For those who are unfamiliar, what inspired the Armor of God, your fantasy-adventure chapter book series for children?
This series was inspired by the scriptural amor of God as described in Ephesians 6:13-17.
The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the boots of peace . . . I just love the connection in that Bible passage between individual pieces of armor and specific virtues. They paint a picture in my mind and a story in my heart. I just had to write the stories that brought those elements to life!
Children recognize the spiritual battle at a very young age . . . when they are tempted to lie or to take something that isn’t theirs, or when they can’t get their way or they’re feeling selfish. So I wanted these stories to have characters that shared those struggles, those spiritual battles, and then armed themselves to fight.
This isn’t something we can do on our own. God provides the armor. We just need to pick it up and use it! The way we do that is by practicing the virtues, especially those mentioned in Ephesians, tied to the individual pieces of armor.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ~ Ephesians 6:13-17
Enter to win the Armor of God series
and other fantastic books for Catholic kids!
One winner will receive over $200 worth of children’s books! This includes:
– Sisters of the Last Straw series (7 books)
– Chime Travelers series (5 books)
– Catholic Mysteries and Eucharistic Miracles for Kids
– God’s Forgotten Friends for Children series (3 books)
– Molly McBride series (3 books)
– Armor of God fantasy-adventure series (6 books)
– and a bonus picture book for younger children, Saint Clare and Her Cat!
Your primary audience for the Armor of God series is children in the sacramental years. What about the books makes them ideal for children receiving the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist for the first time?
Children preparing for the sacraments are learning a foundational truth: God provides the grace to help us do the good things we cannot do on our own. It can take a lifetime to understand and rely on this truth. These stories are based on that premise, which becomes clear as the pages learn and struggle to practice the virtues associated with each piece of armor.
Additionally, each story includes Brother Coll’s short catechism lessons scattered between chapters. These lessons tie story themes to the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, the main sacraments that convey the grace we need to stand strong in the spiritual battle, and to Eucharistic Adoration.
How does the medieval setting lend itself to the stories you wanted to tell and the lessons you wanted to share?
I’ve always thought that stories with knights, castles, armor, and a hint of dragons are just plain fun! Knights in the medieval period were expected to have strength and skills to combat the enemy, but they were also expected to follow a Code of Chivalry, which included vows to fear God and His Church, to serve with valor and faith, to protect the defenseless, and to live by honor. The medieval setting is just perfect for a story with action and adventure, virtue and chivalry.
Even though the setting of the Armor of God series is historical, the experiences and the themes are timeless. How do you hope the stories will reach modern children?
I hope that today’s children will enjoy stepping into these fantasy-adventure stories. While they escape to the medieval period with knights and armor, they will also be able to identify with the challenges characters face. These stories provide role models to inspire children to pursue virtue and earn their own armor of God for protection in the spiritual battle.
Despite all the advances in technology, children face the same temptations today as they have from the beginning of time. Do I tell the truth and get in trouble or lie and get away with my mistake? Do I wait patiently or take what I want? Do I think only of myself or put others first? And so on.
However, our generation also has unique challenges that can shake the faith of anyone, child or adult. As I was working on the Boots of Peace and the Shield of Faith, it occurred to me how desperately today’s children need both of those pieces of armor. Despite the darkness of the world around them, God is always there. With trust and faith in Him, they can overcome anything.
While children escape to the medieval period with knights and armor, they will also be able to identify with the challenges characters face. The Armor of God Series: An Interview with Author Theresa Linden Click To TweetNot only have you authored the Armor of God books, but you’ve illustrated them as well. What particular challenges did that bring? What advantages did you find in filling both roles?
Since I was a child, I have enjoyed drawing and painting, and I especially love creating traditional pen-and-ink artwork. However, for some reason, it was much easier to write the stories than to find the time and inspiration to do the artwork. If not for a few dads that emailed me to get the next books in the series for their sons, I might still have been struggling to tackle the artwork. (Reader emails truly inspire writers/illustrators!)
Despite the challenges, though, working on both the story and the artwork allowed me to bring the pictures in my mind onto paper. I could also adjust either the artwork or story descriptions for consistency as I went along.
Illustrated chapter book series are a sort of rite of passage in a reader’s life. Did your family have a favorite chapter book series growing up?
When our boys advanced to chapter books, we enjoyed the Magic Tree House chapter book series, where the characters traveled to various historical places and time periods. I loved how history was presented in such a fun way, and we enjoyed the illustrations at the end of chapters. We also enjoyed the hillarious Hank the Cowdog series—because we love to laugh. I could probably still sit down and enjoy those silly books.
As my boys read the books to me, it made me wish for a Catholic series that presented the Faith with a bit of mystery and adventure. Today’s Catholic children have more options than our family did growing up. There is the Chime Travelers series by Lisa Hendey, the Sisters of the Last Straw series by Karen Kelly Boyce, and for older children, the Saint Michael the Archangel Academy series by Andrea Jo Rodgers.
Four books in the series are currently available – Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Boots of Peace, and Shield of Faith. What’s next in the Armor of God series, and when?
The final two books in the series are Helmet of Salvation and Sword of the Spirit. The stories are written but in the editing stage. And the artwork should be completed soon. I am hoping to release both books this winter!
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Theresa Linden is the author of award-winning Catholic teen fiction that weaves the natural with the supernatural. She has nine published novels, including a dystopian trilogy, a contemporary young adult series, two short stories in Image and Likeness: Literary Reflections on the Theology of the Body, and a short stories in each book in the Visible & Invisible series. She holds a Catechetical Diploma from Catholic Distance University and is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and Catholic Teen Books. A wife, homeschooling mom, and Secular Franciscan, she resides in northeast Ohio with her husband and three teenage boys.
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