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“A Forest in the Desert” is a graphic novel that tells the story of John the Short, a humble disciple turned monastic father.Saint John the Short is a 4th century Christian who, inspired by the great desert fathers Macarius and Antony, travels to the desert of Scetis to become a monk. When the harsh teacher Amoi accepts him as a disciple, John learns humility, faith and obedience and grows from an unwitting novice to the father of many monks and a great saint of his generation. “A Forest in the desert” brings the world of early Christian fathers to life in expressive pen and ink. The fluid lines read close to ancient icons with the familiarity of a graphic novel. Christians seeking truth in desert wisdom will find a virtuous example in the ever-relevant life of Saint John the short.Creative Orthodox is a Canadian Egyptian writer and illustrator. He retells stories of ancient Christianity in modern mediums. Other works by the author include the graphic novel “Anastasis: The Harrowing of Hades” and numerous illustrations of church saints that can be found online.

From the Publisher

Finding virtue, fun and inspiration in ancient Christianity.

Inspired by Church tradition

Illustrations that reflect Orthodox iconographic styles while preserving reverence for icons. As these are illustrations, the books can be handled much easier.

These books draw inspiration from the lives and writings of the early church fathers.

Engaging storytelling

Encourage the Orthodox young and old to connect with the saints and our rich ancient tradition.

Creative Orthodox books are perfect for parish bookstores, Orthodox youth groups, book study groups, Sunday School gifts and lenten reading.

Goodness for all ages

Books ranging from board books for toddlers, to coloring books suitable for young children and graphic novels for adults and young adults.

Encourage your young artists to stay screen-free, learn all about church saints and keep focus during liturgy.

Book Type
Coloring book Coloring book Picture Book Picture Book Graphic novel Graphic novel

Age Range
1-7 Years 1-7 Years 2-7 2-7 10+ Years 10+ Years

Number of Pages
75 (35 single page illustrations) 58 (26 single page illustrations) 24 Full color pages 26 Full color pages 52 Full color pages 182 Black and white pages

Best For
Keeping focus during liturgy, learning about the Orthodox Saints Learning the alphabet, learning about the Orthodox Saints Teaching toddlers about the Orthodox saint Antony and the virtue of humility Establishing a healthy image of a saintly family – centered on Christ, grounded in service and liturgical life. Celebrating Resurrection & Pascha, learning about Bright Saturday Learning the life of Saint John the Short, introduction to the desert fathers

Michael Elgamal is a Canadian Egyptian writer and artist. He started the “Creative Orthodox” blog to tell stories of ancient Christianity. Michael lives in Ontario, Canada with his wife Margie and their 15 month old son.

About Creative Orthodox

Finding virtue, fun and inspiration in ancient Christianity.

Creative Orthodox is a storytelling platform to entertain, inform and inspire Orthodox Christians around the globe to pursue virtue in the lives of the saints through the power of storytelling.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creative Orthodox; Illustrated edition (February 15, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 182 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0995993025
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0995993020
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.3 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.41 x 10 inches