DESCRIPTIONWhilst carrying out extensive research into the world of children's books, covering nearly one thousand stories, I have discovered amongst their pages widespread distortion of Christian truth, such that would confuse the issues of good and evil and affect both family life and society in profound ways. Despite advancing technology, books are as much in demand as ever, with young readers greatly influenced by their fictional friends. Over several years, as a teacher, school-governor and mother, I have gathered together the evidence into a thorough but easy-to-read review entitled "Secret Messages".Considering the materialistic age we live in, it is surprising how many stories have a "religious" setting, with supernatural powers, rituals and values which are far from Christian, yet are convincingly portrayed. In these alternative scenarios, there are no absolutes: all is relative. Admirable qualities such as honesty, unselfishness and respect are ignored. There is a negative view of authority: heroes and heroines model defiance and secrecy from parents.The fact that violence is increasing in our primary schools, as well as on our streets, causes us to question, "Why?" Few are aware that aggressive attitudes are being fuelled in part by children's reading materials, not just horror comics or role-playing game-books, but mainstream junior fiction. Chapter 8 investigates this problem, with many examples."Witchy books" are another concern. This survey compares them with traditional folk-tales and fantasy, revealing the false messages promoted by them. It also ranges far wider over the whole gamut of pagan, New-Age and psychic persuasions infiltrating even the most innocuous of titles. Youngsters are being conditioned to accept the occult as harmless fun: its dangers are being diluted.We are deceived if we think that anything a child enjoys reading is better than nothing. My investigations have revealed how children are being introduced to dark humour, being targ