’s Journey , Bartholomew’s Passage , and Tabitha’s Travels --well-known author Arnold Ytreeide presents a captivating story to take families through the season of Lent, culminating on Easter Sunday. Thirteen-year-old Amon, the son of Jotham and Tabitha, enjoys playing with his friends but is also ready to join his father in the temple court where only men are allowed. Eager to be considered a man, Amon struggles to divide his time betweenhis friends and his duties to family and faith. But when Jotham is falsely accused of a terrible crime, Amon willingly sacrifices his childhood ways in order to save his father’s life. Along the way, he sees the jubilant crowds that gathered on Palm Sunday, outwits the Roman soldiers that planned to kill both his father and Jesus, hears the Messiah address the angry crowds, is present during the daring betrayal of Judas Iscariot, and witnesses the ultimate sacrifice made on Good Friday. With short, exciting chapters, reflections for family devotions, and advice for making Lent a meaningful experience, Amon’s Adventure will help families discover anew the spiritual power of the resurrection story.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian, Childrens, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Holiday, Middle Grade

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2010

About the author

Arnold Ytreeide loves to make people feel. "My second film I ever made was for a high school history project. It made the teacher cry, right there in front of all the students. That wouldn't be a big deal except that my history teacher was also the varsity football coach. That was the moment I decided I love telling stories." He's been telling stories ever since, in film, television, books, radio, stage plays. And he tells them in all sorts of genres -- historical fiction, adventure, and books that make you think. Sometimes Christian - like his popular Jotham’s Journey Christmas series - sometimes for those not so inclined - such as Under My Teacher’s Desk and The Twelfth Privilege. He pours a “life of a thousand episodes” into every story. Next up? “More Mike Danford books, more Amon books, and I’m starting a new series about a girl who lives on the moon.” Former cop, former film & TV creator, and Professor Emeritus, Arnold and his wife Elsie Jo live to hang out with their two children and five grandchildren. “And their dogs. And cats.” He's always looking for the next story he can tell that will help people "feel the wonder of this wonderful life."

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have read the first two Advent books in this series and shortly before Easter 2021 started to read this one, set in Jerusalem in the weeks and days before Jesus’ crucifixion. We should have started it much earlier to line up with the Easter events of the Bible, but I’m glad we kept going even if it’s now June. We have liked the Advent books, but Amon’s story brought to life the places in and around first century Jerusalem and the Jewish culture of the time in new ways for me and much more powerfully than the Advent books. I have a much fuller picture of the time and place thanks to this story. I got choked up several times in the course of reading it aloud to my kids. We read a library copy, but I will be adding a copy to our home library… and starting it with plenty of lead time before Easter next year.

[Kristie Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love this series of books! It’s a great way to prepare our hearts for the season. The author is a master storyteller. These books are perfect for reading aloud.

[Julie Mabus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the story of Amon’s journey to faith in Jesus. It is a wonderful way to make the events of the Holy Week come to life. Both the kids and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate to give a poor rating to a Christian book with such a good aim, but we were so painfully disappointed by this effort, especially as compared to how much we have enjoyed the Advent series by Ytreeide, that there really is no way to get around it. We all groaned in despair and embarrassment multiple times, and when we were done, all three children exclaimed they were glad it was over finally. This felt like an extreme rush job, very uneven in writing. Some of the figures of speech were embarrassing. The story like was just nuts. I'm OK with suspending some disbelief for the sake of the story, but the "hero" of the book was a 13 year old super-genius, who was more brilliant than Gamaliel, played the flute like no one ever heard, invented amazing inventions (like the ceiling fan, indoor plumbing, and GLASS WINDOWS!!!! yeah, right!) I think the book lost all credibility with my kids even at this early point. But then it went on to have Amon climb through secret subterranean passages and come out in the inner Temple, in time to see the torn curtain, plus it turns out he was "Mark", having the Last Supper in his house, and being the young man whose robe was torn off him by Temple guards. Oh, and he met Mary, was in the room when the Savior appeared to His disciples . . . But the final straw for us were the ridiculous anachronisms. The author has first-century Amon in Jerusalem eating CHOCOLATE in the market. Yes, chocolate. How, praytell, did chocolate get from the Aztec kingdom to Jerusalem???? Well, maybe next year's sequel will feature a flying kid to intersect into the story. This book was just not comparable to the three Advent stories, which my kids enjoyed immensely. Too bad.

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun Easter book that kids will enjoy. If you've enjoyed Jotham's Journey, Tabitha's Travels, or Bartholomew's Passage, you must read this volume as well.

It is now 33 years later after that first Christmas. Jotham and Tabitha are married with sons of their own, one of them being Amon. Bartholomew also is still a close family friend, and one of Jesus' apostles.

13-year-old Amon is a skeptic of whether Jesus is truly the Messiah or not. As he goes on this spiritual journey, and as he changes from boy to man, he learns many valuable lessons about life and trusting God. And just as his parents witnessed a special birth, Amon's adventure takes him to Jesus' crucifixion.

