Today we have a Q & A with Brock Eastman and Shaun Stevenson Authors of The Captain’s Clue
Anthony and his friends are a fun and diverse crew. Who did you relate to the most and why?
SHAUN: As a pastor to kids who has been in Abuelita Rosita’s shoes teaching Sunday school classes and kids church, I really admire her as a person who is so wise, calming, and ready to share Jesus with everyone she meets in the most fun way possible! One of my favourite things she has is her apron (which we might find out more about in later books!). Her apron always has an object lesson at the ready to pull out at a moment’s notice to help explain a parable from the Bible in a way that grabs the kids’ attention and draws them into the world of Scripture!
BROCK: Well, I really enjoy writing for Duck! He’s squarely based on my own son, and it’s fun to write his story. A natural leader, carefree, loves his family, loves soccer, loves ketchup, he’s an all-around good-hearted, kind-natured kid. When I write lines for Duck, I filter them through my relationship with my son, and indeed, some lines are inspired by our conversations. When you get to emergency ketchup packets . . . well, that’s a real thing. Duck’s humour is the same sort I enjoy, and his care for his family goes straight to my heart.
How do you balance humour, action, and deep spiritual lessons for kids in this series?
SHAUN: As a pastor to kids, I have a firm and very strong belief that it is a sin to make the Bible boring. The Bible is packed with so many exciting stories and is filled with encouragement and hope. So when it comes to telling a story centred around a parable, we knew that we had to reflect our Creator in the humour God has (I mean, have you ever seen a platypus?!), and to include the excitement of action that is present in so many stories throughout Scripture.
My favorite Gospel is Mark because that book tells the story of Jesus in a way that is literally action-packed and fast moving, all at the same time sharing the deep, deep truths of the hope we have because of the love of Jesus. In my mind, Mark is the Gospel written with kids in mind, and we wanted that to be reflected in The Captain’s Clue! Kids can have a great time reading a story at the same time they are hearing about Jesus!
BROCK: Well, the truth is . . . I like to write what I want to read. Shaun and I agree on that; we have a high standard for books (especially for kids), and we wouldn’t want to write something we wouldn’t want to read! As a dad of four kids, I have a front-row seat to know if something hits. Was that funny? “No, Dad!” or a bit of laughter says all I need. I’ll also take a sigh if it’s corny, because sometimes that works too! The point is, my kids help guide the humour I write into each book. And I am sure some of the on-the-spot humour comes from Shaun’s weekly experience with his kids at church.
Being with and around and chatting with kids, you cannot help but absorb the ways they think and the things they say! And action? Well, Shaun and I write in a cinematic way; the story plays out in our minds as we write. And so, there is this moving picture as we type the scenes, dialogue, and moments that make up the book. This keeps action at the forefront! And as I said, I don’t want to read something boring myself, so why write that?
We have to compete with so much media and find ways to gain and keep kids’ attentions, when they are blasted with content! And the deep spiritual lessons—well, this is the most important of all, but how to do it in a way that the kids learn it and then want to live it without feeling like we are forcing an idea on them?
I know as a kid I sometimes rebelled when someone told me to do something a certain way, but as I grew and my faith became my own, I wanted to live for Jesus. Kids have to learn and grow in their own faith, and the truth is that now more than ever, these kids are hungry and searching for who Jesus is.
They hear viewpoints for and against, and I think they want to know that what Jesus offers is authentic and real, not just a flashy performance on Sundays. They want to know that this man (a real man) who lived a couple millennia ago, is who He says He is, and what He offers is real!
How does the book help kids understand the meaning of Jesus’ parables in a fun and relatable way?
SHAUN: One of the things we wanted to do was have the kids in the story experience the parable in such an over-the-top way that it would stick with kids as they read about it. Abuelita Rosita helps them to understand the parable in a fun way, not by just telling them what the parable is all about, but encouraging them to read the story in Scripture and see what the Holy Spirit is showing them through the passage. In the end, the kids have to put their faith in Jesus, and that’s the message we want kids to walk away with from the parable: They can put their faith in Jesus and decide to follow Him!
