A creative collaboration between acclaimed author Amanda Bews (Heaven Sent, Summer Fades) and playwright Tony Knight (The 12th Gate, Under Oath and iThirst), the Hunter Chronicles stories, combined with the Hunter’s Handbook study guides represent a bold new step into narrative based Bible exploration for Juniors. To date, there are six novels, four Bible study guides, and two Life Journals in the series. Another Hunter Chronicles journal and an exciting new story is planned for 2020.

The Hunter Chronicles series is specially designed for primary school, junior age (10 – 13 year old) readers. If this is you, that’s great! We know you’ll love these books. Just so you know, each installment or volume is made up of two parts – a storybook plus a Bible study guide called a handbook.

Each volume in The Hunter Chronicles series unpacks seven great teachings from the Bible. The chapters in each Hunter Chronicles storybook correspond to the seven lessons in each Hunter’s Handbook Bible study guide. Over the course of the four Hunter Chronicles volumes, twenty-eight great truths of Scripture are explored in depth. Sessions are designed in such a way that an entire volume of the series (seven teachings) can be completed during one quarter or a school term.

HUNTER CHRONICLES RESOURCES

  • PATHFINDER HONOURS – Pathfinder honours are also available for each volume of the Hunter Chronicles series. To view the honour requirements, click the picture of the honour tokens.
  • CHARACTER PROFILES – To view the Hunter Chronicles Character Profiles, click the picture of the kids.
  • LITTLE STREET LIBRARIES – To learn about setting up a Little Street Library like Stephanie and Lachie did in Hunter and the Phantom Lights, CLICK HERE

ABOUT THE BOOKS

BOOK 1: HUNTER AND THE FORBIDDEN CAVE (ISBN 978-1-925650-00-6)

Audio Book Download: https://awesound.com/audiobook/pgxz3

Ethan Hunter can’t believe what he’s hearing. His life is in ruins. The family is broke. His dad has legal problems and like it or not they’re heading for the bush… No warning. No questions. No choice!

Could life get any worse? Sure it can! He and his Mum have to move into his cousin Stephanie’s spooky, tumbled-down old house. There he meets a magpie with a sharp beak and a long memory, and a horse that thinks it’s a dog.

So Hunter’s on a mission, dragging Stephanie in his wake, and sweeping Grace and James along for the ride. Ethan gets more than he bargained for as he braves the forbidden caves in search of the Clarke Brother’s hidden bushranger stash.

But what is the significance of the eagle? And who is the dusky stranger watching from the shadows?

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 1 (ISBN 978-1-925650-01-3)

Now is your chance to get the story behind the story. Join Ethan and Stephanie Hunter as they unlock the hidden messages of the Truth Codex and begin a relentless search for answers to life’s big questions.

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 1 is an interactive Bible study adventure guide and the companion volume to the Hunter and the Forbidden Cave storybook. It explores the challenges faced by junior aged kids as they grapple with understanding God, themselves, and how to live life according to the Way of the Hunter.

Bible Studies covered in this book:

Lesson 1 – Jesus, the Son (SDA Fundamental #4)
Lesson 2 – God, the Father (SDA Fundamental #3)
Lesson 3 – The Holy Spirit (SDA Fundamental #5)
Lesson 4 – The Trinity (SDA Fundamental #2)
Lesson 5 – The Law of God (Fundamental #19)
Lesson 6 – The Plan of Salvation (SDA Fundamental #10)
Lesson 7 – Death and Resurrection (SDA Fundamental #26)

 

BOOK 2: HUNTER AND THE FORGOTTEN TREASURE (ISBN 978-1-925650-03-7)

Audio Book Download: https://awesound.com/audiobook/p43mp

Ethan, Stephanie and their new friend Lachie, are off again, this time following the cryptic trail left by the black-hearted bushranger brothers, Thomas & John Clarke.

From forbidden caves and crumbling ruins, to spooky grave-yards and ancient burial grounds, the treasure-seekers delve into secret compartments and even more secret family histories in the hunt to solve a century old mystery. But who are the mysterious figures dogging their every move? Does someone else know about the bushrangers’ gold? And what does any of this have to do with ancient Vikings?

 The race is on. First to the treasure wins, and doesn’t the winner always take it all?

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 2 (ISBN 978-1-925650-04-4)

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 2 is an interactive Bible study adventure guide and the companion volume to the Hunter and the Forgotten Treasure storybook. Junior aged readers will join with Ethan Hunter and his friends as they blast-off on the treasure-hunting roller-coaster ride of a lifetime to discover God’s plan and what truly matters most in life

Bible Studies covered in this book:

Lesson 1: The Scriptures (SDA Fundamental Belief #1)
Lesson 2: The Gift of Prophecy (SDA Fundamental Belief #18)
Lesson 3: The Sanctuary (SDA Fundamental Belief #24)
Lesson 4: Life, Death & Resurrection of Jesus (SDA Fundamental Belief #9)
Lesson 5: Jesus’ Second Coming (SDA Fundamental Belief #25)
Lesson 6: The Millennium (SDA Fundamental Belief #27)
Lesson 7: The New Earth (SDA Fundamental Belief #28)

BOOK 3: HUNTER AND THE HAUNTED HALLS (ISBN 978-1-925650-06-8)

Audio Book Download: https://awesound.com/audiobook/pef9h

Dodging Zeke and his gang of bullies, battling dinosaurs, saving Pooky the Bear from a fate worse than death – it was just another day in the life of Ethan Hunter. Who would have thought starting at Mystery Bay Primary would be so dangerous?

