The Tent

Written by Gary Paulsen

Narrated by MacLeod Andrews

Power . . . Money . . . Guilt

Tired of being poor, Steven’s father, Corey, is certain that preaching the Word of the Lord is the way to fame and fortune. So father and son take off in their dilapidated truck, with a stolen Bible and a leaky army tent, for a whirlwind tour of small Texas towns.

At first, few people come to see the new tent preacher — but each day Corey’s confidence and charisma grow. Soon their fortune is growing, too, especially when they start performing bogus healings. For the first time, they can afford luxuries like expensive hotel rooms, meals in fancy restaurants, even a slick new bike for Steven. But despite all of this, Steven can’t shake the feeling that there is something terribly wrong with what they’re doing. Can he convince his dad to give up their life of deception?

A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

A Society of School Librarians International Honor Book

“A sincere and thoughtful story of spiritual growth . . . could prompt some serious discussion.” — The Bulletin

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jul 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781455810901

Gary Paulsen

<P>GARY PAULSEN (1939 - 2021) wrote nearly two hundred books for young people, including the Newbery Honor Books<em> Hatchet, Dogsong,</em> and <em>The Winter Room. </em></P>

Reviews for The Tent

[al9g · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What moves someone to faith? The spoken word, or a movement of the Spirit? Wht role does the character of the preacher play? Can a con man move people to faith, even though he doesn't intend it? And cna a person truly preach and remain unaffected by the preaching? This little book explores these topics from the viewpoint of a young teenager whose dad takes up tent revival preaching because of the money that he can make. A friend recommended this book to me as preacher and I like Paulsen's writing but had never read this. It is n interesting little book and provides some fodder for thought while at the same time being a quick and enjoyable read.