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Last year my kids started listening to the Green Ember series by S.D. Smith and they loved it. They have listened to the audiobooks over and over. And just when I think they have moved on to something else they surprise me by listening all over again.
So when S.D. Smith announced his Kickstarter for this new book and video game we were all in.
Helmer in the Dragon Tomb is the perfect book for boys in this day.
It gives the old time tale vibes as it follows the hero’s journey and Helmer goes from boy to man. Helmer is not faultless, he has his vices that he has to overcome (and in later books you see how in some ways he has and other ways he hasn’t). He is put through some extremely difficult challenges.
I was quite surprised at some of the dark and intense elements in the story, but my boys seemed unphased. I think the intensity of the challenges is what many modern day kids books are missing. I mean, Disney did a great job at setting the precedent to lighten stories and make them “less scary”. But in doing so we’ve lost the connection we can get from stories. Real life is hard and scary and being able to read about a character who overcomes such difficulties is encouraging to children, not discouraging.
“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.” -G.K. Chesterton
Now, I saw this is a boy’s book because the idea of boy to man is very evident. There’s hardly female characters in this story. This may be a turn off for some people, however, I even enjoyed the story. I think many stories today are female led or have to have a female lead who is just as strong and man-like as the man. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s good to have female leads. But I do think in the name of equality the pendulum has swung too far to one side, creating more books with strong female characters and male characters who are weak, dumb, or irrelevant.
S.D. Smith has a wonderful series, the main Green Ember series, that has a beautiful balance of male and female lead and hero journey. But he even said that Helmer’s book was written for the boys and I really appreciate that. It’s really hard to find books for boys that show how to be a true man. A man who isn’t perfect but keeps trying, a man who has pains and hurts, a man who loves deeply, a man who fights for those he loves.
So yes, I highly recommend this book for all children, but especially for young boys.