BROCK: Well said, Shaun! I’d point back to the characters. When readers can see themselves in a character, they can learn in ways connected to how that character experiences the story. So I believe that kids will find themselves in the journey, relate to how the different characters experience the parable, and learn from what that character takes away.
What is the Penguincast podcast and how do you hope it can engage your readers?
SHAUN: The Penguincast podcast is one of those fun Easter eggs for kids who want to hang out in Parable Port just a little longer! Each episode of the podcast will feature J.R. hosting episodes and interviewing characters from the series! Some of the episodes will take readers on a deep dive into the town, others will introduce them to the fun characters around Parable Port, and some will feature sneak peeks of what’s to come. Wait. Actually, we might have hidden Easter eggs for the future books all throughout each episode! You’ll have to listen to find out more!
BROCK: What makes these episodes so fun—and we like to joke about this with our editor—is that they’re a great place for the scenes that got cut. Penguincast allows us to bring in more moments from Parable Port that simply couldn’t fit inside the book. We’ve also had fun voicing and finding voices for the characters.
This generation, Gen Alpha, bridges digital and physical content seamlessly. They’ll pick up a physical book, then swap over to their playlist and stream their favorite songs. So we wanted to create an experience that taps into both digital and physical media, reading and audio. It’s a fun way to deepen the experience of Parable Port. And lastly, I grew up loving, and later worked on, Adventures in Odyssey. Audio was important to me—it allowed me to experience storytelling in a different way—so Penguincast is a fun way to pay homage to a beloved brand from my past.
What was your favourite parable when you were a kid? Why?
SHAUN: I have always loved the Parable of the Good Samaritan. When I was a kid, I remember really liking that story because the Samaritan man was the only person who showed God’s love to the man who had been robbed and hurt. It always reminded me that one person can change everything for someone by standing up and doing what’s right: showing God’s love to the people around them. When I was in high school, the story of the Good Samaritan was the first passage I ever had the privilege of preaching about, so it holds a special place in my heart!
BROCK: Hmmm, this is a great question. The wise and foolish builder would be at the top of my list. It’s such a clear depiction of what happens when we don’t put our trust, our life, and our faith in Jesus. When He isn’t at the center of everything, when we don’t base our decisions on Him, then why? And when the storm does come, because it will, and we don’t have Jesus there to hold us, things will seem pretty hopeless.
The Captain’s Clue by Brock Eastman and Shaun Stevenson
ISBN: 979-8-4005-0923-0 | Softcover: $14.99
June 9, 2026 | Tyndale.com
You can find my review here
Brock Eastman is the award-winning author or coauthor of The Quest for Truth series, Bedtime on Noah’s Ark, Daddy’s Favorite Sound, Mommy’s Favorite Smell, a book in the Imagination Station series, Showdown with the Shepherd, Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop, Edge of the Galaxy, and more. He writes the Dr. Fizzlebop recurring columns and feature stories for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, for which he has won two Evangelical Press Association awards. Brock and his kids host the Fizzlebop YouTube channel, where they help kids connect their faith with science. He loves playing games, cooking with his wife, and reading stories each night to his four kids, who have also been coauthors on several of his projects.
Shaun Stevenson is a kids’ pastor who loves seeing families discover who God is and what God has done, is doing, and will do one day! As a writer and storyteller, Shaun loves bringing Scripture to life for kids by creating fun ways for them to experience God’s Word. He has written children’s ministry materials and curriculum for several publishers, including The Foundry Publishing, KidzMatter Magazine, and the Church of the Nazarene USA/Canada Kids. His curriculum has been used around the world and has been translated into other languages. Shaun and his wife, Sarah, are the cofounders of The KidMin Creatives, a podcast and resource provider focused on creative inspiration for every KidMin leader! They love sharing ideas and resourcing the KidMin community in order to create environments that will connect kids with God (the ultimate Creative!) in new ways. Shaun is an internationally recognized expert in children’s ministry and frequently speaks at conferences, camps, and webinars. Shaun holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology from Multnomah University and a master of divinity with an emphasis in biblical studies from Portland Seminary. When he’s not writing, performing magic tricks for summer reading programs at his local library, or reading a vintage middle-grade book from the 1990s, Shaun can be found exploring coffee shops, thrift stores, and escape rooms with his wife.