×

Last fall, I recommended Jonathan Rogers’ excellent trilogy of Wilderking books. Jonathan is one of the guys associated with the Rabbit Room (with Andrew Peterson). He has also written a spiritual biography of Flannery O’Connor.

Last summer, my eight-year-old son and I started reading a chapter from the Wilderking trilogy every night at bedtime. As we worked through all three books, there were evenings where he cried (literally) for me to keep reading. There were evenings when I was so engrossed in the story that wanted to keep reading too. We often stayed up past his bedtime for another chapter.

The Charlatan’s Boy is a follow-up (of sorts) to the Wilderking trilogy. Rogers takes the most colorful, engaging aspect of the Wilderking books (the culture of the feechiefolk) and builds on it as he tells the tale of Grady, a young boy who travels around with Professor Floyd. The professor is a schemer and trickster who travels from town to town trying to make a buck by putting on a show.

The Charlatan’s Boy is more episodic than the Wilderking books. It follows Grady on a journey of self-discovery and a search for belonging. Along the way, he and Floyd meet all kinds of interesting characters. They scheme together on how to reignite interest in feechies, and they cause a “feechie scare” they think will make them a fortune.

Of all of Rogers’ fiction work, I liked The Charlatan’s Boy the best. This was a fun book to read out loud, primarily because Jonathan has the accent of the Deep South down pat. Even the words he invents make sense and add to the charm.

This book is certainly more “grown-up” than the Wilderking, and the theme of identity and belonging is stronger. Other themes such as honesty, unconditional love, innocence, and deception are portrayed. You’ll have some good conversations with your kids as you read it to them.

Because the adventurous quality is not as strong, The Charlatan’s Boy not a nailbiter like the Wilderking trilogy. Timothy didn’t beg me to read another chapter every night, but he was the one who took the initiative to keep reading. We enjoyed it just as much as the others, just differently.

Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

LOAD MORE
Loading