Dalen Keys
Deep River Books, 2011, 160 pp., $14.99
The Sacred Mountain has been released and is growing rapidly. This was a great book that addresses some of the struggles young teens experience in sharing their faith. Keys does a great job in using popular culture and his knowledge of the subject was fantastic. As a fictional book, I do not believe this a resource to be used in a youth group setting, but it is a fantastic book to recommend to students to keep and read. I have several to whom I would like to give a copy.
–Christopher Pope, Student Pastor, Cornerstone Community Church
The Sacred Mountain is a short novel for pre-teen and young teens. It follows the physical and spiritual adventure of a seventh grade skateboarder named Will as he spends the summer on an Indian reservation in Arizona. The storyline follows him and his two new friends, a brother and sister of a local pastor as they investigate the ancient history and mystery surround a nearby sacred mountain. The chapters go back and forth between the present and the past, revealing the story that surrounds the ancient tribe and its worship rituals, including human sacrifices to the gods of the mountain. The storyline is a bit predictable with a very unsurprising conclusion. Lessons and Scripture references are included, though the pastor’s outreach sermon gives the book a Christian message. The style and writing is a bit simplistic, but a good read for the average middle schooler or late elementary reader. The book may be especially great for the kdis in your group who are into skateboarding. The book definitely shoots straight and brings the whole story into focus around true faith, salvation and a need for a Savior.
—Dan Istvanik, Jr. High Youth Pastor
The Sacred Mountain by Dalen Keys is a good novel for young teens. It keeps the reader interested in Will and his new friends and the mystery of the “gods of the mountain.” The way Will is drawn to living for God and using his skateboard for God is great. I think young teens will love this novel.
— Dr. Grant T. Byrd, Minister with Students, First Baptist McKinney
Dalen Keys’ The Sacred Mountain: A Novel affirms that God can be glorified by non-traditional talents and gifts. This novel is an important tool for reaching and connecting with youth who have yet begun to understand how they fit in God’s plan or whether God has any purpose for their uniqueness. By sharing in small group meetings during a series of weeks, The Sacred Mountain can help transform the thinking of the gifted; but it also may increase the appreciation of the uniquely gifted by those who practice more traditional ministry activity.
–Larrin R. Robertson, associate minister (licentiate) and teen ministry lead, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Largo, Maryland.
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