Cory and the Seventh Story by Brian McLaren and Gareth Higgins

This is a children's book with a heavy-handed dose of morality. I suppose all children's books are like that.

Cory is a racoon who lives near a forest with other forest animals. Everything is going well until a couple animals begin fighting. Then it turns into who's the boss which leads to wanting revenge followed by the cowards running away.

Pretty soon a new form of identity prejudice takes place giving in to hopelessness until finally we have the "super evil" form of capitalism: creating demand for some idiotic shiny thing and then taking pride in how many idiotic shiny things one has.

When those six stories are told. There is a group that wants to get away from it all and they are greeted by a horse that tells a seventh story.

A better story than what has taken place.

I found it to be an okay reading experience. The illustrations by Heather Lynn Harris were terrific. The narrative is certainly agenda-driven. The agenda of Brian McLaren who advoates for a "new Christianity" that promotes working with people of all faiths for the common good.

On the other hand I would compare this book to the kind of religious movies that feel more preachy than creative in how they tell the story and make their point.

This book was provided for review, at no cost.