The King Without a Shadow [Hardcover]

R. C. Sproul (Author), Liz Bonham (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1996

"Why do we have Shadows? Where do they come from?" the little boy asked the Great King. That started the King wondering about shadows. He discovered that there was only one King without a shadow--One so great there was no darkness in him.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Chariot Victor Pub (February 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781402573
• ISBN-13: 978-0781402576
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,246,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. R.C. Sproul is the founder, chairman and president of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian education ministry located near Orlando, Florida. His teaching can be heard on the program Renewing Your Mind, which is broadcast on hundreds of radio outlets in the United States and in 40 countries worldwide. He is the executive editor of Tabletalk magazine and general editor of The Reformation Study Bible, and the author of more than seventy books and scores of articles for national evangelical publications. Dr. Sproul also serves as president of Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and Reformation Bible College. He currently serves as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's in Sanford, FL.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good solid read for younger children, April 30, 2007

By 

Dan Panetti "Worldview Director" (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The King Without a Shadow (Hardcover)

A young boy asks a very difficult question of a king - where do shadows come from? As the king explores the answer, he learns that shadows come from the existence of light and then he learns about a Great King who has no shadow since He Himself is the Light - this Great King is God Himself and this fun little story is a great and easy read for young elementary-aged students. I would think that this is a good book for parents to read with their children, though, since the concept of shadows and light is a little confusing and presents a very good opportunity for a conversation.

As I read this book, I thought of the quote by C.S. Lewis that applied, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." This truth, that God is the center of the universe, the absolute truth, and the meaning and purpose of life, is the core of what Dr. Sproul is communicating to young readers with this book. It's great to see so many great children's books on the market today by some of the leading Christian authors and teachers of our day.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another gem to be a classic, October 16, 2006

By 

Stratiotes Doxha Theon "2 Thes 2:15" (Richmond, Missouri) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The King Without a Shadow (Hardcover)

Dr. Sproul has done it a second time with this wonderful children's work. It will help the child in all of us renew the wonder and awe of a God beyond our imagination.

In this work, Dr. Sproul attempts to describe the indescribable in order to bring us face to face with the God we cannot see. The writing is superb. The illustrations are very well done. A great addition to children's literature bound to one day become a classic.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lovingly Crafted, Deeply-Developed Christian Lesson, October 18, 2010

By 

Shanna A. Gonzalez "eyelevelbooks.com" (Gaithersburg, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King Without a Shadow (Hardcover)

Reformed theologian R.C. Sproul is the chairman of Ligonier Ministries and the host of the Christian radio program Renewing Your Mind. He has written many theological works, and this is his first book for children. In this story, a young boy seeks an audience with his king to ask two important question: Where do shadows come from, and where do they go when they leave? This provokes the king to try to rid himself of his shadow, and in his search for knowledge he discovers a deeper wisdom than simply the way light and darkness relate: he learns that sin is a shadow on the human soul, that every soul is shadowed, but that there is one King who has no shadow because He is perfectly holy. The king joyfully tells the young boy this truth, sending him on a quest to find this King himself.

The story is beautifully illustrated with paintings of a king who bears a striking resemblance to Dr. Sproul himself, and the young boy with his friends closely resemble the grandchildren pictured on the flyleaf of the book. It is a rare pleasure to find such a deeply-developed Christian lesson, crafted carefully and lovingly for the third generation. Although it doesn't have the dramatic action of The Squire and the Scroll: A Tale of the Rewards of a Pure Heart or The Prince's Poison Cup, it does provide a gently reflective meditation on God's character, with enough of a story to provide a satisfying reading experience.

It is probably best suited to an older elementary audience, and could make an especially enjoyable family devotional reading.