January 2022 Book Club Recommendations

Our goal in the Foundation Worldview Book Club is to provide resources for you to have meaningful, literature-based worldview discussions with the children God has placed in your care. We work hard to choose books with insightful, truth-based themes. However, we know that our subscribers will have different convictions about the content they allow in their homes, churches, and classrooms. We encourage you to read the recommended books ahead of time, to ensure that the content fits within the framework you have already established in your ministry context. Please also note that by recommending a certain book, Foundation Worldview is not endorsing every work published by a particular author.

Book for Adults

Book for Children Ages 8-12

Question 1 - Throughout the book, Eddie’s choices are contrasted with the choices of both Milligan and Mephisto. What qualities make Eddie different than these other characters?

Related quotes to talk through:

• "It would be so easy to give up on this crazy adventure...Then Damocles’ message came to mind. 'Heroes often have to do hard things.'... How could I sit in comfort while Mephisto systematically destroyed Nirvana and maybe the entire world?" (66)
• "It would feel so good to land a punch. Just one good, hard one. But if I did. what would that make me? I wouldn't be like my dad - a better man like Milligan said. I would just be an angry kid getting revenge." (160)
• "‘Put the cuffs on me instead. Just stop torturing an innocent little girl.’... Sam slid her arms around my neck and sobbed, ‘Oh, Eddie. Thank you. You're a real superhero.’" (228)

Discussion Guide - Discuss how Eddie continually chooses the difficult path of self-sacrificing for others. Milligan consistently makes selfish decisions that benefit himself. Mephisto actively chooses to harm others.

Question 2 - What causes Milligan to begin to change? What action softened his heart?

Discussion Guide - Discuss how Eddie’s decision to turn back in the Dead Zone and save Milligan causes a change. This change is gradual and doesn’t take place immediately, but it is a turning point for Milligan.

Question 3 - We see a big change in Eddie and Sam's relationship throughout the book. How did they go from bothering one another to being close friends?

Related quotes to talk through:

• "Just a couple days ago. I couldn't have imagined spilling my feelings to her, but for some reason, now it seemed easy." (238)
• "I hugged her close and spun with her, ignoring the pain. She was so worth it." (245)

Discussion Guide - Discuss how Eddie and Sam’s adventures together caused them to develop a deeper trust in one another and appreciation for one another’s strengths. If applicable, discuss how your child could work to build deeper relationships with his or her siblings.

Bonus Question - If your child has gone through Foundation Comparative Worldview Curriculum, ask, “What worldview typically teaches ‘following your heart’ to determine right from wrong? Is that what Damocles is encouraging Eddie to do when he says, ‘The decision has to come from your heart, not mine.’"? (145)

Discussion Guide - Discuss how right and wrong are always portrayed as objective truths in the book. In this case, Damocles isn’t urging Eddie, in a new spirituality way, to always follow his heart to determine right and wrong. He is showing Eddie that sometimes, in a fallen world, there is no 100% good option. In these cases, Eddie will need to make the decision he thinks is the best and stick with it.

Book for Children Ages 4-7

Question 1 - Why does Sophie feel sad at the beginning of the book?

Discussion Guide - Discuss how Sophie feels guilty for pushing her sister and yelling at her parents.

Question 2 - How does Sophie know that what she did is wrong?

Discussion Guide - Discuss how Sophie knows that the Bible tells us to be kind and obey.

Question 3 - What does the cat tell Sophie everyone has in common?

Discussion Guide - Discuss how the cat explains that no one is truly good. That is why we need Jesus.

Question 4 - What does Sophie learn at the end of the book?

Discussion Guide - Discuss how Sophie learns that she is not her own. She belongs to God. As a follow-up, you may want to play the song from Question 1 of the New City Catechism. (It is available for free on the app.)

Bonus Question - If your child has gone through the Foundation Early Childhood Series, ask, “When Sohpies learns that I am not mine and you are not yours, is that a truth or a feeling?”

Discussion Guide - Discuss how this is a truth. Either someone belongs to God or they do not. Our feelings cannot change us either belonging to God or not belonging to Him.