The Toy Campaign

“I could help you put the instruments on your bike,” she offered.

John nodded quietly as if agreeing. But then a frown crossed the boy’s face.

“But we need to go get the toys in the dump first,” John blurted out. “They belong to me.”

“Can’t you just forget about those dumb toys for a little while?” Susan asked.

“You just don’t like the idea that I found them first,” John accused. His eyes suddenly went into little angry slits. “You want them for yourself. Well, I’m going to get back what belongs to me, and you won’t stop me.” With those words, John strode into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Book: TheToy Campaign by John Bibee, Intervarsity Press, 1987

Genre: Fantasy/Allegory

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 12-16

Subjects: Greed, Selfishness, Good vs. Evil

Summary: Toys! Tons of toys! And all his! When John went deeper, he met someone who promised him tons of toys. They’re all his for the taking. Except, well, the Spirit Flyer doesn’t seem to approve. Not that it matters since John won’t ride it any longer anyway. His greed is getting the better of him though. As the new toy store opens in town and toys are promised to all the children, Susan knows something evil is occurring, but how can she convince a town who’s eyes are blinded by greed? Can she save John and the rest of the town before their own greed destroys them? Mrs. Happy and Goliath Industries will do their best to make sure she fails!

Notes: The Toy Campaign is the second in the Spirit Flyer Series. The series uses a flying bicycle to represent faith in Christ. The bicycles are made by the “Three Kings”. When a person chooses to believe in them, the bicycle arrives and will fly when they are trusting. The series takes place in an end times setting, with it finally ending at the rapture. Throughout the series, the struggle between good and evil is shown in those choosing to ride Spirit Flyers battling Goliath Industries, an organization that desires to see death and destruction. At the end of the first book, the rest of John’s family received Spirit Flyers. John went into the “deeper” world, meaning he was able to sort of see a spirit realm and interact with the demon-like characters. Now he is believing what he was told there – that a mountain of toys belongs to him – as long as he stops riding his Spirit Flyer and trusting the Three Kings. It’s a look at how secure our salvation is. John stops trusting, and the demon-like characters tell him he wasn’t good enough, that his chains are not broken. The truth is that he picked up broken chains and is choosing to wear them, but he was never abandoned or rejected by the Three Kings.

I highly recommend this book as well as the others in the series. It offers great spiritual value as well as a creative storyline and enough suspense and adventure to keep readers interested.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

John 10:28-29 – I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

Luke 12:15 – Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”