Customer Reviews

Reforming the Potter's Clay

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In a youth culture bewitched by Harry Potter, Donald James Parker's Reforming the Potter's Clay is a timely YA novel that wields some powerful magic of its own. The story begins when widower Salvatore Morales, a Christian dad leery of the occult, refuses to allow his 14-year-old son Pedro and 12-year-old daughter EJ read Harry Potter. But when the woman Sal is dating turns out to be an extreme Harry Potter fan, Pedro and EJ convince him to discover the truth for himself by reading the book with them. Thus begins an intriguing journey into the spiritual realm where Pedro and EJ, along with six other friends known as "The God Squad," encounter the reality of good versus evil on the streets of Anywhere, U.S.A.

I absolutely loved this book. I do not generally read YA, but Donald James Parker has written a compelling novel that not only deals with the difficult issues of the occult in today's pop culture, but does so in a manner that mesmerizes and entertains, revealing key spiritual truths that are vital to today's youth. A powerful must-read for the YA market, their parents and beyond.

Esperanza (sometimes called EJ) and her brother Pedro Morales were hanging out at their friend's house. Faith and her brother, Matthew Nelson. EJ and Pedro's father Salvador and Faith and Matthew's mother Barbara really like each other a lot. Salvador wants to see Barbara again unfortunately this match may not work. Barbara and Sal are both Christians but when Barbara tells Sal that she has plans to take her children on Saturday to get the new Harry Potter book, Sal gets upset with Barbara. Sal asks Barbara why she would do that when as Christians the bible warns against pursuing witchcraft and devils. So EJ, Pedro and their dad Sal decide to check out the Harry Potter books to see exactly what they all are about and why their pastor has warned them against reading them.


While driving home the Morales' spot a new family moving into the neighborhood. They stop and introduce themselves. The family has a daughter named Tamela, her brother Adam and her dad Frank Barnet. The Barnet's are Christians too. During one of the visits to the Nelson's, Pedro and EJ are introduced for the first time to a Oujai board. Pedro and EJ decide not to tell their father about it but they do feel awful about trying the Oujai board out. They decide to tell Tammy and Adam about it. Adam and Tammy want to help teach Pedro and EJ about the evils in the world that surround us and how to not be catch up in them.


Tammy and Adam have the gift of faith and helping to spread the word of the Lord. Adam every one in a while feels the Lord directing him to someone in need. Adam, Tammy, Pedro, and EJ follow Adam throughout the neighborhood helping. The group comes across two other kids named Timmy and Chung who want in too. The group decides to call themselves the God Squad. From then on their mission is to help other kids learn about God. Every morning before they head into school they pray around the flagpole but Mr. Dawson, one of the teachers wants to break up this group.


I really enjoyed Mr. Parker's use of the inserting scriptures from the Bible as reference throughout the book. Also, I thought Adam and Tammy were great in the fact that they were teaching the rest of the kids more about God and the word. It goes to show you that it does not matter who you are or what age you can always help by being one of the Lord's shepards. There are plenty of opportunities everywhere to counsel people if you are just willing to take a moment to look and listen. I loved when the children were facing adversities that they never gave up their strong beliefs in God, even when teachers were telling them they could get in trouble for praying or when other kids might think the God Squad was uncool or weird. Don't get me wrong that all Christians are perfect as we aren't but you do have to be open in saying Jesus I have done wrong and I need your help. We all need help as humans, we just need to choose the right ways and places to seek that help. Like the Bible says "He who has not sinned, cast the first stone". I want to thank Mr. Parker for writing these types of books and not being afraid to share the word through them. God Bless.

Immersed in the cauldron of secular America, lambasted with hormones and peer pressure, eight kids assume the mantle of goodness in Donald James Parker's novel, REFORMING the POTTER's CLAY.

Guided by an extraordinarily blessed young man, two brother and sister teams join with other young people in their search for a way of life: a way of life that makes charitable sense in a peerage currently worshiping the accumulation of personal power exemplified by author Rowling's Harry Potter.

Accompanying his characters in spirit, author Don Parker relates his characters' quests for compassionate living with humor, fairness, and a clear understanding of the forces at work.

Combating humanity's hubris with prayer and thanksgiving; acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Adam Barnet and his sister Tammy, aided by Esperanza and Pedro Morales, challenge the notion that true wisdom is born in the heart of man.

Timely and poignant, with a host of recognizable relationships, REFORMING the POTTER'S CLAY includes readers in an entertaining, if subject intense, examination of witchcraft's effects on teen culture, and our childrens' prospects for happiness in a society that exalts the individual as criteria absolute.

Easily read and spiritually rewarding, I heartily recommend Mr. Donald James Parker's recent book release, REFORMING the POTTER'S CLAY.

