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I’ve been impressed with Moody’s recent children’s releases—they’re intelligent, beautifully printed, and genuinely exciting to read. So when I heard that Joe Sutphin was illustrating a children’s adaptation of Pilgrim’s Progress for Moody, I was immediately intrigued. I’ve admired Sutphin’s illustrations for years; his work has a timeless, tender quality that is both reminiscent of an older classic style and yet is fresh and creative. The combination of his artistry with a classic story and Moody’s thoughtful publishing made this book an easy one to get excited about.
This particular title was written by Kevan Chandler, whom I first encountered through my friend S. D. Smith. I was already anticipating Chandler’s upcoming book The Hospitality of Need, so when Moody offered me a review copy of The King’s Cadets and Little Joe, I jumped at the chance.
I’ve never fully loved The Pilgrim’s Progress myself because certain theological aspects have always troubled me. That said, I think that the essence of the work is inherently good and worthy of our attention. This book preserves the essential message of the classic, while presenting it in a way that feels lively, tender, and entirely accessible for young readers.
In this lovely illustrated storybook adaptation, we are treated to five short stories following the characters from the land of Little Pilgrim. The characters are depicted as sweet woodland animals who live in the Land of Delight dreaming of the day when they will be old enough to be real knights of the Good King. Wearing wooden shields and using wooden swords, the rabbits and their woodland friends are knights in training.
The gospel truths are woven through the story in a manner that is both honest and inviting, and the illustrations strike the perfect note: sweet enough to delight a preschooler, exciting enough to capture the attention of a second or third grader. It’s exactly the kind of book that children reach for instinctively. In my library, it never stays on the shelf for long—kids pluck it off the display, certain that “this is going to be a good one.”
I have enjoyed giving copies as gifts. It’s a beautiful introduction to Christian allegory for children in kindergarten through third grade, ideal for church libraries, Sunday school classrooms, or family read-aloud time. If you’re looking to share eternal truths with little ones in a gentle and engaging way, The King’s Cadets and Little Joe is a lovely place to begin.