Kids choose the course of this fast-paced sea voyage, the first interactive novel from Kathryn Butler’s The Lamplight series.
One minute you’re fishing on a lazy day in Massachusetts. Suddenly, it’s the 18th century and you find yourself aboard the whaleship Valiant, manned by a greedy pirate named Blackviper and his crew. Their quest: find the mysterious sea monster, the kraken. Where the story goes next is up to you.
In this immersive novel, the reader is the protagonist. Each suspenseful chapter ends with two or three courses of action, and kids choose one and see where the story takes them. Bible verses throughout reassure readers that, whether the outcome of their decision is good or bad, God is with them. As kids have fun steering the crew through raging storms, cannon fire, and giant sea creatures, they’ll also learn how to apply biblical wisdom and rely on God’s grace.
The Hunt for the Kraken is the first book in the Lamplight series, written by Kathryn Butler. Each immersive novel teaches kids how to make choices inspired by the truth of Scripture. With a variety of story combinations, children will love reading and rereading this unique book.
| Age range: | 8+ |
|---|---|
| Contributors | Kathryn Butler |
| ISBN | 9781433599590 |
| Format | Paperback |
| First published | March 2026 |
| Dimensions | 114mm x 178mm x 20mm |
| Weight | 0.20 kg |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 224 |
| Publisher | Crossway |
The Hunt for the Kraken is a thrilling pick-your-path adventure that puts readers in the driver’s seat. With each decision, they’ll face danger, dodge premature endings, and uncover new twists—whether it’s time travel, a legendary sea monster, or a ruthless captain who will stop at nothing to achieve his dark plans. Woven throughout are Scripture passages that help guide the journey. Kathryn Butler has crafted an unforgettable experience that children are sure to love.
This book has everything the fifth-grade version of me wanted in a story: danger on the high seas, a heroic dad, monsters, maelstroms, maps, and magic. As a parent reading it aloud with my own kids, I love that it is also a book that makes its readers long for redemption, love goodness and courage, and be amazed by the power of our God, with whom all things are possible. The Hunt for the Kraken is a fresh reminder that a good tale, well-told, makes us want to decide as we go with both wisdom and grace.
Hang on tight, children! You’re about to embark on a journey to an unforgettable reading adventure. Kathryn Butler casts you—for you are the main character in this choose-your-own adventure—right into a sea of harrowing choices. But this book isn’t like others in this genre, and that’s what I appreciate most about it. Not only will young readers be swept away by the exciting story possibilities, they’ll also learn how much their choices matter, in real life as in fiction. Through the vibrant engagement of her readers’ imaginations, Butler enables children to better understand that, whether a decision tosses them onto the safety of dry land or into the claws of a villain, God’s will, grace, and love form the plotline and always triumph in the end.
