Minneapolis, MN -- (SBWire) -- 03/30/2015 --As a committed pacifist, Mark Van Steenwyk loves nothing more than snuggling up with his young son each night for a bedtime story – unless that story contains violence. Sadly for them, violence has always won the battle of popularity in children's fiction.
But there is one story that bucks all trends with gusto - the moralistic legend of St. Francis and the wolf. As a passionate writer and educator, Van Steenwyk decided to take the legend's premise, re-write it into a powerful progressive story and release it to the world to prove that uplifting children's stories don't have to get bloody.
The result is 'A Wolf at the Gate'. At a time when racial, economic and environmental unrest dominates society's agenda, this new breed of children's story fills a vital and urgent gap.
Synopsis:
The Blood Wolf prowls near the village of Stonebriar at night. She devours chickens and goats and cows and cats. Some say children are missing. But this murderous wolf isn't the villain of our story; she's the hero! The Blood Wolf hates humankind for destroying the forest, but an encounter with a beggar teaches her a better way to confront injustice. How will she react when those she loves are threatened? This imaginative retelling of the legend of Saint Francis and Wolf explores what it means to be a peacemaker in the midst of violence and how to restore a healthy relationship with creation. Settle in and read a tale of tooth and sword, of beggars and lords, of outlaws and wild beasts. It is a story of second chances and the power of love. This is the story of the Wolf at the Gate.
"There's something of a vicious circle in existing children's literature," explains the author, Founder of the Mennonite Worker in Minneapolis. "Exciting children's books are violent, and the non-violent ones are boring. This juxtaposition empowered me to create something that would get children to think creatively about conflict, while exploring progressive values like economic justice, environmental justice, and nonviolence."
Continuing, "It's an extremely imaginative tale and, as mentioned, was wholly-inspired by my young son. He loved the original St. Francis and the wolf legend, but wasn't satisfied with the ending. I've written the "what happens next"…how could I not?!"
Since its release, the book has garnered a string of rave reviews. Bill Ayers comments, "A Wolf at the Gate is a simple story that evokes profound and fundamental themes: survival, hunger, war and violence, law and justice, fear, greed, and predation. In the hands of Mark Van Steenwyk it becomes a transformative parable of truth and reconciliation, the power of community, and the dazzling force of love enacted in the public square, the very heart of justice."
Kirkus Reviews add, "Van Steenwyk writes in sharp, muscular prose highly suitable for the fabulistic subject matter, deftly navigating both the darker and lighter segments of the story. The true standouts of the book, however, are the illustrations by Joel Hedstrom...full-page illustrations in brilliant colors that feel simultaneously ancient and stylishly contemporary. The result is a book out of time: a coupling of narrative and illustration that should stoke the imagination of any young modern reader...A visually stunning work addressing themes of peace, generosity, and forgiveness."
'A Wolf at the Gate', from Mennonite Worker Press, is available now: http://amzn.to/1EXEI9Z
For more information, visit the author's official website: http://www.awolfatthegate.com
About Mark Van Steenwyk
Mark Van Steenwyk founded the Mennonite Worker in Minneapolis in 2004. He is a Mennonite minister with a M.Div. with a concentration in Christian Thought. He is a writer, speaker, and grassroots educator working with groups to help them live more deeply into the radical implications of the teachings of Jesus. He is the author of several books, including The unKingdom of God,That Holy Anarchist, and The Missio Dei Breviary. He lives with his wife (Amy) and son (Jonas) in one of the Mennonite Worker's houses of hospitality.