As the skies filled with smoke, the flames rose higher and Mystery Cove succumbed to the fires, Ethan was forced to confront the truth about himself. People either do something, or they do nothing. Would he pass the test?

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 3 (ISBN 978-1-925650-10-5)

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 3 is an interactive Bible study guide and the and the companion volume for the Hunter and the Haunted Halls storybook. In this volume, good and evil come together with a clash, as Ethan and Stephanie desperately search the Truth Codex for answers. Whose side will they choose in the great battle for this world?

Bible Studies covered in this book:

Lesson 1: Christian Behaviour (SDA Fundamental Belief #22)
Lesson 2: The Nature of Humanity (SDA Fundamental Belief #7)
Lesson 3: Creation (SDA Fundamental Belief #6)
Lesson 4: The Sabbath (SDA Fundamental Belief #20)
Lesson 5: The Great Controversy (SDA Fundamental Belief #8)
Lesson 6: The Remnant Church (SDA Fundamental Belief #13)
Lesson 7: The Lord’s Supper (SDA Fundamental Belief #16)

 

BOOK 4: HUNTER AND THE SMUGGLER’S SNARE (978-1-925650-09-9)

Audio Book Download:
https://awesound.com/audiobook/pbbrq

The smoke had barely cleared when Mystery Cove faced another crisis. Animals were disappearing from the national park and Jem was talking about smugglers. As the trail heated up, Ethan had to consider—was it the work of traffickers, or an old enemy returned?

Closer to home the Hunter gang was in danger of splitting up. Barry and Bentley were leaving the Cove, Zeke’s family was tearing itself apart, and Stephanie seemed lost in a hundred-year-old diary. As the date of Ethan’s baptism approached, he wondered what it would take to make them feel like a family again.

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 4 (ISBN 978-1-925650-11-2)

HUNTER’S HANDBOOK 4 is an interactive Bible study guide and the companion volume for Hunter and the Smuggler’s Snare storybook. In this volume, readers join with Ethan and Stephanie as they discover what it truly means to be a part of God’s family.

Bible Studies covered in this book:

Lesson 1: Unity in the Body of Christ (SDA Fundamental Belief #14)
Lesson 2: Spiritual Gifts (SDA Fundamental Belief #17)
Lesson 3: The Church (SDA Fundamental Belief #12)
Lesson 4: Marriage and the Family(SDA Fundamental Belief #23)
Lesson 5: Growing in Christ (SDA Fundamental Belief #11)
Lesson 6: Stewardship (SDA Fundamental Belief #21)
Lesson 7: Baptism (SDA Fundamental Belief #15)

 

BOOK 5: HUNTER AND THE ISLAND OF SECRETS (ISBN 978-1-925650-20-4)

Written for the 2019 Australian Union Conference “Unstoppable” Pathfinder Camporee, Hunter and the Island of Secrets is the first of many stand-alone Hunter Chronicles adventures.

The chance discovery of a gold nugget and a 150-year-old miner’s claim launches Ethan and Stephanie on their most perilous adventure yet. It’s all aboard the Osprey, as the Hunter crew set sail for the mysterious Island of Secrets on the trail of a completely new kind of treasure.

Shipwrecked and alone, it’s an action-packed quest of survival and discovery as Ethan and his friends navigate abandoned mine-shafts into the darkest heart of the island. Along the way they confront pirates, rescue friends new and old, and learn the only way forward it is to put their lives completely in God’s hands.

As the Island yields up one last secret, the Hunter kids learn the true meaning of loyalty, grace and forgiveness, and discover the greatest treasure of all, one bound to change their lives forever.

HUNTER CHRONICLES LIFE JOURNAL 1 (ISBN 978-1-925650-26-6)

Through shipwrecks and kidnappings, cave-ins and volcanoes, Ethan and Stephanie discovered the truth – life is an adventure, and the adventure is even more amazing when Jesus is part of the plan.

Taking the next step in the discipleship journey is important. The Hunter Chronicles Life Journal 1 teaches kids how to develop and maintain a daily personal connection with Jesus in ways that speak to their hearts.

The journal includes Stephanie’s journalling tips and Ethan’s ideas on developing a powerful prayer life. Sections include Listening to GodInside Me, Talking to Jesus and a special Sabbath activity segment entitled Sabbath-Cool.

BOOK 6: HUNTER AND THE PHANTOM LIGHTS (978-1-925650-27-3)

The bluish-white light zoomed straight for their windscreen. “Was that a…a UFO?”

With holiday plans in tatters, and towing a bad attitude along with his luggage, Ethan Hunter found himself reluctantly jetting towards Australia’s mysterious red centre on his most dangerous adventure ever. “It’s not the Alice,” Ethan grumbled. “It’s called Alice Springs, and it’s the last place I want go!”

