Everyone Needs A Hero! Captain Absolutely- Homeschool Review Crew Review

OK, first things first!  I just want to state for the record that I am relying mostly on my boys for this review.  Not because I did not like Captain Absolutely from Focus on the Family , but rather I had a hard time finding it for the past 6 weeks.  That is because my boys, ages 9 and 15, took off with the book as soon as it arrived on my door step and have since been passing it back and forth between them.  What's a mom to do?

Here's what is neat about it.  Well, there are a lot of things, but let me start with this.  Salem is 15 and grew up on Focus on the Family and Adventures in Odyssey.  He recognized the name Captain Absolutely immediately and told us all about it.  For him, it was fun to revisit old memories of fun times.  Colby, age 9, on the other hand, was not familiar with the character, but loved the comic book format.  He was drawn in by the colorful pages and obvious action!

So who is Captain Absolutely?  This unlikely hero was originally featured in an Adventures in Odyssey series that began in the Clubhouse Magazine.  After being thrown by a radioactive explosion into a mysterious room containing forbidden Bibles, Josiah learns the truth about God and becomes the super hero, Captain Absolutely.  A battle ensues against Dr. Relative and the adventure and excitement begins.  As he fights each new villain, Captain Absolutely sees how sin corrupts the world and learns what the Bible says about Truth.

Here's what the boys had to say-  "I really liked Captain Absolutely.  I like that it is built on God's Word.  It is hard to pick my favorite part, but I liked when the library exploded into pieces.  I also think the pictures are fun because I like comic books.  I have probably read it about 5 times already.  It is sad to see how sin can take hold of man when he decides to do things his own way instead of following God's rules."  Colby  "It was fun to see the comic book that was referenced in Odyssey put into physical form." Salem

Why do we love this book?- I have to admit, comic books are not my thing.  I have a hard time knowing what part to read next and get lost easily.  However, that is NOT the case for my boys.  They love the comic book format.   I love that the pictures are bright and engaging and hold the interests of my busy boys!  But most of all, I am thrilled that they are reading a book that is not only entertaining, but speaks about God and His truth.  Quite frankly, that kind of book is hard to find these days.  Books stores are lined with a whole lot of books with very little inside them but trash.  As my mom used to say, "trash in, trash out!"

Focus on the Family, in line with all they do, has clearly put a lot of heart and soul into Captain Absolutely.  This 105 page, softback book talks about everything from lying to modesty to working together as a team, loneliness, and even hygiene.  Scripture is quoted often and referenced.  At the end of the book there is also a two page spread called Big Questions that ask just that.  Big questions like-

• What do you fear most?
• What do you do when you feel lonely?
• Does God love bad people?

These questions and many more listed are great starting points for discussion.  I would recommend this book for late elementary students who are good readers and up, though I suspect middle schoolers will enjoy it most.   It is also infused with wit and humor, sure to entertain!  As with my oldest, it is also a fun read for those of you who have older kids who have grown up on the Adventures in Odyssey series.  We are hoping another volume will soon follow!