One of Arnold Ytreeide's trademarks is that he puts some fun, outrageous elements in his books -- just to make kids think... and laugh. In Amon's Adventure, we find out that Amon is an inventor extraordinaire. Yes, it sometimes is a bit too unbelievable that he invented backpacks, windows, fans, waterlines, etc. Alas, it ends up making for some hilarious, unforgettable moments.

Overall, my family enjoyed reading this special Easter book together.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

We really enjoyed this as a family bedtime read aloud! Caused the kids to ask great questions — and even convicted Mommy and Daddy a time or two 😅

Our only minor complaints were:
1) It's SO LONG, and sometimes we could skip whole sections without missing much, plot wise.
2) Sometimes I had to edit-read when things got a bit too angry or violent for my comfort level (our kids are 8 and under...)

But overall, definitely recommend as a family read aloud in the spring! Maybe don't wait for Lent to start, since it took us a while to get through...

Thumbs up from parents and kids!

[Chesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-eight readings, one cohesive story, vibrant historical detail, unpredictable plot, and fresh insight into the days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. A YA/JF book I can’t wait to read aloud with my family when my children are a little older.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story. A Biblical fiction that keeps you reading. Each chapter leaves you in suspense and you just cant wait to find out what happens. Teachers great lessons and each chapter has a question and Bible time!!! Great way to show our children how God calls us.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading during Lent 2015.

We are loving this book! The kids get so excited when I pull this out to start reading for the day. 3/6/15
Wonderful book as was Jotham's Journey. Looking forward to reading Tabitha and Bartholomew during Christmas advent next year. This has really helped us to focus on God during the holiday seasons. Lot's of adventure, suspense, and questions at the end of each chapter that help you to look inside your own heart. 4/11/15
Reading again for Lent this year. It's like visiting an old friend again!..krb 2/21/16..finished 3/27/16
Reading again for Lent (misplaced our book and bought another one! We love this book so much)..krb 4/7/17 We became terribly sick and couldn't keep up with the book, but it was actually very nice to finish after Easter this year. Thank you Lord....krb 4/20/17

Reading this book again for Lent this year and so excited!It's been a while....krb 3/9/20 Oh so good! and just perfect for the time we are in covid19, shelter in place...krb 4/13/20

[Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! 5th time reading it and it was just as good as the first time! I know I've read it a ton when I can hear the next line in my head. XD A couple of the parts were unrealistic but it was still a joy to read. Truly a great story that serves as a reminder of what Easter is truly about. Highly recommend to any age!

[MacKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We LOVE Arnold Ytreeide's work! He does such a masterful job of bringing these stories alive for my kids! I only wish he had even more resources because my kids get SO much out of them and I think that the Easter and Christmas stories will forever be more personal for them because of this author.

[Leanne Howard]

We read as a family for Easter. It was really good :)

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that I checked out from my local library to help me prepare my heart for Easter. Each year during Lent I look for materials like this that will take me deeper into the events that led up to and include the day of our Lord's Resurrection.

Here are four reasons I would recommend this read:

➕ The book is broken down into 28 chapters and there are recommendations for how to use this as a family or individual devotional.
➕ If you have read the Advent books by Ytreeide, you will discover that Jotham, Bartholomew, and Tabitha are all grown up now. Amon is the oldest son of Jotham and Tabitha.
➕Many biblical figures are included in the narrative. Ytreeide does a great job of giving us a slice of life and an exciting story.
➕Fans of "The Chosen" will enjoy reading this along with the show. Jesus is clearly the Son of God. The only one who can deliver us from our sins.

While I enjoyed the read and the devotional notes, the author most certainly took some liberties with timelines (especially in the ministry of Jesus) and the ways he included some figures in the narrative. Do read the gospel accounts in addition to this book if you want the most accurate portrayal.

[Ann-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book to read aloud with the girls during Lent. It follows the story of Amon, a thirteen year old newly minted man in Jerusalem. His father is unjustly accused of a theft, and is scheduled to be crucified at the same time as Jesus. Amon sets about to clear his father's name. He interacts with all the major players from the Passion narrative: Caiaphus, Jesus, Pilate, Roman centurians, Gamaliel, Peter, Saul, Bartholomew, etc. There are great descriptions of the Temple and the Fortress Antonia. Reading this really made the time of the Passion come alive for us. There are good descriptions of the streets of Jerusalem, the food, the smells, the clothing. All of this made it more real for us. The chapters were manageable in length, so that we did not have to read one everyday, but were still able to read throughout all of Lent. Because it is written in real time, the chapters for Holy Week were much longer, but the book warns you of that, so I planned accordingly. At the end of each chapter there is a small reflection with a point to ponder. We had some good conversations from those prompts. I plan on reading this each Lent with the girls. I know we will return to it as an old friend, and it will be a good companion for us on our Lenten journey.