As usual, there were more questions than answers. Who were those Men in Black? Why were they chasing that terrified kid in the airport, and what were those strange lights shooting through the night sky? Under the looming presence of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the Hunter kids were forced to confront life’s big questions—are we alone in the universe? Could there be life on other worlds? And who really created the stars and planets?

HUNTER CHRONICLES LIFE JOURNAL 2 (ISBN 978-1-925650-28-0)

Ethan Hunter thought spending the holidays in “the Alice” would be dull. He couldn’t have been more wrong!

Mysterious strangers, car wrecks, flashing lights in the night sky—these were just the beginning. Through it all Ethan learned just what to do when life seems out of control and you have more questions than answers. Look in the right place, and talk to the right person; that way, you’ll get the right answers. True ones too.

So, what is the right place? Who is the right person? And what is truth anyhow?

If you’re not sure, but want to be, perhaps it’s time to open the book, turn the page, and begin a new adventure. Be careful though—once you know the truth, it’ll change you forever.

The Hunter Chronicles Life Journal 2 guides kids through the next stages of their discipleship journey. Bible study tips from Pastor Derek plus Lachie’s awesome ideas for community outreach make this interactive journal a must-have for every growing young Christian.

BOOK 7: HUNTER AND THE LOST LABYRINTH (978-1-925650-29-7)

No one could believe what lay behind the secret door—certainly not Ethan or Stephanie. But when a chance discovery in a dusty attic thrusts them deep into the subterranean world beneath old Melbourne, the Hunter kids find themselves in way over their heads as they navigate a labyrinth of cryptic clues, stolen treasure, and family secrets spanning six generations.

So, who were the MCDC? Why were there mysterious thumbprint symbols on the walls? What possible connection could any of them have with those kids in the faded photographs, and where did Ash’s house fit in?

The link between choices and consequences becomes savagely clear as unexpected tragedy hits the Hunter kids hard. Ethan and his friends find themselves asking the biggest question of them all: “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Ethan and Stephanie will be back soon for their most exciting adventure yet! Watch out for:

HOW TO USE THE SERIES:
There are a huge number of ways you can use the Hunter Chronicles series:

  1. Read the Story – You can simply read The Hunter Chronicles books as standalone storybooks. With believable and engaging characters and extremely exciting stories, the books are brim-full of adventure and exploding with valuable life lessons. They are written with a high moral value, but don’t shy away from addressing the real issues faced by lots of junior age kids in today’s world.
  2. Personal Study – Many 10 – 13 year olds will enjoy reading the books and doing their own exploration of the Truth Codex by completing the lessons in the Hunters’ Handbook chapter by chapter. The lessons are self-explanatory, highly interactive, but thought provoking and insightful.
  3. Family Worship – The series also works really well in a family or group worship setting. One person, a parent or child may read the chapter in the storybook, then the family can read through the lesson in the handbook, discussing the various points, answering the questions, and sharing opinions, while learning and growing together.
  4. School Lessons – In a similar way to Family Worship, the lessons can be used in a classroom for Religious Education or Bible class, whereby a teacher or a student reads the passage and then the class discusses the questions. Alternatively, the teacher can read the chapter, or even have the students read the chapter, and set the lesson as individual task-work or a homework assignment.
  5. Baptismal Classes – We would suggest that the lessons would be especially suited for use by pastors or school chaplains for follow-up with children who have made decisions at church or school Week of Prayer programs, Summer Camps, Camp-meeting programmes and other places where juniors have made decisions for baptism.
  6. Pathfinder Clubs – Pathfinder Clubs will also find the storybook/notebook combination useful for teaching the Bible Doctrines component of the Junior Pathfinder classes (Friend, Companion, Explorer). In addition, a special series of Pathfinder Honours is available that complement the series. As a child reads each storybook and completes the handbook, they become eligible to receive The Hunter Chronicles honour token corresponding with that book – four in all for the junior series. When all four storybooks and notebooks have been completed, the junior is entitled to receive The Hunter Chronicles Master Token.

PRAISE FOR THE HUNTER CHRONICLES SERIES

“Discovery is the stuff life is made of. Amanda Bews gets that and has turned her brilliant imagination to the task of creating a tale of discovery both fun and enlightening. The Hunter Chronicles is, quite simply, a delightful journey into the wonder of finding things out you didn’t know before.” – Ty Gibson, author and spiritual-explorer.

“A gripping adventure story from beginning to end. I literally could not stop reading. As an educator who works with children, I am certain The Hunter Chronicles Series will be an absolute hit with readers. Finally, a series that infuses biblical principles through narrative that children will be transfixed by. – Sharon Witt, educator, media-personality, and author of the Teen-Talk books.

“At last! An ingenious way to share Biblical principles with junior aged children. Bews and Knight have come together to deliver the first instalment in what will surely prove to be an exciting and intriguing story and study masterpiece.” – Murray Hunter, speaker, writer, youth and education ministry leader.

The Hunter Chronicles storybooks and Hunter’s Handbooks study guides are available from:

Email: resources@adventist.org.au