BEYOND THE ATTIC DOOR

By Tracy Del Campo

The year is 1925, and the nation is at odds as the “trial of the century” approaches. Mr. John Scopes, a schoolteacher, has been arrested for teaching evolution. Creationists and evolutionists are debating the existence of God and the authority of the Bible. Many believe religion may be doomed.

Meanwhile, eleven-year-old Lulu and her seven-year-old brother, Buddy, are visiting their grandmother in the Missouri countryside. On a dark and stormy night, they sneak into the attic workshop of their uncle, a brilliant scientist and inventor, and suddenly find themselves on a harrowing journey through time.

Join Lulu and Buddy on this incredible adventure filled with history, humor, and hair-raising excitement, as they discover the meaning of faith: Beyond the Attic Door.

Kirkus Review

A modern-era parable about Noah’s Ark.

The 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial provides the backdrop for Del Campo’s short, charming fiction debut. After school ends, 11-year-old Lulu and her 7-year-old brother, Buddy, visit their grandmother in the rural outback of Missouri, where the upcoming Scopes trial has become the favorite topic of dinner-table conversation. Their parents, grandmother and scientist/inventor uncle Hugh are all ardently religious folks who believe in the primacy of the Bible, and they all think it’s scandalous that some people are saying that “The Trial of the Century” portends the end of religion. When the children ask Hugh what he thinks, he firmly tells them that “evolution is not a scientific fact; it’s merely an assumption with no observational evidence.” When he’s reminded that his insistence on teaching that assertion cost him his job at “a very prestigious university,” he scoffs, insisting that “[a]ll the evidence points directly to an intelligent creator; there is no denying it.” Lulu and Buddy tell him that the kids in their class don’t think the story of Noah’s Ark actually happened, but Hugh insists that the story is true—and it’s an assertion that comes back to haunt him. Del Campo provides a series of neat plot twists that lead to the children’s discovering that Hugh has built a time machine in his attic. They use it, accidentally, to send themselves back in time to the rainy day just before the ark’s launch. Hugh and the kids’ father follow them, and they all confront the reality of the ark—and the imminent danger of the flood. The author soon delivers a fast-paced climax in which they all make their escape. Back in the present, the children’s grandmother provides the book’s overriding message, stoutly reassuring them that “[f]aith means believing with your heart and not with your eyes.” It’s a tidy moral, but Del Campo’s prose style as she delivers it is never labored or heavy-handed. The book’s brevity and thoughtfulness may make it an ideal supplement for Bible study classes, in which it may prompt lively discussion.

A well-turned time-travel adventure story with a biblical edge.

Beyond the Attic Door is an exciting short novel for younger readers that tells a tale which is reminiscent of traveling through the magical wardrobe to Narnia. At the same time, this story is very different from anything C.S. Lewis ever wrote, although there are similar religious tones present in both narratives. Author Tracy Del Campo's story follows eleven year old Lulu and her seven year old brother Buddy on their adventure through a mysterious attic workshop door they discover while visiting their grandmother in the Missouri countryside. The door leads them through a portal that causes them to travel through time, which in turn teaches them about the meaning of faith. Throughout the story ideas of evolution versus creation are discussed, and the reader is taught about many facets of Christian ideology. Coming in at under a hundred pages, the novel is fast paced, and readers will find themselves turning the pages rather quickly as they follow along with Lulu and Budd

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490837086

Tracy Del Campo

Tracy Del Campo was born and raised near St. Louis, Missouri. Her faith, humor, and love of history influence her writing. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband, Robert, and two children.

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 Tracy Del Campo.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-3707-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-3708-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014908572

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/22/2021

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Afterword

Dedicated to my children,

Madison and Zion.

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

─Psalm 19:1 (NIV)

Introduction

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In 1859, Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was published. The creation versus evolution debate began, generating scientific and religious discussions around the world.

This argument came to a head in 1925 when John Scopes, a schoolteacher in Tennessee, was arrested for teaching evolution, creating a firestorm of tension between those on opposing sides of the fence. His subsequent trial, in July of that year, would be known as the Trial of the Century as well as the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Beyond the Attic Door begins during this tumultuous time in history. Writing this book gave me the opportunity to weave together a few of my favorite things: history, humor, adventure, and, most importantly, faith.

Even though the creation versus evolution war continues to wage, new and exciting discoveries are made every day that reconcile science with the Bible. When we evaluate the evidence, it is quite clear that science confirms Scripture, which in turn confirms a wonderful and magnificent Creator.

And now, let the adventure begin…

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Chapter 1

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June 1925

School is out for the summer, and eleven-year-old Lulu and her seven-year-old brother, Buddy, are on their way to visit their grandmother who lives in the forested hills of the Missouri countryside. Small farms, nestled in the valleys, dot a landscape that is surrounded by caves, bluffs, and hollows. It is a hot and humid evening when they arrive. The drive was long, nearly two hours from St. Louis