[Laura Kane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this one. I loved that it brought the city of Jerusalem alive. I liked the character and virtue growth of Amon. I enjoyed having a religious book to read for Lent that wasn't overly preachy -- the kids definitely stayed engaged and wanted to keep reading. I thought the devotionals at the end of each chapter were so-so. I think some of the details were quite unbelievable (Amon's inventions/intellect, his journey through the temple sewer).. I wished he would have been a bit more ordinary to be relatable. I wished we would have had more face time with Jesus but at the same time appreciated that we didn't get too much scriptural overlap -- I didn't want my kids to be confused as to what was story and what was real. Overall I think it was a value add to our Lenten reading but I don't think I will reach for it again for a couple years.

[Cyndy Defnall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! This was a fun exciting book we read aloud together during our homeschool during the Lenten season. Amon's is a Hebrew boy and true skeptic of this "Jesus" character while his father, who (a shepherd) was present for Jesus birth, is a believer. If you have read Jotham's Journey by the same author then you will love this one; Amon is Jotham's son. The author has woven in historical figures and characters into a beautiful story. You journey with Amon as he faces some truly daring and difficult adventures and realizes that there is definitely more to Jesus than other Hebrews would have him believe. Also at the end of each chapter is a short devotional and discussion segment if you choose to utilize it.

[Andrea Maendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read aloud that we did as a family during the time between Easter and Passover. A bit fantastical, but I can see the authors desire to cover all the different aspects and people surrounding this portion of history. Fitting it all in with one boys experience takes some imagination and creativity. Definitely edge of your seat adventure and my kids always begged me to keep reading when the chapter was over.

1 star removed for the authors continual reference to Palestine instead of Israel. God named the land Israel and the name Palestine did not come for over 100 years later. For a book centered around the Jewish people, the original name of their land should have been used. Ezekiel 20:42 Other slight historical inaccuracies I can overlook, but this one is worth mentioning.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book as a story was great....I can only remember of one instance where scripture was taken out of context (Jeremiah 29:11, which everyone seems to love to take and make about us, when it was really a promise to those in exile) during the devotional aspect of each reading. The last chapter was problematic. The author took the main character and placed them in the place of Thomas. It was strange. Throughout the book, the main character was placed in biblical situations, but was not changing the biblical story. When he became the one who doubted and touched Jesus, the author changed an important part of the biblical story. 😔

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed a library copy, but ended up ordering one for my own home library. I enjoyed this book very much as an Easter/lent read aloud with my kids. It's the story of 13 year old Amon, whose father is falsely accused by Caiaphas of a terrible crime. He sacrifices his own childhood to try to save his father from being crucified and along the way, he witnesses Jesus on Palm Sunday, the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, and the earthquake on the 1st Good Friday.

[Evan Hays · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our first book by Ytreeide, but will not be our last. It worked very well as a family read aloud during Lent, and we will do his Advent ones in the future. He did a good job of helping you enter the story of the original Holy Week, and had clearly done his research. But there were parts that stretched my suspension of disbelief a bit and were just more dramatic than I thought they needed to be. All in all, though, well done.

[Suebee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this aloud to my 6 and 7 year old boys. We thoroughly enjoyed "Jotham's Journey," one of the author's Advent stories, but this, to me, felt way too long. The story dragged and it could have been half the length and still told the same story. The author's work would also hugely benefit from some scattered illustrations to make the historic details come alive in the readers' minds.

[Monica Fellhoelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our family has enjoyed reading many other books by Ytreeide through the Advent season. This story was in the same vein with many characters from prior stories showing up (which my children enjoyed). The story is, of course, a bit predictable in the end but how the characters get there is full of twists and turns.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a page-turning read aloud that would be best started a month before Easter (during Lent). The little devotionals at the end of each chapter are slightly theologically shaky, but whatever...the story was exciting and helped us all picture what life in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus was (maybe?) like.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read-a-loud especially during Easter. (But I would recommend starting way before Easter....depending on how much you read at a time. With books like this, I like to read them and then check what the Bible says so I can help my kids realize what is 100% truth and what the author (Mr. Ytreeide) added.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fictional story of a young boy surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. Great follow on to Jothams Journey and Tabitha’s Travels. All our kids enjoyed the twists and turns of the story as Amon tries to save his father. Great Lent devotional

[Lindsay Borders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fantastic family read aloud book! Following details of the biblical account of Jesus’ final week of life, the author creates a fictional plot that really engages the reader with both historical facts and endearing relationships. This was such a blessing to our family this Easter!

[Tina Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a slow starter for me and I wasn't sure the kids would get into it (we were reading it aloud for Easter). But they surprised me by loving it and have already asked to read it again next year. They would give it a 5.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of our favorite book series. Jotham's Journey is an advent for Christmas. Amon is Jotham's son. The chapters end on fun, exciting cliff hangers. We love this book and read it every year as part of the Easter season.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

We really enjoyed this fictional account of the Easter story. Great imagining of possible climate and situations at the time. Love how the author wove a Jewish boys struggle to come to faith in Messiah. Looking forward to reading the other stories in the series.

[Jane Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read aloud for lent season with the kids. They kept asking me to read the next chapter! We loved making connections with events from the story to the biblical timeline of the last week of Jesus’ life.