Dante Longo II
Denver, Colorado

In this day and age, the gods of lust, materialism, and self-satisfaction hold daily court in the lives of countless individuals blindly seeking some form of validation and acceptance. Lost in the perpetual shuffle, the traditional values of old are increasingly cast aside, ignored, and even vilified as modern humanity adopts a new paradigm shift in praise of instant gratification. In an effort to understand precisely why such a change has overcome the world, experts and lay people alike assign blame to numerous different factors for the gradual, yet lasting, transformation - but more often than not they overshoot the mark, not realizing that it all stems from something equally simple and sinister...

Nowhere is this case made more clearly than in Reforming The Potter's Clay. A fresh manifestation of the ages-old battle between good and evil, this standout work by prolific author Donald James Parker confronts the reader with the very struggles faced by millions of individuals worldwide everyday - only this time the brave heroes are barely old enough to drive. Proud members of the newly formed "God Squad," Adam, Pedro, Tammy, EJ, and others of their Christian friends commit themselves not only to withstanding the various attacks of their sworn spiritual enemy, but also to preventing the spread of his sinister influence throughout their lives and the lives of those around them. To be expected, the teens are met with considerable hostility from all sides - teachers, other students, and even family members included - but they stick together and rely on the collective strength of their bond - and, of course, the providence of a higher power - to overcome any obstacles placed in their way.

On the numerous occasions that the youngsters state their spiritual case, they display a commanding authority of scriptural knowledge. That, combined with a comprehensive understanding of the intermingling of the spirit and the flesh in practical terms, adds an authenticity to the dialogue and overall flow of Parker's story, making it that much more of a compelling read. Also, Parker does a commendable job of avoiding proselytization while addressing such issues as sorcery, witchcraft, and other spiritual phenomena. By doing so, he is able to comment intelligently on a range of different topics without alienating the very individuals who stand to benefit the most from his insightful commentary.

Potent without being preachy, enlightening without condescension - and quite amusing at times - Reforming The Potter's Clay is a welcome addition to the world of Christian fiction. Parker dares to take on quite a challenge in tossing the ideological shackles of political correctness - but he pulls it off with flying colors.


Latonya Franklin
Apex Reviews

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of the most successful in modern times. With over 121.5 million copies in print, it is almost impossible to find someone who has not read the books. If you do, they probably have some argument about how they are "above" the books; they were written for young adults anyways. But what do you do when you are not allowed to read the books for religious or moral reasons? Is there really something bad contained within the books that would make them forbidden on some families reading lists? The recent book by author Donald James Parker brings up this intriguing question: Reforming the Potter's Clay.


Introducing us to the Morales family, Parker carries us through the process of spiritual and moral discovery as EJ and Pedro read the tale of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. As they do, they begin to question the simple logic of good and evil that has been presented to them.

"Ok, gang, let's review. What bad things did we find in this book?" Sal asked.

"Dudley, the Malfoys, Voldemort, Uncle Vernon, and Professor Quirrell," EJ said.

"And Professor Snape and vomit-flavored beans," Pedro added.

"Wait. Those are bad guys... except for the beans. Any interesting book is going to have bad and good guys."

"Right," EJ said. "So Harry and his friends are the good guys. They were fighting against evil. The magic they used was for good and not to hurt good people."

...

"Well, to be truthful, I don't see much of anything here that is really objectionable. Let's withhold judgment until we read the next one. Maybe things get worse there."



This reading of the Harry Potter series brings up in Pedro an inner wondering. Does he have magical skills? Or are miracles only acts of God? Complicating this inner quest is the arrival of Adam and his "gang" known as the God Squad. Moving in next door, Adam and his family bring further questioning into the Morales' family quest to understand good, evil, and how these fit into modern society. Through the community power of the God Squad, however, Pedro learns one of the most powerful lessons a person can: belief in self and in something greater then self.

Reforming the Potter's Clay is not your standard book. Nor is it what some classify as "Christian Writing." No, that would not be doing it justice, for although the story is built around a family who happens to believe in God, the overall message of the book transcends any particular dogma or singular world view. Rather, it is the universal message told over and over again, albeit in a contemporary and well written story. That universal message is one of inner strength and eternal faith.

I really enjoyed reading Reforming the Potter's Clay. Although I was a little skeptical at first, as I delved deeper into the story of Pedro, Adam, EJ, and the others, I came to see how this inner process of spiritual development and trust has taken place in me. Using the Harry Potter series as a starting point was literary genius, and I commend the author for bringing in such a timeless quest into the modern day. An exceptional read for families or young adults, Reforming the Potter's Clay is a book that all those who are at a pivotal point in their life should read.

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