The Blue Umbrella
Mike Mason
David C. Cook, 2009, 352pp., $14.99, DavidCCook.com
For some time, Christian literature has lacked fairy tales in the Narnian tradition, tales which reveal truth about ourselves and the gospel. Thankfully, Mike Mason has debuted The Blue Umbrella. In it, 11-year old Zac Sparks copes with the death of his mother and the wicked Aunties; and he realizes that a supernatural element underlies almost everything around him.
Mason portrays kids taking tremendous risks and learning incredible lessons about good and evil. He also infuses the book with theology, from the nature of sin and forgiveness to the Trinity. Yet, the book is not allegorical; it works on a metaphorical level.
The book does have a difficult vocabulary for younger ages, although it comes with a glossary in the back. Additionally, sometimes Mason lingers too long on description and analogy. On the whole, however, this is an extremely satisfying read, and one a long time coming.
