Summary
This first book of Aletheia Short Stories includes 7 stories about Gamrie Tickle – a character from the Aletheia Adventure Series. Follow the excitement, mishaps, and fantastic adventures of Gamrie as he grows up in Aletheia – the city of Bible Truth. He must learn to defend and fight for Bible Truth against a variety of enemies, and in some remarkable situations. Unexpected things are certain to happen…
Aimed at children aged approximately 7 – 12 years old, the book includes Bible verses and lessons at the end of each story. There are also worksheets which are ideal for further home Bible study and home-schooling.
This book can be read on its own – without being familiar with the Aletheia Adventure Series.
Published by John Richie Ltd
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I first discovered this book when browsing the John Ritchie catalogue last autumn. As soon as I saw this one I was intrigued, and knew I had found my Christmas gift for my eldest nephew.
Aletheia is the City of Bible Truth surrounded by the Water of Sound Doctrine in the Land of Err. In the centre is the Academy of Soldier’s of the Cross where the Rescuers work to protect Aletheia from attacks from the Land of Err.
The closer you live to the centre, the more faithful the citizens are. Those living on the outskirts of Aletheia, are those who tend to find themselves not as faithful and in a lot more trouble.
Putting on your armour at the beginning of the day before reporting for duty is very important for a
Rescuer! Even if you are running late, proper preparation must be made, otherwise you will not be fully clothed to deal with the enemy! (As we see in a couple of stories, one involving “shoe polish” and the other when Gamrie, not having enough time, decides he’ll borrow from his friend who he’ll be taking over duty from in the dungeons, the consequences are in one case messy, and the other dangerous!)
My personal favourite of the stories is the one featuring the infestation of Grumbleflies, due to the excessive grumbling that went on in Aletheia that summer. What was the cure? A collection of 
Bible verses of praises plus also prayers and thanksgiving, to be mixed with the Water of Sound Doctrine and made into the Oil of Gladness which can be sprayed on the flies.
Of course Gamrie, who longs to be a Rescuer himself one day, is out helping collect all the bottles of prayers of thanksgivings in even the most horrendous weather (I loved his perseverance and cheerful disposition) and also true to form for Gamrie, things don’t go quite according to plan. But someone is confident that things will be all right, despite sending her precious cargo with Gamrie, because she has tied it together with a prayer rope – her prayers are covering the delivery!
The allegories in these stories are wonderful. The stories will appeal to children as the adventures set in Aletheia are exciting and vividly written. But the parallels to the Bible are also strong and sound.
There are sections at the end of each story which simply explain how the story relates to the teachings in the Bible and with our own Christian life.
I am delighted to give this story 5 
I haven’t read the other stories, but I didn’t need to have read them before this one. It stands on its own very well. However, I do now want to discover the other tales, especially the 3rd one when Gamrie, now an old man, has finally found his calling working with his beloved Rescuers!
You can find out more about the Aletheia Adventure Series at Eunice M. Wilkie’s website. There are also audio editions of this story available to download from audible retailers, or you can listen free online through her website.
~ Wendy Sparkes ~